Deforestation for palm oil plantations is a real threat for the sustainability of the indigenous people’s income, as well as for orangutans’ existence. COP establishes a co-operation with such people to protect their forest. Therefore, both orangutans and the livelihood’s sources of the indigenous people will hopefully have a better opportunity to be protected against deforestation. We call this a mutual symbiosis.

The time flies indeed as it is felt as if COP had just started working in Katingan, Central Borneo, since a short while ago. However COP has actually been entering the third year of committing efforts of protecting the forest along the both river banks of Katingan, which is home for 3000 orangutans (PHVA 2004). In December 2006 the Forestry Ministry and the BOS Foundation committed a survey within a concession, which belonged to PT. Makin Group. Based on the survey, it was estimated that 1500 orangutans inhabited the concession, which covered an area of 42,000 hectare. COP advocates the indigenous people to speak out through films, publications and rallies. In Tura Village COP has built a conservation camp. Along with its development lately, the conservation camp has become a place to study for children in the village. They are organised in studying classes by teachers, which are sent by COP. Currently PT. Makin Group has stopped their expansion within the area. Unfortunately the local government has sold the concession, which previously belonged to PT. Makin Group, to another 15 palm oil corporations. This fight of protecting orangutans and their habitats will remain to go on. Perhaps, on the palm oil corporation’s parts, this will become a long lasting and tiring effort as currently the indigenous people has had much louder voices which will be clearly audible throughout the world.  

A camp built by COP two years ago in Tumbang Koling Village, located by the upstream of Cempaga River, still stands very still in one piece, despite various disturbances. The palm oil corporations use illegal loggers to spoil the forest’s integrity. Last year our forest defenders, who were in duty, were provoked by two workers from the palm oil plantations that led them to duels against the workers within the camp. After a while some policemen came up and arrested two COP staff involved in the physical contacts against the workers. However they were released just as soon as another staff of COP and a lawyer of Walhi came to the police station and defended them. Afterwards COP provoked back the palm oil corporation by planting rubber trees within their palm oil concession’s area and stretching COP line upon palm oil trees in their plantation. Surprisingly, the rubber trees left as they stand and have been growing higher nowadays. Apparently the palm oil corporation doesn’t seem to have guts to remove them.

It is just the right time for you to read this because there are some good news we would like to share with you such as a wooden boat, which we have been working on has just taken a shape and is going to be completed very soon. Furthermore an engine for the boat has been purchased as well. Within these weeks it will be able to be used to patrol into the forest’s areas through rivers. While you are reading this, in addition to the patrol boat, a short film starred by children of Tura Village is ready to be launched on December 16, 2009 and will be distributed in Jakarta as well. Soon enough the children of Tura Village will also be able to speak out about orangutans and their forest for a better future.