President orders quick action to stop forest fires

President orders quick action to stop forest fires

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie on Monday ordered
immediate action to stop forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan,
warning the country against a repeat of the 1997 fires.

Speaking to participants of the Environmental Management
Workshop at the State Palace, the President said he had received
reports on spreading forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. He
said haze from the fires was beginning to interrupt people's
activities.

"Therefore, related departments and institutions must as early
as possible coordinate to take steps to prevent the fires from
becoming more widespread," he said.

In 1997, the World Wildlife for Nature (WWF) and the
Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) estimated that forest
fires ravaged more than one million hectares of forest and shrub.
The government declared the haze a national disaster following
reports that about 20 million people, including children,
suffered from the long-term carcinogenic effects of exposure to
the smoke.

"We must ensure that our forest is not burned because of our
negligence. If this happens our environment will be more
damaged," the President noted.

In his report to the President, State Minister of Environment
Panangian Siregar did not discuss the problem, which is again
causing concern in neighboring countries. Speaking to reporters
after the ceremony, the minister said his office did not have
sufficient data on the situation.

However, he said nomadic farmers were the most responsible
party for fires in Kalimantan, with plantation firms responsible
in Sumatra.

Meanwhile, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Secretariat said in a statement on Monday, that its Regional Haze
Action Plan Coordinating Support Unit (RHAP-CSU) was intensifying
its monitoring of the haze situation in view of its reoccurrence.

In its report, dated Aug. 5, the body said a number of hot
spots were observed in northern Sumatra, including Riau and North
Sumatra provinces, and in West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan
provinces.

"Air and satellite surveillance shows that in these provinces
most of the fires were less than one hectare in scale and located
close to villages and other human settlements. However, some
fires were caused by plantation companies," the report said.

Malaysia, Singapore, and even Brunei have raised concerns over
a possible repeat of thick smoke which blanketed the region as a
result of 1997 forest fires. There are fears in Brunei the haze
may disturb the ongoing Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Bandar
Seri Begawan.

According to a TVRI report on Monday, residents in some areas
of Riau, including the provincial capital of Pekanbaru, have
taken to wearing masks as a preventative measure.

Data from the Ministry of Forestry and Plantations shows that
at least 475 hot spots were detected in Kalimantan and another 23
in Sumatra on Aug. 3, mostly in plantations and timber estates.

Pekanbaru authorities decided on Monday to temporarily close
kindergartens and again urged residents to use masks and stay at
home as much as possible. They said airborne ash particles had
reached hazardous levels.

The Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) ranged between 500 in the
morning to less than 100 in the afternoon in the city, said
Amrizal, a local official. Under normal condition, the PSI range
was between zero and 50, he said.

On Monday, fog also covered Batam island, which is 35
kilometers northeast of Singapore. Batam's Geophysics and
Meteorology head Subagiono, however, said the situation was still
under control and the haze level was normal.

Antara reported that for the past three days smoke has covered
Jambi, leaving the capital dusky. The official news agency
reported that at least 29 hot spots were being monitored there.

Head of Sultan Thaha Airport, Yuli Sudoso, said air traffic
was not affected by the smoke. (prb)