Crackdown a letdown as illegal loggers fly the coop

Crackdown a letdown as illegal loggers fly the coop

Text and photos by PJ Leo

TARAKAN, East Kalimantan (JP): As the helicopter landed in the
Kalimantan jungle, the armed soldiers jumped off one by one,
ready to fight the enemy.

Their mission was to curb rampant illegal logging and
smuggling which has been carried out for many years, with the
timber sent to neighboring Malaysia.

After walking for hours into the deep forest to the border of
East Kalimantan and Sabah, Malaysia, they found a camp where the
illegal loggers once operated. There were a number of tents,
tractors, chain saws and other tools used to cut down trees.

Otherwise, it was quiet. The loggers were gone, fleeing in
such a hurry that they left their incriminating belongings
behind.

Operasi Wibawa, an operation whose name literally means to
enhance the standing of the authorities, was launched against
illegal loggers on May 12 at President Abdurrahman Wahid's order.
It was conducted by the Ministry of Forestry and Plantations, in
cooperation with the National Police. The operation was led by
secretary-general of the ministry Suripto and Maj. (Inf.)
Kamistan HD, commander of the security unit at the Indonesia-
Malaysia boarder. It involved 104 soldiers and 16 logistics,
medical and communications officers, as well as employees of the
Indonesian forestry company Perhutani and PT Telen, the company's
partner.

The operation was scheduled to start on May 11 but what were
termed "technical matters" led to its postponement for a day.

Unfortunately, information about the operation was leaked,
giving the illegal loggers enough time to leave.

Suripto, a former member of the intelligence coordinating
board, could not help showing his disappointment at the leak of
information.

"It might have been leaked by people who are close to those in
power," he said.

"I can't say who. But it could have been from the National
Police Headquarters, from the Ministry of Forestry and
Plantations or locals in Tarakan."

Like Suripto, some soldiers who were dropped in an area called
Sebuku were disappointed when they found loggers who they assumed
were working illegally.

In fact, the loggers were working for Perhutani and their
permits were in order.

Illegal logging has long occurred in East Kalimantan on the
border with Sabah, and in West Kalimantan on its border with
Sarawak. The authorities have generally turned a blind eye to the
activities.

Perhutani, along with PT Telen and local people, recently
confronted illegal loggers and confiscated several vehicles,
chainsaws and other tools.

"For weeks, about a dozen of our employees could not work
because they had to drive the vehicles out of the forest," said
Mansyur Husein of PT Telen, adding that several employees were
injured in an altercation with the illegal loggers.

There is evidence that Malaysian parties are involved.
Documents, tractors and tools left by the illegal loggers carry
the names of several Malaysian companies.

"In the name of the state, we will sue some businessman in
Sabah who are allegedly involved in the illegal logging," said
Sangudi Muhamad of Perhutani.

They are only part of the problem.

"I'm sure that there is a mafia behind this, because it
involves huge funds and many people, including local people,
businesspeople and even the Indonesian police ... ," Suripto
said.

It is estimated that 80,000 cubic meters to 100,000 cubic
meters of logs are smuggled to Malaysia every month.

"Indonesia suffers trillions of rupiah in losses annually,"
Suripto added.

Operation Wibawa is still going on, but for how long? Maj.
Kamistan did not have the answer.

"It depends on the commander, he said. "We only wait for
orders and implement them. This operation focuses on the efforts
to protect our sovereignty in Indonesia and in the border area."