Develop, don't ruin: Soeharto

Develop, don't ruin: Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto reaffirmed yesterday
Indonesia's commitment to develop the country without destroying
its natural resources.

"We should develop without destruction," he said in a speech
commemorating National Social Solidarity Day and the simultaneous
launching of National Conservation Week in Lamreh village, Aceh
Besar regency, Aceh.

He also reaffirmed Indonesia's commitment to start exporting,
in the year 2000, only environment-friendly products from forests
which are managed to ensure their sustainability.

Soeharto acknowledged that the country has been benefiting
from forestry industry. "The income we have received from the
forest industry has not been inconsiderable," he said. "The
condition, however, will not last long unless we are willing to
re-green the forests and preserve them."

"We should manage our forests as best as we can," he said.

"As a member of the world community, we have agreed that,
starting from 2000, the forest-based products we export will have
to come from forests which are managed in a sustainable way and
bear the environmentally-friendly labels," he said.

Soeharto also called on the community to help maintain
national parks, which function as life-support systems for the
environment.

"One of the national parks which we're proud of is the Mt.
Leuser National Park here in Aceh...a home to rare animals such
as orangutan, Sumatra rhinoceroses, elephants, bears and wild
goats," he said. "I hope you will take good care of this national
park."

Economic programs

In an effort to link the preservation of natural resources to
the social solidarity campaign, the Ministry of Transmigration
has launched a number of economic programs to help farmers and
forest squatters.

The programs include loans to food farmers and to people
living near forests who can develop the areas. "The programs
should be continued so that...we can establish a rural community
which is economically strong," Soeharto said.

He reminded the public that forests which are potential food
producers should be managed to ensure food security and to help
the poverty alleviation programs.

Soeharto also used yesterday's ceremony to launch the
Prosperous Family Saving program, a financial assistance program
designed to help poor families improve their livelihood.

"This scheme is very beneficial to our efforts to help those
who are still living below the poverty line," he said.

He called on all environmental groups, farmers, fishermen,
social workers, youth activists as well as community leaders to
become "pioneers" and "role models" in pushing for a development
process that is nature-friendly.

Social Solidarity Day is the brainchild of Mrs. Siti
Hardiyanti Rukmana, the eldest daughter of President Soeharto.

It was held simultaneously with National Conservation Week so
that the people's "effort to re-green and conserve nature will be
even more successful, because it's done with a high awareness of
social solidarity", Soeharto said.

"Development needs strong social solidarity...(and)
development should be carried out while preserving natural
resources. We are not working to develop the nation for our own
interests only, but for the sake of the younger generations as
well."

The date Dec. 20 was chosen for Social Solidarity Day in
remembrance of the time in 1948 when villagers outside
Yogyakarta, then the capital of the fledgling republic, gave
sanctuary to independence fighters and the nation's leaders after
the city had been captured by the Dutch the previous day.

Their gesture allowed the fighters, including the young
Soeharto, to regroup and mount a surprise attack against the
Dutch, who thought that the republic's forces had been rendered
ineffective. (swe)