Mentawai NGOs back revocation of 17 forest concessions<\/p>\n
Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post\/Padang<\/p>\n
A coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGO) has supported
\nthe Mentawai regent's decision to revoke 17 licenses for the
\nright to undertake and profit from logging in forests on the
\nMentawai islands, West Sumatra.<\/p>\n
According to the NGO coalition, the decision was correct as
\nthe felling of forests on the Mentawai islands, all of which are
\nsmall, would endanger the islands' environments.<\/p>\n
\"As an alternative for the future, the government should
\ndevelop programs that would enable local people to benefit from
\nthe forests without endangering them,\" said Prasetyo, the leader
\nof an NGO coalition called the Mentawai Coalition of Civil
\nCommunity Concern (KSMP).<\/p>\n
Among the NGOs in the coalition are the Indonesian Forum for
\nthe Environment (Walhi)'s West Sumatra chapter, Indonesia
\nInternational Conservation (CII) and the Citra Mandiri Foundation
\n(YCM).<\/p>\n
The local legislative council, represented by its speaker,
\nKortanius Sabeleakek, also welcomed the decision by the Mentawai
\nregent. \"The licenses never produced a single cent in revenue for
\nthe regency. The regent has done the right thing in revoking the
\nlicenses,\" said Kortanius.<\/p>\n
Regent Edison revoked the licenses through Decree No. 41\/2005,
\nwhich was issued on April 9 this year.<\/p>\n
The main reason behind the revocation of the license was
\napparently the fact that the regency had not benefited
\nfinancially.<\/p>\n
In its 2004 annual report, the local government said it had
\nreceived no revenues from the forestry sector, even though its
\nannual revenue target for the sector had been set at Rp 2.5
\nbillion (US$278,000). The report, presented by officials from
\nthe Mentawai Revenue Office to a council hearing in March,
\nsurprised many of the councillors. Although the local government
\nhad granted 17 licenses in 2004 for the right to undertake
\nlogging within a 30,000-hectare area, the administration had not
\nreceived any money in fees from the timber companies following
\nthe issuance of the concessions.<\/p>\n
Rio, an official from the Mentawai Islands Forestry Office,
\nhad earlier said that the timber firms had refused to pay the
\nfees, claiming they were too high.<\/p>\n
Fees are imposed on a wide range of forestry activities,
\nincluding the use of heavy machinery and chain saws, and the
\nstockpiling of logs.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mentawai-ngos-back-revocation-of-17-forest-concessions-1447893297",
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