The Story of a Former Illegal Logging Perpetrator in Tapan, Knitting Asa To Care for the TNKS Forest (bahasa Indonesia)

This story excerpt was translated from Portuguese. To read the original story in full, visit Tribun Padang. You may also view the original story on the Rainforest Journalism Fund website. Our website is available in English, Spanish, bahasa Indonesia, French, and Portuguese.

During a difficult time, Rahmadi Chaniago (51) found himself caught in an economic trap that forced him to become part of a group of illegal loggers in the Kerinci Seblat National Park (TNKS) in Tapan, Pesisir Selatan Regency, West Sumatra.

Rahmadi worked for seven years carrying logs in the TNKS area until he finally came to his senses and began working to preserve the TNKS forest.

Rahmadi used to work with timber barons to carry illegal logs from inside the TNKS forest to outside the forest. He transported the illegally logged logs using ropes.

Doing work that violates the law and is very detrimental is certainly also full of risks.

Rahmadi admits that while working as a carrier of illegal logging he was almost arrested, but in order to make ends meet, he fought it all.

"I once fought the head of the TNKS resort, when I was caught carrying logs from the TNKS area. At that time I had no choice but to pull the logs because I had no other job," he said.

Rahmadi repeatedly said he had no other choice at that time, other than working as a carrier of illegal logging in TNKS.