Polluting pulp mills fight to win people's hearts

Polluting pulp mills fight to win people's hearts

Ridwan Max Sijabat
The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Rony Gustam Kalfarisi, a 19-year-old talented but poor student of
the prestigious Pelita Harapan University in Jakarta, feels proud
of his success in winning a scholarship to take up undergraduate
studies in physics at the university, and postgraduate and
doctorate studies in the United States.

"We may be the happiest people in the world. We never imagined
it possible, but here we are, thanks to the Bhakti Tanoto
Foundation," Rony said on behalf of four students.

Before the announcement, Rony had been planning to help his
mother, Supartini, sell basic commodities at Sambu traditional
market, in the North Sumatra capital of Medan.

"I will not squander this golden opportunity. We are dreaming
of fighting poverty, developing a better future and contributing
something significant to the nation," he said, with tears in his
eyes.

Rony and the three other students -- Naek Sahata Nainggolan,
Moses Marpaung and Wahyu Ramadhan -- were admitted to the school
of physics at Pelita Harapan University last year, thanks to the
scholarships.

Yohannes Surya, chairman of the Indonesian Physics Olympics
Team, said Rony and his fellow scholarship recipients fared
"beyond average". They won the mathematics and physics Olympiads
in North Sumatra in 2002 and 2003.

"The four score grade point average at Pelita Harapan is
between 3.6 and 3.7," Surya said. "Several prestigious
universities in the United States have expressed their interest
in granting them scholarships to take up postgraduate and
doctorate studies there."

The foundation is funded by Sukanto Tanoto, the head of the
Raja Garuda Mas Group, and owners of PT Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL)
and PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP), two pulp and rayon
mills in Porsea, North Sumatra, and Pelalawan, Riau that have
been accused of polluting the environment.

Sukanto denied allegations the scholarships were part of
attempts to win over the people, particularly those of North
Sumatra and Riau.

"We established the foundation and provide scholarships as we
want to express our deep concern over the low quality of human
resources and expensive education in the country," he said.

The foundation has given scholarships to a number of students
and lecturers at several universities in the two provinces, as
well as in Java. In the coming years, scholarships will be given
to 10 talented students every year, from various fields, he said.

Rony, Naek, Moses and Wahyu received Rp 300 million
(US$31,578) each to finance their studies until they obtain
doctorate titles. The scholarships are not binding.

TPL, formerly known as PT Inti Indorayon Utama (IIU), was
involved in a dispute with locals in connection with the
destruction of the environment around the factory in the 1990s.

After a year-long suspension, the factory was allowed to
resume operations in 2000, with "a strong social contract" that
required the pulp mill to comply with the environment law, employ
local workers and carry out a social development program to
empower locals.

The scholarship recipients said they weren't obliged to pay
the foundation back for its assistance.

"The scholarships are not binding. We received them because we
deserve it. We are nor morally obliged to defend the companies if
they destruct the environment," said Moses, who graduated from
Balige state senior high school in North Sumatra, which is
located some 10 kilometers south of TPL's factory.