Police planned to disperse residents of Padang island whom staged rallies and had been staying near House of Representatives’ compound in Jakarta for one month as eight hospitalized and one treated in a mental hospital.

The Indonesian Minister of Forestry suspended temporarily logging operation held by Asian Pacific Resources International Limited’s (APRIL’s) PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP) Tuesday in a concession situated in outer island Pulau Padang, Riau province.

50% or 8,8 millions M3 of PT IKPP and PT RAPP raw material supplies had been extracted from natural forests and the rest 8.9 millions M3 per year are from Plantation Forests. With this lack of raw material supplies from production forest, the remaining natural forests in Riau are threatened as the potential target of raw material supplier.

PEKANBARU (EoF News)— Coalition of Eyes on the Forest today published Investigative Report on two Asia Pulp & Paper (APP)/ Sinar Mas Group (SMG) wood suppliers who conducted natural forest clearance in Kerumutan peat forest.

PEKANBARU (EoF News)— The State Finance Audit Agency (BPK) vowed to quest the companies and officials who allowed deforestation illegally as the Minister of Forestry had terminated mining operation on peat forest by PT Arara Abadi, an Asia Pulp and Paper (APP)’s/Sinar Mas Group associated company in Riau province, thanked to the agency’s report.

The Indonesian government and WWF today announced a bold commitment to protect the remaining forests and critical ecosystems of Sumatra, an Indonesian island that holds some of the world’s most diverse – and endangered – forests. The historic agreement represents the first-ever island-wide commitment to protect Sumatra’s stunning biodiversity.