Indonesia on the Edge of an Ecological Disaster, Says Walhi

The Jakarta Post
Monday, March 5, 2007

Indonesia on the edge of an ecological disaster, says Walhi

The Indonesian ecosystem is at stake, with both the country's
land and sea resources being dangerously exploited for business
purposes, threatening all efforts to preserve them for future
generations. Chalid Muhammad, national executive director of the
Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), recently spoke
with The Jakarta Post's Agustina Wayansari about the issue.

Question: How would you portray environmental conditions in
Indonesia?

Answer: We are at the edge of ecological disaster
because rapid environmental destruction is occurring everywhere
in the country. Our forests have been exploited through
destructive logging, industrial timber plantations and massive
conversion of forest land into palm oil plantations, as well as
through massive coal mining exploration. In coastal areas, the
land has been converted into fishponds and shopping centers.
Most of the rivers in places like Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and
Nusa Tenggara are in very critical condition, with a high level
of pollution and decreasing volume of water because of the
exploitation of water catchment areas.

Our sea is also facing a huge threat, with only 6 percent of the
country's total of 60,000 square kilometers of coral reef in
good condition. While only 30 percent of mangrove forests are in
good condition. Coastal erosion, which is occurring in more than
60 locations throughout 17 provinces in Indonesia, is also a big
problem.

Is it the legal system or the law enforcement that is
contributing to the environmental destruction in Indonesia?

I believe that the current exploitative policy has contributed
to the damage. We also haven't seen any political will from the
government, especially from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
to enforce environmental restoration programs, which I believe
can reduce the number of ecological disasters in the country. In
2006, we had 135 ecological disasters such as flooding,
tsunamis, earthquakes, forest fires and harvest failures. The
disasters have taken more than 10,000 lives, and left more than
one million people homeless. The total loss reaches tens or even
hundreds of trillions rupiah.

Our law enforcement is also very weak. The authorities still
haven't charged any of the key people in the top management
levels of offending companies or organizations, but are just
targeting the operational level. Even worse, courts have set
illegal loggers free in more than 70 percent of total cases.

I think the government needs to carry out fundamental
corrections in its forestry policy in order to eradicate illegal
logging. Currently, there is a huge gap between supply and
demand. While our forest capacity to supply industrial needs is
very limited, there is a high demand from the industry. Illegal
loggers will exploit the weak legal system and court mafia in
order to take the opportunity to supply industrial needs.

In this situation, the government needs to reduce demand and
restructure the forestry sector. It should start with
recalculating the total real need for wood in the country. Then
stop exporting wood. Our domestic needs should be fulfilled from
the remaining industrial plantations, and from imports if
needed. Then carry out a logging moratorium in the forests for
about 15-20 years. A moratorium would allow the forests a chance
to grow back. I understand it would be a shock at first, but
learning from China's experience, the shock will not last long.
The moratorium would bring many benefits in the long run,
including reducing the number of ecological disasters and the
amount of state budget needed to overcome the disasters.

How about the involvement of the authorities in illegal logging?

In some places, illegal loggers are those holding political
authority and power, including the state apparatus and military
officers. Political pressure sometimes occurs during the
process, making it hard for law enforcers to eradicate these
practices.

Is it possible to apply a moratorium here? How about its
economic impact?

I believe there won't be any major impact if the government has
an integrated plan. If the domestic supply isn't enough for the
forestry industry, many companies will be closed down and their
employees will lose their jobs. But jobs can then be allocated
in ecological restoration projects, which I think will need many
people.

The budget should not be a problem as currently we have
trillions of rupiah for reforestation programs.

How much forest area do we still have? How much of it is damaged?

I couldn't say exactly. But the most important thing is that the
level of forest destruction in this country has reached 3.4
million hectares per year since 2002. This year, it is predicted
to decrease to 2.8 million hectares. It's not because the
awareness among government officials or illegal loggers is
improving, but simply because the forest area we still have is
decreasing.

Illegal logging has cost the country around Rp 60 trillion,
which does not include illegal fishing and illegal mining. That
figure is far higher than our state budget.

Why do you think it is hard for the government to settle the
environmental problems?

It is hard to answer this question. My hypothesis is that if the
government imposes a breakthrough policy, it will have to deal
with a "political power base" that has made natural resources
their major source of income, either through their companies or
"fees" they get from companies.

Also, industrialized countries have major control over Indonesia
because many multinational corporations and transnational
companies come from these countries depend on Indonesia's
natural resources.

Government officials also lack awareness of environmental issues.

Could you explain the potential of our marine resources? What
has the government done to manage the marine potential, or to
prevent pollution?

So far, we have benefited from 60 percent of our fishery
potential. Our sea is the center for the world's biodiversity,
with more than 30 percent of the total mangrove and coal reefs
existing here. Most of them are in very critical condition
though and we have more than five million people living in
poverty in coastal areas. Our sea is currently threatened by
waste from industrial pollution, as mining companies seem to
target the sea to dispose their waste.

We have seen the conversion of coastal areas into fish
hatcheries, mostly owned by big companies, which have the
potential to destroy the environment and raise conflicts among
the people. We are also facing destructive fishing practices,
some of which are believed to have backing from political
authorities at both the local and national levels. Yet, we still
have a chance if the government takes immediate action and
enforces the law. And we are pleased that finally the government
has banned the export of sand to Singapore.

The environment is also a global problem. How do you see the
international role in Indonesia's case?

Indonesia has contributed a lot to carbon emission pollution in
the world, particularly from forest fires. ASEAN countries have
complained about the forest fires, but many of them are not fair
to Indonesia. Malaysia and Singapore, for example, protest a lot
about forest fires, but they say nothing when several islands in
Indonesia sink due to the exporting of the sand to Singapore.

I think Indonesia should improve its foreign diplomacy to
enforce an agreement on environmental issues. Indonesia, indeed,
needs to fix something internally, but those countries
benefiting from Indonesia's resources should also take part,
such as by refusing to benefit from Indonesia's environmental
destruction. Like Malaysia, some of the wood they get from
Indonesia is the result of illegal logging, which also
contributes to forest fires.

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