The Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) proposed material testing on Aceh’s Governor Regulations No.5, 2014 about the procedures and requirements of Leuser cultivation area utilization. This is because the content considered to encourage the encroachment in Leuser ecosystem area, Aceh.
“This policy quibble development. In fact, it destroys the environment and not improve the community welfare,” said Muhammad Nur, the director of Walhi for Aceh. According to Nur, the remaining forest area in Leuser ecosystem less than 1,92 million hectares or shrink 914.441 hectares in the last 30 years.
The focus of the refusal, said the Manager of policy and legal defense of Walhi, Munhur Satyahaprabu, located in sections 3 and 4, which is a series that regulates about the types of business license granted. From the provisions for mining, agriculture, and forestry. The article considered legalizing the exploitation in Leuser area that is protected and breaking the Spatial Law.
Munhur said the content of that regulation was not in accordance with Spatial Law which sets the Leuser ecosystem as a protected area. “In spatial, the status of the Leuser ecosystem is still protected forest. The area is unstable. The permits already granted should be immediately repealed, instead of giving the opportunity for exploitation,” said Munhur to Ekuatorial.
Since February, said Munhur, Walhi has warned and sent a letter to the Governor of Aceh to avoid the change of conservatory area become non forest area. However, all the preventive efforts ignored until The Governor Regulation No. 5 published. “Obviously, there is capital and business interest behind this regulation.”
Walhi noted, there are currently 144 mining concessions and 162 active plantations that operate in the area. Throughout this year occur 9 disasters caused by natural devastation in Leuser conservatory. They are flood, landslides, drought which result harvest failure, as well as animal and human conflict.
Meanwhile, responding to demand from Walhi, head of forestry department of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, Syamaun Husaini denied if the Governor Regulation No. 5, 2014 in fact push industry into the Leuser ecosystem.”The governor regulation legalize to encourage conservation since this regulation manages licenses outside the forest. “So, none of the rules being violated,” said Husaini. Azhari Fauzi/Clara Rondonuwu.