Foreign fishing vessels nabbed
\nJP\/5\/Across<\/p>\n
Foreign fishing vessels nabbed<\/p>\n
SUNGAI LIAT, Bangka Belitung: The Navy has captured two foreign
\nvessels carrying crew members from Thailand that was fishing
\nillegally in the waters of Bangka Belitung, said a local Navy
\nofficer.<\/p>\n
The two foreign vessels, KM Sembilang and KM Bahtera Santosa,
\nentered the waters of Bangka Belitung flying the Indonesian flag,
\nsaid the provincial Naval base commander Lt. Col. Deddy MP on
\nWednesday. \"All crew members of the two illegal vessels are
\nThailand nationals,\" he said.<\/p>\n
KM Sembilang had a crew of 15 and KM Bahtera Santosa, a crew
\nof 16. They were caught on Tuesday, Deddy said.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the two fishing vessels be auctioned off to
\nlocal fishermen, as they had suffered the most from the illegal
\nfishermen.<\/p>\n
The Navy has recently taken tougher measures against illegal
\nforeign fishing vessels, occasionally sinking them if they
\nrefused to be boarded.<\/p>\n
The government reported the country loses more than US$5
\nbillion annually in potential fishing revenue to foreign
\npoachers. -- Antara<\/p>\n
Jambi pushes for reforestation program<\/p>\n
JAMBI, Jambi: Following Jambi's worst flooding in 17 years, the
\nlocal administration said it would propose to Jakarta to
\nprioritize the national reforestation program in the province.<\/p>\n
\"I will propose to the central government that the Kerinci
\nNational Park on the westernmost side of Jambi province be made a
\npriority in the national reforestation program,\" said Jambi
\nGovernor Zulkifli Nurdin on Friday.<\/p>\n
The 1.2 million hectare national park is Sumatra's largest
\nwater catchment area, capable of irrigating thousands of hectares
\nof farmland in the four provinces surrounding it.<\/p>\n
Located along the Bukit Barisan mountains, Kerinci park,
\nhowever, is losing its forests to illegal loggers.<\/p>\n
The rapid rate of deforestation has contributed to the recent
\nflooding in Jambi from mid-April to early May, during which
\nthousands of homes were inundated and vast areas of farmland
\ndestroyed.<\/p>\n
Water overflowed the banks of Jambi's main rivers as they
\ncould no longer contain the surge of runoff water from the
\nnational park and its shrinking forest areas. -- Antara<\/p>\n
Bandung students walk to Jakarta<\/p>\n
BANDUNG, West Java: Around 2,000 students from the West Java
\ncapital of Bandung are walking to Jakarta in a 180-kilometer long
\nmarch to protest against Megawati Soekarnoputri's government.<\/p>\n
Student Executive Bodies from major universities in Bandung
\nbegan the long march on Thursday. They hope to reach Jakarta by
\nWednesday, May 21.<\/p>\n
But on Friday, the students were held up in the town of
\nCianjur some 60 kilometers west of Bandung, as police refused to
\nlet them pass through the congested route through Puncak. The
\nfour-day long weekend starting Thursday had worsened traffic at
\nPuncak, along the main route between Bandung and Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Andreas Marbun from the Student Executive Body of the
\nUniversity of Parahyangan, said the protesters planned to
\ncontinue their march on Saturday.<\/p>\n
He said that for now, they were trying to get more people join
\nthe protest by holding speeches at Cianjur University of
\nSuryakencana.<\/p>\n
Antigovernment protests continue in many parts of the country
\nsince President Megawati tried to raise fuel prices and utility
\nrates simultaneously in January. -- Antara<\/p>\n
Atambua provides land for refugees<\/p>\n
ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara: The Atambua prosecutors' office said
\non Friday it would allow former East Timorese refugees to settle
\nfor two years on land that it had seized from a deceased convict.<\/p>\n
The offer came from the head of the Atambua prosecutors'
\noffice, Monang Pardede, said first assistant Charles Bissinglasi
\nof the Belu regency administration on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Charles said that at 52 hectares, the land was big enough to
\naccommodate the almost 9,000 former East Timorese refugees in
\nBelu regency.<\/p>\n
The plot of land initially belonged to Yoseph Asit Manek, who
\nwas convicted in a graft case by the local court.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors seized the land after he was unable to repay the
\nfine the court had set. Yoseph died last year.<\/p>\n
Although no longer refugees, many East Timorese still live in
\nrefugee camps in the protected forest of Tirta and at Haliwen
\nstadium in Atambua. -- Antara<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/foreign-fishing-vessels-nabbed-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}