Lapang Islanders in Indonesia

"A Summary" – Apr 2, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Religion, Shift of Human Consciousness, 2012, Intelligent/Benevolent Design, EU, South America, 5 Currencies, Water Cycle (Heat up, Mini Ice Ace, Oceans, Fish, Earthquakes ..), Middle East, Internet, Israel, Dictators, Palestine, US, Japan (Quake/Tsunami Disasters , People, Society ...), Nuclear Power Revealed, Hydro Power, Geothermal Power, Moon, Financial Institutes (Recession, Realign integrity values ..) , China, North Korea, Global Unity,..... etc.) -

“ … Here is another one. A change in what Human nature will allow for government. "Careful, Kryon, don't talk about politics. You'll get in trouble." I won't get in trouble. I'm going to tell you to watch for leadership that cares about you. "You mean politics is going to change?" It already has. It's beginning. Watch for it. You're going to see a total phase-out of old energy dictatorships eventually. The potential is that you're going to see that before 2013.

They're going to fall over, you know, because the energy of the population will not sustain an old energy leader ..."

(Live Kryon Channelings was given 7 times within the United Nations building.)


Question: Dear Kryon: I live in Spain. I am sorry if I will ask you a question you might have already answered, but the translations of your books are very slow and I might not have gathered all information you have already given. I am quite concerned about abandoned animals. It seems that many people buy animals for their children and as soon as they grow, they set them out somewhere. Recently I had the occasion to see a small kitten in the middle of the street. I did not immediately react, since I could have stopped and taken it, without getting out of the car. So, I went on and at the first occasion I could turn, I went back to see if I could take the kitten, but it was to late, somebody had already killed it. This happened some month ago, but I still feel very sorry for that kitten. I just would like to know, what kind of entity are these animals and how does this fit in our world. Are these entities which choose this kind of life, like we do choose our kind of Human life? I see so many abandoned animals and every time I see one, my heart aches... I would like to know more about them.

Answer: Dear one, indeed the answer has been given, but let us give it again so you all understand. Animals are here on earth for three (3) reasons.

(1) The balance of biological life. . . the circle of energy that is needed for you to exist in what you call "nature."

(2) To be harvested. Yes, it's true. Many exist for your sustenance, and this is appropriate. It is a harmony between Human and animal, and always has. Remember the buffalo that willingly came into the indigenous tribes to be sacrificed when called? These are stories that you should examine again. The inappropriateness of today's culture is how these precious creatures are treated. Did you know that if there was an honoring ceremony at their death, they would nourish you better? Did you know that there is ceremony that could benefit all of humanity in this way. Perhaps it's time you saw it.

(3) To be loved and to love. For many cultures, animals serve as surrogate children, loved and taken care of. It gives Humans a chance to show compassion when they need it, and to have unconditional love when they need it. This is extremely important to many, and provides balance and centering for many.

Do animals know all this? At a basic level, they do. Not in the way you "know," but in a cellular awareness they understand that they are here in service to planet earth. If you honor them in all three instances, then balance will be the result. Your feelings about their treatment is important. Temper your reactions with the spiritual logic of their appropriateness and their service to humanity. Honor them in all three cases.

Japan's Antarctic whaling hunt ruled 'not scientific'

Japan's Antarctic whaling hunt ruled 'not scientific'
Representatives of Japan and Australia shake hands at the court in The Hague. (NOS/ANP) - 31 March 2014
"Fast-Tracking" - Feb 8, 2014 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (Reference to Fukushima / H-bomb nuclear pollution and a warning about nuclear > 20 Min)

China calls for peaceful settlement of maritime disputes

China calls for peaceful settlement of maritime disputes
Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks during a meeting to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the enforcement of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, at the UN headquarters in New York, on June 9, 2014. The Chinese envoy on Monday called for a harmonious maritime order, saying that maritime disputes should be settled through negotiation between the parties directly involved. (Xinhua/Niu Xiaolei)

UNCLOS 200 nautical miles vs China claimed territorial waters

UNCLOS 200 nautical miles vs China claimed territorial waters

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Source of costly corrosion stumps officials

By Stephen Tait , Staff Writer

Daily News of Newburyport

NEWBURYPORT - Whatever this mysterious force is, it started about two or three years ago, city officials say.

It is powerful enough that it stripped the steel off the pilings at the boardwalk and is eating through the steel sheeting of the bulkhead that supports the popular walkway at a much faster pace than officials expected. It is exposing the cement inside the pilings enough to shear three in half and require that another 17 need immediate repair.

