REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BOGOR -- Indonesia needs to establish a national commission on environmental preservation to ensure the implementation of the "Green Constitution" for the survival of the community, stated Professor Jimly Asshiddiqie from the University of Indonesia.
Addressing a public lecture at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) here on Thursday, Jimly noted that there were several incidents of environmental violations, and the damage to the environment was getting worse in the 21st century.
"The 1945 Constitution has the nuance of Green Constitution, but it has not been implemented. Therefore, there must be a national commission on environmental protection that can provide the strongest possible punishment to the violators," he remarked.
Jimly explained that corruption and environmental and human rights violations are the three main issues faced by the world today, and that, numerous countries have issued legal clauses related to environmental issues.
According to him, Indonesia was no exception and already incorporates environmental nuances in its Constitution.
"Each person has a right to a life of well-being in body and mind, to a place to dwell, to enjoy a good and healthy environment, and to receive medical care," according to Article 28H, item 1.
Article 33, item 3, also stated that "the organization of the national economy shall be based on economic democracy that upholds the principles of solidarity, efficiency along with fairness, sustainability, keeping the environment in perspective, self-sufficiency, and that is concerned as well with balanced progress and with the unity of the national economy."
But, the professor from the University of Indonesia noted that the green nuances in the Constitution have yet to be implemented, and therefore, environmental damage in Indonesia is now spiraling out of control.
To implement the green nuances in the Constitution, Jimly believes that all its environmentally related articles should be upheld as a deterrent to stave off those elements which pose a threat to the environment.
"With the National Commission on Environmental Protection like the National Commission on Human Rights, environmental issues in Indonesia can be overcome," Jimly affirmed.
He stated that the deteriorating condition of the environment in Indonesia is linked to democracy because along with the progress of technology and science, the people who earlier lived in harmony with nature are now controlling and destroying it.
"Because of democracy, the people are destroying the nature and environment. Therefore, democracy must be balanced with a new concept by establishing the national commission to manage the environment," Jimly noted.
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