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International Day of Struggle against Monoculture Tree Plantations: Monoculture plantations in the face of climate emergency

  • Publication Date | September 21, 2019
  • Document Type | Media Statement
  • Programmes | Forests & Biodiversity
  • Issues | Agroecology, Biodiversity, Deforestation, Forest Conversions, Plantations
  • Tags | climate change, monoculture, plantations are not forests, tree plantation
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September 21 is the International Day of Struggle against Monoculture Tree Plantations, a day for civil society and community movements around the world to honour the resistance against the expansion of monoculture tree plantations that have destroyed ecosystems and threatened communities. Although it was started by communities impacted by tree monoculture plantations in Brazil in 2004, the ecological destruction and social impacts of any type of large monoculture is generally similar, whatever the crop of choice is. 

For over a month, the transboundary haze caused by the forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan has continued to blow across Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, reaching the Philippines this week. This has occurred continually for over two decades. In Brazil, the Amazon forest is also burning for the same reason – fires caused by monoculture plantation development. Meanwhile, areas in Siberia, Australia and even the Artic have also recently burnt with an unusual intensity, giving rise to climate change concerns that can no longer be ignored. Yesterday, and continuing over the weekend, climate change strikes are taking place all over the world, largely propelled by young people.What are the lessons that can be learnt here?

First, we need to wake up to the scientific fact that our current economic model is not working. The large monoculture plantation economy is a part of this flawed system. In many countries, it arrived with colonisation, clear felling forests and other precious ecosystems, poisoning rivers and soils with pesticides, as underpaid labourers toiled in poor working conditions and community land grabbed.  Today, this exploitative colonial monoculture plantation model continues to be employed by corporations all over the world in sovereign countries. Since the 1990s, in Malaysia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, large new areas of forests and even community agricultural land began to be rapidly converted into corporate monoculture plantations, after the transnational timber industry ran out of natural timber resources, as a result of several decades of overharvesting. Many of such forests and farmlands are also under the customary rights of local communities.

Second, we also need to accept that as far as ecological impacts of monoculture plantations are concerned, size does matter. As a result of their size and lack of crop diversity, coupled with the heavy use of pesticides, they can adversely affect the hydrology and soils of local ecosystems. Peat land can therefore dry up, making it more susceptible to forest fires. 

Third, in order to protect forests and pursue more sustainable modes of agriculture and food production, the rights of local communities and farmers, including indigenous peoples, must therefore be strengthened. It is obvious that we need to undertake a new approach on agriculture and the rights of communities and farmers, especially with the arrival of climate change. Large monoculture plantations are not smallholdings. Corporations are not farmers. The more communities and farmers lose access to their territories, the harsher the ecological destruction that ensues and the stronger corporate control will be over what we consume and how we live.

Agroecology and community-run agriculturally diverse farms must be our future, if we wish to ensure that our children will be able to enjoy sufficient and sustainable food and natural resources and a safe environment. With climate emergency becoming our reality now, it is morally wrong to continue business as usual. Our agricultural system has to change, if we wish for humanity to survive climate change. The world must halt the expansion of destructive large corporate monoculture plantations. Communities and farmers must be allowed to reclaim their rights from corporations to feed, clothe and provide for the world sustainably, as it has always been before the advent of colonialisation. This is not a question of choice. There is no other choice. As eloquently spoken by the teenage climate change activist, Greta Thunberg, “there are no grey areas when it comes to survival.”

