ASIATODAY.ID, PADANG – Commemorating the momentum of the 79th anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia, Roehana Project together with Trend Asia raised red and white flags and large banners bearing the message ‘Freedom from Coal’ along the coast of Padang City, West Sumatra, on Sunday, August 18 2024.
“This movement aims to remind us all that there is no freedom in polluted air,” said Jaka HB, Chair of the Indonesian Independent Roehana Foundation (Roehana Project).
According to him, this movement is increasingly urgent because he sees the rapid destruction of the environment.
He assessed that air pollution has had an impact on society, such as high rates of Acute Respiratory Infections, the increasing distance from fishermen’s fishing areas and changes in the community’s economy.
“Because of that, stop dirty energy. People want clean air and a just energy transition,” he said.
He said Independence Day was indeed a long-awaited moment.
“Are we truly independent? If we are independent, why do we still breathe dirty air that will damage our own lungs?” he said.
Jaka said the team chose Padang City as the location for the banner flight because this location represents an area in Indonesia that is directly affected by dirty energy.
The action was carried out starting from the Teluk Sirih Steam Power Plant which is administratively included in Padang City as a source of electricity generation that uses coal.
Then Air Manis Beach which is associated with the famous legend of Malin Kundang and his disobedience to his parents, finally the landmark of Padang City as the capital of West Sumatra Province.
The use of coal for electricity generation also contributes to toxins in the air that people breathe. West Sumatra itself has problems with coal and has two power plants that use coal, namely Ombilin and Teluk Sirih.
“It’s a series of stories that the continuous use of dirty energy will make us disobedient to nature, an endless horror story,” explained Jaka.
Trend Asia campaigner Novita Indri said the impact of the climate crisis was at hand, and steam power plants were the catalyst for the damage.
“If Indonesia is serious about achieving its commitment to the Paris Agreement (to overcome climate change), then the government should be serious about immediately retiring steam power plants and switching to equitable renewable energy,” he added. (AT Network)
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