The smoke was looming high. The sun was scorchingly hot. Even the heat was perceived from the neck to the headlock. The date was 01/03/2021 forest burning was perpetrated yet again. FMU (Forest Management Unit) Mempawah district, under the Environmental and Forestry Services of West Borneo, together with joint team from: Polres Mempawah, District Military Command 1201/Mph, BPBD Mempawah district, poised and quick as the front force in contending with the brunt of forest and land fires (Karhutla).
After five hours, the fire was successfuly quenched. One hot spot could easily be handled, but another five would rise to take its place. It would take five days for them to be completely put out. The azure sky was no more.
Forest and Land Fires (karhutla) is indeed a daunting scourge, even more so when the ground is peat.
Fire befell us, smokes gathered. To whom should we put the blame? Perchance to those who recklessly expand their fields without minding their environments, by devastatingly burning our forest? On one side, Five thousand rupiahs capital can expand farmland up to one hectare, only by starting a spark of flame, then using it to burn up an arid-dry tree. The small spark of fire then turn bigger, eventually becoming a wildfire, uneasily quenched, sparks flew around its vicinity, turning our forest to embers. Even more so with the strong wind by its side and when the sun flew up high.
Mechanically opening up our fields is safe without any chance of Forest Fires, albeit it needs much more money. The fund it needs is indeed ‘same’, Five, Burning would cost only five thousands in contrary with five million.
Karhutla Firefighters would flip. Who is to blame when justice would be enforced, but the judicial would often times neglect. In the name of self preservation and fulfilment of living rights, they deem this is enough to undermine justice. this is a local wisdom.
Our government deliberated and made rules and regulations but they decide to put their ego as their front. thereby wisdom is obscure, unknown.
In accordance to the Great Dictionary of Indonesia (KBBI), the definition of local wisdom stands from two syllables, that is wisdom (kearifan) and local (lokal) local means ‘in its vicinity or neighbourhood’ and wisdom, same with ‘kebijaksanaan’.
This is how maturity of the people at the local community level that is reflected by their attitudes, behaviors, and conductive perspectives of the community in developing the potential and local source (Material and non material) that can be used as a force in realizing change to the better or positive.
How then do they deem forest burning as a form of local wisdom. Has another method of local wisdom not been done, one that states expanding farmlands without fire?
It seems that we must together assemble to reformulate local wisdom in its pristine form.
Consensus deliberations need to take precedence, not a big throat of ego asking for the stage to say ”I’am great”.
There is no “i” there is only one for all and all for one. Because we all breath from the same air.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ – القران الكريم
Then which of your Lord’s favours will you both deny? (translator: abadha)
