REDD and Aceh Green Commision

Since the signing agreement/understanding on carbon trade with some parties, the Aceh Governor, of Indonesia, has become more popular in the world. The agreement bound a partnership with private companies such as Carbon Conservation Ltd (CC) and Merryl Lynch initiating restoring and funding scheme. The CC’s contract focuse in the Ulu Masen Conservation (UMC) region while the Sustainable Forest Management(SFM) ltd. Is applying for an investment right in the Leuser Ecosystem Region.

Something funny in the recent world scheme of carbon trading, more popular called as the Reduction Emission form Deforestation and Degradation (REDD). Though the legal implementation will be conducted after 2012, many financial private company, known as Trans National Corporations (TNCs), claim a particular forest region in some nations as their project location. For example, as shown in their website, the SFM claim the Leuser Ecosystem Region (LER), of Indonesia, as their project area while in fact their proposal is still being processed by the Aceh Investment and Promotion Board. Stating the LER as their project area may block other international parties to participate in.

Domestically, the legal status and mandatory indicators of some potentially forested area of Aceh, for instance, the LER, the UMC, and Tripa swamp, is not clear yet to be incorporated as global REDD scheme as shown in Progress REDD table for some potential REDD or CDM in Aceh, of Indonesia. The REDD Proposal for the Ulu Masen Conservation region have passed audit process by smartwood but the management board is not yet formed. A management board for The Leuser Ecosystem exists but other conditional indicators have not been established. The Tripa swamp has project plan proposal but it has no management board.

It is obvious that the REDD philosophy, its potential for caring Aceh forest and the challenges are not yet socialized among provincial environmental stakeholders. Some prospectors, NGOs and government’s departmental leaders simply saw provincial forest as source of money throughout the recently unclear global REDD scheme. Support the REDD idea with avoidance of other socio-economic function of forest land. Other parties are opposing the REDD regarding local people rights (carbon rights), being afraid for the weakening of their institutional power.

To be work well, the Aceh Government need to synchronies’ national Acts and other policy with provincial legislation. Unfortunately, no one provincial legislation have been enacted. Recently, a Governor’s degree is being processed and parallel with the formulating of the Commission of Aceh Green. In accordance with the Department of Forestry (DoF) of Indonesia’s REDD commission, the Aceh Green Commission should be more perfect and more effective as it will be implemented at more specific area.

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Aceh Green

Aceh’s Governor Irwandi enjoys political credibility with his electorate (38% of the post-conflict vote) and environmental credibility as a “Green Governor”, championing a healthy environment as a basis for long-term economic development. So far, so good. What’s the problem?

Sadly, the problem lies within the peace process. Prolonged conflict constrained destruction of natural resources; peace unleashed the demon of uncontrolled exploitation. The Governor instituted a logging moratorium along with a comprehensive review of the forest sector. The stakes are high, and not only for a healthy environment. The carbon wrapped up within Aceh’s forests “ups the ante” and could provide an economic incentive for their protection. Aceh’s Ulu Masen forest complex has just received the first certification as a site where the world could invest in avoiding destruction through carbon credits:

http://ecosystemmarketplace.com/index.php

Banda Aceh (ANTARA News) - The Multi Donor Fund (MDF) through the World Bank is this year to provide US$1.47 million or over Rp13 billion in funds to support Aceh province`s "Aceh Green" policy as part of the Aceh Forest Environment Project (AFEP).

Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf recently held a meeting on MDF`s financial support for the AFEP with representatives of MDF, the World Bank, the Leuser International Foundation (YLI) and Flora and Fauna International (FFI), Chik Rini, a YLI spokesperson said here on Wednesday.

The MDF fully supported the Green Aceh plan and would spend around 21.15 percent of AFEP`s 2008 budget totaling US$6.965 million on the program, she said.

AFEP`s main activities include monitoring of forest areas, public awareness campaigns, development of local people`s income sources.

"This project is one of the largest in the conservation field in Indonesia," she said.

In the Leuser ecosystem area, the AFEP project would be carried out by YLI and in Ulu Masen area by FFI. The forestry project was started in 2005 and would be concluded in 2010, she said.(*)


http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2008/2/13/mdf-to-provide-147-million-for-aceh-green-program/

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Aceh Green

Aceh’s Governor Irwandi enjoys political credibility with his electorate (38% of the post-conflict vote) and environmental credibility as a “Green Governor”, championing a healthy environment as a basis for long-term economic development. So far, so good. What’s the problem?

