Real initiatives needed for fires

Real initiatives needed for fires

From Media Indonesia

Forest fires have been raging in Kalimantan and Sumatra for
the past two months. So far we have only heard and read the
statements of prominent government officials but no concrete
steps have been taken.

There has even been mutual finger-pointing among the officials
about inaccurate reports.

Last week, Malaysia sent a group of voluntary troops and they
have been doing real work in the Sumatra and Kalimantan forests,
as shown by press photographs.

We, in Indonesia, made a statement last week that the forest
fires constituted a disaster but no steps have actually been
taken to deal with the problem.

It has been limited to a statement and request for regional
officials to monitor the situation.

Media Indonesia went to print with the headline Forest fires
declared national disaster, government officials mobilized and
reported the assembly of 1,000 people in Waringin and the
forestry ministry's preparation of 560 crews consisting of 8,837
people.

However, there has been no action. What are we waiting for?
Should a seminar on forest fires come first?

SIMON LAKES

Jakarta