On bird flu

Indonesia has a major opportunity in the face of the bird flu scare to do something about the enormous trade here in wild birds. While it seems extremely unlikely that bird markets such as Barito and Pramuka in Jakarta might be immediately closed down, there are immediate initiatives that the government could take.

These include an education campaign to demonstrate to the public that wild birds pose no serious threat of transmitting H5N1 to humans. The scientific evidence is to the effect that there is only a very superficial connection between migration patterns of wild birds and outbreaks of the virus, according to Birdlife Indonesia.

Vietnam recently embarked on a cull of such birds as herons and egrets but has abandoned the program. However, the cities of Da Nang and Hue are still culling sparrows and pigeons in the mistaken belief that these pose a danger. Indonesia must not get involved likewise, not least because such a campaign would generate an attack on birds in general.

DAVID JARDINE, Carlisle, UK