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Jakarta. Thirty years since its founding, Indonesia’s leading environmental group remains just as committed to fending off the capitalist and neoliberal threats to the country’s environment, society and economy, its chief says.

The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) was founded on Oct. 15, 1980, by then Environment Minister Emil Salim to raise public awareness of environmental issues.

The group has gone from advocating and campaigning on environmental issues to taking up the mantle of human rights and gender equality.

Speaking at an event to celebrate Walhi’s 30th anniversary, executive director Berry Nahdian Furqan said the exploitation of natural resources, encouraged by neoliberal economic policies, had not favored the people’s interests.

“From the authoritarian New Order era to the current administration, we remain inseparable from the influence of capitalism and neoliberalism,” he said.

“Walhi considers taking care of the environment as part of politics and policymaking. Walhi has received many reports on how people have been displaced, thrown from their lands, had their water sources polluted and been criminalized by capital owners.”

The problem stemmed from the various laws on mining, foreign investment, water management, privatization and coastal and small island management, “which basically don’t side with the people or environment.”

In terms of Walhi’s achievements, Berry said the group had managed to bring environmental issues into the mainstream.

“In the late 1980s, Walhi managed to push for environmental groups to get the right to file a lawsuit,” he said.

“We also succeeded in integrating environmental concerns into government policies, such as the 1982 Law on the Provision of Environmental Principals. We also contributed to the 2009 Law on Environmental Management and Protection.”

Emmy Hafild, Walhi’s executive director in 1985, said the group served as an opposition bloc to Suharto’s New Order regime. “It was easy for us because we were against the New Order regime, so whatever they did, we were basically against them,” she said.

“We were just as accepted at international forums, such as the UN, as at the grassroots level.”

The group had fought for environmental issues as a member of the Environmental Impact Analysis (Amdal) Commission, which scrutinized companies’ requests to set up factories or commercial establishments.

“If discussions or arguments didn’t work, we staged protests on the streets, which were more low-key than the Walhi actions you see on the streets these days,” Emmy said.

“Today, Walhi’s struggle is harder because of rising challenges. It’s also important for Walhi to get support, and funding, from the people.”

Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan, who also attended the anniversary celebration, said his ministry would accommodate Walhi’s views.

“Our job today is a lot different from what it used to,” he said.

“Previously, the Forestry Ministry was all about cutting down trees, but now we’re planting trees. Basically, the ministry and Walhi have the same dreams and goals — we want to save the environment — however, the roles are different.”