Seeds of conflict sowed on Komodo

Bernard B Daya, Secretary of Komodo Watch, Jakarta

As the Komodo dragon tries to survive, a battle for the National Park -- its unique habitat -- is raging.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC), which has been active in conservation efforts in Komodo National Park since 1995, is seeking a concession to manage the park for the next 25 years.

The proposed collaboration involves three parties -- TNC, PT Putri Naga Komodo and the forestry ministry. The government is, in fact, a passive player because TNC controls the plan.

The forestry ministry has been drawn into the initiative, believing that TNC is a generous and wealthy donor. Meanwhile, TNC sees the Komodo National Park as a treasure that could provide maximum benefits.

TNC has been quick to exploit the government's incompetence in proposing a takeover of the park management. TNC sees the park as a potential source of large economic returns if it is professionally managed. This is the main reason behind its 25- year concessionaire proposal.

Knowing that Indonesian law bans non-governmental organizations from running businesses, TNC is to establish a venture called PT Putri Naga Komodo to overcome the legal obstacle.

The envisaged company is a joint venture between TNC and hotel entrepreneur Faisal Hasyim, and will be in charge of the day-to- day management of Komodo National Park.

The firm will have the authority to make decisions concerning the park's management, including its entrance fee.

TNC's plan to obtain the 25-year management concession has met with strong opposition from many local communities. They believe the proposed collaboration would hurt their interests, as well as the local government's.

Many locals feel cheated for three main reasons:

First, TNC has not consulted the locals on the plan, as it has claimed in the proposal filed with the forestry ministry. Local residents also question TNC's claim that the plan has been fully endorsed by the regent and Legislative Council of Manggari, most of whom say they have never been consulted on the plan, and have not endorsed such a plan.

Second, residents and local government have no place in the collaboration's organizational structure. They would become outsiders and strangers in their homeland because they have no share in the venture. The collaboration project ignores the principle that tourism should benefit the community.

Third, TNC would divert from its self-professed mission of conservation if it commercially exploits Komodo park. As a non- profit, non-governmental organization (NGO), owning a profit- oriented entity runs contrary to its very nature.

It seems that the people's objections, as expressed in seminars, newspaper articles and demonstrations, are being ignored by the parties in Jakarta now drawing up a memorandum of understanding on the collaboration project.

Many locals believe they will be losing the national park -- a source of their pride and joy -- to a private company that is an accomplice of a foreign NGO.

A transfer of management might spark a conflict between locals and those parties involved in the collaboration -- the seeds of conflict have already been sowed.

The Manggarai people are angry with their regent, who had given a nod to the proposed project without consulting them. They are also angry at TNC for claiming that it has the full support of all stakeholders in its proposal.

In the meantime, TNC continues its high-level lobbying in Jakarta, and many believe it will eventually get what it wants.

TNC is indeed brilliant. It aims to establish a permanent collaboration project by including powerful parties: the forestry ministry is but one.

The collaboration would benefit only PT Putri Naga Komodo, TNC and the forestry ministry.

The ministry's endorsement of TNC's proposal is only a matter of time.

Meanwhile, local communities, with the support of NGOs, academicians, environmentalists and the local press will continue to reject it.

The local community and the local government will have to pool together a broad-based support to ensure that Komodo National Park remains a public property.