APHI official says forest damage worse

APHI official says forest damage worse

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Commissioner for Legal Affairs and
Organization of the East Kalimantan branch of the Association of
Indonesian Forest Concessionaires (APHI) Achmad Husry disclosed
that forest damage in the province is getting worse.

Without going into specifics, Achmad claimed that based on an
APHI investigation, the damage could worsen following the arrival
of 1,000 units of new heavy logging equipment, such as tractors,
logging trucks and dump trucks.

"The equipment were brought in by certain parties who did it
in the name of local community, while in fact they are actually
thieves," he charged here on Sunday.

He added that the official data from the Custom and Excise
office recorded only 290 pieces of equipment.

"The equipment, they said, was for plantation use, but it will
actually be used for illegal logging, including the area our
company PT. Haciendawood operates," he charged while adding that
at least 180 cubic meters of timber have been stolen from the
company's estate.

As quoted by Antara, Achmad said that he has reported the
theft to the local police and Ministry of Forestry office, but
there has been no response.

The head of the Ministry of Forestry's local office, Uuh
Aliyuddin, claimed that authorities were having difficulty in
arresting timber thieves despite having established a special
team chaired by Governor Suwarna Abdul Fatah.

"We have limited personnel and budget," Uuh defended.(hdn)