The Indonesian weather bureau had predicted the El Nino effect in March but underestimated the extent of the phenomenon, said Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan.
Saifulbahri Ismail Channel NewsAsia 28 Oct 15;
JAKARTA: The Indonesian Government has wrongly predicted the extent of this year’s El Nino phenomenon, said Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan.
Speaking to reporters at a news conference on Wednesday (Oct 28), Mr Luhut said the Indonesian weather bureau had predicted the El Nino effect in March but it had underestimated the extent of the phenomenon, not realising it would be even worse than in 1997.
El Nino is the warming of sea temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in drier conditions in Southeast Asia.
"We didn't know, and I have to be honest and say that we didn't know, and the meteorology agency also didn't know that the El Nino now is worse than what it predicted," he said. "I'm not embarrassed to admit that our prediction is wrong, and now this is the outcome, and we are working hard to resolve this."
He also refuted claims the Government was late in responding to the forest fires and haze crisis.
Mr Luhut said he has instructed all Government agencies involved in fighting the forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan to make full use of the possibility of rain in the next few days to intensify cloud seeding efforts.
This window of opportunity is now available as parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan have seen light to moderate rain since Tuesday.
He said that with continuous heavy rain and water bombing efforts, the forest fires might be extinguished by the end of next week.
Mr Luhut urged Government agencies to make full use of the window of opportunity, saying even though there has been rain, there are very few clouds present and so the rain could stop at any time.
WIDODO TO VISIT AFFECTED SITES
Mr Luhut also told reporters that President Joko Widodo would be assessing the humanitarian crisis in Sumatra and Kalimantan as soon as he returns from his trip to the United States.
The minister said that more residents affected by the haze - especially infants, children, pregnant women and the elderly - are being evacuated to shelters, as more equipment such as tents and air purifiers from the central Government reach the districts.
Mr Widodo is scheduled to visit Palembang, and Jambi in Sumatra on Thursday to visit the community affected by the haze in the city as well as in the rural villages.
The Indonesian President will make visits to evacuation shelters fitted with air purifiers, which the Government has set up for residents to take refuge from the haze.
On Friday, Mr Widodo will then go to Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan and also South Kalimantan - areas which are badly hit by the haze crisis.
He is also scheduled to visit Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau province in Sumatra, to see the progress that has been made to mitigate the humanitarian crisis there.
19 DEAD DUE TO HAZE: GOVT
The Government also gave an update on the number of deaths caused by the haze.
So far, 19 people have died - 5 in Central Kalimantan, 5 in South Sumatra, 5 in Riau, 1 in Jambi and 3 in South Kalimantan.
Mr Luhut stressed that the government would take stern action against those responsible for causing the forest fires.
In addition, he said authorities would not hesitate to punish big corporations who do not have a system, and capabilities to put out fires on their concession lands.
Responding to a question on why the Government is reluctant to announce the names of companies suspected of burning their lands, Mr Luhut said there was an economic aspect to be taken into consideration.
He explained the Government did not want to cause any distortion of information that could affect those working in the companies, and have this lead to layoffs.
- CNA/av
Indonesia failed to predict severity of El Nino weather - minister
Reuters AsiaOne 28 Oct 15;
JAKARTA - Indonesia's weather agency failed to predict that the effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon this year would be worse than in 1997, a senior mininster said on Wednesday, as the government considers declaring a national emergency due to forest fires.
The fires raging across the archipelago have created a haze that has blanketed much of Southeast Asia in recent months and, according to authorities, have left more than half a million Indonesians suffering from respiratory ailments.
Luhut Panjaitan, the coordinating security minister tasked by President Joko Widodo with overseeing the government's response to the crisis, said the state weather agency BMKG had not forecast the severity of the El Nino effect.
"I must admit there was a mistake in the BMKG forecast that didn't predict El Nino this year would be worse than 1997," Panjaitan told reporters. "Our forecast was wrong."
Nineteen people have died fighting the fires, and the El Nino effects have exacerbated the dry season making it harder to extinguish the fires.
Often deliberately set by plantation companies and smallholders, the fires 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.
