Up in smoke

Up in smoke

How often we are reminded. How quickly we forget.Like a
recurring bad dream that is cyclical in nature, nations
in Southeast Asia are again clouded by thick haze from out-of-
control wildfires in Indonesia.

Neighboring Malaysia has declared a state of emergency after
the air pollution index rose to hazardous levels in its major
cities. Already, reports are coming in of families exiting Kuala
Lumpur to get away from the all-enveloping haze.

The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency in North Sumatra fears
that given predicted weather conditions, the fires could continue
until the end of this month. The agency has found nearly 550 hot
spots in plantations and forests in North Sumatra and Riau.

Given the size of this archipelago and the immenseness of its
forests, the occurrence of such fires is inevitable. But the
scale of the conflagrations over the past few years can only lead
us to conclude that they are the consequence of environmental
recklessness and bad management.

Too often the fires have been the result of land clearing by
either farmers or speculators. While slash-and-burn agriculture
is common among the indigenous populations, these fires can
spread uncontrollably in dry conditions.

Since the major forests fires of 1997 and 1998, which created
a region-wide crisis, various mechanisms and high profile
meetings have been held to set up a joint mechanism to manage
such catastrophes and provide early warning.

The repeated recurrence of fires proves that much of these
efforts simply don't work, or more precisely, haven't been made
to work.

Once the fires are out, the focus and resolve of governments,
especially ours, seem to immediately dissipate.

It is sad to say that the series of much-touted initiatives
has amounted to little more than grandstanding to temporarily
appease those affected by the haze.

Given that the fires seem to occur in a cyclical manner --
during the hot dry season -- such dangers should be anticipated
through stronger monitoring mechanisms.

Five hundred hot spots don't just appear overnight. A large
number could have been prevented with the proper tools and
commitment.

Meanwhile officials persist with the same old platitudes:
"Better coordination is needed," or "We will discuss the matter
with local officials."

These are not comforting words for the asthma sufferer who's
coughing his lungs out, or the hawker whose business has
plummeted because his customers dare not venture out.

Indonesian Minister of Forestry M.S. Kaban was right to
apologize to his Malaysian counterparts. This country is culpable
of poisoning the people of Southeast Asia.

What's needed now is a progressive action plan and the
allocation of resources in a way that is carried out irrespective
of whether the fires are burning or not.

This country has gone through five governments since the major
haze problem of the late 1990s, and there has been no improvement
to date. The Indonesian government should be bold enough to admit
its incompetence and concede that without international aid it
will be unable to prevent or properly deal with wildfires in the
future.