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| Indonesia's Illegal Logging Regulation Axed? |
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2004/10/22
Laksamana.Net - Indonesia’s new Forestry Minister M.S. Kaban says he will probably revoke a proposed government regulation that was designed to stop the rapid destruction of the nation’s forests.
The draft regulation in lieu of law (perpu) would have meted out severe penalties to illegal loggers. Anyone financing illegal logging would have faced the death sentence or life imprisonment.
Former forestry minister Muhammad Prakosa had designed the new regulation as a special law outside the current criminal law in an effort to curb rampant illegal logging and deforestation.
Kaban said Thursday (21/10/04) that although he would likely scrap the perpu, he would still make it a priority to eradicate illegal logging. But he also said he would strive to increase in investment in the forestry sector.
"Before issuing the perpu, we will look for other alternatives that are more appropriate. In my opinion, illegal logging, which is defined as the theft of wood, could be prevented through consolidation and coordination between the Forestry Ministry, the police, the Attorney General's Office and the courts," he was quoted as saying by the Kompas daily.
"If that could be done, it definitely won’t be necessary to issue the perpu," he said, apparently unaware that illegal logging bosses are virtually never prosecuted due to Indonesia’s endemic judicial corruption.
Kaban said his ministry would try to improve forestry management by seeking input from state officials, forestry businessmen and non-government organizations. "After that, it’s possible I will issue several new policies to follow up on the input, directed toward improving previous policies."
The minister, who is secretary general of the Islam-based Crescent Star Party (PBB), said one of his main priorities will be to "increase the capacity" of the forestry industry and boost its annual foreign exchange earnings beyond the current level of $9 billion.
"The forestry sector has to be a source of state revenue. But of course that doesn’t mean forgetting about forest conservation. Therefore, the rehabilitation of cleared land will become a priority program," he said.
He further said Indonesia needs to adopt more modern technology to increase the competitiveness of its forestry products.
Elfian Effendi, executive director of the Greenomics Indonesia conservation group, expressed regret over the new minister’s plan to scrap the illegal logging regulation.
He said illegal logging is a chronic problem that can’t be overcome through mere "coordination and consolidation" between the Forestry Ministry and law enforcement authorities.
"This country’s laws are already ineffective because the authorities are involved [in illegal logging]. Therefore, the perpu must continue to be put forward," he said.
Former president Megawati Sukarnoputri has admitted that corrupt officials take bribes from illegal loggers.
International conservation body Greenpeace says Indonesia has the highest level of deforestation in the world and warns that most of the country’s lowland forests may disappear by 2010 if illegal logging is not curbed.
Critics say the Indonesian Defense Forces, which receives only 30% of its required budget from the government, is involved in illegal logging to help make up the shortfall.
Illegal logging exacerbates potentially deadly natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, and is also killing many of Indonesia's endangered animal species, such as Sumatran tigers and orangutans.
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| Source: Laksamana |
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