Govt to review controversial highway project in Aceh<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri has ordered her ministers to
\nreview the planned construction of a road that will pass through
\nLeuser National Park in Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"Ibu President is very concerned about the rampant destruction
\nof forests in the country, and has therefore instructed the state
\nminister of the environment and other ministers to review the
\nroad project,\" former minister of forestry Jamaludin
\nSuryohadikusumo said at a seminar on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Jamaluddin, in his capacity as the deputy supervisor of the
\nLeuser International Foundation, met with Megawati recently to
\nclarify the government's intention to build a road, called Ladia
\nGalaska.<\/p>\n
The road is supposed to connect isolated areas in western Aceh
\nand eastern Aceh, thus facilitating the delivery of commodities
\nand boosting economic activity in the areas.<\/p>\n
But some of the planned road, such as from Jeuram to Beutong
\nAteuh and from Blangkerejen to Peureulak, will pass through
\nLeuser National Park. Law No. 5\/1990 on the conservation of
\nnatural resources, Law No. 41\/1999 on forestry and Government
\nRegulation No. 34\/2002 on forest management ban any clearing of
\nconservation areas, including national parks, for any purpose.<\/p>\n
Environmentalists fear that the development of the Ladia
\nGalaska road will trigger rampant illegal logging, which would
\ntrigger various natural disasters such as floods and landslides.<\/p>\n
A large number of rare species in Leuser National Park could
\nalso be under serious threat of extinction if the road is
\nconstructed.<\/p>\n
State Minister of the Environment Nabiel Makarim earlier said
\nthat he was against the road project.<\/p>\n
\"We support the construction of a road to give people in
\nisolated areas access to the outside world, but it must not pass
\nthrough Leuser National Park,\" he said.<\/p>\n
His office has officially demanded that approval of the
\nenvironmental impact analysis (Amdal) on the Ladia Galaska road
\nproject be delayed.<\/p>\n
The local commission overseeing the Amdal has accepted the
\nappraisal and planned to issue a letter of approval immediately.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) in Aceh said
\nit had warned the local commission that it would sue if the road
\nconstruction went ahead.<\/p>\n
The Leuser Management Unit has also rejected Ladia Galaska
\nproject's environmental appraisal due to alleged inaccuracies.<\/p>\n
It said the western route from Jeuram to Beutong Ateuh, which
\nwould cut through Leuser National Park, would cause the
\nextinction of the Sumatran rhino, elephant and orangutan.<\/p>\n
The road would also destroy several water catchment areas,
\nwhich would interfere with irrigation in Jeuram regency, it said.<\/p>\n
The eastern route from Blangkerejen to Peureulak, passing
\nthrough Leuser National Park, would face the continuous threat of
\nlandslide due to its steep slope and destroy some 122,500
\nhectares of forest, it added.<\/p>",
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