Timber theft rises in growing crisis<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Timber theft and looting of forests owned by
\nstate firms in Java rose significantly last year as the country's
\neconomic crisis worsened, according to state forestry firm Perum
\nPerhutani.<\/p>\n
Perhutani president A. Fattah DS said in Bojonegoro, East
\nJava, on Tuesday that the amount of timber stolen in Central Java
\nalone was over 888,000 logs during 1998, compared to 124,000 logs
\nin 1997.<\/p>\n
In East Java, timber theft accounted for 192,000 logs in 1998,
\nup from 68,000 logs in 1997.<\/p>\n
\"The estimated financial loss caused by timber theft and
\nlooting in Central Java during 1998 reached over Rp 18.7 billion
\nwhile in East Java, the loss could exceed Rp 3.89 billion,\" he
\nsaid during a visit to Perhutani forests.<\/p>\n
In 1997, the loss from timber theft and looting was Rp 1.46
\nbillion in Central Java and Rp 1.11 billion in East Java.<\/p>\n
Fattah said that the loss was calculated by taking into
\naccount the volume of the logs which had been looted. The figure
\nexcluded any loss resulting from damage to the forests or the
\nburning of sawmill facilities.<\/p>\n
\"Since the middle of 1998, there has been rampant looting in
\nPerhutani's areas. The looters attacked the forests in groups of
\nbetween 50 and 400 people. In past years, the groups were only
\nbetween five and 10 people,\" Fattah said.<\/p>\n
\"Looters have taken hundreds of thousands of metric tons of
\nlogs and other items as well as destroying Perhutani's facilities
\nsuch as vehicles, processing plants and even employees' houses.
\nThey even took Perhutani personnel hostage, hurt them and even
\nkilled them.\"<\/p>\n
Perhutani's security personnel were usually outnumbered by the
\nlooters, he said.<\/p>\n
The country is facing the worst economic crisis in its
\nhistory. The number of people living in poverty has soared, and
\ncases of theft and looting have become very common in certain
\nparts of the country.<\/p>\n
Fattah said the looters, mostly people from villages
\nneighboring Perhutani areas, plundered the company's forests
\nbecause they considered the firm to have contributed nothing to
\nthe improvement of local welfare.<\/p>\n
\"In fact we spend more than Rp 221 billion every year to
\nimprove the welfare of people live near Perhutani areas,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Fattah said he thought the mass timber theft might be
\norganized.<\/p>\n
\"Whoever is behind the looting has successfully provoked
\npeople from nearby villages to attack the forests,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Fattah warned that if timber looting continues in Java, it
\nwill result in droughts and also cause flooding, as the forests,
\nwhich function as a water catchment, are being depleted.<\/p>\n
\"Forest areas in Java currently account for only 22 percent of
\nthe island's total area. The ideal coverage would be 30 percent
\nof the land,\" he said.<\/p>\n
To stop the looting, Fattah urged companies in the timber
\nindustry not to buy illegally felled trees from timber brokers.
\n(gis)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/timber-theft-rises-in-growing-crisis-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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