Dear Australian Broadcasting Corporation,
We watched “Carbon Colonialism, Can Carbon Credits Really Save the Planet,” an ABC Four Corners documentary that focused on the REDD+ Projects in PNG, which was broadcasted on February 13, 2023. The report about the ongoing REDD+ project in Oro Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG) by Kanaka Management Services Private Limited (KMS) was truly reprehensible and contained distorted facts far from the truth, which is misleading to the communities and the public at large. With the intention of identifying the truth for the benefit of all the parties involved, the community, and readers and to distinguish it from the falsehood depicted in the said documentary, we state our side of the facts and information below to clarify the allegations posed against KMS. We hope your viewers are presented with a balanced and factual account of the story and enable a fair view of the REDD+ project activity which KMS is implementing.
Gary Juffa’s criticism of our Company name
Mr. Juffa’s criticism of the company name is unfounded and biased. The word ‘Kanaka’ is derived from the Sanskrit language which means Gold. Please refer to information in the link provided below for your information.
We are submitting these clarifications voluntarily as there was confusion and lack of clarity regarding “Kanaka” in our company’s name. “Kanaka” is basically a Sanskrit word meaning gold. Many deities and goddesses have the name “Kanaka” in their names. People having the name “Kanaka” is in practice since many centuries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrit
Sanskrit is one of the oldest and popular languages in the World. The depth and relevance of Sanskrit is immense and universal. The above mentioned weblink on Sanskrit will give you some information about Sanskrit. Even Papua province of Indonesia name is mentioned in the above web link. Some words in the present-day English have similarities with Sanskrit and have Sanskrit origin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanika_(name)
Look at the name “Kanaka Dasa” in the above web link. Who was a poet, saint and philosopher belonging to 16th century AD.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayawada
You can see details of a famous temple with a similar name in the web link above.
As is evident, “Kanaka” is a very sacred and highly precious word, literally meaning gold.
Many languages are spoken in India. In fact, Papua New Guinea and India are one of the top countries where many numbers of languages are spoken. Hundreds of languages are spoken in India. It is highly pertinent to note in the present context that a normal and dignified word in one language may mean a derogatory or offensive word in another language. It can happen, but the origin of a particular word and its usage context will bring clarity to the stake holders and public.
Many organizations, governments and individuals are cordial and very happy to work with KMS across the globe. Our Worldwide presence and success in this industry over the last 18 years provides evidence for.
Therefore, weaponizing a word by needlessly attributing a meaning to it in the local context is just a diversionary tactic used to turn away attention from the real issues in the background and fuel personal motives. The real issues can be known by reading the information provided by the Landowner Groups representative as presented below. The feedback from representative (Mr Jerry Geno) on such criticism from the Governor has already been posted last year as per the below web link. The text extract from the link is also added for your ready reference down below.
Jerry Geno says:
30 March 2022 at 6:51 am
We people of Papuan Waria under the 4 Incorporated Land Groups, Pore, Mawae, Konoma and Owasupa ILG cannot understand our Governor. He has supported us from day one since 2015 to undertake REDD+ project in Papuan Waria Valley of Oro Province.
The Governor supported the project due to his advocacy towards protection and conservation of rainforests areas. We also supported his advocacy because in our various resolutions we had stopped mining, logging and oil palm planting in the Papuan Sadia Valley. In our various meeting we all agreed to protect our rainforest for our children’s future.
The Governor also appointed a project officer within Oro Provincial Government to oversee our project (name known). This is how we got our motto for our Landowner company, Papuan Waria Rainforest Limited. That is ‘For our Children’s Future’s.
We, the ILG Chairman’s and Landowner Company Officials had meet the Governor eight times in various occasions and three written briefs with three submissions. For the submissions, there were no feedback although verbally in two occasions he promised to support us financially but no vail. Except for Oro Administration who supported us with K10,000 for the ILG process.
