On August 29, 2018, the Asia Development Bank (ADB) approved Jawa -1 Liquefied Natural Gas to Power(1,760 MW) located in Cilamaya Village, Karawang Regency, West Java, Indonesia. The project required land acquisition of 36.7 hectares of productive land used for cultivating rice and coastal areas for constructing jetties and floating facilities. Jawa 1 is said to be the largest gas-fired power plant in Southeast Asia.
We from the Indonesian Infrastructure Development Monitoring Coalition (KPPII), which is a combination of environmental and human rights CSOs, then carried out direct monitoring of the project site and its surroundings. Monitoring is also carried out on the basis of complaints from local residents who have experienced negative a wide range of environmental and social impacts to this date From the results of monitoring carried out throughout 2022, the coalition found several issues of negative impacts that occurred as a result of the development of Jawa -1 Liquefied Natural Gas to Power. First, there is no effort to restore the livelihoods of dozens of former rice cultivators who have lost their jobs due to the conversion of paddy fields into generators.[1] The second is the problem of the declining quality of the marine environment and fishermen’s fishing grounds due to the construction of gas pipelines and floating facilities. Third, the result of this decline has an impact on fishermen’s activities and productivity. Fourth, the Java -1 Liquefied Natural Gas to Power development project did not carry out meaningful public consultation from the start. Fifth is the issue of the disappearance of cultural heritage findings at the site of the Java -1 power plant project.
The coalition’s findings were then submitted directly to ADB management in Manila in April 2023[2] . One of the parties the coalition met with was the Private Sector Operations Department (PSOD), which oversees the Jawa -1 Liquefied Natural Gas to Power. The coalition urged PSOD to conduct field visits to see and experience firsthand the negative impact of the Jawa-1 power plant.
The PSOD team then came to the Jawa-1 power plant location in May 2023. The Coalition also participated in monitoring their dialogue process with affected residents. Several elements of the affected community groups were involved, including community groups living in settlements in the project area surrounding the power plant. We ensured that the omen groups who are affected, including former sharecroppers, the farmers who own the land, land users affected by the construction of the gas pipeline, fishermen whose livelihoods have been impacted, as well as teachers at elementary school in proximity to the power plant participated in this dialogue.
Regrettably, we observed how theADB PSOD team attempted to undermine the concerns and grievances raised by project-affected peoples by directing them to accept the questionable CSR schemes managed by their client, PT. Jawa Satu Power which ownsand operates the Jawa -1 LNG power plant. For example, the ADB PSOD persuaded affected residents to accept unilaterally determined CSR schemes as a form of compensation for the negative impacts that have occurred, instead of committing to involving independent experts to re-assess the impacts to identify the appropriate management action plan and remedies. The PSOD team also relinquished responsibility failing to carry out proper due diligence assessment and how the project’s impacts led to the loss of sharecroppers’ livelihoods, contrary to the requirements of ADB’s safeguards requirements. ThePThe coalition is believes that the PSOD team’s field visit was not satisfactory and meaningful. Therefore, the affected residents and the coalition demanded that PSOD conduct a re-assessment conducted by an independent team of experts in the next xxxx days.
The coalition’s full statement can be read here