Timber becomes a prime commodity after tsunami
Timber becomes a prime commodity after tsunami
Six months after the tsunami, only a few survivors of Lampuuk
could rebuild their houses, while the majority still live in
cramped tents around the village mosque, the only structure that
withstood the tsunami.
According to Syafrudin, a fisherman, even if they desperately
want to rebuild their houses, the price of wood has gone so high
since the tsunami that no one from their village can afford it.
Hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons in Aceh
still live in tents provided by international relief groups and
non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
But roaming the city of Banda Aceh, one will see wood stores
with fresh supplies of sembarang or construction wood. With
logging becoming more rampant in Aceh, it is a wonder how wood
became so expensive that it actually costs almost as twice as
before.
According to an owner of a wood store in Lueng Bata in Banda
Aceh, they are forced to sell their wood at a very high price to
compensate for security taxes they have to pay to corrupt police
officials.
"Even if we do not want to sell it a high price, we have no
choice," said the owner who requested anonymity for fear of
recrimination.
He said they are now selling their wood at an average price of
Rp 2 million (US$205) per cubic meter, from Rp 1.4 million per
cubic meter before the tsunami.
They regularly make trips twice a week to districts in the
central and eastern parts of Aceh to purchase wood directly from
sawmill operators.
Wood coming from more distant places like the province of
North Sumatra, Raui and Jambi are sold in Banda Aceh at a higher
price of Rp 4 million per cubic meter to compensate for
transportation as well as security taxes.
But even at a lower price, said the owner, still only few
organizations and companies could really afford to buy wood from
them.
According to his truck driver who regularly purchases
processed wood from sawmills in the subdistrict of Langsa in Aceh
Timur, he has to pass almost 70 checkpoints every trip. He has
to pay almost Rp 200,000 to Rp 500,000 per checkpoint, amounting
to almost Rp 15 million per trip.
"If you do not give money, you will be kicked or hit in the
head," said the driver.
"Sometimes they will hold your truck for very long hours to
force you to give them money," said the driver's assistant.
Illegal taxes don't end at the stage of transporting woods.
"Everyday the police come here to ask for money," said the
owner.
According to him, even if they have the necessary documents,
they are still forced to give money to prevent trouble with
authorities.
"I'm not surprised to hear that news," said Insp. Gen.
Bachrumsyah Kasman, head of the police force in Aceh.
Bachrumsyah acknowledged that some of his men were engaged in
bribery.
"We have 14,000 police, so I cannot control them one by one,"
he said.
"But I am doing everything to stop it," he further stressed.
"We want to help our fellow Acehnese," said the owner of the
wood store. "But we also cannot lower our price," he said.
-- Riedo Panaligan