ASEAN Adopts Blueprint to Battle Haze in Economic Crisis
12/23/97
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Headline: ASEAN Adopts Blueprint to Battle Haze in Economic Crisis
Source: Agence France-Presse
Date: 12/23/97
Byline: Lara Parpan
Copyright 1997 by Agence France-Presse
SINGAPORE, Dec 23 (AFP) - Southeast Asian nations on Tuesday
adopted a blueprint to prevent the recurrence of the haze that
recently enveloped the region.
But Indonesia, where the forest fires which triggered the haze
erupted, cautioned that efforts to check the fires could be hampered
by economic problems.
The Regional Haze Action Plan outlined measures member countries
of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) would take to
prevent bush and forest fires, officials said at the end of a
meeting here.
It will also established mechanisms to monitor the blazes and
strengthening regional fire-fighting capabilities, they said.
"We have concrete, timebound action which will enable the region
to cope better with the problem of fire and smoke haze," Singapore
Environment Minister Yeo Cheow Tong told reporters after the two-day
conference.
The Asian Development Bank has pledged 1.2 million US dollars in
technical assistance to ASEAN, Yeo said.
Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are the lead countries in the
plan's implementation.
"We expect the three lead countries to do their utmost to make
sure the time frame for implementation is being complied with," Yeo
said.
Smoky haze from raging fires in Indonesia began in July and
lasted until October, generating air pollution and an outbreak of
respiratory diseases affecting "millions of people across the
region," the ASEAN joint statement said.
Reduced visibility caused a series of fatal accidents and kept
thousands of tourists away. Most blazes were started deliberately as
land was cleared by traditional slash and burn methods.
But at a separate news briefing, Indonesia acknowledged the
regional economic crisis affecting southeast Asia could hamper
efforts to control the slash and burn land clearance.
"It's a very real risk, because if the economy is not doing
good, then the drive towards such acts will be bigger," said
Indonesian environment minister Sarwono Kusumaatmadja.
Environmental groups largely blamed major plantation companies
for the forest fires which the Indonesian government said destroyed
165,000 hectares (407,550 acres) of forest and caused an estimated
loss of 132 billion rupiah (24 million US dollars).
The Indonesian government has taken a "more stringent attitude"
towards licensing plantation companies, and that it was prosecuting
one company alleged to have set fires deliberately, Sarwono said.
The regional economic crisis, which is expected to slow growth
in southeast Asia and drive millions out of jobs, would make it more
difficult to educate people on the dangers of using slash and burn
methods, he added.
"We ought to have a drastic change in behavior," Sarwono said,
adding that this may be the "most difficult" challenge of
implementing the action plan.
Regional weather experts declared the haze over at the end of
November with the coming of the northeast monsoon and its
accompanying rains.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises
Brunei, Burma, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.