19/07/2010 (The Jakarta Post) - Leading conservationists  are wary of the rhetoric from the recent two-day orangutan conference, with many saying  that companies need to do more than make empty promises.

The two-day conference ended with forest-related companies promising to help save orangutans by delegating some of their concessions for their habitat.

However, distrust among other stakeholders in the conference was palpable with speakers, mostly activists, pointing out that most of forest-related companies did not participate or commit to saving the orangutan.

Former forestry and agriculture minister, Bungaran Saragih called on oil palm companies to learn from their past mistakes of clearing land without taking care of the habitat loss. Bungaran, himself a man behind massive deforestation when he was an agriculture minister nading out forestry concessions, claimed he was now a “reformed conservationist”. Bungaran is the chairman of the advisory board of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation.

“The palm oil companies could now do the same by taking part in orangutan protection,” he said.

The foundation currently schools some 850 orangutans on survival in their natural habitat. Most orangutans in captivity were displaced  by forest conversion for commercial purposes.

Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) said the activists and scientists unfairly blamed firms as the main deforestation culprits and called for more cooperation.

“Many activists and scientists are reluctant to work with the oil palm companies even for the conservation of orangutans,” Edi Suhardi, Gapki’s compartment of promotion said. “There has been a stigma about the poor management of the oil palm firms. It has discouraged us from conservation efforts because our goodwill is deemed as greenwashing [gimmick].”

At the second day of conference, the organizer divided the group into four rooms – government, the private sector, NGOs and researchers.

Only 12 participants representing four companies sat in on the private meeting. The 12 participants decided to pledge more effort from companies to orangutan.  They also agreed to leave untouched forests intact.

“This is a good start although few companies are here. We hope all the oil palm companies are committed to the recommendation,” said Herry Djoko Susilo, chairman of the Indonesian Orangutan Forum (Forina), the organizer of the meeting.

“It is not easy to invite companies sitting here,” he said.

Forina will hand over the conference’s result to the government.

The NGOs recommended the oil palm concession should ensure the sustainable practices and help to manage orangutan populations in or near its concession areas.

Currently, there are about 54,567 orangutans in Kalimantan and 6,667 in Sumatra.

Activist from WWF Indonesia, Chairul Saleh said he had heard oil palm companies make promises promoting the best management practices since 2007 to help orangutans.