Silent protest over sea turtle trade by activists
Silent protest over sea turtle trade by activists
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Dozens of environmental activists from
the Animal Conservation for Life (KSBK) staged a silent protest
here on Monday, expressing their support for the local
administration's efforts in banning the illegal trade of sea
turtles.
The activists arrived at the gubernatorial office around 10:30
a.m. local time, waving banners and wearing red T-shirts which
bore the words "Stop Turtle Trade".
The demonstration proceeded peacefully without the usual
yelling and chanting. Some of the protesters then distributed
statements to the press and provincial bureaucrats.
"Even though the police have arrested several turtle dealers,
the trade itself, in fact, the illegal activities were still
rampant, especially in Tanjung Benoa area," Bali Branch KSBK's
Coordinator I Wayan Wiradnyana told reporters.
"This demonstration is our way of encouraging the
administration to immediately stop the trade," he said.
The statement said, among other things, that the Bali
administration must be aware that turtle trade had tainted Bali's
image as a prime tourist destination.
"The KSBK also condemns any kinds of intimidation of
environmental activists by certain groups," Wiradnyana said.
Several months ago hundreds of turtle traders attacked the WWF
office in Denpasar for its persistent demand for the ban on
turtle trade.
Bali's deputy governor IGB Alit Putra, who met with the
protesters, said that the administration would do its best to
stop the illegal trade.
"We will continue efforts to enforce the law and at the same
time we will keep approaching the local turtle traders," he told
the protesters. He also promised to approach the traders and to
make them understand turtle trading was also against law No.
5/1999."
Last year a man, identified as Widji Zakaria was arrested for
illegally transporting 90 protected species of sea turtles from
Sulawesi and Maluku to Bali.
He is being tried in Bali, and the Denpasar District Court is
scheduled to hand down the verdict on Thursday. (zen)