Protest letter on Indonesian forest fires
04 Oktober 1997
Forest Fires
photo: Nordin
Since many people asked us what they can do to stop the current disaster in Indonesia, we had to answer them that there is not much what can be done from outside. People can either spend some money to charity organizations that are running programmes to distribute masks and medicines to the suffering people in Kalimantan, Sumatra, Irian Jaya and elsewhere. The other thing you can do is to send protest letters to President Suharto, because he is the one who is responsible for this devastation of his beautiful country. It´s not the first time that Indonesia has to face fires like this one and so far the government did nothing to prevent the same thing happening again and again.
Since many of you may not find the time to write letters on their own, we decided to formulate a draft protest letter. Feel free to take it as it is or write similar letters in your own words. You may send it by mail or you may send faxes to President Suharto at
- + 62 – 21 – 345 77 89 or
- + 62 – 21 – 360 517 or
- + 62 – 21 – 345 26 85
Thank you.
- The President of the Republic of Indonesia
- Mr. Suharto
- Istana Negara
- Jl. Veteran
- Jakarta-Pusat
- INDONESIA
Dear Mr. President,
I am very concerned about the continuous flow of news on devastating forest fires throughout the Indonesian archipelago. Not only that these fires destroyed up to 1 million hectares of the most diverse and valuable tropical forests on earth, but also causing hardship and even death to millions of people in Indonesia and its neighboring countries. The fires have caused dangerous smog of most of Asia, with the Air Pollution Index reported to be six times higher the normal level in parts of Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. More than 40,000 people have been hospitalized. It is estimated that the fires released 220 to 290 million tons of CO2 (about 50% of UK’s annual emission) increasing climate change with effects such as the current El Niño in the future.
Clear evidence obtained from satellite imagery shows that 42% of the area affected by forest fires is caused by plantation companies using fires for land clearing and 37% by timber concessions. Small slash and burn farmers account for only 9%. The Ministry for Environment has approved these figures.
Nevertheless almost no legal actions have been taken by the Indonesian authorities. Out of 176 companies named by the government for being responsible for forest fires only 29 have been announced for cancellation of their logging licences. The Indonesian law on the environment says that people responsible for environmental crimes may be fined or even jailed. Arson is clearly punishable under the criminal act. So far, major responsible companies such as PT. Musi Hutan Persada, PT. Kiani Lestari, PT Indah Kiat all owned by well connected timber and plantation tycoons, Prajogo Pangestu, Bob Hasan and Eka Tjipta Widjaya, despite a well documented history of forest mismanagement, unsustainable logging, expropriation of local people, and their widespread use of fire for land clearing, are again no subject of law enforcement.
So far only 20 poor migrant farmers in East Kalimantan have been arrested once again misusing small-scale farmers as scape-goats, shamefully inadequate given the magnitude of the tragedy.
In the light of this disaster it is unbelievable that the Indonesian government is going ahead with the plan of clearing 1 million hectare of peat swamp forest for transmigration in Central Kalimantan. To prepare the peat soil for cultivation the top peat layers and forests would be burned, releasing additional 20 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. It is even more shameful that for the realization of this plan Indonesia’s reforestation funds will be misused in the same manner as they were misused earlier by the Minister of Technology to help financing the aircraft industry. By law this reforestation funds is set aside side solely for reforestation.
I call on you,
- 1. To ensure that all responsible companies and their managers will be prosecuted,
- 2. To compensate all affected people in Indonesia and elsewhere for economic losses and damages to their health,
- 3. To cancel plans for large scale forest conversion in Central Kalimantan and the Mamberamo watershed in Irian Jaya,
- 4. To stop misusing reforestation funds,
- 5. To stop scape-goating local communities,
- 6. To stop corruption, incompetence, and pure profit-seeking in Indonesia’s forestry sector,
- 7. And to check your and your family’s personal responsibility for this massive ecological, social, and economical disaster affecting not only Indonesia but also the whole earth.
Yours sincerely
