With just months to go until Bali picks a new governor and sends off the current one, the movement protesting the impending reclamation of South Bali’s Benoa Bay has jolted back to life with a mass demo in front of the governor’s office over the weekend.
Thousands of protesters marched on Saturday in Denpasar, the island’s capital, urging the candidates in the 2018 gubernatorial race, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati, aka “Cok Ace” and Rai Mantra, to prove that they are serious about putting a stop to the reclamation project that would create a chain of Dubai-esque artificial islands complete with tourism facilities like hotels, restaurants, and even an F1 track in 700 hectares of mangrove forest in Benoa Bay with Indonesian property developer Tirta Wahana Bali International (TWBI) at the reins.
Not only would the project mess with Bali’s vibe and bring mass development to an area already declared as “sacred” by the country’s governing Hindu authority, but it would be an ecological disaster–as we saw with the failed Serangan reclamation in the 90s– for the mangrove forest, not to mention the projected flooding that would put Benoa and much of South Bali under water.
South Bali already has flooding issues, so you could only imagine what would happen with a reclamation, said Kadek Suta, a Balinese protester representing the Jimbaran community.
“We have been soaked by floods. It cannot be denied. Has Jimbaran not already drowned? Especially if Benoa is reclaimed. Therefore, we refuse this reclamation. It will not be profitable and it will lead to even greater disaster,” Suta said at the demo, as quoted by Kumparan.
“Is this environmental situation something we want our children and grandchildren to inherit later?”.
The Tolak Reklamasi, or “Reject Reclamation” movement, organized by the Balinese People’s Forum to Reject Reclamation (ForBALI), a group of activists made up of artists, musicians, lawyers, and other impassioned locals, is the biggest resistance movement against the proposed project. It was formed in 2013 to counter the project after it was first proposed.
With little to no updates about the proposed reclamation project in the past year, Tolak Reklamasi had simmered down somewhat, but this weekend’s event shows the movement is back with a vengeance.
Hundreds of protesters could be seen carrying a long banner bearing the words “Reject the Reclamation of Benoa Bay – On Fire”.
Speaking at Saturday’s event was ForBali leader Wayan “Gendo” Suardana.
We’re at a critical moment for the reclamation, as the governor is about to change and the TWBI project’s location permit—which has already been extended—is due to expire on August 25, Suardana said.
Candidates for the June 27 election Bali governor race should not wait til they’re already in office to take action. To prove they are serious about putting a halt on the reclamation, they must write to President Joko Widodo immediately and demand he cancel Presidential Decree No. 51/2014. The decree was issued by Jokowi’s predecessor, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) shortly before he left office, pulling the 700 hectares of mangrove forest in Benoa Bay out of protective zoning, which opened it up for development.
“If you really reject the reclamation and respect the voice of the people, take action immediately, do not wait to be governor. We as the people who have no direct authority have acted for five years. It’s politicians who have the authority to take direct action. That’s why we’ve written to them, because the ForBALI movement is an independent movement,” Suardana said Saturday, as quoted by Kumparan.
“This action will soon reach its peak, precisely on August 25, 2018. And we will see if the (new) governor will defend and take sides with the people’s movement or continue to defend the interests of the investors.
“August 25 is the climax of a five-year battle that’s been blood, sweat, and tears.
“We are committed to saving Benoa Bay from the threat of reclamation by greedy investors,” Suardana said.
According to Suardana, the reclamation plan isn’t just SBY’s fault. It would never have existed if the island’s current governor, Made Mangku Pastika, had not given his own permission for the project.
“We must not forget that the person who has caused the current situation is Made Mangku Pastika,” said Suardana.
“Don’t let him be quiet and throw our attention away from the commitment to save Benoa Bay, even to the very last moment when he will step away from being governor. Because it’s he who caused this situation. He is the outbreak of this reclamation problem.
“He must continue to be haunted by the voices of the people and the voices of this struggle,” Suardana said.
Pastika, however, has previously said that he is powerless to do anything about the reclamation, that while he has control over the issuance of permits, he could not help that the area was already removed from protective zoning.
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