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WORLDWIDE
FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS
Indonesia:
Mega-Rice Project and "Free Logging" in Central Kalimantan
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Forest
Networking a Project of Ecological Enterprises
http://forests.org/
10/29/97
OVERVIEW,
SOURCE & COMMENTARY by EE
The
International Fund for Animal Welfare provides insightful
commentary
into the role that "mega-rice" projects are playing in
environmental
destruction in Indonesia. This
large-scale, destructive
and
environmentally insensitive development effort has opened the way
for
"free logging," where even conservation areas are at risk from
out
of
control illegal logging. In addition to
the incredible amount of
human
suffering caused by such short sighted development (of which the
recent
fires are an example of worse to come, if Indonesia and the
World
does not improve its forest conservation and management), the
orang-utan
and other creatures and plants are clinging to their right
to
exist amid ever increasing consumptive demands of Homo sapiens. NO
to
mega-developments in tropical forests and YES to real community
development
efforts which are environmentally sustainable and not
socially
damaging.
g.b.
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RELAYED
TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: Another Environmental Disaster Looms in
Indonesia
Source: International Fund for Animal Welfare
Status: Distribute freely with accreditation to
source
Date: October 10, 1997
Byline: Hasjrul Junaid, Asia Co-ordinator Tropical
Rainforest
Programme
----------------------------------------------------------
NEWS
RELEASE - NEWS RELEASE - NEWS RELEASE - NEWS RELEASE
----------------------------------------------------------
Brussels,
21st October, 1997
ANOTHER
ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER LOOMS IN INDONESIA
DEMANDS
FOR THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT TO RETHINK I MILLION
HECTARE
RICE
PROJECT
As
forest fires continue to rage out of control in Indonesia causing
untold
environmental damage, creating dangerous levels of air
pollution
for a huge surrounding area and destroying for ever the
natural
habitat of endangered orang-utans and other rare species,
Hemmo Muntingh
of the International Fund for Animal Welfare has today
launched
an attack on another Indonesian environmental disaster in the
making. In an open letter to nine Ministers in
Indonesia's government
he
criticises their handling of the Mega-Rice Project in Central
Kalimantan.
While
the forest fires in Borneo can be attributed to a number of
causes,
logging companies acting illegally, inadequate controls and
the
climate system producing conditions of extreme drought, the Mega-
Rice
Project is an entirely government inspired scheme to turn an
enormous
I million hectare area of peat swamp and forest into paddy
fields,
thereby destroying a major source of biodiversity and an
important
habitat for a large population of orang-utans and other
protected
species.
In his
letter, Hemmo Muntingh, Director of the Tropical Forest
Programme
for IFAW, expresses his grave concern that the findings of
an
Environmental Impact Assessment have not been released
independently
but through the Ministry of Public works which has a
vested
interest in minimising the report's recommended measures for
conservation
and nature protection in order to advance road building,
forest
clearing and construction schemes.
Despite
the involvement of no fewer than nine Ministries in the
administration
of the project and a Decree by the Ministry of the
Environment
earlier this year which stressed that there would be
responsible
management of this massive scheme, Mr. Muntingh cites
certain
disturbing aspects of the present state of affairs which have
emerged
through close monitoring of the situation, investigations in
the
field, and consultation with national and international experts.
*
Logging continues unchecked even in designated conservation areas by
so-called
IPK concession holders who are not only linked to the
lucrative
timber industry but also have powerful political influence.
* These
same concession holders with concessions to fell any standing
trees
have also been implicated in the recent fire-raising.
* These
logging activities have caused unrest in the local population
and
toxic substances used in the preservation of logs have polluted
the
rivers and water supply, leading to the extinction of fish and the
death
of protected animals in the area, including orang-utans, apes
and
honey bears.
* As
trees are felled or set on fire the forest dwelling orang-utans
and
long-nosed apes are forced into villages where the damage they
cause
encourages the local populace to capture and kill them
* The
competing demands of population and conservation create a
problem
which is constantly being shelved but which should be urgently
addressed.
Population migration into this part of Indonesia has
already
led to an acceptance of widespread illegal logging by former
concession
holders, by those who are supposed to manage the forest, by
migrants
and by the displaced local Dayak population.
In Hemmo
Muntingh's
opinion this "free logging" will be further exacerbated by
proposed
programmes to transfer people to this area as part of the
Mega-Rice
Project.
