Illegal trade in endangered species on the rise in RI

Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

Illegal trading of endangered and protected species has reached an alarming level in Indonesia, with the provinces of Bali and East and West Nusa Tenggara serving as centers for the illicit practice, State Minister for the Environment Nabiel Makarim said.

Indonesia, he said, had ratified the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in l978, yet the criminal practice continues to flourish because of a lack of law enforcement and rare species are commercially viable.

"There are 236 endangered and protected species of animals and 58 of plants in Indonesia but their numbers are diminishing because of their illegal trade," he said in Denpasar on Monday.

He said the international community had urged the country to take effective measures to stop the illegal trade.

"Bali will host a preparatory meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in May and June. That is why we have to show our strong commitment in dealing with any environmental problems, including illegal trading and smuggling of protected and endangered species," warned Nabiel, adding that the international community was "watching" the nation.

Nabiel said that the three provinces must join forces to eliminate the irresponsible trade of thousands of protected animals and plants found only in these areas.

"Recently, the international community planned to boycott Bali as one of the world's tourist destinations because of the killing and illegal trade of green turtles," he said.

Bali, West and East Nusa Tenggara are rich in biodiversity and have been hot spots for various illegal practices and the smuggling of rare species, Nabiel added.

Among the provinces' native species are the Bali starling, the green turtle (chelonia mydas), the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) and various species of birds and insects.

Meanwhile, a large number of plants, such as orchids and sandalwood, have been smuggled into domestic and overseas markets. "Demands for such species have been very high in these three provinces as they are commercially beneficial," the minister pointed out.

In a preliminary meeting on Monday, Bali Governor I Dewa Made Beratha, West Nusa Tenggara Governor Harun Al Rasyid and East Nusa Tenggara Governor Piet W. Tallo signed a joint agreement that addresses the utilization, distribution and trading of endangered and protected animals and plants.

"This issue is very complicated and difficult to deal with. We need strong cooperation in curbing the illegal trade of protected animals to a minimum," said Dewa Beratha.

He admitted that the Balinese Hindu use turtle meat in a number of religious ceremonies. "But the amount is limited to sustain the turtle population," the governor said.

The joint cooperation will comprise the establishment of special teams, joint monitoring of inter-island transportation of endangered species and an exchange of information.

The two-day meeting also involves regents of the three provinces, legislative officials and representatives of local and international non-governmental organizations, including the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Wallaceae Bioregion Program, Animal Conservation for Life (KSBK) and other agencies.

"The involvement of regents at this meeting is crucial because they are the persons who directly deal with this problem at a regional level," added Harun Al Rasyid.

In the regional autonomy era, regents and regional legislative bodies play important roles in implementing any policy on the environment. "Sometimes, there are misunderstandings between provincial and regional administrations in interpreting environmental issues," he said.

Roset Nurhadi, the director of Indonesia's chapter of Animal Conservation For Life, said that the illegal trade of endangered species in the three provinces, and in Indonesia in general, often involved members of the Indonesian Armed Forces, strong officials in the government and irresponsible traders.

"We have often failed to arrest people who sell and possess protected animals because they have strong backing and are usually members of high-ranking armed forces," Roset said.