NGOs prepare new conservation plans<\/p>\n
SERPONG, West Java (JP): Community-based organizations in
\nSoutheast Asia are meeting in Serpong to prepare plans of action
\nto strengthen environmental conservation in the interest of
\ntraditional communities.<\/p>\n
This is the first regional-level effort to implement the 1992
\nConvention of Biodiversity, and, more specifically, to create
\nrecognition of the need for knowledge sharing between traditional
\ncommunities and outside parties.<\/p>\n
The plans of action were formulated at the three-day regional
\nworkshop on community-based conservation of biological diversity
\nwhich began on Thursday. Participants discussed several problems
\nconcerning community-based conservation including how to define
\nequal sharing of resources.<\/p>\n
\"The ideas in the Convention are still too vague,\" Hamdallah
\nZedan, coordinator of biodiversity and biotechnology of the
\nUnited Nations Environmental Program, said yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"At the very least we must first reach an agreement on the
\nrecognition of a community's right to its resources,\" Zedan said.
\n\"After that we can begin to talk of forms of appropriate
\ncompensation for a community.\"<\/p>\n
The Convention on Biodiversity was signed by governments
\nparticipating in the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992,
\nwhere Indonesia was a participant.<\/p>\n
According to the workshop's organizers, proposed plans of
\naction centered around documenting traditional knowledge and
\ncustoms of sustainable practices, the inclusion of this knowledge
\ninto national regulations and institutions, and the empowerment
\nof communities.<\/p>\n
Participants acknowledged that the interests of traditional
\ncommunities often conflict with those of environmental
\nconservation, and that daily needs often force communities to
\nresort to practices which are detrimental to the environment.<\/p>\n
\"Campaigning awareness of sustainable practices only works
\nwith the provision of viable alternatives that do not hurt a
\ncommunity's livelihood,\" said Chris Majors of the Washington-
\nbased Conservation International who works with the Sama
\nFoundation in Southeast Sulawesi in preserving its coral reefs.<\/p>\n
On empowering communities, participants from Thailand,
\nMalaysia, the Philippines and other countries discussed the role
\nof informal leaders, the possibility of abuses of power,
\ncorruption at all levels of government and the need of
\ndecentralization.<\/p>\n
Emil Salim, the chairman of the Kehati Foundation which is
\nhosting the workshop, said the Indonesian government is already
\ndecentralizing its administration, not only between central and
\nregional bureaucracies, but also in managing local projects.<\/p>\n
He cited the transfer of the Leuser National Park to a
\nfoundation, as an example. The foundation aims to rehabilitate
\nMt. Leuser in Aceh, an area whose flora and fauna population have
\nbeen endangered by environmental degradation.<\/p>\n
Chee Yoke Ling, a Malaysian activist from the Hong Kong-based
\nThird World Network, said another urgent matter for the workshop
\nwould be to create a regional code of conduct to monitor
\npractices of corporations.<\/p>\n
Such action is needed to prevent further environmental
\ndestruction by Southeast Asian companies throughout the Southeast
\nAsian countries in which they operate.<\/p>\n
\"Our governments voiced a strong stand at the Earth Summit
\nagainst practices of private sectors in the North that destroy
\nour resources; our companies should not repeat this,\" she said,
\nciting the practices of a Malaysian logging company in Papua New
\nGuinea.<\/p>\n
Setijati D. Sastrapradja of Kehati said the plans of action
\nwill be proposed to respective governments and will be partially
\nfunded by the Global Environmental Fund. The Fund was set up to
\nimplement the Convention.<\/p>\n
The results of the workshop will be reported to a team in
\ncharge of science and technology, as well as to other teams
\nworking on the Convention, which meets in Paris next month. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ngos-prepare-new-conservation-plans-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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