Activists protest wild animal hunting, trading<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Bogor<\/p>\n
Around 70 activists from the organization Pro Fauna Indonesia
\n(Indonesian Wildlife Support) demonstrated on Wednesday at the
\nHotel Indonesia traffic circle, unfurling a five meter by three
\nmeter banner that read \"Stop trade in endangered animals --
\nwildlife belongs to nature.\"<\/p>\n
\"We are holding this demonstration because we are concerned at
\nthe increase in wild animal hunting in Indonesia,\" said Pro Fauna
\nJakarta coordinator Hardi Baktiantoro.<\/p>\n
Since Indonesia still topped the list in wild animal hunting
\nand trading, Pro Fauna demanded the Ministry of Forestry to curb
\nthe trade in endangered species and called on the public to stop
\nbuying them.<\/p>\n
Hardi said every month 10 to 20 orangutans were smuggled from
\nKalimantan to Semarang seaport and later distributed to
\nYogyakarta, Surabaya and Bali.<\/p>\n
A member of Pro Fauna in Gorontalo, Sulawesi, reported that
\nthe capture of babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) was widespread,
\nalready occurring in Nani Wartabone Bogani National Park, with an
\nestimated 10 babirusa being caught every week and sold in Manado,
\nNorth Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
\"If the government does not take action, within five to 10
\nyears, Indonesia will lose its endangered animals,\" said Hardi.<\/p>\n
Illegal animal traders only get lenient sentence from the
\ncourt although they are proven guilty.<\/p>\n
In a recent trial at the Bogor District Court on Monday,
\ndefendant Rudi Hermawan, 27, was only sentenced to six months'
\njail although he was found guilty of rare animal trading, which
\nviolated Law No. 5\/1990 on natural resources and biodiversity
\nconservation.<\/p>\n
The charges carry a punishment of a maximum of five years'
\njail and a Rp 100 million (US$11,765) fine.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors had demanded 10 months' jail.<\/p>\n
The defendant was arrested in a joint action by the Bogor
\nForest Police and East Bogor Police on Nov. 5, 2003, outside the
\nTrio restaurant on Jl. Raya Pajajaran, Bogor, at about 9:30 p.m.
\nwhen he tried to sell a dead Sumatran tiger for Rp 12 million to
\nYayat Syarif Hidayat.<\/p>\n
Rudi claimed he bought it from another man, Amir, who is still
\nat large, for Rp 6.5 million. Amir remains on the Bogor Police's
\nwanted list.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/activists-protest-wild-animal-hunting-trading-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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