Mega calls for cooperation in combating illegal logging
Mega calls for cooperation in combating illegal logging
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri has said that eradicating
rampant illegal logging simply requires the strong will of law
enforcers and other related state officials.
"If state apparatus are willing to work together to combat
illegal logging, the crime will actually be easier to cope with.
Unfortunately they're easily lured by money," Megawati said on
Saturday upon her inauguration of the Indragiri bridge in
Tembilahan, Riau.
Reiterating the government's consistency in the drive,
Megawati said illegal logging should be easily detectable as logs
were physically larger than human beings.
However, she added, illegal loggers often colluded with high
ranking officials who would enable the criminals to escape.
"I know exactly the smuggling line of command," she affirmed,
adding that the illegal loggers had access to the central
government.
Megawati said that she could not imagine the consequences of
the arrests of all parties related to illegal logging, including
collusive law enforcers.
"I don't know if the officials' replacements would have strong
commitment or the mentality to shun bribes," she was quoted by
Antara as saying.
A government regulation in lieu of law (perpu) is to be issued
to deal with illegal logging as an emergency measure to stop the
rapid destruction of the nation's forests.
According to Minister of Forestry Mohamad Prakosa, the
regulation would be a special law on illegal logging outside of
the existing criminal law.
A government report estimates that illegal logging has left 43
million hectares of land in a critical condition, in addition to
US$3.5 billion in losses every year.
Megawati's show of concern about the problem seems somewhat
contradictory to her governmental policy on forest conservation,
with the issuance of a law that allows 13 mining firms to resume
operations in protected forests.
Greenomic, a non-governmental organization, was the latest
group to criticize the regulation.
"Megawati's (provision of) licenses to the mining firms is
counterproductive and could set a bad precedent for forest
management," Greenomic's executive director Elfian Effendy said
in a statement.
He regretted the President's decision to let the mining firms
operate despite objection from the forestry ministry.
Without mentioning any names or parties, Elfian suspected that
Megawati had been under huge pressure to issue the regulation for
economic interests.
"Without providing licenses for the firms, Megawati's
administration can still earn income outside the forest, if it is
creative and innovative," Elfian claimed.
During her trip to Riau, the President was accompanied by
Minister of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure Soenarno.
Megawati also urged the Riau government to immediately provide
names for several unidentified islands surrounding the province
to help security officers deal with illegal logging.
"It will be easier for the officers to head for the island
where smuggling occurs if it already has a name. It's still
difficult for law enforcers to locate unnamed islands," she said.
The Indragiri bridge is expected to ease the burden on
transportation routes in the city. Its construction took around
four years and cost over Rp 92 billion (US$10.82 million).
The bridge is the longest in Riau at 710 meters long and seven
meters wide. Previously, local people relied heavily on boats to
cross Indragiri river.