JP\/5\/HPH<\/p>\n
Siberut Island suffers as logging destroys ecology<\/p>\n
Syofiardi Bachyul Jb
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Padang<\/p>\n
Two non-governmental organizations (NGOs), joined by Padang's
\nNorth Siberut Alliance for the Preservation of Mentawai Culture
\n(AMAPM), are urging the government to put a stop to logging
\nactivities on the island of Siberut, which is among the Mentawai
\nIslands.<\/p>\n
According to the West Sumatra branch of the Indonesian Forum
\nfor the Environment (Walhi), the Citra Mandiri Foundation (YCM)
\nand the alliance, widespread logging -- carried out by forest
\nconcessionaires and permit holders -- could cause serious
\nenvironmental damage to the island, which is some 150 kilometers
\nwest of West Sumatra's capital Padang.<\/p>\n
\"Even without the logging companies, the island is prone to
\nnatural disasters as its ecology is fragile,\" said deputy
\ndirector of the YCM Frans R. Siahaan.<\/p>\n
Siberut is a small island with an area of 403,000 hectares. It
\nwas separated from Sumatra 500 million years ago and is
\nvulnerable to erosion. The forest has been its main ecological
\nprotector.<\/p>\n
The forest is home to a number of endemic animals and plants,
\namong them four primates: the Bilou (dwarfed gibbon) the Simakobu
\n(pig-tailed monkey), the Bokkoi (Mentawai macaque) and the Joja
\nor Mentawai monkey.<\/p>\n
There are eight companies and cooperatives allotted more than
\n50,000 hectares of land on the island by the government.<\/p>\n
They have been operating on the island for the last few years.<\/p>\n
The forestry ministry is reportedly processing the concession
\nfor a private company to log 49,440 hectares of forested area.<\/p>\n
West Sumatra Walhi director Agus Teguh Prihartono said that --
\nbased on the results of an investigation the three organizations
\nconducted two months ago -- the logging companies had
\nconsiderably damaged the environment and contributed to social
\nunrest among locals.<\/p>\n
A number of rivers dried up and trees were felled arbitrarily,
\nalthough concessionaires are prohibited from logging trees on
\nsloped or hilly ground, or those that are less than 50
\ncentimeters in diameter.<\/p>\n
The presence of logging companies also threatens the ecology
\nof Siberut National Park, according to Agus. One company was also
\npenalized for logging trees within the national park, some of
\nwhich were over 14 meters tall.<\/p>\n
Conflicts among tribes and families are commonplace on the
\nisland, allegedly due to land disputes and the meager price paid
\nfor timber by the companies to locals.<\/p>\n
A resident of North Siberut and member of AMAPM, Andom
\nSabebegen, said the presence of companies and cooperatives in two
\nvillages upstream had reduced the quality and quantity of river
\nwater in the area.<\/p>\n
\"Before they operated here in 1993, our sampan could still
\nmake it up the river, as far as Sotboyak and Bojakan villages,
\nduring nine months of drought. Now, if there is no rain for three
\ndays, the river dries up,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, he added, if it rains for half an hour, the
\nhouses of people who live near the river are flooded.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp5hph-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}