Crackdown a letdown as illegal loggers fly the coop<\/p>\n
Text and photos by PJ Leo<\/p>\n
TARAKAN, East Kalimantan (JP): As the helicopter landed in the
\nKalimantan jungle, the armed soldiers jumped off one by one,
\nready to fight the enemy.<\/p>\n
Their mission was to curb rampant illegal logging and
\nsmuggling which has been carried out for many years, with the
\ntimber sent to neighboring Malaysia.<\/p>\n
After walking for hours into the deep forest to the border of
\nEast Kalimantan and Sabah, Malaysia, they found a camp where the
\nillegal loggers once operated. There were a number of tents,
\ntractors, chain saws and other tools used to cut down trees.<\/p>\n
Otherwise, it was quiet. The loggers were gone, fleeing in
\nsuch a hurry that they left their incriminating belongings
\nbehind.<\/p>\n
Operasi Wibawa, an operation whose name literally means to
\nenhance the standing of the authorities, was launched against
\nillegal loggers on May 12 at President Abdurrahman Wahid's order.
\nIt was conducted by the Ministry of Forestry and Plantations, in
\ncooperation with the National Police. The operation was led by
\nsecretary-general of the ministry Suripto and Maj. (Inf.)
\nKamistan HD, commander of the security unit at the Indonesia-
\nMalaysia boarder. It involved 104 soldiers and 16 logistics,
\nmedical and communications officers, as well as employees of the
\nIndonesian forestry company Perhutani and PT Telen, the company's
\npartner.<\/p>\n
The operation was scheduled to start on May 11 but what were
\ntermed \"technical matters\" led to its postponement for a day.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, information about the operation was leaked,
\ngiving the illegal loggers enough time to leave.<\/p>\n
Suripto, a former member of the intelligence coordinating
\nboard, could not help showing his disappointment at the leak of
\ninformation.<\/p>\n
\"It might have been leaked by people who are close to those in
\npower,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"I can't say who. But it could have been from the National
\nPolice Headquarters, from the Ministry of Forestry and
\nPlantations or locals in Tarakan.\"<\/p>\n
Like Suripto, some soldiers who were dropped in an area called
\nSebuku were disappointed when they found loggers who they assumed
\nwere working illegally.<\/p>\n
In fact, the loggers were working for Perhutani and their
\npermits were in order.<\/p>\n
Illegal logging has long occurred in East Kalimantan on the
\nborder with Sabah, and in West Kalimantan on its border with
\nSarawak. The authorities have generally turned a blind eye to the
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
Perhutani, along with PT Telen and local people, recently
\nconfronted illegal loggers and confiscated several vehicles,
\nchainsaws and other tools.<\/p>\n
\"For weeks, about a dozen of our employees could not work
\nbecause they had to drive the vehicles out of the forest,\" said
\nMansyur Husein of PT Telen, adding that several employees were
\ninjured in an altercation with the illegal loggers.<\/p>\n
There is evidence that Malaysian parties are involved.
\nDocuments, tractors and tools left by the illegal loggers carry
\nthe names of several Malaysian companies.<\/p>\n
\"In the name of the state, we will sue some businessman in
\nSabah who are allegedly involved in the illegal logging,\" said
\nSangudi Muhamad of Perhutani.<\/p>\n
They are only part of the problem.<\/p>\n
\"I'm sure that there is a mafia behind this, because it
\ninvolves huge funds and many people, including local people,
\nbusinesspeople and even the Indonesian police ... ,\" Suripto
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
It is estimated that 80,000 cubic meters to 100,000 cubic
\nmeters of logs are smuggled to Malaysia every month.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia suffers trillions of rupiah in losses annually,\"
\nSuripto added.<\/p>\n
Operation Wibawa is still going on, but for how long? Maj.
\nKamistan did not have the answer.<\/p>\n
\"It depends on the commander, he said. \"We only wait for
\norders and implement them. This operation focuses on the efforts
\nto protect our sovereignty in Indonesia and in the border area.\"<\/p>",
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