Anti-logging operations extended

JAYAPURA: Massive anti-illegal logging operations in Papua, which were earlier set to wind down on May 6, will be extended to June 7, a senior police officer said on Friday.

The operations had to be extended because police personnel are overwhelmed with case files of suspects who have been arrested since February this year, said Sr. Comr. Saut Usman, spokesman for the police operations task force in Papua. The police will complete all the case files on June 7 and hand over these files to prosecutors for follow up, said Usman.

To date, the task force has arrested 153 alleged illegal loggers, 35 of whom have been detained. Fourteen case files have so far been handed over to prosecutors, and two suspects are facing court prosecution, namely chief of the Papua regency forestry office Marthen Kayoi and chief of Irian Jaya regency forestry office Marthen Luther Rumadas.

Papua police, backed by National Police headquarters, have embarked on massive anti illegal logging operations since March after an instruction from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that security personnel take tougher measures against illegal loggers. -- JP