Meenakshi Raman

President

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Testimonials

Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah satu badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang telah sekian lama berjuang mempertahan kelestarian alam. Ia juga mendidik masyarakat tentang pentingnya kebersamaan dalam pemikiran dan tindakan agar alam ini dapat kita wariskan kepada generasi hadapan dalam keadaan yang elok dan terpelihara. Dalam pada itu juga SAM giat membantu golongan nelayan pantai dalam memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka sehinggalah tertubuhnya Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING). Nelayan pantai sepenuh masa ini dididik oleh SAM sehingga mereka mampu memainkan peranan sebagai pemimpin nelayan yang meneruskan kesinambungan memperjuangkan hak-hak nelayan pantai lainnya. Sebagai contoh SAM telah berjaya menyedarkan masyarakat nelayan keperluan menjaga hutan paya bakau untuk kebaikan hasil tangkapan nelayan itu sendiri.
Jamaluddin Mohamad Bualik
Jamaluddin Mohamad BualikPersatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING)
During the 1980s, I used to read about the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) in the news. After retirement, some time in 2001, while lazing around, I read news about the construction of a carbon in leach plant using sodium cyanide to extract gold in Bukit Koman. My friends and I visited CAP and we were introduced to SAM and her legal team. We discussed the details of filing a case against the gold mining company and the department of environment with Ms Meenakshi Raman and her legal team. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between lawyers from SAM and many of us from Bukit Koman. We had many ups and downs in our struggle to shut down the gold mine that was causing a nuisance in our village. But, as a community we never gave up because SAM had our backs.
Hue Fui How
Hue Fui HowSecretary, Bukit Koman Ban Cyanide in Goldmining Action Committee (BCAC)
Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah sebuah NGO yang memperjuangkan nasib masyarakat luar bandar khasnya. SAM menerima aduan-aduan masyarakat dan menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi. SAM telah mewujudkan ramai aktivis-aktivis sosial dan alam sekitar. Pada era 1980 dan 90an SAM sangat dihormati oleh masyarakat dan agensi kerajaan. Apabila media sosial menguasai maklumat maka SAM pun terkesan dan masalah masyarakat terus disalurkan dengan pelbagai cara. SAM perlu mewujudkan aktivis-aktivis pelapis yang muda untuk terus membantu masyarakat. SAM juga perlu membuat perubahan supaya banyak turun kelapangan dan jangan mengharapkan laporan media sahaja. Tingkatkan prestasi sebagaimana pada zaman kegemilangan SAM di era 80-90an.
Che Ani Mt Zain
Che Ani Mt Zain
SAM taught me the importance of social activism and the role it plays in upholding the rights of people and the protection of the environment. In my experience, SAM has never hesitated to speak up in defence of people and their environment, and has gone the extra mile to champion their rights, by helping communities take their battles to the higher ups and even to the courts.
Jessica Binwani
Jessica BinwaniPublic/Private Interest Lawyer
Semenjak kami kenal SAM, banyak pengalaman dan pengetahuan yg kami dapat. Kami telah belajar cara membuat baja asli daripada SAM. Semenjak itu, bermulalah minat kami dalam aktiviti pertanian. Dengan memperolehi kemahiran dalam membuat baja asli dan penanaman lestari, kami juga telah dapat menambahkan pendapatan sampingan kami. Ini lebih baik daripada tanah kami terbiar dan tidak diusahakan. Terima kasih SAM kerana sudi memberi bantuan dan tunjuk ajar kepada Persatuan kami.
Chedo Anak Nyuwen
Chedo Anak NyuwenPersatuan Penduduk Sg Buri, Bakong, Marudi
My journey with SAM started when her community organisers took me to the meet the paddy farmers of Kedah, connecting my growing interest in environmental law with our people who struggle to work the land in the face of pollution, replacement of traditional seeds with commercial hybrids and their accompanying chemical package of fertilisers and weedicides. I then had the honour to work with SAM in the struggle for the rights of the native communities of Sarawak, in defence of their forests from massive logging and destructive mega-projects. In every issue that SAM takes up, she combines rigorous research with the realities and voices of the communities to advocate for policies and laws that care for people and nature. From the courts to the elected legislators to policy makers and implementers and to the United Nations, SAM walks side by side with the communities in Malaysia. How can I not be inspired by the vision and passion of the generations of women and men who coalesce to form SAM?
Chee Yoke Ling
Chee Yoke Lingstudent of SAM, Executive Director of Third World Network, SAM’s sister organisation

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Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Headquarters)
No. 1, Jalan Joki,
11400 Penang,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Marudi Office)
129A, First Floor,
Jalan Tuanku Taha,
P.O.Box 216,
98058 Marudi,
Baram, Sarawak,
Malaysia
Tel & Fax: +6085 758 973

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Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Headquarters)
No. 1, Jalan Joki, 11400 Penang,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Marudi Office)
129A, First Floor,
Jalan Tuanku Taha,
P.O.Box 216,
98058 Marudi, Baram, Sarawak,
Malaysia
Tel & Fax: +6085 758 973

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