Hutan Tanpa Api, A Powerful Photo Exhibition by Greenpeace Indonesia
Greenpeace Indonesia launched a campaign to stop and prevent forest fire called Forest Fire Prevention (FFP) and in a photo exhibition called Hutan Tanpa Api. During a press conference on December 15th 2016 at Galeri Indonesia Kaya at Grand Indonesia Mall, Greenpeace Indonesia gave a lecture about the importance of preventing forest fire in Indonesia. It is generally known that Indonesia is home to one of the last existing rain forest in the world, thus it becomes a concern when forest is burned down to the ground to make ways for palm oil industry or human’s settlement. Last year, Indonesia’s tragic forest fire became the headline news and with eleven year of constant campaign to stop the tragedy, Greenpeace Indonesia launched Hutan Tanpa Api (Forest Without Fire) campaign.
The campaign was realized with the formation of Forest Fire Prevention (FFP) team which contains of 25 volunteers from Sumatra, Borneo, and Jakarta in 2016. Most of them are the victims of forest fire and Nilus Kasmi, one of the volunteer, told her view about the subject matter, “In my opinion, forest fire has to get a full concern from the government. Because forest fire has caused my children, as well as other thousand children, whether it’s in Borneo or other provinces asphyxiate each year. (It) also has a bad effect on protected wildlife and the loss of local custom.” The team has underwent a rigorous training since mid 2016 and they were specifically trained to be able to detect fire spots and extinguish them. Other form of training include investigation of fire potential, education of fire prevention, supervision of peat land’s management to negotiation simulation with the corporate and government. The fragile state of peat land makes it easily burned to build palm oil farmland.
The process of FFP training as well as their first ever deployment at peat land area in Rokan Hilir, Riau during 19 October to 4 November 2016 have been documented well and the photos were exhibited at the gallery. The photos show the interaction between volunteers, the interaction of volunteers with local residents, and their action to extinguish fire spots. They also show how forest fire affect the wildlife and entire forest ecosystem which was saddening to look at. Hutan Tanpa Api exhibition will run until Sunday, December 18th 2016 and you could both admire the photographic aspect of it and also get educated about the importance of preventing forest fire in Indonesia. Head to Greenpeace Indonesia website to find out how you could participate in this campaign.
