House throws weight behind Ladia Galaska project
House throws weight behind Ladia Galaska project
P.C. Naommy, Jakarta
The House of Representatives is throwing its weight behind the
controversial Ladia Galaska road project despite an outcry from
environmentalists.
"It's clear that the project has been planned in the interests
of the Aceh people as it is based on requests from 20 regents and
20 municipal council speakers in the province," said Karimun
Usman, the chairman of House Commission IV's resettlement and
infrastructure subcommittee on Wednesday.
Karimun said the Commission had also agreed to allocate some
Rp 200 billion for the construction of the road out of next
year's budget. The budget proposal is currently being deliberated
by the House's central budget committee.
Karimun made the remarks on the sidelines of a meeting on
Wednesday between the commission and a coalition of non-
governmental organizations opposing the road scheme.
Karimun said the project was needed to open up isolated rural
areas and to improve the economic lives of people in Aceh.
The government argues that the 470-kilometer road, which will
link the west and east coasts of the province, will stimulate
economic activity in the province's western coastal areas.
Environmentalists in Indonesia and abroad are concerned about
the adverse effects of the project as it will run through 100.16
kilometers of protected forest, and cut through 1.5 kilometers of
conservation forest, including the Leuser Ecosystem.
The coalition of NGOs questioned House Commission IV's
decision to back the project.
"We don't want a decision that is detrimental to the people of
Aceh," said Longgena Ginting, chairman of the Indonesian Forum
for the Environment (Walhi).
Longgena said the House members should be willing to issue a
joint statement stating that they are prepared to be held
responsible for any adverse consequences that arise from the
project.
Longgena added that if the project were really being
undertaken in the interests of the public, it should comply with
the prevailing legislation. As an example, he cited the lack of a
comprehensive feasibility study.
Law No. 23/1997 requires a feasibility study to be undertaken
prior to the start of any project that could have a significant
effect on the environment.
The project management failed to conduct a feasibility study
before starting the project in 2002. The study was only published
a year later.
Asked about the legal violations that had occurred, Karimun
said that the road project was "an exception" as it was meant to
benefit the people of Aceh.
"If corruptors are able to get pardons, how come the minor
oversights that occurred in the case of this project can't be
pardoned? Especially given that it is being undertaken for the
sake of the public," said Karimun.
During the meeting, the coalition also asked the Commission to
suspend the approval of Rp 200 billion in funding for the project
accountability report.