The proposed development of a new hydro dam within the Batang Toru ecosystem – an area of pristine primary forest in Sumatra – threatens the livelihoods of over 100,000 local people, as well as the survival of the recently discovered Tapanuli orangutan.
Yesterday, the state administrative court in North Sumatra’s capital, Medan, ruled that construction on the dam can continue, despite a large body of evidence that the environmental impact assessment for the dam was deeply flawed. This is devastating news, but the fight is not over. Walhi, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment, will appeal the court's decision, and pressure against the project's funders continues to mount.
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