Indonesian guard dog requires criminal liability for ecological crimes “Cartel”

Jakarta – the largest environmental group of Indonesia, Valkhi, filed an official complaint to the Prosecutor General’s Office, accusing 47 companies for the destruction and corruption of the environment.

Companies operating in such industries, such as palm oil, production and forestry, are accused of 437 trillions of Rs ($ 26.5 billion).

On the basis of field investigations and spatial analysis, Valhhi says that he identified 18 forms of sale paid to officials in 47 cases paid by companies. In some of these cases, Valhi found that officials approved the abolition of forest status for certain areas by reviewing zoning plans, thereby allowing companies to clear forests for their concessions.

In other cases, Valhi found that officials legalized illegal plantations in the forest areas with the help of amnesty program, again giving the companies the legitimate coating of Deforest without persecuting their crimes.

Other predictable corruption schemes, which were determined by the Valhhhs, include granting permits for concessions that have clearly violated zoning plans, and the officials who accept bribes ignore illegal activities.

One case, which is cited, provides a company with palm oil, Pt Sawit Panen Terus, in the province of Acheh on Sumatra Island. The company allegedly cleared 1706 hectares (4216 tithes) of the forest in the second half of 2023 before it received the environment.

Another case involves large -scale nickel production in the Eastern Archipelagical Province of Northern Maluk, which has devastated fishing, polluted the environment and caused biodiversity loss, especially affects mangrove, marine herbs and coral reefs.

“Law enforcement agencies against corruption crimes must be immediately committed by the Prosecutor General’s Office, since the initial evidence we have submitted is strong,” said Fyssal Ratoela, director of North Maluk, director of Walchi. “In addition, preliminary corruption cases have already been exposed by the Antigrane Agency of Indonesia, the CCP and Northern Maluk, classified as the most corrupt province in Indonesia.”

Valhi says that these cases are not isolated incidents, but part of a broader, structured network of corruption related to government officials and corporations that the group describes as cartels.

“The 47 cases that we represent today are just samples of a much larger scheme of permanent environmental crimes in forestry, plantations and production,” said Walhi Zenzi Suhadi Executive Director.

These cartels function as coordinated networks where corporations receive a favorable policy, illegal activity is ignored, and officials at several levels receive bribes or political benefits.

Zenzie stated that Valhhi had identified 12 levels of officials, from rural authorities to ministries, allegedly involved in environmental crimes. In some cases, these officials issued provisions that contribute to the exploitation of resources and amnesty for corporate violations, he said, describing it as corruption in the state.

With a sign of a widespread conspiracy in environmental crimes, Zenza called for aiming at these so -called cartels.

“Crimes against natural resources – whether in the plantations of palm oil, industrial wooden plantations or production – cannot be resolved in isolation,” he said. “To dismantle them, law enforcement agencies must focus on the cartels for them.”

Zenzi stated that Valhi hopes that AG would take place in his report, noting that prosecutors have recently started fighting with natural resources. This includes a loud case of corruption concerning illegal production at the Bangk-Belitung-Ostrov-One-One of the largest corruption scandals in the history of Indonesia, with Environmental damage It is estimated at 271 trillion of Rs ($ 16.6 billion).

“They (prosecutors) began to turn not only about financial losses to the state, but also wider economic losses,” Zenzie said. “This is good news for people who have long been affected by the exploitation of natural resources.”

Harley Sirgar, Secretary of the Ago Secretary, said he received a report from Valkh and submits it to the relevant units for further actions.

However, he noted that AG can only criminalize corruption related to environmental crimes, while the crimes themselves fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Forestry or local law enforcement agencies.

“Other investigative bodies are responsible for environmental crimes in general,” Harley said. “If the elements of corruption are found, we will take further measures.”

Banner image: Air photograph of the Earth cleared for the Nickel Mine in the North Sealoval. Ten journalists who come from places such as Morouer have received funding to report a blow to Indonesia to insert themselves into a chain of supplies of electric vehicles that he had in their communities. IQBAL LUBIS/Eiti image through Flickr (CC by-SA 2.0).

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