Observers Call Nothing Special by the Arrival of the TNI Commander and Chief of Police to Review Riau Forestry

News24xx.com -

Tuesday 13 August 2019, environmental observer, Dr Elviriadi said there was nothing special about the visit of National Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian, TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya and BNPB Chief Lieutenant Doni Munardo. The visit was considered to be ceremonial and without a long-term solution to prevent Karhutla.

For the Lecturer at UIN Sultan Syarif Kasim (Suska) Riau, the central government should start focusing on budgeting for routine downstream improvements. "While the peat area in Riau was not fixed from the start. It should be fixed with the budget from the APBN, the APBD on a regular basis. Now it looks like a fire extinguisher. There is no long-term program," said Dr. Elviriadi.

Moreover, the National Police chief, Tito Karnavian, TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya and BNPB Chief Lieutenant General Doni Munardo seemed to only be based on areas allegedly burned by the community. Like in the village of often in Pelalawan.

As if the forest and land fires in Riau are only done by individuals, even though there have been several companies that were allegedly negligent and allowed the concession to burn.

Dr Elviriadi wants National Police chief Gen Tito Karnavian, TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya and BNPB Chief Lieutenant General Doni Munardo to be carried out randomly. Both to the location of the fire carried out by the community until the burning was carried out by the company.

So as not to arouse suspicion that the visit was to lead an opinion that the fire was carried out by the community. As was done with Sungai Tohor Village in Tebing Tinggi Timur sub-district, Kepulauan Meranti District.

"We see it as it already has in the Tohor River, which is made by the peat laboratory program and others. We are worried that there will be a pilot project. So that the image arises that Karhutla is purely from community crime," said Dr. Elviriadi later.