Farmers Still Setting Fires Despite Smog
10/2/97
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Headline: Farmers Still Setting Fires Despite Smog
Source: Reuters
Date: 10/2/97
Author: Jason Ellson
Copyright: Reuters Limited 1997
SINTANG, Indonesia - Peasants are still torching their land in this remote
corner of Borneo, despite the choking smog spreading through Southeast Asia
from hundreds of bush fires.
As they have done for centuries, smallholders set fires in parched scrub to
clear land for planting. They carefully stack up tinder-dry wood to make
the flames catch better.
Moving like ghosts through clouds of billowing smoke, flames flickering at
the end of long poles used as torches, farmers were systematically setting
fires when Reuters Television visited this village, 1,000 km (600 miles)
northeast of Jakarta, only two days ago.
The fire-setting on the Indonesian side of Borneo island, tells the story
of a village struggling to survive, regardless of the environmental
consequences and heedless of weeks-old government exhortations to stop.
The Indonesian government appears powerless to prevent indiscriminate
slash-and-burn fires in areas such as Sintang, located many hours away from
administrative centres.
"This is a protected forest. But it cannot be protected. The government
cannot protect this forest," said Pius (one name), a local resident.
"The government is responsible for this."
Similar bush fires across Indonesia are blamed for the smoky pollution that
has shrouded much of Southeast Asia for weeks, affecting health, business
and perhaps even contributing to a major air crash.
Hundreds of thousands of people are suffering from respiratory problems.
But for the villagers of Kalimantan, dependent on logging and farming for
survival, life must go on, even in severe drought.
Clearing the land for the next season's crop is part of the cycle of life.
"We blame the government because they haven't taken any precautionary
measures," said Agus (one name), a small farmer and landowner.
"Now that the conditions have turned worse with the smog and haze they
don't take any action," he said.
In the smoke around him, friends and their families tended their fires and
prepared the ground for planting after the embers turned from glowing red
to black.
The fires this year have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather
phenomenon, which has delayed monsoon rains and caused a drought.
The resulting smog has triggered an acrimonious region-wide debate over who
is responsible for the haze polluting the region.
Big logging companies blame small farmers and plantation owners. The
peasants blame big business.
Sintang, deep into the hinterland of West Kalimantan province, depends on
logging operations for its livelihood.
Big logging companies, many with close ties to the government and President
Suharto's family, have extensive interests in the fire-ravaged regions.
In Sintang, local logging managers put the blame for the fires squarely on
the shoulders of the farmers.
"There is no system," said Maddari Erwan, a logging company manager.
"They just burn as they like here and there. Even a cigarette butt in
conditions like this can ignite a fire.
"We are not to be blamed. If you are talking about burning in this area
then it is the farmers, that's all."