Manokwari, Jubi – The chairman of the Institute of Indigenous Peoples (LMA) Malamoi Sorong, West Papua Province, Silas Kalami, made a police report about illegal logging in the forests of Makbon peoples.
“The report is now being followed up by Sorong police investigators for further legal process,” said Kalami in Sorong on Thursday (05/11/2015).
He said logging has been carried out without a permit in the area of indigenous forest of Makbon when the land owners are fighting to maintain and preserve forest areas by not doing illegal logging.
He said LMA also made a report to the Forest Service because illegal logging could destroy the forest.
He acknowledged that the indigenous landowners are also cutting down the trees but it is to build a house.
Illegal logging is happening lately, he added, but not to build a house for sale and there is no substitute for planting trees.
“We ask the police so that perpetrators of illegal logging can be processedso that other people do not arbitrarily cut down trees illegally,” he added. (*)
