Logging Permits in the Mentawai Islands: Forest Theft and Fraud Against Indigenous Peoples

An incident that occurred in late 2025 exposed large-scale logging activities carried out under permits issued by the Indonesian government in the Mentawai Islands, off the west coast of Sumatra. The head of a logging company was arrested by the Forest Area Control Task Force after a team appointed by the president discovered that his company had engaged in illegal logging of 11,000 cubic meters of timber, which is estimated to have caused the state a loss of Rp. 447 billion.

This incident is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the unregulated exploitation and deforestation of natural forests in the Mentawai Islands. Since 1970, natural forests designated as customary forests by the Mentawai Indigenous people have been claimed by the government as state property, and most of the land has been converted into production forests.

Since then, logging permits have been granted to several companies.

This investigative report aims to expose non-transparent practices in the issuance and administration of logging permits in the Mentawai Islands, including various fraudulent practices targeting the Mentawai Indigenous people. It also highlights the poor governance of forest areas in the Mentawai Islands, characterized by weak oversight and a disregard for ecological impacts and the protection of the Mentawai Indigenous people.