Mudslide disaster

Dec. 11, 2002 will always be remembered as the worst mudslide disaster ever to have taken place in Pacet, a mountain resort in Mojokerto, East Java. The minister of forestry and the East Java governor said the tragedy, which claimed about 60 lives, was a natural disaster, and there was no point in blaming one another.

Actually, local environmentalists had blamed forestry officials for other mudslides that took place earlier in the same area but the officials did not warn visitors the same catastrophe might occur following three successive days of heavy downpours. Apparently the wanton tree felling had contributed to the tragedy.

This country has been plagued by degradation of rainforests for the last three decades. Forestry management has not been effective despite several changes of ministers. It is saddening to hear that according to a university team, West Kalimantan would turn to desert by 2047 following illegal logging and the timber businesses.

M. RUSDI, Jakarta