It was only in July of 2021, in our final update meeting in Oro Province he abruptly attended and agreed and supported our projects except that we must come under the Northern Province Resource Limited (NPRL) a self-Company owned by the Oro Provincial Government. And the proceeds must be channelled through the NPRL for service delivery and development purpose. This arrangement we, landowners totally disagreed. We did not want a middleman to manage our land use and affairs. Not only that we want benefits to come directly to the landowners who can prioritized the development aspirations of the people and to avoid political interference in the project.
Not only that the Governor wanted us to get Cifor Incraft to be the developer of our project. We, landowners also rejected that as we were undertaking REDD+ project under the voluntary scheme and all along we wanted to seek out investors and agreements made directly with us landowners.
The Governor did not like our arrangement, and this resulted in a sudden u turn and this we expected it will happen as a politician who wants to manage projects in the province. Oro Provincial Administration supported us all along. We have Support Letters to verify that.
For the National Government and government agencies, CCDA and NFA supported and assisted us since 2015 including DLPP on the ILG process CCDA provided us necessary guidance under the framework.We have exhausted the government process to get the far. We have Support Letters from NFA and CCDA of the project. In summary, the REDD+ project in Papua Waria Valley is supported by Oro Provincial Government and Administration and the Government of PNG including Government agencies. And Governor of Oro has supported the project from day one. His change of heart is due to our reluctance to come under his arrangements of which we outrightly reject.
Thank you all.
Jerry Geno says:
11 April 2022 at 12:40 am
Dear National and International Community, We people of Papuan Waria under the 4 Incorporated Land Groups, Pore, Mawae, Konoma and Owasupa ILG cannot understand our Governor. He has supported us from day one since 2015 to undertake REDD+ project in Papuan Waria Valley of Oro Province.
The Governor supported the project due to his advocacy towards protection and conservation of rainforests areas. We also supported his advocacy because in our various resolutions we had stopped mining, logging and oil palm planting in the Papuan Sadia Valley. In our various meeting we all agreed to protect our rainforest for our children’s future. The Governor also appointed a project officer within Oro Provincial Government to oversee our project (name known). This is how we got our motto for our Landowner company, Papuan Waria Rainforest Limited. That is ‘ For our Children’s Future’s.
We, the ILG Chairman’s and Landowner Company Officials had meet the Governor eight times in various occasions and three written briefs with three submissions. For the submissions, there were no feedback although verbally in two occasions he promised to support us financially but no vail. Except for Oro Administration who supported us with K10,000 for the ILG process.
It was only in July of 2021, in our final update meeting in Oro Province he abruptly attended and agreed and supported our projects except that we must come under the Northern Province Resource Limited (NPRL) a self-Company owned by the Oro Provincial Government. And the proceeds must be channelled through the NPRL for service delivery and development purpose. This arrangement we, landowners totally disagreed. We did not want a middlemen to manage our land use and affairs. Not only that we want benefits to come directly to the landowners who can prioritized the development aspirations of the people and to avoid political interference in the project.
Not only that the Governor wanted us to get Cifor Incraft to be the developer of our project. We, landowners also rejected that as we were undertaking REDD+ project under the voluntary scheme and all along we wanted to seek out investors and agreements made directly with us landowners.
The Governor did not like our arrangement and this resulted in a sudden u turn and this we expected it will to happen as a politician who wants to manage projects in the province. Oro Provincial Administration supported us all along. We have Support Letters to verify that.
For the National Government and government agencies, CCDA and NFA supported and assisted us since 2015 including DLPP on the ILG process CCDA provided us necessary guidance under the framework. We have exhausted the government process to get the far. We have Support Letters from NFA and CCDA of the project.
