Thousands protest against state takeover of palm oil plantations in Indonesia's Riau

Indonesia is the world's biggest producer of palm oil, while Riau is the country's top province when it comes to total plantations. - Reuters

JAKARTA: Thousands of residents in Indonesia's palm oil belt Riau province came out in protest on Thursday (Nov 20) against the takeover of their plantations by the government's forestry task force, an organiser told Reuters.

President Prabowo Subianto's forestry task force, which includes military personnel and state prosecutors, has this year launched a crackdown on palm oil plantations they say have been running illegally in forest areas, an operation that the palm oil industry says could disrupt global supplies.