Indonesian eco-appeal to Dutch activists!
Eco-revolution now - 25.09.2006 13:39
This is an urgent appeal from eco-activists in Indonesia. This appeal is about an environmentaly destructive development called 'Northern Coastal Reclamation Project'. Our campaign strategy will be to push the Dutch reclamation consultant to resign from this corporate-greed project, therefore we need solidarity from dutch activists.
The name of the consultant company is WitteveenBos.  http://www.witteveenbos.co.id/ -- It is the only consultant in Indonesian for this kind of project. The plan is threatening the lives of many poor people, and will wreck an ecologically sensitive area.
The Northern Coastal Reclamation Project
Jakarta, Indonesia
April 20061
The government Plan:
The provincial administration of Jakarta headed by Governor Sutiyoso plans to create
Jakarta as a water front city. The Governor has said that reclamation is needed for
Jakarta’s area extension and is an effort to materialize a water front city.
The project, which will cost more than 14 billion rupiah and is managed by the Jakarta
Waterfront City Management (BPR Pantura), intend to expand Jakarta's northern coastline
with an extra 2,700 hectares of reclaimed land over an expanse of coastland as long as 32
kilometres, covering the provinces of West Java, DKI Jakarta, and Banten. There will be a
massive development plan that includes industrial infrastructure, office buildings,
hotels, business centres, mega shopping malls, seaports, elite housing estates,
condominiums, and transportation infrastructure for an estimated 750,000 to 1.19 million
residents.
In 1995, both National and Local Government created the legal frameworks necessary for
the project to precede, such as Presidential Decree No.52/1995 about Reclamation, the
Bylaws No.8/1995 on the subject of the Reclamation and City Plan of North Jakarta, Bylaws
No.6/1999 regarding Jakarta's City Planning up to 2010, and Law No.32/2004 on the subject
of Regional Autonomy which give authorization to the Local Government to approve or
disprove towards any project that carried out in its regional.
The project itself will be carried out and funded by private or foreign companies. No
international aid is being provided for the development. According to BPR Pantura, there
are 10 companies who hold the reclamation project's right, which is:
PT. Muara Wisesa Samudra (54 Ha)
PT. Taman Harapan Indah (100 Ha)
PT. Bhakti Bangun Eramulia ( 38Ha)
PT. Kawasan Berikat Nusantara (198 Ha)
PT. Pembangunan Jaya Ancol ( 592 Ha).
PT. Kapuk Naga Indah (674 Ha)
PT. Jaladri Kartika Eka Paksi (200 Ha)
PT. Manggala Krida Yudha (375 Ha)
PT. Dwi Marunda Makmur (220 Ha)
BPL Pluit/ PT. Jakarta Propertindo (290 Ha)
Apparently, all those developer above are not new comers in reclamation
sector/business. Most of them have a very strong access to the centre of power including
the military. For example are PT KNI (owned by Salim Group which also forming PT Mandara
Permai, developer who conducted the reclamation project in Pantai Indah Kapuk), PT
Jaladri Eka Paksi (owned by Indonesian Army, a wing of Kartika Eka Paksi Foundation), PT
Manggala Krida Yuda (owned by Sri Hutami Endang Adiningsih - the daughter of former
President Soeharto), Jakarta Propertindo (owned by Jakarta Government).
These projects were exploited, as a side business, by those High officials who have
strong ties with the big investors. These Projects were supported by various kinds of
regulations start with Presidents Regulation, Bylaws, and Governor Decree which
eventually employed as an argument to proceed. No wonder that this project will be
fasten. Minimum, before the end of Governor Sutiyoso's Regime in 2007, the contour of the
project is already forming.
Up to this presents, there are three (3) developers which have already escalated the
reclamation process from cooperation agreement to the development agreement with the
local Government of Jakarta. Trough that agreement, the developers are allowed to start
the development process. Those 3 developers are PT KNI, PT Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro),
and PT Manggala Krida Yuda (MKY). PT KNI, who shares the largest area, will start the
development process on October, 2006. The project will take place start from Kamal Muara
up to Muara Angke.
