Indonesians in Focus: Soetadi Prawiro

By Barrie | December 26th, 2007 | No Comments

Described plainly in terms of his wrinkles and gray hair, Soetadi Prawiro, 75, does not sound like an activist. Yet he has always stood firm in the face of opposition to his campaign to protect the forest and beaches of Wediombo in Gunungkidul regency.

A widower with seven children, Soetadi travels round the Wediombo coastal area every day. He also keeps control over environmental damage caused by, among other things, the use of poison in fishing or bird hunting.

Soetadi always carries a faded old bag, which he slings over one shoulder. The bag contains a camera and a handy cam. “It is important to compile documentary evidence of environmental crimes,” he said.

In the 1970s, Soetadi said, there were 500 hectares of natural forest in Wediombo, hosting a variety of plant and animal species. The supply of irrigation water was sufficient and agricultural crops thrived.

“Today, however, the beautiful green corridor of Wediombo is a thing of the past as the trees have been felled. The forest, which had a very important catchment value, is no longer there. Water sources have dried up and consequently water shortages are experienced every dry season,” Soetadi said.

In 1997, driven by a desire to see the forested areas of Wediombo managed for ecological and recreational values, Soetadi began to approach farmers, urging them to commit to practices aimed at preserving the environment.

“They thought I had a screw loose. But I was determined to talk them around to my point of view,” he said.

The environmental destruction in Wediombo worsened in 2000 due to the removal of white sand and stones along the coastline.
Soetadi many times warned the local people and the sand miners themselves of the ecological problems associated with sand mining. But his objections fell on deaf ears.

He sent a letter to then president Megawati, the state minister for the environment, the regent, the Gunungkidul regent, the prosecutor’s office and the police. The letter was accompanied by photo and video evidence.

He received a variety of encouraging responses to his letter but, unfortunately, they were not coupled with concrete measures.
The sand mining only stopped when a wealthy man purchased the site, saying he had been touched by Soetadi’s efforts to restore the environment.

Soetadi then sought seedling donations from government agencies, which were distributed for free among the locals as part of a tree-planting campaign.

Wediombo residents devised their own regulations on the protection of the environment, making it unlawful for any person to hunt protected animals, deface or damage caves, fell young trees or use pesticides or explosives in fishing.

The residents regularly patrol the coastline to prevent illegal hunting, bird shooting and turtle collection. One of their concerns has been the protection of the Javanese deer, whose population in the area had dwindled to two, but has now risen to 20.

In the past three years, dozens of hardy native coastal plants have been planted over a 10-kilometer stretch of the Wediombo coastline to enhance biodiversity and prevent further erosion.

Today, the Wediombo coast is a place of beauty with lush green forests, pristine waters and white sand beaches. The area is now a comfortable home again to spotted leopards, black panthers, deer, long-tailed monkeys, birds of a great number of species and bats.

“On Dec. 13, we will also plant 4,000 seedlings on the barren hills of Wediombo,” Soetadi said.

Thanks to his dedication to saving the environment of this southern coastal area, Soetadi was awarded the Kalpataru award for Yogyakarta in 2003. “In fact, I do not need any prizes. I only need to be able to operate in an environment of solid support,” Soetadi said.

Slamet Susanto