Perhutani, locals in row over forest management

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.