Disturbed Living Space

Disturbed Living Space

SVLK Monitoring in Central Kalimantan

“SVLK monitoring prevents forest encroachment in customary area and villages road is no longer damaged because of wooden hauling trucks that often pass, avoided from big flood, and the indigenous people still can hunt and concocting medicine.” Wancino, a monitor from Dayak Ngaju Katingan indigenous people (20 January 2021).

Historically, Dayak Ngaju indigenous people is closely related to various livelihood practices, such as subsistence-based shifting cultivation, forest products collection, fishing and hunting, and the pattern of the residence is in longhouse following the large river and the nuclear family house which is located along small river (sei). From the description of Pak Wancino above shows that forest is not only important for Ngaju indigenous people in Katingan, but also shows that how that interest is pursued, one of which is by conducting forest monitoring through the existing tools, that is SVLK monitoring. What Pak Wancino confirmed is Ngaju indigenous people can carry out physical mobility smoothly without passing damage roads; avoided from big flood; and the sustainability protein access through hunting and using natural medicine from the forest.

The direct impact from deforestation can be learned from flood case a year ago and this year. For example, in mid of 2020, there were 5 sub-districts in Katingan district which were hit by big flood. In Sanaman sub-district, where Pak Wancino lives, there are more than 1,000 households affected by flood. From 14 villages in this sub-district, 10 of them were directly affected by last year’s and this year flood. According to Pak Wancino, big flood often occurs in the last 5 years in his area. Some of those matters show that how vulnerable indigenous people are, receiving the impact of landscape change because of forest logging. Therefore, Ngaju indigenous people with various interested parties try to find out the causes through the monitoring of the alleged of illegal logging in Katingan area, Central Kalimantan.

The monitoring of Ngaju indigenous people of the alleged of illegal logging in Katingan focused to two business unit of sawmill, they are UD Kawus Masauh and UD Karya Abadi; and two permit

holder of forest exploitation or HPH (a term in the past), they are PT Rianda Inti Lestari and PT Gaung Satyagraha Agrindo. From those four business unit, there is a relation and business network, even until the exporters in Surabaya East Java. From those four business unit, all have had timber legality certificates for sawing industries (Business Permit of Timber Forest Product Industries/IUIPHHK) and Sustainable Production Management Certificate (PHPL) for HPH holder (Business Permit of Natural Forest Timber Forest Product Utilization/IUPHHKHA). Succinctly, the result of the monitoring shows that the timber from the forest is alleged has been logged outside the permit area and or logged inside the permit area, but outside the logging plan. The timber is then processed in sawmill industries and deformed and being claimed from certain HPH holder forest area. In forest management perspective, those actions are suspected violating the regulations in SVLK rules. Even so in timber legality perspective in sawmill industries. Two crucial points have been passed illegally, that is sent to downstream sector, that is a company in Surabaya, East Java and Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan which then go to export or the final user in the country. Here we tell the monitoring result of Ngaju indigenous people in two stories.

First Story

UD Kawus Masauh (hereinafter referred to as Kawus) is a forestry industry in timber sawmill field with the permit form is IUIPHHK (Business Permit of Timber Forest Product of Primary Industry) which has had timber legality certificate from LVLK PT Borneo Wanajaya Indonesia with production capacity of ≤6.000 M³/Year. The certificate is valid from 23 November 2019 until 22 November 2025. The location of Kawus Primary Industry is in Tumbang Kaman, Sanaman Mantikei sub-district, Katingan district. Further, PT Rinanda Inti Lestari (hereinafer referred to as Rinanda) is a permit holder of Natural Forest-Timber Forest Product Utilization (IUIPHHKHA) from the Minister of Forestry and Environment since 15 March 2021 in the area of 30.160 ha, located in Katingan district. Rinanda is also a permit holder of PHPL scheme certificate from LVLK PT Global Resource since 2018 Number O19/5-PHPL/GRS/ XI/2018. .

The owner of land rights (PHAT) of Erko Mojra, that is a community group or individual where their land produces natural forest timber which growth naturally. In the timber circulation, from PHAT must be reported through SIPUHH online of the Ministry of Forestry and Environment.

Kawus is allegedly received timber from illegal logging. The modus is Kawus cooperates with some companies and community groups, in this case is Erco Mojra, as the timber supplier which is registered in SIPUHH Online. In the practice, Kawus cooperates with to make fake transport document on behalf of Erco Mojra. In the other hand, the timber with fake transport document is presumed not to have come from Erco Mojra forest area, but from illegal logging result in Community Forestry area (HKm) of Baraoi Bersatu Cooperative, from Rinanda concession area, and from other forest state area.

