State-owned firms should manage forests<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A seminar recommended yesterday that state-
\nowned companies take over managing forests from private
\nconcession holders for the benefit of the public.<\/p>\n
Participants argued that state companies will be able to
\nensure that most of the financial, ecological and social benefits
\nfrom the exploitation of the forests will go to the people
\ninstead of businesses.<\/p>\n
The one-day seminar held by the Indonesian Environmental Forum
\n(Walhi) was attended by representatives from various
\norganizations, including concession holders, the timber industry,
\ngovernment institutions, universities, research institutions,
\nnon-governmental organizations, the bank sector and members of
\nthe House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Walhi's program director M.S. Zulkarnaen said that many
\nconcession holders have raked-in huge benefits in violation of
\nthe 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
\"Their activities violate Article 33 of the Constitution,
\nwhich states that natural resources are to be controlled by the
\nstate and used for the people's welfare,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government has issued forest concessions to the
\nprivate sector since 1967.<\/p>\n
According to official statistics, 74 percent of Indonesia is
\nforested. There is 193 hectares of land in Indonesia of which 143
\nmillion hectares are forested, 64 million of these hectares are
\nallocated for production.<\/p>\n
Zulkarnaen said the forest management system should tighten
\ncontrol of forest exploitation to ensure that the natural
\nresource is sustainable.<\/p>\n
He said that, according to Walhi's investigations, only 17
\npercent of the annual total income of US$2.5 billion from forest
\nconcessions makes it to state coffers, while the remaining 83
\npercent, about Rp 4 trillion ($1.8 billion), finds its way into
\nthe pockets of concessionaires.<\/p>\n
He also said that the forest concessions are to blame for the
\ndeforestation of 2.4 million hectares between 1982 and 1993.
\nAccording to satellite photographs, there is only 92.4 million
\nhectares of virgin forest left.<\/p>\n
Sofyan Siambator, a concession holder, said the best way to
\nsolve forest mismanagement and deforestation is to let state-
\nowned companies manage the forests.<\/p>\n
\"Management by state-owned companies will at least minimize
\nforest over-exploitation,\" he said, adding that state-owned
\ncompanies will not only look after benefits but also pay better
\nattention to conservation.<\/p>\n
He argued that the public should own the forests.<\/p>\n
\"I recommend that 80 percent of forest ownership go to the
\npublic, another 10 percent to the concession holders, and the
\nremaining 10 percent to the government,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Mubha Kahar Muang, a legislator from the ruling Golkar group,
\nagreed that state-owned companies should manage the forests but
\nnoted that they should only take over concessions already revoked
\nby the government.<\/p>\n
Prabowo, a staff member at the Ministry of Forestry, said his
\noffice has revoked 84 concessionaires over the past five years
\nfor various violations, and that 54 of them have since regained
\ntheir operation permit.<\/p>\n
There are currently 541 concession holders registered at the
\nministry. (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/state-owned-firms-should-manage-forests-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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