Government to go ahead with Jatigede dam project

Government to go ahead with Jatigede dam project

Yuli Tri Suwarni and Nana Rukmana, Bandung/Indramayu

Despite being controversial, the government will go ahead with
plans to build Jatigede dam. Sumedang regent Don Murdono has
revealed that construction of the large, Rp 2.1 trillion (US$ 221
million) dam will commence in the near future, despite mounting
protests.

"There has been debate among the public. The government
believes that construction of the dam will benefit the majority,
so we will move ahead with it," said Murdono recently.

The statement came as public controversy over the planned
construction of the dam reached a peak. Rallies by different
groups have been held over the course of two weeks, with one camp
supporting the dam, and the other opposed to it. The first was
spearheaded by the Joint Communique of Jatigede Community, while
the second was represented by the Alliance of Agricultural Reform
and Jatigede People's Communication Forum (KFKR).

KFKR chairman Kusnadi, who opposes the dam, said that its
construction would benefit only farmers from other regencies,
while it would cause farmers in Sumedang, particularly Jatigede,
to incur losses.

He claimed that Jatigede farmers would lose 2,000 hectares of
land; in addition, the dam would claim a further 1,200 hectares
of land and forest belonging to state forestry company PT
Perhutani.

The losses have been a cause of concern for the farmers, as
their land is fertile, said Kusnadi. Jatigede farmers could
harvest rice three times per year and each hectare produced five
tons to eight tons of rice per harvest.

The protest by those in favor of the dam has been supported by
Jakarta-based non-governmental organizations, including the
Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi).

This camp has urged the government to stick to its plan to
build the high-profile dam as soon as possible.

Joint Communique of Jatigede Community coordinator Irfan Yudi
said construction of the dam would benefit some 100,000 hectares
of paddy field along the Java coast, particularly in West Java
province.

He said that if the dam were built in the province, it would
address the continual problems of drought and flooding in West
Java, particularly in Sumedang regency.

Meanwhile, Murdono claimed, in general, Jatigede farmers and
residents agreed with the plan to construct the dam. They were
simply demanding that the government pay them more in
compensation for the loss of their land, he said. The residents
demanded the government pay them Rp 1.1 million (US$ 115.8) per
14 hectares, but the government insisted on only Rp 900,000.

"If this problem can be overcome, the government could soon
proceed with construction of the dam," said Murdono.

Of the 4,890 hectares due to be flooded by the proposed
reservoir, only about 1,000 hectares remain to be acquired by the
government. The dam is targeted to trap 800 million cubic meters
of water and will cost the state Rp 600 billion. It is estimated
to be able to irrigate 97,000 hectares of paddy field, not only
in Sumedang regency, but also in the neighboring regencies of
Indramayu, Cirebon and elsewhere.