Public seeks wider access to environmental information<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Legal and environmental experts called on the
\ngovernment yesterday to grant the public wider access to
\ninformation on environmental management.<\/p>\n
"The people's right to know is a basic element to involve them
\nin the development process," Indro Sugianto, director of the
\nSurabaya Legal Aid Institute, told a seminar.<\/p>\n
According to Indro, the main obstacle to public participation
\nin development could be traced back to the existing development
\nparadigm that permits the state to exploit all human and natural
\nresources for the sake of capital investment by marginalizing the
\npublic on the environmental issues.<\/p>\n
"It naturally follows that environmental laws and regulations
\nare often unclear. For example, respect of the right to
\nparticipate is not followed by the right to access clear
\ninformation," he added.<\/p>\n
The one-day seminar, sponsored by the Indonesian Legal Aid
\nInstitute, was titled Reinforcing the Public's Rights to
\nInformation on Environmental Management.<\/p>\n
Dadang Trisasongko, secretary of the Indonesian Legal Aid
\nFoundation, told The Jakarta Post that the seminar intended to
\nformulate a working agenda between the press, various non-
\ngovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the government to increase
\npublic participation in development.<\/p>\n
According to Dadang, the items on the agenda included greater
\npublic participation in formulating environmental public policies
\nand strengthening the public's bargaining power in access to
\ninformation.<\/p>\n
"This seminar, however, is just a first step toward greater
\ncoordination between the press, NGOs and the government to
\nprovide more accurate and comprehensive information to the
\npublic," Dadang said.<\/p>\n
Many experts have expressed concern over the mass media's
\ninaccurate and often misleading environmental coverage.<\/p>\n
Daniel Dhakidae, a senior staff of the Kompas daily research
\nand development department, said that the complexities of
\nenvironmental issues are often exacerbated by the environmental
\nparadox.<\/p>\n
"In their capacity as public policies, environmental issues
\nare often elitist due to technicalities involved in their
\nformulation. But the impact and degradation are obviously not at
\nall inclusive to the elites," he said.<\/p>\n
Daniel also urged the public to be vigilant in digesting
\ninformation provided by the media, because not all magazines or
\nnewspapers have sufficient skills in environmental issues.<\/p>\n
Nabiel Makarim, deputy chairman of the Pollution Control of
\nthe Environmental Impact Management Agency agreed that there are
\nobstacles preventing the public from accessing information.<\/p>\n
In his paper, Nabiel referred to the unclear rights and
\nobligations of those who have access to information, the public's
\ncapacity to digest the information and its distrust of
\ninformation provided as being some of the obstacles.<\/p>\n
Unable to attend the seminar himself, Nabiel hoped that it
\nwould find some solutions to the problems aforementioned. (14)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/public-seeks-wider-access-to-environmental-information-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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