Indonesia Working On New Draft Of Emergency Logging Decree

[hatrack]

"(The)Government announced on Sunday that it is drafting a regulation in lieu of law (perpu) as an emergency measure to crack down on illegal logging practice that have caused trillions of rupiah to the nation.

Minister of Forestry M. Prakosa said that the current criminal law (KUHP) had proven unable to quickly and effectively crack down on the increasing illegal logging practices due to the long procedure it required for the punishment of anyone involved in the crime. "We believe the current situation an emergency so we need a short-time solution, that is a perpu. This perpu will enable the ministry to establish a special task force to investigate, arrest and put to trial the criminals," he said.

Under the country's legal system, a perpu, which is higher than a governmental decree in legal power, is normally issued in case of emergency to avoid the lengthy process of law making which involves the House of Representatives. The perpu does not need the House's approval.

Prakosa said that many smugglers of illegally-cut logs had been caught by police but released in the middle of the process without any explanations from the police of the reasons behind their release. He cited as an example the recent release of the Bravery Falcon ship, which was caught trying to smuggle a huge amount of logs from Papua last December. The capture and the release of the ship was made by the navy."

EDIT

http://forests.org/articles/reader.asp?linkid=30026

A.k.a. "Nero Debuts New Piece For Solo Violin" . . .