POLICE ARREST 13 ILLEGAL ENCROACHERS LOGGERS IN JAMBI

Jambi, Sumatra, April 24 (ANTARA) - A joint team involving police and concerned agencies arrested 13 people who illegally encroached Kerinci Seblat National Park (TNKS) at Kayu Aro, Kerinci District, around 410 km of Jambi city.

Kerinci Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Sumirat said on Friday the 13 illegal encroachers were detained inside the national park around Lake Belibis area, Gunung Labu village, Giri Mulyo, Kay Aro sub district.
They were identified as Wagiman (40), Nokis (18), Riki Syahputra (20), Mutakin (21), Sardono (40), Hermon ((42) Arman (53), Supyardi (43), Didi Supratman (17), Ari Sandi (19), Aminuddin (37), Taydrid (64) and Dedi (26)).
"The 13 illegal encroachers are residents of Kayu Aro sub district, Gunung Kerinci district," the police official said.
The Kerinci Seblat National Park has earlier warned local people living surrounding the park no to cut tree or poach protected animals in the forest.
In fact, tens of hectares of forest area inside the national park have been encroached and converted into farming areas.
The 13 encroachers were taking care of their crops inside the national park when the authorities came and arrested them.
They were currently being interrogated intensively by the national park officers and would be handed over to the Kerinci police for further legal process, Sumirat said.
Indonesia's rain forests have dwindled rapidly due to illegal loggers and human's encroachment, endangering wildlife in the forests.
Human-elephant conflicts also often occur in Aceh, Lampung and Jambi Provinces on Sumatra Island, and claim lives of both humans and elephants. Between 2000 to 2007, conflicts between people and elephants had killed a total of 42 people and 100 elephants on Sumatra Islands.
Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) are also on the brink of extinction on Sumatra Island, and its population is only around 400 heads