The national disaster management agency said it expected the fires to be completely extinguished by the end of November or early December. Haze-hit provinces have begun seeing rainfall, which authorities hope will help government efforts to combat the fires.
Indonesia has deployed warships to evacuate infants and other vulnerable residents of haze-hit areas but the evacuations will be a last resort if authorities are unable to provide care for those suffering from respiratory ailments.
Government Admits to Underestimating Impact of El Niño
Carlos Paath Jakarta Globe 28 Oct 15;
Jakarta. The Indonesian government admits to having underestimated the devastating effects of this year's El Niño weather phenomenon, as forest fires intensify and spread on Sumatra and Kalimantan islands amid an unusually harsh dry season.
In March, the Indonesian government predicted that El Niño would hit the country hard, but it had no idea that the aftermath would be of this gravity, said Luhut Pandjaitan, the chief security minister.
For more than two months, raging forest fires in Sumatra have released toxic haze that has spread across neighboring countries including Malaysia, Singapore, southern Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines.
El Niño typically ushers in hot and dry weather for Indonesia, leading to droughts and rising temperatures, causing forest fires, typically set by farmers to clear land, to spread easily.
Fires in Indonesia have been a near annual occurrence, but have been made worse by a prolonged dry season and El Niño weather pattern whose devastating effects are only now starting to be seen.
"We did not expect that El Niño would be even worse than the one we had back in 1997," Luhut said in Jakarta on Wednesday. "Usually in September, rains start to pour down, but not this time. We have made wrong predictions."
The oversight has forced officials to become more transparent in their disaster management efforts, and work closely with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and regional administrations.
Some of these measures include identifying the forest fire hot spots on a digital map, available to download for free online, according to BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa, with the help of Arsyadjuliandi Rachman, the acting governor of Sumatra's Riau province, has also pledged to broadcast via radio readings of the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) every half-hour through state-owned Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI).
“When the haze gets thicker and yellow in color, [local governments have been instructed to] inform the RRI. All local governments must listen to the broadcast and use the [PSI] information as reference for evacuating people [if necessary],” Khofifah said on Wednesday.
President Joko Widodo has decided to cut short his first official visit to the United States on Monday as the forest fire crisis blazes out of control in Indonesia.
Haze to lessen in November
thejakartapost.com 28 Oct 15;
The forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan have been estimated to end in November due to rain that started to fall at the end of October.
According to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) head, Andi Eka Sakya, hot spots could still be found in several regions in the country, but the number had decreased.
On Wednesday morning, the Terra and Aqua satellites reportedly detected 10 hot spots in Sumatra, 82 in Kalimantan, 40 in Sulawesi, 37 in Nusa Tenggara and nine in East Java. As for Maluku and Papua, only five hot spots were found.
Andi told tempo.co that rain was estimated to fall more evenly in several regions in November and thus would continued lessening the thick haze. (kes)(+)
Cloud seeding to stop haze
Marguerite Afra, thejakartapost.com 28 Oct 15;
Coordinating Minister for politics, law and security Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said on Wednesday that he instructed government agencies to focus on cloud seeding operations for the next four days in order to intensify the downpours to combat forest fires causing the haze disaster.
Luhut urged Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) to keep collaborating to create artificial downpours every time the correct type of clouds appeared in the sky.
“We should use every chance we have to perform cloud seeding operations. Downpours in hot spots and haze-affected areas are really helpful for our mitigation efforts,” Luhut said during a press conference at National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) on Wednesday.
According to Luhut, if the cloud seeding operations were performed effectively in the next four days, thick haze in the affected regions would be reduced.
While continuing water bombing to extinguish hot spots, Luhut is confident the government could fully tackle the haze disaster in the next few weeks.
Riau’s Governor Annas Ma’amun has confirmed the positive impact brought by downpours in Riau and its surroundings. (dan)(+)
Govt to use REDD+ funds to restore peat lands
Antara 28 Oct 15;
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice President Jusuf Kalla said here on Wednesday that the government would use funds from the Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) program to restore the peat lands in the country.
"We will discuss the concept of peat land restoration that complies with the REDD+ program and credits from carbon trading and we will have to use a lot of funds from the national budget," he said.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla met with Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya and special presidential envoy for climate change control, Rachmat Witoelar, to discuss the problem.
