Eyes on the Forest News March 23, 2005

Eyes on the Forest News March 23, 2005

More than 40% of Riau’s fires burn in APP and partners’ concessions This year, forest and land fires in Riau started in the third week of January. The number of fire hot spots increased from 143 during that week to about 2,800 hotspots between February 14 and 21. Fires threaten human health and destroy forests’ biodiversity. The “Web Fire Mapper” (http://maps.geog.umd.edu/), a collaboration between NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre (GSFC) and the University of Maryland, constantly updates maps with all active fires detected by NASA’s MODIS satellite Rapid Response System. Eyes on the Forest analyzed the 2005 MODIS hot spot data: Fires in Industrial Timber Plantations (HTIs) Every week between the 3rd week of January and February 21, many hot spots were identified inside Industrial Timber Plantations (HTI) in Riau. According to the analysis, more than 40% of all the hot spots found in Riau Province between 24 January and February 21 were identified inside concessions of companies associated with Asia Pulp & Paper Co. Ltd. (APP concessions) and their joint venture partners (APP’s partners’ concessions) (Table 1). Maps 1 – 4 in Appendix 1 show the locations of these hot spots for each of the four periods. Table 1. Number of hot spots inside APP, APRIL and their partners’ concessions and the total number of hot spots in Riau Province between 24 January and 21 February. APP

Jan 24-31 Feb 1-6 Feb 7-13 Feb 14-21

APP’s partners

428

264

156

114

618

598

658

501

APP Total APRIL (% Riau Total)

692 (49.7%) 270 (44.5%) 1,216 (42.5%) 1,159 (41.2%)

APRIL’s partners

-

9

1

9

27

131

68

97

APRIL Total Riau (% Riau Total) Total

9 (0.6%) 10 (1.6%) 158 (5.5%) 165 (5.9%)

1,391 607 2,863 2,812

Source: MODIS Hotspots January 24 –February 21, 2005

APP has publicly announced that it will protect High Conservation Value Forests (HCVFs) in their concessions in Giam Siak Kecil (GSK), Kampar and Kerumutan Landscapes in Riau. However, the majority (54.8% - 75.2%) of the hotspots inside APP and their partners’ concessions were identified precisely in these areas between January 24 and February 21 (Table 2). Maps 5-8 in Appendix 1 show hot spots in these four areas during each of the four periods. Eyes on the Forest is concerned about the impact these fires are likely to have on the HCVFs the company says it is protecting. Why are these forests burning just when they were identified for protection?

Eyes on the Forest (March 23, 2005) More than 40% of Riau’s fires burn in APP and partners’ concessions.

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Table 2. Number of hotspots inside APP related concessions in Giam Siak Kecil (GSK), Kampar and Kerumutan Landscapes between 24 January and 21 February, compared to the total number of hot spots in Riau. Kampar Landscape Kerumutan Sub total APP GSK (% APP total) total Landscape Siak area Serapung area Landscape Jan 418 1 80 2 501 692 24-31 (72.4%) Feb 87 6 109 1 203 270 1-6 (75.2%) Feb 513 25 228 11 777 1,216 7-13 (63.9%) Feb 365 63 139 68 635 1,159 14-21 (54.8%) Source: MODIS Hotspots 24 January – 21 February 2005

Fires in Palm Oil Plantations Eyes on the Forest analyzed MODIS data of three periods: January 24-31, February 20-28 and March 1-8 to identify hotspots in oil palm plantations. There were 415 hotspots inside 34 oil palm plantations during January 24-31; 149 hotspots inside 28 oil palm plantations during February 2028; and 297 hotspots inside 32 oil palm plantations during March 1-8. Sixteen companies had hotspots in their concessions in at least two of the periods: Table 3. Number of hotspots inside oil palm plantations between January 24 to March 8, 2005 Jan Feb March Oil palm plantation owners 24-31 20-28 1-8 PT. Budidaksa Dwi Kusuma 73 10 72 PT. Bumi Reksa Nusasejati 20 8 1 PT. Guntung Hasrat Makmur 107 20 1 PT. Jatim Jaya Perkasa 1 0 15 PT. Marita Makmur Jaya 18 2 42 PT. Meskom Agro Sarimas 3 7 6 PT. Multi Gambut Industri 92 10 1 PT. Murini Samsam 2 0 2 PT. Murini Wood Industri 1 0 9 PT. Panca Surya Agrindo Sejahtera 3 4 1 PT. Perkebunan V (PIR Buatan) 3 0 2 PT. Sarpindograha Sawit Tani 20 8 38 PT. Siak Seraya 1 0 3 PT. Surya Dumai Agrindo 6 2 33 PT. Teguh Karsawana Lestari 4 0 1 PT. Trisetya Usaha Mandiri 22 1 3 Source: MODIS Hotspot 24 January – 8 March 2005

Eyes on the Forest compared the 2005 hotspot data with those of 2004 and found that at least four oil palm companies had forest and land fires in both years: PT. Guntung Hasrat Makmur, PT. Multi Gambut Industri, PT. Surya Dumai Agrindo and PT. Jatim Jaya Perkasa


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Court cases against the actors behind land and forest fires Land and forest fires have polluted the air in Riau for many years. However, there has never been proper enforcement of the laws designed to protect the health of the people and the forests. In 2003, Walhi sued thirty-five companies for causing forest fires in Riau only to have the judges at the Pekanbaru Court cancel the case. In 2004, the Riau Government tried to charge the ten companies listed below for setting forest fires in their managed forest areas in 2003. Once again the Pekanbaru Court rejected the case. In 2005, the chief of the Environmental Impact Management Board of Riau (Bapedal) and Vice Governor of Riau announced that Bapedal has been investigating ten companies suspected of setting land and forest fires in 2004. Some of the cases are in the process of being filed. Bapedal also commented that some of the companies being investigated for 2004 violations are responsible for fires this year. The 2005 forest fires are now being investigated. Eyes on the Forest calls to law enforcers to protect people health and forests health. Table 4. Companies suspected of setting forest and land fires in 2003 and/or 2004 Company

PT. Arara Abadi

Concession type Oil Palm Plantation Oil Palm Plantation HTI

PT. Eka Dura Indonesia PT. Guntung Hasrat Makmur PT. Hamidah Hamidi

Oil Palm Plantation Oil Palm Plantation HTI

Case is rejected. Case is rejected. Case is rejected.

PT. Jatim Jaya Perkasa PT. Mapala Rabda

Oil Palm Plantation HTI

Case is rejected. Case is rejected.

PT. Multi Gambut Industri PT. Selaras Abadi Utama

Oil Palm Plantation HTI


Case is being filed.

PT. Sri Buana Dumai

HPH

Case is rejected.


PT. Agro Raya Gematrans PT. Alam Sari Lestari

2003 case

2004 case

Remarks

Not case.




Fires unidentified in 2005 Fires identified in 2005 Sister company and wood supplier to APP. Fires identified in 2005 Astra Group. Fires unidentified in 2005 Fires identified in 2005. Wood supplier to APP Fires unidentified in 2005 Fires identified in 2005. Sister company and wood supplier to APP. Fires identified in 2005 Fires identified in 2005. Wood supplier to APRIL. Fires identified in 2005 Surya Dumai Group. Fires identified in 2005

Consultation Process to Regional Police Consultation Process to Regional Police Case is being filed. Not case. Case is being filed. File sent to High Prosecutor Office

File sent to High Prosecutor Office

Source: Kompas (June 28, 2004) Riau Provincial Government charging companies responsible for forest fire Rp. 2 Trillion: 119 witnesses were asked for clarification. Riau Pos (February 22,2005) Similar Indication on Land Fires.


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Appendix 1. Hot Spots Maps

Map 1. Hot Spots in Riau January 24 – 31, 2005.

Map 2. Hot Spots in Riau February 1 – 6, 2005.


