Transmigration Woes

A related story, both to the Wasior disaster I wrote about yesterday, and also to the general degradation and destruction of  the natural environment:  transmigration.

The Indonesian government has been employing transmigration plans to decrease pressure on highly-populated areas of Indonesia (such as Java and Bali)  by spreading people around the archipelago, specifically targeting areas like Papua.  There are many theories as to all the reasons for this… including cultural and religious dilution, increasing the speed of development (read resource exploitation - there is actually a new government mandate for the ‘increased speed of development of papua’!?).  Anyway, I don’t want to debate the reasons here, but instead speak a little bit about the effects of transmigration, aside from religious, cultural and social issues, but focussing specifically on the environment.

Firstly, we have the blatent, first-hand destruction of natural systems and conversion of land to clear land for the newcomers.  Some have suggested that these transmigration plans are no more than fronts for logging operations which would otherwise be unpalatable.  Regardless, the forest destruction and fragmentation is unavoidable... and worse, as the manner of undertaking these projects in these areas is uncontrolled (poor, if not non-existent, drainage systems, minimal impact plans, buffer zones and watercourse deference), the destruction of the watershed, and thus also the coastal ecosystems, inevitably follows.

Secondly, the inherent pressures associated with the additional populations on the natural environment.  This is another no-brainer:  more mouths mean a greater need for food, thus more fishing pressure and more land conversion for agriculture... all with the same effects as above (especially because of the lack of government control on these processes)!  This is compacted of course, by the already-increased fishing pressures that exist in Raja Ampat, by foreign fishers coming from areas whose oceans have already been depleted of fish stocks sufficient to sustain the populations in their own areas.

Third, the constant and detrimental decrease in general stewardship of (caring about/for) the environment, as a result of a new population with no direct feeling of responsibility or ownership over the local natural environment.  Especially in the Indonesian cultural context, where, regardless of where you live, or even where you were born, your ‘home’ is associated with your tribe of origin.  Although the people native to Raja Ampat currently live extremely closely in an inter-dependence with nature (it would be complete harmony, if not for the outside influences), it can be predicted that the transmigrants will not do so, and will dedicate themselves to other forms of business.  So generationally, and especially with population dilution that will result due to intermarriages inevitable with the new populations, the degree of 'caring for the environment' will decline steadily, resulting in a population with no direct link to the environment with which they are surrounded.

Is this starting to seem like a familiar story?  Oh, I forgot to mention that this is all occurring with little to no consultation with the peoples who have inhabited these lands and waters since the beginning?

Perhaps I have become too pessimistic... or perhaps it takes this long to have your eyes opened... and once they're opened, it's like someone stuck toothpicks between your lids and now you can't stop seeing it all over the place!?