Rimbunan Hijau

Rimbunan Hijau is a Malaysian multinational logging company controlled by Malaysian billionaire Tiong Hiew King. The company has operations in many countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Vanuatu, New Zealand and Russia.In Papua New Guinea Rimbunan Hijau is the single biggest logging operator, and runs the country's biggest sawmill.

The company was established in 1976 and has an estimated annual turnover of more than 1 billion US $.

Controversy

Rimbunan Hijau has been heavily criticized by environmental and humanitarian organizations for alleged human rights abuses, ignoring indigenous peoples rights, political corruption and negligence of the environment. A recent World Bank report estimates that up to 70 percent of logging in PNG is currently illegal, further adding to the criticism. [Cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/02/27/png.logging/ |title= Report: Most PNG logging illegal |date=2006-02-28 |publisher= [http://www.cnn.com/ CNN] ]

Two groups that have made investigations and held protests against the company are Greenpeace and Rainforest Action Network. Rimbunan Hijau in turn has threatened to sue Greenpeace for defamation because of its report "The Untouchables - Rimbunan Hijau’s World of Forest Crime and Political Patronage" demanding that the group withdraw the paper. Greenpeace has declined to comply. [ [http://www.nzfoa.org.nz/index.php?/news/forestry_news/2004/rimbunan_hijau_does_battle_with_greenpeace Rimbunan Hijau does battle with Greenpeace] , [http://www.nzfoa.org.nz/ New Zealand Forest Owners Association] , 2004-09-16, Retrieved on 2007-08-05.]

Citibank, following a review of its own environmental policies in 2005, declared that it would require the client Rimbunan Hijau to obtain credible, independent, third party certification for its Papua New Guinea operations in the future. [ [http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0303-16.htm Citigroup Commended For Enforcing Environmental Policy] , [http://www.commondreams.org/ CommonDreams.org] , 2005-03-03, Retrieved on 2007-08-05.]

References

External links

* [http://www.rhpng.com.pg Rimbunan Hijau homepage]
*Cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/loggers-remain-a-law-unto-themselves/2006/09/08/1157222334291.html |title=Loggers remain a law unto themselves |publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald |first=Hamish |last=MacDonald |date=2006-09-09
* [http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/forest-crime-file-rimbunan-hi Greenpeace Forest Crime file: Rimbunan Hijau]
* [http://www.masalai-i-tokaut.com Reports on Rimbunan Hijau]
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rimbunan_Hijau sourcewatch.org wiki file on Rimbunan_Hijau]
* [http://www.forest-trends.org/resources/press/PNG_3-1-06.htm World Bank report on PNG logging]