Activists are saying the Indonesian government's plan to lift the ban of log exports will only make it easier for illegal loggers to move their product, according to an article in The Jakarta Post today.
The forestry ministry argues that the development of industrial forests is sluggish due to low prices, and an open export market would help boost it.
"This will restart a forest-destroying machine that has long been inactive," forest activist Zenzi Suhadi told the Post.
The ban currently works in conjunction with a moratorium on forest clearance, which prohibits the issuance of new licenses for the conversion of primary forests in both protected and productive forest. The two measures were enacted after deforestation in the country reached 3.5 million hectares per year (a hectare is roughly 2.5 acres). Following the export ban in 2001 and the moratorium, deforestation dropped to 450 hectares.
Activists cheered when the ministry agreed to extend the moratorium past its May 20 expiration date, but, they argue, lifting the export ban will be just as detrimental.
"The ministry had actually taken a good step in supporting the extension of the moratorium. It was in line with our goal to protect the forests. However, their plan to lift the log export ban is counter-productive and will definitely affect the moratorium itself," Kiki Taufik from Greenpeace Indonesia told The Jakarta Post.
Forestry Ministry secretary-general Hadi Daryanto said the ministry was aware of the possibility of illegal logging, and that it would undergo long discussions before it would decide to restart log exports. He added that the ministry would only select a few seaports as export gates and closely monitor them in order to avoid illegal logging. For example, one seaport would be selected to export exclusively to China.
Greenpeace activist Yuyun Indradi suggested a different solution: "They should add value to the logs before exporting them, to provide jobs for the people. This is definitely contrary to its [the government's] declaration of pro-growth and pro-job development."
