Heru Budi to Inspect Reclamation Project in Pari Island as Protest Mounts

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Acting Governor Heru Budi Hartono stated that he will oversee reclamation activities in Tengah Island after being highlighted by the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) Jakarta and the Pari Island Care Forum (FP3). The reclamation is carried out by a developer on Tengah Island which is in the Pari Island Group, South Thousand Islands.

“We'll go there, we'll see,” said Heru Budi after monitoring the availability of meat stocks ahead of Eid Al-Fitr at PD Dharma Jaya, East Jakarta, Tuesday, April 18.

Previously, WALHI Jakarta together with the Pari Island Caring Forum (FP3) sent a letter to the Provincial Government to take firm action on reclamation activities in Tengah Island. “The development being carried out in Tengah Island is no longer reasonable,” said FP3 chairman Mustaghfirin in a release.

Mustaghfirin said that reclamation as a development strategy for limited land on the coast and sea has provided a bad experience in the history of environmental management in Jakarta.

Ecosystem damage and disruption to fishermen's livelihoods are real impacts that must be paid dearly amidst the accelerating threat of climate change.

“They have damaged the aquatic ecosystem and taken away the space that is the livelihood of the community, such as shallow sea fishermen, pond farmers, and seaweed farmers. Even so, the government remains silent,” he underlined.

WALHI Jakarta argued that the damage to aquatic ecosystems caused by the reclamation indicated the possibility of environmental crimes. This is based on the development of Tengah Island which sacrifices the existing ecosystem.

MUTIA YUANTISYA

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