REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The People's Coalition for Fishery Justice (Kiara) has opined that reclamation is not suitable for the Indonesian nation that is spread over a vast area.

"Reclamation is not really suitable for this nation. It could be checked. There are plenty of land areas that could be used," Kiara Secretary General Susan Herawati Romica noted here, Wednesday.

The NGO said that trying to emulate Singapore in terms of conducting reclamation is a wrong step, as it is a small country, while Indonesia is large and has a vast area.

According to the 2016 data of the Kiara information and data center, more than 107 thousand fishermen's households were affected by 16 reclamation projects that spread across Indonesia.

Mining activities in coastal areas and small islands in 20 regions in the country have resulted in the loss of livelihoods of the local people and destruction of the coastal ecology.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Traditional Fisherman Association (KNTI) has stated that reclamation projects in several regions are sea grabbing and have prevented traditional fishermen from having access to the marine natural resources.

"Greedy businessmen behind the reclamation projects in 28 Indonesian coastal areas are ocean grabbing from traditional fishermen," Marthin Hadiwinata, the chairman of KNTI, noted.

Under the guise of conducting development of coastal regions that were claimed to have been damaged, for instance, in Jakarta Bay, greedy businessmen have gained multiple profits from the reclamation projects by carrying out destructive projects.

Based on studies on several reclamation projects, there were indications of the projects having violated legal procedures, ranging from zone planning and licensing to implementation concerning environmental assessment.

Earlier, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan had confirmed that reclamation projects of the C, D, and G Islands in the North Jakarta Coast will resume, as the developers have met all necessary requirements.

The Indonesian Businessman Association (Apindo) has lauded the government's decision to revoke the moratorium on reclamation in Jakarta Bay.

They believed that the Jakarta Bay reclamation project will help boost new economic growth and positive sentiment for Indonesia.

"A new economic area and growth will emerge," Hariyadi Sukamdarni, the chairman of Apindo, stated on Sept 11.

The government had issued the moratorium based on political considerations, he remarked.

In fact, reclamation development is normal in several countries, he pointed out.

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