TANJUNG PUTING, Indonesia - Indonesia's new forestry minister said the government has failed to fulfil promises to major international donors on forestry projects because the pledges were unrealistic.
Marzuki Usman made the comments ahead of a two-day review of economic reforms with key donors in the Consultative Group for Indonesia (CGI), that gets underway in Jakarta yesterday.
"To implement one commitment is very difficult and now we have this other problem such as illegal logging. How can we implement all these commitments at once," Usman, who was appointed last month, said in an interview over the weekend.
"To give the (overall pledge) was crazy... We have to do them one by one," he said while touring the Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan province, part of the giant island of Borneo that has been logged heavily in recent decades.
Fires caused by illegal loggers and land clearing on Borneo also contribute to a haze that hits neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia each dry season.
Last October, donors demanded Jakarta deal with 12 issues concerning forest protection, including stopping deforestation, restructuring forestry-based industry and closing timber companies heavily in debt.
Indonesia's tropical forests are the world's largest outside Brazil.
Over the next two days, donors from the CGI will assess the progress of the commitment on forestry as part of their review ahead of a formal summit later this year.
If donors find Indonesia has failed to implement commitments, the disbursement of $4.8 billion in loans the CGI pledged in Tokyo late last year could be held up.
Environmentalists say little progress has been made.
Presidential Order
President Abdurrahman Wahid issued an order over the weekend to crack down on illegal loggers, including military-backed companies, in the Mount Leuser National Park in northern Aceh province and also the Tanjung Puting National Park.
"If we don't take this action in three to five years time the park will be gone," Usman said after flying over the Tanjung Puting park, home to various species including endangered orangutans.
In Tanjung Puting, widespread illegal logging of a rare tree called "ramin" (gonystylus) has destroyed huge areas of the park, which is about five times the size of Singapore.
In a bid to protect the park, the government last week banned the sale and cutting of ramin trees.
The park covers both low-lying, swampy terrain and higher, dry-ground tropical forest. An aerial view shows much of it has been flattened, with piles of logs clogging winding creeks.
Suhertin, head of the national park, said 40 percent of the park had been destroyed, mostly through illegal logging.
Several illegal logging camps were seen in the park, which is in the southern part of Borneo.
Ant Bomb
Usman flew to the park to deliver the presidential order against illegal logging. Officials in the area complain of a lack of funds to fight the problem.
"The international community has condemned us, they think we are a nation of a second-class citizens because we can't protect our forests," Usman told officials.
In the order, Wahid instructed authorities including the military "to take stern action against all parties involved in the criminal acts in the forestry sector, without exception".
Usman said the government planned to use environmentally friendly devices in the fight against illegal logging, including ants which will be dropped on, and bite, the loggers.
"I saw two base camps (of illegal loggers) at the park, we can use bomb ants and drop them from helicopters and we can use other insects to evict them," Usman said. (Story by Tomi Soetjipto, REUTERS NEWS SERVICE). (Sumber : Planet Ark Interview, 24 March 2001)
Tuesday, April 24, 2001
Illegal logging in national parks shocks minister
Tanjung Puting National Park officials say 40 per cent of the area, which is home to wild orang-utans, has been destroyed by logging and forest fires
By : Marianne Kearney. STRAITS TIMES INDONESIA BUREAU
PANGKALANBUN (Kalimantan) - Indonesia's new Forestry Minister, Mr Marzuki Usman, said after touring forests in Kalimantan that he was shocked by the breakneck speed at which the country's parks were being destroyed.
'At the moment we are being ridiculed by all people all over the world because we can't protect our forests.' -- Indonesian Forestry Minister Marzuki Usman
He said this was happening despite Jakarta's promises to international donors to crack down on illegal logging.
After flying over numerous illegal logging trails and camps in the Tanjung Puting National Park at the weekend, he said: 'If we do not take action in three to five years, the park will be gone.'
Park officials say 40 per cent of Tanjung Puting, which is one of the last habitats for wild orang-utans, has been destroyed by logging and forest fires.
Indonesia is home to the world's second largest tropical forest after Brazil, much of which is found in Kalimantan, Sumatra and Irian Jaya.
Mr Marzuki said that despite its pledge to its donors from whom it is seeking a US$4.8-billion (S$8.65-billion) loan, Indonesia had failed to make any progress in prosecuting illegal loggers or closing down companies which were found to have purchased timber logged illegally.
The international donors group CGI - which includes donors from Europe, Japan, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank - is meeting today in Jakarta to review Indonesia's commitment to crack down on illegal logging.
It would also discuss the government's strategies to combat poverty in the country.
Mr Marzuki announced a presidential instruction to arrest and prosecute illegal loggers and their sawmill bosses in national parks.
He told local mayors and police that the failure of the government and the security forces to prevent illegal logging had embarrassed Indonesia internationally.
'At the moment we are being ridiculed by people all over the world because we cannot protect our forests,' he said during a visit to Pangkalanbun on the edges of the park.
