JP\/leisure\/wwf<\/p>\n
Bajo people's fate throws spotlight on conservation debate<\/p>\n
In early September the Indonesian offices of non-governmental
\norganizations (NGOs) the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and The
\nNature Conservancy (TNC) invited a number of journalists to
\nWakatobi National Park, Southeast Sulawesi province, comprising
\n1.3 million hectares, mostly of sea and a few small islands. The
\nfollowing is a report by The Jakarta Post's Ati Nurbaiti and
\ncontributor Hasrul.<\/p>\n
The classic argument around ecosystems and conservation is
\n\"man or beast\" -- which one to sacrifice? -- while
\nenvironmentalists insist that sustainable use of natural
\nresources and protection of the species is, in the long term, for
\nthe good of both.<\/p>\n
The debate still rages on in the isles of Southeast Sulawesi,
\ninvolving passionate activists, worried researchers and grumbling
\nfisherfolk. Zoning of fishing areas and national parks, for the
\nlocals who have ever heard of these concepts, simply means a
\nseries of \"no this, no that\" a nuisance and even unwanted
\nintervention into their livelihoods.<\/p>\n
The middle way is the pragmatic, firm tone of Regent
\nSafaruddin Safar: It's all about cash. \"If we want to attract
\ndollars to Wakatobi then we must preserve the coral. Destroy it
\nand the fish flee, and, in turn, the tourists leave.\"<\/p>\n
Local elections are coming up later in September and the
\nenvironment is becoming a hot political issue. But the incumbent
\nsays the pro-conservation stand is the only choice for whoever
\nbecomes the new regent for the sake of the economy.<\/p>\n
Already in the waters around the regency of Wakatobi -- an
\nacronym for the main islands of Wangi-wangi, Kaledupa, Tomea and
\nBinongko -- swimmers and divers are safe from the sharks,
\nironically because the feared rulers of the sea have already left
\nin the past few decades.<\/p>\n
The absence of the feared predators is a main indicator of
\ndegradation of the ecosystem here, experts say.<\/p>\n
Bloro, a resident of Kaledupa, cites how sharks were numerous
\nin his childhood. \"My uncle caught an octopus and tied it to the
\nend of the boat, and soon after a shark followed us and we just
\ndragged it home.\"<\/p>\n
Fishermen among the famed sea gypsies in Sulawesi, the Bajo
\npeople, say they now increasingly sail to the waters further
\nsouth, to Flores and even Australia, in search of the sharks. The
\nvalue of the fins apparently continues to lure them to sail for
\nmonths, even with the threat of imprisonment by Australia's
\nimmigration authorities.<\/p>\n
Assessments of coral and other marine life by staff and
\nvolunteers by the ongoing Operation Wallacea environmental
\nprogram here has led to its latest conclusion: The sites selected
\nfor study have clearly degraded, compared with last year.<\/p>\n
Locals also cite the greater distance they now must cover to
\nget their delicacies, the best seaslugs (tripang) compared to
\nsome years ago. This may be an initial sign of locals' awareness
\nthat the greens are looking for -- that people sense they are in
\ntrouble if fishing continues at the current rate, and
\nincreasingly involving destructive methods like bombing.<\/p>\n
However, it seems playing catch up on the part of these
\nenvironmentalists will remain the norm in the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n
\"There are fish to be caught, every single day,\" says Veda
\nSantiadji of WWF, citing the strong belief of locals.<\/p>\n
He acknowledges the need of more expertise from
\nanthropologists and the like; marine scientists and even those
\nworking on social issues say they are bewildered at the behavior
\nhere -- today's catch and today's earnings are for today only.<\/p>\n
\"One family earned Rp 150,000 in a day and spent it all,
\nincluding on food,\" says Veda.<\/p>\n
The global rule on national parks, environmentalists have
\nfound, is that local people are the best guardians of the
\necosystem, no matter how many regulations or patrol boats the
\nauthorities may have (very little, in the case of Wakatobi).
\nInstilling local awareness of retaining the marine life for the
\nfuture is therefore vital, but the sense here is that high
\nexpectations are thrown on the shoulders of the communities
\nalone, without much government support.<\/p>\n
\"The locals can't be expected to guard the surroundings by
\nthemselves,\" a resident said. \"It's just not fair; we might
\nrefrain from fishing in a certain zone but then our neighbor does
\nit and gets away with it.\"<\/p>\n
Authorities know what they are up against. Regent Safaruddin
\nsays the budget allocates a mere Rp 25 million for patrolling the
\n1.3 million-hectare area; hence the heavy reliance on big
\ninternational NGOs like WWF and TNC and their speedboats.<\/p>\n
The law on coastal areas is new, the maximum penalty being
\nfive years jail and a hefty fine of Rp 100 million for
\nviolations. \"Our approach is mostly giving information and being
\npersuasive,\" says police patrol official La Fasa.<\/p>\n
On one bumping patrol trip through the long coral reefs of
\nKarang Kaledupa, the speedboat stops besides a fairly large boat,
\nbelonging to Haji Sana, who's on the deck with his wife and other
\ncrew members. La Fasa steps up to approach the big, burly, dark
\nman in a friendly manner, whose eyes dart suspiciously at La Fasa
\nin his green uniform and the blue uniform of forestry policeman
\nMurgiono. Then a few reporters augment the interrogation party
\nand Sana gets worked up: I think he may push us off the boat!<\/p>\n
At La Fasa's question on whether he has a permit, he barks,
\n\"I've been fishing all these years and I've never had to look for
\npermits!\" \"But you should know\", Fasa says gently, \"that when you
\nuse a fishing boat like this you must have a permit.\"<\/p>\n
He goes along to explain about the national park and Sana
\nretorts he has never heard of it. \"Our catch is worth only so
\nmuch and the permit is some Rp 100,000!\"<\/p>\n
There is no ticketing or anything and our group leaves after
\nLa Fasa and Murgiono feel they have shared enough information and
\nunderstanding. Sana manages a hesitant smile when we wave, and La
\nFasa sighs later: \"Sometimes it's as though the supervision of
\nthe whole park depends on a few patrol men like us.\"<\/p>\n
The current signs are that they might have lots of rest in the
\ncoming weeks; a quota policy on fuel has been introduced as the
\nthe impact of the fuel shortage has crept even into these waters.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jpleisurewwf-1447899208",
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