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85 suspects arrested over land, forest fires since January
The Riau Police’s special crime investigation director, Sr. Comr. Rivai Sinambela, said on Friday 85 suspects had been arrested for their alleged involvement in 67 land and forest fire cases in regencies and municipalities across the province.
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Scorched earth -- Thick smoke emanates from hectares of burning land in Riau. (thejakartapost.com/Rizal Harahap)
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he Riau Police’s special crime investigation director, Sr. Comr. Rivai Sinambela, said on Friday 85 suspects had been arrested for their alleged involvement in 67 land and forest fire cases in regencies and municipalities across the province.
He said the investigation dossiers of 47 land and forest fire cases had been declared "complete." An order for the termination of an investigation (SP3) had been issued for one case because its suspect suffered from mental health problems, he went on.
“The suspects comprise not only workers who were ordered to clear lands with the slash-and-burn method, but also the land owners. They intentionally burned land to open plantations. The total land they burned amounts to 400 hectares,” said Rivai.
Made Ali, deputy coordinator for environmental group Riau Forest Rescue Network (Jikalahari), urged the Riau Police to revoke SP3 letters previously issued in relation to 15 companies that allegedly started land and forest fires in the province, as hot spots again sprang up in the companies' concession areas.
“Since Aug. 1 to Aug. 15, the Terra-Aqua satellite has detected 623 hot spots in Riau, 267 of which are located in concession areas of 45 oil palm plantation companies and industrial forest permit [HTI] holders,” Made said.
“Eight of the 45 companies received SP3s for land fire cases in their areas from the Riau Police.".
PT Sumatera Riang Lestari has the most hot spots with 13, followed by PT Hutani Sola Lestari and PT Suntara Gajah Pati, each with three, and PT PT Ruas Utama Jaya with two. Four companies, PT Dexter Perkasa Industri Indonesia, PT Siak Raya Timber, PT Bina Duta Laksana and PT Perawang Sukses Perkasa Industri, have one hot spot each in their areas. (ebf)
