Reflections from Jogjakarta

CRCS Research Seminar Jogjakarta, January 2007

What scholar can do for environment? First consider perhaps to think that the realities need to be response. Second, it should be written in a paper—based in some scientific research-- and being discussed as a topic and dialogue. Research is the basis of the discourses, hence then we understand the roots of the problems. Of course it’s not enough, a scholarly though is a quite utopia because they still in the ivory tower. Then we should start to influence the society—as well as the decision makers-- what should be the

approach to be implemented. Although, we should not get frustrated at the end that the society are not realize and consider what the scholars recommend.

The one I like from this seminar of CRCS, UGM Jogjakarta 7-9 January 2007, in Jogjakarta is, the source scholar not just tried to enlighten the society by thinking and writing, but start their thought practice and preliminary action perform with their personality. Dr. Rita Gross, for example from years of studying Buddhism, but then started practice Buddhism principles in her life because she believe –as many scholars do—that Buddha teaching is the most environmentally friendly than other teachings. And Dr. Nawall Ammar, a Muslim woman born in Egypt tried advocating and explains Islam in the western society in the intellectual ways. At the end, it’s important to held a dialogues and talked many discourses, but the wise thing practically for the environmental solution is how we can start every actions from ourselves, the to the family, hence to the society at large.

I was presented my paper: “The current environmental issues in Indonesia” see lots of discourses had talked but the society not changing their behavior to threat the environment. At the end this proven by the worst flood inundated Jakarta in this February 2-3, 2007. Hence what can we says, there is no culprits except human who tried to put their pose in opposition to the nature. Plenty of riverside areas were converted by buildings as well as the bogs and wetlands areas were being changed to hypermarkets and apartments. At the end it’s a misery for this nations!