T

he residents and regency administration of the Mentawai Islands have opposed the decision made by the central government and West Sumatra provincial administration to grant an industrial forest (HTI) permit for a company in Siberut Island.

The HTI permit was given to private firm PT Biomass Andalan Energi for 20,030 hectares.

At least 50 Mentawai residents, mostly students, protested in front of the West Sumatra Environment Agency on Wednesday. The group demanded the agency not proceed with the meeting, arguing that granting the permit would be disadvantageous to Mentawai.

“Since the 1970s, the production forest concession has only resulted in floods,” said Daudi Silvanus Satoko, who led the protest.

Acting Environment Agency head Siti Aisyah, who met with the protestors, said her office would not dare to issue a permit that did not follow proper procedure as it would create a legal fallacy.

Deputy regent Kortanius Sabeleake said the administration had sent a letter to the Environment and Forestry Ministry to lodge a protest. However, no response has yet been received.

He said the lands managed by local people on Siberut Island had been decreasing. Some 127,715 ha of land out of the island’s total area of 386,715 ha are now concession areas for three companies. Some 190,500 ha are for Siberut National Park and 33,341 ha are for other purposes.