Disasters, state violence worsen in 2004: Walhi

Disasters, state violence worsen in 2004: Walhi

A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A respected non-governmental organization predicted on Friday a
gloomy outlook of the country's environment, forecasting
increasing natural disasters and continued violence directed
against tribespeople.

Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) executive director
Longgena Ginting predicted that disasters such as floods and
landslides would affect even more areas across the country this
year.

"These disasters will occur as a result of the environmental
destruction that has taken place in previous years due to the
government's misguided policies," Longgena told a press
conference to introduce Indonesian Environmental Outlook 2004.

He said the government's lack of commitment to the
environmental conservation would contribute to further disasters
this year. The water resources bill, permits for open-pit mining
in protected forests, sand exports, and the construction of a
road through the Leuser National Park in Aceh were among the
government policies that would speed up environmental destruction
in the country.

Walhi national council member Jhonson Pandjaitan warned of an
increase in state violence against local people who protested
against the government's environmentally destructive policies.

"If in the past the violence was perpetrated by the military,
now it is being perpetrated by the police and intelligence
officers," said Jhonson, who is also a lawyer with the Indonesian
Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI).

He pointed to a number of clashes involving members of the
state security forces working for private sector companies and
local people, including incidents in Porsea in North Sumatra,
Seseba, Central Sulawesi, and Bulukumba, South Sulawesi.

He viewed the government's new policy introduced last year to
allow more mining companies to operate in protected areas across
the country would trigger conflicts with local communities and
tribespeople.

In the latest incident, a tribesman was shot dead on Wednesday
and six were arrested when they, along with hundreds of other
tribespeople, protested against the operation of a mining company
in a protected forest in Halmahera, North Maluku.

To reduce the violence, Jhonson urged the National Commission
on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to form investigating teams to look
into a series of human right violations related to environmental
issues.

"Komnas HAM is usually quick to set up teams to investigate
political cases, but they are weak on environmental matters," he
said.

Another speaker, climatologist Paulus Agus Winarso, agreed
that the country was facing the prospect of more environmental
disasters as a result of global warming and continuing
environmental destruction.

"We suffer from a long dry season with little rain, but when
the rain does come it is very heavy indeed. We recently witnessed
storms along the north coast of Java," said Paulus, who is also a
member of the National Research Council (DRN).

He said that climatic unpredictability, such as extended dry
seasons and storms, was also the result of the El Nino
phenomenon, which would affect the country once again this year.