Environmentalists protest overseas forest concessions
Environmentalists protest overseas forest concessions
JAKARTA (JP): Environmentalists demanded yesterday that the
government take action against two Indonesian companies for
"tarnishing" Indonesia's image with their dubious huge forest
concessions in Suriname.
Activists from the Network for Forest Conservation in
Indonesia and a senior environmentalist from Global Legislators
Organization for a Balanced Environment were received by
legislators from the United Development Party (PPP) and the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) separately.
The Network for Forest Conservation in Indonesia was
represented by its coordinator Indro S. Tjahyono and its
representative for Europe Hasjrul Junaid, while Global
Legislators Organization for a Balanced Environment was
represented by its founder Hemmo Muntingh.
They alleged that the concession may have been obtained
through collusion because the Surinamese government awarded it to
the companies without approval from the National Assembly as
required by law.
"I would like to appeal to the United Development Party to
influence the government to stop the illegal concessions in
Suriname by two Indonesian logging companies, NV Mitra Usaha
Sejati Abadi (MUSA) and SURI Atlantic," Muntingh told PPP
legislators.
MUSA obtained the concession of a 150,000-hectares of forest
near the Courantyne River on Suriname's western border in 1993 to
log timber and exploit the forest's resources.
However, its second request to get an additional 1,105
million-hectare logging concession has been postponed, awaiting
approval by Suriname Ministry of National Resources Management.
Muntingh said that Suriname's vast tropical rain forest has to
be maintained as it also functions as the world's lungs and,
therefore, has to be kept as a nature reserve.
He charged that MUSA has often breached the concessionaire
agreement with the Suriname government it signed in 1993. He
added that the deal has met fierce opposition from Surinamese and
international environmental groups.
Quoting reports from Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry, he said
MUSA has poor records in Indonesia, which has resulted in the
revocation of its concessions.
Quoting Surinamese newspapers' reports, he said that MUSA has
twice bribed Surinamese political figures in order to obtain
concessions.
He added neither the Surinamese government nor his
organization has enough information on SURI Atlantic's records of
performance.
"Nobody knows of Suri Atlantic. How can we approve its request
for concession if we don't know its record?" he asked.
SURI Atlantic has reportedly applied for a similar concession
of 1,105 million hectares, he said.
Djafar Sidik, the PPP faction secretary in the House, urged
the Indonesian businesses to uphold Indonesia's good image
abroad.
"But we will study the matter first before discussing it with
related institutions," he said.
Djafar was accompanied by his fellow legislator Imam Churmen
in the meeting.
The environmentalists delegation yesterday also filed a
petition to the Indonesian Democratic Party on the same subject.
They were received by Djuwardi Effendi, deputy chairman of the
DPR's Commission IV, which deals with forestry issues. (imn)