Activists mobbed by Pramuka market vendors

Activists mobbed by Pramuka market vendors

JAKARTA: Traders in protected animals and birds at the Pramuka
market, East Jakarta, attacked three activists from ProFauna
Indonesia, a non-governmental organization concerned with
wildlife conservation, in front of officials from the city's
Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) and police officers.

"We were hit and kicked by the vendors and thugs because the
BKSDA officials failed to protect us as complainants," said Hardi
Baktiantoro, the coordinator of ProFauna's Jakarta office, who
was also attacked by the crowd.

The assaults happened on Wednesday when the three activists
were accompanying police during a raid on the market and found
some protected animals on display, he said on Thursday.

The crowd turned ugly especially after the BKSDA officials
pointed at the ProFauna activists, implying that they were the
ones who had reported the presence of the animals to the
officials and the police, Hardi said.

The protected animals trade is a very lucrative business in
Indonesia, which makes it all the harder to put a stop to, Hardi
said.--JP