Government Arrests Elephant Corridor Encroachers in Seblat Nature Reserve

RRI.CO.ID, Bengkulu - The Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry, through the Seblat Landscape Red and White Joint Operation Team, has arrested a man suspected of encroachment on the Seblat Nature Tourism Park forest area in North Bengkulu Regency. The suspect was arrested for illegally occupying land for oil palm plantations within a vital corridor for the conservation of Sumatran elephants.

The Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, underscored that the Ministry of Forestry will not compromise with those destroying the ecosystem. He stated that the Seblat Red and White Operation Team demonstrates the Indonesia government's commitment to protecting the Sumatran elephant habitat.

He added that the Nature Tourism Park is a vital part of the forest ecosystem and is part of the rehabilitation of damaged land. "The Seblat Nature Tourism Park is part of a vital corridor that must be maintained as an ecological fortress, and we will also rehabilitate damaged land and demarcate land boundaries in the area," Januanto stated.

According to a press release received by RRI VOI from the Ministry of Forestry on April 27, 2026, the arrests were made during a joint team consisting of the Law Enforcement Agency, the Indonesian Military (TNI), and the Indonesian Military (Polri) conducting an area clearance operation. During the operation, officers encountered resistance from two unidentified individuals, who damaged three vehicles and used sharp weapons.

Based on sufficient preliminary evidence and a joint case conference with the Bengkulu Regional Police, investigators have named one individual as a suspect. He is currently being held at the Bengkulu Regional Police Branch Detention Center for further legal proceedings.

The Head of the Sumatra Forestry Law Enforcement Agency, Hari Novianto, explained that this operation is part of a massive effort to clear access to and from the Seblat Nature Tourism Park, which has been disrupted by illegal activities. Through this integrated operation, the government hopes that the area can return to its optimal function as a protected wildlife habitat while also providing justice for those who comply with forest conservation regulations.