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Illegal beach construction stopped in Bali
During the summer 1997, after the successful closure of the Trap nets operation, Robin Marinos arrived to Bali, Indonesia, to discover that there had been many small constructions built on the main beaches of Bali, and there were a number of new ones under construction. The constructions were build directly on the sand blocking the view and passage of beach comers, and were dangerously constructed. On a beach with extremely high tides and waves exist, and where surfers and swimmers could be injured from broken off slabs of cement from these beach constructions, as was the case.These constructions were clearly illegal in that Indonesian law disallows anyone from building a fixed structure within 50 meters of the beach. After a quick investigation, it was clear that the military was involved and had taken the right to sell these plots to entrepreneurs for large sums of money, and had claimed the right to the whole beach. After protesting directly to the Governor and his entourage of advisers, and being promised the Constructions would be remove by September, Robin gathered evidence which he posted on the Internet for all his environment contacts to see. Reemerging, in Bali 1998, as an Earth Advocate to find larger Beach Constructions, Robin made official protests to many local officials and leaders, environment groups (NGO), and powerful people in Jakarta. 'Why a few military officers could break the laws and claim the beach'? The Local authorities assured Earth Advocates this time the Constructions would be remove by October. Within three months the constructions were physically Bulldozed down. Now the beaches are free and open again thanks to a little action.