Jakarta – An environmental group is questioning the government's commitment to combating rampant illegal logging in North Sumatra, saying many cases have been left unresolved while several protected forests have been converted into forest concessions.

Greenomics Indonesia coordinator Vanda Meutia Dewi warned recently that deforestation could cause landslides and flash floods in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra, and many densely populated areas in the area when there are heavy rains.

"The government has made no significant efforts to stop illegal logging in North Sumatra and more protected forests have been converted into industrial forests," she told The Jakarta Post.

She said more than 400,000 hectares of protected forest in Langkat, Karo and Natal-Mandailing regencies had been awarded as forest concessions to forestry companies.

"How dare the Forestry Minister (M.S. Kaban) sell motherland to forestry companies, who loot protected forests and national parks," she said.

Greenomics also questioned the government's seriousness in handling the illegal logging cases which involved businessman Adelin Lis, now detained at the North Sumatra Police Headquarters.

"We are disappointed by the slow progress in the investigation into the case and into a recent auctioning by the police of 9,000 cubic meters of illegal logs confiscated from Adelin's company, PT Mujur Timber Group," she said.

The seized logs should not have been auctioned off because they should be used as material evidence in the legal proceedings in court.

Adelin was arrested in Hong Kong in August after he had been on the Interpol wanted list for his alleged involvement in illegal logging in Sumatra.

Many reliable sources in Jakarta and Medan have alleged Adelin was arrested because he had paid too little to corrupt officials in protection money.

Police in Medan have targeted another timber businessman for a similar offense. The police have brought to court local businessman D.L. Sitorus, who was sentenced to six years in prison for the illegal appropriation of protected forest in South Tapanuli.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Anthon Bachrul Alam denied reports that the police had orchestrated the auctioning of the illegal logs at low prices, saying the commodity had been sold before it decayed and the money went to the state coffers.

The auctioning of the illegal logs has sparked strong protests from NGOs because they were sold for Rp 350,000 per cubic meter, way below the market price.

After the auction, some 120 Mobile Brigade police came to the PT Mujur Timber Group's office in Medan, raising suspicions that the auctioning was orchestrated by the police to extort the company.

Chairman of legal watchdog Constitution Vanguard, Abdurrahman Tardjo, called on National Police chief Gen. Sutanto to take action against corrupt police officers abusing their power in handling the confiscated illegal logs.

"We suspect that many police officers have bent the law to enrich themselves and the Forestry Ministry should be involved in handling such cases," he said.