Greenpeace Asks for Papua's Timber Industry to be Audited
Tuesday, 25 April, 2006 | 10:19 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Greenpeace Southeast Asia has requested that the Forestry Department audit all the activities of timber companies and Forestry Concession Rights (HPH) owners in Papua.

“Many companies source their timber from illegal logging,” said Hapsoro, campaign leader for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, when contacted by Tempo by phone on Saturday (22/3).

According to Greenpeace records, the damage rate of virgin forests in Papua has been 25 percent during the last three years.

Hapsoro said that Greenpeace has also asked the Forestry Department to implement a moratorium or temporarily halt all timber industry activities in Papua so that damage to forests does not continue.

He went on to say that up to now, companies whose operations have been halted were the illegal ones, while those with license are still operating.

But in his opinion, legal companies are also taking timbers from prohibited sources.

Forestry Minister Malam Sabat Kaban has said he has sent a team to audit the companies reported by Greenpeace.

However, Kaban said he could not rescind licenses that had been lawfully granted to companies.

However, according to Hapsoro, the Forestry Department has the right to stop and remove the licenses of all timber companies and HPH owners.

Oktamandjaya Wiguna