Tue, 13 Sep 1994

Environmental tragedy

A friend and I recently completed a trek in the Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra. During our stay we were greatly disturbed by the flagrant disregard for the park's boundaries shown by a few unscrupulous residents. Significant areas of the forest have been chopped down, with the wood being either burnt or left to rot. The cause of this apparent insanity is for the growing of tomato and chili plants.

Whilst I appreciate that Indonesia's ever increasing population must have more land, if this unique environment is lost it will be an environmental tragedy for them as well as the whole world. The irony is that whilst the park officials sit behind their desks taking money from tourists, no one is out in the field protecting the very thing we're paying to see. I see the press, i.e. The Jakarta Post, as the only mechanism for embarrassing those responsible into action.

Given the current controversy over the Indonesian Timber companies marketing campaign in the West, this will prove to be valuable fuel to those who advocate black listing Indonesian produce and discouraging tourism to the archipelago. If the sound of the chain saw is to replace that of the forest in Gunung Leuser then this government charade should be exposed for what it is -- a betrayal of the Indonesian people, the international community and most importantly, our children.

R.S. WEINSTEIN

Manchester, UK