In view
of the problems surrounding the Mega-rice project and in the
light
of the recent forest fires, Mr Muntingh calls on the Indonesian
government
to abandon this ill-conceived project altogether and to
consider
alternative smaller-scale projects in areas already
devastated
by the fires, always respecting the necessary balance
between
development and conservation.
Failing
this, Mr Muntingh urgently calls on the Ministers to issue a
decree
establishing conservation areas within and around the Mega-Rice
Project
in order to prevent the worst abuses.
For his part, he offers
the
Ministers support in protecting the fauna and flora of the region
possibly
through a conference to draw up an integrated land management
scheme
for Central Kalimanatan and in the establishment of a research
Institute,
nature reserves and rehabilitation programmes to
reintroduce
animals into the wild.
Despite
past devastation, with the good will of all concerned, Hemmo
Muntingh,
is convinced that the ecology of this region can still be
preserved
for future generations. (Ends)
For
more information: Hasjrul JunaidTel/Fax: (31) 20614 7972
IFAW EU
Office
Tel:
(32) 2 230 9717
Fax:
(32) 2 231 04
-------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
to the 9 Indonesian Ministers on the Mega-Rice Project
-------------------------------------------------------------
To
The
Steering-team of the Peat Development Proyek of Central
Kalimantan
Chairman
Ir.
Drs. Ginanjar Kartasasmita
State
Minister for National Development Planning
Jalan
Taman Surapati no. 2
Jakarta
Pusat
Indonesia
Telefax:
00-62-21-334779
Members,
Ir.
Radinal Muchtar
Minister
of Public Works
Jalan
Pattimura no. 20
Jakarta
Selatan
Indonesia
Telefax:
00-62-21-7260769
Ir.
Djamaluddin Suryohadikusumo
Minister
of Forestry
Gedung
Manggala Wana Bhakti
Jalan
Gatot Subroto, Senayan
Jakarta
Indonesia
Telefax:
00-61-21- 5700226 /
5731820
Ir.
Sarwono Kusumaatmadja
Minister
of Environment/Head
Environmental
Impact Management
Agency
Gedung
Mentri Negara Lingkungan
Hidup
Jalan
D.I. Panjaitan, Kebon Nanas
Jakarta
Timur
Indonesia
Telefax:
00-62-21-8580301
Ir.
Siswono Yudohusodo
Minister
of Transmigration and
Forest
Dwellers
Jalan
Makam Pahlawan Kalibata no.
17
Jakarta
Selatan
Indonesia
Telefax:
00-62-21-7989895
Yogie
S. Memed
Minister
of Internal Affairs
Jalan
Merdeka Utara no. 7
Jakarta
Pusat
Indonesia
Telefax:
00-62-21-3812221
Dr. Ir.
Syarifuddin Baharsjah
Minister
of Agriculture
Jalan
Harsono M no.3
Ragunan
Jakarta
Selatan
Indonesia
Telefax:
00-62-21-7804237
Ir.
Sony Harsono
State
Minister of Land
Affairs/Head
National Land Agency
Jalan
Sisingamangaraja no. 2
Jakarta
Selatan
Indonesia
Telefax:
00-62-21-7250600
Dr.
Mar'ie Muhammad
Minister
of Finance
Jalan
Lapangan Banteng Timur 2-4
Jakarta
Pusat
Indonesia
Telefax:
00-62-21-3808384
Subject:THE
MEGA-RICE PROJECT IN CENTRAL-KALIMANTAN;
FOREST
FIRES AND THE FATE OF WILDLIFE
Brussels,
October 17TH, 1997
Your
Excellencies,
The
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is the largest
international
animal welfare organisation in the world today. With 1,8
million
supporters and offices in 14 countries around the globe, IFAW
works
to protect animals and the environment, to preserve animal
species
from extinction and to prevent animal suffering and cruelty.
Based
on the above mentioned mission, we naturally wish to express our
deep
regret at the forest fires that have recently plagued your
country
and, we would like to offer any assistance within our power to
relieve
the plight of the affected human and animal populations who
share
dependence on the same ecosystem.
In
light of our mission and mandate we also take the liberty of
addressing
you on an issue in your country, which causes innumerable
animals
to suffer and die and threatens some species with extinction.
We
refer to the Mega-Rice Project of 1 million hectares in Central-
Kalimantan.
