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