Rights commission to handle high voltage complaints

Rights commission to handle high voltage complaints

JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights agreed
yesterday to go to the government with the complaints of
residents affected by the construction of high voltage cables in
their areas.

Commission member Roekmini Koesoemo Astoeti told leaders of
six non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who represent the
affected residents that she would help find a solution to their
problems if she has to bring it all the way to the minister.

This is not the first time that such complaints have reached
the commission. The commission's previous appeals to PT PLN, the
state-owned electricity company, to resolve the problems were
largely ignored.

This time, Roekmini said she would take the matter to the
minister who supervises PLN.

The six activists taking part in yesterday's meeting were
Ifdal Kasim of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy
(ELSAM), Sulaiman N. Sembiring of the Indonesian Center for
Environmental Law (ICEL), Nunna Widagdo of the International NGOs
Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID), Leonard Simanjuntak of
the Pelangi Foundation, Arimbi Horoepoetri of the Indonesian
Forum for the Environment (Walhi) and Dadang Trisasongko of the
Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI).

Asmara Nababan of the rights commission also joined the
discussion.

During the meeting, the NGO activists said there are at least
six cases where the construction or presence of high voltage
cables are endangering or causing severe discomfort to residents.

The residents are from Kiaracondong in Bandung, Singosari in
Gresik, Sei Tuan in Deli Serdang, Ciledug in Tangerang, Waled in
Cirebon, Kanayan and Koreng in Tarerang.

The NGOs said the government should avoid building high
voltage cables over residential areas, because such projects
could be hazardous to one's health.

In a press statement, the NGOs said many of these projects
lacked transparency and that people are not informed about them
in advance.

Acknowledging the increasing demand for electricity in the
country, the NGOs said:

"It is regrettable if this has to come at the expense of
violating human rights. There have been cases of rights
violations in the construction of electricity transmission
networks, such as the cases in Kiaracondong in Bandung and
Singosari in Gresik."

In the case of Singosari, the 82 families have agreed to move
out provided that they are properly compensated.

Among the health complaints often cited by residents were
headaches, insomnia and other illnesses.

And while experts are still debating whether these complaints
originated from the high voltage cables, the mere presence of
these cables has been creating a feeling of insecurity among the
residents, the NGOs said. (03)