Unrest and Arrests in Sumatra as Community Fights to Protect Mangroves

Picture: Ayat S. Karokaro/Mongabay

In an article by the Mongabay, Ayat S. Karokaro reports the fight against the deforestation of mangrove forest by local community in Indonesia.

A large share of the community objected to this destruction of the mangrove forest, and Ilham reported the deforestation to the provincial police headquarters in North Sumatra. He would later travel back several times to follow up on the case with police.

Frustrated by the lack of response, Ilham is alleged to have taken matters into his own hands by damaging a shelter in the protected forest used by workers hired to cut down the mangrove trees and replace them with oil palms. Ilham was reported to the police for alleged vandalism.