The torched earth
Who is behind the fires fouling Southeast Asia's air is the question uppermost in every urbanite's mind today. For urbanites forest have always been picnic spots, cute little patches of greenery with a harmless rabbit, squirrel or tiger tucked away in a corner of the photograph for special effects. The farmer who lives near the forest is normally not noticed because his livelihood depends to a great extent upon the forest. His interaction with it does not lead to irreversible impacts upon the ecosystem. In fact, forest communities depend upon the forest for primary health care, for minor forest produce like fodder for their cattle and for fuelwood for their kitchens.
The first to be blamed for the haze in Southeast Asia were unfortunately the farmers who slash and burn forests to clear small plots of land for cultivation. The farmers are the fall guys. In fact, Malaysia's national haze committee has even suggested that volunteer fire brigades and groups be set up to take reports of unlawful burning. It is feared that this measure will do nothing more than target small farmers who have no other means but to clear land with fire as it is the cheapest means available.
It is only recently that experts have begun to point the finger at large industrial houses that clear thousands of hectares of forest land for oil-palm and industrial forest plantations. Whereas farmers only clear an hectare at a time. Even the government of Indonesia knows that farmers are not the culprits. It has issued notices to more than 170 companies that may be responsible for the present crisis. But its sincerity in punishing the guilty is as suspect as is its competence to deal with the raging fires in the forests of Sumatra and Borneo.
The slash and burn began this year as usual with the onset of dry weather in June. By August, Indonesia's neighbours had begun to feel the ill-effects, which they had become accustomed to for the last six to seven years. After 1994, Indonesia had banned the burning of forests but its new law has been largely observed in violation. Once the fires began they proved to be exceptionally difficult to contain.
Even the apology offered by Indonesian president Suharto to his neighbours did little to raise dampened spirits.
What is most unacceptable about this whole situation is that it was not unavoidable. Two years ago when the issue of the annual haze enveloping the Southeast Asian countries was raised at an asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) environment ministers' meeting it was rudely brushed aside by Indonesia. While the Indonesians had agreed to educate the poor farmers not to employ slash and burn techniques of clearing land and to seek other methods of farming, the Indonesian delegation had made it clear that the state would not be in a position to force change and could only use friendly persuasion. What had been conveniently brushed under the carpet was the role of the industry