Critic sets the record straight

Critic sets the record straight

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

If you are among those skeptical of official data provided by forestry-related government departments, then you should go to Togu Manurung for a clearer picture of the situation.

Over the years, Manurung has made a name for himself by setting the record straight.

Manurung is a senior lecturer at the Forestry Faculty of the prestigious Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) and director of non-governmental organization (NGO) Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI).

His scathing criticism of the government's forestry policy has often stung policymakers.

He and the Indonesian People's Forum (IPF) have accused the Office of the State Minister for the Environment of lying in its report at the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) last August.

He said the state ministry had lied to the world when it reported that the forest area lost in the 1997-1998 fires was "between 200,000 hectares and 5 million hectares."

Local NGOs put the figure at between 7 million hectares and 10 million hectares.

"How come the government gave such inaccurate data to the world? It was all a big lie," he said.

The state ministry soon clarified its version, but it satisfied neither the public nor the critics who questioned why the government concealed information in the first place.

Manurung had earlier been at odds with the government when it put the deforestation rate at 1.6 million hectares a year when independent estimates, including his own, were put at 2.4 million hectares.

Then the government revised its figure to 2.1 million hectares per year after conducting reinterpretation of satellite imaging.

Manurung has always strongly insisted that the Indonesian government should not underestimate the problem of rampant forest destruction.

"Imagine what can happen if the government's data is below the actual figure. Chances are that the government will miscalculate the impact and take the wrong remedial action. That already happens in the country's forest management," he said. He mentioned various incidence of floods and landslides.

Unfortunately, releasing the wrong information has become a government habit following the fall of the New Order regime in 1998.

Knowing that forestry data in the country is very poor, Manurung agreed to be elected as the first director of FWI in 2000. FWI is an organization focusing on collecting data on forestry. It was established in 2000 by a number of NGOs concerned by rapid deforestation in Indonesia.

"I share the same vision with FWI so I agreed to lead the organization. We have published several books containing useful information on forestry, including data based on forestry operations in the country, maps and conditions of the country's forests," he said.

FWI has a strong network with the Global Forest Watch and with local NGOs on the major islands, such as Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua.

FWI will hold a national congress in August, and high on the agenda is the election of a new chairman.

Poor data is only one of the host of problems in the country's forest management, while destruction of forests continues unabated.

"Traveling in a number of forests in the country always makes me very sad. The destruction is everywhere, before our eyes but we can't do anything," he said.

Like other activists, Manurung wants to see the government take legal action against perpetrators of forest destruction, ranging from illegal loggers to companies that fail to replant.

"Then, the government must regreen many areas in this country," said Manurung, who obtained his doctorate degree from Wisconsin University in the United States in 1995. He got his diploma degree in 1985 and masters in 1988 -- both from IPB.

He sees his hope partly fulfilled. Recently the government launched a program to reforest 3 million hectares in 17 water catchment areas over the next five years at a cost of Rp 15 trillion (US$1.7 billion).

But what about law enforcement for destroyers of the country's forests? "Apparently, we cannot expect to much of it," Manurung said.

If deforestation continued at the current rate, Manurung said he feared that in 10 to 15 years few of Indonesia's forests and their rich biodiversity therein would be left.

"Before all this destruction, Indonesia was much admired for its natural beauty and wide variety of flora and fauna. I hope people will understand why the destruction should be stopped."

Manurung recalled that it was Indonesia's untold natural beauty that inspired him to study forestry at ITB.

He believes that by providing accurate data on forestry, the government will be able to work together with the public to save what remains of the forests.

"If people have accurate data but they don't care, then the ignorance would bring only suffering to everyone of us."