Forestry, Transmigration at loggerheads over elephants
PUNCAK, West Java (JP): The Ministry of Forestry and the Ministry of Transmigration are at loggerheads over what to do with elephants since the beasts, which are a protected species, repeatedly attack villages in Sumatra.
The elephant problem was discussed during a meeting between Minister of Forestry Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo and Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo here yesterday.
The two ministers agreed that something must be done, and soon. But they differed on what course of action to take.
"We might have to take drastic measures soon," Siswono announced.
He was careful to avoid using the word "selective killing," the suggestion of which earlier this month prompted widespread condemnation from environmental organizations.
Djamaludin also declined to specify what action will be taken to stop the marauding elephants from causing further damage, particularly to new settlement areas administered by Siswono.
"The interest of the Indonesian government is to protect the elephants as a rare species, but it does not mean that we have to ensure the survival of each and every elephant in Indonesia," Djamaludin said.
He also recognized that in the latest attack, the wild elephants destroyed a number of villages in Liwa, Lampung, which have barely recuperated from a violent earthquake early this year.
Djamaludin said his office plans to capture at least 50 elephants after first drugging the animals. The elephants will be sent to special schools designed to tame and train them so that they can become "productive forces", he added.
"We will form a special team with the transmigration ministry, environmental agencies, home affairs ministry and also the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI)," he said.
The minister plans to unload some of the elephant problem on the 10 largest timber estate companies in Sumatra, asking them to help fund the operation which is estimated to cost Rp 350 million (US$150,000).
Pessimistic
Siswono said he was pessimistic that the scheme will be effective in reducing further elephant attacks on resettlement areas.
He said that the elephant population increases by 1,000 each year, and that here are now already some 4,000 elephants across Sumatra.
"As it stands, settlers and agribusiness companies are suffering from the repeated elephant raids," Siswono said.
The "drastic measures" he spoke of, however, must be conducted after "scientific research" determines how many of the elephants can co-exist with Indonesia's development needs, Siswono said.
"Australia selectively kills their kangaroos and no developed countries make any fuss," he said. "But when we want to be firm, the rich nations always fret."
Djamaludin's office last week offered the trained elephants to forestry and plantation companies at Rp 7.5 million ($3,600) each, complete with a trainer.
A number of elephant training schools in Sumatra are on the verge of closing because they are severely underfunded while many of the elephants they trained in the past failed to attract buyers. (hdj)