As you
may know, the scientific community and nature conservationists
worldwide,
including those in Indonesia, were extremely concerned when
in July
1995 the Government of Indonesia (GOI) announced the
implementation
of this project because the allocated area for the
project,
actually almost 1.5 million hectares, makes up part of the
largest
continuous peat-swamp floodplain in western Indonesia and is
of
paramount importance for millions of plant and wild animals.
Peat
eco-systems are well known for their extreme fragility and are
important
in providing natural resource functions such as water
retention,
storage and supply, flood mitigation, erosion prevention
and
pollution control. They are also a major reservoir of biodiversity
and a
refuge for rare and endangered animals and plants. In this
latter
context the peat swamp forests of Central Kalimantan harbour
the
largest continuous population of Orang-utan in the world, more
than
half of those in the whole of Borneo. Other animals, also
protected
by Indonesian law, include Long-nose apes (Bekantan or
Nasalis
larvatus), Owa apes (Hylobetes agilis) and Kelasi apes
(Presbytis
rubicunda).
We, and
many others concerned with wildlife protection have tried to
understand
the implementation of the mega project in the context of
the
noble aim of the Indonesian government to maintain self-
sufficiency
in rice production for the nation, which was achieved in
1986,
and to consider whether the loss of an entire ecosystem
containing
countless plants and animals is justified in pursuing this
aim.
However,
this search for understanding has, unfortunately, become
largely
hypothetical since we are now horrified by the forest fires
which
have been raging in many parts of Indonesia for several months
and
have already caused the destruction which we fear. The fires have
not
only become the source of illness for people in Indonesia and
neigbouring
countries (especially, Malaysia and Singapore), but are
now, in
fact, the latest suffering caused by mankind to the enormous
numbers
of animals living in the forest, such as mammals, birds and
reptiles,
some of which are peculiar to Borneo and which are unable to
protect
themselves from human misconduct. We are especially concerned
about
the fate of the Orang-utan, particularly symbolic to your
Government's
efforts in animal protection, since its inclusion in the
Indonesian
and international laws (CITES).
We are
writing to you in relation to the fate of those thousands of
animals
living in the forests of Central-Kalimantan that cannot defend
themselves,
particularly in those areas included in the Mega-Rice
project.
The current forest fires, apparently also raging in this
area,
are yet another major example of how unsympathetic handling of
nature
has produced a repetition of the same catastrophic impacts in
Indonesia
as previous forest fires in 1983 and 1994. The existence and
life of
these animals now depends on your immediate and effective
intervention.
We were
relieved to learn that the Environmental Impact Assesment of
the
Mega-Rice project commissioned, by the Government of Indonesia
from
the renowned Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) was completed
at the
end of last year, although many experts, including those in
Indonesia,
have posed critical questions concerning its procedures and
therefore
its effectiveness. We sincerely hope, taking into account
the
effects of the latest catastrophe, that its findings and
recommendations
may at least form the basis for wise handling of the
project
in the future.
After
monitoring the situation for almost two years, undertaking
consultations
with a wide range of experts, outside as well as within
Indonesia
and conducting field investigations in some of the areas
affected
at the beginning of this year, we have come to the following
worrying
conclusions:
1. The
IPB's original EIA documents have not been made public to date.
What
has been circulating instead is the version released by the
Public
Works Ministry which commissioned the IPB study and is the main
implementation
agency for the project.
2. The
IPB's study concluded that 70% of the area planned for the
project
should be conserved for a range of environmental, economical
and
social purposes, one argument being that most of the soil is not
suited
for optimal and large scale rice farming purposes. We are
worried
that due to the increase in forest fires, the importance and
requirements
of wildlife and nature protection are being sub-ordinated
to the
establishment of infra-structure (e.g canal systems, roads),
forest-clearing
and settlements, even though this project involves
nine
ministries.
Put
another way, we are very concerned that the EIA recommendations on
conservation
made by the Bogor Agricultural Institute in its original
EIA
report are being downgraded by the Ministry of Public Works for
its own
operational and technical ends. It would also appear, that
relevant
ministries have not yet taken an active role in ensuring
rightful
implementation of these recommendations.
These
concerns are based on the fact that, despite the Decree by the
Ministry
of Environment on the Agreement of EIA, Environmental
Management
Planning and Regional Environmental Monitoring Planning
dated
May 23rd 1997, which emphasises responsible conduct in all of
the
Project's activities, we are still witnessing:
1.
unchallenged logging operations by the so-called IPK-
concessionaries
(concession to utilise standing trees), even in areas
such as
Sungai Jaya which have been recommended as conservation areas.
