Endorsement sought for bill on water resources
Endorsement sought for bill on water resources
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The House of Representatives' working committee is working around
the clock to finish the deliberation of the water resource bill,
despite the mounting protests of nongovernmental organizations.
Committee member Erwin Pardede of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said on Friday no crucial
changes had been made to the original draft, which allows private
companies to control water resources for commercial purposes.
He said, as of Friday, 31 of 97 articles in the draft had been
agreed upon by both the lawmakers and the government, which was
represented by officials from the Ministry of Settlement and
Regional Infrastructure and the National Development Planning
Board.
"We will have to finish the deliberation at noon tomorrow at
the latest and submit it immediately to the special committee for
approval," Erwin said. "Besides we have to checkout tomorrow."
Some 50 legislators and government officials have been
debating the bill at the Imperial Hotel in the Tangerang area of
Karawaci since Monday.
A lawmaker who requested anonymity told The Jakarta Post the
special committee had asked for a plenary House session to pass
the bill on Sept. 23.
NGO activists have alleged the precipitation of the bill's
endorsement by the House is connected with the World Bank
disbursement of a US$300 million loan, under the Water Resources
Sector Adjustment Loan (WATSAL).
Erwin admitted he heard about the government's effort to
obtain the loan, but said "with or without WATSAL we need a water
resource law."
The Business Watch Indonesia (BWI) report says that under the
WATSAL scheme, the World Bank will disburse the loan in three
stages. The first $50 million was disbursed in June 1999 and the
second disbursement amounting to $100 was made at the end of
2001. The remaining $150 million will be disbursed once Indonesia
completes its water reform initiative, which includes the
enforcement of a water resource law that allows the privatization
of the water sector.
Nila Ardhani from the Indonesian Forum on Globalization
(Infog) said on Friday many NGOs did not oppose the bill, but its
articles that are prone to multi-interpretation.
"The bill, for example, does not strictly define to what
extent private companies are allowed to manage the water sector.
It also fails to guarantee people's access to water. Millions of
Indonesian people are farmers who rely much on water," she said.
She criticized the legislators and government for interpreting
public participation in water management as providing
opportunities for private companies.
"The House does not learn from the case in Jakarta, where the
privatization of the water sector has taken place but has failed
to provide enough tap water for people," Nila said.
The Indonesian Forum of Environment (Walhi) said that, if
passed, the water resource law would spark social unrest and
nationwide resistance because it would allow private companies,
both domestic and foreign, to control water resources --
including part of a river -- for their own interests.
"There will be the sharing of the control of water resources
among the private sector, so that it will close people's access
to water for daily needs and social purposes. The bill should
have anticipated conflicts over water resources," a Walhi
campaigner Raja Siregar said.