Government Promises to Accommodate People's Coalition Aspirations Regarding Water

The World Water Forum is considered to have not answered the issue of unequal access to clean water and poor sanitation.

KOMPAS/M PASCHALIA JUDITH J

Minister of Public Works and People's Housing Basuki Hadimuljono (center) and President of the World Water Council Loic Fauchon (right) met with the media after closing the 10th World Water Forum at the Bali International Convention Centre, Nusa Dua, Bali, on Friday (24/5/2024).

NUSA DUA, KOMPAS — As a result of the disbandment of the People's Water Forum, the aspirations of a number of community coalitions regarding water resource management and access to clean water and sanitation have not been in the spotlight. The government plans to invite the coalition to ask about their aspirations.

Previously, the People's Water Forum (PWF) which was held in Denpasar, Bali, was forcibly disbanded by members of community organizations, Monday (20/5/2024). PWF should take place from 21-23 May 2024, in conjunction with the 10th World Water Forum (WWF) or World Water Forum which will be held on 18-25 May 2024 in Nusa Dua, Bali . Based on information from the official PWF website, the forum aims to unite water justice networks and movements in the world in order to prevent an agenda that accelerates water privatization within WWF.

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono assessed that the presence of PWF is normal as long as it does not interfere with the running of WWF. "If there are aspirations, I will ask, come and invite them too. All parties are equal. Everyone can speak as long as they are not anarchists. "I also discussed with Mr. Luhut (Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment), in general activities are not prohibited as long as they don't interfere," he said when met after closing the 10th World Water Forum in Nusa Dua, Friday (24/5/2024).

KOMPAS/COKORDA YUDISTIRA

A group of people stood guard and blocked access to the hotel where the People's Forum on Water event was held in Denpasar, Bali on Wednesday (22/5/2024). The People's Forum on Water event series has been disrupted since Monday (20/5/2024).

Basuki continued, he had received information about PWF and discussed it with the President of the World Water Council Loic Fauchon. According to Loic, PWF is a community organization that is classified as hardline. However, both of them decided to allow PWF to enter Indonesia under supervision so that there would be no provocation to the public.

Also read:

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Pressure

On the other hand, the Director of the Bintang Gana Bali Foundation, I Nyoman Mardika, who is the organizing committee, said that the implementation of the PWF has faced intimidation and pressure since the preparation period. He admitted that intelligence officials, both from the police and the military, have repeatedly visited him, asking for the cancellation of the PWF in Bali. "If it is still held, the PWF activities are allowed only after WWF ends," said Mardika at a press conference in Denpasar, Thursday (23/5/2024).

He added that he has already conveyed that there will be no protests in PWF activities to the authorities who approached him. PWF is also not an action that damages Bali's image. The positive aspects of WWF will be appreciated. Conversely, if there is anything that needs criticism, PWF will criticize it.

KOMPAS/COKORDA YUDISTIRA

A group of people stood guard and blocked access to the hotel where the People's Forum on Water event was held in Denpasar, Bali on Wednesday (May 22, 2024). The Chairman of Bali Care Forum, I Nyoman Mardika (center), argued with the obstructing parties at the hotel gate where the People's Forum on Water event was held.

Meanwhile, National Coordinator for the People's Coalition for the Right to Water, M Reza Sahib, argued that WWF did not address the issue of unequal access to clean water, poor sanitation, and the increasingly massive groundwater extraction. "The water crisis in Indonesia is a crisis of management and policy because the state does not serve the rights of its citizens," he said in a press release received on Thursday, May 23, 2024.

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Civil society and academic solidarity in Bali assess that the issues with water and other resources, as well as human rights in Indonesia, are not in good condition. In a statement received on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, the civil society and young academic alliance in Bali condemned the acts of intimidation, violence, and disbandment against PWF. The statement was confirmed by I Nyoman Sukma Arida, who also participated in the civil society and academic solidarity in Bali.

Inequality

When closing the 10th WWF, World Water Council Vice President Eric Tardieu underlined the existence of inequality in the world that needs attention. This inequality is reflected in people who do not have access safe drinking water and sanitation as well as residents whose health is at risk because they can only get water of poor quality.

KOMPAS/IRMA TAMBUNAN

Residents still use river water to meet various needs, from drinking water to bathing and washing. The atmosphere at Seluro Kecil River, Muara Seluro Village, Raden Anom Hamlet, Batangasai District, Sarolangun Regency, Jambi, on Thursday (24/11/2023).

This statement is in line with the document "The United Nations World Water Development Report 2024: Water for prosperity and peace" which states, as of 2022 there will be 2.2 billion people in the world who will not have access to safe drinking water services. The number of people in the world who do not have access to sanitation has reached 3.5 billion people. Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs number 6 concerning clean water and sanitation has also been declared stalled (off-track).

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Therefore, Eric believes that the 10th WWF needs to ensure affordable access to clean water and sanitation for everyone. "We want to promote accessibility through sustainable governance, involving more communities, and building resilience to environmental change without leaving anyone behind," he said.

Ministerial level declaration

Amidst the 10th WWF congress, a ministerial-level declaration was approved stating the commitment to translate efforts in managing water resources and accelerating the achievement of SDG number 6 into policies and action plans. The declaration also included 113 projects and initiatives in this field from various countries and international organizations, with a total value of 9.4 billion US dollars.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Residents are transferring clean water from a tanker truck into water jugs in Gang Bulak Cabe, RT 006 RW 009, Cilincing Subdistrict, North Jakarta, on Friday (1/12/2023).

At the WWF-10 conference, Basuki also agreed to fund the drinking water supply system in the Karian-Serpong area with a capacity of 4,600 liters per second. The project's target is to provide access to drinking water for 1.84 million residents in Tangerang, Tangerang Selatan, Banten, and Jakarta. The project is valued at around IDR 2.4 trillion.

Also read:

• RI Reports 15 Sanitation and Clean Water Projects Worth 1.6 Billion US Dollars
• Infrastructure Financing Encouraging the Provision of Affordable Drinking Water for the Community

Loic plans to hold a meeting with Basuki on Saturday (May 25, 2024) to discuss the follow-up actions from the 10th WWF. According to him, the solutions and commitments that arose during the 10th WWF must not stop at the closing ceremony.

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing noted that there were 64,000 visitors and participants in the forum throughout May 20-24, 2025 at the 10th WWF. In the closing of the 10th WWF, Basuki and Loic announced that Saudi Arabia will be the host of the 11th WWF in 2027.