Environmental crime

Environmental crime

The Jakarta Post's June 9 issue carried a story titled
Environmental crime and graft: Evil twins written by Patrick
Guntensperger. He effectively argued that crimes against the
environment basically come down to a moral failure.

I have been appalled by the lack of concern many people have
on how pollution would impact their own health. The issue is not
awareness, and certainly education would likely not help. Many
U.S. educated people I know, who disposed of their trash properly
while living abroad, are now easily throwing trash out of their
car window in Jakarta.

What we need is strict, enforceable laws with severe and harsh
punishments in order for the people -- either the public in
general or industrial corporations -- to save the earth from
becoming a totally unbearable planet for our future generations
to live on.

The future of the planet depends on this, and thus, the
development of laws to deal with environmental crimes should be
taken seriously. To develop an adequate legal infrastructure, the
Office of the State Minister of the Environment would need to
coordinate its activities with the Department of Justice,
National Police, and local/regional authorities so that the
related legal products could be consistently implemented and
enforced.

Robust political will would also be necessary to ensure that
crimes against the environment did not escape the law. Will the
next government be able to do so successfully?

MAURA SOEPARJADI, Jakarta