Environmental issues put on back burner: WWF

Environmental issues put on back burner: WWF

JAKARTA (JP): As Sumatra fires raise the threat of smoke haze,
environmentalists have criticized political parties for their
lack of commitment to conservation issues.

Hery Akhmadi of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), who
moderated a discussion between politicians and environmentalists
on Tuesday, acknowledged some parties had environmental
platforms, but that they were yet to release them to the public.

Nabiel Makarim, former deputy chief of the Environmental
Impact Assessment Agency and National Mandate Party (PAN)
politician, concurred.

"There is indeed an image that political parties are not
committed to preserving the environment as the Indonesian
Environmental Forum has said," he told Antara.

A representative of the National Awakening Party (PKB)
acknowledged his party did not have detailed plans on
conservation issues.

Political observer Arbi Sanit, who spoke along with Agus
Purnomo of the WWF, said nongovernmental organizations needed to
target local communities in the regions.

"Environmental issues are local problems, so advocacy must be
directed toward local chapters of political parties and
administrations.

"The environmental issues as local problems will gain
prominence once the law granting regional administrations full
autonomy comes into effect," he said.

The discussion was also attended by the Crescent Star Party
(PBB), the People's Sovereignty Party (PDR) and the Justice and
Unity Party (PKP).

Meanwhile, Antara reported from Bandarlampung in Lampung that
much of the province's 1.23 million hectares of forest had been
damaged and needed comprehensive attention involving local people
and authorities.

In a discussion on Monday attended by activists, scholars,
researchers, officials and students, it was revealed how
irresponsible land clearing became more widespread during the
reform era.

"Has the reform movement been misunderstood as authorization
for people to damage the forest as they will?" one participant
asked. "The ecosystem has become unbalanced and natural disasters
are now on our threshold. Protected animals lost their habitat so
they have been forced to foray into human settlements, to the
danger of humans themselves." a participant at the discussion
said.

The news agency reported that over the past several months
Tanggamus residents in West Lampung had been mauled to death by
Sumatran tigers forced to seek food away from their forest
habitat.

Heru Rahardjo of the Bukit Barisan Military Command revealed
an increase in illegal felling over the past several months,
resulting in the rampage of herds of wild elephants and the
deaths of several people.

In another report, Antara said the forest in Indragiri Hulu
regency in Riau province had sustained serious damage, after it
caught fire several days ago.

Forestry official Hassan said the 25,000 hectare Bukit Betabuh
protected forest, located on the border of Riau and West Sumatra,
has been burning continually over the past four days.

It was reported from Singapore on Monday that satellite images
showed a rise in forest fire "hot spots" in Sumatra, raising the
threat of smoke haze in neighboring Singapore and Malaysia.

Experts said the fires were close to logging tracks and
plantations in Central Sumatra.

Fires in Central Sumatra earlier this month sent Singapore's
Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) to its highest level in a year.
(swe)