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5

Map 5. Hot Spots in APP related concessions, January 24 – 31, 2005.

Map 6. Hot Spots in APP related concessions, February 1 – 6, 2005.


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Appendix 2. Related Media Articles (Draft English translation by WWF) Peat Soil Fires Threaten Water Flow Stability Riau Pos, Wednesday, February 16, 2005 Page 13 and 21, Column 1 and 1-3 Pekanbaru (AP)—Recent peat fires are believed to be the cause of lowered of water tables in Riau’s wetland areas. The chief of Environmental Impact Management Board of Riau Province, Khairul Zainal explains the lowering of water table as being due to inability of existing peat to absorb and maintain the water. Under normal conditions, peat is a media that readily absorbs and holds the water. As peat fires continue, peat areas are decreasing in Riau. Burnt and severly dried peat cannot absorb rain water, instead of infiltrating the peat as would water in a sponge, the water goes directly to the river, resulting in floods during the monsoon season and drought in the main land during dry season. Concerned by this, Khairul calls for immediate action to stop land and forest fires. “We cannot predict yet, how much peat lands have been burnt. However, based on the topography and geographic condition of where the land and forest fires occurred in several districts and cities, the areas are very large and will need a serious care,” he said. Related to the problems, Khairul is also asking for more support in technical services to conduct data collection on the existing forest areas and plantation areas, to determine whether they are in compliance with government technical standard or not. According to Khairul, the existing peat fires are also caused by the communities interested in converting forests that function as water catchments into plantation areas. Lack of information on the problem caused by these kind of changes and activities makes people continue to burn their land. With regards to the concerns of smoke, he urges all community members to take the long term problem seriously. Ten Cases Furthermore, Khairul said his institution is confident to process the lawsuit against the actors behind land and forest fires involving ten companies in Riau. However, he also pointed out that there have been some technical problems during the process of preparing the lawsuit, such as the lack of investigator. “There was initially an investigator from police headquarters, however he has left, and there currently is no replacement,” said Khairul. Khairul expects that the twenty four existing trained civil service investigators can be involved in the investigation process. But, as the legal permit to conduct further investigation has not been agreed upon, his institution can only wait. Khairul also made a clarification about the availability of the provincial investigator officers. ”There are some investigators in the province including from the police department and forestry services, but the special investigator for the environment has not been given an assignment permit by the Supreme Court,” he said.


