Indigenous communities in West Papua, Indonesia, have recently called for a boycott of products such as KitKat, Smarties, Aero chocolate, Oreo cookies, and Ritz crackers, as well as Pantene and Herbal Essences. They claim these products contribute to ecological destruction in their homeland.
The products in question reportedly contain palm oil sourced from West Papua, where large-scale deforestation of tropical rainforests is taking place to make way for agricultural activities.
Over 90 West Papuan tribes, political organizations, and religious groups have endorsed this boycott, stating it will continue until the people of West Papua gain the right to self-determination.
Raki Ap, a spokesperson for the movement, highlighted the connection between these products and human rights violations. According to Ap, West Papuans have been forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands, which they have inhabited for thousands of years, leading to severe ecological disasters.
West Papua is home to the world's third-largest tropical rainforest and boasts abundant natural resources, including the world's largest gold and copper mines, significant reserves of natural gas, and vast timber supplies. However, since Indonesia took control of the region in 1963, the indigenous Melanesian population has not benefited from these resources but has instead faced oppression and exploitation.
Reports indicate that Indonesia is developing what will be the world's largest single palm oil plantation in West Papua. The project plans to clear more than 140,000 hectares of rainforest in the eastern part of the country.
Nestlé, the producer of KitKat, stated that it has stringent standards to ensure its palm oil supply chain is deforestation-free and takes all allegations seriously. However, responses from other companies involved have yet to emerge.
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