Kawus is presumed paid some money to the head of Rinanda to put its employees, heavy equipment, and truck into Rinanda concession area. Kawus employees are suspected of logging in three areas, they are in Rinanda’s concession but outside RKT; in HKm area; and in other state forest area. All the timber is claimed by Kawus as timber that is from PHAT Erko Mojra area with fake documents. The log timber is transported by Kawus employees to the sawmill location. Then, the processed timber is sent to UD Ongko and UD Cahaya Baru in Surabaya East Java and to Banjarmasin South Kalimantan. Based on these, East Java Independent Monitors track to those two business unit in Surabaya. East Java Indpendent Monitors have found the location of UD Ongko and have confirmed to Forestry Office of East Java that those two business unit are not recorded as S-LK holder.

From some of those findings and the ecological impact experienced by the community, several years ago, Dayak Ngaju indigenous people and Kaharingan Institute reported illegal logging which is allegedly committed by Kawus to the police. In November 2020, along with PPLH Mangkubumi and National JPIK, the community reported the alleged illegal logging to Law Enforcement Officers so that in December 2020 was made an arrest

and detention to the owner of Kawus all at once UD Karya Abadi. Meanwhile, the Timber Legality Certificate of Kawus was frozen by PT Global Resource Sertifikasi (L-VLK). So, in the freezing period, Kawus is not allowed to use V-Legal logo and timber legality certificate in their timber trading activities. In June 2021, PPLH Mangkubumi reported Rinanda to Directorate of Law Enforcement (Gakkum) of the Ministry of Forestry and Environment. But, due to the increasing of Covid-19 Pandemic in Indonesia, the follow up from Gakkum has not been carried out.

Picture 3. Suspected illegal logging practices of UD Kawus Masauh Central Kalimantan

Picture 4. Suspected Timber from Illegal Logging labelled by PHAT Erko Mojra

Second Story

UD Karya Abadi (hereinafter referred to as Karya Abadi) is a primary industry or IUIPHHK holder with the capacity of ≤6.000 M³/Year, where the owner is the same with UD Kawus Masauh, that is initials RF alias IS. Karya Abadi is certified LK from LVLK Sucofindo Number 00623, valid from 21 May 2015 until 20 May 2018, and it was revoked in 2016. Meanwhile, PT Gaung Satyagraha Agrindo (hereinafter referred to as Gaung) received IUPHHK-HA permit and the area is 49.490 ha since 2001. Gaung also has had PHPL certificate from PT Rensa Global Trust (LVLK) which ended on 26 June 2021.

Karya Abadi as primary industry actor has timber supplier, that is Gaung, IUPHHK-HA concession holder. In the practice, Karya Abadi is suspected of illegal logging outside Gaung area, but uses timber document from Gaung. In addition to having wood with Gaung, Karya Abadi also has a timber supplier cooperation with other natural forest concession companies. Karya Abadi is allegedly organized and mobilized workforce to do illegal logging in Gaung concession, but outside RKT; in PT Hutan Mulya concession; in HKm of Baraoi Bersatu Cooperative; and in state forest in Batu Tukan village, TBG Tanggui, and Telok village. Unlucky, Ngaju indigenous people finds out that this practice has been going on for more than 10 years ago.

Karya Abadi is allegedly deployed truck and tronton around 100 unit and excavator and bulldozer around 30 unit. Estimated timber which is allegedly illegally felled is about 1.000 m3 and the types are Benuas and Karuing. Gaung provides places to accommodate illegal logging result surrounding the concession. All timber from illegal logging result from those forests is allegedly labeled on behalf logs from Gaung for later being sawed by Karya Abadi. After that, the processed timber is sent by Karya Abadi to Surabaya through two lanes, they are Sampir and Banjarmasin ports. In formation from the monitor, the processed timber is allegedly sent to UD Ongko and UD Cahaya Baru in Surabaya East Java.

On 20 February 2016, Central Kalimantan JPIK has filed a complain to LVLK Sucofindo about illegal timber receipt by Karya

Abadi. On 25 August 2016, S-LK Karya Abadi was revoked. In November 2020, along with PPLH Mangkubumi and National JPIK National, the community reported the alleged illegal logging to Law Enforcement Officers. In December 2020 was made an arrest and detention to the owner of Karya Abadi all at once Kawus Masauh. In February 2021, PPLH Mangkubumi reported Gaung to LVLK PT Rensa Global Trust, and now S-LK of Gaung has been revoked.

Picture 5. Suspected Timber from Illegal Logging by UD Karya Abadi Central Kalimantan

Picture 6. Suspected Timber from Illegal Logging labeled/barcode by PT GSA which is sent to UD Karya Abadi Central Kalimantan