Nature Alert: Green heroes want new president to take real actions on environment

Saturday 6 June 2009

Green heroes want new president to take real actions on environment

Adianto P. Simamora , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 06/05/2009

Environmental heroes have requested a meeting with each of the three presidential hopefuls to convey their concerns about environmental degradation that has triggered more natural disasters across the country.

Past and current winners of the most prestigious environmental award Kalpataru issued a joint declaration on Friday, calling on the government to take real actions in restoring the environment.

“We are very concerned about the continuing “ecological” assassination across the country and the government should take real actions to restore the environment based on local wisdom,” coordinator of Kalpataru winners Eko Budiharjo read the declaration during a commemoration of the World Environment Day.

“We demand that the government strictly enforce the law on environment to address the problems.”

To raise awareness of environment protection among the young generation, they also called on the government to incorporate environmental issues into the national curriculum for students from elementary to higher education.

Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar said the award winners would meet presidential candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri and her running mate Prabowo Subianto and the presidential ticket of Jusuf Kalla and Wiranto on Saturday. It remains unclear, however, when the environment heroes will meet incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his running mate Boediono.

Since its inception 29 years ago, 264 people have won the Kalpataru award.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/06/05/green-heroes-want-new-president-take-real-actions-environment.html

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.