Labuan Bajo's Waecicu Beach Faces Environmental Emergency Amid Illegal Waste Dumping

The coastal area of Labuan Bajo, a super-priority tourism destination in East Nusa Tenggara, is facing an environmental emergency, with Waecicu Beach suffering severe damage from illegal activities. The Manggarai United Youth Organisation (PMBB) has sharply criticised the deteriorating condition of the shoreline, which is now littered with piles of wood waste, plastic rubbish, and shipbuilding debris, leading to pollution of both the waters and the surrounding environment. Obe Hormat, chairman of PMBB, described the situation on the ground as deeply alarming. “Waecicu Beach is the face of Labuan Bajo, a world-renowned super-priority destination. If left unchecked, this damage not only destroys the marine and terrestrial ecosystems but also degrades water quality, reduces tourist comfort, and tarnishes Labuan Bajo’s international reputation,” he told CNNIndonesia.com on Wednesday (29/7). He warned that illegal activities, such as the prohibited docking of vessels on the beach, prioritise short-term gain at the expense of the tourism sector’s future, which is the livelihood of the local community. Obe firmly demanded that local and central government authorities, along with law enforcement, immediately investigate these illegal activities. “Anyone proven to have violated the law must be dealt with firmly according to the applicable regulations. There is no compromise. Beyond enforcement, the government must also restore the damaged area and tighten future oversight,” he stated. He stressed that economic development must go hand in hand with environmental protection. “Progress must not come at the cost of the natural beauty that is Indonesia’s pride,” he added. PMBB also called on all elements of society and business actors to actively participate in protecting the coast, emphasising that maintaining cleanliness and sustainability is a shared responsibility, not solely the government’s task. The organisation vowed to continue monitoring the issue until a concrete solution is found. Responding to the complaints, Head of the Manggarai Environmental and Land Agency, Vinsensius Gande, promised immediate action, scheduling a comprehensive clean-up of Waecicu Beach ahead of the 17 August Independence Day commemoration. Meanwhile, West Manggarai Regent Edistasius Endi stated he would bring the issue of waste and ship debris along the coast to a regional coordination meeting to formulate a long-term handling strategy.