Govt looses Rp 10b from forest degradation

Govt looses Rp 10b from forest degradation

PALU, Central Sulawesi: The destruction of 3,800 hectares of
rainforest in the Lore Lindu National Park in Dongi-Dongi,
Central Sulawesi, has caused Rp 10 billion in losses to the
government, says a member of the park's staff.

"According to our calculations, rampant illegal logging in the
national park has damaged the environment and disrupted the rain
forest's function as a water catchment area. It has caused Rp 10
billion in losses to the government," Helmy, the forest director
in Kamarora, said here on Saturday.

He regretted the intensive felling of mature trees and the
clearance of land for coffee and cocoa plantations, which had
also interfered with the water supply for tens of thousands of
hectares of irrigated farmland in the province.

He said it would be impossible to carry out a reforestation
program as thousands of locals have been resettled in Dongi-
Dongi, a serious issue that had raised divisions between the
park's management and the Indonesian Forum for the Environment,
(Walhi), which had been responsible for carrying out the
resettlement program. --Antara

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ANPAa..r..
Across-findings-Papua
40 bombs recovered in Papua
JP/5/Across

40 bombs found in Papua

JAYAPURA, Papua: PT Petrosea has discovered 20 World War II
bombs dating back to between 1942 and 1945 in Baso, Manokwari,
Papua, during the construction of an air strip in the region.

"The bombs still look active and they must be examined by bomb
experts from the police and the military," Babo Regent La Samidi
said here on Saturday.

Babo had once been a link in Japan's chain of defenses against
the Allies during the war.

Samidi said he had asked security authorities to check for
other munitions and explosives abandoned by Japanese soldiers in
the area.

"Local people and important assets in the region have been
under threat since the area has yet to be cleared of abandoned
munitions and weaponry," he said. --Antara

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Across-marijuana
500 kg of marijuana seized in Medan
JP/5/Across

500 kgs of marijuana seized in Medan

MEDAN, North Sumatra: A special police team busted an
interprovincial narcotics syndicate in Marindal in the North
Sumatra provincial capital of Medan, on Saturday. Seven
traffickers were arrested and 500 kilograms of marijuana were
confiscated.

Second Insp. Taufik, who led the bust, said the marijuana,
which was being stored in a vacant house in Marindal, had been
brought from restive Aceh to be distributed to numerous cities
across the country.

"We will continue to interrogate the suspects so as to get the
identities of all the syndicate members, not only in Aceh but
also in other cities," he said.

The local police also seized one ton of marijuana from another
syndicate in Perbaungan, some 50 kilometers south of the city,
two months ago. The banned drugs had also been brought from Aceh.
--Antara

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Across-Mayor to close Amusement-Batam
Batam Mayor threatens to close down amusement centers
JP/5/ Across

Amusement centers in Batam under threat

BATAM, Riau: Batam Mayor Nyat Kadir has threatened to close
down all amusements centers on the island if they failed to abide
by the regulations on limited operation during the fasting month
of Ramadhan.

Kadir said that all owners of night clubs were obliged to
abide by the agreements reached recently with local leaders.

The Mayor had issued a letter demanding that all amusement
centers, such as night clubs, discotheques, pubs and karaoke
clubs, be closed by 2 a.m. every day and be totally closed from
two days prior to the Lebaran festivities. The letter also
obliged all prostitution centers to be closed until further
notice.

Many similar violations were found last year, forcing the
local administration to issue some 100 warnings against the
owners of amusement centers, although in the end no action was
taken against them. --Antara

20,000 T-shirts going for free in Bali

KUTA, Bali: In a bid to convey a moral message to the world,
the Bali community is to hand out some 20,000 "Bali Loves Peace"
T-shirts for free to anyone participating in the "Pamarisudha
Karipubhaya" (the purification of the universe) ceremony.

It is hoped that the purification ceremony, scheduled to be
held on Nov. 15, will keep the island free from evil acts.

Retno, one of the initiators of the event, said here on
Saturday that the T-shirts would be given away to any participant
in the purging ceremony.

"To buy and print so many T-shirts, we have appealed to
individuals and institutions to be the sponsors of the event.
Each T-shirt costs Rp 10,000," she said. --Antara