The Indonesian Supreme Court rejects an appeal against the palm oil concession.

The Supreme Court of Indonesia has defied an indigenous tribe by rejecting an appeal aimed at canceling a palm oil concession on thousands of hectares of rainforest, which the tribe claims as ancestral land. This decision could be precedent-setting for a country that faces the challenge of protecting its booming $30 billion export industry while also addressing allegations of deforestation and human rights violations. As the world's largest palm oil exporter, Indonesia is under international scrutiny. At the heart of the dispute is the Woro clan of the Awyu people, whose land was allocated to PT Indo Asiana Lestari covering 36,000 hectares. "I am deeply disappointed as I now have no legal avenues left to protect our ancestral land. Throughout our entire struggle, there was a lack of government support," said Hendrikus "Franky" Woro, who is leading the legal battle. The Supreme Court, the final court of appeal in Indonesia, decided by two to one that the appeal was not filed within the deadline. However, one judge expressed concerns that the approval of IAL might violate environmental protection regulations. Indo Asiana Lestari has so far declined to comment but assures that all necessary permits have been properly obtained and agreements made with 12 indigenous clans. Other Awyu members are also attempting to challenge the permits of companies PT Kartika Cipta Pratama and PT Megakarya Jaya Raya, which collectively involve nearly 115,000 hectares in the same area. NGOs like Greenpeace, advocating for the Awyu, warn that the Supreme Court's decision could impact the outcomes of the other cases.