[Kabar-indonesia] 2 of 2: Tempo Cover Story: Appetite for Destruction [2 reports]

[JoyoNews at aol.com]

2 Tempo Magazine Cover Story Reports (2 of 2): 

- Opinion: Appetite for Destruction 

- Logging Destruction [Adelin is accused of 
  destroying forests by using locals for logging 
  in 16,000 hectares of National Park.]

Tempo Magazine
No. 03/VII
Sept 19-25, 2006 

Opinion 

Appetite for Destruction 

THERE are at least two important lessons from Adelin Lis' capture in Beijing 
last week. First, the Indonesian embassy can be counted on to be alert and 
able in catching a fugitive. Second, the incident is a reminder, once again, of 
how important it is for National Police Chief, General Sutanto and Forestry 
Minister M.S. Kaban to work closely, so that the institutions they lead will be 
better coordinated when pursuing illegal loggers who flee overseas to seek safe 
haven. 

Adelin, 49, a timber baron from Medan, was placed on the list of most-wanted 
persons by the North Sumatra Regional Police last February. According to the 
Finance Development Controller (BPKP), Adelin's two companies caused Rp500 
billion in losses to the state by not paying forestry duties and reforestation 
funds since 2000. 

The team of experts in the Environment Department has a much higher figure: 
Rp227.92 trillion. This whopping figure comes from forest damage assessment, 
economic losses, and environmental cost recovery. The North Sumatra Police 
chased after Adelin, but he outsmarted them. 

Overseas, he lived undisturbed until four staff members of the Indonesian 
embassy arrested him in Beijing. The description of the capture was thrilling, 
resembling scenes out of a Chinese kung fu movie. Most notably, the embassy 
staff who were beaten up by Adelin's accomplices deserve our respect. They are 
admirable examples of civilians making an effort to capture criminal suspects. 

We should be happy, but there is no cause for celebration yet, because in the 
big picture of illegal loggers, Adelin is no more than small fry. His name is 
not even in the list of top 50 illegal loggers submitted by Minister Kaban to 
the National Police Chief and the attorney general in 2005. In other words, 
there are still more out there whose crimes have not been recorded. It is 
highly likely that the losses incurred by the state in this case exceeded Rp45 
trillion per year, as reported by the Forestry Minister last year. 

To be brief, financiers of illegal loggers at Adelin's level, and those at 
higher levels, should be hunted down by the police. Their identities are clearly 
stated on the Minister's list. Their hiding places are publicly known: Hong 
Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, China, and of course Indonesia. 

If all parties cooperate, the police should be able to shorten the list 
provided by the Forestry Minister, of "business people to be pursued." This is by 
no means easy, because such criminals don't change so easily. Last April, 
National Police Chief Sutanto promised: "There will be no more illegal loggings 
this year." At the time, Sutanto reported to the House of Representatives that in 
2005 the police solved 985 cases involving 1,229 suspects from all over 
Indonesia. Yet, in 2006, our trees continued to be illegally felled. In the first 
two months, more than 500 people were arrested, including three big financiers. 

The criminals work in big groups, with links to people in the country and 
overseas, at a forest so big, where "timber backers" or financiers are king. They 
hold full authority, including over some officials in government. The head of 
the Mandailing Forestry Office, for example, is a suspect. The police are 
also intensively interrogating the Regent of Mandailing Natal, who used to reign 
over the forest area felled by Adelin, the timber baron from Sumatra. 

If government employees are at fault they must be indicted and punished. But 
that's nothing new. In October 2002, this magazine conducted an investigation 
on large-scale illegal logging inside the Tanjung Puting National Park in 
Central Kalimantan, one of the largest conservation forest areas. Millions of 
cubic meters of rare timber were stolen from there. The illegal business produced 
a "local king" who became an important person representing his area in 
Jakarta. 

His name is still on the list as an illegal logger who must be questioned. 
There are two possibilities. The police can only get the small fries; they are 
totally inept about the big ones. Or, the illegal loggers have such an 
extraordinary network that government officials and the law cannot touch them. 

There is no other choice. The war against crime syndicates must be better 
planned. It is not enough to be a special item on the agenda of one president to 
the next, including that of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Genuine effort 
can start from cooperation between the police and the forestry officials, by 
jointly compiling a list of illegal loggers who must be hunted down. If 
necessary, the list should be posted in public offices all over the country, so that 
people can report on the whereabouts of these timber thieves. 

