Local environment is never given enough attention

The World Environment Day, which falls today, is a reminder of the need to protect the environment. Below is a series of articles in commemoration of the day.

JAKARTA (JP): While the world celebrates World Environment Day today, the environment still fails to draw the full attention of our government, which places the economy and politics as top priority.

"At the moment, the environment is completely ignored, it is regarded an insignificant issue," said Emmy Hafild, chairwoman of the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi), an NGO for environmental protection.

"The environment is not an integrated part of development, but is merely an 'appendage'."

Everyone, she said, was busy thinking of how to put the economy back on track without seriously considering the environmental aspects.

She blamed the state minister of environment's lack of power as the main cause of ignorance. "If the minister has no power, how can the environment be considered a critical issue?" Emmy asked.

A ministerial position to oversee the environment was created in 1993. But it one of state minister, a portfolio without a department and virtually without power.

Walhi rejects the appointment of Panangian Siregar, an Indonesian Democratic Party politician, as the new state minister of environment. Activists protest that his hands are stained with blood from the July 27, 1996 incident when the Indonesian Democratic Party's headquarters were taken over by force following internal conflicts within the party.

"He's a dead card, it's impossible for us to cooperate with him," Emmy said of the new minister.

Suta Mihardja, an expert staff of the state minister of environment, declined to comment on the protests, but agreed that more power should be given to the minister.

"It's hard for the minister to implement his programs without much authority," Suta said.

"But don't expect people, or even the government, to prioritize the environment now ... the top priority is how to provide an adequate food supply for all," Suta said.

Sixty percent of his office's budget, he said, had been recalled by the government to help with efforts to provide staple food to the public.

World Environment Day dates back 26 years, with the first global meeting on the environment held in Stockholm.

This year's main theme is For the Life on Earth, Save Our Seas.

Indonesia will celebrate World Environment Day in a relatively modest way compared with previous years.

Every year at the State Palace, the president usually presents Adipura awards to towns and cities for their success in promoting cleanliness, and Kalpataru awards to individuals for their outstanding dedication to environmental preservation.

This year Kalpataru awards will be presented in each province, but there will be no Adipura awards.

"Starting this year, Adipura will be presented every two years. We also don't have enough money to invite winners of Kalpataru awards to the capital," Suta said.

The lack of funds could hamper environmental development, but this should not be an excuse to ignore the problems. Unsustainable development policies must be reviewed.

"We will urge the government to abolish policies that contribute to the destruction of the environment," Emmy said.

Emmy said the government should improve forest management, review the transmigration program and entirely stop the "irrational" one million hectare experimental peat moss farmland project in Central Kalimantan.

"We want the government to stop the project and rehabilitate the area for the sake of the environment and local people," she said.

Like Walhi, the World Wide Fund for Nature is also concerned about unsustainable development policies.

WWF will propose alternative policies to highlight the need to further protect the country's natural resources, according to Agus Purnomo, WWF chairman here.

WWF, he said, would also disclose its latest research on forest management where an economically viable method of land clearing is to be introduced.

Indonesia has been a target of criticism for its poor forest management, which has resulted in the destruction of parts of its forests. In March, it was reported that more than 127,000 hectares of forests in East Kalimantan had been razed by fire, causing more than Rp 2.2 trillion in material losses.

Indonesia has more than 144 million hectares of tropical forests, which are only one of the country's rich natural treasures.

With more than 17,000 islands covering 1.9 million square meters of land, Indonesia is the largest archipelagic nation- state in the world. Covering three million square meters of territorial waters and another three million square meters of exclusive economic zones, the country's seas hold immense resources.

But environmental destruction in and around our seas is right before our eyes.

Reports reveal that about 70 percent of 81,000 kilometers of Indonesian coastline has been damaged due to the widespread and continuing destruction of mangroves that protect shores and provide a breeding ground for various fish species.

The same is happening to the country's coral reefs.

A recent survey by the National Institute of Sciences shows that out of the country's 70,000 hectares of coral reefs, 41.78 percent of them have been damaged, 28.3 percent are in a moderate condition, 23.72 percent are in good condition and only 6.2 percent are in excellent condition.

The damage has been blamed on unsustainable fishing, such as fish bombing and cyanide fishing.

To help save our marine natural resources, WWF will propose the formation of one ministry, or agency, fully in charge of the marine sector, Agus said. At present, he added, numerous agencies were responsible for the marine sector.

"But, all will depend on the government's political will," he said.

Even though the environment is still not regarded a key issue here, in the spirit of reform, there is hope that the government will take real action to save the environment. (ste)