Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Papua governor told he needs to route international efforts to save forests through Jakarta

Posted at 03:39 on 06 December, 2007 UTC

Indonesia’s Environment Minister says the governor of Papua province should go through Jakarta in his representations to foreign entities over a bid to preserve his region’s native forests.

Governor Barnabas Suebu says he will ban all log exports from next month.

He says that the Bali climate change conference should endorse funding the anti-logging moves, due to its impact on reducing global warming.

The proposals under the Governor’s decree have been submitted to the Indonesian Government, however Mr Suebu insists he has the authority to implement them under regional autonomy laws.

The minister, Rachmat Witolur, says the Governor is right to protect Papua’s forests but that any international element to the bid should be made by central government.

“The Governor tries to deal directly with foreign entities but as Governor he should go through the central government because this is a united Indonesia not a federal state and there’s (already) a state decree that we are not exporting logging and he has agreed to that and that’s fine.”

Environment Minister, Rachmat Witolur.