28 Feb 2005

Indonesia police chief says officers must act against illegal logging in Papua

8:37 pm on 28 February 2005

Police chiefs in the Indonesian province of Papua have been told that they will lose their jobs unless they act to end the widespread illegal logging there.

The country's top policeman, Da'i Bachtiar, says Papua police have six months to start arresting loggers before their careers are reviewed.

Mr Bachtiar says a team will soon investigate Papuan officers.

He says any found to be involved in the trade will be prosecuted.

Environmentalists say more than 300,000 cubic metres of illegal timber is taken from the province each month.