Sadly, the problem lies within the peace process. Prolonged conflict constrained destruction of natural resources; peace unleashed the demon of uncontrolled exploitation. The Governor instituted a logging moratorium along with a comprehensive review of the forest sector. The stakes are high, and not only for a healthy environment. The carbon wrapped up within Aceh’s forests “ups the ante” and could provide an economic incentive for their protection. Aceh’s Ulu Masen forest complex has just received the first certification as a site where the world could invest in avoiding destruction through carbon credits:

http://ecosystemmarketplace.com/index.php

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Ethnic and cultural groups

Aceh is a diverse region occupied by several ethnic and language groups. The major ethnic groups are the Acehnese (who are distributed throughout Aceh), Gayo (in central and eastern part), Alas (in southeastern), Tamiang (in Aceh Tamiang), Aneuk Jamee (descendant from Minangkabau, concentrated in southern and southwestern), Kluet (in South Aceh), and SimeulueSimeulue Island). There is also a significant population of Chinese, who are influential in the business and financial communities. (on

The Acehnese language is widely spoken within the Acehnese population. This is a member of the Aceh-Chamic group of languages, whose other representatives are mostly found in Vietnam and Cambodia, and is also closely related to the Malay group of languages. Achenese has many words borrowed from Malay and Arabic and traditionally was written using Arabic script. Acehnese is also used as local language in Langkat and Asahan (North Sumatra), and Kedah (Malaysia), and once dominated Penang. Alas and Kluet are closely related languages within the Batak group. The Jamee language originated from Minangkabau language in West Sumatra, with just a few variation and differences.

Aceh was once a meeting point for people from many nations, and among the present day Acehnese can be found some individuals of Arab, Turkish, and Indian descent. Before the tsunami, the region of Meureuhom Daya (Lamno) used to have an unusually high number of people with fair complexions, blue eyes and blond hair, and local traditions attributed to Turkish or Portuguese ancestry.

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Abundant Businesss Opportunities In Acheh

KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 -- There are abundant business opportunities for Malaysian companies in Aceh, Indonesia, as it is in the midst of economic recovery following the tsunami, the Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia vice-president, Datuk Faudzi Naim Noh said.

"The economy there is growing.After the tsunami, there are even more businesses being undertaken compared to before. The registration of cars alone has reached 5,000 annually," Faudzi told a press conference here today.

He said although most of Acheh's development was destroyed by the tsunami three years ago, the people have now successfully rebuilt industries.

"There is a strong demand for Malaysian products there.A lot of their products are imported, including from Malaysia.

"Even chicken eggs are imported with the figure coming close to 10 million daily," he added.

He said opportunities exist in areas such as halal food, consumer products, building materials and tourism.

-- BERNAMA

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Iskandar Muda (Sultan of Acheh)

When Iskandar Muda began his reign in 1607, he immediately undertook a series of naval actions that won for him effective control over the northwestern portion of the Indonesian archipelago. His overlordship included all major ports on the west coast of Sumatra and much of the east coast, as well as Kedah, Perak (with its tin), and Pahang on the Malay Peninsula. He seriously threatened the Portuguese position in Malacca, but an alliance of smaller powers including Portuguese Malacca, Johore, and Patani (now part of Thailand) built a fleet that crushed Acheh in a naval battle near Malacca in 1629. The economic basis of Acheh’s position was the spice trade, and these conflicts grew out of Acheh’s attempt to consolidate a monopoly over the pepper trade.
During the reign of Iskandar Muda eminent Islāmic writers such as the Ṣūfī mystics Hamzah Fansuri and Sjamsuddin dari Pasai, as well as their enemy Nūr ud-Dīn ibn Ali ar-Rānīri, made Acheh an important centre of scholarship. In addition, Iskandar Muda’s system of law and administration served as a model for other Islāmic states of the archipelago. After the Sultan’s death, however, Acheh’s fortunes declined with the military defeat suffered in 1629, the increasingly aggressive Dutch presence in the area, particularly after their capture of Malacca in 1641, and Acheh’s failure to produce another outstanding leader.

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