Controversy over Ladia Galaska goes on
Controversy over Ladia Galaska goes on
Nani Farida and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post,
Banda Aceh/Jakarta
An off-the-cuff comment by President Megawati Soekarnoputri on
the construction of a highway cutting through Aceh's virgin
forests has spurred controversy.
Legislator Erwin Pardede said the construction of the 500-
kilometer Ladia Galaska highway was necessary to boost the
economy of the conflict-ridden province.
"Economic development in Indonesia must also be enjoyed by the
Acehnese. The highway project must continue," said the legislator
of Commission IV for settlement and infrastructure on Monday.
Erwin, a member of Megawati's Indonesia Democratic Party of
Struggle, said the highway would become the backbone of
development in Aceh, the troubled westernmost province with a
separatist history that dates back to 1976.
"It's very strange if an infrastructure project is halted for
environmental reasons," he said.
Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh and Minister of Settlement and
Infrastructure Soenarno convinced Megawati on Sunday that the
road project was necessary to end the isolation of rural
residents of the province.
The Leuser Management Unit, which was formed by the government
and the European Union to protect the Leuser ecosystem, has
suggested several alternative routes.
Megawati visited the war-torn province as part of her week-
long whirlwind national tour with less than a month to go until
the legislative election.
During the visit, Megawati, who was not scheduled to
inaugurate the highway, approved the project after Puteh raised
the issue on Sunday on the sidelines of the inauguration of
several other projects.
"I've been condemned as a president who is neglectful of the
environment. If people asked me about my preference between human
beings and the environment, I would answer that I care for both
of them," she said.
Megawati said she approved the development of the road except
for the 46-kilometer section stretching from Pinding to Lokop, as
it cut through the Leuser National Reserve Park.
She proposed that a fence be built along the road to preserve
the forests, a suggestion dismissed by environmentalists as not
feasible.
In Banda Aceh, a researcher said each kilometer of the road
would incur financial losses of up to Rp 74 billion, due to
damaged water and forest resources.
The figure did not include possible financial losses from
floods or landslides, nor from damages to the rich biodiversity
of the protected forest.
Indonesia Greenomics predicted financial losses of up to Rp
1.03 trillion due to deforestation, possible floods, landslides
and draught.
"I suggest that the highway project be halted. It's too
risky," said Canadian Development Agency's Jamal Gawi, who is
involved in the preservation of the Leuser ecosystem.
Each kilometer of road constructed in the area has the
potential to harm 400 to 2,400 hectares of forest.
Jamal suggested that the government re-route the road to avoid
possible damage to a 164-kilometer length of protected forest
area, including 46 kilometers belonging to the national park.
Hasjrul Junaid, from an alliance of non-governmental
organizations against the Ladia Galaska road project, concurred
with Jamal.
"If the government plans to increase the residents'
livelihood, they must re-route the road to connect more villages
instead of carving up the forest," he said.
Environmentalists have warned that constructing the road in
the virgin forest is risky, as the area is prone to landslides
from the naturally steep Leuser ecosystem, where the soil is
unstable. In addition, the annual rainfall in the area is high,
reaching 2,100 to 5,100 millimeters.
In December, a landslide occurred on the Jeuram-Beutong Ateuh
road, which comprises part of Ladia Galaska's main route.