Timber theft on the rise<\/p>\n
KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: A local forestry official has
\ncomplained that timber theft from the forests of southern Kendari
\nare on the increase and that the forest police are unable to
\ncope.<\/p>\n
Antara quoted La Ndimasa as saying yesterday that the South
\nKendari district's 11,000 hectares of hardwood forest are
\nprotected by only 30 forest police with three motorcycles.<\/p>\n
\"We've done everything to curb theft here, but rather than
\nstopping, the number has increased,\" La Ndimasa said.<\/p>\n
He said the timber thieves used chain saws and transported the
\nlogs in trucks. \"Even if we catch them red-handed, we can't do
\nmuch, because the thieves operate in groups of 10 to 20 people.
\nSome are even armed.\"<\/p>\n
The timber is usually taken out of the region on boats or sold
\nto timber traders in Kendari. \"It's easy for them to transport
\nthe logs because they are protected by officers in uniform,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In the past two years, La Ndimasa's office has confiscated at
\nleast 2,000 cubic meters of stolen timber. On Muna island, 10,000
\ncubic meters of timber are stolen every year, he said. (swe)<\/p>",
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