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(Original in Bahasa Indonesia) Kebakaran Gambut Ancam Stabilitas Debit Air. Harian Riau Pos, 16 Februari 2005 Pekan Baru AP—Kebakaran areal gambut dalam beberapa waktu terakhir diperkirakan akan menyebabkan terjadinya penurunan terhadap debit air diwilayah perairan Riau. Hal tersebut menurut kepala Bappedal Provinsi Riau, Drs. H. Khairul Zainal dikarenakan hampir sebagian dari lahan gambut yang ada sudah tidak mampu menyerap air. Sedianya lahan gambut tersebut menjadi media yang menyimpan air. Namun karena kebakaran secara terus menerus luas lahan gambut berkurang. Air yang jatuh ketanah tidak mampu dipertahankan dan jatuh ke wilayah perairan yang menyebabkan terjadinya kekeringan terhadap wilayah daratan. Untuk itulah, Khairul mengajak seluruh komponen yang ada untuk sesegera mungkin mengambil tindakan dengan menghentikan semaksimal mungkin terjadinya kebakaran hutan dan lahan yang ada. “Kita memang belum bias memprediksi areal lahan gambut yang sudah habis terbakar, namun mengacu pada topografi dan kondisi geografis, dari kebakaran yang terjadi di kabupaten dan kota.” Luasan kebakaran cukup besar dan itu memerlukan penanganan serius ungkapnya. Terkait dengan permasalahan teknis tersebut, Khairul juga mengharapkan dukungan dari dinas teknis untuk melakukan pendataan terhadap kawasan hutan dan perkebunan yang ada, apakah masih sesuai dengan standar kebutuhan teknis, ataukah malah sudah melebihi kapasitas. Menurut Khairul kebakaran gambut yang terjadi saat ini juga tidak terlepas dari besarnya animo masyarakat untuk membuat areal perkebunan dengan melakukan konversi terhadap areal kehutanan yang selama ini juga tidak terlepas dari besarnya animo masyarakat untuk membuka areal perkebunan dengan melakukan konversi terhadap areal kehutanan yang selama ini menjadi areal penyangga air. Tidak duduknya permasalahan ini, menyebabkan hampir setiap hari masyarakat melakukan pembakaran lahan. Terkait terus diupayakannya penanggulangan permasalahan asap, Khairul mengharapkan permasalahan jangka panjang ini perlu menjadi perhatian serius dari seluruh komponen. Sepuluh Kasus Sementara itu terkait upaya penuntasan penyelidikan kasus pembakaran lahan yang dilakukan oleh sepuluh perusahaan di Riau pada pertengahan 2004 yang lalu, lebih jauh Khairul mengungkapkan bahwa pihaknya tetap akan memproses secara hukum para pelaku. Khairul kembali menjelaskan pelanggaran hukum sepuluh perusahaan itu hanya terkait terkait permasalahan teknis karena keterbatasan sumber daya penyidik. “Dulu kita memang punya penyidik dari Mabes Polri, bernama Samuel tapi dari sekarang ditarik kembali ke Jakarta. Sebagai pengganti kita tidak punya saat ini,” ungkapnya. Khairul mengaku pihaknya berharap 24 orang tenaga PPNS yang sudah dididik bias dilibatkan dalam penyidikan tersebut. Namun karena legalitas untuk melakukan penyelidikan belum juga turun, pihaknya mengaku hanya bisa menunggu.


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Dalam kesempatan itu, Khairul juga mencoba mengklarifikasi perihal ketersediaan aparatur penyidik di daerah. ”Memang banyak, penyidik didaerah termasuk juga dikepolisian, dikehutanan. Namun untuk penyidik khusus bidang lingkungan, itu sampai saat ini masih belum ada yang diberikan izin penugasannya oleh Mahkamah Agung. (Draft English translation by WWF) The Vice Governor: Lawsuit against Land Fires Suspects Continues Riau Pos, Monday, February 21, 2005 Pages 13 Riau Pos Online - PEKANBARU (RP) - There is no reason that the government will stop the investigations into the land and forest fires, said the Vice Governor of Riau Province, Wan Abubakar. He said investigations will be conducted to include all suspected perpetrators, whether it involves a community member or a company. Wan Abubakar who is also a coordinator of Pusdalkarhutla (The Centre of Land and Forest Fires Control) said that they won’t let anyone who is proven to have hot spots in their land or concessions as shown by satellite photos go. Bapedal (Environmental Impact Management Board) Riau holds data on the suspected actors. Procedurally, after extinguishing the fire, the government will send a technical team to investigate underlying conditions. If proof that the fire has been deliberately set is found, the government will file necessary reports with the police and follow up with the attorney’s office. However, if the land and forest fire occurred is proven to be accidental, the suspects will be released. Abubakar explained, to date, the government has still focused on clearing the fires. “The main priority for us at the moment is clearing the fires. As soon as the quality of air pollution has decreased, the government will continue with field investigation processes,” he said. Abubakar hopes that the community will understand these procedures that are being implemented. He said it is impossible to put the priority on law enforcement because the biggest threat at the moment is smoke. When he was asked about law enforcement against ten companies who were reported of setting fires in 2004, Wan explained that the legal process now is still open but he confirmed that it had stalled due to the lack of investigator. “Indeed, the investigation process has stopped just after the attorney offices completed the file and returned it to us,” said Wan. However, he continued, based on Bapedalda’s recent report, two files have been sent back to the attorney office and three more files will be ready to be sent. Wan Abubakar also explained the government will make efforts to finish the lawsuit process against the ten companies who set the land and forest fire. However, he pointed out the obstacle due to the small number of investigators involved. He has called relevant technical institutions to arrange the procedures and to ask for more investigators from the Ministry of Environment, as well as to activate another twenty four investigators from districts and municipality.


