REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDUNG -- Participants of the upcoming Asia-Africa Conference (AAC) 2015 should also discuss water privatization issue, an NGO activist said.

"Water privatization issue must be paid attention by participants of the AAC, because some countries in Asia and Africa, such as Bolivia, Tanzania, Ghana and Nigeria have conducted water privatization," Dadan Ramdan, chairman of the Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi)'s West Java chapter, said, here, Sunday.

He said Indonesia has made a significant change by rejecting water privatization and returning the rights of water to the public.

"We will try to send this message to the delegates of the Asia-Africa Conference," he stated.

The Indonesian government will hold the 60th commemoration of the AAC in Jakarta and Bandung, from April 19 to 24, 2015.

Walhi will organize a carnival to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, 2015.

During the carnival, Walhi will display some 200 replicas of giant jugs as a symbol of a fight against water privatization, he added.

Two important court rulings were issued in Indonesia earlier this year that established water accessibility as a basic right of the public, rather than giving water the status of a business commodity.

In mid February, the Indonesian Constitutional Court (MK) revoked the 2004 Water Resources Law, which paved the way for the state to take over full control of water resources from the private sector and for concessions on water resources for companies that sell water-based products.

The second important ruling was issued by the Central Jakarta District Court on March 24, which accepted a lawsuit from the Coalition of Jakarta Residents Opposing Water Privatization (KMMSAJ).

The residents claimed that water services coverage was low and water leakage levels were high, while water tariffs grew fourfold since the water privatization came into force.

The citizens sued the president, vice president, finance minister, public works minister, governor of Jakarta, and legislators from the city, as well as water supply companies PAM Jaya, Palyja, and Aetra.

The court ruled that the government must stop the privatization of water in Jakarta and return the duty of water management to the state.

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