Perhutani, locals in row over forest management

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A dispute over the management of over 19,000 hectares of state forest in Wonosobo, Central Java, is heating up, with local people and state-owned timber management company Perhutani claiming to be the best suited to manage the forest.

The conflict revolves around the local government's decision through Bylaw No. 22/2001 in October last year to transfer the management of the state forest from Perhutani to local people. The move sparked a protest from Perhutani, which had managed the forest for years.

Perhutani has reportedly asked Minister of Forestry M. Prakosa to urge Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno to revoke the bylaw. It has also filed for a judicial review in the Supreme Court, saying the bylaw went against superior legislation.

Sumaeri, leader of the Kedu-Banyumas Farmers' Union, whose members include Wonosobo farmers, said on Wednesday that under Perhutani management environmental damage to the forest would go unchecked.

"We have difficulty in getting water for farming because of misconceived management by Perhutani. They have never involved us in managing the forest, only a few rich people living around the forest," he said after a discussion on the environment here.

He said local people had proven their competence in forest management by winning the national reforestation award for five consecutive years since 1994. The people were also taking care of another 20,000 hectares of forest in Wonosobo.

The productivity of community forests in Java always surpassed that of Perhutani forests.

"We are warning the central government that we will not pay our taxes and will boycott the 2004 election if they revoke the bylaw," Sumaeri said.

Perhutani's head of corporate planning and development Bambang Adjie Soetjahjo said that a bylaw could not overrule Perhutani's powers.

"It is clear that under Government Regulations No. 53/1999 and 34/2002, we have the authority to manage state forests," he said.