And David Vine, a marine engineer, said once holes are made in the bulkhead sheetings underneath the boardwalk, the fill inside will begin to wash out.

The most popular theory for the corrosion, according to Vine and Geordie Vining, the city's public projects manager, is an electric current coming from somewhere in the Merrimack River. The source could be a power cable running underwater that replaced an electric tower, the relatively new power hookups on the boardwalk, or the increased number of large ships docking there.

"It is really just speculation at this point," Vining said. "It is likely to be something within the immediate area. I think we definitely need to investigate the shore power that the city installed, as well as the boats that tie up to the central waterfront. Those are the most obvious possible sources."

Whatever the source of the electric current, it is not strong enough to shock or injury anyone who might swim in the river or touch the water, Vining said. It simply provides the correct chemical balance of positive and negative ions to erode steel.

It is a problem seen in harbors worldwide.

"This type of electrical current in the water is a common occurrence when it comes to corrosion of steel in a marine environments," Vining said.

Indeed, one local man says the problem and fix are detailed in a paper written by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Bob Folsom, a retired mechanical engineer, says the corrosion is natural "Galvanic" action that is essentially a chemical reaction creating an electric current. Folsom of Newburyport said that spells out a quick fix.

The Charles Street resident said all the city would have to do is attach a piece of "sacrificial" zinc to the pilings to save the steel. The corrosion, he said, would eat away at the zinc without hurting the piling.

"That way they don't have to keep re-welding," he said. "They just have to replace the zinc. Depending on how active (the corrosion) is, it could last a year or four to five years."

The City Council voted this week to spend $72,000 to fix 24 pilings on the boardwalk to help ensure the popular boating season in the city is not interrupted. Part of that money is $8,750 for a corrosion specialist to inspect the area, figure out what is causing the corrosion and help stop it.

Vining said the specialist should be able to either pinpoint where the electrical current is coming from or find out what else may be causing the corrosion.

"Its hard for us to know until we hire a specialist for the study," he said.

Folsom feels the city doesn't have to spend thousands of dollars for a study.

"It's already been done," Folsom said. "Information is readily available. Why go spend money? The sake of spending money, I guess."

Bill Schutt, a corrosion engineer who works for Matcor Inc., a company that works on corrosion worldwide, said he doesn't think there is an electrical current in the water.

"If you put those pilings in that sea water, they are going to corrode," he said. "It happens all over the place."

The company he works for installs a device that sends an electrical current to underwater steel and coats it with hydrogen molecules. The process is called cathodic protection.

"When you put the system on, no corrosion occurs," he said. "It is stalled."

Vining said the city has conducted visual and ultrasonic inspections of the pilings in 2001 and 2005. They observed the steel thinning, "which is sort of an expected life cycle of the steel," he said.

Now, though, the steel is gone or extremely thin on all the pilings about a foot under the average low-water mark, suggesting that some other force is at work rather than simply a natural phenomenon.

"When we started to look, people said the steel is completely gone on the pilings," Vining said. "The first reaction was disbelief. 'How could that be? Maybe somebody was seeing it wrong.'"

It is unclear when the accelerated corrosion started, but because of the inspections in prior years, it seems likely it started in the past two or three years.

At the City Council meeting this week, a councilor suggested it could possibly be from a huge power line buried underneath the river in recent years that spanned from Newburyport to Salisbury.

The shore power, which boats that dock at the central waterfront use, was installed with a renovation of the boardwalk in 2002, about five years ago.

"We are at a very different place than what we expected to be," Vining said. "It was certainly surprising. I think it was surprising for everybody."


Related links about Corrosion Prevention Jetty Piles:

Saturday, May 26, 2007

CP Prima wins Dipasena for $76m

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Local aquaculture firm PT Central Proteinprima (CP Prima) and its parent company, Thai agribusiness giant Charoen Pokphand, both operating under the Neptune consortium banner, have finally won the tender for the sale of Southeast Asia's largest shrimp farming firm, PT Dipasena Citra Darmaja.

State Asset Management Company (PPA) president Syahrial said in a statement released Thursday that the consortium had bid Rp 688.12 billion (US$76 million) for Dipasena, exceeding the minimum bid of $53.5 million set by the government.

The winner is also required to invest Rp 1.7 trillion on developing Dipasena.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the PPA had carried out the sale of Dipasena in line with all the relevant procedures and having consulted with all the relevant parties.

Financial advisor to the sale was Ferrier Hodgson, while lawyer Marsinih Martoatmodjo Iskandar Kusdihardjo acted as legal advisor. Meanwhile, the Attorney General's Office and the State Finance and Development Comptroller (BPKP) served as independent advisors.

The final bids for Dipasena were assessed by legal expert Pradjoto, economist Chatib Basri and the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry's director general for aquaculture, Made L. Nurdjana.

CP Prima outbid competitor PT Kemilau Bintang Timur, a Makassar-based major seafood processing firm.

Dipasena's acquisition will strengthen CP Prima's position as the world's largest aquaculture firm, as well as Charoen Pokphand, which owns a stake in CP Prima and in the nearby Bratasena shrimp farm.

Dipasena boasts 186,000 hectares of shrimp ponds run collaboratively with some 11,000 local shrimp farmers under a "core-plasma" scheme, in which the company acts as a nucleus providing loans to the farmers, and they in turn sell their produce to the company.

Before the crisis, Dipasena was one of the biggest shrimp producers in the world, with output standing at some 19,854 tons worth $167 million in 1996.

The PPA has been managing Dipasena, which it took over from Gajah Tunggal Group tycoon Sjamsul Nursalim as part of the settlement of his Rp 28 trillion debt to the state following the economic crisis of 1997 and 1998.

In September 2005, the PPA awarded an exclusive option to PT Recapital Advisors to take over Dipasena, which it later revoked after the company failed to abide by its commitment to inject fresh capital into the company and settle the company's loans to local farmers.

Meanwhile, CP Prima director Mahar Sembiring said the company would immediately implement a genuine partnership scheme with Dipasena's existing plasma farmers.

It has also assigned construction firms PT Truba Alam Manunggal and PT Wijaya Karya to assess Dipasena's production infrastructure, and conduct any necessary upgrades.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Gurame gives fish farmer reason to smile

Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto

With a broad smile of pride, 43-year-old fish farmer Munajat showed off his gurame (Osphronemus Gouramy), which has become an essential part of his life.

Munajat tends to the fish from dawn to dusk at his fish farm in Karangsari village of Karanglewas district, Banyumas regency, Central Java.

He is so passionate about breeding gurame that he will speak eloquently and in detail about the potential of gurame farming, his analysis on the industry, the current conditions of fish farmers, and demand for fresh fish -- both local and national.

Munajat is one of around 24,000 gurame breeders operating in Banyumas regency, but also one of the best, having won a national award for best freshwater fish breeder six years ago.

Gurame inland fisheries in the area, he said, had a very vast potential. Sadly, however, those of the younger generation were less interested in this business as a promising source of income.

"Extensive land is at our disposal, but it's not yet optimally utilized. Most people still underestimate fishery and instead pursue office work," Munajat pointed out last week.

His obvious commitment to the development of fish farms has made him chairman of the Banyumas Gurame Breeders Association since 2000.

In his home village of Karangsari, Munajat manages more than a dozen gurame breeding ponds, comprising separate ponds for nurturing roe, for raising parent stock and for fattening fish for consumption.

Known among fish farmers are the five stages of fish growth: larvae (one week), pumpkin seeds (30 days), horseradish leaves (70 days), matchboxes (3 months) and cigarette packs (155 days). "We serve all needs from stock to fish roe to fish ready for consumption," he said.

Munajat said that gurame breeding was very lucrative because of the high market demand for the fish.

"Even its roe sells well, not only the fish for consumption," he said.

He believes that if Indonesia's fishery potential was optimized, everyone in the country could have fish every day.

In reality, the consumption rate is far below today's national standard.

Munajat said Indonesians currently consumed an average 8.6 kilograms of fish per capita annually, compared to the ideal national standard of 24 kg/capita/year.

This consumption rate is "far too low (when) compared with the levels in advanced countries", according to Munajat. "In Japan, the rate reaches 135 kg, and in Malaysia 80 kg," he said.

"It's very ironic, because Indonesia's fishery potential in terms of natural and human resources is far greater than that of these two countries. But our potential is not yet optimally utilized, and the government's role in developing this sector is still insignificant," he said.

According to Munajat's estimation, the 24,000 fish breeders in Banyumas can farm only about 400 hectares of the 1,600 hectares of land that are available to them. Their average annual production stands at 4,000 tons of gurame for consumption, against a national production rate of 25,000 tons a year.