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BKSDA: Land Fires Were Set On Purpose The team coordinator of Fire Fighters Manggala Agni of BKSDA (the House of Natural Resources Conservation) Lukman said there is a strong indication that the recent land and forest fires were initiated on purpose. The conclusion is taken based on observations around the burned area where local village settlements were found. In order to prove whether or not the fires were set on purpose there is a need to conduct an investigation. Following recent findings from the field can only be used as early proofs. The land fires in Duri, Sepahat and Pelintung can be the examples. From early observations, there is a strong indication that the fires were set by humans. In order to prove this however, further investigation is needed. Lukman said he cannot predict yet how large the fires-affected land and forest are, but he confirms that in 2005, there is a new situation where most of the hot spots found are in the swamp forest areas with direct borders to rivers. This condition, said Lukman, makes the fire clearing even harder to be done, as the capacity of the fire fighters team is specified on controlling land fires. With such a change in conditions, in order to reach the affected location, the team needs to send their equipments by water transportation, in turn making the process longer. The slower the transportation goes and the later they arrive in the location, the harder it is to control the fires. Within the Manggala Agni Fire Fighter Team, there are fourteen teams prepared for fire clearing. Each team consists of fifteen personnel and is equipped with four units of water pumps. The number is relatively big and requires relatively high mobility. With the change of condition in the field, there is a need to optimize the teamwork as well as to increase the number of the personnel. “For now”, said Lukman, all the teams have been functioning well. However, their numbers are still relatively small if it is compared to the size of the land and forest fires in Riau.” (Original in Bahasa Indonesia) Wagub: Pembakar Lahan Tetap Diproses Riau Pos, Senin, 21 February 2005 February 21, 2005 Riau Pos Online - PEKANBARU (RP) - Wakil Gubernur Riau, Drs H Wan Abubakar MS MSi mengungkapkan tidak ada alasan bagi pemerintah untuk tidak melakukan penyelidikan terhadap kasus pembakaran lahan. Baik yang dilakukan oleh masyarakat maupun perusahaan, akan dilakukan penyidikan dalam waktu dekat. Kepada Riau Pos, Sabtu (19/2), Wan Abubakar yang juga Koordinator Pusat Pengendalian Kebakaran Hutan dan Lahan (Pusdalkarhutla) mengungkapkan pihaknya tidak akan melepaskan begitu saja mereka-mereka yang dalam pemantauan satelit lahannya ditemukan titik api. Data tersebut, ungkap Wan Abubakar, saat ini sudah ada di Bapedalda Riau. Secara prosedur, setelah melakukan pemadaman, pemerintah akan menurunkan tim melalui dinas teknis untuk melihat sampai sejauh mana kegiatan kebakaran lahan tersebut terjadi.