In summary, the REDD+ project in Papua Waria Valley is supported by Oro Provincial Government and Administration and the Government of PNG including Government agencies. And Governor of Oro has supported the project from day one. His change of heart is due to our reluctance to come under his unprofessional arrangements of which we out rightly reject. Politically motivated illegal propaganda with ulterior motives is not fair and totally unprofessional. In the disguise of advocacy on forest protection and conservation targeting communities and making them suffer as they were suffering for decades under this administration is not fair. Fake advocacy is not good for country or its communities. Local communities interests are paramount and critical. Indulging in maligning campaigns about our REDD project on internet like twitter, redd monitor and other websites are nothing but false, malicious, mischievous, politically motivated, and legally punishable. Taking information from someone who is jealous of this REDD project progress and writing the dictated text on internet as if it is a fact is highly unacceptable and totally illegal. We strongly urge all outsiders to stop writing false and wild allegations and misguide the international community. This project is having 100% participation by communities and this is a genuine REDD+ project. We thank you all for understanding the facts.
Real issues in the background
Just for context, the publicly available information on the entity (Northern Province Resources Ltd.) NPRL referred by PWRL representative above, indicates that the The Northern provincial executive council has established a business entity known as the “Northern Province Resources Ltd.”
“It will engage and participate in business development in the province and elsewhere on behalf of the people of Northern,” according to Governor Gary Juffa.
“This is done to grow the provincial economy and create more opportunities for our people.
“The business arm shall be managed by a board of credible persons and shall engage in business activities ranging from transportation, agriculture, tourism and manufacturing, resource exploration and development and banking and finance.”
It nowhere indicates that it is associated with the genuine intention of REDD+ project development. Rather, it has business and commercial interests in other sectors.
Hence, the views of the Governor on REDD+ project feasibility or technicalities of conservation projects and his motives, in general are highly questionable. Further, we urge you to read the views of the landowners on the entity NPRL as presented above, to understand the real context of the matter.
As a project developer, we do our best to maintain good relations between the landowners and the local government. We always strive for peaceful relations between local officials and landowners. We neither participate in local politics nor encourage such activities. We hope now you can see the real context behind these allegations. We hope your report will also present the above referred real reasons behind such a malicious campaign to discredit the project.
On the issue of the meeting between KMS representative with Mr Gary Juffa
Mr.Gary Juffa, Governor of Oro Province had invited KMS representative for a meeting during the month of March, 2021. Around 15-20 people from Oro province who were involved in the REDD+ developed by KMS were also invited. In the meeting, he attempted to create a controversy by taking up the issue of the name of our company by indicating that Kanaka was a disrespectful name. Perhaps, he is not aware of its wider meaning of the name in Indian Culture as explained above in this letter. Though this was as an act of provocation, our KMS representative did not stoke up the controversy further. Mr Gary Juffa, whilst being well aware that KMS project is technically sound and is quite popular with the relevant stakeholders (reply from PWRL representative Mr Jerry Geno is included in the response above), made no mention however of the project related activities or details to the community. He tried convincing stakeholders that he can provide more revenue from the sales of carbon credits compared to KMS and from this it appeared that he was developing some REDD+ projects in association with other project developers in the region (reply from PWRL representative Mr Jerry Geno is included in the response above).
The commitment and desire of the community is to be respected and not be influenced by personal gains, especially by those of its own elected representatives.
REDD+ projects are envisaged as conservation activities with proper sharing mechanisms to communities and has Free Prior Informed Consent as one of the main principles. KMS has designed the REDD+ project with all relevant REDD+ safeguards and followed all relevant Government approvals and community consent. KMS is clear in its principle that it does not wish to provide perverse incentives or false promises to its stakeholders.
On the claim that 85 to 90 per cent of the REDD+ area is under threat from logging, which seems implausible and on the issue of identification of relevant deforestation drivers
Please note that due consultation with the Incorporated Landowner Groups (ILGs) has been done by KMS. The relevant deforestation agents have been identified based on the suitable methodology approved by VERRA. Based on the approved Land Use Plans of the ILGs, the REDD+ project is being implemented only on the land allocated for REDD+ conservation. In the other areas demarcated for agriculture and other land uses, the community has the right to use it as it deems fit.
