Stop Bulldozer-ing Ujung Kulon National Park

1. Stop bulldozer-ing Ujung Kulon National Park (NP)!

2. Cancel the development of JRS or JRSCA or Jarhisca in Ujung Kulon NP!

3. Restore local community access to their life spaces in Ujung Kulon NP!

Currently, Ujung Kulon National Park (UK NP), the last habitat for the only viable population of Javan Rhino is damaged and split apart by the project named as Javan Rhino Sanctuary (lately changed to be Javan Rhino Study and Conservation Area, abbreviated by JRSCA or Jarhisca) that conducted by Yayasan Badak Indonesia (YABI) and UK NP Authority which funded by International Rhino Foundation (IRF). The project has been destroying the forest by bulldozer-ing it to build the road that will connect the villages in the north and the south of the park. Till today, the bulldozers and excavator have already opened the forest for approximately 5 km long and 10 up to 30 meters wide. The project also plans to develop the same road in the isthmus of the park.

The project has to be stopped! Why?

First, it is simply illegal! There is not any approval from the government to the project yet. No permit at all to the bulldozers and excavator.

Second, the project is hijack the Strategy and Action Plan for the Conservation of Rhinos in Indonesian which clearly stated the top three priority for javan rhino conservation in Indonesia, i.e. maintain and expand by 20% javan rhino population in UK NP; establish its second population outside UK NP; and establish javan rhino sanctuary to back-up the in-situ conservation program. Where is the hijack situation? For the last four decades, the javan rhino population in UK NP is stable, not increase at all. In fact, there were three rhino dead in 2010! At the other hand, the habitat for its second population has not designated yet.

Third, the project will create a very wide road that connects villages at the north and ones at the south of the park. While the performance of the Government of Indonesia to protect its forest is very low, opening the road will stimulate the bigger encroachment that in fact already happened in the park. Instead of protecting, the project is jeopardizing the javan rhino.

Fourth, the project will also potentially increase conflict both social and park authority vs the local community. The strategy of the project to recruit local people will create high tense between the local as there are 110 hectares of the local community managed land that take by the project without any compensation. The take over the land happened through negotiation conducted by the park authority and YABI that brought the police and military in full uniform. Simply, it's not a negotiation, but intimidation!

More info on this, please found at www.silvagama.org.

For that, we are asking your support by signing up this petition, to be delivered to the Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia.

Jakarta, July 2011.

KPK-Ujungkulon (Coalition for Reform the Conservation of Ujung Kulon NP)