U.S. funds Indonesia's biodiversity program

U.S. funds Indonesia's biodiversity program

JAKARTA (JP): The United States has agreed to provide $19
million in grants to finance Indonesia's efforts to promote its
biological diversity.

In addition, the money, an unusually large sum for grants,
will be managed by a private Indonesian organization, which is
spearheading the campaign to preserve and develop the country's
rich biodiversity resources.

The grant agreement was contained in a memorandum of
understanding signed in Jakarta on Monday by Ambassador Robert L.
Barry for the U.S. government, State Minister of Environment
Sarwono Kusumaatmadja for the Indonesian government, and Emil
Salim on behalf of the Kehati Foundation.

Emil, the former environmental minister, who is now chairman
of the board of trustees of the foundation, said $16.5 million of
that amount would be endowment funds. The other $2.5 million will
be used for operational costs for the next three years.

Kehati, an abbreviation of the Indonesian words for Indonesian
biodiversity, was set up to promote the sustainable use of
Indonesia's biological diversity for current and future
generations in support of national development.

In its work, Emil said, the foundation, which consists of
distinguished scientists and businessmen, is supported by a
network of local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

"Through the network, we can easily know what is happening and
what people are facing in remote areas of the country," he said.

Ambassador Barry said the agreement is a part of the Tokyo
Declaration, signed in 1992 by then Japanese Prime Minister
Kiichi Miyazawa and then U.S. President George Bush to strengthen
cooperation in preserving the environment, by helping to promote
sustainable use of biodiversity in developing countries.

While the Japanese government will assist in government
projects through the National Development Planning Board, the
U.S. will focus on a wider scope of partnership through NGOs,
Barry said.

Emil said Kehati expects to expand its network and upgrade its
performance to raise up to $6.5 million for its operational
costs.

Priority projects would include the Gunung Leuser, Kerinci
Seblat, Kutai and Gunung Gede-Pangrango National Parks and the
Bali and West Nusa Tenggara touristic areas.

Conflicts of interests often occurred in national parks
between the indigenous people, the government's Forest Protection
and Nature Conservation Office of the Ministry of Forestry and
the business community, he said.

Emil cited, as an example, the huge coal reserves under the
Kutai National Park in Kalimantan. On one hand, the coal prolongs
forest fires, but on the other hand it lures prospective
investors. Either one endangers the protected forest.

Emil said biodiversity is presently little understood in
Indonesia, although its sustainability is important to find new
sources of medicine, cosmetics, horticulture and food.

"Biodiversity is not in the mainstream of development, it does
not increase exports and is long-term in nature. It is something
to do with crazy people doing crazy things because its main
target is to protect animals, plants and genes. But it is
necessary," he said.

The Kehati Foundation, he said, was established to promote the
conservation of biodiversity resources and find ways on how to
assist policy through inputs and recommendations.

It intends to conduct networking among governmental agencies,
NGOs, research and education institutions and business
communities to exchange information on the sustainable use of
biodiversity. It also aims at empowering NGOs and, in turn,
indigenous people across the country.(pwn)