Experts call for natural resource management law<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A law on integrated natural resource management
\nis needed to synchronize government policies and put to rest
\ncompeting interests, experts concluded in a seminar here
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Agrarian law expert Maria S.W. Sumardjono and green activist
\nChalid Muhammad agreed it was time the government and the House
\nof Representatives introduced the legislation.<\/p>\n
\"Without a clear concept on how to manage the existing natural
\nresources, competition to win the authority to regulate (resource
\nallocations among ministries) will go on, with all its
\nimplications,\" Maria said.<\/p>\n
\"In the absence of a blueprint of priorities, officials will
\njust compete to be 'populists' and give whatever people want, and
\nthis will only be good for a short time.\"<\/p>\n
Maria said many government policies related to natural
\nresources \"encroached\" upon one another, at the expense of
\npeople's interests.<\/p>\n
She noted how people living on plots of idle land in a forest
\ncould not obtain land titles from the land agency because the
\narea was still considered forest and subject to the forestry law.<\/p>\n
\"There should be an 'umbrella law' (to synchronize policies),\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
Chalid, a member of the Indonesian Forum for Environment
\n(Walhi), concurred that existence of the law would eliminate the
\nneed for assorted ministries dealing with the matter.<\/p>\n
\"The country will need only one ministry, namely the natural
\nresource management ministry, with several directorate general
\noffices like for mines and energy, agrarian affairs, forestry and
\nplantation.<\/p>\n
\"This could save the state a lot of cash,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Both were speaking in a two-day seminar and workshop on legal
\nreform in the country's natural resources management. The event
\nwas coorganized by the Indonesian center for Environmental Law
\n(ICEL), USAID, UNDP, the Ford Foundation and the University of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Opened by Minister of Justice Muladi, it featured speakers
\nfrom the ministries of mines and energy, forestry and plantation
\nand dozens of participants from universities and non-governmental
\norganizations.<\/p>\n
Other speakers were Mas Achmad Santosa of ICEL, the University
\nof Indonesia's expert on spatial planning Arie S. Hutagalung and
\nforestry expert Hasanu Simon of the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity.<\/p>\n
In his paper, Santosa blamed the government for showing only
\n\"pseudo political will\" regarding natural resource management
\nstrategies.<\/p>\n
Santosa said: \"The concept of sustainable development in the
\nState Guidelines is almost perfect, but (it declines) when it
\ncomes to laws and other government regulations.\" (aan)<\/p>",
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