Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – Indonesian Non-Government Organization Publish What Your Pay (PWYP) said there are 6.3 million hectares of forest areas that are categorized as protected turned out to be turned into mining areas. This is due to collusion between officials and employers, and overlapping policies.

PWYP Indonesia National Coordinator Maryati Abdullah said, an area of ​​6.3 million prohibited land for mining stands on conservation and protection forests. In fact, Law Number 44 of 1999 concerning Forestry prohibits mining activities in the two regions.

“There are still permits or contracts in prohibited areas for forest use areas, namely 1.37 million hectares in conservation forests and 4.93 million hectares in protected forests,” Maryadi said at the KPK Office, Jakarta, Tuesday (30/8).

He said, based on the exposure of the Supervision Coordination Work Team between the KPK and the Directorate General of Mineral and Coal of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, there were 38.89 million hectares of forest land that were used as mining areas. This area is the result of an elaboration of a map of a Mining Business License (IUP), a work contract, a coal mining concession agreement with a map of a forest area, and a lease-to-use permit for a national forest area.

In addition, there were 3,982 IUPs with the status of NonClear & Clear as of April this year from a total of 10,348 IUPs. The still high level of IUP with the status of NonClear & Clear can have an impact on the destruction of natural conditions and loss of state revenue.

Regarding this matter, President Joko Widodo was demanded to issue a Presidential Regulation on a moratorium on mining permits so that there would be no new IUPs during the control process. The Perpres is also considered to be Jokowi’s concrete evidence in the campaign to protect wild animals and plants.

The government is also urged to be firm in curbing the NonClear & Clear IUPs and IUPs located in conservation and protected forest areas, in accordance with regulations and within a specified time period.

“If there is no significant development, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources can take over the role of controlling Non-C&C IUP by making a temporary halt,” said Maryati. (sur/agk)

Source: here.

cnnindonesia.com | Joko Panji Sasongko | Wednesday, August 31st , 2016 | 7:27 WIB