RI's notorious haze<\/p>\n
Indonesia is ridiculed by the international community every
\nyear when the haze from fires caused by slash-and-burn fills the
\nskies of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members.<\/p>\n
The slash-and-burn method of clearing the land was practiced
\nby nomadic farmers in ancient times. Nowadays, people understand
\nthat the method damages important substances in the soil.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, many Indonesians continue to use this primitive
\nmethod, considering that the number of wildfires during the past
\nfew dry seasons, instead of decreasing, has increased.<\/p>\n
As a consequence, haze from wildfires and forest fires are
\naffecting the daily lives of people, including those in foreign
\ncities. The thick fog in Indonesia has not only affected the
\npeople's health, but has also disrupted domestic and
\ninternational flights.<\/p>\n
We believe the haze issue will again be discussed by other
\ncountries during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta next
\nweek; and we will be ashamed for having failed to do anything to
\ncurb the annual haze.<\/p>\n
The people of West Nusa Tenggara province have, however,
\nreportedly succeeded in reducing the use of the slash-and-burn
\nmethod. The provincial administration has been promoting better
\nways of clearing land and has put in place severe punishments for
\nthose who continued to practice the illegal method.<\/p>\n
As such, we hope the country will eventually cease to be the
\nobject of ridicule among other nations, let alone be dubbed a
\nhaze-exporting country.<\/p>\n
-- Kompas, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ris-notorious-haze-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }