Greenpeace slams Indonesia over forest fires

Antara, 31 August 2006:

Greenpeace slams Indonesia over forest fires

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Environmental group Greenpeace called

Wednesday on Indonesia to halt land clearing fires, warning that

thick haze from the blazes threatened the health of millions of

people and contributed to climate change.

"Greenpeace is calling on the Indonesian government to stop all land

clearing operations in fragile forest environments in order to break

this annual cycle, which is destroying large tracts of forests in

Sumatra," the organisation was quoted by AFP as saying in a press

release.

Haze would continue to smother Southeast Asia annually if Indonesia

failed to stop the burning of peat forests -- a type of forest which

is widespread in Sumatra and Indonesian Borneo -- the group said.

"Once these peat swamps are exposed due to logging, clearing for

canals and concessions, they dry out like a wet sponge exposed to

sunlight and become extremely flammable," said Greenpeace campaigner

Hapsoro in the statement.

"Unless the conversion of these types of forests is stopped we will

continue to experience large scale forest fires and continued

environmental destruction on an annual basis," he added.

Indonesia's neighbours have urged it to curb the annual haze crisis

by cracking down on forest fires, warning that it is hurting business

and putting off tourists.

Greenpeace blamed industrial forest concessions after carrying out an

investigation in Sumatra.

"Forest clearing for acacia pulpwood and oil palm plantations are the

leading causes of the fires and also a factor in creating

environmental conditions that perpetuate the problem."

It alleged that conversion of peat land and forest fires was

releasing massive quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the

atmosphere further adding to the problem of climate change.

Greenpeace also urged the government to declare the fires a national

emergency and to prosecute plantation companies found responsible for

the slash and burn land clearing.

Earlier Wednesday, thick haze stopped air traffic in and out of an

airport in West Kalimantan province, a local meteorological agency

said.

Police in Jakarta meanwhile said they were investigating companies

suspected of starting fires. Although the government has outlawed

clearing land by fire, enforcement has been weak.

The police statement came after the Jakarta-based environment group

Walhi demanded the investigation of more than 100 palm oil and

industrial forest companies for allegedly starting fires.