He had asked for a review of the financing system of the REDD+ program and carbon trading to see if funds can be diverted for restoring peat lands.
Norway has pledged to extend $1billion for REDD+ and has so far given only $30 million.
Apart from REDD+ and carbon trading, the government would also force companies that have burned lands to take responsibility for the lands under their concession right.
"So, automatically, funds from them will also be available. All (such companies) must be (held) responsible," he said.
Kalla said restoring the functioning of peat lands was a must in view of the impact of the fires on the people.
He said restoration of peat lands would take around five years and cost trillion of rupiahs. (*)
President set to have office in Palembang
Antara 28 Oct 15;
Palembang, S Sumatra (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is set to have an office in Palembang to monitor the handling of land and forest fires in South Sumatra province.
Speaking to the press in Palembang on Wednesday, South Sumatra Governor H Alex Noerdin confirmed the Presidents plan to visit the province.
Shortly after arriving in Jakarta from his US visit, the President will fly to Palembang, he said.
The President will stay in the South Sumatra provincial capital where he will have an office for a few days, he said.
The governor said the provincial government will prepare the presidential office at the Griya Agung gubernatorial palace in Palembang. The President will have an office there, along with the Provincial Disaster Mitigation Board (BPBD).
The plan may change. However, the South Sumatra provincial government has made preparations, including security arrangements, for the Presidents visit, he said.
Asked about the Presidents plan to inspect hotspots in South Sumatra, the governor said the hotspots were in the districts of Ogan Komering Ilir and Musi Banyuasin.
The President is now on his way home to Jakarta from the US.
He had to cut short his state visit to the US due to the alarming smoke condition resulting from the forest and land fires affecting several of Indonesias main islands.
After meeting US President Barack Obama, Jokowi canceled a series of engagements on his agenda in San Francisco and assigned relevant ministers to continue with the state visit as planned.
According to plans, the President and his entourage will fly directly to Palembang, South Sumatra, to review the condition of the hotspots.
The President will be in Palembang for about two days to simultaneously monitor smoke and disaster management efforts.(*)
Jokowi to have his office in Palembang on Thursday: Cabinet secretary
thejakartapost.com 28 Oct 15;
Cabinet secretary Pramono Anung said President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo would arrive in Palembang, South Sumatra, on Thursday, following his decision to shorten his working visit to the US.
President Jokowi would likely have his office either in Sumatra or Kalimantan to make it easier for him to directly monitor efforts to extinguish land and forest fires.
“It is probable that he will have his office in Palembang to monitor the progress of the situation,” said Pramono as quoted by kompas.com in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The cabinet secretary said President Jokowi would fly home using the same route from Washington, DC, in which his presidential flight would transit twice in Abu Dhabi and Amsterdam. As soon as he arrived in Jakarta, the President and his entourage would directly depart to Palembang and was scheduled to arrive in the city at 8 a.m. local time on Thursday.
Pramono said that once he arrived in Palembang, President Jokowi would hold a meeting with the haze disaster control team, dispatched under the coordination of Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, to discuss progress of the handling of land and forest fires. After the meeting, he further said, Jokowi would depart to Musi Banyuasin to observe conditions in the area by taking a land route for around 4-5 hours.
“He will observe several spots,” said Pramono, adding that the government would focus its attention on the areas affected most by the haze in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
Pramono said Palembang was selected as the location of the President’s temporary office because presidential aircraft Boeing Business Jet 2 could land in the city.
Earlier, Jokowi was scheduled to carry out a state visit in the US for one week. He departed to the US on Saturday, when haze problems from land and forest fires in Indonesia were at their peak. Jokowi’s working visit drew sharp criticism, forcing the President to shorten his trip. He cancelled his plan to visit Silicon Valley, San Francisco, to meet digital economy business players.
Head of the House of Representatives’ Commission IV overseeing agriculture, food, forestry, plantations, fisheries and maritime affairs, Edhy Prabowo, said separately that eight House factions had agreed to establish a Pansus (committee) to inquire into the nation’s handling of smoke from land and forest fires in several areas across Indonesia.
