New Documentary 'Pesta Babi' Sounds Alarm on Massive South Papua Deforestation

Filmmakers Dandhy Laksono and Victor Mambor highlight the environmental and cultural impact of Indonesia's 2.5 million-hectare agri-business project in South Papua.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 2, 2026, 10:11 AM EDT

Source: RNZ (Radio New Zealand)

A Project of Global Consequence on the Pacific's Doorstep

The scale of deforestation currently underway in South Papua is being described as one of the most significant environmental shifts in the region’s history. Covering an area roughly the size of a small country, the 2.5 million-hectare clearance is intended to bolster Indonesia's national food and energy security through large-scale agri-business. Director Dandhy Dwi Laksono emphasizes that while global attention often focuses on the Amazon, this "front door" crisis in the Pacific is transforming primary rainforests and swamps into industrial plantations for oil palm and sugarcane.

The Role of the Indonesian Military in Agri-Business

A central theme of 'Pesta Babi' is the increased militarization of the Merauke region to secure these economic projects. President Prabowo Subianto has explicitly committed military support to ensure the success of the agri-business master plan. However, producer and West Papuan journalist Victor Mambor warns that the increased troop presence is a double-edged sword. While the government cites "security" for national interests, Mambor argues that more troops historically correlate with increased conflict and social disruption for local Papuan populations.

Environmental Impact: Carbon Emissions and Biodiversity Loss

The environmental stakes of the project are immense, as Papua contains some of the world's last remaining vast tracts of native rainforest. According to data from the NGO Mighty Earth, the projected CO2 emissions from such extensive land clearance are estimated to be between 315 million and over 600 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Beyond the climate impact, the destruction of these ecosystems leads to significant biodiversity loss and a persistent "pollution haze" that affects air quality across the wider Oceania region, including neighboring Papua New Guinea and Australia.