Nation concerned over forest fires, says Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto reiterated yesterday the country's concern over the ongoing national disaster of fires that were still razing the nation's forests.

He also said Indonesia was suffering from a currency turmoil where the rupiah continued to fall against the U.S. dollar. In order to cope with the unfavorable situations, the nation did not have any choice but to work harder to resolve everything that hampered development, he said.

"We are now working hard to solve the monetary crisis, and we are also working hard to control the forest fires causing haze that has spread everywhere," Soeharto said in his address at a meeting of Karang Taruna youths in Malang, East Java.

Karang Taruna is a government-sponsored youth organization which has branches in every village throughout the country.

The rupiah has dropped about 40 percent against the U.S. dollar since July.

The government was forced last month to either postpone or review 156 government and state-related projects worth US$38 billion.

Meanwhile, fires continue to raze Indonesian forests, although rain has reportedly begun to fall in some parts of North Sumatra and East Kalimantan.

The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency forecasted last week that rain might pour next week in several parts of Sumatra, including South Sumatra, Bengkulu and Jambi, while Riau was expected to enjoy rain earlier. However, Lampung would not likely see rain until the third week of this month.

It is forecast that rain will also fall in Kalimantan next week, especially in East and South Kalimantan.

In a related development, East Kalimantan authorities said they would distribute 20,000 free facial masks this week to local people of the province where at least 10,000 people had suffered from acute respiratory problems caused by the haze.

"Although rain has begun to fall in some locations, air pollution is still alarming here," Antara quoted East Kalimantan Vice Governor Suwarna Abdul Fatah as saying yesterday.

In this province, fires have razed at least 25,821 hectares of forest, mostly owned by big firms, during the dry season.

Police deployed 150 Mobile Brigade personnel to combat fires razing 8,880 hectares of forest in Jambi.

"The haze condition here is very worrisome, and we need to boost efforts to reduce people's suffering," Jambi Police Chief Col. Priestewa said on Wednesday.

In Central Sulawesi, 900 hectares of productive forest were damaged by fires on Monday.

Assistance

Indonesia has not been left alone in its fight against forest fires. Malaysia sent a team of 1,000 firefighters to extinguish the fires in several parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan early last month.

Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer announced on Monday that his country would provide an initial A$1 million to assist Indonesia in tackling health problems caused by the haze.

"I have also instructed to investigate whether Australia can assist in aerial water bombing," Downer said in New York.

The Japanese government presented a supply of items worth US$80,375 to the Indonesian Red Cross on Monday to be used to help people suffering from the haze. Japan previously donated 300 portable water cannons to the Indonesian government.

South Korea donated $100,000 last month, and Canada offered to send consultants on forest fire management. The British government donated $70,000 to help fire victims.

The American government has informed Jakarta about its plan to send food and humanitarian assistance to Irian Jaya, where almost 300 people have died of drought-related diseases.

But the haze continues to hinder many relief operations.

AFP reported that Thailand was prepared to send water bombers and helicopters to Indonesia.

Singapore offered three Hercules planes and bulldozers to be used to combat the fires. Indonesia rejected the bulldozers for practical reasons.

The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team pledged to give medical equipment and medicine worth $67,000 to Indonesia. (prb/aan)