Amid public demands for action against those who set forest fires, President Joko Widodo said he believed forest fires in Riau involved organized, deliberate acts. This was indicated by the extent of the fires.
By
·5 minutes read
PEKANBARU, KOMPAS – Amid public demands for action against those who set forest fires, President Joko Widodo said he believed forest fires in Riau involved organized, deliberate acts. This was indicated by the extent of the fires.
President Jokowi made the statement during a visit to the site of a forest fire near Merbau village, Bunut district, Pelalawan regency, Riau, on Tuesday (17/9/2019). The National Police and the Environment and Forestry Ministry are investigating the cause of the fires.
“We will see whether this is organized crime or involves locals who just want to clear land. Looking at the massive area affected, [I believe] this is organized,” the President said.
On the second day of his visit, President Jokowi visited an area where a massive peatland fire was raging in Pelalawan. He was accompanied by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto, Environment and Forestry Minister SitiNurbayaBakar, Public Works and Housing Minister BasukiHadimuljono, Social Affairs Minister AgusGumiwangKartasasmita, Cabinet Secretary PramonoAnung, Indonesian Military Commander Air Chief Marshal HadiTjahjano, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian, Riau Governor Syamsuar and National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) chief DoniMonardo.
Once it happens, [a fire] is difficult to fight.
The President said the massive peatland fire led him to suspect that the fires were intentional and organized. At the same time, the President questioned government agencies’ slow response in preventing the fires. “Once it happens, [a fire] is difficult to fight,” the President said.
Siti said that signs of intentional fire were seen in Merbau village, which has water canals and shallow reserves of groundwater. The peatland was quite wet. The location has been sealed by the Environment and Forestry Ministry for three days.
“Early indications show that the fires are on land belonging to locals. However, my ministry’s law enforcement team is investigating this as there are indications of private company involvement. The land is near private company land,” Siti explained.
Extra work is required in firefighting efforts. Military and police personnel have been deployed to help put out the peatland fire near Merbau village. Firefighting efforts have been going on for around a month.
In Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel have worked at the GuntungDamar forest and peatland fire post near Syamsudin Noor Airport for a month. They continue to drench smoldering peatland. “We have deployed more than 600 personnel to the location,” South Kalimantan Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head Wahyuddin said.
Prevention necessary
During his visit, President Jokowi reemphasized the importance of prevention efforts. He requested the commitment of village heads, district heads, regents, village supervisory non-commissioned officers (Babinsa), village-level security and public order advisors (Babinkamtibmas), police precinct chiefs and subdistrict military commanders to stand on the front line of preventing forest and peatland fires.
House of Representatives Speaker BambangSoesatyo said regional governments should play bigger roles in preventing forest and peatland fires. The Golkar Party politician encouraged the Environment and Forestry Ministry and regional governments to work together in preventing fires.
In South Kalimantan, firefighting efforts are focused on drenching peatland near Syamsudin Noor Airport. In the past two days, smog near the airport has been less dense in the morning. Smog no longer disrupted air traffic like on previous days.
In West Kalimantan, the Pontianak city administration has prepared seven 24-hour oxygen shelters. Pontianak Mayor Edi RusdiKamtono said the shelters had been in operation since Monday to anticipate the need of locals exposed to smog.
Shelters are located at the Pontianak Health Agency office, the KampungDalam Community Health Center (Puskesmas), Kalianyang Puskesmas, KampungBangke Puskesmas, Gang Sehat and SiantanHilir.
Law enforcement
In Jakarta, the National Police named 218 individuals and five companies suspects in 196 forest and peatland fires in seven provinces. The cases involve 2,777 hectares of forest and peatland.
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. DediPrasetyo said law enforcement involved seven provincial-level police offices, namely those of Riau, South Sumatra, Jambi, South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan and East Kalimantan. Of these police offices, the Central Kalimantan Police is handling the largest amount of cases at 57.
In Palembang, around 500 students of several universities in South Sulawesi under the banner of the South Sumatra Alliance against Smog (G. ASMA) held a protest in front of the South Sumatra governor’s office on Tuesday. They demanded the government and the police act firmly against companies behind the disaster.
A clash occurred when South Sumatra Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Rudi Setiawan attempted to board a student pickup, reportedly to try to calm down protesters. Three students sustained head injuries in the clash.
In Jakarta, nature conservation group World Wide Fund for Nature Indonesia (WWF Indonesia) proposed that the President declare a forest and peatland fire emergency. It said the move would increase the awareness of central and regional governments, the public and companies to make them take forest and peatland fire prevention seriously.
A forest and peatland fire emergency is deemed to be appropriate as parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan are covered in smog. The nation’s dignity is at stake.