Bird in the hand?

"I used to think that life in Jakarta was so great. It's like a dream place for people like me," said Eman, a 27-year-old man born and raised in Tangkil Sari, Cibaliung, West Java. Eman is one among thousands of people who think that way.

Living in a village is sometimes hard, especially in Cibaliung, Banten. Many of the villagers are jobless farmers. They have not had a harvest for three years because they have nothing to plow. This has been caused by the lack of rain and the government's regulation that forbids huma (farming by burning the land first). Huma is done as the rice field do not need much water.

Having nothing to do, some people creatively think to do something that is forbidden. They go into a forest with some incense and a trap. Famous in applying a magical formula, the Bantenese can call any bird by burning the incense, which casts a spell on the bird. In this way, they can catch many birds. A bird called Anis is worth up to Rp 80,000. This bird can be trained to imitate the sound of any bird, including singing birds.

Nevertheless, bird hunters are far from happy. They may be arrested for catching protected birds in the forest. They have to abandon this living because it will disturb the habitat and ecosystem.

Eman should abandon his idea of living in the city and return to his village and, together with his fellow villagers, try to develop the village by utilizing their potential and knowledge.

AYA MUCHTAR

Jakarta