RANDY FABI AND KANUPRIYA KAPOOR Reuters 27 Oct 15;
Indonesia is considering declaring a national emergency over fires that have been smoldering across the archipelago for weeks, sending haze drifting across much of Southeast Asia, the vice president said on Tuesday.
The government would intensify efforts to contain the fires that have caused pollution levels across the region to spike to unhealthy levels, and forced school closures and flight cancellations, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said.
"The problem is too big," Kalla said in an interview at his office in Jakarta.
"We are now considering to," he said, referring to a declaration of an emergency, adding that thousands of troops would be deployed to help combat the fires.
President Joko Widodo is expected to make a decision on the emergency after returning from the United States, Kalla said.
Kalla's comments come just a day after Widodo announced he would cut short his first official trip to the United States to fly directly to the haze-affected areas.
"He will be more focused on domestic problems," Kalla said of the president's decision to cancel his visit to Silicon Valley, where he was expected to discuss investment deals with Apple and Google executives.
The fires, often deliberately set by plantation companies and smallholders, have been burning for weeks in the forests and carbon-rich peat lands of Sumatra and Kalimantan islands.
Recently, they have spread to places like Papua as the El Nino weather phenomenon exacerbates the dry season and hampers firefighting efforts.
An aide to the vice president, Wijayanto Samirin, said elevating the crisis to national emergency status would allow the government to speed up procurement processes for much-needed foreign firefighting equipment.
But he added there were concerns that businesses could use the government action to declare force majeure on deals in sectors ranging from palm oil to banking.
Kalla said about 40 million Indonesians in five provinces had been affected by the haze. The national disaster agency said late on Monday that haze was starting to spread south toward Java island, where over half the country’s population lives.
Indonesia has also deployed warships to evacuate infants and other vulnerable residents of haze-hit areas, a minister said last week.
The evacuations will be a last resort, said coordinating security minister Luhut Pandjaitan, if authorities are unable to provide care for those suffering from respiratory diseases.
The last time the country declared a national emergency was when the Indian Ocean tsunami killed more than 100,000 people in 2004.
(Editing by Robert Birsel)
House wants haze declared national disaster
The Jakarta Post 27 Oct 15;
As the government struggles to extinguish rampaging forest fires in the country, lawmakers have called for the haze crisis to be declared a national disaster.
House of Representatives speaker Setya Novanto said that haze from Sumatra and Kalimantan had spread to other regions and had caused thousands to suffer health problems and economic hardship.
“Of course, we should pay attention to this proposal [to name the haze a national disaster] because it has affected regions,” said Golkar Party politicians at the House of Representatives on Monday.
Edhy Prabowo, head of Commission IV overseeing forestry, agriculture, plantations and fisheries, said that declaring the haze crisis a national disaster would show the government’s increased commitment to overcoming the problem since there had been as yet no significant victory in its efforts to extinguish the fires over the past few months.
“[The haze crisis] wouldn’t have happened if the government had organized preventive measures,” said Edhy, a Gerindra Party politician.
He reminded those concerned that law enforcement would continue in the event of an increased status.
Despite growing concerns surrounding the haze, there were also worries that naming it a national disaster would stop the process of prosecuting fire starters, including companies.
The Environment Forestry Ministry has so far revoked the business licenses of three companies — PT Hutani Sola Lestari in Riau, PT Mega Alam Sentosa in West Kalimantan and PT Dyera Hutan Lestari in Jambi. All have been proven to have caused fires. The ministry has also suspended the licenses of seven companies.
As of Thursday, the National Police have declared 247 entities suspect for causing forest fires, comprising 230 individuals and 17 companies. Seven companies are listed as foreign investment companies.
Sixty-two cases are currently awaiting for trial.
House Deputy Speaker Agus Hermanto of the Democratic Party said that a disaster status would not stop legal prosecutions against perpetrators.
The status, he said, in fact authorized the government to use state budgets to fund the fight against the fires and to aid the recovery of victims.
Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar said there was no urgency to name the haze crisis a national disaster because local administrations were still functioning.
“One of the conditions necessary for declaring an event a national disaster is that the functions of local administrations have stalled. [The administrations] are still working, none of them are paralyzed,” she said at the House on Monday.
The NasDem Party politician said that she was still assessing the financial and legal impact of announcing such a status.
