Nature Alert: Postcards

Sunday, 27 July 2008

Postcards

Thank you to all of you who have kindly supported our orangutan conservation work by sending campaign postcards to, amongst others, the Indonesian Embassy in Washington DC, USA.

Postcards? Not sure what I am talking about? Please click on http://www.naturealert.org/ and see if you can also help.

Recently I had a reply from the Embassy (for some strange reason it took three months to reach me, but that's the Indonesian government for you) with a lot of complete rubbish about the efforts to save orangutans. To make matters worse they say that Terry Irwin (wife of the late TV presenter Steve Irwin) applaudes their efforts. As a frequent visitor to Borneo and in daily contact with people there, I don't know a single thing central government is doing to help save orangutans. I can tell you they continue to sell off rainforest's inhabited by orangutans.

I have written to Terry and asked for some clarification that I can publish on this Blog. I will let you know as soon as I hear from her.

Thanks again to all of you who are helping. You are part of the solution, whilst those who don't help - are part of the problem. Reading Blogs etc won't help save orangutans - only actions will.....and I am pleased to say I know most of you do walk your talk and for this Hardi and I will be forever grateful.

I have been told the President of Indonesia is aware of our campaign and the postcards and he is asking questions of the Ministry of Forestry.

Hall of Shame for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the Palm Oil Industry.

Nothing can prepare one for the sight of the systematic extermination of orangutans by the government of Indonesia.

Look at the photos and news articles on these pages in the context of a statement the President made to the media on 10th December 2007.

“In the last 35 years about 50,000 orangutans are estimated to have been lost as their habitats shrank. If this continues, this majestic creature will likely face extinction by 2050,” President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said at the launch of an orangutan conservation plan at the climate talks in Bali.

“The fate of the orangutan is a subject that goes to the heart of sustainable forests … To save the orangutan we have to save the forest.”

Statements like these are most welcome, but unless backed up by action, such words fall on deaf ears within the Ministry of Forestry....who are busy granting licences to cut down the very forests the President says they should protect!

When you think you are to busy to help, please could you reflect for a moment on .........

The following extract refers to environmental problems in general. I just hope you find it as thought provoking and relevant to orangutans as I have.

"This is such a shocking and unpalatable fact that most people deny it, or they just don't want to think about it. They believe as individuals, they can do little about it, so push it to the back of their minds. But I can't do that.

When something has to be done, we need to do it. It doesn't matter how big the challenge is or how hard the solution; if I know something is wrong, and I am in a position to help, I will do my best to make it right." Duncan Bannatyne, successful British businessman.