Soeharto orders end to land clearing activity

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto ordered State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja yesterday to stop land clearing activities across the country which used slash-and-burn methods.

Describing this year's drought as one of the most severe in 50 years, Sarwono said at least 300,000 hectares of forest mostly in Sumatra and Kalimantan had been burned in the last three months.

"If this instruction is not obeyed, I won't hesitate in taking stern action against violators," Sarwono quoted Soeharto as saying.

He could not say how long the prohibition would last, but identified land clearing for big-scale plantations, industrial estates and transmigration estates using slash-and-burn methods as the ones to be halted.

Sarwono yesterday reverted to his original estimates of 300,000 hectares of burned forest, although he had previously revised the figure to 100,000 hectares.

Sarwono disclosed yesterday that punishment against violators would include criminal charges, revoking their licenses or publicly disclosing the names of those companies responsible.

Soeharto has assigned Secretary of Development Operations Lt. Gen. Hendropriyono to assist Sarwono in dealing with the fires.

Before his meeting with Soeharto, Sarwono met with 40 timber tycoons including Mohammad "Bob" Hasan, Prayogo Pangestu and Anthony Salim.

"They pledged to stop all land clearing activities," said the minister.

Sarwono said this year's situation is worse than 1982 when about two-million hectares of forest in East Kalimantan were burned.

The situation has been exacerbated by the prolonged dry season which is not expected to end until December.

"This year's drought is horrifying because indicators show that it is worse than in 1982," Sarwono said.

Satellite pictures indicate at least 1,053 hot spots, mostly in areas where big companies clear land for industrial estates, big-scale plantations and transmigration sites.

Sarwono shrugged off suggestions that small-scale farmers were responsible for the fires saying they were only "the sub of the subcontractors" of big plantations.

He had earlier said the fires were having an adverse affect on people's health. About 20 million people in Sumatra and Kalimantan are suffering respiratory problems due to the thick smoke.

"While the bosses of large plantations can just walk into their air-conditioned offices if it gets too smoky, those voiceless people have to take all the blame and suffer from the smoke," he had said.

The minister said big companies, mostly in Jakarta, intentionally burned the forests despite government warnings that their actions might lead to disaster.

"When we have meetings with them they always claim to agree and heed with what we say, but (outside) they continue burning the forests," Sarwono said.

"These are intentionally lit fires... Natural fires continue day and night, but satellite pictures show these fires stop at night," Sarwono said.

"The President is concerned about this situation. All ministers have talked about it, and governors too," Sarwono said. (prb)

Drought -- Page 2