Tolak Reklamasi Benoa Bay protestors take the streets

International News, National News

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Protestors brave the heat on March 20, 2016 to demonstrate against the pending reclamation of Bali’s Benoa Bay.

The persistence and commitment of people in Bali to the cause of preventing the controversial land reclamation in Benoa Bay was clearer than ever yesterday as thousands took to the streets in the crazy heat of the equinox.

#BaliTolakReklamasi #desaadatbergerak #TolakReklamasiTelukBenoa !!! People's Power Pak @jokowi ! pic.twitter.com/Sm4VXo7au5

— Diana Gultom (@smilingdiana) March 20, 2016

We r in solidarity to reject the Benoa Bay reclamation#balitolakreklamasi #TolakReklamasiTelukBenoa #JakartaForBali pic.twitter.com/ofGKWAlFD5

— Diana Gultom (@smilingdiana) March 20, 2016

Residents from at least 20 Bali villages united yesterday afternoon around the Ngurah Rai Airport roundabout in the sweltering heat, with many donning ‘ Tolak Reklamasi ’ t-shirts paired with traditional garb like udeng and sarong to protest the mega Dubai-esque artificial island project proposed for Benoa Bay.

The reclamation’s no new issue—President Joko Widodo’s predecessor SBY took the some 700 hectares of land in Benoa Bay out of protected zoning with a presidential decree when he was still in office. But the reclamation has seemed to reach a fever pitch recently, with demos becoming more frequent, attempting to put pressure on the government to finally do something about the stalemated project.

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Even a member of the DPR (House of Representatives), PDIP politician Nyoman Damantra insisted now’s the time for the government to act, as we’re seeing protests against the reclamation escalate.

From the other side of things, the property developer of the proposed reclamation told the press that the protest is just a part of democracy and it’s really all up to the government, moving forward.

TWBI Director Heru Budi Wasesa said they’ve already done an Environmental Impact Assessment that’s been submitted to the government for further review.

“We leave it all to the government,” Wasesa said, as quoted by Tribun Bali.