Fish farmers disappointed with compensation

Fish farmers disappointed with compensation

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The compensation the city administration paid to fish farmers in
Cilincing subdistrict, North Jakarta, for losses due to pollution
from a temporary dump was totally inadequate and snacked of
corruption.

Adding insult to injury, the farmers branded the
administration's bid to stop further pollution from the dump a
failure.

The administration gave the farmers Rp 217 million (US$25,530)
in compensation, far below the Rp 774 million they had demanded.
The amount had to be shared with fish farmers from Marunda beach,
meaning that each farmer received only Rp 2 million on average.

"We are very disappointed with the compensation scheme in
which we are bundled together with farmers from Marunda. We are
the ones who stood up against the pollution," Cilincing fish
farmers spokesman Edi Jubaidi said on Sunday as quoted by Antara.

Azas Tigor Nainggolan of the non-governmental organization
Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta), who represented the fish farmers
in negotiating with the administration, alleged irregularities in
the distribution of the compensation by the City Fisheries
Agency.

"As far as Fakta is concerned, we only gave advocacy services
to 26 farmers. We don't know how Marunda farmers could be
included in the list of those who are eligible for compensation,"
he told The Jakarta Post.

He accused the agency officials of coming up with fictitious
names to secure the largest sum of money from the compensation.

"Even if the names exist, I am extremely doubtful the
pollution could reach Marunda beach. Therefore, fishermen in that
area should not be eligible to receive compensation," Tigor said.

He called on the Jakarta Police to immediately investigate the
alleged funds misuse.

Edi said the compensation money from the administration would
only be enough to cover the cost of cleaning up their polluted
ponds.

"The administration officials claimed the money would be
enough to buy fish, fertilizers and nutrients, completely
contrary to the facts," he said.

Edi said the farmers had to drain their ponds three times
before they were clean enough to restart fish breeding.

He was concerned runoff from the dump would continue and said
the administration's cure of building a concrete wall separating
the dump from the fish ponds was not working.

"Liquid waste in the dump easily breaches the walls during
heavy rains."

The administration closed down the dump in Cilincing last
month following strong protests from the farmers and complaints
from the Office of the State Minister of the Environment about
pollution in the area.