Sound information and constructive engagement will help reduce the potential for conflict in Papua’s forestry sector and reduce differences between stakeholders.

This is the underlying logic of a current CIFOR project in Papua called ‘Mitigating conflict and strengthening the capacity of civil society groups to limit illegal forest activities in Papua.’

The project began in mid 2005 and involves CIFOR and partner organisations including NGOs, universities and communities working in Papua and Irian Jaya Barat. They are supporting collaborative research with the aim of helping stakeholders find solutions to controversial or contested forestry issues. Project activities include:

• Estimating the extent of forest loss caused by illegal logging in Papua and assessing the causes.
• Identifying strategies for overcoming obstacles to decentralisation and to the reduction of illegal logging and related conflicts.
• Discussing and disseminating options for the mitigation and resolution of forest conflict cases through multi-stakeholder workshops, meetings between key stakeholders, and media events.

Currently the project is building capacity among Papuan partners and District Forestry staff with several workshops being held in 2006. Issues covered will include forest conflict resolution and the use of anti-money laundering laws to prosecute illegal logging cases. AF