Dealing with the haze
Just as many of us feared and expected, the haze hazard, caused by the uncontrolled burning of forest and brushfires in a number of areas across Indonesia, is back with us again. Some experts even believe that given predictions of a hotter and longer dry season this year, the threat of severe air pollution in a number of regions in and around this country could well be worse this time than in 1997.
To give a rough idea of what all this connotes, it may be helpful to cite a number of facts concerning the 1997 forest and brushfires, as observed by Indonesia's best known environmental watchdog, the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi). According to the Walhi report, the 1997 fires destroyed about 10 million hectares (24.7 million acres) of forest, concessions and plantations, causing a total loss of Rp 60 trillion (US$8.8 billion).
For six months, smoke from the fires blanketed an area of three million square kilometers, including Singapore and parts of Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Australia, as well as Indonesia. In the areas affected, the haze disrupted transportation and various other aspects of the population's normal daily life and wreaked havoc on those countries' tourism. Walhi warns that given this year's predicted drier weather conditions, it could take just one month for the disaster to develop the devastating levels of two years ago.
Already this week, with visibility reduced to 200 meters, the haze compelled authorities in Riau province on the island of Sumatra to declare a state of emergency for land, sea and air traffic. The Riau office of the Ministry and Forestry and Plantations acknowledged that the haze was obstructing safe traffic in the Strait of Malacca. By yesterday, meanwhile, officials reported a further reduction of land visibility to only 100 meters in Riau's provincial capital of Pekanbaru. As in 1997, people were advised to wear masks and not to venture outside their homes unless absolutely necessary.
Amid all this, official reports concerning the magnitude of the disaster remain confusing to say the least. Walhi said earlier this week that satellite images from the beginning of August indicated 341 hot spots existed on the island of Sumatra and 100 in Kalimantan, citing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data. According to an official of the National Space and Flight Agency, however, satellite imaging showed 60 hot spots in Kalimantan and only eight in Sumatra, although he added that heavy cloud formations were obstructing proper imaging.
Whatever the case may be, this recurrence of the 1997 environmental disaster sends out a clear signal that much more serious attention must be given to the preservation of our environment -- our forests in particular. While logging companies, plantation owners and others must be held responsible for the proper management of our environmental resources, the main responsibility rests with the government.
Unfortunately, thus far the government has done little to rebuff the impression that it has concern for environmental matters. But while the statistics of the damage done may serve as a warning of the danger that is threatening one of our most priceless natural resources, the protests that have been raised by neighboring governments and environmentalists all over the world over our handling of our forest resources is something which our authorities cannot ignore.
Already, there are reports of foreign companies threatening to boycott Indonesian palm oil products unless the government effectively stops the widely used slash-and-burn method of land clearing for agriculture. Brunei is reported to be threatening to sue Indonesia for the haze problem it is causing in its airspace and other fellow members of ASEAN are complaining -- so much so in fact, that it is not too far-fetched to imagine it could erode ASEAN's cherished principle of noninterference.
What all this amounts to is that it is high time that all Indonesians, and notably the government, become aware of the magnitude of the problem and start summoning a greater sense of urgency to protect our environment -- not for the good of this country alone, but for the region and the world.