Illegal logging rampant in Kerinci Seblat protected forest
Illegal logging rampant in Kerinci Seblat protected forest
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The illegal logging that has swept through most of the Kerinci
Seblat National Park (TNKS) in Lubuk Linggau, South Sumatra, is
spreading throughout the park.
Around 800 hectares of the national park's 340,750 hectares in
Rejang Lebong had been left barren due to intensive illegal
logging in the last few months, the Antara news agency reported
on Monday.
Rejang Lebong forestry office chief Edi Kasik confirmed on
Monday that the illegal logging had spread from the Musi Rawas
regency in South Sumatra to the Padang Ulak Tanding subdistrict
under the noses of local authorities.
He said his office had no authority to arrest those looting
the forest while police charged with supervising the park in
Kerinci, Jambi, had done nothing despite information being passed
to them.
"The illegal logging has a lot to do with the lack of
coordination between the local administration and the security
authorities," he said.
The Bengkulu provincial administration has threatened to take
action against anyone implicated in illegal logging.
The law provides for a maximum fine of Rp 100 million and ten-
years jail for individuals or companies found guilty of logging
in national parks or protected forests. The local government is
also launching an operation to drive forest squatters out of the
national park.
Logs stolen from the national park are supplied to sawmills
who process them for export.
Local people say local officials know about the illegal
logging and the existance of PT AMK which sawmills illegal logs.
However, the officals do nothing.
They said the company owner was arrested for supplying
illegal logs but he returned to the timber business after serving
his jail sentence.
Illegal logging is also rampant throughout other parts of the
park, including in Jambi and Riau.
The Jambi Provincial Police have even hired two security
companies to crack down on illegal loggers and sawmills operating
near the protected forests.
Conserving the national park, a home for millions of rare
species, including elephants, tigers, rhinos and the rafflesia
flower, has been handled by authorities in the four provinces
with financial assistance from the World Wide Fund for Nature
(WWF) and the World Bank.
Rejang Lebong administration spokesman Rudi Pancawarman said
authorities were launching an operation to clear the forest of
squatters.
"The environment in the national park is badly deteriorated
and the deforestation will continue unless strict action is
taken."