Multiple deforestation drivers were identified during the initial analysis and indicated in the project documents which is a requirement of the VERRA methodology. This information was drafted very early in the project development process. The information in the Project documents has since been modified and updated in the later versions. Hence, KMS assures that there is no material impact on the overall design of the project.
On the issue of VERRAs non-acceptance of the project
The assumption in the article that VERRA has rejected the project is misleading. We state that almost all VERRA projects or for that matter projects submitted to even other standards get review recommendations and comments from the Standard bodies, which are then attended to by the project developer or the auditing body. That is a common and established practice. The information in the Project documents has since been modified and updated during the ongoing assessment process of the project. Hence, KMS assures that there is no material impact on the overall design of the project and KMS is in the process of resubmitting the project documentation to VERRA for further evaluation soon.
On the reason of why KMS could not reply to questions
The queries by ABC addressed to KMS pertained to the technicalities related to the draft project documentation. KMS does not wish to disclose such information to third parties as documentation is undergoing changes, since assessment is in progress. Hence, KMS felt that it is not fair to provide such information on the project at that stage.
Opinion of KMS on negative and biased reporting
The documentary is an example of biased reporting designed only to push a particular narrative that is far from the truth. We condemn the acts of blatant intimidation and attempts to coerce and unduly prevent the REDD+ project developers from continuing with the execution of their projects. We are cognizant of the attempt to conduct a media trial on the internet by portraying a one-sided narrative, replete with false statements. Our attempt is to conceptualize and implement a REDD+ project with the objective of the upliftment of the communities. Also, stakeholders are well aware that the respective governments, auditing agencies, and crediting standards are fully equipped and competent to check and ensure strict compliance by the project developer like us with all required statutory and process elements of the REDD+ project registration and issuance of carbon credits.
A one-sided view of the matter without presenting a balanced view is misleading to the international community at large and may also have a major negative impact on the international community’s resolve to support REDD+ projects to enhance the overall development of forest communities and combat climate change in general. The support of the international community in its entirety is a critical aspect to the protection of the remaining rain forests on this planet.
Lastly, it is also mentioned in the documentary that such REDD+ projects may not be genuine. This is a well-documented and well implemented REDD+ project with genuine implementation. Facts, figures, and implementation with original pictures are provided in the project documentation submitted to the relevant agencies for certification. Please note that implementation and spread of developmental activities within the REDD+ project areas and surroundings is a continuous process and not a one-time activity.
ABC’s visit to project area and other points
During November 2022, ABC representative visited the project areas with a clear intention to lure the landowners towards “Indo-Pacific Carbon Offset Scheme” (IPCOS). The ABC representative used all coercive and misleading tactics, so that the landowners leave this KMS REDD+ project and join the IPCOS program. However, the landowners have not shown any interest to move away from their engagement with KMS for implementing the Oro REDD+ project.
KMS, as a project developer and consultant, value open and honest communication with all stakeholders and want to reassure everyone that we remain committed to the continuing success of this REDD+ project initiative.
KMS is of the opinion that such coverage by ABC reiterated the fact that the ILGs and communities which are part of the subject REDD+ project are happy for being associated in the REDD+ project implemented by KMS and representatives of ILG’s. As an independent news agency ABC to be more professional and honest in reporting. Coercive and intimidatory tactics is not fair. In such an atmosphere, replies from the stakeholders have the chance of being misinterpreted and misquoted. The lack of honest reporting makes the interpretation biased and subjective. These reporting incidents can create unnecessary confusion, which should be avoided. The fact is, outside persons and entities with vested interests, promote such activities to tarnish the image and credibility of genuine REDD+ projects.
In this context, it is inappropriate for a news agency like ABC to be biased and ignore material information. The news presented is to be fair and real, not prejudiced, and biased.
We once again reiterate our unwavering commitment and dedication to the continuing successful implementation of this REDD+ project in PNG for the benefit of local communities, ILG groups and the Country. We appreciate your kind understanding.
Thank you,
KMS Team
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