Trailer

0:03

Welcome to Palm oil country. Indonesia is the world’s biggest supplier of raw palm oil.

 

Global consumption is at 60 million tonnes per year and rising.

 

0.16

The cheap, mass-produced fat is in a wide variety of food products.

 

0.23

Palm oil dominates supermarket shelves. It’s in soap, shampoo, detergent and cosmetics.

 

 

00:31

Busses and cars in London --  in Paris -- and Berlin  run on fuel that contains palm oil. Since the EU decided to save the climate by imposing bio fuel quotas, member states are committed to adding at least 5 % vegetable oil to fuels. The quota is expected to rise to 10% soon.

                     

01.00

But it’s not just European legislators that have fallen pray to the bio fuel fever. The Indonesian government subsidises every litre of bio fuel with 4.000 rupiah, that’s about 40 Eurocent. And there are plans to keep raising the amount of palmoil added to in bio fuels to 30%.   

01:25

There are also high-flying plans to drastically increase the use of palm oil in aviation fuel.

 

But what are the effects on Indonesians and their environment?

 

1.38

 

Asymetric   film by watch doc

 

02:18

Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo in November 2015. For three months locals lived under a blanket of toxic, sulphurous smog.

 

 

02:39

Air pollution levels here are 3000 per cent above the health-threatening legal limit. Hospitals struggled to cope  

 

 

2.50

Many infants suffer permanent brain damage, due to a lack of oxygen.

 

More than 9.000 people die from the effects of smoke poisoning 

 

03:06

Locals try to put out the flames with nothing but sticks. An impossible task  A long drought caused the fires in the peat bogs to spread quickly.

 

3:22

There are over 3.000 forest fires raged throughout the country. Not just on Indonesian Borneo, but also  on Sumatra, Sulawesi and the first time in Papua  

Deforestation through slashing and burning has reached an unprecedented scale.

 

3:36

We’re in Merauke, a region of southern Papua. The government has permitted the destruction of one million hectares of rainforest to make way for palm oil plantations. 

 

3.52

But many locals oppose the plan. They don’t want their forest turned into plantations.

 

03:58 (starts Off-screen)

 Augustinus Mahuze

„I belong to the Mahuze tribe. This is our land. You’re not from here are you?“

 

 

 

Project leader:

 

I’m the project leader.

 

 Augustinus 

 

This is my secretary.

 

04:12

 

 

 Augustinus:

„We have come here to tell you to stop destroying our forest immediately and to leave our land. I don’t mean you personally, but as the person in charge I ask you to withdraw your machinery immediately

 

 

04:20

 Project leader:

 

Yes sir, we can do that. We will withdraw our bulldozers. I didn’t know this was your land.

 

04:32

„Stop the oppression and land theft.“ – the sign reads.  Locals have set it up in protest against the illegal loggers.

 

04:46

In many other regions too rain forest is being burnt down. 2.6 million hectares have been destroyed, a region almost the size of Belgium.  Palm oil companies are responsible for about half the fires laid.

05:05

In the province of Jambi on Sumatra police were able TO PROOVE ARSON BY CONFISCATIN a petrol canister as evidence. The palm oil company Pt. RKK was fined 12 million Euros for arson.

 

5.20

The Unilever supplier was found guilty of burning down the forest. To  make lukrativ palmoil plantations

 

05:35

Back in Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. Police here  have not yet managed to finde  a single arsonist.

 

05:46

 Reporter

 Who did this?

05:50

Woman:

They can’t find the arsonists or don’t want to find them. But everything here was burnt down.

Even our fields and houses.

 

 

06:05 (spoken off-screen)

 

Reporter

: „Why not sell your land?“

06:10

woman  

„It’s the most precious thing I own. If we work with the palm oilcompany we have to take on debt. I have four sons, I want them to have the land and I’ll defend it.“

6.20

06:24

But the pressure is mounting. The demand for palm oil is on the rise all over the world.

 

06:40

In 2016 palm oil consumption reached 62 million tons. Since Europe introduced its bio fuel policy the

land used for palm oil monocultures has quadrupled. An area three times the size of Switzerland has been turned into monocultures.

 

07:00

By funding these investments international banks are enabling this destruction. Among them  HSBC, Rabobank and Credit Suisse to name but a few.

 

25 Indonesian palm oil companies have together received no less than 17 Billion Euros.

 

 

07:32

News Reporter

Not a day goes by without news of protests against palm oil companies in various regions of Indonesia.  Police are routinely ordered to crack down on demonstrators.  Hundreds of farmers in northern Sumatra are demanding to be given back their land.

 

7.51

At another demonstration tensions escalate when protestors torch the building of a palm oil company.

 

08:01

these  farmers are occupying a plantation, demanding compensation for land they say was stolen.

