Govt criticized over toxic waste import<\/p>\n
Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam<\/p>\n
The Riau Islands customs office has confiscated a barge loaded
\nwith tons of allegedly toxic waste materials as it re-entered
\nIndonesian waters, with environmentalists calling on the
\ngovernment to be stern in resolving the issue.<\/p>\n
The barge, its contents and the towing boat were seized early
\non Friday after it re-entered Tanjung Balai Karimun waters in
\nRiau Islands province, instead of heading back to its port of
\norigin in Singapore, as it had been ordered to do by the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
Thousands of tons of waste material had been imported by local
\nfertilizer firm PT APEL from a Singaporean firm last year.<\/p>\n
The waste was then dumped on Galang island in Batam, and
\nremained there until State Minister of the Environment Rachmat
\nWitoelar visited the area last week and ordered the waste be re-
\nexported to Singapore. The Basel Convention bans countries from
\ntransferring toxic waste materials to other countries.<\/p>\n
The Office of the State Minister of the Environment said last
\nmonth that it was investigating three Indonesians from PT APEL
\nand a Singaporean in relation to the case.<\/p>\n
Tanjung Balai Karimun customs office head Heru Santoso said
\nthat the barge was carrying over 3,000 tons of waste, but he
\ncould not say how many people were arrested.<\/p>\n
The barge left for Singapore on Tuesday, escorted by the
\nIndonesian Navy, customs officials and environment ministry
\nofficials. However, after the barge entered international waters,
\nit slowed down and changed direction toward Riau Islands
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
Sudarsono, deputy for legal affairs at the Office of the State
\nMinister of the Environment, declined on Saturday to provide any
\nresponse concerning the case.<\/p>\n
A number of environmentalists and local councillors initially
\nexpressed doubt that the barge would actually reach Singapore, as
\nthere seemed to be no certainty that Singapore would accept the
\nmaterials.<\/p>\n
I Wayan Githa from Batam Lestari Lingkungan, a non-
\ngovernmental organization, said the government was not being
\nstern in dealing with the matter.<\/p>\n
"Until now, there's been no clarity about who has been
\narrested. We don't even know about any legal processes being
\ntaken against the importer and the exporter. The government must
\ntake the case to international courts so that Singapore will
\nadmit that they have exported toxic materials into Indonesia," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Batam councillor Jasarmen Purba said the case has become an
\ninternational scandal and concerned parties must be held
\nresponsible.<\/p>\n
"The government needs to investigate the case thoroughly,
\nincluding questioning those who were involved during the import
\nprocess," he said.<\/p>\n
A similar concern came from Iskandar, a researcher at the Riau
\nIsland Research and Training Center, who said that the government
\nwas careless in its handling of the case.<\/p>\n
"There was never any guarantee from the government that
\nSingapore would take the materials. Even Ajit Singh (a Singapore
\nconsul in Riau) has just found out about the re-export (policy),"
\nhe said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-criticized-over-toxic-waste-import-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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