This visual investigation will explore the impacts of Trans Papua Road project along 4330 kilometres which divide the West Papua areas up to the borderline of Papua New Guinea.
Half areas of Papua Island are Indonesia areas which has wide old forest with mangrove and peat swamp areas, and has more plants species compares to other tropical islands. It is certainly the home for various indigenous culture of Papuan.
Based on David Gaveau and Douglas Sheil research published on Biological Conservation (7 September 2021), 83% areas in Papua, Indonesia are forest areas in 2019. Those areas represent 42% of Indonesian’s forest and the biggest intact areas of old forest in Asia Pacific.
The study predicts 4,5 million hectares (Mha) or about 13% from total 34,29 Mha forest areas can be lost in 2036 as the impact of Trans Papua Road project. This situation will trigger climate change seriously as well.
In the last two decades, Trans Papua Road has benefited land-based industry like plantation, logging, forest and mining. Giving impacts to deforestation which destroys indigenous Papuan livelihood, cultural heritage, and social rules. According to Wahana Lingkungan Hidup (WALHI) research, the construction of the Trans Papua Road in the period 2001-2019 resulted in the loss of natural forest cover area of 22,009 ha wide.
This ongoing photo project started in 2018, is an effort to collect indigenous Papuan community’s live stories which is sacrificed for the world considered developed and modern. It drives to a priority to exploitation of natural resources and the forest. This photo project seeks to address the most urgent problems of our time.