Soeharto calls for protection of forests

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto called yesterday for precautions to be taken against the predicted drought next year which could cause forest fires.

Speaking at a ceremony for "Regreening and National Nature Conservation Day" and "National Social Solidarity Day" in Mandor village, some 90 km east of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Soeharto ordered governors and district heads to cooperate to prevent forest and agricultural land fires.

He recalled the major forest fires of 1995 which caused haze in several parts of the region and as far as the neighboring countries of Malaysia and Singapore.

Soeharto stressed that forests must not only be protected from fires but also from illegal tree felling and other activities disturbing to the environment.

"We should be aware that forest acreage is steadily declining while demand for wood and other forest products is sharply increasing," he said.

"We must implement correct forest management continuously to ensure that our demand for wood will always be met while at the same time preserving the forests," he said.

In an off-the-cuff dialog with people attending the ceremony later in the day, Soeharto stressed that the government would not pressure or force people to regreen the environment.

He said the government had once made the regreening drive compulsory but was stopped because many did not want to be forced.

"We want people to regreen voluntarily and be fully aware of the advantages of their efforts," he said in response to a local resident's inquiry about the government's policies in the matter.

But, the President said, if each district planted one million trees, there would be 300 million trees -- as there are 300 districts in Indonesia -- all over the country.

Accompanied by Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, Minister of Social Services Inten Soeweno, Minister of Forestry Djamaluddin Suryohadikusumo and West Kalimantan Governor Aspar Aswin, Soeharto later visited an exhibition on regreening and nature conservation.

In his speech yesterday, Soeharto also called for a partnership scheme between timber enterprises and local people for the development of community forests.

"Forest concessionaires cannot ignore the welfare of the forest dwellers," he said.

Also in his speech, Soeharto drew attention to the need to strengthen social solidarity "as it is only through this that the nation can uphold and defend the country's independence".

He said the nation would be able to solve problems if there was solidarity.

The President later presented awards to a number of local leaders for their contributions to community development. (swe)