APRIL Group to Commission an Independent Probe into Confrontation at TPL Forestry Concession
APRIL Group will commission an independent investigation of a conflict that occurred on 22 September 2025 between PT Toba Pulp Lestari[1] (TPL) personnel and protestors at an area of TPL’s forestry concessions in North Sumatra, Indonesia.
We are deeply concerned for the welfare of all parties involved in the conflict that occurred and those injured during the incident.
The independent investigation will determine the facts of the incident that occurred, analyse the root causes of the incident and recommend preventive measures to be adopted to ensure that similar conflicts do not recur in the future. While TPL has issued a statement, APRIL, through this investigation, seeks to objectively take into account and understand the positions of the stakeholders involved. TPL has agreed to cooperate fully with the independent investigation.
APRIL will provide regular updates on the investigation’s progress and will communicate the findings of the final report and recommendations of the investigator.
APRIL Group adheres to a strict policy of respecting Human Rights, including the rights of local communities and indigenous peoples, and the principles of Free, Prior, Informed Consent (FPIC). We respect the rights of local communities to express their views through peaceful processes and our policies denounce the use of violence or intimidation by any party in the course of dispute resolution.
[1] Following the Forest Stewardship Council’s definition of Corporate Group, TPL is part of the APRIL remedy process to end APRIL’s disassociation from FSC.