“Eight factions have agreed on the establishment of the committee. Only NasDem and Hanura have not yet made a decision,” said Edhy.
The eight factions are from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Gerindra Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Democratic Party, the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB).
Edhy said the Pansus establishment was aimed at primarily pushing the government to immediately resolve the haze problem instead of chasing after the companies deemed responsible for the fires.
House deputy speaker Fadli Zon said he supported the idea of establishing the Pansus due to the government’s slow response and lack of seriousness in handling the problem.
“I think establishing this Pansus is an aspiration so that it must be initiated by 25 people at the least and two factions,” said Fadli.
Commission IV deputy head Viva Yoga Mauladi said the committee was needed to create a regulation on fire prevention as Law No. 32/2009 on environment protection and management still had loopholes for clearing land with fires. (ebf)
President Jokowi raises issue of forest fires at Brookings
Antara 28 Oct 15;
Washington DC (ANTARA News) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) raised the issue of forest fires during his policy speech at the Brookings Institution in here on Tuesday (Oct. 27).
The fires are linked to deforestation and slash-and-burn agricultural practices, and Jokowi has pledged to curb these activities, which contribute to global warming.
The fires have grounded flights and triggered respiratory ailments among thousands of Indonesians, and have been spewing greenhouse gases across the region.
President Jokowi stated that forest fires are a serious problem being faced by Indonesia today.
However, the president reiterated his commitment to solving this problem through utilizing the resources owned by Indonesia and also a likelihood of assistance and cooperation with other countries.
The fires have challenged Jokowis government and brought the issue of climate change to the forefront less than two months before a United Nations conference in Paris intended to conclude an agreement on global warming.
Obama stated on Monday that large nations, such as the United States and Indonesia must work towards achieving the strongest possible emission targets.
The fires, which have spread thick haze over the Asian country, are forcing Jokowi to cut short his trip to the United States that had been focused as much on investment as on the two countries relationship.
Jokowi affirmed that the problem of forest fires, illegal fishing, and emissions are also a matter of concern for the Indonesian government.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR/F001)
Puan not shirking haze responsibilities: health minister
thejakartapost.com 28 Oct 15;
Health Minister Nila F. Moeloek has defended the absence of Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani from the scene of the haze crisis, in response to environmental activists slamming her efforts.
Nila admitted that Puan had not visited haze-affected areas but said that that was due to technical issues.
"It does not mean she is not working just because she has not gone to the scene. We from the specific related ministries have gone to see the situation first hand," Nila told kompas.com on Tuesday.
Nila recently joined a government visit to Palembang and Jambi led by Coordinating Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. Also on the trip were: Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya, House speaker Setya Novanto, Army (TNI) chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti and National Disaster Mitigation Agency chief Willem Rampangilei.
Puan joined President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on his trip to the US on Saturday and is scheduled to return home with the President.
Nila said Puan had maintained contact with the ministries under her coordination.
"Communication has been via limited meetings of the Coordinating Ministry and also over the phone. She just called me earlier," she said.
Nila said that she believed Puan would join Jokowi flying directly to Palembang from the US.
"Insha Allah [God willing], I believe she will come with the President," she added.
Previously, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) slammed Puan's performance in responding to the haze crisis. Abednego Tarigan, executive director of Walhi, questioned Puan's limited role in the crisis that has left millions of Indonesians breathing in toxic smoke.
Puan's ministry coordinates the ministries of religious affairs; education and culture; research, technology and higher education; health; social affairs; villages, disadvantaged regions and transmigration; women’s empowerment and child protection; and youth and sports. (rin)(+)
Indonesia house leaders call for inquiry into handling of fires
Jakarta Post AsiaOne 28 Oct 15;
House of Representatives leaders have called for the establishment of a Pansus (committee) to inquire into the nation's handling of land and forest fires, which have caused serious smoke problems currently affecting areas across Indonesia.
House deputy speaker Agus Hermanto said the Pansus was needed because from the start the government had not been serious in their efforts to handle the land and forest fires.
Agus said the House's Commission IV overseeing agriculture, food, forestry, plantations, fisheries and maritime affairs had established a Panja (working committee) on environment to monitor the handling of land and forest fires. However, only the Forestry and Environment Ministry had taken progressive moves to follow up the committee's recommendations.
