Forests 'endangered' by regional autonomy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's forestry resources could be
\nendangered, with all its dire consequences, when regional
\nadministrations gain more power from the central government
\nstarting next year, Minister of Forestry Nurmahmudi Ismail warns.<\/p>\n
\"There has to be a consensus that forestry management cannot
\nbe separated from the ecosystem management and that it is part of
\nthe hydrology system,\" Nurmahmudi said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"The implementation of the regional autonomy law in the
\nforestry sector has not reflected the commitment to the principle
\nof sustainable forestry management.<\/p>\n
\"The trend toward forest degradation is increasing,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Conditions will worsen if regional administrations treat the
\nforests as a source of revenue,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The minister, in a press briefing to review the outgoing year,
\nwas referring to the move to decentralize authorities from the
\ncentral to the regional administration starting Jan. 1 under the
\nnew regional autonomy law.<\/p>\n
With the limited budget allocation from the central
\ngovernment, officials in Jakarta are concerned that the regions
\nwould exploit their natural resources arbitrarily, including
\nforestry resources, to bolster their income locally.<\/p>\n
In spite of these concerns, Nurmahmudi said the government was
\nfully committed to implementing the regional autonomy policy.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Forestry, he added, has drafted eight
\ngovernment regulations and 36 ministerial decrees to establish
\nstandards, criteria, norms and procedures to be used by regions
\nas reference in carrying out sustainable forest management.<\/p>\n
Citing the result of a recent official survey, Nurmahmudi said
\nsome 56 million hectares forests have been found to be either
\ndamaged or are in a critical condition.<\/p>\n
These include national parks and conservation forests as well
\nas mangrove forests, he said.<\/p>\n
The damage was caused mainly by indiscriminate felling, wild
\nfires, and other forms of exploitation of the forests.<\/p>\n
The ministry predicted around Rp 250 trillion ($26.3 billion)
\nwas required in order to rehabilitate the damaged forests.<\/p>\n
Nurmahmudi also vowed to establish clean government within his
\nministry.<\/p>\n
\"We are investigating 125 officials from the Ministry of
\nForestry and Perum Perhutani (state-owned forestry company) over
\nalleged involvement in illegal logging,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Suripto, the ministry secretary-general, said those
\ninvestigated were senior officials. The cases of 15 of these
\nofficials had already been referred to the police, he added. (03)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/forests-endangered-by-regional-autonomy-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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