 

08:10

Hundreds of farmers are demonstrating outside a palm oil company. They accuse the company of illegally logging their village forest and poisoning their water supplies. The company has been pumping the toxic waste water from its plant into the river.

 

08:40

These residents are demanding the return of their land and that local men be released from prison. A palm oil company has accused the men of illegally harvesting palm nuts from its plantations. 

 

08:58

Wardian from Borneo was convicted of theft, sentenced to six months in prison.

09:02

 Wardian: (starts off-screen)

„The company accused me of stealing from their plantation. But I was only harvesting the palm oil fruits on my own land. I have the right to do so. I own that land. I informed the company several times that I own the land. I also wrote letters to the company and to the government. I never got a reply from anyone. This kind of treatment is just inhumane.“

 

 

09:40

In March 2018 Salonok Ladang Mas, a supplier of Wilmar PT tried to further expand their plantations.  Wardian was there at the time.

09:52

 Wardian:

What are you doing here? What  ist his?  You can’t just come and tear down these trees.  What you’re doing is against the law.“

 

 

 

 

 Worker:

I think somebody sold this land and we’re doing what we always do.

 

10:11

 Wardian:

Nobody has sold this land. There’s an agreement in place here. Nobody is allowed to cut down these trees otherwise we’ll have another conflict. I think you are from PT Salonok Mas. And you’re destroying the last bit of forest we have left here.“

 

10:34

 Wardian:

„This is unbelievable. It’s outrageous. They’re so bold about it, how dare they do this. To cut down our forest and destroy our planet. We identify with our land we are deeply connected to it, they  just killing our identity. They just put their plantations and factories on our land. Officially the company owns 50% and we own 50% of the land. But in reality we have just 10%. Although half the land is ours, it’s documented in the land register.

 

11:18

Only a few kilometres further on there’s another dispute with a Wilmar supplier.

 

 

11:24

BGA Spokesperson

„For this whole area PT Sal already paid compensation in 2009 to a Mr Pitar.“

 

farmers :

Mr Pitar doesn’t own any land here.

 

BGASpokesperson

But I have the paper.

 

No!

 Military

Clear off here!

11:30 shooting

No violence!

12:27

Farmers

What’s in this paper?

Do you have a licence to operate here? Where are your documents? We have not received any compensation. Where’s your proof? This land doesn’t belong to PT Sal. We have a title deed for this land. Where is your deed, why don’t you show us if you have one?“

 

12:56

Not all farmers stand up to the pressure. Syharudin gave in. Today he lives from his 50 hectare palm oil plantation.

13:05

Syaharudin

The pressure from the palm oil companies was just too big.  They just started cutting down my trees. They stole from me. I stood up against them and they stopped but the pressure continued. They wanted to expand their palm oil plantations at any price. I was criminalised. They just wanted control of our land.“

13:42

Half of Indonesia’s palm oil plantations are run by just 25 companies.

 

13:52

Among them are Indonesian giants such as Sinar Mas, Salim Group, Raja Garuda Mas, Musim Mas  and international corporations such as Simdarby and Wilmar.

 

14:09

The world’s largest palm oil dealer supplies  Europe’s leading bio fuel producer Nesteoil and the food giant Unilever.

 

14:30

14 of the 30 richest men in Indonesia make their Billion Euro fortunes in by selling palm oil.

 

Among them the owners of the Makin Group, Salim, Sinar Mas Golden Agri, Raja Garuda Mas and Wilmar.

 

They also dominate the real estate business tobacco, food processing and they own Indonesia’s mass media.

15:05

On Indonesia’s national press day, the close ties between the palm oil industry and the media are in evidence. Even president Joko Widodo takes centre stage in the celebrations.

 

15:16

Female Announcer: (off-screen)

„In the following ceremony the Indonesian palm oil association Gapki and the Indonesian Journalists Union will sign an agreement to report fairly.“

 

Everyone seems to agree – palm oil is good for the country.

 

15:32

We want to see for ourselves and meet Sidik an independent palm oil farmer in Jambi.

 

15:36

 Sidik: (starts off-screen)

„I only own one hectare of land, on which I harvest about 400 to 500 KG of palm oil. I need about 7 Euros a day to feed my family and for my children to go to school.  If the quality of the fruit is poor I barely make 6 Euros, which isn’t enough.“

 

16:12

 Sidik:

„I am constantly in debt. I don’t own anything anymore. Even a kiosk owner has loaned me money. I owe everybody money and I can’t afford cigarettes. We can only buy what we absolutely need to live.“

 

 

16:45

Sidik:

„If I include the cost of maintaining the plantation, then I’m not making any profit at all. I am just falling deeper and deeper into a debt trap. I harvest every 15 days, so twice a month. Then I buy 20 kilos of rice, but that’s not enough for 15 days.“

 

17:17

 Sidik:

I’m telling you what my life is like every day. I have two children. They’re in first and second grade of primary school. They’ve both had to repeat a year because they didn’t attend school often enough. All their friends have money for snacks and things and mine were always embarrassed because we have no money. That’s our life.“

18:08

Farmers who don’t own any land are forced to work on plantations as day labourers. –

 

None of them have work contracts or insurance.

