Bojong residents stand firm against waste plant
Bojong residents stand firm against waste plant
Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor
"If they call for war, I will step in to protect the area we live
in," proclaimed Saidah, a homemaker of Kampong Rawajeler in
Bojong, Bogor.
She was one of hundreds of women and children who on Wednesday
were preparing to stop a planned trial of the controversial
Bojong waste treatment plant.
But local authorities at the last minute decided to delay the
trial for an indefinite time, thereby averting a possible clash
with residents who oppose the presence of the plant in the
neighborhood. Residents say that the plant will adversely affect
the environment and their health.
Indonesian flags were put up at half-mast, and yellow paper
flags placed outside houses. Both are symbols of mourning.
"Law in this place is dead," said Karjat, who along with
others formed a human blockade at the Cipeucang intersection that
has to be passed to reach the Bojong plant.
"No one is listening to us anymore, and even the law is no
longer siding with us. The heavies hired by the plant operator
bring machetes that they often use to threaten us ... police who
witness it don't dare stop them," he said.
The plant, built in 2003, was meant to incinerate one-third of
Jakarta's daily 6,000 tons of waste. The plant was vandalized by
local residents who foiled the last trial run in November last
year.
Bogor authorities revealed last week that the regental
administration and the plant operator, PT Wira Guna Sejahtera,
would carry out the trial on Wednesday.
Residents had built a "command post" where they gathered since
Monday in anticipation of the company operating the facility at
night.
On Tuesday, State Minister of the Environment Rachmat Witoelar
told House of Representatives members that the trial should not
proceed.
He said a joint team of experts from his office, the Office of
the State Minister of Research and Technology and the Jakarta
administration had asked for a delay.
The team was assigned to determine the feasibility of the
plant, including studying the environmental impact analysis and
problems in the field.
Bogor spokesman Sjahuri said Wednesday that the authorities
will find another time for the trial run.
However, head of Bogor Council's Commission A overseeing
administrative and legal affairs, Lalu Suryade, claimed that
councillors would never allow the administration to carry out the
trial.