Mega blames the rest of the world for illegal logging

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja The Jakarta Post Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri blames the mounting international demand for logs as the main cause of rampant illegal logging activities in the country.

"The increased demand for wood in the international market, the higher production of wood-based furniture products and the extension of wood-related industries, inevitably trigger illegal logging," Megawati said in her speech delivered as part of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) on Monday.

She regretted, however, that the country struggled to prevent such activities.

"Admittedly, one of the problems we are encountering is our limited ability to resolve and settle illegal logging. Nevertheless, we continually endeavor to put an end to this problem," she said at the Bogor Presidential Palace, some 60 kilometers south of Jakarta.

Megawati underlined that there should be a shift of perception, from viewing the forest as a natural resource that could be exploited, to one that should be preserved and protected.

Illegal logging activities produce 50.7 million cubic meters of timber annually, resulting in financial losses to the state of at least Rp 30.42 trillion (US$3.37 billion).

At least 1.45 million hectares of forest are felled annually, but only 0.67 million hectares are legally felled.

Illegal logging has become one of the country's major problems as it has ruined Indonesia's rain forests and the quality of the environment in general.

In many areas, illegal logging activities have also involved government officials and individuals from the military.

The government is attempting to get as many countries as possible to sign an agreement, restricting them from receiving illegal logs from Indonesia.

Data issued by the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) showed that even the domestic demand for logs was far exceeding the capacity of the country's forestry industry.

The total capacity of domestic pulp mills, sawmills, and plywood factories stands at 63 million cubic meters per year, while the total legal timber produced is 12 million cubic meters per year, meaning there is an annual shortage of almost 51 million cubic meters of timber.

And to make matters worse, the illegal timber is largely exported to neighboring countries, including Malaysia, Vietnam, China and India.

So far, China and some European countries, including Germany, have signed such an agreement. However, several neighboring countries -- who gain the most from the practices -- remain reluctant to join the deal.

Indonesian Minister of Forestry M. Prakosa said Monday that Malaysia, Singapore and China were the countries that received the biggest supply of illegal logs from Indonesia.

The Chinese government signed a deal in December last year, prohibiting all Chinese companies from receiving illegal logs from Indonesia.

"Malaysia has agreed to begin bilateral talks regarding the agreement as it is our common responsibility to stop such practices," Prakosa said.

Prakosa said the meeting would happen soon but was not more specific.

The only country that has not yet responded to the call is Singapore, despite the fact that Indonesia has repeatedly urged the country to stop receiving illegal logs.

"If we can get Malaysia and Singapore to agree with us, we can cut the demand for logs," the minister said after the ceremony.