Police Will Prosecute Anyone Responsible for Starting Forest Fires
10/31/97
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Headline: Police Will Prosecute Anyone Responsible for Starting Forest
Fires
Source: CNA
Date: 10/31/97
Author: Wu Pin-Chiang
Jakarta, Oct. 31 (CNA) The Indonesian police will prosecute anyone
responsible for starting the forest fires that have damaged the nation, a
high-level official said.
"We will fight those who are caught in the act of starting forest fires,"
Maj. Gen. Nurfaizi, commander of the Detective Corps, was quoted by the
official Antara news agency as saying here Thursday.
To date, he said, the police have moved against 48 suspects for their
alleged involvement in igniting the country's forest fires.
Among them are one joint-venture company, 23 domestic companies and 24
individuals, he said at a seminar on the abuse of narcotics, psychotropics
and other addictive substances.
He said they could be charged with violating the country's arson laws and
a government decree on forest protection.
According to these regulations, those who are caught red-handed carrying
out illegal logging or starting forest fires could be sentenced to 10
years in prison and fined up to Rp 100 million (US$28,000).
He said some 223.9 million hectares of forest in Indonesia are currently
burning or have been burned, at a total loss of some Rp 74 billion
(US$20.4 million).