Public awareness of environment issues rises in autonomy era<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung<\/p>\n
Public concern for the environment has increased steadily since
\nthe initiation of regional autonomy in 2000.<\/p>\n
According to environmentalist Otto Soemarwoto, the increasing
\npublic awareness is possibly due to the new accessibility of
\npolicymakers in provincial administrations.<\/p>\n
In other words, the autonomy era has brought the government
\ncloser to the people.<\/p>\n
"People are no longer reluctant or afraid to protest to the
\nlegislative councils or regental offices to convey their
\ngrievances on the environment. This shows that public awareness
\non environmental issues has increased," he said on the sidelines
\nof a 2004 Earth Day event at the West Java People's Struggle
\nMonument in Bandung over the weekend.<\/p>\n
He gave as an example the Babakan Siliwangi project in the
\nnorth of Bandung for the development of a shopping mall and
\napartments which was called off following protests by residents
\nand NGOs. They also rejected the related Dago-Lembang highway
\nproject which would have threatened the Juanda forest reserve.<\/p>\n
NGOs have also filed class action suits against the government
\nagencies responsible for land reclamation along the north coast
\nof Java and for victims of the Mount Mandalawangi landslide who
\nblamed the government and state-owned Perhutani forest enterprise
\nfor the destruction of the Mandalawangi forest.<\/p>\n
The waves of protests were not imaginable prior to the
\nautonomy era, and moreover the autocratic Soeharto regime.<\/p>\n
However, Otto complained that despite greater public
\nawareness, environmental preservation was not yet a way of life.
\nHe cited the highly formal commemoration of environment day and
\nthe lack of commitment to concrete action on the part of the
\ngovernment and the presidential candidates.<\/p>\n
Arie Djukardi, an official of the Office of the State Minister
\nfor the Environment, agreed that the role of the public was
\nimportant in efforts to reduce the level of environmental damage
\noccurring throughout the country.<\/p>\n
He said that there was an increase in the number of volunteers
\nwho were concerned about the environment.<\/p>\n
"They number hundreds of thousands across Indonesia. Last year
\nalone, there was an addition of about 6,000 individuals and 1,000
\ngroups. It shows that the public is more concerned now," said
\nArie.<\/p>\n
According to him, most of the volunteers in Sumatra,
\nKalimantan and Sulawesi come from the society at large while
\nthose on Java island are dominated by members of environmental
\nNGOs.<\/p>\n
He assumed that the increase showed that the public was more
\naware that the environment must be protected to ensure the
\nsustainability of their livelihoods and for the generations to
\ncome.<\/p>\n
Only 80 million hectares of protected forest remain, with 30
\nmillion hectares declared as critical areas. The ideal area of
\nprotected forests for the whole of Indonesia is 120 million
\nhectares.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/public-awareness-of-environment-issues-rises-in-autonomy-era-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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