The Environmental Security and International Relations: The Case of Citarum River Water Pollution
Abstract
Environmental security as part of human security is a very significant global issue. Environment security became the concern of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement, namely securing the source of ground water which is an important problem in developing countries. This paper analyses the Citarum River, the longest river in West Java, Indonesia, which is heavily polluted due to various economic activities along the riverbanks. The process of industrialization, development and demands to meet the needs of life, as well as population growth have not succeeded in maintaining the river as a source of life. Economic interests and various political conflicts were unable to maintain environmental sustainability. The river pollution comes from factory waste operating along the river, without a process through the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP). The research would focus on the government securitization programs in Citarum River, by implementing four components of securitization namely referent objects, scope, mean, and actors. The analysis observed various government efforts and private sectors to restore the river. The research started in 2000, which is the beginning of “Citarum Harum” restoration until the end of the program in January 2025. The research found that securitisation efforts failed due to three issues; the corruption, collusion and nepotism (CCN) issues, lack of law enforcement, and weakness of bureaucracy and leadership. As a conclusion, various securitisation efforts need to be carried out more firmly and earnestly by providing adequate legal sanctions for the perpetrators of environmental damage.
Keywords: security, environment security, Citarum River, restoration
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Facette, F. F. (2018, 12 January). “Ada Uang Rp 200 Triliun Loh untuk Benahi Citarum, Ini Pemasok Dananya!” Jawa Pos. Accessed from https://www.jawapos.com/read/2018/01/12/180918/ada-uang-rp-200-triliun-loh-untuk-benahi-citarum-ini-pemasok-dananya.
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Greaves, W. (2014). Naturally insecure: critical environmental security and critical security studies in Canada. Critical Studies on Security, 2(1), 81-104.
Henry, U. (2014). Globalization and Environmental Issues: A New Framework for Security Analysis. Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, Conscientia Beam, 2(4), 209-216.
Husodo, H. S. (2017, 10 October). “Pikiran Rakyat: Jumlah Sampah Konon Berkurang, Sungai Citarum Tetap Tercemar.” Accessed from http://www.pikiran-rakyat.com/bandung-raya/2017/10/10/jumlah-sampah-konon-berkurang-sungai-citarum-tetap-tercemar-berat-411260.
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Markushina, N., Sboychakova, A., & Tikhonova, V. (2024). Approaches to “Environmental Security” in the Theory of International Relations, Proceedings of Topical Issues in International Political Geography. Proceedings of Topical Issues in International Political Geography (TIPG 2022) (pp. 507-514). Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
Montanari, J. R. & Bracker, J. S. (1986). The Strategic Management Process at The Public Planning Unit Level. Strategic Management Journal, 7(3), 251-265.
Mujahidin, M. (2018, 21 February). “Pemkab Bandung Alokasikan Dana Rp 95 Miliar untuk Mendukung Program Citarum Harum.” Tribun Jabar. Accessed from http://jabar.tribunnews.com/2018/02/21/pemkab-bandung-alokasikan-dana-rp-95-miliar-untuk-mendukung-program-citarum-harum).
Pikiran Rakyat. (2018b, 10 May). “Aher Ungkap Solusi Penanganan DAS Citarum dalam Sidang Promosi Doktor di Unpad.” Accessed from https://www.pikiran-rakyat.com/pendidikan/2018/05/10/aher-ungkap-solusi-penanganan-das-citarum-dalam-sidang-promosi-doktor-di-unpad.
Pikiran Rakyat. (2018a, 18 January). “Pemkot Bandung Kucurkan Rp110 Miliar untuk Penataan Fisik Sungai Citarum.” Accessed from “http://www.pikiran-rakyat.com/bandung-raya/2018/01/18/pemkot-bandung-kucurkan-rp110-miliar-untuk-penataan-fisik-sungai-citarum.
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Putra, W. (2017, 18 July). ”Horor Sampah di Sungai Citarum Masih Menghantui.” Detik News. Accessed from https://news.detik.com/berita-jawa-barat/d-3563781/horor-sampah-di-sungai-citarummasih-menghantui.
Putri, M. R. & Zuraya, N. 2025, 25 March). “Rp 1,6 Triliun untuk Revitalisasi Sungai Citarum.” Republika. Accessed from http://nasional.republika.co.id/berita/nasional/daerah/18/03/25/p64th0383-rp-16-triliun-untuk-revitalisasi-sungai-citarum.
Ramadhan, D. I., (2018, 26 January). “Cara Prajurit Kodam Siliwangi Bikin Hulu Sungai Citarum Jadi Asri.” Detik News. Accessed from https://news.detik.com/berita-jawa-barat/d-3834504/cara-prajurit-kodam-siliwangi-bikin-hulu-sungai-citarum-jadiasri.
Saputra, Y. (2018). “Misi Besar Mengatasi Pencemaran di Sungai Citarum.” Accessed from https://www.rappler.com/indonesia/berita/194162-misi-besar-atasi-pencemaran-sungai citarum.
Solehudin, M. (2017, 19 July). “DLH Jabar: Citarum Bestari Berhasil Kurangi Sampah Sungai 50 Persen Baca.” Accessed from https://news.detik.com/berita-jawa-barat/d-3565168/dlh-jabar-citarum-bestari-berhasil-kurangi-sampah-sungai-50-persen.
Sukarjo, S., Zu’amah, H., & Handayani, C. O. (2022). Organochlorine Pesticide Residues on The Holticultural Land of The Bandung Regency, Indonesia: Assessment of Spatial Distribution and Human Health Risks. Jurnal Kesehatan Lingkungan, 14(4), 246-256.
Sulaksono, H. (2018, 22 February). “Jokowi Bakal Tanam 1.000 Pohon di Citarum.” Accessed from https://www.ayobandung.com/bandung/pr-79629634/jokowi-bakal-tanam-1000-pohon-di-citarum.
Tempo. (2018, 29 April). “Gubernur Jawa Barat Ahmad Heryawan: Citarum Bukan Wewenang Saya.” Accessed from https://www.tempo.co/arsip/gubernur-jawa-barat-ahmad-heryawan-citarum-bukan-wewenang-saya-128545.
The Process. (2018, 29 November). “The World's Dirtiest River Unreported World.”Youtube. Accessed from https://youtu.be/KVCt7m-nZnk?si=BXzACncPe7J9QTpP.
Wulandari, C. R. (2016, 29 December). “Walhi Jabar Khawatir Anggaran Besar untuk Citarum tak Selesaikan Masalah.” Accessed from https://www.pikiran-rakyat.com/bandung-raya/2016/12/29/walhi-jabar-khawatir-anggaran-besar-untuk-citarum-tak-selesaikan-masalah.
Published
2025-05-31
How to Cite
DJELANTIK, Sukawarsini.
The Environmental Security and International Relations: The Case of Citarum River Water Pollution.
Insignia: Journal of International Relations, [S.l.], v. 12, n. 1, p. 16-33, may 2025.
ISSN 2597-9868.
Available at: <https://jos.unsoed.ac.id/index.php/insignia/article/view/14849>. Date accessed: 19 july 2025.
doi: https://doi.org/10.20884/1.ins.2025.12.1.14849.
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Articles
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