The Impact of Reclamation:
Since the local government launch its massive plan on reclamation, there are many
parties who stand as opponents. Most of their arguments are based on logical reasons, its
effects on environmental and social life of fisherman.
From the environment issue, there are many experts who already gave their opinion about
this project, such as:
Former Minister of Environment, Nabiel Makarim. He issued a Decree No.14/2003 to
oppose the reclamation after considering a recommendation issued by the Central
Commission of Environmental Assessment, which was tasked to study the environmental
impact analysis on the project (AMDAL), based on article 19 paragraph (2) and article 22
paragraph (1) Government Regulation No. 27/1999 regarding AMDAL. The study
itself stated that the reclamation will worsen flooding in the city as it would raise
water levels in rivers flowing trough the northern coastal areas up to 12 centimetres.
Reclamation will also disturb the entire vital project around this project, creating a
negative impact on social life of fishermen, destroy the sea ecosystem, and also
extending the pollution's potential towards the Seribu Islands. The reclamation project
also has potential to create a new environmental problem, especially on the site
where the source of reclamation’s material is located, for the gigantic necessity of
reclamation’s material i.e. 330 million m3.
According to BP Pantura, those materials will be acquired from Bangka Island, North
Coast of West Java, and also West Java hills i.e. Cisadane, Citarum, Parung panjang, and
Jonggol.
As a result, reclamation impact could also destroy surrounding environment in 3
provinces: Bangka, West Java, and Banten.
For His Decree, Six Companies (PT. Bakti Bangun Era Mulia, PT. Taman Harapan Indah, PT.
Manggala Krida Yudha, PT. Pelabuhan Indonesia II, PT. Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, dan PT.
Jakarta Propertindo) brought a claim to the State Administrative Court on February 11th,
2004, and won. For the court decision, the Department of Environment appeal to the
Supreme Court which has not declared any decision up to the present time (law process is
still running).
After the Ruling of Nabiel Makarim as a Ministry of Environment, the Department of
Environment is still on the same position; refuse the on-going project.
Former Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Rokhmin Danur and Former Minister of
Resettlement of Regional Infrastructure, Soenarno who stated that environmentally, the
project was not feasible.
Emil Salim, an environmental expert and former Minister of the Environment. He
emphasized that the 2700 hectare project would worsen the flood problems in Jakarta. He
also said that the reclamation project would further worsen the impact of global warming,
which could eventually raise global sea levels by up to 60 cm in 2070 due to the melting
of ice at the north and south poles, causing some coastal lands and islands to become
completely submerged.
Trastoto Handhardi, an environment and conservation expert of the Forestry Department.
He stated that reclamation development will transform Jakarta northern coastline into the
likes of Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) which threatening the surroundings ecosystem. Changing
of ecological structure and scrapping sand from the shore are two examples of action
that will threaten the ecosystem. He also mentions that the Jakarta Province is indeed
profiting in a big way from the reclaimed shore. New fields in Jakarta's northern coast
measure 2.700 hectare or 27.000.000 square meters, which are to be transformed into
commercial areas and elite housing estates, will of course bring large profits when it
sold to businessmen. With minimal land prices of Rp.2 million per square meter,
revenue of Rp.50 trillion will be made at least. That is not including sales value,
commercial service and buildings. According to the General Manager of PT.KNI, Fodly
Misbach, the Government of Jakarta, trough BP Pantura, will receive percentage of profit
amount of 5% for each land's retail.
Arwin Sabar, a Bandung Technology Institute lecturer and Hydrologist expert. He
estimates that reclamation will only damage the water system of 10.000 hectare of coastal
area. Reclamated fields of 1,5 kilometre width towards the sea and 2,6 meters above the
lowest sea level. This would imply that 13 rivers which come out in the Jakarta Bay will
be lengthened with 1, 5 kilometres while river bottoms will be sloping steeply. According
him, as a result of reclamation, river water slowly flows to sea causing sedimentations
in no time and frequent dredging. He also mentioned that the Jakarta's local government
is not ready enough on providing micro and macro drainage facilities.
