'Govt drive against illegal logging empty rhetoric'

'Govt drive against illegal logging empty rhetoric'

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government's determination to fight illegal logging in the
country remains largely rhetorical, as seen from the various
unsolved cases involving log theft.

The most recent log theft case is the arduous and time-
consuming effort to solve a large-scale log smuggling link, which
was uncovered in November last year and allegedly involved the
participation of importers from other countries.

Hapsoro, coordinator of Telapak environment organization, said
here on Friday that in a dramatic turn of events, it appeared
that 25,000 cubic meters of illegal timber confiscated during the
raid and temporarily stored in Tanjung Priok port in North
Jakarta would be auctioned by the police.

The auction was said to be planned for Friday apparently due
to pressure by the owners of the three foreign ships in which the
timber was carried, he said.

Minister of Forestry M. Prakosa and State Minister of the
Environment Nabiel Makarim were scheduled to visit the Tanjung
Priok port on Friday, reportedly to prevent the auction from
taking place, but inexplicably failed to show up.

The capture of the three ships carrying the 25,000 cubic
meters of illegal logs, is part of a series of seizures of
illegal timber bound for overseas destinations over the last few
months.

"The Indonesian Navy and National Police must be congratulated
for their action in cooperation with the forestry ministry. For
the first time, their action gives real teeth to the government's
repeated commitment to combat illegal logging," Hapsoro told The
Jakarta Post.

Telapak and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)
received information that there was a concerted lobby to release
the confiscated ships and illegal timber, he said.

Most recently there has been an attempt to have the case
transferred from Jakarta to Pangkalan Bun in Central Kalimantan,
where a local timber tycoon is reported to have been behind
commercial illegal logging from world-famous Tanjung Puting
National Park, he added.

Dave Currey of EIA said, "It is essential that the government
stands firm against such pressure. The world is watching to see
if the actions of the Navy and the police will be supported and
the culprits brought to justice."

The timber and ships must be held as evidence in this case or
the government's pledge to halt illegal logging will be seen as
an empty promise, he said.