A cruel irony of nature<\/p>\n
After the fall of Soeharto the petty surveillance of green
\nactivists vanished.<\/p>\n
Suryo Prawiroatmodjo won a prestigious Swiss award for his
\nwork, was nominated to join Caretakers of the Environment
\nInternational and became a world figure in the conservation
\nmovement.<\/p>\n
Within the decade PPLH Seloliman had about 50 workers and was
\nfunctioning beyond his most ambitious dreams. Here was
\nsustainable agriculture thriving in the soil, not books.<\/p>\n
Then tragedy struck. In 1999 Suryo was diagnosed with Crohn's
\ndisease, a chronic, incurable and debilitating inflammation of
\nthe gastrointestinal tract.<\/p>\n
He has undergone three operations and lost a major part of his
\nbowel. Sometimes he has to use crutches. The cause of the disease
\nis unknown. It may be genetic but, ironically, it can
\nalso be caused by chemicals in the environment.<\/p>\n
It crippled him physically and spiritually as he had to
\nwithdraw from PPLH Seloliman.<\/p>\n
\"At the time I was very angry with God,\" said Suryo, a
\nfollower of Kebatinan, the traditional religion of Java. \"I was
\ncaring for nature -- but why had nature made me ill? I tend to
\nbe superstitious and always believed I was being guided in my
\nwork for the environment.<\/p>\n
\"Crohn's disease altered everything, but I reflected on the
\nchange in my life. I began meditation. Control of PPLH passed on
\nto a new generation of young conservationists. That might not
\nhave happened had I stayed well.<\/p>\n
\"Now I'm almost 50. I write and run workshops when the disease
\nis in remission. I grow trees, but the environment is more than
\nplanting trees.<\/p>\n
\"I want people to understand the importance and
\ninterconnectedness of wildlife, nature, clean air and water, and
\nunpolluted soil. We must understand and care for the land.\"<\/p>\n
Savagely underscoring his message was the death of almost 50
\nvillagers near Seloliman in landslides following flash floods
\nlast year. Trees on the upper slopes of the mountain had been
\nfelled; there was nothing to break the rush of mud that exhumed
\nboulders and ripped out roots to crash on houses in the valleys
\nbelow.<\/p>\n
In a weird twist, the deforestation only came about after the
\nend of the New Order government. \"Before that time, people were
\nafraid to cut trees down,\" said Suryo. \"They never knew when the
\nmilitary might come and start shooting if they entered the
\nforest.<\/p>\n
\"With democracy they reasoned that it the government could
\ngive large companies licences to plunder the timber, then it was
\nnow the turn of 'little people' to get their share of the
\nwealth.\"<\/p>\n
Suryo's fears appear to be well-based; about 40 per cent of
\nthe exports through Surabaya's container terminal are timber
\nproducts, yet there are few forest replanting programs under way.<\/p>\n
Spin-offs from Suryo's unending campaign include a
\npostgraduate program in environmental education at Surabaya State
\nUniversity, which is said to be the first of its kind in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Widespread land rehabilitation programs and the establishment
\nof the national Environmental Educators' Network are also among
\nhis credits.<\/p>\n
When he's fit enough he shows government officials, teachers
\nand developers how to preserve the environment, recycle rubbish
\nand make compost fertiliser. Unlike many educated Indonesians, he
\nis not afraid to get his hands dirty.<\/p>\n
Yet, despite the real successes Suryo has been damaged, and
\nnot just by the physical pain. \"It is difficult to persuade
\npeople that they can have a better quality of life through
\nchanging their traditional way of doing things,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"New problems are now arising for Indonesia. Water quality has
\nto be addressed. Apart from pollution we have rising salt levels
\nin groundwater.<\/p>\n
\"Then there's the human factor, which takes its toll. It has
\nnot always been easy for some people to overcome their jealousy.
\nI still believe, though, in education as the source for a better
\nfuture.\" -- Duncan Graham<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-cruel-irony-of-nature-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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