Unconventional measures may have to be taken against a crime that has caused 
insurmountable losses. The arrest in Beijing may be the beginning of a war 
that could last a very long time. 
 
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Tempo Magazine
No. 03/VII
Sept 19-25, 2006 

Cover Story 

Logging Destruction 

Adelin is accused of destroying forests by using locals 
for logging in 16,000 hectares of National Park. 

IT has been years since the giant flickering letters "Mujur Timber" 
symbolized the prosperity of Sibolga, North Sumatra. Mujur Timber Company & Co, the 
plywood factory is located on Jalan Sibolga-Barus, Pargadungan village in Tapian 
Nauli. 

Last February, the factory belonging to Adelin Lis and family, was closed 
down by the police. Lis, an illegal logging suspect was arrested in Beijing two 
weeks ago. 

The 15-hectare factory is now abandoned. "There's no activity," said Aminudin 
Harahap, a member of the Sibolga community. There is not a soul at the 
employee dormitory not far from the factory. About 1,900 employees have stopped 
working. 

The situation today is very different. The factory, built in 1978 was always 
active in processing wood products. The raw materials came from several areas, 
especially from the licensed lumber area (HPH) or concession areas belonging 
to the Lis family in Mandailing Natal, 200 kilometers from the factory. 
However, according to police, the factory also processed illegal timber from areas 
outside the licensed area. 

The illegal timber was sent to the factory via two routes; land and water. 
According to the Director of the North Sumatra chapter of the Indonesian Forum 
for the Environment (Walhi), Job Rahmat Purba, the land route passes through 
Sale Baru village. This village was established by Keang Nam company, a branch 
of Mujur Timber, and was settled with residents from other areas. The migrants 
were employed by Keang Nam and Inanta companies to log the forest. "This way, 
it would look as if the locals were doing the logging," said Purba. The 
illegal lumber was then gathered at Telur Island in Natal, Madina, 12 kilometers 
from Natal Beach. 

On the water route, the lumber was floated down the Batang Natal River. It 
was then piled up at the Tabuyung estuary in Batang Natal. After that, large 
barges pulled the timber to a factory in Sibolga. At this factory, both the legal 
and illegal timber were processed together. The product was then exported to 
various countries including Malaysia, China and several European countries. 

Actually, Adelin Lis already owns vast legal logging areas. PT Keang Nam 
Development Indonesia owns 58.7 hectares of legal logging area, while PT Inanta 
Timber has 40.6 hectares and PT Gunung Raya Timber boasts 100,000 hectares. 

Apart from the above three companies, the Lis family owns other legal logging 
companies in Madina, South Tapanuli and North Tapanuli including PT Mutiara 
Warna, which owns almost 70 hectares, PT Panel Loka Sejahtera, PT Panei Mitra 
Makmur and PT Teluk Nauli. 

The Environment Department and the North Sumatra Police investigations 
concluded that despite owning vast legal logging areas, both PT Keang Nam and PT 
Inanta carried out illegal logging in the Batang Gadis National Park, the 
Mandailing Natal district and Central Tapanuli. 

According to Dasru Cha­niago, head of investigations at the Environment 
Department, the two companies' illegal logging activities covered 16,000 hectares 
out of 108,000 hectares of protected forest area, incurring losses of Rp223 
trillion to the nation. According to Walhi, the total illegal logging activity 
spanning over the other three districts covers 50,000 to 100,000 hectares. 

But Adelin Lis' lawyer, Sakti Hasibuan, denies his client's illegal logging 
charges. Hasibuan claims that it is difficult to determine the precise borders 
of concession areas, particularly for those who cut the trees. 

In the meantime, the illegally logged forest areas have been left bare. 
Former North Sumatra Walhi Director, Efendi Panjaitan, claims that the areas 
surrounding Batahan village, Napal and Mandailing Natal are now devoid of trees. 
Only shrubs remain. 

Some of the illegally logged forests have since been converted into palm oil 
plantations, although environmental regulations stipulate that logging areas 
must be replanted with the original vegetation. 

-- Ramidi, Hambali Batubara, Maria Hasugian 
 
-End 2 of 2-

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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