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Bila memang ada kesengajaan, maka pemerintah akan mengajukan berkasnya kepada pihak kepolisian dan kejaksaan untuk dilimpahkan berkas perkaranya. Namun, bila ternyata hal tersebut tidak ada unsur kesengajaan, maka mereka akan dibebaskan. Sampai sejauh ini, ungkap Wan Abubakar, pemerintah memang masih terfokus pada upaya pemadaman. ‘’Prioritas utama adalah pemadaman, setelah secara kualitatif tingkat pencemaran udara sudah berkurang, pemerintah akan menindaklanjuti dengan proses penyidikan dilapangan,’’ ungkapnya. Lebih jauh dikatakan, bila pemerintah memprioritaskan permasalahan penegakan hukum terlebih dahulu, jelas itu tidak mungkin, karena, bagaimanapun ancaman utama adalah asap. Karena itulah, pihaknya juga mengharapkan pemahaman masyarakat terhadap langkah apa yang dilakukan saat ini. Sementara itu, ditanyakan lebih jauh perihal penegakan hukum bagi 10 perusahaan yang pada tahun 2004 lalu kedapatan melakukan pembakaran, Wan menjelaskan bahwa sampai saat ini prosesnya masih berlangsung. Pihaknya mengakui memang beberapa waktu lalu sempat terhenti, karena keterbatasan sumber daya penyidik. ‘’Selepas pengembalian berkas oleh pihak Kejaksaan untuk disempurnakan beberapa waktu lalu, proses penyidikan memang sempat terhenti. Namun, saat ini, sesuai dengan laporan dari Bapedal provinsi, sudah ada dua yang sudah dilimpahkan dan direncanakan dalam waktu dekat ada tiga perusahaan lain yang akan dilimpahkan. Pemerintah, sebut Wan akan tetap mengupayakan penuntasan proses hukum terhadap 10 perusahaan tersebut. Karena itu juga terkait dengan keterbatasan jumlah penyidik, pihaknya juga sudah meminta kepada dinas teknis untuk mengurus prosedur permintaannya kepada kementrian lingkungan hidup, termasuk diantaranya rencana mengaktifkan sekitar 24 orang penyidik yang saat ini ada di kabupaten dan kota. BKSDA Duga Kebakaran Lahan, Disengaja Dalam pada itu, Koordinator Tim Manggala Agni Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam (BKSDA), Lukman SH, kepada wartawan, Sabtu (20/2) mengatakan, kebakaran lahan dan kawasan hutan yang terjadi dewasa ini kuat dugaan merupakan hasil perbuatan yang disengaja. Hal tersebut, mengingat, dari beberapa hasil pemantauan, di sekitar areal yang terbakar terdapat pemukiman penduduk. Menurut Lukman, untuk memastikan bahwa suatu lahan yang terbakar itu sengaja dilakukan atau tidak itu sebenarnya memerlukan proses penyidikan oleh petugas terkait. Namun, untuk mendapatkan indikasi, bukti-bukti yang ada di lapangan itu bisa digunakan. Sebut saja dalam kebakaran lahan di Duri, Sepahat dan Pelintung. Dari pemantauan sementara, ada kemungkinan kebakaran tersebut sebagai hasil perbuatan manusia. Dari sebaran dan bukaan kebakaran, indikasi terjadinya titik api itu adalah merupakan suatu kesengajaan. Namun, untuk memastikan siapa yang melakukan pembakaran, itu yang perlu diselidiki lebih jauh. Sementara itu, terkait bukaan lahan dan kawasan hutan yang terbakar di wilayah Riau, Lukman mengungkapkan saat ini luasnya masih belum bisa diprediksi. Namun begitu, untuk tahun 2005 ini, ada situasi baru, dimana, titik api banyak ditemukan diareal rawa yang berbatasan langsung dengan sungai.


