TNI Chief to Take Stern Measures Against TNI Officers Involved in Illegal Logging

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, Chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI), has promised to take stern measures against any TNI officers who are proven to be involved in illegal logging. Stern measures will be taken against whoever (TNI officers, ed.) involved in any way in illegal logging, the TNI Chief told reporters following a coordination meeting with the Minister of Forestry held at the Ministry of Forestry in Jakarta on Wednesday (15/01). Sutarto admitted that as TNI Chief, hes supposed to be capable of straightening out illegal activities taking place within the TNI. However, there are those who commit such illegal activities, he said. Therefore, Sutarto said he welcomed the cooperation with the Ministry of Forestry in stamping out illegal logging activities. He went on to say he hoped that the presence of military police in the cooperation would help settle matters regarding TNI officers involved in illegal logging activities. If there are any TNI officers violating the law, we will immediately follow up by taking measures against them in the field, stated Sutarto. As regards the impression that the TNI has never helped try and stamp out illegal logging in border areas, Sutarto said that the TNI officers stationed in border areas were only obliged to maintain border security and did not have accurate knowledge about forestry matters. He compared the current situation with the situation in Malaysia. Malaysian military guarding border areas have fully equipped posts with many facilities while in Indonesia, there are only 16 posts on a border that stretches 958 kilometers. These posts do not have the support of good infrastructure. We tried to guard the borders from the air but our air force has limited capacity in this field, said Sutarto. According to the TNI Chief, in operations to arrest those involved in illegal logging, the law of the jungle will prevail. Sutarto cited a situation in which a boat was caught carrying illegal logs; then the logs would be removed and the boat capsized at sea. If the boat owners made a show of force, we would show greater force. The law of the jungle prevails here. The stronger will win, he said. (Dewi Retno --- Tempo News Room)