Aceh Tamiang, Ekuatorial – Aceh officials found ‘illegal’ community plantation forests in Aceh Tamiang district contributing to massive forest destruction.
In a recent patrol, Aceh forest management unit officials discovered hundreds of hectares of Production Forest, in Leuser ecosystem area, has been turned into oil palm and rubber plantations by people claimed to be local communities.
They have claimed themselves as members of farmer groups of Kaloy and Polu Tiga villages, Tamiang Hulu subdistrict, Aceh Tamian district, to obtain permits to supposedly manage community plantation forest.
During the patrol, officials have caught red handed an officer of the law fertilizing a three hectares of rubber plantation and a businessman owning 40 hectares of oil palm plantation. Both have obtained permits claiming as members of local farmer communities.
Meanwhile, Elvian, deputy chief of Aceh Tamiang forest police, said that all plantation activities in Production Forest areas were considered as criminal act and must be stopped.
“Community plantation forest is not allowed to change forest function into plantation, especially for oil palm,” said Elvian adding that they have reported the findings and will immediately take actions.
Elvian said that they have sent notifications to land owners and demanded them to sign a statement letter. Meanwhile, land owners admitted that they had no clue that their concessions areas were Production Forest and located in Leuser ecosystem area.
Furthermore, Elvian said that Community Plantation Forest has become a new mode of operation to destroy the forest.
“They would take woods from the forest, burn it down, and change it into plantation,” he said.
Amrin, head of Aceh Region III Forest Security Group, said that they illegally registered as members of farmer groups to obtain forest areas to be turned into plantation.
“How is it possible that Binjai citizens of North Sumatra can be members of Aceh Tamiang farmer groups in Kaloy village,” said Amrin adding that they have also found chip boards and blocks made of merbau woods.
Tezar of Leuser Conservation Forum said that patrol should be conducted routinely to reduce forest degradation rate especially in Aceh Tamiang.
“The patrol team had discovered that coordinates of those two locations are located in Production Forest inside Aceh Tamiang ecosystem areas,” said Tezar.
Meanwhile, Matsum of Tamiang Peduli said that forest destruction in Aceh Tamiang was a result of government’s lack of action. Matsum said that local agencies known about illegal plantations in Production forest but did nothing.
Based on 2013 Law on Prevention and Eradication of Forest Destruction, illegal plantations are liable for 15 years in prison and one billion rupiah of fine. Ivo Lestari