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Indonesian Military 'Deeply Involved' in Forest Destruction: Report
January 29, 2010

Indonesia Indonesia's military fails to monitor illegal logging and is actively involved in it, a new study has found. (AP Photo/Environmental Investigation Agency/Telapak, HO)
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Dino_M
8:59am Jan 30, 2010

This is shocking. Who knew? The military involved in illegal activities? Logging? Say it isn't so.


Simon P
6:26pm Jan 29, 2010

It won't stop until it's all gone, you can be sure of that.

Kiai Carita
6:15pm Jan 29, 2010

In 1998-99 practically all the teak in East and Central Java was cut down by people with guns and chainsaws. Tens of thousands of hectares are now still bare.


Valkyrie
5:06pm Jan 29, 2010

Everyone has a piece of the "cake."

Roland
5:04pm Jan 29, 2010

when are we going to see the follow up on the findings? Not until 2020 for sure!

The Indonesian military is deeply involved in the trade in illegally felled timber that is destroying vast tracts of pristine forest and contributing to global warming, researchers said Friday.

The report comes days after the government revealed plans to ask foreign governments to contribute to a billion-dollar "green investment fund" to help it cut greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable infrastructure projects.

Environmentalists argue that the government could go a long way towards meeting its target of cutting emissions by 26 percent from 2005 levels by 2020 simply by stopping rampant, unchecked illegal logging.

But the new study by the Center for East Asia Cooperation Studies (CEACoS) at the University of Indonesia has revealed how difficult this could be given the military's involvement in the illicit trade.

CEACoS executive director Tirta N. Mursitama, the head researcher in the project, said the military acted as a coordinator, investor, facilitator and middleman for the illegal loggers in forests bordering Malaysia.

"Military personnel from low ranked soldiers to territorial commanders were involved in the practice of illegal logging in the border areas," he told AFP.

"The military personnel acted as coordinators, investors and people who deliberately failed to monitor the flow of logging transport."

The study covered the period between 1999 and 2006 in East Kalimantan, on the Indonesian side of Borneo where forests are being stripped for timber products and palm oil plantations faster than anywhere else in the world.

Mursitama said some high-ranking officers received kickbacks from subordinates involved in illegal logging, while others fostered close relationships with the "cukong," or godfathers of the business.

Other levels of involvement included direct investment in logging companies, and taking bribes for arranging logging permits from the forestry ministry.

A military spokesman said he had not seen the study and could not comment, but promised to "follow up" on its findings.


AFP