Soeharto calls for protection of forests

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)