Marzuki said that the existing forest management practice of granting logging concessions to entrepreneurs has led to 35 years of forest destruction. The destruction covers 1.6-2 million hectares of forest land each year. This is equal to an area half the size of Central Java.
Marzuki said that aside from destroying the forest, logging concession grants have also eliminated the very existence of local populations. According to Marzuki, the consequences of the forestry policy which has been applied since the 1970s are that “the forest ecosystem is destroyed and people living near the forest have been moved aside. They become poor as their rights to live on their land by using the existing resources have been taken away. These rights, that have been taken away for 35 years, will be returned to them,” Marzuki said.
Aside from changing policy in this sector, Marzuki will punish those involved in destroying the forest or the environment generally. The punishment will be increased. In the period to date, the maximum punishment imposed on persons involved in forest destruction has only been a 20 years sentence. And in that case, the person received parole. “A 300 year prison term and a fine 100,000 times the costs of the destruction are about the right punishments for those forest destroyers,” he said.
Marzuki already holds names of persons allegedly involved in forest destruction. Unfortunately, Marzuki said, those people are still free. Marzuki declined to mention further efforts to be made by his ministry in order to stop the forest criminals. “We should act as a detective. We can’t let you know our measures now, as we have yet to arrest those criminals.” Marzuki said.
Marzuki concluded by stating that forest management policies that are focused on the natural resources would contribute significantly to stabilizing the political situation and decreasing ethnic conflicts. He said that it will lead to understanding within the nation.