Malang to petition over shrinking forests
Wahyoe Boediwardhana , The Jakarta Post , Malang | Wed, 03/12/2008 11:56 AM | The Archipelago
Residents of Malang will petition President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over the deterioration of public forests in the area, an environmental group says.
The petition will be prepared by members of the Greater Malang People's Environment Awareness Alliance (AMPLMR), Chalid Muhammad, executive director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), said in Malang, East Java, on Sunday.
According to Walhi, the rate of forest destruction in the Greater Malang area is alarming, with only 2.8 percent of the entire forested area in Malang, originally encompassing around 110.6 square kilometers, still intact.
"According to Law No. 26/2007, a city must set aside at least 30 percent of its total area for open green areas, such as parks or forests," Chalid said.
He said the provincial administration was at fault for uncontrolled development of residential and industrial areas, the main factor in the severe rate of forest destruction. The same problem is occurring in other large cities in Indonesia, especially in Java, he said.
One area AMPLMR is seeking to retain as a conservation area is the land formerly used by the Agriculture Training Academy, spanning 28.5 hectares.
The land, which is included as one of Malang city's open or forested areas, was acquired in a land exchange deal in 1989, with plans the municipality and developers would jointly develop it into a residential area.
Under the plans, PT Bakrieland Development and PT Duta Perkasa Unggul Lestari will jointly build an upscale residential estate on the plot of land.
Walhi and AMPLMR say the proposed development is an environmental offense. AMPLMR coordinator Ahmad Murdjoko alleged environmental groups and students had frequently been intimidated during the 17-year struggle to protect the land as a forested area, city forest and environmental education park.
Chairman of the East Java Walhi council, Purnawan Negara, denied his organization was opposed to developers who intended to develop the area.
"We won't stop anyone from developing the area. Our only focus is on objecting to any changes in land allocation. As long as development is clear and in line with the law, we would even support it. If Bakrieland develops the area as an ecotourism area or environmental education center, we'll give our support," Purnawan said.
AMPLMR sent a petition against the shift in land allocation to officials in Jakarta.
The alliance, supported by 14 NGOs in the Greater Malang area, asked the National Commission on Human Rights to conduct an investigation into forest destruction by developers, on the grounds access to natural environment is a basic human right.
It also urged the Malang mayor to obey Ordinance No. 7/2001 on spatial planning, which AMPLMR deemed had been violated.
The petition asks the President to take strict action against officials who cause environmental destruction.
AMPLMR later asked Walhi chief Chalid to send the petition to 18 individuals deemed responsible for the issue. over shrinking forests
Residents of Malang will petition President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over the deterioration of public forests in the area, an environmental group says.
The petition will be prepared by members of the Greater Malang People's Environment Awareness Alliance (AMPLMR), Chalid Muhammad, executive director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), said in Malang, East Java, on Sunday.
According to Walhi, the rate of forest destruction in the Greater Malang area is alarming, with only 2.8 percent of the entire forested area in Malang, originally encompassing around 110.6 square kilometers, still intact.
"According to Law No. 26/2007, a city must set aside at least 30 percent of its total area for open green areas, such as parks or forests," Chalid said.
He said the provincial administration was at fault for uncontrolled development of residential and industrial areas, the main factor in the severe rate of forest destruction. The same problem is occurring in other large cities in Indonesia, especially in Java, he said.
One area AMPLMR is seeking to retain as a conservation area is the land formerly used by the Agriculture Training Academy, spanning 28.5 hectares.
The land, which is included as one of Malang city's open or forested areas, was acquired in a land exchange deal in 1989, with plans the municipality and developers would jointly develop it into a residential area.
Under the plans, PT Bakrieland Development and PT Duta Perkasa Unggul Lestari will jointly build an upscale residential estate on the plot of land.
Walhi and AMPLMR say the proposed development is an environmental offense. AMPLMR coordinator Ahmad Murdjoko alleged environmental groups and students had frequently been intimidated during the 17-year struggle to protect the land as a forested area, city forest and environmental education park.
Chairman of the East Java Walhi council, Purnawan Negara, denied his organization was opposed to developers who intended to develop the area.
"We won't stop anyone from developing the area. Our only focus is on objecting to any changes in land allocation. As long as development is clear and in line with the law, we would even support it. If Bakrieland develops the area as an ecotourism area or environmental education center, we'll give our support," Purnawan said.
AMPLMR sent a petition against the shift in land allocation to officials in Jakarta.
The alliance, supported by 14 NGOs in the Greater Malang area, asked the National Commission on Human Rights to conduct an investigation into forest destruction by developers, on the grounds access to natural environment is a basic human right.
It also urged the Malang mayor to obey Ordinance No. 7/2001 on spatial planning, which AMPLMR deemed had been violated.
The petition asks the President to take strict action against officials who cause environmental destruction.
AMPLMR later asked Walhi chief Chalid to send the petition to 18 individuals deemed responsible for the issue.
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