Greenpeace Indonesia staged a rally at the Environment Ministry on Thursday, demanding Environment Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta speed up law enforcement against violators to avoid further environmental damage.

Greenpeace also handed over evidence on environmental violations by palm oil plantations and pulp and paper companies, which they said damaged forests in Kalimantan, Sumatra and Papua.

“We hope the ministry accelerates the implementation of the environment law to improve the country’s environmental condition,” Greenpeace Southeast Asia forest political campaigner Yuyun Indradi said.

It was the first rally held at the ministry since Gusti took office last year. Gusti had left the ministry an hour before the Greenpeace rally, saying he had to accompany Vice President Boediono.

The 2009 Environment Law gives strong mandates to the ministry, including arresting violators of the law, in order to protect the environment.

But the law remains ineffective with no government regulations issued to implement it.

Greenpeace has called on the government to impose a moratorium on palm oil expansion to protect forests and to meet the government’s target to cut carbon emissions by 26 percent by 2020.

“As a start, the ministry, together with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, must instigate an immediate moratorium on deforestation and mandate the full protection of peatland,” Yuyun said.

Greenpeace handed over documents allegedly showing how peatland in Kampar, Riau, was drained for business purposes.

“Such practice is not in line with the government’s commitment to cut emissions,” he said.

Activists from the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) and Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) have repeatedly criticized the ministry for dragging its feet on law enforcement.

Gusti acknowledged the poor environmental record and the destruction of forests including in Kalimantan, Java and Sumatra.

In Kalimantan, the ministry uncovered small-scale mining companies operating without permits. However, none of the companies have been charged.

The environment law stipulates that anyone violating standards of waste water, emissions and noise levels could face a maximum sentence of three years in prison and Rp 3 billion in fines.

The law also requires businesses to secure environmental permits before they can get a business license.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry and oil and gas lobby groups have requested a two-year delay in the implementation of the law, saying tightened standards for emissions and waste water levels would hurt oil and gas production.

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