 

18:30

 Woman:  (HIDDEN )

„I leave at 2 am in the morning and get home at three in the afternoon. Nobody cares about transport for us, often we have to walk all the way home.

18:42

Each day she is to harvest the fruits of 3 hectares of land, disperse 12 sacks of fertilizer and remove weeds on one hectare of land. If she falls short of that her pay is cut.

19:00 O-Ton: Woman

„Sometimes I earn 7€ a day, sometimes only 1.50.“

 

19:15

The plantations have completely changed rural life.

Most people are now dependent on palm oil.

 

19:23

Indonesia supplies the whole world with palm oil.

The problems of deforestation, land conflicts and human rights violations have long been reported in Europe. The European Commission is now asking  for a more sustainable palm oil production and the implementation of environmental standards.

To meet the requirements   companies like Unilever, Nesteoil, Wilmar ,the WWF together  founded the Round table for sustainable palm oil, or RSPO.

  

 

19.54

The palm oil factory PT Agrindo Indah Persada belongs to Wilmar.

 

The RSPO-certificate is supposed to guarantee transparency throughout the supply chain from Wilmar’s factory to the plantation.

20:15

Mulyanto is a small farmer who supplies palm fruits to several palm oil mills. His largest buyer is PT. Agrindo Indah Parsada.

 

20:26

 Mulyanto

When we deliver to PT. Agrindo Indah they readily take our fruits, the same applies to PT Sal. There are no agreements.  

 

20:35

Question reporter:

„Are there conditions of sale?“

 

20:36

Mulyanto

„No. As long as the fruits are not unripe or rotten they accept them....

But basically they’ll buy anything at discount.“

 

20:53

The fruits are sold right after harvest. They must be processed within 24 hours.

 

-----

 

Not just Mulyanto’s fruits are bought up but all the fruits from all the other farmers in the region.

 

------

 

A distributer buys everything and pays the farmers directly. The palm oil fruits are mixed up and delivered to the factory.

 

21:33

PT. Agrindo Indah Parsada does not allow us to film. So we have to hide our camera as we try to verify what Mulyanto has told us.

 

-------

21.41

The result of our investigation: all the fruits are accepted and mixed up. Nobody cares where they come from or how they are grown. There’s no way of tracing the origin of these palm oil kernels.

 

22.13

All that matters is that the mill runs 24/7. But the European Union and large buyers such as Nesteoil and Unilever claim that 60% of palmoil comes from traceable and sustainable production. According to them work safety standards must be met and the toxic pesticide Paraquat is banned.

22:18

does Mulyanto  know about the RSPO regulations?

 

He uses the highly toxic pesticide Paraquat, which is banned according to the RSPO. And he doesn’t even wear a mask. He can’t afford to buy protective clothing and is putting his health at risk.

 

 

22.31 Question Reporter

„Is your palm oil plantation RSPO certified?“

 

22.42

Answer Mulyanto :

No, it belongs to me.

 

QuestionReporter

 Do you know of the RSPO?

 

Answer Mulyanto

 I don’t understand.

 

QuestionReporter

 Do you know about the production standards  RSPO members must comply with?

 

Answer Mulyanto :

I don’t know about any of this. I just want to sell.

 

Question Reporter

Has anybody ever come by and informed you about RSPO regulations?

 

Answer Mulyanto:

No, never.

 

Question Reporter:

What do you consider to be sustainable and ethical palm oil production?

 

Answer Mulyanto

Ethical? I don’t understand.

 

Question Reporter:

Have you ever been invited by the RSPO to take part in training?

 

 

 

Answer Mulyanto

Never.

 

Question Reporter:

Has anyone from the company ever come to inspect your plantation?

 

Answer Mulyanto :

Nobody has ever come.

 

QuestionReporter  :

What are you doing to maintain the water levels and protect your water sources?

 

Answer Mulyanto :

There’s nothing I can do. I have less and less water because the oil palms consume so much of it.

 

Question Reporter:

Do you know the forest protection zone by the river?

 

Answer Mulyanto  :

No, what is it?

 

Question Reporter:

Has anybody ever examined you to see what effects the pesticides may be having on your health?

 

 

 

Answer Mulyanto

 

No.

 

Question Reporter  :

Do you burn your land to make way for your plantation ?

 

Answer Mulyanto

Yes,

 

24:10

That’s the reality of the RSPO its certification and guidelines

 

 Under RSPO standards  child labour is forbidden  

 

24:32

Question:

How old are you?

