Illegal logging rampant in Central Java

JAKARTA (JP): An environmental watchdog revealed on Monday that ramin timber (Gonystylus spp.) was still traded and illegally distributed at the Tanjung Emas seaport in Semarang the capital of Central Java, despite the government's decision to ban its trade and logging.

The Independent Institute for Social Studies and Analysis (Lintas) chairman Amirhan Adjung criticized the government and the police for failing to stop what he dubbed a well-organized crime which caused some Rp 6 billion in losses to the state in one month.

Illegal logging activities occur in many forests in the country, including Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Amirhan said that in one month between 60 to 100 vessels, each carrying between 300 and 1,000 cubic meters of timber, including ramin, enter the Tanjung Emas seaport. Since February there have been 40 cases reported to the police, none of which have been investigated.

He alleged that the ministry of forestry, the police and public actually knew who were behind the illegal timber trafficking, but no action had been taken.

"We have information that the coordinator pays a 'security fee' amounting to Rp 100,000 for every cubic meter of the logs," he added.

Since April 11, the Minister of Forestry Marzuki Usman has banned the logging, trade and industry of the valuable ramin timber.

Widely-used for furniture and other household goods, also to make billiards cues, every cubic meter of ramin is worth up to US$1,000 on the international market.

The ministry had also recommended that tropical wood species be included as an endangered species of flora at the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)' secretariat in Switzerland.

With this convention, which will take effect next July, foreign countries may confiscate ramin entering their market from Indonesia.

Amirhan expressed hope that the government and the law enforcers enhanced efforts to combat illegal logging and distribution.

"Not only does it inflict losses on state earnings, uncontrolled logging spells disaster for the environment... and a loss to the next generation," he said. (bby)