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------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
To: sangkancil@malaysia.net
Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 00:27:04
Subject: [sangkancil] Letter from Borneo, burning, to IT (fwd)
From: pillai@mgg.pc.my (M.G.G. Pillai)
Reply-to: pillai@mgg.pc.my (M.G.G. Pillai)
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FORWARDED MAIL -------
From: wpaireland@gn.apc.org
Date: 06 Oct 97
Originally To: Recipients of indonesia-act <indonesia-act@igc.org>
Letter to the Editor, Irish Times, Monday, 6 October, 1997
Sir, -
I am living on the island of Borneo, which is reputed to be the
third largest on earth. For well over two months now an eerie and
poisonous pall of gloom has canopied the tropical skies of
south-east Asia as environmental vandalism on a massive scale is
being perpetrated in Indonesia. The super-rich timber barons are
burning down the rain-forest to replace it with the monoculture of
palm oil trees. Schools have been told to close, huge
inconvenience is caused to travellers and people have been advised
to stay indoors. Recently, visibility was down to one metre in
Kuching, Sarawak.
The Indonesian government selfishly ignored the seriousness of the
situation until the wind changed direction temporarily and blew
the noxious fumes back towards them. The situation is now out of
control as the coal seams near the surface are burning as well.
So far 800,000 hectares have been wiped out. The unprecedented
dry spell is expected to last for at least another three months
due to the El Nino influence.
The Indonesian authorities originally blamed the native swithen
farmers of Kalimauntan, but this was a cover-up for the licensed
logging and plantation companies who deliberately set these fires
every year. Despite the pious platitudes being mouthed it is
extremely unlikely that these legalised vandals will be brought to
book. In the meantime Borneo is burning while President Suharto
fiddles.
- Yours etc.,
SEAMAS O MUIRTHILE
PO Box 256
Maura Post Office
BSB
Borneo.
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