Ultimatum for disobedient concessionaires
Ultimatum for disobedient concessionaires
JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Indonesian Forest
Concessionaires will ask the government to cancel the permits of
timber companies which poorly manage their forests.
But the association's deputy chairman, Hendro Prastowo, said
here yesterday the government should allow them to improve their
operation before their permits were revoked.
"They have to make an improvement or they lose their
concessionary rights," he told reporters.
He said improving forest management was essential to meet the
ecolabeling standards set by the International Tropical Timber
Organization (ITTO).
By next century, the ecolabel will become a prerequisite for
tropical timber producers to gain access to markets in certain
consumer countries. Indonesia has been classified by the ITTO as
one of the countries most prepared to meet ecolabeling
requirements.
The government began extending forest concessions to timber
companies in the early 1970s. Until now, hundreds of concession
permits have been revoked due to poor forest management.
Most of the existing timber companies have been voluntarily
assessed, using the 170-item criteria and indicators of
sustainable forest management set by ITTO.
Based on official data, 100 forest concessionaires were
assessed from 1994 to 1996 and none of them were prepared for
ecolabeling.
In 1994, 11 concessionaires were assessed, six of which were
categorized as "adequately prepared", four as "fairly prepared"
and one as "poorly prepared".
In 1995, 50 concessionaires were assessed, with nine
classified as "adequately prepared", 22 "fairly prepared" and 19
"poorly prepared".
Out of 76 assessed concessionaires in 1996, 13 were
"adequately prepared", 36 "fairly prepared", 25 "poorly prepared"
and two "totally unprepared".
Prastowo said that by the end of this year, about 50
concessionaires would be assessed.
He said that permits of timber companies, which were not
prepared to follow the ecolabeling standards, should be revoked.
There are 437 forest concessionaires operating in the country,
covering 55 million hectares. The concessionaires are controlled
by 50 leading groups, with sites located on 65-hectares of
productive forest.
Among the leading groups are PT Alas Kesuma of businessmen
Handjaja and Nana Suparna, PT Barito Pacific Timber of Joso A.
Gautama and Johanes Hardian, PT Benua Indah of Budiono, PT Bumi
Indah Raya of Sunaryo P., PT Bumi Raya Utama of Pintarso, PT
Djajanti Djaja Timber of Sujoto Varinata and Sudradjat D.P. and
PT Dwima Jaya Utama of Haryono. (icn)