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Indonesia tries to douse political fires as smog lingers
October 7, 1997
Web posted at: 11:58 a.m. EDT (1558 GMT)SUMATRA, Indonesia (CNN) -- For the first time in three months, rain fell on parts of Sumatra Tuesday to help quench forest fires that have produced choking haze throughout much of Southeast Asia. But the rain did little to douse the political fires triggered by the environmental catastrophe.
The thick smog also has affected Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei and has drifted as far as the Philippines and southern Thailand. Indonesian President Suharto has apologized to other countries for the smoke.
Many of the fires were deliberately lit to clear land, particularly on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.
Two Australian water-bomber planes arrived in the Indonesian capital Jakarta Tuesday, and officials said they would be sent to Sumatra to help put out the fires.
In a rare move on Indonesia's political front, seven Cabinet ministers met with critics at a news conference to defend their efforts to combat the health-threatening haze that has affected hundreds of thousands of people.
The government officials said they are doing all they can, given the drought blamed on El Niño, an abnormal weather pattern over the Pacific Ocean that has delayed the arrival of monsoons needed to save crops and to put the fires out.
Indonesian Transmigration Minister Siswono Yudohusodo said slash-and-burn farming has been a common practice throughout the region, and was encouraged by the government for many years. The practice, which many plantations use as the cheapest way to clear land, is no longer safe, he said.
CNN's Maria Ressa
explains the situation:
1.7M/24 sec. QuickTime movie
"We encouraged slash and burn techniques 10 to 20 years ago. But at that time there weren't many plantations. Now, with so much development, we need to clear land without burning. It's an expensive lesson," the minister said.
The government has issued a list of 176 companies suspected of burning land, and revoked the timber cutting permits of 29 firms.
"Most of the fires have been put out or are reduced significantly," Environment Minister Sarwono Kusumaatmadja told reporters.
The latest fires mark the fifth time since 1983 that fires have raged out of control, and government officials say they are well aware of the potential threat to the nation.
"This has something to do with the survival of our agribusiness," Kusumaatmadja said. "So I hope this time we make doubly sure that this won't happen again. Otherwise, we'll be out of business forever."
Jakarta Bureau Chief Maria Ressa and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Indonesia steps up fight against haze-producing brush fires - September 24, 1997
- Smoky haze hits dangerous levels in some of Southeast Asia - September 23, 1997
- Land-clearing fires foul Malaysia's air - September 19, 1997
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
- The Haze Emergency Online- satellite images, news reports, pollution warnings and other information
- ReliefWeb: Southeast Asia: Environmental Emergency - list of documents and articles related to the smog crisis
- Monitoring of Widespread Smoke Haze and Forest Fires in the Region - from the Singapore Meteorological Service
- Indonesia Times Online - English language daily.
- Indonesia Internet Information Center - starting point for information about Indonesia
- DKI Jakarta - official Web site of the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
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