600 hectares of forest pillaged

WONOSOBO, Central Java: About 600 hectares of forest has been pillaged by thousands of local residents in the past week, inflicting a total of Rp 10 billion in financial losses, head of local state-owned forestry company Perhutani Dedi M. said on Thursday.

"We've tried to prevent the pillage, but to no avail because of constant terror and threats to our staff," Dedi said.

He said the thefts sometimes took place in daylight, and in many cases involved security personnel, who served as their accomplices.

Dedi said his office had considered asking for help from Nahdlatul Ulama's multipurpose troops if the police and military failed to halt the thefts.

He said he feared in just a couple of years the woods would perish if the pillage continued. (har/edt)