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.