Orangutan Cultures Press Release and Links: January 02, 2003 Campaign to Stop Ladia Galaska and Save Leuser Article about Leuser, December 2002 More Information Online Petition to Save Leuser Write letters to help save Leuser HOME Original Letter*: 7 May 1999 Update: 6 July 1999 Update: 14 November 1999 Press Release from Dr. Carel van Schaik, June 1999 Report on Illegal Logging in Indonesia by EIA Suggested reading regarding orangutans at Suaq Balimbing Information on Indonesian Wildlife and National Parks European Union Forest Liaison Bureau

An ill-conceived plan to build roads through the Leuser Ecosystem now threatens to fragment and disrupt remaining orangutan habitat. A petition to the World Bank Group is now on line. Click here to sign the petition, then tell your friends! Find out more through BOS (click the "Urgent!" button) and IPPL. I've posted an article based on Yarrow Robertson's briefing here. Meanwhile, here is an E-mail from Yarrow Robertson (who has worked in the area for years). Re: URGENT ACTION REQUIRED TO SAVE LEUSER The Leuser Ecosystem Region in Sumatra, Indonesia, is one of the most important conservation “hotspots” on earth. It contains over 25,000 of the world’s known species, including 4.2% of all the known bird species on the planet. It also contains 3.2% of all the known species of mammals on earth. This includes the last remaining viable populations of the Sumatran orang-utan (Pongo abelii), Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) and Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus), as well as the largest population of the most critically endangered large mammal on earth, the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis). Every new taxonomy survey has found more new species.   The Leuser Ecosystem covers some 26,000 sq. km. of tropical rainforest. About 80% of the Ecosystem is located in the province of Aceh, where a bloody civil war has cost over 10,000 lives during the last 26 years.  A peace settlement was signed December 9, 2002, inaugurating a process of reconstruction for the devastated region.   The Aceh government wants to get funds released from the central government to build  road networks through the Leuser Ecosystem, including a network called Ladia Galaska. The national budget deficit, however, is funded by a donor group headed by the World Bank. Indonesian environmental organizations see this road project as the destruction of the Leuser Ecosystem, which would be a tragedy of global proportions.   Requested Action:   Please write a letter to the president of the World Bank (or adapt the model letter provided below).  Here are excerpts from the action alert we received from an Indonesian coalition to save Leuser,  co-ordinated by SKEPHI (The Indonesian NGO’s Network for Forest Conservation), Yayasan Leuser Internasional (the Leuser International Foundation), and Conservation International-Indonesia.   1.      The Leuser Ecosystem, one of the most important conservation areas on earth, is now threatened with destruction.   2.      The provincial government of Aceh, supported by local governments around the Leuser Ecosystem, is pushing ahead with  major road networks, including one called ‘Ladia Galaska’, that will eventually lead to the destruction of all high biodiversity areas in Leuser. After a meeting in Jakarta on 26th November 2002, the provincial government of Aceh got approval from the ministers of the central government, against the advice of concerned NGO’s, to go ahead with the controversial road development plans.   3.      Since some of the local governments do not follow the laws over proper environmental impact assessments (EIA’s), only intervention by the President of Indonesia, through lobbying by NGO’s and the donor community, can prevent the destruction of Leuser.   4.      Current roads through Leuser have already led to uncontrolled logging that has led to floods that, in turn, have caused major destruction of public infrastructure and loss of lives. USAID was the first donor agency to fund roads through Leuser in 1982 that split the Mount Leuser National Park in two, leading to uncontrolled illegal settlements inside the National Park, as well as an ever expanding wave of encroachment, illegal logging and poaching of endangered species.   5.      International donors, including the World Bank, USAID, Japan and European governments, have formed a new group to assist Aceh recover from decades of conflict. They must be lobbied to ensure they make all future financial support contingent on CURRENT and future sustainable development, including responsible management of the Leuser Ecosystem. Without such pressure on international donors, local governments in Aceh will substitute their own state funds NOW and push ahead with the road networks that will destroy Leuser. Already in 2002, a Japanese agency (JBIC) funded a bridge at Rundeng in Aceh Singkil  that leads straight into the Singkil Swamp Wildlife Reserve. This will allow direct access for illegal loggers to log the swamp forest that contains 46% of the bird species of Sumatra and the largest single population of the Sumatran orang-utan.   6.      An alliance of local NGO’s in Indonesia has been formed to campaign against the new road projects in Leuser. Since it is a political issue to go ahead with the roads, they need more support from international NGO’s and concerned individuals to lobby the international donors.   7.      It is important to support aid for the reconstruction of the war-stricken Aceh, through proper sustainable development, to help alleviate the decades of suffering of the Acehnese people.  But this support should be conditional upon no destruction of the environment.   8.      Please help protect Leuser by writing a short, polite letter to the president of the World Bank, or adapt the model letter provided here. If possible, please put a cc to the President of Indonesia and the Governor of Aceh. A photo-copy of your letter can also be sent to either Yayasan Leuser International, Jalan Dr Mansyur 68, Medan, North Sumatra 20154, Indonesia (e-mail: Leuser3@attglobal.net ), Fax No. +62-61-8216808, or SKEPHI, Kompleks Liga Mas Indah. Blok E-I/3, Duren Tiga, Pancoran, Jakarta 12760, or Conservation International-Indonesia, Jalan Taman Margasatwa 61, Jakarta 12540, Indonesia, Fax. +62-21-7800265. 9.  A briefing document is provided in the attached file. This document contains some sensitive information required to understand the background and is not for general distribution in Indonesia. Local customs strongly discourage direct criticisms of individuals, and all letters copied to government officials should respect this. Thank you for your anticipated action.   Yarrow Robertson Please click here to see a briefing on this project (in PDF format). Sections 5 and 6 are especially important for understanding the current crisis. Click here for sample letters to send to legislators, newspapers, etc. Click here for e-mails, fax #s, phone #s and addresses of US Senators and Representatives. Note to media: I have Hi8 video of orangutans and illegal logging in Leuser Ecosystem that can be made available, and I'm available to give a personal account of the region based on my work there in 1999. Please contact me via e-mail (mym1@NOSPAMduke.edu) or phone 831-234-0898.

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