Jambi to close 200 sawmills

JAMBI: The Jambi Provincial Police will launch an operation to close about 200 sawmills which are operating illegally in the province, a local police official said.

"The Provincial Police, in cooperation with the local forestry ministry office and the government prosecutor's office, will deploy hundreds of personnel to stop the widespread illegal logging and raid sawmills operating illegally near forests and in the city," Sr. Comr. Kurniawan, chief of the Provincial Police's detective department, said here on Thursday.

He said illegal sawmills would be seized and their owners taken to court.

"The police will not only arrest temporary workers or villagers hired to steal timber from the forest, but also track down the sawmill owners who are behind illegal logging," he said.

Jambi authorities have come under fire for rife illegal logging in the vast Kerinci Seblat National Park in the province and in West Sumatra. --Antara

;JP;ANTARA; ANPAa..r.. Across-Kendari-probe Police to probe regent's fake diploma JP/9/Across2

Police to probe regent's fake diploma

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: The Southeast Sulawesi Provincial Police will look into a local non-governmental organization's (NGO) claim that Muna Regent Ridwan's high school diploma was not genuine.

"The investigation into the case is a must since the case has drawn public attention," Brig. Gen. Indarto, chief of the Provincial Police said here on Thursday.

The Regional Autonomy Study Foundation's report to police disclosed evidence that Ridwan, who won the regent election last year, used a phony high school diploma to meet preliminary requirements for his candidacy.

Separately, Ridwan denied the foundation's report and said he was ready to undergo police investigation.

"I have hired a lawyer to accompany me in facing the case. And I will sue the foundation's management if the police find the report to be untrue," he said. --Antara

;JP;ANTARA; ANPAa..r.. Across-Aceh-rally Acehnese students rally for education JP/9/Across3

Acehnese students rally for education

BANDA ACEH: More than a hundred students staged a demonstration in the city on Thursday, calling on the government to save the education program that has been disrupted by the prolonged conflict in the province over the last ten months.

The demonstrators said the local government should repair hundreds of school buildings that have been burned down during the conflict.

"Aceh will be facing a lost generation in the next two decades unless the damaged schools are repaired and children are encouraged to go to school," said a demonstrator.

According to data at the local administration, 400 school buildings were burned down and 70,000 students had to stop studying because of the prolonged conflict.

;JP;ANTARA; ANPAa..r.. Across-Ambon-refugees Refugees return to Buru Island JP/9/Across4

Refugees return to Buru Island

AMBON, Maluku: About 50 refugees from Buru Island have gone home following calm and peace returning to the island.

Josephus Salasiwa, the coordinator of refugees on the island, said the refugees came back in groups and everyone would be sheltered in several camps and churches until their houses which were burned down are rebuilt.

He applauded the religious tolerance among different groups with the hope that each person would maintain harmony among the different races.

"The former refugees will be resettled in certain areas in the village to begin a new life after their possessions were destroyed or damaged," he said. --Antara

;JP;ANTARA; ANPAa..r.. Across-Batam-workers Batam workers demand 30% wage hike JP/9/Across5

Batam workers demand 30% wage hike

BATAM, Riau: Workers on industry bonded Batam island proposed an increase of 30 percent to their minimum wage in the 2002 fiscal year.

Netty Herawaty, the chairwoman of the local chapter of the Federation of All-Indonesia Workers Union, said the local administration should increase the regional minimum wage by at least 30 percent to Rp 700,000 from the current Rp 510,000 to meet workers' basic needs.

"The workers' welfare on the island will remain in a bad position as long as the local government maintains the current remuneration system and does not control the price of basic commodities," she said here on Thursday.

Netty warned that labor conditions would remain poor unless the local administration and the investors made a commitment to improve the workers' social welfare.

She said many workers had become prostitutes at hotels and on the street for additional income. --Antara

;JP;ANTARA; ANPAa..r.. Across-Cirebon-firecrackers Police seize firecrackers JP/9/Across6

Police seize firecrackers

CIREBON, West Java: Cirebon Police seized hundreds of thousands of firecrackers bound for the Central Java market and arrested one man for further investigation.

Adj. Sr. Comr. Ricardo Hutauruk, the chief of the police, said the suspect, Sukron, who was transporting the firecrackers from Indramayu, admitted that he bought the banned goods from someone who produces firecrackers.

"The police will go to Indramayu to check on the person who the suspect bought the firecrackers from," he said.

He said the case would be investigated thoroughly and the suspect would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law to serve as a lesson for traders and producers of fireworks.

Firecrackers used during the annual fasting month of Ramadhan are barred from trade because they fall under the category of explosives. --Antara