Mangrove to shield Aceh coastal towns

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The government's master plan for the redevelopment of Aceh calls for planting mangrove trees along devastated coastal towns such as Banda Aceh, Meulaboh and Calang, and constructing public housing and office buildings far inland.

The plan was unveiled by National Development Planning Board chairwoman Sri Mulyani Indrawati following a limited Cabinet meeting on Aceh led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the State Palace on Friday.

Sri noted that in the master plan, the government would divide each coastal town affected by the tsunami into three zones: the totally devastated zone, the less devastated zone with building structures still intact, and the least devastated zone.

For the first zone, the government plans to reforest the areas with mangrove trees.

Aceh's original mangrove forests disappeared long ago. If necessary, the government will develop dams in these zones as well, Sri said.

The government plans to develop the second zones with agricultural businesses and fisheries, city gardens and limited housing complexes.

In addition, the government will rebuild roads linking the east and west coasts of the province, as well as roads running north and south.

The master plan is subject to revision and should be finalized within a month.

"It is the government's responsibility to draft this master plan. Should any individual or private entity want to make another master plan, they can consult with the government," Sri said.

She did not identify by name any individuals or private entities, but a recent report said the military-linked Artha Graha Group, in cooperation with a local administration, planned to redevelop Meulaboh on the west coast of Aceh.

The government, Sri said, was inviting the public to participate in drafting redevelopment plans.

A number of Acehnese leaders and community figures also attended Friday's limited Cabinet meeting on Aceh. They included acting governor Azwar Abubakar, Muslim Ibrahim of the Ulema Consultative Council, ulema Daud Zamzani, Syah Kuala University Rector Abdi Awahab, councillor Sayid Fuad Zakariah and academic D. Djunaid.