These
IPK-holders not only have links with the timber industry, but
also
have connections with powerful forces in the political sphere,
making
it difficult to excert control over their activities.
2. IPK
operations have caused unrest among local Dayak communities.
The use
of so-called "Racun-Ramin" (Ramin-poison) to conserve felled
Ramin
logs is not only responsible for the decrease and extinction of
fish in
the rivers over the years, but is now also believed to be the
cause
of severe toxic water pollution leading to the death of
protected
animal species such as Orang-utans, Bekantan apes (Nasalis
larvatus)
and Honey bears.
3.
these IPK concessionaries have also now been implicated as major
initiators
of the recent forest fires.
4.
logging operations and forest fires have driven animals such as
Orang-utans
and Long-nose apes (Bekantan) from their ever decreasing
habitats.
They enter village settlements and cause damage to gardens,
which
in turn leads to their capture and extermination.
5.
human population control and the designation of areas for
conservation
seem to be regarded as problems for the future only, even
though
the urgency for immediate action has become ever stronger.
For
some years a "logging-migration" of people from neighbouring South
Kalimantan
province and Java, has posed another threat to the forests
as
illegal logging has become an "acceptable activity" while the
forests
are regarded as a "no-man's land", especially since forest
management
has been handed over to the IPK-holders. We are worried
about
the impact upon the forests of the coming transmigration
programmes
to the mega project areas and doubt that any of the present
forest
can be conserved if these go ahead.
Fromour
investigations, we conclude that a situation of "free-
logging"
has been taking place for some years, instigated by IPK-
holders
and using former transmigrants and local Dayaks who have
become
more marginalized. All of this will jeopardise your policy for
sustainable
forest management and the future implementation of
wildlife
conservation and protection. Added to the effects of this
situation,
the current forest fires have not only disturbed and
ravaged
the forests, but have also drastically and irreversibly
decreased
nature.
We are
still convinced, however, that sustainability, as has often
been
stated by government officials, will be the key word for the
Government
of Indonesia and that nature conservation will be given
appropriate
attention throughout the country.
With
regard to the Mega rice project we therefore, respectfully, bring
to your
attention some proposals or suggestions which could lead to a
"win-win
situation" both for the economic and social position of the
people
involved, and for nature.
First
of all, we suggest, that in the light of the recent forest
fires,
the Indonesian Government seriously consider abandoning the
Mega-Rice
project altogether and look for other suitable areas. It
might
very well be that, after a complete picture of the effects of
the
fires has been established, other areas previously considered
unsuitable
will have altered so drastically that they might now serve
as
alternatives in the form of smaller scale schemes.
Learning
from the previous approach to the Mega-Rice project, we would
now
like to stress that search for alternative areas should be
conducted
carefully, taking into account the balance between
development
and nature conservation.
Secondly,
if this proves not to be a solution we urge you to use your
power
and influence to issue a decree, as a matter of urgency, which
will
authorise and legalize the establishment of conservation areas
within
and around the Mega-Rice Project. This decree should be made as
soon as
possible both in order to stop the activities described above
and to
prevent further mass cruelty to animals by mankind on
Indonesian
soil. The urgency of this decree is warranted by the fact
that,
as a consequence of the fires, Indonesia's nature has been
devastated
and will take a long time to recover, if at all. This is in
the
interest of people as well nature itself.
For our
part, we will be glad to offer you any support we can to
assist
the implementation of the above mentioned requests. Examples of
this
could be: the organisation of a conference to be held in your
country
where both Indonesian and international experts could give
their
opinion and advice on how to foster an integrated land
management
scheme in Central Kalimantan, in which all positive
environmental,
social and economic factors could be combined into a
really
effective sustainable management of the region.
Other
practical examples of how we might try to assist you are: the
establishment
of an ecological planning institute consisting of
Indonesian
and international experts, the establishment of a natural
peat
research centre, nature reserves, rehabilitation programs and
stations
for animals where they can be prepared for reintroduction
into
the wild.
Despite
the negative effects of past exploitation and the recent
devastation
caused by forest fires, we are convinced, that with good
intentions
and timely actions from all concerned parties, the
ecological,
social and economic value of this region can be retained
for
future generations.
Your
sincerely,
Hemmo
Muntingh
Director
Special Projects, IFAW
Honorary
Member of the European Parliament
Founder,
Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced
Environment
(GLOBE)
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