House urged to stop road construction

House urged to stop road construction

JAKARTA: Some 20 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) grouped in the Indonesian NGO Network for Forest Conservation urged the House of Representatives (DPR) on Wednesday to stop the construction of a road in Aceh that would damage forest areas.

They alleged that the construction of Ladia Galaska road, which cuts through protected forest in Aceh, would affect ecosystem around the Mount Leuser. The road designed to connect west and east coastal areas in Aceh would damage the conserved area in Mount Leuser.

The ecosystem is home to nearly 300,000 species, including endangered species such as the Sumatran rhinos, orangutan, Sumatran tiger, and elephant.

The NGOs include the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI), Consortium for Indonesian Forest Conservation (Konphalindo), Independent Journalists Alliance (AJI), JARI, Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL), and Committee for the Conservation of Aceh Environment (KOMPALA).

Three Cabinet ministers -- Kwik Kian Gie, Minister of National Development Planning, Nabiel Makarim, State Minister of the Environment and Prakosa, Minister of Forestry -- have warned the Aceh provincial administration of strong opposition to the project. -- JP