Presidential election of the Republic of Indonesia will be implemented shortly, in July, 9, 2014. Two couples presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate left now, Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla and Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa, their commitment to the environment in Indonesia is questionable. Greenpeace Indonesia hasn’t seen any 100% commitment from both to the Indonesia environment. Meanwhile, Walhi appreciate Jokowi-JK although no specific steps that they propose.
Last week (16/5) Greenpeace deliberately propose tiger and shark as candidate to the Electoral Commission as a symbol of the absence of the couple who 100 % committed to do protection and restoration of the Indonesian environment. The submitted document named “Raung and Umba Vision Mission” and contains environmental rescue vision and mission they consider could be reference for sustainable and equitable development programs.
“Unfortunately, we see that the environment vision and mission from both candidates not maximum and still not 100% to Indonesia’s environment like Raung and Umba’s mission and vision,” said Longgena Ginting to Ekuatorial (26/5).
Raung and Umba’s vision and mission ask the candidates to 100% protect forests and peat-land in Indonesia, 100 % make free toxic water, 100 % make healthy and protected sea and 100 % provide protection to renewable climate and energy. Greenpeace specifically, explained such as bringing Indonesia to zero deforestation, Make a list of Toxic Substances and Hazardous Waste (B3) to being acted immediately, to prevent the fish migration from abroad in Indonesia’s fisheries management area and realize sovereignty energy. Raung and Umba’s vision and mission can fully seen here.
“So far we keep proactive to communicate it with public and to all candidates to declare 100% commitment 100 to environment,” Longgena said when asked about the Greenpeace campaign.
Walhi also has its own criteria regarding the candidates considered pro-environment. Abetnego Tarigan, Director of Walhi said that candidates should explicitly able to answer about root problems of environment in Indonesia.
Abetnego describe the problem into four points, such strengthen the management environment institution and its capacity in national and regional level, encourage the existence of environmental justice, forming agrarian conflict resolution institution and natural resources as a form of implementation of the TAP MPR No. IX/2001, review the policy on the management of sectoral natural resources and encourage budget policy for the environment.
Walhi feels that from both candidates, Jokowi-JK already know the root problems of environmental issues in Indonesia. However, they saw no specific answers from this issue.
“For example, Jokowi-JK mentioned that environmental damage already at the stage of humanitarian disasters, but no principal agenda driven,” said Abetnego. On the other hand, Abetnego appreciates vision mission and action programs from Jokowi-JK that already meet with one of Walhi’scriteria: giving special protection for indigenous people, especially in running mandate Tap MPR IX/2001 on agrarian reform and management of natural resources.
Compared to Prabowo-Hatta’s vision mission and programs, there are points about preserving nature and the environment, but Walhi who had seen the document feels they failed to reach the root causes of environment problem in Indonesia.
“In our opinion, Prabowo-Hatta’s vision and mission is dangerous because it explicitly will continue the MP3EI project as the basis of Indonesian development,” Abetnego admits his concern. He continued that the MP3EI would perpetuate agrarian conflict, damage the environment and does not answer poverty problem in Indonesia.
Lastly, Abetnego said that the Walhi itself specifically pay attention on how the candidate provides guarantees for citizens to aspires at the environmental rights. Meanwhile, Longgena Ginting hoped voter wiser to aspire their aspiration to both candidates about environmental problems resolution, which is currently in critical phases due to huge industrial exploitation. Ratih Rimayanti.