Police urged to probe forest fires<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi)
\ncalled on police yesterday to initiate a criminal investigation
\ninto allegations by the government that 177 companies have
\nstarted various forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
Walhi executive director Emmy Hafild cited the 1984
\nEnvironmental Law and Article 187 of the Criminal Code on deadly
\narson as the basis for initiating the investigation.<\/p>\n
The 1984 law allows for up to 10 years' imprisonment for
\npolluters and a Rp 100 million (US$33,300) fine, while the deadly
\narson article carries up to life imprisonment.<\/p>\n
The haze coming from massive forest fires continued to worsen
\nyesterday in Indonesia, as well as neighboring Malaysia and
\nSingapore, posing serious health hazards besides disrupting
\nflight services and economic activities.<\/p>\n
The government must \"show greater commitment\" in dealing with
\nthe problem by getting tougher with plantation and timber
\ncompanies, Emmy said.<\/p>\n
The Association of Muhammadiyah Students also called for
\ntougher government action, saying the companies should be forced
\nto pay a huge amount in compensation for economic losses as well
\nas disruptions caused to people.<\/p>\n
Fires are estimated to have ravaged about 300,000 hectares of
\nforest in the last three months.<\/p>\n
The government has given 177 companies a 15-day ultimatum to
\ndisprove satellite images showing hot spots near their
\nplantations, suggesting that fires started in their respective
\nareas.<\/p>\n
Those who fail to prove their innocence will have their
\noperating licenses revoked.<\/p>\n
Emmy did not rule out a class action suit by her organization.<\/p>\n
\"If the police fail to act, Walhi will be ready to bring the
\ncompanies to court. We believe in upholding the law, and in
\nteaching them a lesson not to disobey rules,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Walhi would give police two weeks before filing its complaint
\nwith police, she said.<\/p>\n
Separately the government showed signs that it would take
\nsterner action against companies when Attorney General Singgih
\nordered all the high prosecutor offices and the district
\nprosecutor offices, in coordination with police, to investigate
\nforest fire cases.<\/p>\n
\"I have instructed them (to investigate the case) because the
\nfire has caused severe air pollution,\" he said, citing that the
\nforest burners could be charged with the criminal act, civil act
\nand state administrative act.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that the haze in Pekanbaru, the capital of
\nRiau province, became thicker, bringing visibility on the highway
\nto Dumai down to almost zero. There were no reports of accidents
\nbut traffic was significantly slowed down by the haze.<\/p>\n
A motorist said it took him 15 hours -- five hours longer than
\nnormal -- to get from Pekanbaru to Medan in North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Haze worsened in Hulusungai Selatan, Hulusungai Tengah,
\nHulusungai Utara and Tabalong regencies, all in South Kalimantan,
\nthe news agency said.<\/p>\n
Emmy said Indonesia should feel ashamed for its failure to
\ncontain the problem within its borders.<\/p>\n
\"We no longer seem to have any pride,\" she said. \"We must
\nthink of the millions of children in Kalimantan, Sumatra,
\nSingapore and Kuala Lumpur who are now suffering.\"<\/p>\n
Noting the apology that President Soeharto made this week to
\nIndonesia's neighbors for the haze, Emmy said it should be
\nfollowed up with concrete actions.<\/p>\n
She said State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja
\nappeared to be waging a lone battle, receiving little support
\nfrom other government agencies.<\/p>\n
\"We are very concerned that Minister Sarwono, whose office
\ndoesn't have any facilities to send fire departments to put out
\nthe fires, has been alone in looking for solutions.<\/p>\n
\"Other ministries which are more responsible for the fires
\nhave not followed in Sarwono's footsteps. We can't simply sit and
\nwait for rain, which will only come in two months' time,\" Emmy
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
She said the Air Force could deploy planes to douse the fire
\nfrom the air with water bombs.<\/p>\n
The government should have enough money to fight forest fires,
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
\"We could use the reforestation fund which should be worth Rp
\n5 trillion by now. This is a more worthy cause than funding
\nairplane construction or pulp mills,\" she said. (05\/aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-urged-to-probe-forest-fires-1447893297",
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