MPI Reformasi calls for forest concessions to be redistributed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Forestry Society for Reform (MPI
\nReformasi) called on the government on Wednesday to transfer
\nforest logging rights which have expired to cooperatives.<\/p>\n
Organization chairman Sofyan Siambaton said 105 forest
\nconcessions covering five million hectares of forest would expire
\nover the next three years.<\/p>\n
The breakdown is 20 concessions this year, 35 concessions next
\nyear and 50 concessions in 2001.<\/p>\n
"Cooperatives could turn the forests into small timber estates
\nwith each of them controlling an area of between 1,000 and 5,000
\nhectares," Sofyan said after the organization's national
\ncongress.<\/p>\n
MPI Reformasi was recently established by businesspeople in
\nthe forestry sector to rival MPI, an organization once controlled
\nby timber baron Mohamad "Bob" Hasan, a crony of former president
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
Hasan's MPI is a holding (umbrella) organization for all
\nforestry-related organizations, including the Association of
\nIndonesian Wood Panel Producers (Apkindo), the Association of
\nIndonesian Concessionaires (APHI) and the Indonesian Saw Millers
\nAssociation (ISA).<\/p>\n
MPI Reformasi has pledged to help the Ministry of Forestry and
\nPlantations manage the country's forests in an environmentally
\nsustainable manner and in a way which would benefit local people
\nliving in forested areas.<\/p>\n
The new organization also called for the abolition of several
\nlevies imposed by Hasan's MPI, which it charged burdened timber
\ncompanies.<\/p>\n
Sofyan said cooperatives operating around the concession areas
\nand the employee cooperatives of former concessionaires should be
\ngiven first offer to control the forest after the forest
\nconcessions expired.<\/p>\n
He said the government had thus far awarded forest concessions
\nto 600 concessionaires, 436 of whom are still active. All the
\nconcessions expire by 2007.<\/p>\n
A forest concession is effective for 20 years.<\/p>\n
Sofyan was confident cooperatives would be able to operate
\ntheir forests in an environmentally sound manner.<\/p>\n
"Our people are an agricultural society. We are experienced in
\nmanaging forests," Sofyan said.<\/p>\n
Minister of Forestry and Plantations Muslim Nasution said last
\nmonth at a hearing with the House of Representatives that the
\ngovernment was considering limiting corporate and personal
\nownership of the country's forest concessions to prevent a
\nconcentration of forest assets in the hands of a small number of
\ncompanies.<\/p>\n
According to forestry ministry data, the country's biggest
\nconcessionaire is Hunawan Wijajanto of the Kaju Lapis Indonesia
\nGroup who holds logging rights to 3.49 million hectares of forest
\nacross the country.<\/p>\n
In second place is Burhan Uray who controls 2.95 million
\nhectares.<\/p>\n
Prajogo Pangestu is in third place with concessions covering
\n2.72 million hectares, followed by Bob Hasan with concessions
\ncovering 1.63 million hectares. (jsk)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mpi-reformasi-calls-for-forest-concessions-to-be-redistributed-1447893297",
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