Local officials, however, complained that they lacked resources to stop illegal logging and even demanded funds to build a fence around the huge park, which is six times the size of Singapore.
Non-governmental organisations and the former secretary-general for forestry, Mr Suripto, say that the major obstacle in the way of stopping illegal logging is corruption among local forestry officials, the police and the government.
Mr Marzuki said that he would try to circumvent the corrupt local park officials and police by employing special police to guard every river flowing from the park.
In addition, the government last week banned the export of the valuable ramin trees from Tanjung Puting, which is home to many endangered species.
However, aid officials and environmentalists remain sceptical about how the ban will be enforced.
'The heart of the problem of illegal logging is corruption, so this ban is only the beginning,' said Ms Faith Doherty from the Environmental Investigation Agency.
She said Indonesia still appeared reluctant to investigate some of the well-connected politicians behind the illegal log trade in the park.
She cited the case of Golkar legislator Abdul Rasyid, who obtained up to 60 per cent of his logs from the park.
Although the Attorney-General's office and police were provided with the proof of his companies' involvement in buying illegal logs two years ago, the Attorney-General's office claimed that it had no files on the case.
Despite the international donor community's disappointment with the rapid destruction of Indonesia's tropical forests, the World Bank told The Straits Times that the loan was not in danger of being cancelled.
'It is not realistic to delay a poverty loan over forestry issues,' said Mr Tom Walton, an environmental adviser at the World Bank. (Sumber : The Straits Times Interaktif, 24 April 2001)
By : Marianne Kearney. STRAITS TIMES INDONESIA BUREAU
PANGKALANBUN (Kalimantan) - Indonesia's new Forestry Minister, Mr Marzuki Usman, said after touring forests in Kalimantan that he was shocked by the breakneck speed at which the country's parks were being destroyed.
'At the moment we are being ridiculed by all people all over the world because we can't protect our forests.' -- Indonesian Forestry Minister Marzuki Usman
He said this was happening despite Jakarta's promises to international donors to crack down on illegal logging.
After flying over numerous illegal logging trails and camps in the Tanjung Puting National Park at the weekend, he said: 'If we do not take action in three to five years, the park will be gone.'
Park officials say 40 per cent of Tanjung Puting, which is one of the last habitats for wild orang-utans, has been destroyed by logging and forest fires.
Indonesia is home to the world's second largest tropical forest after Brazil, much of which is found in Kalimantan, Sumatra and Irian Jaya.
Mr Marzuki said that despite its pledge to its donors from whom it is seeking a US$4.8-billion (S$8.65-billion) loan, Indonesia had failed to make any progress in prosecuting illegal loggers or closing down companies which were found to have purchased timber logged illegally.
The international donors group CGI - which includes donors from Europe, Japan, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank - is meeting today in Jakarta to review Indonesia's commitment to crack down on illegal logging.
It would also discuss the government's strategies to combat poverty in the country.
Mr Marzuki announced a presidential instruction to arrest and prosecute illegal loggers and their sawmill bosses in national parks.
He told local mayors and police that the failure of the government and the security forces to prevent illegal logging had embarrassed Indonesia internationally.
'At the moment we are being ridiculed by people all over the world because we cannot protect our forests,' he said during a visit to Pangkalanbun on the edges of the park.
Local officials, however, complained that they lacked resources to stop illegal logging and even demanded funds to build a fence around the huge park, which is six times the size of Singapore.
Non-governmental organisations and the former secretary-general for forestry, Mr Suripto, say that the major obstacle in the way of stopping illegal logging is corruption among local forestry officials, the police and the government.
Mr Marzuki said that he would try to circumvent the corrupt local park officials and police by employing special police to guard every river flowing from the park.
In addition, the government last week banned the export of the valuable ramin trees from Tanjung Puting, which is home to many endangered species.
However, aid officials and environmentalists remain sceptical about how the ban will be enforced.
'The heart of the problem of illegal logging is corruption, so this ban is only the beginning,' said Ms Faith Doherty from the Environmental Investigation Agency.
She said Indonesia still appeared reluctant to investigate some of the well-connected politicians behind the illegal log trade in the park.
She cited the case of Golkar legislator Abdul Rasyid, who obtained up to 60 per cent of his logs from the park.
Although the Attorney-General's office and police were provided with the proof of his companies' involvement in buying illegal logs two years ago, the Attorney-General's office claimed that it had no files on the case.
Despite the international donor community's disappointment with the rapid destruction of Indonesia's tropical forests, the World Bank told The Straits Times that the loan was not in danger of being cancelled.
'It is not realistic to delay a poverty loan over forestry issues,' said Mr Tom Walton, an environmental adviser at the World Bank. (Sumber : The Straits Times Interaktif, 24 April 2001)
Thursday, April 19, 2001
Indonesia Takes Action to Save Forests and Orangutans
Indonesian Minister of Forests bans trading of the tree species, ramin, (Gonystylus spp), in an attempt to preserve Indonesian forests and protect the habitat of the seriously endangered orang utan
Following repeated reports of commercial illegal logging in world-renowned Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesia which has seriously endangered orang utans and other primates, the Indonesian Minister of Forests, Marzuki Usman, has banned the domestic and international trade in a valuable Indonesian tree species called ramin (Gonystylus spp).
