Soeharto orders end to land clearing activity<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto ordered State Minister of
\nEnvironment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja yesterday to stop land clearing
\nactivities across the country which used slash-and-burn methods.<\/p>\n
Describing this year's drought as one of the most severe in 50
\nyears, Sarwono said at least 300,000 hectares of forest mostly in
\nSumatra and Kalimantan had been burned in the last three months.<\/p>\n
\"If this instruction is not obeyed, I won't hesitate in taking
\nstern action against violators,\" Sarwono quoted Soeharto as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
He could not say how long the prohibition would last, but
\nidentified land clearing for big-scale plantations, industrial
\nestates and transmigration estates using slash-and-burn methods
\nas the ones to be halted.<\/p>\n
Sarwono yesterday reverted to his original estimates of
\n300,000 hectares of burned forest, although he had previously
\nrevised the figure to 100,000 hectares.<\/p>\n
Sarwono disclosed yesterday that punishment against violators
\nwould include criminal charges, revoking their licenses or
\npublicly disclosing the names of those companies responsible.<\/p>\n
Soeharto has assigned Secretary of Development Operations Lt.
\nGen. Hendropriyono to assist Sarwono in dealing with the fires.<\/p>\n
Before his meeting with Soeharto, Sarwono met with 40 timber
\ntycoons including Mohammad \"Bob\" Hasan, Prayogo Pangestu and
\nAnthony Salim.<\/p>\n
\"They pledged to stop all land clearing activities,\" said the
\nminister.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said this year's situation is worse than 1982 when
\nabout two-million hectares of forest in East Kalimantan were
\nburned.<\/p>\n
The situation has been exacerbated by the prolonged dry season
\nwhich is not expected to end until December.<\/p>\n
\"This year's drought is horrifying because indicators show
\nthat it is worse than in 1982,\" Sarwono said.<\/p>\n
Satellite pictures indicate at least 1,053 hot spots, mostly
\nin areas where big companies clear land for industrial estates,
\nbig-scale plantations and transmigration sites.<\/p>\n
Sarwono shrugged off suggestions that small-scale farmers were
\nresponsible for the fires saying they were only \"the sub of the
\nsubcontractors\" of big plantations.<\/p>\n
He had earlier said the fires were having an adverse affect on
\npeople's health. About 20 million people in Sumatra and
\nKalimantan are suffering respiratory problems due to the thick
\nsmoke.<\/p>\n
\"While the bosses of large plantations can just walk into
\ntheir air-conditioned offices if it gets too smoky, those
\nvoiceless people have to take all the blame and suffer from the
\nsmoke,\" he had said.<\/p>\n
The minister said big companies, mostly in Jakarta,
\nintentionally burned the forests despite government warnings that
\ntheir actions might lead to disaster.<\/p>\n
\"When we have meetings with them they always claim to agree
\nand heed with what we say, but (outside) they continue burning
\nthe forests,\" Sarwono said.<\/p>\n
\"These are intentionally lit fires... Natural fires continue
\nday and night, but satellite pictures show these fires stop at
\nnight,\" Sarwono said.<\/p>\n
\"The President is concerned about this situation. All
\nministers have talked about it, and governors too,\" Sarwono
\nsaid. (prb)<\/p>\n
Drought -- Page 2<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soeharto-orders-end-to-land-clearing-activity-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }