Endorsement sought for bill on water resources<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives' working committee is working around
\nthe clock to finish the deliberation of the water resource bill,
\ndespite the mounting protests of nongovernmental organizations.<\/p>\n
Committee member Erwin Pardede of the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said on Friday no crucial
\nchanges had been made to the original draft, which allows private
\ncompanies to control water resources for commercial purposes.<\/p>\n
He said, as of Friday, 31 of 97 articles in the draft had been
\nagreed upon by both the lawmakers and the government, which was
\nrepresented by officials from the Ministry of Settlement and
\nRegional Infrastructure and the National Development Planning
\nBoard.<\/p>\n
\"We will have to finish the deliberation at noon tomorrow at
\nthe latest and submit it immediately to the special committee for
\napproval,\" Erwin said. \"Besides we have to checkout tomorrow.\"<\/p>\n
Some 50 legislators and government officials have been
\ndebating the bill at the Imperial Hotel in the Tangerang area of
\nKarawaci since Monday.<\/p>\n
A lawmaker who requested anonymity told The Jakarta Post the
\nspecial committee had asked for a plenary House session to pass
\nthe bill on Sept. 23.<\/p>\n
NGO activists have alleged the precipitation of the bill's
\nendorsement by the House is connected with the World Bank
\ndisbursement of a US$300 million loan, under the Water Resources
\nSector Adjustment Loan (WATSAL).<\/p>\n
Erwin admitted he heard about the government's effort to
\nobtain the loan, but said \"with or without WATSAL we need a water
\nresource law.\"<\/p>\n
The Business Watch Indonesia (BWI) report says that under the
\nWATSAL scheme, the World Bank will disburse the loan in three
\nstages. The first $50 million was disbursed in June 1999 and the
\nsecond disbursement amounting to $100 was made at the end of
\n2001. The remaining $150 million will be disbursed once Indonesia
\ncompletes its water reform initiative, which includes the
\nenforcement of a water resource law that allows the privatization
\nof the water sector.<\/p>\n
Nila Ardhani from the Indonesian Forum on Globalization
\n(Infog) said on Friday many NGOs did not oppose the bill, but its
\narticles that are prone to multi-interpretation.<\/p>\n
\"The bill, for example, does not strictly define to what
\nextent private companies are allowed to manage the water sector.
\nIt also fails to guarantee people's access to water. Millions of
\nIndonesian people are farmers who rely much on water,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She criticized the legislators and government for interpreting
\npublic participation in water management as providing
\nopportunities for private companies.<\/p>\n
\"The House does not learn from the case in Jakarta, where the
\nprivatization of the water sector has taken place but has failed
\nto provide enough tap water for people,\" Nila said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Forum of Environment (Walhi) said that, if
\npassed, the water resource law would spark social unrest and
\nnationwide resistance because it would allow private companies,
\nboth domestic and foreign, to control water resources --
\nincluding part of a river -- for their own interests.<\/p>\n
\"There will be the sharing of the control of water resources
\namong the private sector, so that it will close people's access
\nto water for daily needs and social purposes. The bill should
\nhave anticipated conflicts over water resources,\" a Walhi
\ncampaigner Raja Siregar said.<\/p>",
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