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.