Slamet Daryoni, the Director of WALHI (NGO who focuses on environment issues). He
stated that the ecological functions which will be lost should this project being
permitted can never be regained. According to him, Jakarta suffered a massive flood
disaster during the 2002 rainy season which resulted in considerable property damage and
human casualties. The reclamation project is predicted to put Jakarta in further
jeopardy. In addition to annual flooding and clean water crisis, it will destroy the
ecological functions of the Muara Angke Nature Reserve; wipe out the remaining mangrove
forests, coral reefs and sea grass. It will also disrupt the coastline's original water
courses, since each of the 13 rivers flowing into the Jakarta bay will be extended for an
extra 1.5 kilometres. He added that the dredging activities alone will cause severe
abrasion on the northern coast of Banten province, and on the western and northern coast
of West Java. Planned in-land dredging in Jonggol and Parung Panjang is predicted to
disrupt the hydrological functions or the area which will have serious consequences for
ground water supply in Jakarta and its surrounding areas. Many Jakarta residents still
rely on wells for their water.
On the impact of reclamation on social life of fisherman, the project will have a
dramatic impact on thousands of people. There are some arguments which portray kinds of
impact to fisherman’s life, such as:
Eviction. There will be a massive eviction on fisherman domains on the name of
reclamation. Complicated issues which arise as an excess of eviction are relocation and
compensation for the eviction’s victim. All the fisherman and low income inhabitants
stretch out in Kamal Muara, Muara Baru, Muara Angke, Luar Batang, Marunda, and Ancol, are
those who potentially will lose place to live, occupation and also source of income.
Reclamation project will further marginalize all those people for the increase of land’s
price in new area without being balanced by the economic capability of previous
inhabitants. Even before the project started, there has been an eviction in Ancol Barat
(Pademangan) where numerous fishermen choose to move, voluntarily, rather than being
evicted by force, and later given 500 thousand rupiah/family as compensation.
Fishermen are worried that if reclamation project insist to be carried out, conflict
among fisherman will be difficult to prevent. Conflict will happen when fishermen from
Jakarta enter the water of other provinces. Aside from that, thousands of fishermen will
loose their occupation from their difficulties on accessing fish in Jakarta's water.
Some of the fishermen firmly rejected the quarries process in Jakarta Northern
Coastal. Their refusal is based on argument that even before the quarries process take
place, they already have difficulties on accessing fish in Jakarta's water.
According to the plan, the local government will provide apartments to fishermen,
along the reclamation process. In responding to that plan, the fishermen declare that
they do not need that kind of facilities (apartment). Up until the present time, neither
the National nor Jakarta governments nor the developers have provided any communities
with specific proposals for either relocation or compensation for the loss of their
homes. It is anticipated that if alternative accommodation is provided it is likely to be
located too far away from the foreshore to enable people to continue with their fishing
activities.
Didit Eko, Chairman of the Coastal Public Forum of Jakarta, also mentions that social
differences will occur among fishermen who have been evicted from their domains and
reclaimed land dwellers. Fishermen will never be able to buy reclaimed land which is so
costly for them. And to shift their profession, it would not become an easy way. He also
added that these people have been fishermen for generations. They are much closed to the
sea.
Infrequently of clean water. Service level of National Water Company (PAM) is only 43%
of total Indonesia’s citizen. The necessity of water volume for Jakarta itself, totally,
reached up to 5,570 litres per second.
The reclamation project, predicted, will receive 750 thousand new comers plus the
migrant workers, which presumably, are from the middle-up class who have a very high
consumed of water. Up to this present, the BP Pantura does not have any answer regarding
the stock of clean water.
Recent Development on the On-going Project
Nowadays, instead of comply with the studies result of the environmental impact
analysis on the project (AMDAL), Jakarta’s Government rejected the result and keep
resisting based on Local Government Regulation No.27/1999 which stated that the central
government do not have any authorities to conduct the study. In the other hand, Executive
director of Indonesian Centre for Environmental Law (ICEL), Wiwik Awiati, evaluate that
the Local Government's rejection is not accordance to the law.
She said, based on the article 11 of Local Government Regulation No.27/1999, Central
Commission of Environmental Assessment, indeed, has the authorities to conduct a study
towards the reclamation project. She also added that reclamation does not exist in Local
Regulation on City Planning of 1960-1985 and of the period 1985-2005 as well.
Even while the on-going appeal of the Department of Environment continues, one of
the private companies, (PT.KNI), keep insists to start its project by October, 2006 with
Witteveen+Bos from Netherlands as a consultant. Areas which will be reclaimed by PT KNI
are stretch out from Kali Kamal to Muara angke.
On March 27th, 2006 PT KNI declare its disproval towards public’s concerned by giving
and presenting a new design in front of numbers of Sub district Assembly (Dewan
Kelurahan), some of fisherman and also North Jakarta's official. On that design, they
guarantee that the project will not caused floods by construct a 200-300 metres canal
between Reclamated Island and mainland. Hence, this concept, design and the new AMDAL has
not presented to the public, yet.
As for the beginning of the project, PT.KNI, collaborate with Jakarta’s
Government; conduct a massive eviction towards the fisherman bagan (bamboo stick which
planted in sea in order to breed the green mussels).The evictions have started since
February, 2006 and evict 106 numbers of bagan.
The law argument proposed by the Jakarta’s Government is accordance to the Article 13 of
Bylaws No.11/1988. Hence, bagan, as a source of income has been practiced since years ago
before the outline of Bylaws No.11/1988 and it's proved as created no damage either
towards the environment or to the local people. Traditional fishing activities on the
foreshore have been conducted for many generations and make a significant contribution to
the informal economy of Indonesia.
Aside having cooperation with Jakarta's Government, PT KNI also collaborates with
Transportation agency and conduct a mapping of bagan which will be evicted. As a
response to the private company and government agencies' action, the fishermen try to
resist by conducting a routine monitoring (daily) in order to prevent an eviction toward
their bagan.
With those forced evictions, fishermen must face with one reality, which is being
threat for losing their livelihood and their place to live, one day. Each bagan provides
a living for approximately five families. Accordingly, it is estimated that about 4000
families will lose their business and source of income if the project proceeds. Recently,
more fishermen start to feel the impact of this project to their life, especially on
their profession as fishermen. Since the hike of fuel price in October 2005, most of
fishermen face more difficulties on accessing fish. They have difficulties to access more
fuel to sail. What's left for them now is bagan, which also threaten to be evicted.
Kampong Baru is an example of one such community facing forced eviction and loss
of their livelihood. This Kampong, which has already been forcibly evicted about eight
years ago, is located on the foreshore to the north of Penjaringan Sub District.
The community is a well-established community consisting of approximately 600
families. Kampong Baru has achieved formal recognition by the Local Government and is
registered as an RT (the lowest form of government in Indonesia like a community council)
through persistent advocacy and struggle. However, the community does not have legal
title to the land that they occupy. The community relies upon green mussel fishing off
bagans located out to sea from the site of the community.
The location of Kampong Baru is subjected already to regular flooding. The plan for
redevelopment of the land upon which the community lives suggests that the area will be
used to construct a bridge. In addition, once the water adjacent to the community area is
reclaimed, access to the open seas will be restricted by the private developers. It is
understood that canals leading out to the open waters will be privately owned, and
fishermen would need to pay a fee in order to use the canals. The community will also
lose the ability to conduct fishing activities as the water used for green mussel
harvesting will be reclaimed, and the fishermen are too poor to engage in ocean fishing
activities. The costs of purchasing suitable fishing boats and operating them are
prohibitive, particularly in light of the high costs of fuel.
As forms of resistant toward the government plan which detriment fishermen, numerous of
protest has been conducted. The last protest was carried out in front of the office of
Ministry of Environment and the Department of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs on July 2006
which participated by 500 fishermen and resulted on the forming of verification team. The
team will conduct numerous of research to discover the private companies' plan that keep
going with the project. Later on, if it’s proved, the team will send a protest letter to
the government of Jakarta for not obliging the on-going of law process for decree's of
Ministry of Environment.
No research has yet been conducted to accurately document the number of people likely
to be affected, and the real cost of the destruction of their homes and sources of
livelihood. The Urban Poor Consortium is currently working with a number of communities
to assist in community organising.
 E-Mail: 325collective( at ) hush.com (Uk contact)
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