600 hectares of forest pillaged

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)