Environmentalists criticize draft ruling on forest use

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Environmentalists have criticized a draft presidential regulation on forest use as not providing protection for forests because of its outright "pro-business agenda".

Friends of the Earth Indonesia executive director Chalid Muhammad said that the draft regulation did nothing to prevent further deforestation.

"If anything, the draft makes it easier for firms to exploit and destroy forests," said Chalid on Thursday. "This is proof that the government is kowtowing to the interests of big investors," he said.

The draft regulation, a copy of which has been obtained by The Jakarta Post, specifies the procedures needed for obtaining a permit to conduct certain "strategic" and "public service" activities in forests. The activities will only be allowed in areas designated as protected or production forests.

The activities covered by the draft include mining, oil and gas exploitation, electricity generation, construction of roads, tollways and railways, laying of water pipes, building of telecommunications facilities, erection of television and radio facilities, and military use.

Although the draft regulation explicitly states that a forest cannot be reclassified as a non-forest area to accommodate these activities, Chalid criticized this provision as meaningless.

"The environmental functions of the affected forests will still be altered no matter what their designation," he said.

Mining Advocacy Network coordinator Siti Maimunah said that the draft regulation was clearly aimed at attracting more investors, especially in the mining and oil and gas sectors.

"The regulation is the government's way of getting quick cash," she said. "It will accelerate the exploitation of resources."

The draft regulation would allow firms to obtain renewable 10- year permits for mineral, oil and gas prospecting. Open-pit mining would be prohibited in protected forests, but would be allowed in certain production forests.

Meanwhile, the allocation of forest land for the construction of electricity, telecommunications and water infrastructure, and for those activities designated as public services, would be allowed for the duration of the activities.

Those who obtain permits to conduct activities would be required to compensate through planting of new forest areas of up to twice the size of the affected area.

Maimunah said that the compensation requirement was meaningless.

"If a forest is destroyed in one area, its functions cannot be replaced in another area," she said.