VZCZCXRO2849
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0033/01 0090451
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090451Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1179
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLL
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 3490
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5809
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2932
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 5307
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 3467
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 JAKARTA 000033 
 
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: NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 
 
IN THIS ISSUE 
------------- 
 
-- Marine Conservation in West Papua 
-- Land Conflict Delays Certification 
-- Bio-digester Installed under CDM program 
-- Sumitomo Forestry Plants Trees for CDM Project 
-- Jambi Province to Develop Carbon Credits 
-- West Kalimantan Develops Peat Forest Carbon Trade 
-- US Anthropologist Finds Long-Lost Primate 
-- Five New Fish Species Found in Bali 
-- Endemic, Rare Frogs in Java Threatened 
-- Indonesia Hosts Alfred Russel Wallace Conference 
-- Surabaya River Pollution 
-- Corruption in Mangrove Procurement Uncovered 
-- Largest Swath of Treeless Land in Malang Regency 
-- Mangrove Tourism in Surabaya 
-- HIV Micro Chipping in Papua 
-- Rabies Outbreak in Bali 
-- East Java HIV/AIDS Prevention Activities 
-- BPPT Develops WiSE-8 Aircraft Prototype 
-- GOI Allocates $109 Million for Research 
-- Only 419 Patents in 23 Years 
 
 
ENVIRONMENT: 
 
Marine Conservation in West Papua 
--------------------------------- 
¶1.  On November 24, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Freddy 
Numberi inaugurated a new marine conservation area (MCA) in Kaimana, 
West Papua Province.  Members of the local community, who 
contributed their indigenous land rights to the new 600,000-hectare 
MCA, are working collaboratively with the local government and 
Conservation International Indonesia to establish regulations and 
management plans. 
 
Land Conflict Delays Certification 
---------------------------------- 
¶2.  During the sixth Roundtable Meeting on Sustainable Palm Oil on 
November 19, the NGO Palm Oil Watch said it had documented 514 
social conflicts in 2007.  The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil 
(RSPO) only approves certification for land that is free of property 
disputes.  According to Asril Darussamin of the Indonesia Palm Oil 
Council, only two companies (PT Musim Mas and PT London 
Sumatra-Lonsum) are in the process of obtaining RSPO certification. 
 
Bio-digester Installed under CDM program 
---------------------------------------- 
¶3.  PT Bakri Sumatera Plantations is collaborating with AES 
AgriVerde Indonesia on a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project 
to decrease methane gas emissions from three palm oil plants.  They 
are installing a bio-digester to capture and eliminate methane gas 
emitted from the plants.  AES AgriVerde is responsible for the 
financing, monitoring, and operation of the project, including 
arranging permits and registering it with the United Nations 
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat. 
 
Sumitomo Forestry Plants Trees for CDM Project 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶4.  Sumitomo Forestry Co. Ltd is cooperating with the Ministry of 
Forestry to plant 1,160 hectares of trees in Bromo Tengger Semeru 
National Park as part of a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) 
project.  Sumitomo has invested 12 billion rupiah (around $1 
million) and involved local people to do the planting and maintain 
the forest. 
 
Jambi Province to Develop Carbon Credits 
---------------------------------------- 
¶5.  On November 12, the Governor of Jambi Province signed an MOU 
with IBN Group and an Australian NGO to develop and market carbon 
credits from his province.  According to governor Zulkifli, the 
developers will buy credits from Jambi at $10-20 dollar per ton of 
carbon.  He estimates that carbon credits from Jambi could be worth 
up to 200 billion rupiah ($18 million) per year. 
 
West Kalimantan Develops Peat Forest Carbon Trade 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶6.  According to Frank Momberg, Director of Program Development, 
Fauna and Flora International (FFI) Asia, FFI is helping the West 
Kalimantan government and Australia's Macquarie Group to develop two 
pilot projects for trading carbon credits from peat forests.  The 
 
JAKARTA 00000033  002 OF 004 
 
 
two forest areas are Putri River Peat Forest (57,000 hectares) in 
Ketapang Regency and Nung Peat Forest (130,000 hectares) in Kapuas 
Hulu Regency. 
 
US Anthropologist Finds Long-Lost Primate 
----------------------------------------- 
¶7.  In November, a team led by Texas A&M University anthropologist 
Sharon Gursky-Doyen announced that it had discovered a group of 
nocturnal primates not seen alive in 85 years in Central Sulawesi, 
Indonesia.  Gursky-Doyen, working with one of her graduate students, 
Nanda Grow, and a team of locals trapped three pygmy tarsiers 
(Tarsius pumilus) creatures on Mt. Rore Katimbo in Lore Lindu 
National Park in late August.  The pygmy tarsiers, furry creatures 
about 10 cm long and weighing less than 2 ounces, have not been 
observed since they were last collected for a museum in 1921. 
Scientists believed they were extinct until two Indonesian 
scientists trapping rats in the highlands of Sulawesi accidentally 
trapped and killed a pygmy tarsier in 2000. 
 
Five New Fish Species Found in Bali 
----------------------------------- 
¶8.  During 10 days of field research in the waters of Nusa Penida, 
Bali in late November, experts found five new fish species.  They 
also found 60 percent of coral reefs in good condition.  The Nusa 
Penida Marine Rapid Assessment Program, initiated by Conservation 
International Indonesia (CI), conducted the research in cooperation 
the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), State Ministry for 
Research and Technology, SEACORM, Yayasan Bahtera Nusantara, 
University of Udayana, and University of Warmadewa. 
 
Endemic, Rare Frogs in Java Threatened 
--------------------------------------- 
¶9.  Ongoing deforestation, pollution, environmental degradation, and 
commercial trade in frogs are threatening some endemic frog 
populations in Java, according to frog expert Hellen Kurniati from 
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).  The exportation of frogs 
is encouraging unsustainable exploitation of frog populations. 
Kurniati conveyed her concern during the commemoration of the 144th 
anniversary of Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense (MZB) on November 26 in 
Cibinong Science Center, Bogor, West Java. 
 
¶10.  There are 5,915 frog species in the world.  According to 
Kurniati, there are 351 documented species in Indonesia, and as many 
as 100 additional undocumented species of frogs in Papua.  Found 
only in two national parks in West Java above 1,200-1,500 meters are 
the Java endemic red frog (leptophryne cruentata) and the Ungaran 
Tree Frog (Philautus jacobsoni).  Other threatened frogs are 
Kongkang Jeran (Hula masonil), Kodok Pohon Mutiara (Nyctixalus 
margaritifer), Kodok Pohon Kaki Putik (Philautus pallidipes) and 
Kodok Pohin Jawa (Rhacophorus javanus).  Although these frogs are 
under threat of extinction, the government has not listed them on 
the protected animal list.  LIPI is working to increase public 
awareness in schools and universities of the importance of frog 
conservation. 
 
Indonesia Hosts Alfred Russel Wallace Conference 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
¶11.  On December 10-13, Indonesia hosted the Wallacea International 
Conference in Makassar, South Sulawesi.  The conference celebrated 
the 150th anniversary of the letter sent from Wallacea by British 
biogeographer Alfred Russel Wallace.  Some believe the letter 
defines the scientist as a co-discoverer of the Darwinian theory of 
natural selection.   Over 230 participants from U.S., U.K, 
Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Spain, Thailand and Indonesia 
participated in the Conference.  The conference aimed to provide a 
scientific history and highlight the Wallacea region as a global 
biodiversity hot spot, to stress the importance of conservation, and 
remind the global community of Wallace's forgotten role in 
developing the theory of evolution. 
 
Surabaya River Pollution 
------------------------ 
¶12.  The pollution in Surabaya River consists of 60 percent 
household waste and 40 percent industrial waste.  105 companies 
discharge waste into Surabaya River.  While on patrol on December 8, 
the Water Patrol Team found a paper and a ceramic company dumping 
untreated industrial waste into the river.  The offending companies 
blamed broken waste treatment equipment. 
 
Corruption in Mangrove Procurement Uncovered 
-------------------------------------------- 
¶13.  Tanjung Perak State Prosecutor's Office in Surabaya is 
 
JAKARTA 00000033  003 OF 004 
 
 
investigating corruption in the procurement in 2004 of 280 thousand 
mangrove trees -- valued at Rp. 700 million (USD 64,400).  The 
prosecutor's office suspects that the procurement involved fake 
documents and an unfair tender process.  Five companies that failed 
to get the contract received tens of millions of rupiah in 
compensation from the tender winner.  In addition, the type of 
mangrove trees provided did not meet the required specifications and 
only one out of a required nine hectares was planted as stated in 
the contract.  So far, the prosecutor's office has questioned 24 
witnesses and the investigation is continuing. 
 
Largest Swath of Treeless Land in Malang Regency 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶14.  There are 80 thousand hectares of at-risk and denuded land, the 
largest single such area in Java, in Malang Regency roughly 80 
kilometers from Surabaya.  The Malang government has announced plans 
to plant 1 million trees on 1,200 hectares -- part of its commitment 
to reforest additional "critical" land in the Regency. 
 
Mangrove Tourism in Surabaya 
---------------------------- 
¶15.  The Surabaya City Government is planning to develop a 
1,600-hectare Mangrove Forest Tourist Area, including a Mangrove 
Laboratory, in Pamurbaya.  The City government has approved a budget 
for a detailed engineering design and Surabaya's Vice Mayor has 
issued a circular prohibiting the use of Pamurbaya as a residential 
area.  Pamurbaya has 580 mangrove trees and 140 bird species. 
 
HEALTH: 
 
HIV Micro Chipping in Papua 
--------------------------- 
¶16.  In late November, a legislator in Indonesia's Papua Province, 
John Manangsang, revived a controversial proposal to require the 
government to implant microchips in people with HIV/AIDS. The issue 
quickly received global media attention.  Public health officials 
and human rights groups condemned the proposal.  The National and 
Provincial AIDS Commissions and Papua's Governor, Barnabas Suebu, 
opposed the measure as an affront to human rights while doing 
nothing to halt the spread of the disease.  The issue highlights the 
misunderstanding, lack of education and stigma of the HIV/AIDS 
epidemic in the province and in the country.  Last week other 
legislators defeated the measure and it did not pass into law. 
 
East Java HIV/AIDS Prevention Activities 
---------------------------------------- 
¶17.  In September 2008, the East Java Health Department reported 
3,188 people infected with HIV, 1,910 living with AIDS, and 580 
recent deaths.  The Department estimates an increase to 20,810 
HIV/AIDS cases by 2010.  Surabaya has the greatest number of 
HIV/AIDS cases in the province with 1,605 people infected with HIV 
and 1,163 people with AIDS over the last five years.  The Surabaya 
City Government cooperates with 16 institutions to provide advocacy 
and counseling, and implements limited HIV/AIDS education programs. 
Surabaya's Health Department provides 10 VCT (Voluntary Counseling 
and Testing) centers to encourage high-risk people to test for 
HIV/AIDS.  Surabaya will allocate Rp. 2 billion (USD 184,000) in the 
2009 budget (an increase from Rp. 500 million this year) to help 
provide food supplements and vitamins for HIV/AIDS patients. 
 
¶18.  Based on June 2008 Statistical Data, 57 percent of Indonesians 
with HIV/AIDS are 15-30 years old.  On World AIDS Day, December 1, 
the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare reminded young people 
to take precautions in protecting themselves from HIV/AIDS. 
 
Rabies Outbreak in Bali 
----------------------- 
¶19.  Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika has officially declared Bali 
"positive" for the presence of rabies following the death of four 
people.  According to press reports, four people died from dog bites 
but it is still unclear whether they died of rabies.  On November 
29, Pastika ordered the Balinese people to conduct a mass culling of 
stray dogs to prevent a rabies outbreak.  Pastika also urged dog 
owners to pay attention to the health of their pets and ordered port 
officials to strengthen custom checks to prevent the illegal entry 
of dogs.  As of November 28, Yudhistira Swarga Foundation for Wild 
Dog Welfare has put down as many as 17 wild and domesticated dogs 
using lethal injection, and the Badung Health Department vaccinated 
76 residents bitten by dogs.  On December 16, Bali's provincial 
government reported that the administration had put down 281 dogs 
and vaccinated 683 others. 
 
 
JAKARTA 00000033  004 OF 004 
 
 
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: 
 
BPPT Develops WiSE-8 Aircraft Prototype 
--------------------------------------- 
¶20.  The Agency of Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) 
has developed and successfully tested a prototype of WiSE-8 aircraft 
(Wing in Surface Effect).  The aircraft flies 1-3 meters above the 
sea surface with speed of 80 knots or 144 km per hour.  A marine 
resort in the Thousand Islands near Jakarta will be the first 
company to operate the aircraft. 
 
GOI Allocates $109 Million for Research 
--------------------------------------- 
¶21.  Director General for Higher Education Fasli Jalal of the 
Ministry of National Education announced that the government has 
allocated 20 percent of the State Budget, or 1.2 trillion rupiah 
($109 million), for educational research activities in 2009.  Fasli 
said that this would further the government's national research 
agenda by improving the quality of research.  State Minister for 
Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman added that departmental 
and non-departmental research centers were preparing proposals, and 
will focus on food, energy, transportation, information technology, 
defense technology and health. 
 
Only 419 Patents in 23 Years 
---------------------------- 
¶22.  In the past 22 years, universities in Indonesia only produced 
419 research patents (compare with Japan, with 370,000 patents per 
year).  Most scientists only produced books, journals, or reports, 
and most the research activities did not involve a new 
invention/innovation.  Only five universities are actively seeking a 
patent: Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Gajah Mada 
University, Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology and Brawijaya 
University. 
 
 
HEFFERN