The ministry’s director general of environment and forestry law enforcement Rasio Ridho Sani said the haze was caused by men, and thus did not qualify for the status of disaster.
He said that the status was mostly used for large-scale natural disasters in the country.
“We have tried to implement national-scale efforts to handle the haze crisis. The President [and ministers] directly handle the problem,” he said.
Rasio also said that the government would remain firm in prosecuting perpetrators.
Environment Minister Calls for Law Revisions, Rejects Task Force as Haze Thickens Over Jakarta
Markus Junianto Sihaloho Jakarta Globe 27 Oct 15;
Jakarta. Revisions to environmental laws must be made, but a designated haze task force is unnecessary, the Environment Minister has said as the haze crisis shows little sign of ending anytime soon.
It is necessary to revise the environmental law in terms of forest fires, however the idea to create a special force to deal with the issue is unnecessary, official said.
Siti Nurbaya, Environment and Forestry Minister, pointed to the 2009 Law on Environmental Protection and Management which allows companies to burn two hectares of land to clear space for operations — contributing to the nation-wide forest fires leading to months of thick haze blanketing the western part of Indonesia, particularly Sumatra and Kalimantan.
The Minister believes it is too easy for companies to gain permission for the fires, needing only the approval of urban ward chiefs and subdistrict leaders.
“That is why we are considering to revise the law. Besides, under what circumstances is such act an allowed? We have to make it clearer,” Siti said on Monday.
She has rejected calls from the House of Representatives to launch a special task force, maintaining that the ministry is responding to the crisis adequately. In Riau, a major source of haze, hot spots have been reduced by 44 percent, the Minister said.
“To label this a [national] disaster, we still need to study everything. What will happen in the future, what the issue would cost us,” she said.
The national weather agency, or BMKG, reported on Sunday that three-quarters of Indonesian territory was affected to varying degrees by the haze, including the capital Jakarta, with fires burning out of control across hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest in Sumatra and Kalimantan — the heartland of Indonesia’s palm oil industry — as well as in the relatively untouched forests of Sulawesi and Papua, where the government has massive ambitions of clearing more space for farmland.
The only areas not affected by the haze as of Sunday, according to the BMKG, were Yogyakarta, Central Java, parts of East Java, East Nusa Tenggara, and the northern part of Papua.
No new license for use of peat lands: Forestry minister
Antara 27 Oct 15;
Jambi (ANTARA News) - Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya said license not yet used for peat land exploitation would be cancelled to minimize bush and forest fires.
"New license to use peat land is definitely banned," Siti Nurbaya said when on a visit here on Tuesday.
She said license already issued and the land has been cleared but not yet cultivated would be canceled, she added.
Exploitation of peat land, which is a source of water is also banned, she said, adding license already issued has to be withheld as "regulation on it is yet to be issued."
Earlier, head of the Jambi forestry office irmansyah said moratorium was already officially in force since 2012 on the use of peat lands both in forest area or outside forest areas.
"Moratorium is still officially in force since 2012 and management of peat land is with the building of canal blocking," Irmansyah said.
The canal blocking is to set the height of water surface, which is at least 40 centimeters higher than the surface of peat land to keep the peat wet, he said.
Dry peat during the lengthy drought has triggered forest fires that have ravaged millions of hectares of the countrys tropical forest over the past three months.(*)
Farmers' Coalition Seeks to Challenge 'Unfair' Plantations Law
Basten Gokkon Jakarta Globe 27 Oct 15;
Jakarta. Several Indonesian farmers’ associations and activists on Tuesday submitted to the Constitutional Court a motion for a judicial review of the country’s 2014 Plantations on Law, claiming it violates the rights of smallholders and indigenous people over those of plantation companies.
The group is challenging 11 articles in the law, which it claims has failed to improve the welfare of smallholders and independent farmers, despite being amended, ostensibly for that very end, by the previous House of Representatives last year, a day before its term ended.
“The revised law doesn't truly bring a mission for improvement compared to the old one,” said Gunawan, a lawyer from the Indonesian Human Rights Committee for Social Justice (IHCS), representing the plaintiffs.
He cited Article 57 of the law, which regulates the partnership between landowners and plantation companies, and which the plaintiffs argue overlooks farmers’ participation in forming schemes within the partnership between the two stakeholders.
