Ex-service head: I have no knowledge of forestry

Tuesday, 08 July 2008

PEKANBARU (EoF News)—A former Riau Forestry Service head insisted on a corruption trial in Corruption Crime Court in Jakarta last week that he just signed logging license of Annual Working Plan (RKT) for companies and handed over the responsibility to his subordinates. Media reports said that Burhanuddin Husin, former Riau Forestry Service Head and now Kampar District Head, told a corruption court in Jakarta last week (4/7/2008) that he had nothing to do with verdict of misusing of logging licenses to clear natural forests which prosecute the Pelalawan District Head Azmun Jaafar. “I just signed [them]. Beyond this I have no idea since the technical matter is my staff’s job,” Burhanuddin told judges led by Krisna Menon on the court, Riau Terkini website reported Friday. The district head named suspect and requested for testimony as a witness on the case of misusing logging licenses for 15 companies that charged district head Azmun Jaafar. Riau Terkini reported that Burhanuddin was questioned for 60 minutes where he mostly said he did not know on the authority of his position as Forestry Service head. On its headline last weekend (5/7/2008), Tribun Pekanbaru daily said that the judges of corruption case got upset with answers uttered by Burhanuddin due to dubious statements. “I just legalize [RKT, annual working plan]. On technical matter it is done by my staff,” he said as quoted by Tribun Pekanbaru as saying (5/7/2008). The former forestry service head said that his subordinates should be responsible for technical matters in legalizing RKT plan. The RKT permit issued by the Provincial Government would allow companies to clear natural forest for conversion into pulpwood plantation. When asked by presiding judge if the official has knowledge of forestry, Burhanuddin said: “To be honest I don’t understand forestry, I am just an economic graduate,” Tribun Pekanbaru reported. “You are just Head of Forestry Service, please don’t make any excuses. After being appointed Head of Forestry Service, you should adapt to such a new job,” blasted judge Made Hendra Kusuma following doubtful answers expressed by Burhanuddin. Prosecutor Sriyono asked the suspect of RKT issuance. “So you issued RKT licenses without legality basis, didn’t you?” Then Burhanuddin said yes. “So, it’s messed up, isn’t it?” the prosecutor asked back. Azmun detained by Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in December 2007 and has been prosecuted since May this year. KPK accused Azmun of causing the State’s loss by Rp1.2 trillion by issuing logging licenses to convert natural forests to pulpwood plantation. Reports said that incumbent Riau Governor Rusli Zainal was scheduled to be questioned by KPK on Azmun’s case last week, but he failed to attend it due to his medical check-up as his preparation to run for upcoming gubernatorial election in September this year. Azmun on Rusli Zainal Azmun told Koran Tempo daily (3/7/2008) on an interview that the officials who issued RKT licenses to be responsible. “Out of 15 companies that their licenses I issued have gained RKT legalization released by Riau Forestry Service heads, they are Syuhada Tasman, Asral Rachman, Sudirno, and Burhanuddin Husein. Then there are also RKTs that legalized by Riau Governor Rusli Zainal. By those RKTs, the companies have conducted wood clearing in the forests. According to me, all sides who involved in legalizing RKTs should be asked for their responsibility, including Rusli Zainal,” Azmun told Koran Tempo daily. EoF learns that the 15 companies Azmun mentioned are affiliated to Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Limited (APRIL), and Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) and another one is unidentified. EoF learns that the 15 companies which obtained licenses issued by Azmun and linked to corruption practices as probed currently by KPK as follows: APRIL: CV. Bhakti Praja Mulia 5,800 hectares, CV. Mutiara Lestari 4,000 ha, CV. Tuah Negeri 1,500 ha, KUD Bina Jaya Langgam 1,887 ha, CV. Alam Lestari 3,330 ha, CV. Riau Bina Insani 4,300 ha, CV. Harapan Jaya 4,800 ha, PT. Nusa Prima Manunggal 4,412 ha, PT. Merbau Pelalawan Lestari 5,590 ha, PT. Putri Lindung Bulan 2,500 ha, PT. Selaras Abadi Utama 13,600 ha, PT. Bukit Raya Pelalawan 3,200 ha, and PT. Riau Bina Insani 7,275 ha; APP: Putra Riau Perkasa 21,650 ha, and unidentified affiliation: PT. Sinar Deli Pratama 3,000 ha.

New APP Logging Road Threatens One of World’s Biggest Carbon-Storing Forests

Pekanbaru, INDONESIA – In an investigative report published today by Eyes on the Forest, evidence shows that a new logging road in Riau Province -- strongly indicated as illegally built by companies connected to Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) -- is cutting into the heart of Sumatra’s largest contiguous peatland forest, a rare hydrological ecosystem that acts as one of the planet’s biggest carbon stores.

