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