Forestry, Transmigration at loggerheads over elephants<\/p>\n
PUNCAK, West Java (JP): The Ministry of Forestry and the
\nMinistry of Transmigration are at loggerheads over what to do
\nwith elephants since the beasts, which are a protected species,
\nrepeatedly attack villages in Sumatra.<\/p>\n
The elephant problem was discussed during a meeting between
\nMinister of Forestry Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo and Minister of
\nTransmigration Siswono Yudohusodo here yesterday.<\/p>\n
The two ministers agreed that something must be done, and
\nsoon. But they differed on what course of action to take.<\/p>\n
\"We might have to take drastic measures soon,\" Siswono
\nannounced.<\/p>\n
He was careful to avoid using the word \"selective killing,\"
\nthe suggestion of which earlier this month prompted widespread
\ncondemnation from environmental organizations.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin also declined to specify what action will be taken
\nto stop the marauding elephants from causing further damage,
\nparticularly to new settlement areas administered by Siswono.<\/p>\n
\"The interest of the Indonesian government is to protect the
\nelephants as a rare species, but it does not mean that we have to
\nensure the survival of each and every elephant in Indonesia,\"
\nDjamaludin said.<\/p>\n
He also recognized that in the latest attack, the wild
\nelephants destroyed a number of villages in Liwa, Lampung, which
\nhave barely recuperated from a violent earthquake early this
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said his office plans to capture at least 50
\nelephants after first drugging the animals. The elephants will be
\nsent to special schools designed to tame and train them so that
\nthey can become \"productive forces\", he added.<\/p>\n
\"We will form a special team with the transmigration ministry,
\nenvironmental agencies, home affairs ministry and also the
\nIndonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI),\" he said.<\/p>\n
The minister plans to unload some of the elephant problem on
\nthe 10 largest timber estate companies in Sumatra, asking them to
\nhelp fund the operation which is estimated to cost Rp 350 million
\n(US$150,000).<\/p>\n
Pessimistic<\/p>\n
Siswono said he was pessimistic that the scheme will be
\neffective in reducing further elephant attacks on resettlement
\nareas.<\/p>\n
He said that the elephant population increases by 1,000 each
\nyear, and that here are now already some 4,000 elephants across
\nSumatra.<\/p>\n
\"As it stands, settlers and agribusiness companies are
\nsuffering from the repeated elephant raids,\" Siswono said.<\/p>\n
The \"drastic measures\" he spoke of, however, must be conducted
\nafter \"scientific research\" determines how many of the elephants
\ncan co-exist with Indonesia's development needs, Siswono said.<\/p>\n
\"Australia selectively kills their kangaroos and no developed
\ncountries make any fuss,\" he said. \"But when we want to be firm,
\nthe rich nations always fret.\"<\/p>\n
Djamaludin's office last week offered the trained elephants to
\nforestry and plantation companies at Rp 7.5 million ($3,600)
\neach, complete with a trainer.<\/p>\n
A number of elephant training schools in Sumatra are on the
\nverge of closing because they are severely underfunded while many
\nof the elephants they trained in the past failed to attract
\nbuyers. (hdj)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/forestry-transmigration-at-loggerheads-over-elephants-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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