“The farmers’ hands are tied from the start,” Gunawan said at a discussion in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The group also argues that Article 42 allows plantation companies to either hold an operation permit (IUP) and/or a right of cultivation permit (HGU) to start working the land, including clearing farmland and growing crops.
Indonesian law states that companies can get an IUP from district authorities and an HGU from the Agriculture Ministry in Jakarta.
“But in reality, most companies only have an IUP. This makes it hard for the government to punish them when they are found to conduct unsustainable practices, such as burning land,” said Mario Saputra, an expert from the environmental group Sawit Watch.
The group says its research shows that only 25 percent of the estimated 200 palm oil companies in Central Kalimantan have an HGU, and that those without the permit are typically involved in slash-and-burn forest-clearing practices.
The Indonesian government is also losing revenue from companies that only operate without an HGU, which would oblige them to pay taxes to the government, Mario said.
Gunawan said that the plaintiffs, including the Indonesian Farmers Union (SPI) and the Farmers Initiatives for Ecological Livelihood and Democracy (Field), expected to be granted a preliminary hearing by the Constitutional Court before the end of the year.
Government to assist small, medium enterprises affected by haze: VP
Antara 27 Oct 15;
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government will assist micro, small and medium enterprises (UMKM) affected by the haze that has been blanketing areas of Sumatra and Kalimantan.
"The government will assist micro, small and medium enterprises (UMKM) affected by haze from forest fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra," Vice President Jusuf Kalla said here on Tuesday.
Thick haze caused by forest and land fires has disrupted schools and businesses in various regions.
With regard to the handling of forest fires, the Vice President said the peatlands should be restored so that they function as these were intended to in natural course of things to prevent forest fires from occurring in the future.
"Thousands of people have suffered from health problems because of the haze," he said.
The Vice President emphasized that the government continues to make efforts to solve the haze crisis.
The government has instructed the police to firmly enforce the law against the perpetrators behind these forest fires.
"The companies responsible for setting off illegal forest fires that caused haze will be fined," he said.
The Chairman of the Association of Indigenous Indonesian Entrepreneurs (HIPPI), Suryani Sidik Motik, urged the government to assist micro, small and medium enterprises (UMKM) affected by the thick smoke.
"It seems that all sectors have been handled by the government. I hope the government disburses loans to small entrepreneurs properly," he said.
The establishment of a House of Representatives (DPR) Special Committee (Pansus) to investigate the haze problem currently affecting Indonesia will help the government and the law enforcers, according to the Houses deputy chairman.
"The committee has the authority to investigate and summon the related parties. This can help the government and the law enforcers," Agus Hermanto, the deputy chairman of the DPR, said.
He remarked that so far, the House Working Committee (Panja) on haze, formed by the DPR, had offered several recommendations to the government on efforts to tackle the haze problem.
"The issue, it seems, still remains unsettled. It is believed that the government is not yet serious (in handling the haze problem). This became evident as the government appeared to be making serious efforts only in the last few days. Therefore, a suggestion has been put forth that it would be better to establish a special committee on haze," he explained.
Agus, therefore, called on the government to again declare forest and land fires as a national disaster, so that the forest and land fires would be handled in an integrated manner on a nationwide basis.
He said handling haze must be given priority, including the lawsuits to be filed against suspected arsonists so that these could serve as a deterrent.
"Legal investigation must be conducted till those responsible for the forest crimes are put behind bars," Agus emphasized.(*)
Jokowi to stay in haze-affected regions
thejakartapost.com 27 Oct 15;
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is set to personally lead the haze countermeasure efforts and stay at the affected regions such as Jambi and Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan following his return to Indonesia after a brief visit to the US.
“[The President] will stay for several days in the [affected regions] to directly conduct [haze countermeasure efforts]. He will probably returned to Indonesia on Friday and [fly] straight to the sites," said Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in Jakarta on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com.
According to Luhut, Jokowi's decision to stay in the affected regions was part of his commitment to tackle the disaster.
Previously, Jokowi called Luhut on Monday morning and received reports that the number of hot spots in South Sumatra and Central Kalimantan reached 146 and 366, respectively.
"Since there are many complaints from the people regarding health and social impacts due to haze, I've decided to cancel my trip to the West Coast," said Jokowi.
Separately, House of Representatives (DPR) deputy speaker Agus Hermanto praised Jokowi's decision to cut short his US state visit.
Agus also called on the government to immediately take strict action toward the culprits of forest and land fires.
