Indonesian Cops Nab 25 In Massive Papua NG Illegal Logging Scheme

[hatrack]

"Police said on Friday they had arrested at least 25 suspects accused of massive illegal logging in Papua and were looking for five others, mostly non-nationals. Among the detainees were Papua forestry office director Marthen Kayoi and West Irian forestry office director Marten Luther Rumadas, as well as a director of PT Wapoga Mutiara Timber, Tan Eng Kwee, and the firm's operations manager, Agustinus Joumilena.

The arrests come just a week after a joint team set up by the government launched Operation Hutan Lestari (sustainable forest) to halt widespread illegal logging in Papua.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Aryanto Boedihardjo said that Kayoi had been charged under Articles 50 and 78 of the Forestry Law (No. 41/1999), and Articles 55 and 56 of the Criminal Code. Kayoi and Rumadas had issued IPKMAs (forest conservation permits for local tribespeople), which were often misused for illegal logging.

The central government considers the issuance of these permits to be illegal as the prevailing law only recognizes an official permit issued by the Ministry of Forestry in Jakarta. However, a bylaw enacted by the Papua administration allows the local forestry director to issue such forest conservation permits. Aryanto said that Tan Eng Kwee, a Malaysian national, and Indonesian Agustinus Joumilena were among those suspected of financing illegal logging in Papua."

EDIT

http://forests.org/articles/reader.asp?linkid=39985

[blindpig]

1. little fishies

though admittedly bigger than the usual scapegoats. The question is, who were they selling to? Follow the money.......