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

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.