In the wake of devastating flash floods across Sumatra, the Indonesian National Police (Polri) has launched a thorough investigation into the suspicious origins of logs swept away by the torrents. This critical probe is being conducted by a newly established joint task force comprising personnel from Polri and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
National Police Chief General Pol Listyo Sigit Prabowo, speaking from Polri Headquarters in Jakarta on Thursday (December 4), emphasized the importance of this collaborative effort. “We warmly welcome and will cooperate with the Minister of Forestry and their team to form a joint task force to conduct investigations related to these log findings,” Sigit stated, highlighting the government’s commitment to uncover the truth behind the debris.
General Sigit further revealed that dedicated teams have already been deployed to the affected locations to conduct in-depth assessments. Preliminary findings from these on-site investigations have uncovered several logs bearing undeniable traces of human cutting, raising immediate concerns about potential illicit activities.
“It is clear from the field team’s findings that there are various types of wood, but we have found several pieces with distinct marks from chainsaw cuts. This is what we will delve into further,” Sigit explained, underscoring the specific nature of the evidence being examined. The presence of such cuts strongly suggests deliberate felling rather than natural erosion or breakage.
To fully ascertain the source of these logs, authorities are also committing to an extensive tracing operation along the affected river systems. This comprehensive effort aims to follow the path of the floodwaters back to their point of origin.
General Sigit detailed the scope of this operation, confirming that “The team, together with the forestry team, will trace the affected river basin from its upstream to its downstream areas.” This meticulous approach is crucial for identifying any illegal logging activities that may have contributed to the volume of debris and potentially exacerbated the impact of the Sumatra flash floods.
Summary
Following devastating flash floods in Sumatra, a joint task force comprising the Indonesian National Police (Polri) and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has launched an investigation into the suspicious origins of logs swept away by the torrents. National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo confirmed that preliminary findings from deployed teams revealed several logs bearing distinct chainsaw cuts, indicating potential illicit felling activities.
The task force is conducting an extensive operation, tracing affected river systems from upstream to downstream to ascertain the source of these logs. This meticulous effort aims to identify any illegal logging operations that may have contributed to the debris and potentially worsened the impact of the Sumatra flash floods.