RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Forestry, through the Directorate General of Forest Law Enforcement, officially resumed the Joint Operation of the Red and White Seblat Landscape in Bengkulu Province on Monday, 9 March 2026. This integrated operation aims to restore a forest area of approximately 80,978 hectares, which serves as the main corridor for the Sumatran elephant and an ecological fortress for the community.

The Director General of Gakkumhut, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, affirmed that this operation is designed with a firm strategy while still prioritizing justice for cooperative small communities.

"This operation is designed to break the chain of illegal logging businesses, not to sacrifice the small people." The government firmly targets landowners, investors, and heavy equipment operators as the main targets. In addition to criminal penalties, we are also preparing administrative sanction instruments for permit holders (PBPH) who violate, as well as civil measures to ensure area recovery and state compensation," Dwi Januanto said.

Dwi Januanto added that the Ministry of Forestry is committed to preserving the Seblat Landscape as an important habitat for the Sumatran Elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) and the Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae). Land rehabilitation, access regulation, and boundary arrangement will be carried out together with local governments and conservation institutions.

Meanwhile, Head of the Sumatra Forestry Law Enforcement Center, Hari Novianto, explained that the 2026 operation has started since March 5, involving elements from the National Police, BKSDA, Kerinci Seblat National Park (TNKS), and the Environment and Forestry Office. This year's operation will focus deeply on the Seblat Wildlife Reserve, Air Ipuh Protected Forest, Teramang Protected Forest, and the TNKS area.

The success of this year's operation is based on significant achievements in the first phase at the end of 2025. During that period, the joint team successfully regained control of 8,200 hectares of encroached forest area and destroyed at least 24,100 illegal oil palm trees.

In addition to land clearing, the officers also demolished 186 illegal settlers' huts, cut off 7 access bridges, and secured heavy evidence in the form of one bulldozer and one excavator. Legally, three case files on encroachment have been fully investigated and the suspects are currently undergoing trial at the Mukomuko District Court.

In this latest operation, Dwi also continues to prioritize a persuasive approach toward the cooperative local residents. So far, the authorities have requested statements from local village officials to clarify the flow of illegal land transactions that have occurred.