Jikalahari

In the release received by Tribun, on Thursday (4/2), Coalition for Forest Mafia Monitoring Teguh Surya (WALHI), Susanto Kurniawan (JIKALAHARI), Luluk Uliyah (JATAM), Leonard Hasugian (FWI), Emerson Yuntho (ICW), Abetnego T (Sawit Watch), M. Lutharif (Kontak Rakyat Borneo) and Timer Manurung (SILVAGAMA) reveals, deforestation mainly happened because of illegal conversion and illegal function transfer of natural forest. Conversion has been done by changes natural forest into plantation and mining.

In Center Kalimantan, 7,8 million ha natural forest has been changes into palm oil plantation, mining, and other different coverage which is no longer forest (Report from Center Kalimantan Provincial Spatial Planning Integrated Revision Team, 2009). Lampung Provincial Planning and Development Board said that more than 80 percent of protected forest, 67,5  percent limited production forest, and 76 percent produced forest in this province has been destroyed by the year of 2007 (www.koran-jakarta.com).

As a whole, in Indonesia deforestation happened in 1.08 million ha per year (Forestry Ministry, 2007). Beside changed into plantation and mining, there are some changes from peat forest into produced forest which give big impact to the ecology. Industrial Plantation permit that has been given to PT RAPP (RGM group) located in peat swamp forest of Kampar Peninsula obviously conducted in illegal procedures.

The impact and loss caused by forest destruction is huge. Illegal logging contributes to yearly loss of IDR 30 trillions (sources: Ministry of Forestry). Loss experienced by state in corruption of licensing from previous Head of District Pelalawan Azmun Jafar, caused state loss IDR 1, 2 trillion. Corruption done by Surya Dumai Group in forest conversion in East Kalimantan caused loss state loss IDR 346,823 billion.

Flood, dryness, and ecology disaster happened more often in Indonesia. Forest conversion also caused the lost of livelihood for community for about 48,8 million inhabitants who live around Indonesian forest (Dephut, 2004).

As the impact, authority over lapping and forest conversion area took place. These condition proved by asynchronous in law and policy level. The law and policy inharmouniousity (plantation, forestry, environment, spatial planning, and regional autonomy) creates over lapping in authorities. There so government will face difficulties to generate protection, planning, management, monitoring, and law enforcement and rehabilitation efforts.

Regional autonomy euphoria causes local government over controlled from issuing licenses for plantation and mining. Data from Save Our Borneo and  Silvagama showed licenses violation for plantation either mining which were issued by all Head of District in Center of Kalimantan. Even in concession Austral Byna HPH in North Barito, Center of Kalimantan 23 permits are also given for plantation and 47 permits are issued for mining by local authority (Head of District). In Riau, 4 Head of District issued 37 permits of Industrial Plantation which break the role.

As they don’t want to be left behind in breaking the rules, Ministry of Forestry legalized the permit which already issued by Head of District included give dispensation to the companies in Riau by excluding the verification process which is required in the regulation. Another case, Ministry of Forestry also legalized forest destroy by issuing permits for Community Forest (HKm) in area 12.000 ha in the protected zone in District Tanggamus, Lampung.

Those above figures shows that government commitment to reduce emission 26% (as people believe this amount will give important role in reducing earth climate) is being cheated by Forestry Dept and Energy and Natural Resources Dept. It is proved, that until 100 first day of SBY - Boediono period, none of those forest destroyer companies brought to legal phase. Whereas, as the 3rd biggest emitten country in the world, it is well known that the emission came from conversion activities both in natural forest either peat swamp forest for investment needs.

In other side, it has been assured strongly that the problem in law enforcement has relation with illegal retribution (lead to corruption). Data from Sawit Watch stated that the cost for location permit for each hectare around  Rp. 500.000- Rp. 1 million/ha (in average is Rp. 750 million for location permit in area of  1.000 ha).  Even in other finding, to issues location permit will cost up to 3 Billion rupiah for area  1.000 ha.

Other fact, law official stands in companies side whenever complaint report come to them. The police respond to the companies more than to community. Same condition also practiced by the court which showed from their decision. Even government report on company’s crime also beaten by the court. Beside law official, another state apparatus also recognized in making law violation more lasting. It can be proved by the involvement of National Land Board that has side job as company employee.

Therefore, there is no option beside take strong action to forest mafia which consists of: corporation/companies, licensing official in local and national level who break the law to issue the permit, or law officials who deal with corporation/company or national/local authorities. (rls)

Source: Tribun Pekanbaru, Thurs/4 Feb 2010