Develop, don't ruin: Soeharto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto reaffirmed yesterday
\nIndonesia's commitment to develop the country without destroying
\nits natural resources.<\/p>\n
\"We should develop without destruction,\" he said in a speech
\ncommemorating National Social Solidarity Day and the simultaneous
\nlaunching of National Conservation Week in Lamreh village, Aceh
\nBesar regency, Aceh.<\/p>\n
He also reaffirmed Indonesia's commitment to start exporting,
\nin the year 2000, only environment-friendly products from forests
\nwhich are managed to ensure their sustainability.<\/p>\n
Soeharto acknowledged that the country has been benefiting
\nfrom forestry industry. \"The income we have received from the
\nforest industry has not been inconsiderable,\" he said. \"The
\ncondition, however, will not last long unless we are willing to
\nre-green the forests and preserve them.\"<\/p>\n
\"We should manage our forests as best as we can,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"As a member of the world community, we have agreed that,
\nstarting from 2000, the forest-based products we export will have
\nto come from forests which are managed in a sustainable way and
\nbear the environmentally-friendly labels,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Soeharto also called on the community to help maintain
\nnational parks, which function as life-support systems for the
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
\"One of the national parks which we're proud of is the Mt.
\nLeuser National Park here in Aceh...a home to rare animals such
\nas orangutan, Sumatra rhinoceroses, elephants, bears and wild
\ngoats,\" he said. \"I hope you will take good care of this national
\npark.\"<\/p>\n
Economic programs<\/p>\n
In an effort to link the preservation of natural resources to
\nthe social solidarity campaign, the Ministry of Transmigration
\nhas launched a number of economic programs to help farmers and
\nforest squatters.<\/p>\n
The programs include loans to food farmers and to people
\nliving near forests who can develop the areas. \"The programs
\nshould be continued so that...we can establish a rural community
\nwhich is economically strong,\" Soeharto said.<\/p>\n
He reminded the public that forests which are potential food
\nproducers should be managed to ensure food security and to help
\nthe poverty alleviation programs.<\/p>\n
Soeharto also used yesterday's ceremony to launch the
\nProsperous Family Saving program, a financial assistance program
\ndesigned to help poor families improve their livelihood.<\/p>\n
\"This scheme is very beneficial to our efforts to help those
\nwho are still living below the poverty line,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He called on all environmental groups, farmers, fishermen,
\nsocial workers, youth activists as well as community leaders to
\nbecome \"pioneers\" and \"role models\" in pushing for a development
\nprocess that is nature-friendly.<\/p>\n
Social Solidarity Day is the brainchild of Mrs. Siti
\nHardiyanti Rukmana, the eldest daughter of President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
It was held simultaneously with National Conservation Week so
\nthat the people's \"effort to re-green and conserve nature will be
\neven more successful, because it's done with a high awareness of
\nsocial solidarity\", Soeharto said.<\/p>\n
\"Development needs strong social solidarity...(and)
\ndevelopment should be carried out while preserving natural
\nresources. We are not working to develop the nation for our own
\ninterests only, but for the sake of the younger generations as
\nwell.\"<\/p>\n
The date Dec. 20 was chosen for Social Solidarity Day in
\nremembrance of the time in 1948 when villagers outside
\nYogyakarta, then the capital of the fledgling republic, gave
\nsanctuary to independence fighters and the nation's leaders after
\nthe city had been captured by the Dutch the previous day.<\/p>\n
Their gesture allowed the fighters, including the young
\nSoeharto, to regroup and mount a surprise attack against the
\nDutch, who thought that the republic's forces had been rendered
\nineffective. (swe)<\/p>",
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