Military pledges to help seize illegal timber<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Military Command pledged to help the
\nadministration seize timber transported to the capital without
\nproper documents.<\/p>\n
The city military chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Sutiyoso, said
\nyesterday that the operations against the sales of illegal timber
\nconducted by the administration have yet to be satisfactory.<\/p>\n
"The administration has failed to stop the flow of illegal
\ntimber into Jakarta. There is an indication that the business of
\nillegal timbers has been growing," he said.<\/p>\n
The state loses Rp 5 billion per month in taxes due to the
\nbusiness. "This must be stopped. We'll help in the operation," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said poor control at the ports and weak law enforcement
\nhave apparently contributed to the business of illegal timber.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said that the first military-backed operation,
\ncodenamed Wana Lestari II, will be carried out over three months,
\nstarting April next year.<\/p>\n
He said that the operation will also include other offices
\nsuch as the Directorate General for Land Transportation, Sea
\nTransportation offices and the Jakarta office of Forestry
\nMinistry.<\/p>\n
"This will be a one-command operation led by the governor," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said that the ultimate target of the operation is to
\neliminate all kinds of smuggling in the city.<\/p>\n
Recently, the deputy governor for administrative affairs,
\nIdroes, said that integrated operations, which have been carried
\nout since 1986, could handle less than one percent of the total
\namount of timber illegally transported to Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He said the administration had confiscated 1,700 cubic meters
\nof illegal timber, worth Rp 250 million, every month out of more
\nthan 1.8 million cubic meters of illegal timber which enter the
\ncity every year.<\/p>\n
A total of three million timber enters the city per year but
\nonly 1.2 million cubic meters have proper documents. The
\nremaining 1.8 million cubic meters, worth Rp 5 billion, are sold
\nin the city without legal documents.<\/p>\n
Idroes said the circulation of illegal timber is up in
\nresponse to rapid development in the city and the increasing
\ndemand for wood.<\/p>\n
Since the city does not have productive forests, he said, the
\ncity demand for wood is met by suppliers from outside the city.<\/p>\n
According to a forestry ministry regulation no. 813\/kpts-
\nII\/1993, owners of illegal timber can be fined more than Rp 20
\nbillion.(yns)<\/p>",
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