Watchdog links Aceh flood risks to forest concessions it says are tied to President Prabowo’s business group

Indonesia’s National Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) has released a detailed map of forest concession permits held by PT Tusam Hutani Lestari across Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, Bireuen and North Aceh.

According to Tempo, Jatam alleges that these concessions, affiliated with President Prabowo Subianto, have contributed to upstream environmental decline.

Jatam National Coordinator Melky Nahar said the company’s activities, combined with mining and Industrial Timber Plantation (HTI) permits, have added pressure to local ecosystems.

He stated that these conditions intensified the flooding and landslides that struck the region at the end of last month.

The mapping shows PT Tusam Hutani Lestari holds roughly 97,000 hectares of forest concessions. Residents have long objected to the concessions, saying they encroach on customary forests and convert traditional lands into industrial pine plantations.

Melky noted that the concessions span four districts and border the gold mining concession of PT Linge Mineral Resources. The mining permit covers about 36,420 hectares and forms part of the Bumi Resources Minerals group.

Jatam reported an overlap between the forest concession of PT Tusam Hutani Lestari and the mining concession held by PT Linge Mineral Resources.

According to Melky, such overlaps weaken upstream ecosystems and reduce watershed resilience.

The organisation argues that reduced forest cover in upstream areas limits natural water absorption. Jatam links these land-use changes to the severe flooding and landslides associated with Tropical Cyclone Senyar in November.

A social media post by Jatam showing the mapped concessions attracted strong public attention.

Many users questioned whether the presence of a Prabowo-affiliated company influenced the government’s decision not to declare the disaster a national emergency.

Jatam identified 30 mineral and coal mining permits covering more than 132,000 hectares in Central and North Aceh. The organisation also highlighted timber concessions and HTI permits expanding near local settlements.

Melky said that extreme rainfall alone could not explain the severity of recent flash floods. He argued that cumulative land-use changes have heightened environmental vulnerability.

Public scrutiny of Prabowo Subianto’s landholdings has surfaced repeatedly in recent years.

During the 2019 Presidential Election, then-President Joko Widodo questioned the scale of Prabowo’s concessions in East Kalimantan and Aceh.

Records cited during the 2019 debate indicated Prabowo controlled about 340,000 hectares, including 220,000 hectares in East Kalimantan and 120,000 hectares in Aceh.
Former Vice President Jusuf Kalla confirmed that Prabowo’s 2004 concession acquisition in East Kalimantan complied with regulations.

National records at the time placed Prabowo’s overall landholdings at approximately 361,983 hectares.

Prabowo acknowledged this ownership during the 2019 debate, saying the concessions were held under Business Use Permits (HGU) and could be returned to the state if requested.

He said he believed the land was better managed by Indonesian nationals than by foreign entities.

The issue resurfaced again during the 2024 Presidential Election, when Anies Baswedan referenced the scale of Prabowo’s concessions.

Jatam’s latest mapping report has renewed the conversation in the context of recent disasters. The organisation said its findings highlight the need for closer scrutiny of how large-scale concessions affect environmental resilience.

National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) said fatalities have risen to 961 across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra as of 8 December, 2025.

Agam recorded 179 deaths, followed by Aceh Utara 138, Tapanuli Tengah 110 and Tapanuli Selatan 85.

BNPB also listed 235 people missing and about 5,000 injured. BNPB noted Bener Meriah and Aceh Tengah remain among the most severely affected districts. The agency that said 232 areas in Bener Meriah and 295 villages in Aceh Tengah were impacted.