In Central Java, forests are looted too

In Central Java, forests are looted too

By Haryoso

SEMARANG (JP): Teakwood plantations in Rembang and Blora have
been looking more like markets over the past few weeks. Men,
women and children are flocking there and trucks are seen coming
and going.

The people are illegally logging the state forests of teakwood
in broad daylight.

Armed with saws, knives and crowbars, they come in the
thousands from villages in the area, felling trees and taking
logs without the security forces being able to stop them.

As the economic crisis worsens, theft of teakwood has been on
the rise over the past two months in Blora and Rembang and in
other areas throughout Central Java.

The authorities say people steal teakwood to sell to venders.
Some corrupt forestry officials and security officers are
allegedly involved.

Rembang forest rangers' chief Arie Soetjipto said the police
and soldiers were unable to stop the thefts because they were
overwhelmingly outnumbered.

"In one incident, illegal loggers swayed their hips in mockery
of the security officers, who were standing by watching the
crowd," He said. "One of our men who tried to stop them had a
sickle pressed to his neck."

A Rembang forest ranger, Subangun, recalling the first day of
illegal logging, said he and two fellow rangers were threatened
by a mob of more than 1,000 people wielding sickles and tree-
cutting equipment.

"We were scared to death. About a dozen knife-wielding loggers
surrounded and threatened to cut our throats if we dared to move
while the mob started cutting the teakwood," he said.

"I was amazed that women, girls and children also took part,"
he said.

Central Java's state forestry company's (Perhutani) spokesman,
Soendoro, said that over the past two months, illegal logging has
caused a loss of 72,600 trees worth Rp 100 billion (US$8
million).

Teakwood is highly valued. On the black market, one cubic
meter of wood can fetch Rp 1.5 million, and twice as much on the
regular market.

The extent of destruction shocked Brig. Gen. Soehardi, the
National Police On-the-Alert Director, when he visited an
illegally logged teak forest in Blora on July 28. A vast area had
been denuded.

The general theorized that the villagers must have been used
by a third party, who benefited from the theft.

"I believe that the theft involved not just hungry people.
This incident must be investigated thoroughly," he said.

But he did not support drastic measures, such as shooting
illegal loggers, to overcome the problem because, he said, he
believed in persuasive approaches, like dialogs.

"An officer is allowed to open fire only if his life is in
danger," he said.

So far, 160 allegedly illegal loggers have been arrested but
only a few will be taken to court. Most were released after their
identities were recorded.

Perhutani's chief, Oding Abdulkadir, also believed that the
widespread teakwood theft involved a conspiracy.

"Food shortages are not that serious yet as to tempt people
into plundering the forest," he said. "People can still afford to
buy their basic necessities."

Abdulkadir suspected the thefts were being sponsored by
corrupt forestry officials who collaborate with venders.

Perhutani has been carrying out a public relations campaign
with people living near the plantation by allowing them to
collect small branches in certain locations to be sold as
firewood.

According to a report on a recent study by Yogyakarta's Gadjah
Mada University forestry students, the thefts are triggered by
the people's discontent with Perhutani's policy.

The report says that Perhutani employees' hypocrisy, such as
stealing wood without any apparent legal action being carried out
against them, while people get severely punishment for petty
thefts, is one of their reasons for discontent.

Sambas Sabarnurdin, a forestry expert from the university,
said Perhutani needs to involve more nearby villagers in its
forest exploitation.

Official statistics show that Central Java has 312,132
hectares of teakwood, mostly in the regencies of Tegal, Banyumas,
Cepu, Purwodadi, Kedu, Pekalongan, Kendal Pati, Rembang, Blora,
Pemalang, Surakarta and Semarang.