Govt supports Walhi lawsuit against companies accused of starting fires
Govt supports Walhi lawsuit against companies accused of starting fires
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The central and local governments expressed their support on
Friday for a move by the Indonesian Forum for the Environment
(Walhi) to file a lawsuit against 20 firms accused of starting
forest fires in Riau.
Herman Prayitno, the division head of forest fire prevention
at the Ministry of Forestry, and Ahmad Syah Harrofie, the head of
the Riau Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedalda), said
the lawsuit would encourage the enforcement of the environmental
law.
"If they have any evidence, just sue the companies," Herman
said.
Walhi said the firms started the fires by using the slash-and-
burn method to clear land.
He said there were fires in the Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper
(RAPP) industrial estate, but it was not clear yet where the
fires had started. RAPP was on Walhi's list.
"RAPP has been unable to contain the fires, and it has asked
us to get the help of fire-fighting teams from Thailand," Herman
said.
Ahmad Syah said the local government had also been
investigating the firms that were behind the forest fires, but he
refused to name the companies.
The firms said on Friday that they were not guilty of any
wrongdoing, but said they were prepared for the lawsuit to be
filed by Walhi.
RAPP, a subsidiary of Raja Garuda Mas, denied the accusation
brought forward by Walhi, claiming that the fires were set by
other people.
"The area that is burning, which is on our estate, is not our
land. It is land that belongs to the locals," Nandik, the
spokesman for RAPP, told the Jakarta Post.. "We do not know who
started the fires, but if you don't believe me just check it for
yourself."
He said RAPP had not used fire to clear the land for planting
since 1995.
Despite the denial, he would not ask Walhi to drop the
lawsuit. "We will look into the lawsuit," he said.
PT Arara Abadi, a subsidiary of PT Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper,
also denied the accusation, saying that it did not clear land by
using the slash-and-burn method.
"We have never used fire to clear the land," he said.
Walhi announced on Thursday its intention to file a lawsuit
against 20 firms and seven local governments in Riau for starting
forest fires and failing to contain them.
RAPP, Arara Abadi, Siak Raya Timber and Rokan Permai Timber
are major firms on Walhi's list.
Walhi will also sue the Pekanbaru, Rokan Hulu and Hilir,
Indragiri Hulu and Hilir, Dumai and Bengkalis administrations.
The government banned the slash-and-burn method in 1999, but
many firms and locals maintain the practice to save on the cost
of clearing land.
Meanwhile, in Medan, North Sumatra, a high level of dust
particles in the area caused more cases of acute respiratory
infection (ISPA).
The number of patients with ISPA in the capital city of North
Sumatra has increased by 20 percent from the period before the
haze.
The head of the Medan Health Office, Herman Shadeck,
acknowledged the rise in ISPA cases, saying that he had delegated
medical officials and medicine to all health community centers.
Firms sued by Walhi over forest fires: PT Hamidah Hamidi,
PT Sumatera Sinar Plywood, PT Arara Abadi, PT Esa Indah Timber,
PT Sri Buana Dumai, PT National Timber Industri, PT Rokan Permai
Timber, PT Bumi Reksa Nusa Sejati, PT Inecda, PT Multi Gambut
Industri, PT Sari Hijau Mutiara, PT Bhumi Reksa Nusa Sejati,
PT Priatama Riau, PT Rokan Permai Timber, PT Flora Wahana Tata,
PT Siak Raya Timber, PT Indowood, PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper,
PT. Rokan Permai Timber, PT Duta Palma Nusantara1.