Battle against fires to go on
JAKARTA (JP): The battle against brush and forest fires is likely to continue for another two or three months, when the delayed monsoons are due, the government said yesterday.
Despite the all out effort with the aid of international donors, it appears that Mother Nature will be the determinant factor in dousing the fire.
"We still don't know when our fire fighting efforts will stop ... but I guess it will be two or three months longer because according to United Nations climate experts, that's when the rains will come," Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas said.
Azwar, who is chairman of the National Disaster Management Coordinating Board, claimed to be "shocked" to learn of a UN report predicting the delay of the coming monsoon.
UN climate experts said in Geneva on Friday that rains in Indonesia were likely to be suppressed further by the strong El Nio weather phenomenon.
The El Nio phenomenon is a warming of the Pacific Ocean that has wreaked havoc on the global climate. Indonesia has been warned to prepare for the worst scenario brought about by the climate.
If this prediction is correct, then it would mean extending fire fighting efforts which many had thought would be over in a few weeks.
An international contingent has helped contain the fires which have razed at least 300,000 hectares of land and forest mainly in Kalimantan and Sumatra.
The fires have produced a haze which has enveloped many parts of the region.
A dozen aircraft, ranging from big Hercules planes to high- tech helicopters from Malaysia, Singapore, the United States, Australia, and Japan, have been deployed to help fight the fires.
Equipment, such as jet water shooters and fire shovels along with medical supplies, has also been contributed.
Azwar at his office yesterday afternoon symbolically received French equipment -- jackets, pants, gloves, boots, fire beaters, shovels and helmets -- for 200 firefighters worth about 400,000 French francs (US$67,000).
Earlier at the Halim Perdanakusuma air base, East Jakarta, Azwar in a ceremony saw the arrival of two Dauphin helicopters and a 43-member emergency relief team from Japan. The Japanese team will be stationed in Lampung for 20 days.
Azwar said further assistance was needed to help fight the fires on the ground. He noted that foreign air support may not be able to stay here for the additional two or three months needed.
He remarked that the foreign aircraft were only scheduled to be deployed here for brief periods.
"We will try to talk with the assisting countries regarding the possibility of prolonging their stay here," he said.
Azwar could not give the exact financial figure in aid already contributed to help fight the fires. Neither could he say how much Indonesia stood to lose as a result of the burnt forests.
The Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi), Indonesia's leading environmental non-governmental organization, estimates that some 1.7 million hectares of land and forest have been devastated in the last three months, causing a total loss of more than Rp 62 trillion ($17 billion).
What may be higher is the health cost to the estimated 40,000 people in Sumatra and Kalimantan who are reportedly suffering from respiratory or eye irritation problems due to the haze.
Minister of Health Sujudi said here yesterday that his office had distributed some Rp 400 million in medical supplies to the worst effected provinces in the last two months.
He added that 400,000 masks have been dispersed to the areas. (aan)
Health -- Page 2