Govt Names 4 Suspects on Karimunjawa Shrimp Ponds Case

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) named four suspects in the environmental destruction of Karimunjawa National Park on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.

The naming of suspects is a follow-up on the investigation by the Directorate General of Environmental Law Enforcement of the KLHK of Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara Regions in the case of alleged environmental damage due to shrimp ponds in Karimunjawa.

The four suspects are SL, a resident of Surabaya City, and three residents of Jepara Regency: S, TS, and MSD. "[Naming four suspects] as a deterrent effect and a concern for other perpetrators, and to protect Karimunjawa National Park," said the Director General of Environmental Law Enforcement, Rasio Ridho Sani, in a written statement.

The investigation and naming of the four suspects of environmental destruction in Karimunjawa came after the Joint Operation to control Illegal activities in the national park in the form of shrimp ponds from October 31 to November 5, 2023.

Previously, the agency received complaints of alleged pollution of Karimunjawa National Park waters from shrimp pond waste that disrupted tourism activities and coral reefs. The KLHK Enforcement Law Center for Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara then took persuasive steps by installing an information board prohibiting dumping waste at that location.

However, the shrimp pond owners did not heed the call. They continue to dump shrimp pond waste into the waters of Karimunjawa National Park. They allegedly take water from the waters of Karimunjawa using pipes flowing into the ponds.

They then allegedly dumped shrimp pond waste into Karimunjawa waters without a permit, causing damage to coral reefs. The waste is also suspected of causing itching to tourists on the beaches and waters of Karimunjawa.

According to Rasio, environmental destruction in Karimunjawa are serious crime. "This crime has damaged the ecosystem, harmed the community, and the state. The perpetrators must be given maximum punishment in order to achieve justice. We have warned them to stop the activity but they still do not comply," he said.

Based on evidence collected by KLHK Enforcement Law Center and expert testimony, shrimp ponds in Karimunjawa caused damage to coral reefs. The suspects are charged with Article 98 (1) of Law No. 32 of 2009 concerning Environmental Protection and Management with a minimum imprisonment of 3 years, a maximum of 10 years, a fine of at least Rp3 billion, and a maximum of Rp10 billion.

JAMAL ABDUN NASHR

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