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Sumatra's forests at risk

Wednesday 27 February 2008

Turning the forests and peat swamps of just one Sumatran province into pulpwood and palm oil plantations is generating more annual greenhouse gas emissions than the Netherlands and is rapidly driving the province's elephants into extinction, a new study by WWF and partners has found.

"We found that Sumatra's elephants and tigers are disappearing even faster than their forests are in Riau," said WWF International's Species Programme Director, Dr Susan Lieberman.
"This is happening because as wildlife search for new habitat and food sources, they increasingly come into conflict with people and are killed," she explained.

Key study analyses impact

The study found that in central Sumatra's Riau Province 4.2 million hectares of tropical forests and peat swamp have been cleared in the last 25 years.
Forest loss, degradation and, decomposition and fires are, on average, equivalent to 122% percent of the Netherlands total annual emissions, 58% of Australia's annual emissions, 39% of annual UK emissions and 26% of annual German emissions.
Riau was chosen for the study because it is home to vast peatlands estimated to hold Southeast Asia's largest store of carbon, and contains some of the most critical habitat for Sumatran elephants and tigers. It also has Indonesia's highest deforestation rate, substantially driven by the operations of global paper giants Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) and Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Limited (APRIL).

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Staples Cuts Off Paper Supplier

Green-Minded Staples Ends Ties With Asia Pulp & Paper
By TOM WRIGHT
February 8, 2008; Page A4 Office-supplies retailer Staples Inc. has severed all contracts with Singapore-based Asia Pulp & Paper Co. Ltd., one of the world's largest paper companies, in a move that shows concerns over forest destruction and global warming are having an impact on big U.S. paper buyers. Until recently, Staples sourced about 9% of its total paper supply from APP and used the paper for its own Staples-branded stock, mainly photocopy and office paper. Staples had stuck with the company even as other large paper sellers in the U.S., Europe and Asia, including Office Depot Inc., stopped buying from APP in recent years because of alleged environmental misdeeds. The Framingham, Mass., company canceled its contracts late last month, said Mark Buckley, vice president for environmental issues at Staples. Staples is expected to announce the move next week. "We decided engagement was not possible anymore," Mr. Buckley said. "We haven't seen any indication that APP has been making any positive strides" to protect the environment. Remaining a customer of APP was "at great peril to our brand," he added. APP representatives didn't return calls seeking comment. In the past, it has said it is moving toward relying for all of its wood on plantation trees but needs to cut natural forest to maintain production levels. APP runs one of Asia's largest pulp mills on the Indonesian island of Sumatra and has operations in China. The retailers worry that APP is destroying natural rainforest to feed its mills. Concerns over rainforest destruction have been heightened in recent months because new data show that Indonesia is the world's third-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, the heat-trapping greenhouse gas, behind the U.S. and China. Fires set to clear natural forests and forested peat swamps after they have been logged are the major cause of those emissions. APP last year sought permission to use an environmentally friendly logo issued by the Forest Stewardship Council. In October, after inquiries from The Wall Street Journal about APP's planned use of the logo, the FSC barred the company from using it.

Write to Tom Wright at tom.wright@dowjones.com

APP Forest Clearing in Bukit Tigapuluh

Tuesday, 08 January 2008
APP Forest Clearing in Bukit Tigapuluh Threatens Lives of Local Communities and Sumatra’s Endangered Species
A Joint Press Release by WARSI FZS ZSL PKHS WWF
Pekanbaru & Jambi, INDONESIA -- The destruction of high biodiversity forest in Sumatra’s Bukit Tigapuluh landscape – including the extinction of the endangered Sumatran tiger, elephant, and orangutan- is now in front of our eyes. The Bukit Tigapuluh Landscape is severely threatened due to on going massive clearance and a future plan by the Ministry of Forestry to convert the expired Selective Timber Concession (HPH) through the giant pulp and paper company Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) and its partners.
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Pelalawan District Head detained

Pekanbaru (EoF News)—Pelalawan District Head Tengku Azmun Jaafar was detained by Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Jakarta on Friday (14/12/2007) in charging with alleged corruption by issuing logging licenses to 15 companies. read more

The bog barons: Indonesia's carbon catastrophe

Wednesday, 05 December 2007
By Fred Pearce, New Scientist -- 1 December 2007
I AM standing in the heart of the world's second largest tropical peat swamp, the Kampar bog in central Sumatra, watching the swamp's water drain away along a small canal. Across the western side of the bog there are dozens more drains. The peat bog is bleeding to death before me.
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