Ban on photos at tourist sites

Deeply disappointed by what happened at Kebun Raya Bogor (Bogor Botanical Gardens), my guest from New Zealand cut short his holiday here. He left Jakarta on Aug. 4, 2001 instead of Aug. 11, 2001 (his scheduled departure date).

He is a retired volcanologist who is really keen on nature study in Indonesia. As a regular visitor to the botanical gardens since 1987, he had always taken pictures of it as his personal keepsake and memento, or to be shown to his fellow countrymen.

This year, despite alarming news of riots, he came to Indonesia with the intention of exploring Bogor and stayed in the city, starting June 2001. The news of the blooming of amophopallus titanium in Bogor came as a very pleasant surprise that made him prolong his stay in the city. He intended to make a perfect personal video document (not for commercial gain) of his "dreamed-of flower". (I am saying that this is his dreamed-of plant because he also has one in his backyard, but of a different species). Then, he came to Kebun Raya every other day and hung around for four or five hours to take pictures of it.

On Aug. 3, 2001, he was disappointed because the Botanical Garden officers (Mr. Yoziumi and another woman officer) prohibited him from making a video film of the flower, arguing that he was doing it for commercial gain. They also said that many other photographers had done the same thing for personal gain. Despite his efforts to clarify that what he was doing was purely for his personal use, it was to no avail.

My friend tried to argue with them thus: even if it were really used for commercial purposes, wouldn't it be for the benefit of the Botanical Gardens itself? And if many people saw the pictures, many more people would be interested in going there. I wonder if such a regulation only exists in Indonesia?

This was his second experience in Indonesia. First, in the early 1990s, he lodged a protest against a regulation issued by the authorities at the Borobudur Temple banning visitors from carrying a video camera and he was happy his protest was positively responded to by the people concerned.

My questions are: why are things that are detrimental to the tourism industry still happening here while the country is in dire need of revenue from this sector? Why has not the Ministry of Tourism issued a ruling that every tourist is free to take pictures of tourist objects anywhere in this country, so long as they do not harm or move them? (The making of commercial films can sometimes harm or damage tourist objects).

Our government should allow tourists to take pictures of tourist objects either by a camera or video camera, as it will be advantageous to the tourism industry.

Is this an example of "mismanagement" in our efforts to popularize tourist spots and resorts in Indonesia?

PURNOMO

Bekasi, West Java