Illegal logging 'rampant' in Aceh

Illegal logging 'rampant' in Aceh

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) urged the
government on Wednesday to immediately cancel forest concession
rights that have been given to logging companies operating in
Southeast Aceh and Aceh Singkli, saying that it would only worsen
the deforestation problem in the tsunami-devastated province.

Walhi executive director Chalid Muhammad said his
organization's investigation, carried out from September to early
December, found that rampant illegal logging activities have
taken place in the two regencies.

"Our findings show that the logs are being harvested not for
the province's reconstruction purposes, but to be sold on the
world market by first exporting it to Malaysia and Singapore," he
said at a media gathering in his office on Wednesday.

He warned that more natural disasters would occur in Aceh
unless the government moved quickly to resolve deforestation and
illegal logging problems. -- JP