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Kondisi ini, sebut Lukman menyebabkan upaya untuk pencegahan kobaran api sulit dilakukan. Selama ini, tim Manggala Agni hanya di bekali kemampuan untuk penanggulangan wilayah daratan, namun, dalam beberapa waktu terakhir, kondisinya jauh berubah. Akibatnya, untuk menempuh medan, terpaksa peralatan yang dimiliki diangkut dengan menggunakan prasarana perairan dan itulah salah satu yang menyebabkan sedikit keterlambatan dalam penanggulangan. Seperti halnya apa yang dilakukan oleh Manggala Agni, ada sekitar 14 tim yang disiapkan untuk melakukan pemadaman kobaran api. Satu tim, sebut Lukman, terdiri dari 15 orang dengan jumlah peralatan pompa sekitar empat unit. Jumlah tersebut, tentu saja relatif besar dan membutuhkan mobilitas cukup tinggi. Dengan kondisi medan yang ada, jelas penanganannya relatif sulit. Karena itulah, selain mengoptimalkan kinerja, tim yang ada biasanya ditambah personilnya. Untuk saat ini, masih menurut Lukman, seluruh armada sudah difungsikan. Jumlah tersebut, bila dibandingkan dengan luas lahan yang terbakar di wilayah Riau saat ini relatif sangat minim. Karena itulah, untuk proses penanggulangan kebakaran, biasanya akan dilakukan koordinasi dengan pihak swasta lainnya di daerah yang mempunyai armada pemadaman. (bud) (Draft English translation by WWF) Similar Indication on Land Fires Riau Pos, Tuesday, 22 February 2005 Pages 13 and 21 Pekan Baru (RP)—Based on some hotspots found in Riau Province, there are indications that the same companies who set fires in 2004 are also responsible for the recent land fires. Bappedal (The Environment Impact Management Board) of Riau Province’s investigator has been conducting investigation on the suspected companies. According to Khairul Zainal, the chief of Bappedal, some of the hotspots found on February 6 and 7, 2005, show a strong indication that the same companies have been involved in setting land and forest fires. The companies are PT. Gunung Hasrat Makmur, Multy Gambut Industry, PT. Arara Abadi, and PT. Sribuana Dumai. They are the example of companies that are still being investigated and in the filing process conducted by Bapedal Civil Service Investigator. But Khairul Zainal said that Bapedal cannot determine whether those companies set on forest and land fires deliberately or whether it is just an accident. “Because, the investigation process is not completed yet, we are waiting for the lawsuit outcome”. Currently, separate teams of investigators are investigating the ten companies. Some investigators are working on 2004’s case files, and others are preparing to investigate 2005’s forest fire case. Similar with the ten companies that responsible on 2004’s fires, the data of the companies who are suspected on setting forest and land fires in 2005 are almost final. Bapedal said that they have already filed suits against some of the suspected companies to the Riau High Prosecutor Office, but


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they are still investigating the remaining companies internally and in the process of consultation with Riau Police Department. Khairul said Bapedal cannot give further information on the cases. ”We are admitting this process takes time, due to many prerequisite that we have to fulfill before we send the files to the authorities”. Names of company Suspected of Setting Land Fires in 2004 No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Company PT Jatim Jaya Perkasa PT. Sribuana Dumai PT-Arara Abadi PT. Multy Gambut Industry PT. Gunung Hasrat Makmur PT. Agro Raya Gematrans PT. Mapala Rabda PT. Selaras Abadi Utama PT. Alam Sari Lestari PT. Ekadara Indonesia

The Status of Investigation Filing Process Filing Process Consultation Process to Regional Police (Polda) Filing Process Filing Process Filing Process File sent to High Prosecutor Office File sent to High Prosecutor Office Filing Process Consultation Process to Regional Police (Polda)

(Original in Bahasa Indonesia) Indikasi Pembakaran Lahan Masih Sama Riau Pos, Tuesday, 22 February 2005 Pekan Baru (RP)—Beberapa titik panas yang ditemukan di perusahaan yang ada di provnsi Riau pada tahun 2005 ini, diperkirakan juga melakukan pembakaran pada tahun 2004. Bahkan beberapa diantaranya masih dalam proses penyidikan oleh tim penyidik Bappedal Provinsi Riau di Pekan Baru. Menurut Kepala Bappedal Provinsi Riau, Khaerul Zainal kepada Riau Pos, kemarin, dari sebaran hot spots (titik panas) yang terjadi pada tanggal 6-7 Februari 2005 lalu, ada beberapa perusahaan yang terindikasi melakukan tindakan yang sama. “Seperti halnya PT Gunung Hasrat Makmur, PT. Multy Gambut Industry, PT Arara Abadi PT Sribuana Dumai, perusahaan-perusahaan itu tersebut termasuk dari 10 perusahaan yang saat masih dalam proses penyidikan dan penyempurnaan berkas oleh penyidik PPNS Bapedal. Namun begitu, Khairul Zainal mengungkapkan pihaknya masih belum memastikan apakah benar itu sebagai tindakan kesengajaan atau tidak. “Karena proses penyidikan masih menunggu proses hukumnya”ungkap khairul. Menurutnya proses penyidikan yang dilakukan terhadap 10 perusahaan, saat ini tim yang bekerja dibentuk secara berlapis. Ada beberapa orang yang menindaklanjuti hasil penyelidikan dari berkas tahun 2004, namun ada juga yang saat ini masih mempersiapkan rencana penyidikan dari kebakaran lahan yang terjadi pada tahun 2005 ini. Seperti halnya untuk 10 perusahaan yang diduga membakar lahan 2004, saat ini datanya sudah mendekati final. Pihaknya membenarkan sudah ada yang berkasnya kembali dip roses pemberkasan internal serta dalam proses konsultasi dengan Polda Riau.


