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Forest arsonists to face multiple charges
Smoke rises from a fire in Sumatran forest on deforestation coverage from above with Kamov helicopter of the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) Indonesia in Riau islands, Indonesia on Sept
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Smoke rises from a fire in Sumatran forest on deforestation coverage from above with Kamov helicopter of the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) Indonesia in Riau islands, Indonesia on Sept. 13, 2015. (Sutanta Aditya/Anadolu Agency via AFP) (BNPB) Indonesia in Riau islands, Indonesia on Sept. 13, 2015. (Sutanta Aditya/Anadolu Agency via AFP)
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span class="inline inline-center">Smoke rises from a fire in Sumatran forest on deforestation coverage from above with Kamov helicopter of the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) Indonesia in Riau islands, Indonesia on Sept. 13, 2015. (Sutanta Aditya/Anadolu Agency via AFP)
Companies and individuals responsible for forest fires could face multiple charges under the environment, money-laundering and plantation laws, according to the Environment and Forestry Ministry.
'The charges will be multiple to give a deterrent effect,' the ministry's directorate general secretary of law enforcement, Novrizal Bahar, was quoted as saying by tempo.co on Saturday.
In the past, said Novrizal, forest fire setters appeared to be undeterred by the law, especially after several were acquitted of all charges. Most of them were mere actors in the field, not the instigators.
However, Novrizal voiced optimism that starting this year, law enforcement would be tougher.
'Especially as there is strong momentum at the moment. In Aceh, we have filed a Rp 366 billion [US$27 million] lawsuit against PT Kalistam Alam,' said Novrizal.
He added that the company had previously been found guilty of setting land fires in Nagan Raya regency by the Meulaboh District Court.
Previously, the ministry punished four companies for their involvement in setting forest fires. Three of them, identified only as PT TPR, PT WAJ and PT LIH, had their permits suspended. The permit of the fourth company, PT HS, was revoked as the burned area reached more than 500 hectares. (kes)(++++)
