Horror! The Gunung Leuser National Park Team Beaten And Destroyed Official Cars By Dozens Of People

Evidence of chainsaws and processed wood in Gunung Leuser, Aceh (Photo ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Gunung Leuser National Park (TNGL) team was intercepted by an unknown group of people while capturing and securing a number of forest encroachers in Tenggulun, Aceh Tamiang Regency, Aceh.

Acting (Plt) Head of the TNGL Center Adhi Nurul Hadi, in Banda Aceh, Saturday, said the ambush occurred last Friday, September 24 at 18.00 WIB.

"At that time the Monitoring and Data Collection of the TNGL Center consisted of 12 personnel carrying out their duties in the Gunung Leuser National Park area in Tenggulun Village, Tenggulun District, Aceh Tamiang Regency," said Adhi Nurul Hadi.

Before the ambush, said Adhi Nurul Hadi, the team heard the sound of a chainsaw in the national park area. Then the team was divided into two groups and moved to the source of the chainsaw sound.

Furthermore, the team arrested six loggers, each with the initials R (17), AR (42), MR (38), M (53), AGR (19), F (20). With them, two chainsaws and 38 logs of meranti batu and medang were secured.

"The team then brought the perpetrators and evidence. On the way, the team was intercepted by dozens of people. They took the perpetrators and evidence forcibly, beat team members, and damaged official vehicles," said Adhi Nurul Hadi.

Adhi Nurul Hadi said a few hours later a meeting and mediation was held between the team and a group of unknown people who had previously confronted him.

The meeting included the Tenggulun Village Head, local bhabinkamtibmas and babinsa. Then, the mediation of the parties was continued to the Aceh Tamiang Police Station until finally the two parties made peace.

"As a result of the ambush, the TNGL Balai Besar team suffered bruises from the beatings, one four-wheeled vehicle and eight motorcycles were damaged," said Adhi Nurul Hadi.

Adhi Nurul Hadi said Gunung Leuser National Park is a conservation area that has important values in the form of ecosystem diversity, biodiversity that functions as a protector of life support systems.

According to Adhi Nurul Hadi, the existence of GLNP is protected by Law Number 5 of 1999 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems. The law regulates criminal provisions for those who destroy it.

"The punishment is a maximum of five years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp. 100 million, as well as the job creation law, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp. 2.5 billion for those who cut down trees in forest areas illegally," he said. Adi Nurul Hadi.