Tide Turning On Sea Sand Export Debate?
Janeman Latul & Teguh Prasetyo Jakarta Globe 22 Apr 09;
Indonesia’s Trade Ministry on Wednesday said it was evaluating whether or not to continue a 2007 ban on the export of sea sand to Singapore, a prohibition which has strained relations between the two countries.
“So far we are trying to get responses from the public,” said Albert Yousuf Tobagu, director of mining export commodities at the ministry. “We are including regional administrations and relevant government institutions as part of our recommendation to the ministerial meeting to make a decision on whether or not to lift the export ban on sea sand.”
When the restriction was imposed, sand was also being exported to South Korea, Japan and the Philippines, causing environmental havoc in Indonesia. As many as 24 sand-exporting companies threatened a class-action lawsuit against the government then.
“The sea sand exporters association has pushed the government to lift the ban,” said Aji Sularso, director general for sea resources at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in a telephone interview. “However, I think several ministries, including the Foreign Ministry, have not agreed to it because we have to evaluate whether the damage from lifting the ban is smaller compared to keeping it.”
The association was unavail able for comment on Wednesday.
Although Aji said exports have fallen dramatically, environmentalists say illegal dredging has hardly abated since Trade Minister Mari Pangestu instituted the ban on sand barges.
Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia, or Walhi, a local environmental watchdog, said that the entire Nipah and Sebaik islands have almost disappeared in the Riau region. Before the ban, Tulang in the Karimun Island chain, has lost 32 meters of beach to sand thieves.
Illegal activity in North Sumatra — particularly on the Cermin and Labu beaches — has continued despite the ban, with dredgers sucking up as much as 7,000 cubic meters of sand per hour. Dredging has also gone on unabated in Benkulu, Bangka Belitung, Lampung and West Sumatra, according to Walhi.
Environmentalists say Indonesia shouldn’t even discuss the possibility of lifting the ban.
“This is a nightmare for Indonesians and the environment, how could they do that?” said Muhammad Tegus Surya, chief advocate for Walhi. “We cannot let this happen The damage is really huge and it is not equal to the profit.”
Surrounded entirely by water, Singapore has grown from only 581.5 sq km in 1960 to at least 650 sq km and expects to grow by another 100 sq km by 2030 to accommodate housing estates and other facilities. The country has been using Indonesian sea sand to expand their land area.
Widespread reports in 2007 said the country had banned sand exports in an attempt to force Singapore into signing an extradition treaty so Indonesia could have access to corrupt bankers who fled Jakarta in the wake of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis. These bankers took with them millions of dollars in funds meant to recapitalize Indonesia’s banks.
Singapore has steadfastly denied that Indonesia used the ban in an attempt to force them to sign an extradition treaty and said it has observed the ban.
Albert said his office on Tuesday met with government officials from the Bengkulu regional administration, one of the major sea-sand producing regions, and representatives from the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs. Some regional administrations, especially from sand-producing coastal regions oppose the lifting of the ban because excavation has led to silting of their ports.
