Kupang the dirtiest city

When they hand out the 2005 Adipura environmental awards, Kupang should be named the dirtiest city in Indonesia (The Jakarta Post, Dec. 1). I trust the selection panel will assess all aspects of a city's environment, including noise, use of green zones, the state of the infrastructure, public sanitation facilities, traffic conditions, etc.

If the Adipura environmental awards aim to improve overall living conditions in our cities, Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara province, must top the list as the dirtiest city based on the aforementioned mentioned criteria.

The city must even be an affront to the livestock that roam its streets trying to avoid the ever increasing number of ojek and bemo (largely unregulated, uncontrolled and flouting traffic regulations with impunity), who are fighting for a living and making traffic conditions like a scene from hell!

The city does not even have a half-functioning water supply! Environmental and social conditions in this city have deteriorated enormously over the past decade, resulting in living and working environments that no citizen should have to endure.

Since the introduction of regional autonomy and the emergence of a new order of kleptomaniac politicians, civil servants and NGO activists conditions have declined rapidly.

In a recent article in the Pos Kupang newspaper, the deputy mayor of Kupang said he did not know the details of expenditures for projects in Kupang, explaining that is the sole prerogative of the mayor, S.K. Lerik, and nobody else. S.K. Lerik, with a solid military background and an impeccable New Order pedigree, has been able to stay in power (for the lack of a better expression) and maintain the status quo for nearly 25 years.

Of course, a healthy democracy and a healthy city environment usually go hand in hand. I would suggest to the government that it not expect Kupang to make the list of the 50 cleanest cities by 2008; 2058 is a more likely target date for this city.

HENRY F MANOE, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara