Jakartass Home thoughts from abroad. Alien thoughts from home.

I haven't written about Kalimantan before although I do know where it is. I once sat in my seat on a Sempati plane as it sat on the tarmac at Balikpapan airport in transit to Jakarta.

This blog isn't called Jakartass for nothing, but I am concerned about maintaining Indonesia's biodiversity and I abhor political shenanigans and its embedded corruption so when I received the following email my interest was obviously aroused.

Hello J.

Would you be interested in reporting on Balikpapan Bay / Pulau Balang project, threatening the ecosystem there? This unfolding story has all characteristics of Indonesian development projects driven by greed.

My Czech colleague, Stan Lhota (M.Sc., Ph.D. of the Department of Zoology at the University of Dept. Zool., Univ. of South Bohemia) is involved in an almost hopeless campaign to prevent the destruction of local biocorridors and mangrove ecosystems. He is originally a biologist rather than a campaigner, but in Indonesia, one has to assume both roles. I promised Stan a little help and I thought that informing/ involving the Indonesian expat community might be worthwhile although the interests in the project in provincial and central governments are powerful.

Stan is also involved in time-consuming fieldwork and if there is publicity and pressure from outside, he would certainly appreciate it.

This is a statement from Mr. Miko, Biodiversity Director from DG Environment (Eur. Commission), former Czech Environment Minister who is interested in this cause.

A google search produced this page, well worth linking to, as it covers the issues in some depth.

Balikpapan Bay in East Kalimantan is home to an incredible variety of ecosystems: in the shallow bay waters endangered dugong feed on sea grasses and salt water crocodiles sleep; along the bay proboscis monkeys leap among mangroves thirty meters tall and Irrawaddy dolphins roam; beyond the mangroves lies the Sungai Wain Protection forest; here, the Sunda clouded leopard hunts, sun bears climb into the canopy searching for fruits and nuts, and a reintroduced population of orangutans makes their nests; but this wilderness, along with all of its myriad inhabitants, are threatened by a plan to build a bridge and road connecting the towns of Penajam and Balikpapan.

The bridge, known as Pulau Balang, would span the bay, splicing through Balang Island, cutting off the mangroves from the rainforest, and running the entire length of the western edge of the protected forest. While the direct impacts would be severe – deforestation for the road, splitting the mangrove from the rainforest, damage to the reef – researchers say that providing people easy access to the mangrove and forests will inevitably destroy them.

The page also lists some 14 endangered and vulnerable mammals, 5 endangered and vulnerable birds and 2 endangered amphibians

The proposed bridge is the dotted red line at the top, running below the Sungai Wain Protection Forest and then cutting through the dark green of the mangrove belt.

As ever, there are cheaper and less environmentally damaging alternatives, particularly the middle route on the map (Tanjung Batu – Gunung Seteleng). The lower bridge (Nipahnipah-Melaway) is perhaps not feasible as Balikpapan doesn't want heavy trucks going through the city.

So why, one may reasonably ask, haven't they been chosen?

There appears to be a conflict between local and provincial administrations

Recently, local governments, perceiving the many negative aspects of the project, have stepped away from supporting the Pulau Balang Bridge. Instead they have put their support behind the alternative road that would cause far less environmental harm and be a better option for their communities.

Yet the provincial and federal governments remain staunch supporters, capable of pushing the Pulau Balang Bridge through despite local concerns. Already, funds for the bridge and road have been secured by investors from South Korea.

There is also the matter of land speculation which has been ongoing since the early 1990s when the road was first planned.
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Corruption in East Kalimantan
Kutai Kartanegara – Indonesia’s richest district
Indonesia Corruption Watch – Bank Kaltim paid Rp.18.59 billion in 'gratuities' to local leaders.
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) reports 1,254 corruption cases

Local Press Reports in Indonesian
Bupati (Regent) Andy Harahap speaks about Tanjung Batu – Gunung Seteleng bridge
Government website
Balikpapan – a brief article which explicitly states that the Tanjung Batu – Gunung Seteleng bridge would be the best alternative to the Pulau Balang Bridge.

I have written to both the Jakarta Post and the Jakarta Globe suggesting that they have better resources than I to investigate and report on this issue.

After all, if this case has stirred international concern, shouldn't it also matter to those of us in Indonesia?