The first time I heard the phrase “maintaining neighborhood ethics” was in 1998 in Putusibau, West Kalimantan. At that time we from BLHI were invited by the HPH company, PT. Alas Kusuma to see the village they built with CSR funds.
What was conveyed by the management of PT. Alas Kusuma to us in Jakarta about his success in building a village for shifting cultivators, the fact is that in the field it is true and is considered successful. They don't makeup stories about their success.
We also carry a map of the cutting plan area by block. So it is easy for us to check whether they are cutting outside the area that has received permission from the Ministry of Forestry or if they are cutting outside the block area. Again, PT. We did not find Alas Kusuma cheating in the planned felling area.
Bordering the area of PT. Alas Kusuma also has HPH companies which according to the map we carry there are a lot of fraud, especially cutting outside blocks that clearly violate the regulations and laws on HPH permits.
"Based on the map we have from the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry, the HPH company is next to a lot of mistakes, sir," said Pak Andi Ladu Manoppo to the field manager of PT. Alas Kusuma.
"I'm sorry Pak Andi, I don't want to argue about that to respect the ethics of neighbors," said the field manager.
The manager's words stuck in my heart. Even I am ashamed of the glory of this person's heart, who does not want to argue about the badness of his neighbor.
This afternoon, Thursday, July 8, 2020, in the Kampung Mendale area, we visited a neighboring garden which is located west of our land. The owner was cleaning the shrubs in his garden. Our goal is to visit his cottage as a tribute to the ethics of our neighbors.
"Assalamualaikum" I greeted.
"Alaikum greetings ... stop by at our hut, Bang" they replied.
"It's been a long time starting to clear this land," I asked.
"It's been almost ten days," he replied.
Then we chatted with grooves, in essence, suggesting that if you have to burn the land, you must first pile it up so that it doesn't spread to other areas because the fallen pine leaves can easily burn.
They also agreed, that before we came, several members of the Kebayakan Subdistrict Police had warned about the same thing in order to prevent forest and land fires.
Mendale, Aceh Sumatra, Indonesia
Note: This article is a free translation of my writing which has already been posted on other social media and local newspapers.