Walhi criticizes minister

Walhi criticizes minister

MEDAN, North Sumatra: The Indonesian Forum for the Environment
(Walhi) said it regretted a recent statement by Minister of
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Rokhmin Dahuri that 463 locations
containing sunken treasure had been detected in Indonesian
waters.

The environmental group said the minister's statement could
cause a rush of exploration that would damage the maritime
environment.

Effendi Panjaitan, a member of Walhi's advisory council, said
here on Thursday the minister's statement provided encouragement
for parties to devastate the marine environment.

He said a new regulation was needed to control treasure
hunters in order to protect the environment.

The minister said recently his office had identified 463
locations in Indonesian waters believed to be home to sunken
treasure, particularly in the Malacca Strait and Java Sea. --JP