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.