Indonesia to launch crackdown on illegal mines in forests

JAKARTA - Indonesia’s forestry task force is planning a crackdown starting on Sept 1 on mines operating without proper permits in around 4.27 million ha of forest areas, an official said on Aug 28.

The task force already launched what it called a “disciplinary operation” against illegal palm oil production in March, sending military personnel to take over 3.3 million ha of plantations.

Some of the plantations have been handed over to a new state company called Agrinas Palma Nusantara.

Mr Febrie Adriansyah, a senior prosecutor at the Attorney-General’s Office and a task force official, said the owners of businesses operating illegal mines and plantations will be ordered to return some of their profits to the state.

“For the information of the public, this law enforcement on forest areas converted into plantations and exploited by miners does not mean... the launch of a criminal prosecution,” he said.

“But taking back control over forests by the state means the perpetrators will have to pay or return all of the profits they illegally obtained to the state,” he added.

As in the palm oil sector, mines seized by the task force will be handed over to the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry for temporary management, Mr Febrie said.

However, he said the task force, which includes prosecutors, police, the military and civil servants from government agencies, might undertake criminal investigations into some of the specific cases.

The task force has not specified the types of minerals produced in the mines it has identified as illegal.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto vowed to launch a broader crackdown on the

illegal exploitation of natural resources

in his first state of the nation address in Parliament earlier in August.

Indonesia is a major producer of thermal coal, nickel, tin and copper. It is also the world’s biggest producer and exporter of palm oil. REUTERS