Controversy over Ladia Galaska goes on<\/p>\n
Nani Farida and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post,
\nBanda Aceh\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
An off-the-cuff comment by President Megawati Soekarnoputri on
\nthe construction of a highway cutting through Aceh's virgin
\nforests has spurred controversy.<\/p>\n
Legislator Erwin Pardede said the construction of the 500-
\nkilometer Ladia Galaska highway was necessary to boost the
\neconomy of the conflict-ridden province.<\/p>\n
\"Economic development in Indonesia must also be enjoyed by the
\nAcehnese. The highway project must continue,\" said the legislator
\nof Commission IV for settlement and infrastructure on Monday.<\/p>\n
Erwin, a member of Megawati's Indonesia Democratic Party of
\nStruggle, said the highway would become the backbone of
\ndevelopment in Aceh, the troubled westernmost province with a
\nseparatist history that dates back to 1976.<\/p>\n
\"It's very strange if an infrastructure project is halted for
\nenvironmental reasons,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh and Minister of Settlement and
\nInfrastructure Soenarno convinced Megawati on Sunday that the
\nroad project was necessary to end the isolation of rural
\nresidents of the province.<\/p>\n
The Leuser Management Unit, which was formed by the government
\nand the European Union to protect the Leuser ecosystem, has
\nsuggested several alternative routes.<\/p>\n
Megawati visited the war-torn province as part of her week-
\nlong whirlwind national tour with less than a month to go until
\nthe legislative election.<\/p>\n
During the visit, Megawati, who was not scheduled to
\ninaugurate the highway, approved the project after Puteh raised
\nthe issue on Sunday on the sidelines of the inauguration of
\nseveral other projects.<\/p>\n
\"I've been condemned as a president who is neglectful of the
\nenvironment. If people asked me about my preference between human
\nbeings and the environment, I would answer that I care for both
\nof them,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Megawati said she approved the development of the road except
\nfor the 46-kilometer section stretching from Pinding to Lokop, as
\nit cut through the Leuser National Reserve Park.<\/p>\n
She proposed that a fence be built along the road to preserve
\nthe forests, a suggestion dismissed by environmentalists as not
\nfeasible.<\/p>\n
In Banda Aceh, a researcher said each kilometer of the road
\nwould incur financial losses of up to Rp 74 billion, due to
\ndamaged water and forest resources.<\/p>\n
The figure did not include possible financial losses from
\nfloods or landslides, nor from damages to the rich biodiversity
\nof the protected forest.<\/p>\n
Indonesia Greenomics predicted financial losses of up to Rp
\n1.03 trillion due to deforestation, possible floods, landslides
\nand draught.<\/p>\n
\"I suggest that the highway project be halted. It's too
\nrisky,\" said Canadian Development Agency's Jamal Gawi, who is
\ninvolved in the preservation of the Leuser ecosystem.<\/p>\n
Each kilometer of road constructed in the area has the
\npotential to harm 400 to 2,400 hectares of forest.<\/p>\n
Jamal suggested that the government re-route the road to avoid
\npossible damage to a 164-kilometer length of protected forest
\narea, including 46 kilometers belonging to the national park.<\/p>\n
Hasjrul Junaid, from an alliance of non-governmental
\norganizations against the Ladia Galaska road project, concurred
\nwith Jamal.<\/p>\n
\"If the government plans to increase the residents'
\nlivelihood, they must re-route the road to connect more villages
\ninstead of carving up the forest,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Environmentalists have warned that constructing the road in
\nthe virgin forest is risky, as the area is prone to landslides
\nfrom the naturally steep Leuser ecosystem, where the soil is
\nunstable. In addition, the annual rainfall in the area is high,
\nreaching 2,100 to 5,100 millimeters.<\/p>\n
In December, a landslide occurred on the Jeuram-Beutong Ateuh
\nroad, which comprises part of Ladia Galaska's main route.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/controversy-over-ladia-galaska-goes-on-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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