Agus said ministries and non-ministry government institutions only started to handle the fires properly after they were mobilized by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. Several ministers then moved to areas affected by the smoke disaster.
"It's too late. It should have been handled seriously from the very beginning. With a Pansus, we can better handle land and forest fire problems," said Agus as quoted by kompas.com at the House complex in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The lawmaker said that compared to a Panja, a Pansus would apply stronger pressure on the government. With a Pansus, he said, the House could summon companies suspected of involvement in land and forest fires. "It's needed to investigate land and forest burning, to help the government to resolve [the issue] and make recommendations to law enforcers," said the Democratic Party lawmaker.
Commission IV speaker Edhy Prabowo said earlier that his commission was preparing a Pansus to inquire into the current smoke disaster. Internally, he said, all Commission IV members had agreed the establishment of the Pansus, which would be soon introduced to other related commissions.
Responding the proposal, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said he was worried that the establishment of a Pansus would consume too much Cabinet-member time, while according to him, ministers already had a lot of tasks to do related to the disaster.
"If [House members] just want to ask about how the government is handling the disaster, they should go ahead. But please don't do it too much because [the ministers] will end up spending all their time answering House questions," Kalla said on Monday.
Forestry and Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya also disagreed with the House's call for a Pansus. She asked all House members to be patient as the government was continuing to tackle the problem.
Elections may be postponed because of haze
Fedina S. Sundaryani and Tama Salim, The Jakarta Post 28 Oct 15;
With the government considering declaring a national emergency over forest fires, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said local elections may have to be postponed if haze engulfing much of Sumatra and Kalimantan lasts until Dec. 9.
“If some regencies and districts are still affected by severe haze by [Dec. 9], then the elections might be postponed,” Tjahjo said on the sidelines of a discussion at the Institute of Police Science (PTIK) in South Jakarta on Tuesday.
Tjahjo added that the elections would take place soon afterwards and would not have to wait until the next round of local elections in 2017.
Data from the People’s Voter Education Network (JPRR) show that 48 regencies and cities may not be able to conduct the elections on time as a result of the haze, including 14 in Central Kalimantan, seven in South Sumatra, nine in Riau, seven in West Kalimantan and 11 in Jambi.
Meanwhile, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was expected to make a decision on declaring a state of national emergency after returning from the United States.
An aide to the Vice President, Wijayanto Samirin, was quoted by Reuters as saying that elevating the crisis to national emergency status would allow the government to speed up procurement for much-needed foreign firefighting equipment.
But he added there were concerns that businesses could use such a move to declare force majeure on deals in sectors ranging from palm oil to banking.
Kalla said about 40 million people in five provinces had been affected by the haze. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said late on Monday that haze was starting to spread south toward Java, which is home to more than half of the country’s people.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives remains divided over a plan to establish a special committee on haze, as was recently proposed by members of House Commission IV overseeing agriculture, forestry, fisheries and the environment.
Deputy House Speaker Agus Hermanto of the Democratic Party backed the proposal, arguing that the government had not been serious enough in its mitigation efforts from the very beginning.
“The mitigation efforts are a little too late — if only the issue had been tackled seriously early on. Therefore, [the establishment of] a special committee will improve [such efforts],” Agus told reporters at the House complex in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Agus said the House committee would be able to summon firms allegedly responsible for the massive forest and peatland fires to gather information that could be used by law enforcement agencies to launch investigations and eventually lead to prosecutions.
He added that the presence of a special committee would push the government to work harder to resolve the haze issue than the present working committee on environment initiated by the House.
He indicated that the problem rested with the fact that only the Environment and Forestry Ministry had observed the recommendations given, while the rest of the government had only recently shown serious intent under Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut B. Pandjaitan, with ministers starting to travel to the regions affected.
According to House Comission IV deputy chairman Viva Yoga Mauladi, the commission has secured support from 57 lawmakers for the establishment of a special committee on haze.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Setya Novanto balked at the proposal for a special committee, given that both the central and local governments were doing their best to combat the fires.
“I think that the government has done well, so the proposal for a special committee is not really necessary,” Setya said.
