2 x 15<\/p>\n
Rules drawn up for
\npresidential debate<\/p>\n
JP\/4\/log<\/p>\n
2 x 25<\/p>\n
Megawati blames 'greedy'
\nneighbors for illegal logging<\/p>\n
It was difficult to fight the widespread illegal logging across
\nIndonesia and neighboring countries were to blame for encouraging
\nthe problem, President Megawati Soekarnoputri has said.<\/p>\n
Those countries continued to demand Indonesian forest products
\nand did not care whether they came from, Megawati told a
\ngathering of local rattan and marble businesspeople in Karang
\nSong village, Indramayu, West Java, on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"We are not blind to the fact that neighboring states have
\ngreedy eyes on our forests and are using all means, including
\nillegal ones, to get their products,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Megawati was responding to a complaint from the businesspeople
\nover their difficulties in getting raw materials because of
\nwidespread illegal logging.<\/p>\n
However, she stopped short of naming the neighboring countries
\nin question. Last February, Indonesian Minister of Forestry
\nMohamad Prakosa called for a worldwide boycott of wood products
\nfrom Malaysia, which he accused of continuing to buy illegal logs
\nfrom Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Malaysia was the biggest buyer of Indonesia's illegal logs and
\nhad refused to act to solve the problem, Prakosa said.<\/p>\n
Companies in that country had used illegal ramin hardwood from
\nIndonesia for furniture production, he said.<\/p>\n
Megawati said she had ordered the National Police to cooperate
\nwith the Indonesian Military (TNI) to crack down on illegal
\nloggers.<\/p>\n
This cooperation would hopefully help decrease the amount of
\nsmuggling of Indonesian hardwood to other countries. The two
\ngroups would work in coordination with the Ministry of Industry
\nand Trade, Megawati said.<\/p>\n
However, Megawati could be asking the perpetrators to help
\nsolve the crime. Many critics of her environmental policy have
\nalleged officers from the Military, police and state officials
\nwere involved in the illegal logging.<\/p>\n
Megawati called for a complete moratorium on Indonesian
\nforest products. Logging had seriously damaged the country's
\nforests and they needed to be restored, she said.<\/p>\n
Stopping illegal logging in Indonesian forests was not an easy
\ntask due to their huge size and a strong security force was
\nneeded to protect them.<\/p>\n
Illegal loggers were also becoming increasingly better at
\nevading security personnel, she said.<\/p>\n
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and several U.S.
\nnon-governmental organizations have called on the U.S. to impose
\ntrade sanctions against Malaysia over the smuggling of ramin
\nhardwood, an endangered species found only in Indonesia and
\nMalaysia.<\/p>\n
\"Sanctions are always a last resort, but we want all trade in
\nramin to be suspended for the time being until the Malaysian
\ngovernment has shown concrete evidence that they have cracked
\ndown on the illegal trade,\" EIA president Allan Thornton said in
\nFebruary.<\/p>\n
However, Malaysian officials have denied the accusations,
\nsaying they had taken the necessary measures to curb the
\nsmuggling of illegal timber from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's primary industry deputy secretary-general Suboh
\nMohamad Yassin has said illegal logging was not an issue for his
\ncountry, but stressed that onus was on Indonesia to upgrade its
\nlaws.<\/p>\n
JP\/4\/saksi<\/p>\n
1 x 25<\/p>\n
More watchers needed: CETRO<\/p>\n
JP\/4\/FUND<\/p>\n
2 x 25<\/p>\n
Presidential candidates
\nrequired to report donors<\/p>\n
1 x 29<\/p>\n
JP\/4\/OSTOMI<\/p>\n
Ostomates struggle for normal life<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/2-x-15-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }