VZCZCXRO9628
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #1380/01 1990919
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170919Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9560
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2775
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5209
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2230
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4739
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 3412
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 JAKARTA 001380 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, OES/ETC, OES/STC, OES/SAT, OES/PCI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV TPHY TBIO TRGY ENRG ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA ESTH HIGHLIGHTS: JUNE 2008 
 
IN THIS ISSUE 
------------- 
 
-- Orangutans Need Forest Habitat to Survive 
-- Orangutan as an "Icon" for Conservation Issues 
-- New Species Found in East Nusa Tenggara and Central Sulawesi 
-- Ministry of Forestry Destroys Smuggled Turtles in East 
Kalimantan 
-- UNEP Gives Environment Awards to Minister of Forestry Kaban and 
First Lady Ani Yudhoyono 
-- Fish Bombing Increasing Due to High Fuel Price 
-- Ministry of Environment to Establish Environmental Court 
-- Jakarta Governor Says Air Quality Improving 
-- Jakarta Customs Foil Log Smugglers 
-- GOI Hosts Basel Convention Conference 
-- Jakarta Administration and Industries Agree to Improve Waste 
Management 
-- Surabaya ratifies local environmental regulation 
-- East Java Tops Environmental Awards 
-- High Level of Water Pollution in East Java 
-- Surabaya Spot Checks Show Diesel is Dirtier 
-- BPPT and NOAA Released Easy-To-Deploy Buoys 
-- New Head of Indonesian Academy of Sciences Named 
-- BPOM Bans 54 Herbal Medicines 
-- Malnutrition in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) 
 
ENVIRONMENT 
----------- 
 
Orangutans Need Forest Habitat to Survive 
----------------------------------------- 
¶1.  On June 7, Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation released 
25 orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) in Bukit Batikap protected forest, 
Murung Raya Regency, Central Kalimantan. According to BOS, the 
orangutans were victims of palm oil plantation expansion.  BOS 
Communication Manager Nina Nuraisyah stated that the orangutans were 
rescued and then rehabilitated at BOS' Center for Reintroduction and 
Rehabilitation in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan.  A Pelita Air 
chartered plane transported the orangutans on three separate flights 
to their destination.  BOS is rehabilitating another 224 orangutans 
at a center in Kutai Kertanegara. 
 
¶2.  The Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Office 
(BKSDA) recommended the Bukit Batikap release site and, prior to 
sending the orangutans there, a BOS team conducted a feasibility 
survey on biodiversity, the population of local orangutans, food 
availability, and local communities living in the buffer zone of the 
protected forest.  Herry Djoko Susilo, Deputy Director for Species 
and Genetic Conservation, Ministry of Forestry, admits that the 
government is having difficulty finding locations to release 
orangutans after their rehabilitation. 
 
Orangutan as an "Icon" for Conservation Issues 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶3.  The USAID-funded Orangutan Conservation Services Program (OCSP) 
is encouraging the use of the orangutan as an icon for forests. 
OCSP's Program Director, Paul Hartman, compares it to using the 
polar bear as an icon for ice.  The idea of using the orangutan as 
an umbrella symbol is to encourage awareness about conservation 
issues, and is mentioned in the Strategy and Action Plan for 
Indonesian Orangutan Conservation (2007-2017) released by the 
Directorate General for Forest Protection and Nature Conservation, 
Ministry of Forestry.  The Ministry of Forestry notes that there are 
three subspecies of orangutan living in Indonesia and Malaysia. 
Pongo pygmaeus (7,500) live in five locations in West Kalimantan and 
Sarawak; Pongo pygmaeus wumbii (46,250) live in 19 locations in 
Central Kalimantan; and Pongo pygmaeus morio (4,825) live in eight 
locations in East Kalimantan and Sabah, Malaysia. 
 
New Species Found in East Nusa Tenggara and Central Sulawesi 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶4.  Gatot Soebiantoro, Head of Kelimutu National Park, announced on 
June 21 that a team from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) 
found a new species of shrubs called Begonia kelimutuensis within 
Kelimutu National Park.  The new species was found during a 
community study on flora and fauna, conducted by Kelimutu National 
Park and LIPI's Biology Research Center, which will continue until 
¶2009.  Kelimutu National Park covers 5,356 hectares on Flores Island 
in East Nusa Tenggara. 
 
¶5.  Separately, researchers from the University of Tadulako in Palu, 
Central Sulawesi, Fadly Y. Tantu and Jusri Nilawati announced on 
 
JAKARTA 00001380  002 OF 004 
 
 
June 15 that they had discovered five new freshwater fish species in 
Central Sulawesi.  They found five new species among 32 endemic fish 
species that populate Maliki Lake.  The new species include three 
from the Telmatherinidae family (Telmatherina whitelips, 
Telmatherine baganggensis and Telmatherina exilis) and two from the 
Gobiidae family (Glossogobius spilii and Mugilogobius flavus).  The 
findings were released at the Fifth Fish Seminar held at the Bogor 
Institute of Agriculture in early June. 
 
Ministry of Forestry Destroys Smuggled Turtles in East Kalimantan 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶6.  The Ministry of Forestry destroyed 387 dead turtles (including 
green, shell, and giant shell turtles) on June 9 in Amal Beach, 
Tarakan City, East Kalimantan.  The Ministry also sold at auction 
one ship used for smuggling the turtles.  The turtles had been 
evidence of a smuggling case in May 2007, for which an Indonesian 
court sentenced the smugglers (ship captain Wang Su Chen and 22 
crew) to four years in jail and levied a fine of Rp. 10 million 
($10,866). 
 
UNEP Gives Environment Awards to Minister of Forestry Kaban and 
First Lady Ani Yudhoyono 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶7.  On World Environment Day, the United Nations Environment 
Programme (UNEP) presented Minister of Forestry M.S. Kaban and 
Indonesian First Lady Ani Yudhoyono with Certificates of Global 
Leadership.  Minister of Environment Rachmat Witoelar presented the 
awards on behalf of UNEP.  UNEP gave the award to Minister Kaban 
because of his Ministry's work in rehabilitating critical lands and 
reforestation by planting 86 million trees, while First Lady Ani 
Yudhoyono led a tree planting movement in Indonesia that succeeded 
in planting 14 million trees. 
 
Fish Bombing Increasing Due to Higher Fuel Price 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
¶8.  Edhi Cahyono, the Police Chief in West Teluk Betung, Bandar 
Lampung, announced that police had arrested a fish bomb trader and 
seized 65 bottles of fish bombs.  The police are investigating an 
increase in bomb-fishing in Teluk Lampung waters due to increased 
fuel prices.  In Kiluan Bay, 85 km from Bandar Lampung, fishermen 
have to pay 8,000 rupiah ($0.87 cent) for one liter of diesel. 
 
Ministry of Environment to Establish Environmental Court 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶9.  Deputy Minister for Environmental Management Ilyas Asaad said on 
June 23 that the State Ministry of Environment was coordinating with 
other agencies to establish an environmental court, and that 
Attorney General Bagir Manan has agreed to its establishment.  The 
court will handle all cases concerning the violation of 
environmental laws.  In the meantime, the Ministry will provide 
training on environmental laws, regulations and related issues to 
law enforcement agencies, including training 1,000 members of the 
police.  Mas Achmad Santosa, an environmental law expert from the 
Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL) notes that there is 
still a lack of awareness about environmental laws among government 
agencies. 
 
Jakarta Governor Says Air Quality Improving 
------------------------------------------- 
¶10.  The Governor of Jakarta, Fauzi Wibowo, claims that Jakarta's 
air quality is improving through implementation of the "Car Free 
Day" program on major thoroughfares.  On June 29, Fauzi said that 
there were 73 days of low carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2007, compared 
with 85 days of low CO2 so far this year.  Fauzi also said the city 
plans to increase the frequency of the "Car Free Day" from once a 
month to twice a month, or to expand the coverage of "Car Free Day". 
 Fauzi stated that Jakarta initiated the "Car Free Day" policy to 
improve the quality of life of Jakarta's residents by decreasing air 
pollution.  Governor Fauzi also expressed his appreciation of 
several companies and individuals who recently launched the "Jakarta 
Green and Clean (JGC)" movement, including the daily newspaper 
Republika, PT. Unilever Indonesia, Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT) and 
Delta radio. 
 
Jakarta Customs Foil Log Smugglers 
---------------------------------- 
¶11.  On June 12, the Jakarta Customs Office seized 21 containers of 
smuggled logs and two containers of illegal "pasir timah" (tin sand) 
with a total value of Rp. 17.6 billion ($1.9 million).  The logs 
alone were valued at approximately Rp. 13 billion ($1.4 million). 
The Head of the Investigation and Enforcement Office at Tanjung 
Priok Port, Heru Sulastyono, said that the logs were ebony from 
 
JAKARTA 00001380  003 OF 004 
 
 
Palu, Central Sulawesi and Kalimantan.  He stated that the smugglers 
planned to export the logs to China and that Customs is still 
investigating suspected actors, but that the smuggling involved 11 
companies.  Jusuf Indarto, Director of Investigation and 
Enforcement, said that the smugglers violated Article 103 of Law 
No.17/2006 concerning fake documents, which stipulates imprisonment 
from two to five years and a fine ranging from Rp. 100 million 
($10,869.57) to Rp. 5 billion ($543,478.26). 
 
GOI Hosts Basel Convention Conference 
------------------------------------- 
¶12.  Indonesia hosted the Ninth Conference of the Parties (COP9) of 
the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of 
Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal in Bali from June 23-27.  The 
Basel Convention is the most comprehensive global environmental 
treaty dealing with hazardous and other wastes.  Around 1,000 
participants from 170 signatory countries attended the Conference. 
Minister of Environment Rachmat Witoelar noted that the Basel 
Convention is an important instrument for protecting health and the 
environment in Indonesia because Indonesia is vulnerable to illegal 
trafficking in hazardous wastes.  On June 27, the COP9 Basel 
Convention released a "Bali Declaration on Waste Management for 
Human Health and Livelihood." 
 
Jakarta Administration and Industries Agree to Improve Waste 
Management 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶13.  On June 29, directors of 24 industrial and services companies 
signed an agreement with Jakarta Governor Fauzi Wibowo to improve 
their waste management performance.  The companies include PT. 
Indofood Sukses Makmur, Hotel Mercure, PT Indocement Tunggal 
Perkasa, and PT Kawasan Berikat Nusantara.  Governor Fauzi hopes 
that improved waste management by companies will improve Jakarta's 
urban environment. 
 
Surabaya Ratifies Local Environmental Regulation 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
¶14.  After years of discussion and negotiation, the Surabaya 
Parliament finally ratified a local regulation (Perda) on air 
pollution on June 2.  The regulation complies with national air 
quality standards as required by central government regulations, 
according to the head of the Surabaya Environment Department.  The 
Surabaya municipal government originally planned to follow their own 
tougher air quality standards, but lacks the authority to set them. 
 
East Java Tops Environmental Awards 
----------------------------------- 
¶15.  Ten schools in East Java received "Adiwiyata Awards" from the 
provincial government for their emphasis on the environment. These 
ten schools have developed environmentally-friendly curriculums, 
built facilities that can support environmental activities, 
formulated pro-environment policies, and maintain an 
environmentally-friendly culture.  Another 23 schools in East Java 
also received environmental awards from the Minister of Environment 
on June 6.  President SBY delivered another environmental award, the 
"Adipura Award", to 24 regencies/cities in East Java on June 5. 
Among all Indonesian provinces, East Java has the highest number of 
regencies/cities to have received environmental awards. 
 
High Level of Water Pollution in East Java 
------------------------------------------ 
¶16.  Suparto Wijoyo, an environmental expert from Airlangga 
University, explained in June that pollution in East Java is the 
second worst in Indonesia.  Illegal logging occurs in nearly 65 
percent of East Java's forests.  East Java is also the biggest 
producer of dangerous waste (around 1.3 million tons in 2007) but 
does not have a single dangerous waste management facility.  Water 
pollution in East Java is also high -- around 90 percent of 
industries in East Java do not have waste treatment facilities. 
 
Surabaya Spot Checks Show Diesel is Dirtier 
------------------------------------------- 
¶17.  The East Java Environmental Impact Management Agency conducted 
car emission checks on June 3 on 150 cars.  The checks showed that 
most diesel vehicles were 50 percent over the maximum emission 
standards.  By contrast, gasoline powered vehicles were largely 
within the standard of 4.5 percent carbon monoxide and 1200 parts 
per million of hydrocarbons.  These results will form the basis of 
Provincial Regulations on vehicle emissions. 
 
SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY 
---------------------- 
 
JAKARTA 00001380  004 OF 004 
 
 
 
BPPT and NOAA Launched Easy-To-Deploy Buoys 
------------------------------------------- 
¶18.  On June 10, the Agency for Assessment and Application of 
Technology (BPPT) and NOAA launched two DART Easy To Deploy Buoys at 
Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta.  BPPT and NOAA positioned the buoys in 
southern Bali waters using the Baruna Jaya IV research vessel.  The 
Chairman of BPPT, Prof. Said Djauharsjah Jenie, announced that the 
buoy launching was part of the development of the Indonesian Tsunami 
Early Warning System and the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and 
Mitigation System.  Indonesia's long coastline makes it extremely 
vulnerable to tsunamis; it therefore needs additional buoys to 
provide early warning.  Indonesia plans to position one buoy every 
250 kilometers along its coastline.  At the launch, U.S. Ambassador 
Cameron R. Hume reiterated that the U.S. Government would fully 
support the development of the tsunami early warning system in 
Indonesian waters. 
 
New Head of Indonesian Academy of Sciences Named 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
¶19.  Professor Sangkot Marzuki of the Eijkman Institute for 
Molecular Biology has been named the new Head of the Indonesian 
Academy of Sciences.  Dr. Marzuki graduated as a medical doctor from 
the University of Indonesia and went on to study in Bangkok before 
spending 17 years at the department of biochemistry at Melbourne's 
Monash University.  In 1992 Dr. Marzuki was invited back to rebuild 
the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, where is also currently 
Director. 
 
¶20.  The Indonesian Academy of Sciences was established in 1990. At 
present it has 41 members, of which 9 are honorary members. The 
academy currently has 5 scientific committees organized as follows: 
Committee on Basic Sciences; Committee on Engineering; Committee on 
Medical Sciences; Committee on Social Sciences; Committee on Art and 
Culture. 
 
HEALTH 
------ 
 
BPOM Bans 54 Herbal Medicines 
----------------------------- 
¶21.  On June 10, the Head of the National Agency for Food and Drug 
Control (BPOM) Husniah Rubiana Thamrin Akib announced that BPOM was 
removing 54 traditional herbal medicines from the market.  Forty-six 
of the 54 herbal medicines used fictitious registration numbers. 
BPOM announced the action after their laboratory tests showed 
hazardous/toxic contents in those herbal medicines.  BPOM found 
these herbal medicines being sold in 15 provinces/cities:  Medan, 
Yogyakarta, Jakarta, Banjarmasin, Kendari, Mataram, Lampung, 
Bengkulu, Banda Aceh, Padang, Makassar, Pontianak, Bandung, Pekan 
Baru, and Kupang.  At the time of the announcement, BPOM had already 
destroyed 20 trucks/containers of those herbal medicines.  Husniah 
admitted that the finding would affect the herbal medicine market, 
while the Head of the Traditional Medicine Association, Charles 
Saerang, expressed concern that people would refrain from using 
herbal medicines in general. According to Charles, total revenue 
from sales of herbal medicines was Rp. 3 trillion ($326.09 million) 
in 2007, including exports of Rp. 10 billion ($1.1 million) to 
Malaysia and Rp. 20 billion ($2.2 million) to Saudi Arabia. 
 
Malnutrition in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) 
--------------------------------------- 
¶22.  Twenty three children in NTT died between January-June 2008 due 
to malnutrition.  In NTT alone, 12,818 children are suffering from 
malnutrition and 72,067 children are undernourished.  Malnutrition 
cases have spread to 20 regencies/cities in NTT, with the worst 
problems in Timor Tengah Selatan Regency and Kupang Regency.  The 
main causes are poverty and a lack of nutritional knowledge. 
According to the head of NTT's health department, Steve Bria, NTT 
needs at least Rp. 54 billion to handle malnutrition, while it 
currently receives an allocation of only Rp. 1.5 billion from the 
provincial budget and Rp. 5.6 million from the city budget. 
 
HUME