Criticized: Police’s Slowness in Handling Illegal Logging
Friday, 22 February, 2008 | 14:13 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Pekanbaru: The environment activist circles in Riau urged the regional police to complete the illegal logging cases in that area. They regarded the police powerless as hundreds of forest destruction cases have not yet moved to the court up to yesterday (22/2).

They put forth their demand during a rally in the Riau Police Headquarters, Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, yesterday. Several participating organizations include the Indonesia’s Committee on the Destruction of Forests, Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) of Riau, Riau Forest Rescue Working Network, Indonesian Legal Aid Agency (LBHI) of Riau and the National Liberation Front.

They brought several posters , such as, “If the police want trust, it must complete the Riau Forest Case.” They also spread stickers conveying the demand that the police capture the illegal logging’s mogul who is also Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) embezzler.

Jhony S. Mundung, Director of Riau’s Walhi, denounced legal officers for not completing the case immediately. He said that illegal logging case is only being handed over between the investigators (Riau Police) and the general prosecutor (Riau High Court). Actually Walhi reported this illegal logging case in January last year.

The Riau Police were not willing to explain this matter. “That’s the leader’s authority. We can’t comment yet,” said Adj. Chief Comm. Zulkifli, Riau Police’s spokesperson. Riau Police Chief Brig. Gen. Sutjiptadi could not be contacted up to last night.

The Riau High Court’s spokesperson, Darbin Pasaribu, said that the court has not yet received the finished dossier from the police.
A Tempo source in Riau High Court said the police are having difficulties to finalize the dossier because it must be completed with the statements of Riau Governor Rusli Zainal and his five regents.

The National Police HQ requested President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to examine the statements of the five regents last September. Yet, up to yesterday there was no answer. “If it’s already in the President’s hands, it can be completed in three or four days. Especially a case like this,” said Hatta Rajasa, State Secretary, yesterday.

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