Forestry Expert Hails Ministry's Plan To Evaluate Foreign Performance

Bogor, W Java, Sept 17 (Antara) - Dr. Ricky Avenzora, a forestry expert at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB), has hailed Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan`s plan to evaluate collaborations with foreign NGOs. "It needs to be done objectively, measurably and transparently," Dr. Ricky Avenzora stated here on Monday. The evaluation should be comprehensive and also take into account vision, mission, the NGO`s achievements, human resources, and financial aspects, he pointed out, adding that the minister`s intention should be supported by all parties and followed by other ministers. The forestry expert also said that earlier collaborations with foreign NGOs had tended to be counterproductive. Many groups had alerted the ministry about the matter and called for the establishment of an NGOs watchdog, Dr. Ricky Avenzora revealed. "Our country should no longer allow the entry of third-class expatriates sent by foreign states to Indonesia," he stated. Many of these "third-class" expatriates did not have the capability and capacity to run NGOs and often ended up becoming trouble makers, he added. Minister Zulkifli Hasan had recently stated that he was ready to evaluate his ministry`s cooperation with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), as well as other NGOs. He was of the view that the NGOs had failed to support the improvement of Indonesia`s forest management. Upon evaluating the state of Indonesia`s forests, where foreign NGOs had been involved in the management, the minister concluded that the forests` condition had worsened. He cited the deteriorating condition of the Teso Nilo National Park as an example. The national park was being managed in cooperation with the WWF, he pointed out. Another example was the Mt Leuser National Park in Nangroe Aceh Daroesalam, Zulkifli Hasan added. In fact, the Indonesian government had ended up bearing the responsibility of the failure, he noted. "They are the ones who receive considerable funds from abroad, but we are the ones who are targeted during protests," the minister said.