The reports by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Telapak Indonesia identified ramin as a key timber species being extracted illegally from the Park. "This ramin ban is cautiously welcomed by EIA and Telapak" stated Julian Newman, EIA Senior Campaigner in London today. "It is the first step towards stopping the destruction of Tanjung Puting National Park and protecting the endangered orang utans. Now we wait to see if the Indonesian government will enforce this ban."
Orang utan numbers have plummeted across their range in Indonesia and Malaysia largely due to destruction of their habitat. Orang utans favour the lowland regions of the islands of Borneo and Sumatra where illegal logging has become out of control. In Tanjung Puting National Park where about 500 orang utans survive massive commercial illegal logging has destroyed huge areas of the Park and the timber baron behind much of the logging, Abdul Rasyid, has proven to be untouchable with his powerful corrupt military and political backers.
In a further highly significant and unprecedented move, Minister Marzuki Usman has appealed for support from ramin importing countries to prevent the import of Indonesian ramin. His ministry has written to the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Switzerland requesting that Indonesian ramin be placed on CITES Appendix 111 with a zero quota.
This will enable importing countries to use their domestic CITES legislation to seize Indonesian ramin and will come into effect in mid-July. "Indonesia's use of CITES is an appeal to the consumers to help Indonesia save its forests" said Julian Newman. "This act by Minister Marzuki Usman gives us real hope that he intends to tackle illegal logging with courage and determination. Major consumers like Europe, the USA, Japan and China now have to help Indonesia by stopping imports of ramin."
In the late 1990s the UK was the seventh largest importer of ramin from Indonesia, and the second biggest importer in Europe after Italy. EIA and Telapak expect that the UK CITES authority and the timber industry will assist Indonesia's efforts. Ramin is a hardwood found only in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is used for fine furniture, mouldings, snooker cues, futon beds, picture frames, window blinds and other high value products.
It is sold on the international market for up to US$1,000 making it one of the most valuable hardwood species. It is found in swamp forest which is rapidly disappearing and is home to many rare and endangered species. As well as Tanjung Puting, EIA and Telapak have documented illegal logging of ramin in the Sebangau River area of Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan and Riau provinces. (Sumber : IEA International, 19 April 2001).
Following repeated reports of commercial illegal logging in world-renowned Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesia which has seriously endangered orang utans and other primates, the Indonesian Minister of Forests, Marzuki Usman, has banned the domestic and international trade in a valuable Indonesian tree species called ramin (Gonystylus spp).
The reports by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Telapak Indonesia identified ramin as a key timber species being extracted illegally from the Park. "This ramin ban is cautiously welcomed by EIA and Telapak" stated Julian Newman, EIA Senior Campaigner in London today. "It is the first step towards stopping the destruction of Tanjung Puting National Park and protecting the endangered orang utans. Now we wait to see if the Indonesian government will enforce this ban."
Orang utan numbers have plummeted across their range in Indonesia and Malaysia largely due to destruction of their habitat. Orang utans favour the lowland regions of the islands of Borneo and Sumatra where illegal logging has become out of control. In Tanjung Puting National Park where about 500 orang utans survive massive commercial illegal logging has destroyed huge areas of the Park and the timber baron behind much of the logging, Abdul Rasyid, has proven to be untouchable with his powerful corrupt military and political backers.
In a further highly significant and unprecedented move, Minister Marzuki Usman has appealed for support from ramin importing countries to prevent the import of Indonesian ramin. His ministry has written to the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Switzerland requesting that Indonesian ramin be placed on CITES Appendix 111 with a zero quota.
This will enable importing countries to use their domestic CITES legislation to seize Indonesian ramin and will come into effect in mid-July. "Indonesia's use of CITES is an appeal to the consumers to help Indonesia save its forests" said Julian Newman. "This act by Minister Marzuki Usman gives us real hope that he intends to tackle illegal logging with courage and determination. Major consumers like Europe, the USA, Japan and China now have to help Indonesia by stopping imports of ramin."
In the late 1990s the UK was the seventh largest importer of ramin from Indonesia, and the second biggest importer in Europe after Italy. EIA and Telapak expect that the UK CITES authority and the timber industry will assist Indonesia's efforts. Ramin is a hardwood found only in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is used for fine furniture, mouldings, snooker cues, futon beds, picture frames, window blinds and other high value products.
It is sold on the international market for up to US$1,000 making it one of the most valuable hardwood species. It is found in swamp forest which is rapidly disappearing and is home to many rare and endangered species. As well as Tanjung Puting, EIA and Telapak have documented illegal logging of ramin in the Sebangau River area of Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan and Riau provinces. (Sumber : IEA International, 19 April 2001).
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