 

Answer child   

I’m 8 years old and I’m in second grade.

 

Question:

What are you doing on the plantation?

 

 

 

Answer child:

I work here. I pick up the palm oil fruits that are left on the ground  and put them in a large sack. I collect them all in a big pile.

 

Question:

How many sacks a day?

 

Answer child:

About 5 or so.  

 

Question:

How heavy are they?

 

Answer child:

I don’t know, heavy enough that my father has to help me.

 

25:18

President Widodo’s government says it’s concerned about the situation of small farmers and the fact that the yield of their plantations is declining. Especially those that are 20 or 25 years old. These small farmers are expected to be able to compete with large corporations.

 

25:37

 Joko Widodo   President (starts off-screen)

When the palm trees are fully grown farmers can harvest 8 tons of oil per hectare per year.

 

How many tons are farmers producing whose plantation are 20-25 years old? Just about two tons per year, right? So that’s only a quarter.

 

So if companies can produce 8 tons per hectare on their large scale plantations, then small farmers must be able to do the same on their smaller plantations.

 

26:18

 Sidik:

To plant one hectare of new palm trees, would cost as much as a family with two school age children needs to live for a whole year.

 

26:30

 Joko Widodo  

If the companies can produce 8 tons then the small farmers must be able to do the same. Not just 2 tons.“

 

26.40

Sidik:

We need 5 sacks of fertilizer for the plants at a cost of 17 Euros on average. If we take out loans to buy fertilizer then we have to pay back at least an additional 3 Euros in interest. We are already in debt. I can’t afford to buy any more fertilizer.   I have only just saved the 3 Euros to pay back the interest for fertilizer I already used on my plants. I simply can’t afford to renew my plantation.

 

27.12

Joko Widodo :

If companies can produce 8 tons and the farmers only produce 2 tons that’s because they don’t maintain their plantations enough.

 

27:25

Sidik:

We have no machinery. We have no money. We hardly have enough to survive. How should we maintain our plantations?

 

27:36

Joko Widodo:

Once the oil production is stable farmers can turn their attention to cultivating natural rubber, coffee, coco and nutmeg. The biggest problem are farmers who don’t manage to renew their plantations regularly with young palm trees.

 

28:03

Not all Indonesian farmers buy into the promise that palm oil monocultures will lead to greater prosperity. Millions have chosen to continue with traditional farming. The villagers of Pasa Terusan in Jambi are cultivating their land as they have done for hundreds of years.

 

28:23

Atiq

These are our three principles pillars of farming. First rice, that is the basis for our existence. Then we have livestock which is what brings us prosperity. The good thing is that we can feed ourselves with our own rice for half the year, we always have enough, we never have to buy any. When we need money to send our children to college then we sell a cow or a buffalo.

 

The third pillar is natural rubber. That we sell to get cash, so while the women harvest the rice, the men can collect rubber.

 

29:18

Palm oil companies have tried repeatedly to lay claim to this land too, but without success. The communal law forbids the conversion of forest into harmful monocultures. Anyone who breaks these laws is banished from the village.

 

29.38

The Dayak people live on Kalimantan.

Here too there are no palm oil plantations.

 

In the village of Kubung locals believe that the forest is home to the gods. They consider the forest to be holy and won’t allow anyone to destroy it.

29.58

But that doesn’t stop the representatives of palm oil companies from coming here regularly making big promises to locals trying to tempt them.

 

30:15 (starts off-screen)

Regenius Maladi

We are convinced that the forest belongs to all of us and will give all of us all we need to live. It’s not worth

sacrificing our forest in the hope of making quick money. The forest has been our source of life for centuries. That’s why we won’t allow it to be cut down to produce palm oil or anything else. When companies come here and try to lure us with easy money, we’re not interested.

 

31:22

It’s these Indigenous people and farmers respectful of their traditions who are protecting the land.

 

31:02

Adiq

The older the palm oil plantations get the less they yield. With rice fields it’s exactly the opposite. They become more and more fertile over the years. We get more of what we need every year, so we’re against palm oil.

 

 

 

 

31:25

 Sidik:

I have only my one, small plantation. There is no more land. I don’t know what to do.

 

31:25

The world’s palm oil consumption is projected to grow  almost 70% by 2020. Another 17 million hectares will be turned into monocultures --- unless the demand is curbed.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

English Version Global Film

Inge Altemeier  Reinhard  Hornung

 

Field producers

Indra Jati

Dandhy Laksono

 

Executive producers

Andy Panca Ari Trismana

Edy Purwanto

 

Videographers

Suparta Arz

Indra Yati

Ikang Funzi

Taufik Hidaya

Harry Maulana

Ramond Eka Putra

Dandhy Laksono

Bayu Alfrazi

Safrudin Mahendra

Muhamad Riko