"We have to involve law enforcement and continue [to process the culprits] until they are sent to prison. As for the companies, [we] should revoked their production forest concessions [HPH]. These [actions] should be done immediately," said Agus. (mas/kes)(+)
Govt to act against foreign companies that burn forests
Antara 27 Oct 15;
Jambi (ANTARA News) - A senior minister said here on Tuesday the government would act against companies including foreign ones found to have burned forests or land in the country.
"I can assure the government would take a firm action against plantation companies or foreign investors found burning forests or lands," Coordination Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Luhut Panjaitan said after holding a coordination meeting with a number of ministers under his coordination and institutions concerned at Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin airport.
He said the government would ask agencies concerned including the police to treat any party involved in the forest or land fires equally including foreign companies,
National Police Chief General Badrodin Haiti said when asked for confirmation regarding the case that investigation is still continuing in various regions but with regard to the case in Jambi he referred it to the regional police command chief,
Jambi Regional Police Chief Brigadir General Lutfi Lubihanto said the police are now still investigating two plantation companies with investors from Malaysia in connection with forest and land fires in the province namely PT Permata Alam Hijau and PT Asiatic Persada
He said the police are also still investigating a number of domestic companies with four of them already being confirmed as suspects.
The companies that have been declared as suspects are PT Dyera Hutan Lestari and PT ATGA in Tanjung Jabung Timur district, PT Ricky Kurniawan Kartapersada in Muaro Jambi and PT Tebo Alam Lestari in Tebo district.
He said a number of companies are still being investigated including those with foreign investors behind them.
The Jambi police command has named 31 suspects in connection with forest and land fires in the province consisting of 27 individuals and four corporations.
Fires have razed a total of 7,470.9 hectare areas in the province.(*)
Indonesia to operate more water bombing aircraft
Antara 27 Oct 15;
Palembang, S Sumatra (ANTARA News) - Indonesia will operate more foreign water bombing aircraft to put out land and forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, a senior minister has said.
The aircraft will arrive soon to conduct fire fighting operations in an optimal manner, Coordinator Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said here on Tuesday after inspecting the state of the land and forest fires in Jambi province.
He admitted that fire fighting operations could not achieve maximum results as the area where land and forest fires, as also peatland fires, occurred was large.
In view of that, the country will operate more foreign water bombing aircraft, he said.
In general, the fire fighting operations have shown good results although haze still shrouded several areas, he said.
Fire fighters have tried their best to put out land and forest fires in South Sumatra and Jambi, but because of too many peatland fires, haze was still there, he said.
He confirmed President Joko Widodos plan to set up an office in an affected area, such as in South Sumatra. However, the location has not been decided.
It could be South Sumatra or Kalimantan. The President will have an office in one of the affected areas, and hoped that the haze issue could be resolved soon, he said.
Chief of the National Disaster Mitigation Board (BNPB) Willem R confirmed a plan to deploy more water bombing aircraft to put out the fire at the existing hotspots.
A company will hire the planes, he said without revealing the name of the company.(*)
Surakarta surgical department creates mobile air filter for haze victims
Ganug Nugroho Adi, thejakartapost.com 27 Oct 15;
A team at the surgical department of Sebelas Maret University and Moewardi Hospital in Surakarta, Central Java, have created an affordable air filter aimed at helping people living in areas severely affected by haze.
Darmawan Ismail, the head of the team, said the instrument, named SUNS (Surgeons of UNS), weighed 100 grams and costed only Rp 20,000. It could be even cheaper, he added, if it was mass produced.
The ongoing haze crisis in Sumatra and Kalimantan inspired the team to make the air filter. People living in affected areas, breathing in toxic fumes, could suffer from respiratory illnesses, Darmawan said.
"This tool can be mass produced as it only needs modest and cheap materials," he said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Darmawan explained that the team used mica plastic, thin fibers and masks for the prototype. One valve connects the mica box with a mask for clean air to be breathed in and another valve is used to exhaust dirty air.
"The instrument functions as an air filter, air moisturizer and air freshener."
"Our trials show that it can help someone breathe in clean air while in the middle of haze so it could decrease the likelihood of respiratory illness," he said, adding that the team would serve as instructors for people and communities wanting to make the device themselves.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency reported on Saturday that there have been 10 people killed and 503,000 people hit with respiratory illness from the 43 million affected by the toxic smoke across 6 provinces. (rin)