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Seperti berkas untuk PT Selaras Abadi Utama, PT. Arara Abadi, PT. Ekadura, dan PT. Mapala Rabda, berkasnya sudah diserahkan pada masing-masing lembaga. Untuk PT. Selaras Abadi Utama dan Mapala Rabda, berkasnya sudah dilimpahkan pada jaksa penuntut umum kejati. Selanjutnya, PT. Ekadura dan PT Arara Abadi , saat ini masih dalam proses. Khaerul juga mengungkapkan, pihaknya belum bisa memberikan informasi terlalu jauh terhadap proses tersebut. “Memang kita akui lama, tapi itu juga tidak terlepas dari begitu banyaknya persyaratan yang harus dilengkapi sebelum berkas tersebut diserahkan pada pihak berwajib,” ungkapnya. Hujan Buatan Sementara itu, terkait kembali menebalnya asap dibebarapa wilayah di Provinsi Riau dalam dua hari terakhir, Khairul Zainal, mengungkapkan saat ini pihaknya sedangkan melakukan penyesuaian terhadap kondisi arah angin dan komposisi udara. Khaerul mengungkapkan pihaknya sudah melaporkan keinginan untuk membuat hujan buatan tersebut kepada Kementrian Lingkungan Hidup. Namun karena proses pembuatan hujan buatan membutuhkan beberapa kondisi, maka hingga saat ini hal tersebutm asih belum dilaksanakan. “Kita bisa saja membuat, namun masalahnya kalau ternyata hujan yang diharapkan bukan diatas areal yang terjadi kebakaran tentunya juga tidak efektif, karena itulah, kita tidak bisa memaksakan kapan akan membuat hujan buatan tersebut,” ungkapnya Menurut Khaerul, saat ini masih ada beberapa wilayah yang terindikasi merupakan sumber asap, dan itu merupakan areal baru. Beberapa diantaranya terdapat di Rokan Hilir, Kabupaten Bengkalis, tepatnya di daerah Batam dan Pulau Padang, serta Indragiri Hulu. Khusus untuk Inhu, pihaknya sudah mendapat informasi bahwa pemerintah setempat sudah menginstruksikan kepada camat dan kepala desa setempat untuk melakukan pemadaman titik api yang ada didaerahnya. Sementara itu, untuk kebakaran di daerah Pelintung, saat ini menurut Khairul, kondisinya sudah jauh menyusut. Bahkan, dari laporan terakhir tim pemadam, persentasenya sudah sangat kecil dan diperkirakan dalam waktu dekat sudah tidak ada lagi. Perusahaan Yang Diduga Terlibat Pembakar Lahan Tahun 2004 No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Perusahaan PT Jatim Jaya Perkasa PT. Sribuana Dumai PT-Arara Abadi PT. Multy Gambut Industry PT. Gunung Hasrat Makmur PT. Agro Raya Gematrans PT. Mapala Rabda PT. Selaras Abadi Utama PT. Alam Sari Lestari PT. Ekadara Indonesia

Status Penyidikan Penyempurnaan berkas Penyempurnaan berkas Dikonsultasikan Penyempurnaan berkas Penyempurnaan berkas Penyempurnaan berkas Dilimpahkan ke Kejati Dilimpahkan ke Kejati Penyempurnaan berkas Dikonsultasikan ke Polda


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Eyes on the Forest News March 23, 2005

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