Residents oppose Mt. Cyclops park

Residents oppose Mt. Cyclops park

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (Antara): Residents of Depapre district
here have rejected a government plan to turn a 48,000-hectare
nature reserve on Mt. Cyclops into a national park.

"These people draw their water from Mt. Cycloops. They are
worried that if it is turned into a national park, its
environment would get spoiled," the head of the local cultural
institution, C. Seseray, said Monday.

The head of the local forestry office, Kayat R Sutaryo, denied
that his office had recently sent a proposal to develop a
national park in the area.

"The nature reserve is not large enough to be developed into a
national park," he said.

Kayat however noted that the local administration did propose
several years ago that forest reserves in Wasur subdistrict in
Merauke district, Cendrawasih Bay, and on Mt. Cyclops be
developed into national parks.

But only the Wasur and Cendrawasih Bay reserves were changed,
he said.

The national park in Wasur is located near the Irian Jaya-
Papua New Guinea border while the Teluk Cendrawasih underwater
park covers the districts of Manokwari and Yapen Waropen.