Soeharto calls for protection of forests<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto called yesterday for
\nprecautions to be taken against the predicted drought next year
\nwhich could cause forest fires.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a ceremony for \"Regreening and National Nature
\nConservation Day\" and \"National Social Solidarity Day\" in Mandor
\nvillage, some 90 km east of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Soeharto
\nordered governors and district heads to cooperate to prevent
\nforest and agricultural land fires.<\/p>\n
He recalled the major forest fires of 1995 which caused haze
\nin several parts of the region and as far as the neighboring
\ncountries of Malaysia and Singapore.<\/p>\n
Soeharto stressed that forests must not only be protected from
\nfires but also from illegal tree felling and other activities
\ndisturbing to the environment.<\/p>\n
\"We should be aware that forest acreage is steadily declining
\nwhile demand for wood and other forest products is sharply
\nincreasing,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"We must implement correct forest management continuously to
\nensure that our demand for wood will always be met while at the
\nsame time preserving the forests,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In an off-the-cuff dialog with people attending the ceremony
\nlater in the day, Soeharto stressed that the government would not
\npressure or force people to regreen the environment.<\/p>\n
He said the government had once made the regreening drive
\ncompulsory but was stopped because many did not want to be
\nforced.<\/p>\n
\"We want people to regreen voluntarily and be fully aware of
\nthe advantages of their efforts,\" he said in response to a local
\nresident's inquiry about the government's policies in the matter.<\/p>\n
But, the President said, if each district planted one million
\ntrees, there would be 300 million trees -- as there are 300
\ndistricts in Indonesia -- all over the country.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono, Minister of
\nSocial Services Inten Soeweno, Minister of Forestry Djamaluddin
\nSuryohadikusumo and West Kalimantan Governor Aspar Aswin,
\nSoeharto later visited an exhibition on regreening and nature
\nconservation.<\/p>\n
In his speech yesterday, Soeharto also called for a
\npartnership scheme between timber enterprises and local people
\nfor the development of community forests.<\/p>\n
\"Forest concessionaires cannot ignore the welfare of the
\nforest dwellers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Also in his speech, Soeharto drew attention to the need to
\nstrengthen social solidarity \"as it is only through this that
\nthe nation can uphold and defend the country's independence\".<\/p>\n
He said the nation would be able to solve problems if there
\nwas solidarity.<\/p>\n
The President later presented awards to a number of local
\nleaders for their contributions to community development. (swe)<\/p>",
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