Aceh restoration plan under fire<\/p>\n
Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post\/Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
A group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has condemned
\nthe central government for its failure to involve the public in
\ndrafting a master plan to rebuild Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"The central government has not been participative. They
\nshould have introduced the draft of the city master plan to the
\npublic before they moved forward with the policy. They should
\nhave allowed public scrutiny to improve public policy,\" said
\nBambang Antariksa, an executive of the Indonesian Forum for the
\nEnvironment (Walhi).<\/p>\n
Walhi is one among several NGOs grouped under the Peace
\nWithout Corruption Aceh Working Group.<\/p>\n
According to Bambang, one clear example of the government's
\nfailure to involve the public in drafting the master plan was the
\ngovernment's plan to regreen Aceh's coastal areas with mangroves.
\nThe plan dates back to a few days after the tsunami disaster on
\nDec. 26 when Minister of Forestry M.S. Kaban announced his plan
\nto regreen Aceh's coastline with mangrove forests.<\/p>\n
Mangrove forests act as a natural barrier to protect the
\nshoreline against tsunamis that could sweep away residential
\nareas near the beaches. Hence, the reforestation plan is deemed
\ncrucial to prevent devastation in case of further tsunamis.<\/p>\n
The draft of the master plan was then drawn up by the State
\nPlanning and Development Body (Bappenas) and the Ministry of
\nForestry is vested with the authority to implement the master
\nplan.<\/p>\n
According to the draft of the master plan, the ministry will
\nregreen beaches along the west coast of northern Sumatra island
\nhit by the tsunami. A fund of Rp 800 billion has been earmarked
\nto regreen 150,000 to 200,000 hectares of beach area with
\nmangroves.<\/p>\n
The ministry is currently mapping out the area and gathering
\ndata on the condition of mangrove plants along the beaches,
\nbefore they move forward with the reforestation project.<\/p>\n
However, according to Bambang, the government should have
\ninvolved public, considering that the planned reforestation area
\nwas formerly a residential area.<\/p>\n
\"The central government has to arrange compensation in advance
\nand public participation is a must in order to minimize potential
\nsocial disputes in the future,\" said Bambang.<\/p>\n
Regarding the draft of the Banda Aceh master plan, the
\nCoordinating Minister of People's Welfare, Alwi Shihab, had
\nearlier said that the government was ready to accept any
\ncriticism.<\/p>\n
Separately, Malaysia will send a team to Banda Aceh next week
\nto help prepare a master plan to rebuild the area, Deputy Prime
\nMinister Najib Razak said on Thursday, as quoted by the
\nAssociated Press.<\/p>\n
Najib will head a team of town planners and officials from
\nMalaysia's public works ministry for Monday's visit to assess the
\ndestruction caused by the tsunami.<\/p>",
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