Officials hail anti-illegal logging operation<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
A two-month joint operation against illegal logging in Papua has
\nended with \"satisfying\" results, the National Police and the
\nMinistry of Forestry said on Friday.<\/p>\n
The head of the operation, Comr. Gen. Ismerda Lebang, who also
\nheads the security and order department at the National Police,
\nsaid his team met its target by preventing Rp 2 trillion (US$210
\nmillion) in potential losses from timber theft. He also said 173
\npeople had been named as suspects during the operation.<\/p>\n
\"The operation went as smoothly as we planned and there were
\nalmost no obstacles, except for collecting evidence and witnesses
\nin isolated areas in Papua,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The team, tasked with fighting illegal logging in Papua, began
\noperation Hutan Lestari (Sustainable Forest) on March 5 and
\ncompleted the operation on Thursday. The Rp 12 billion operation
\ninvolved the police, forestry officials, prosecutors and the
\nmilitary.<\/p>\n
Ismerda said the team confiscated 80,768 logs, 20,162 cubic
\nmeters of processed timber, 850 pieces of heavy equipment, four
\nboats, 43 trucks, 13 barges, 14 tugboats, 46 chain saws and 298
\nother pieces of equipment.<\/p>\n
The case files on at least 25 suspects have been submitted to
\nprosecutors and they will soon stand trial on charges of illegal
\nlogging. The case files on the remaining 151 suspects are still
\nbeing completed.<\/p>\n
The detained suspects include three middle-ranking Papua
\nPolice officers -- Comr. Hariyanto, Adj. Comr. Sumadi and Comr.
\nMarthen Renau.<\/p>\n
\"We had better results than with previous operations. Most of
\nthe suspects this time are financial backers, not just operators
\nor small-scale illegal loggers,\" Ismerda said.<\/p>\n
\"We are currently in the process of bringing the suspects to
\ncourt, including police officers and forestry officials,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The London-based Environmental Investigation Agency and the
\nIndonesian environmental group Telapak recently announced their
\nfindings that illegal logging in Papua was backed or committed by
\nhigh-ranking Indonesian Military (TNI) officers, working with the
\npolice and government officials.<\/p>\n
However, the recent operation did not lead to the arrests of
\nany senior police or military officers.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office, the National Police and the TNI
\nare now setting up a team to coordinate the prosecution of
\nsuspects from different backgrounds.<\/p>\n
Minister of Forestry Malam Sambat Kaban said the team also
\nwould sell the confiscated timber and heavy equipment, with the
\nmoney going to the state.<\/p>\n
\"We are planning to hold an open auction so that every
\nregistered company can bid (for the seized goods). People
\ninvolved in illegal logging will not be allowed to take part in
\nthe auction in order to prevent them from trying to buy back
\ntheir illegal timber,\" Kaban said without specifying the auction
\ndate.<\/p>\n
Although the joint operation has officially ended, the team
\nplans to set up a working group to discuss and review the
\nregulations on the issuance of logging licenses.<\/p>\n
The working group will determine whether only forestry
\nagencies are authorized to issue logging licenses.<\/p>\n
\"We will publish the results of the discussion so the public,
\nespecially forestry officials and law enforcers, can understand
\nthe concept of the regulations and how to enforce them,\" Ismerda
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/officials-hail-anti-illegal-logging-operation-1447893297",
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