RI to sign MOU with EU, Japan to curb illegal logging

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian government is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the European Union (EU) next week to help curb rampant illegal logging activities in Indonesia, said a senior government official.

Secretary General of the Ministry of Forestry Wahjudi Wardojo said on Tuesday that a similar agreement would also be signed with the Japanese government next month.

"Minister of Forestry (Mohamad) Prakosa and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hasan Wirayuda will sign a memorandum with the European Union government on June 24," he told reporters.

Under the planned MOU, the EU and the Japanese government would ban the entry of illegal logs from Indonesia into their respective countries.

As part of the memorandum, the Indonesian government would also provide a list of companies that are licensed to export logs.

The ministry was now auditing local timber companies to ensure that their logs did not come from illegal logging, Wahjudi said.

The European Union and Japan are among the biggest importers of timber and wood-based products from Indonesia.

"We are hopeful that the move can help curb forestry-related crimes, as these countries have the power to influence worldwide industry players not to buy illegal logs from Indonesia," said Wahjudi.

Last year, the government signed a similar agreement with China, Malaysia and the United Kingdom as part of its efforts to stem the unchecked deforestation in Indonesia. Indonesia has been losing about 2.1 million hectares of forest each year, much of it to illegal logging.

Illegal logging has been a major problem in this country amid high demand for wood-based products, a limited supply capacity and the lack of enforcement to ensure that concessions and timber companies practiced sustainable forest management.

The problem looks set to worsen, as the government has limited the legal log production volume to 6.4 million cubic meters this year, from last year's 12.5 million cubic meters, in a bid to protect the country's deteriorating forest areas.

Illegal logs from Indonesia can be sold very cheaply overseas because they are not subject to taxes.

Environmental group Greenpeace earlier made allegations that the timber and plywood products used in British government projects were stolen from Indonesian rain forests.

At home, the government has launched a joint operation with the Indonesian Military and the National Police to curb the illegal logging activities in various provinces including Aceh, North Sumatra, Riau, Jambi, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, East Kalimantan and Papua.

So far, however, not a single person has been punished for any crimes connected to illegal logging operations.

The Ministry of Forestry estimates that economic losses from illegal logging reached Rp 30 trillion (US$3.6 billion) annually, in addition to the loss of human life and property to floods and landslides caused by illegal logging and deforestation.