`Public access to water a basic human right'<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A non-governmental organization has asked the House to make a
\nfundamental change to the water resource bill by stating that
\naccess to water is a basic human right, saying the principle will
\nprevent discrimination against people regarding water services.<\/p>\n
Nila Ardhianie of the Indonesian Forum on Globalization
\n(Infog) said water as a basic human right had been recognized by
\nthe United Nations since November 2002 as stipulated in the
\ninternational covenant on economic, social and cultural rights.<\/p>\n
"But this country's policy on water contradicts the covenant
\nas it will give a greater role to private firms to manage water,"
\nshe said on Friday after a discussion to mark World Environment
\nDay.<\/p>\n
World Environment Day, which fell on Thursday, was themed:
\n"Water, two billion people are dying for it!"<\/p>\n
Infog has long criticized the government's plan to privatize
\nwater management, which is justified by the water resource bill.<\/p>\n
Infog said that water privatization would only allow the rich
\nto enjoy water services as they have the money to pay for the
\nservice.<\/p>\n
The NGO also said that private companies would not place
\npublic interests as their main goal.<\/p>\n
The House is currently deliberating the water resource bill,
\nbut it does not expect to complete the debate during the current
\nsitting period, which will end in mid-July.<\/p>\n
According to Nila, water as a human right should be treated
\nwith non-profit principles, without having to inflict losses to
\nwater management.<\/p>\n
"I think the government should tackle water services to ensure
\nthat all people have equal access to water," she said.<\/p>\n
Besides, with the government managing water, people would
\nstill have the authority to control the service. If private firms
\ntake over the management, shareholders instead of the public will
\nbe in control, she said.<\/p>\n
Some 95 percent of water management around the world is run by
\nthe government, including that of developed countries except for
\nEngland and France.<\/p>\n
"Therefore there is no solid grounds for the government to
\ngive a greater role to private firms in managing water," she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Business Watch Indonesia (BWI) also agreed with Infog.<\/p>\n
It said in its report that water, along with non-manufactured
\ngoods or public goods like education, health and electricity,
\nshould be provided by the state and the service should reach as
\nmany people as possible without discrimination.<\/p>\n
Consequently, the management of the public goods must be
\nconducted under a non-profit principle, it said.<\/p>\n
Nila further said the bill must also clearly stipulate that
\nwater services would reach the poor.<\/p>\n
The use of water resource, Nila added, should not harm the
\necosystem.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri admitted on Thursday that
\ndespite scarcity and poor access to water, people had failed to
\nshow consistency and discipline to help improve conditions.<\/p>\n
The country's report on water said at least 80 percent of
\nIndonesia's 215 million people have no access to safe and clean
\npiped water.<\/p>\n
Many fear that the water problem would serve as a pretext for
\nthe government to allow private companies to provide tap water to
\npeople, by giving them a greater role to manage water.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/public-access-to-water-a-basic-human-right-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}