"Only 10 percent of the Banyumas output is locally consumed while the rest is sold to other areas, mostly Jakarta," he added.

The low freshwater fish cultivation in the regency, Munajat said, was partly due to a majority of unskilled human resources -- that is, untrained fish farmers who use traditional methods and neglect technological advances in the industry. Another constraint was the government's minimum attention to the industry's potential.

"Particularly in terms of development and capital, the government still underestimates inland fishery," noted Munajat.

In actuality, the prospects for freshwater fish breeding is very bright.

Munajat explained that fish roe of 5,000 eggs could sell at Rp 60,000. If nurtured for three months, the eggs would hatch and grow into 8-ounce matchbox-sized fish worth Rp 900.

"Assuming that over 50 percent of the eggs will fail to hatch, which leaves only about 2,400 (eggs), their value would reach Rp 2.16 million," he said.

Meanwhile, the maximum production cost is 30 percent.

"So the business' potential and prospects are great, but most Indonesians can't see the benefits properly yet," said Munajat.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

High tides expected to continue for a week

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post): The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) said large waves that have been pounding the southern coastlines of Java, Sumatra and Bali since Thursday have weakened, but are expected to continue for another week.

The agency said the waves were caused by persistent winds from the Indian Ocean coinciding with the arrival of the lunar tide.

The head of the maritime meteorology information subsection at the BMG, Suratno, said Monday high atmospheric pressure in the southern part of the world, especially in the Indian Ocean, and low atmospheric pressure in the northern part of the world, especially in India and Japan, had caused strong southerly winds, which subsequently had caused massive waves around Indonesia.

"High atmospheric pressure causes only normal winds of between 25 to 30 knots, but because this is persistent, it has caused massive waves," Suratno told The Jakarta Post after a closed-door meeting to discuss the phenomenon. (Matheos Viktor)

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Indonesia Protects Marine Areas

Kate Barrett, Staff Writer, Conservation International

May 21, 2007: A vast 900,000 hectares of water are newly protected in the Indonesian archipelago of Raja Ampat.

This month, Indonesia’s Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Mr. Freddy Numberi formalized traditional community efforts to safeguard marine life when he announced the creation of a network of seven marine protected areas (MPAs) encompassing the region’s diverse coral reefs, mangrove forests, and other coastal ecosystems.

PHOTO GALLERY: View a collection of images from Raja Ampat.

The ground-breaking declaration is built on years of collaboration among local communities and non-governmental organizations, including Conservation International (CI), to better protect Raja Ampat and the broader Bird's Head Seascape.

The announcement brings the Indonesian government significantly closer to its goal of protecting 10 million hectares of coastal marine ecosystems by 2010, and allows CI to fully meet its own objective to help establish 20 MPAs by that same year.

Read More ....


Sunday, May 20, 2007

Traditional whaling at Lamalera village

A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post

Lamalera village in Lambata island, East Nusa Tenggara, is reportedly the only place in the country that is home to traditional whalers, known locally as Lamafa.

Using wooden sailing boats on the Sawu sea, a lamafa jumps from the boat and stabs the whale with a bamboo harpoon that has a sharp steel tip. The whaler spears the mammal several times.

The whaling tradition was established hundreds of years ago even before Catholic missionaries entered the province in the 1500s.

To mark the beginning of the whaling season, which runs from May through August, the villagers hold traditional rituals to commemorate their ancestors and bless their lamafa.

Religion came and changed the rituals into two mass prayers: an evening requiem for the ancestors and lamafa who have died during whaling in the Sawu sea, and a morning mass to bless the whalers.

A rule in the village says that lamafa are forbidden from killing blue whales since they are considered friendly to humans.

"There was a legend that a blue whale once helped our ancestors from drowning in the sea," said Abel O Beding, a tribal village leader.

According to a recent survey carried out by the World Wide Fund for Nature (Indonesia), among 27 species of whale in the world, 11 are found in the Sawu sea, including blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) and sperm whales (Physeter macrochepalus).

Juveniles found on illegal boats

ABC Newsonline

Federal Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz says 10 juveniles were on board the foreign fishing boats caught in Australian waters earlier this week.

A coast watch plane found the group of 49 fishermen on six fishing boats on Wednesday near the Ashmore Marine Park in the Timor Sea.

Senator Abetz says it is still unclear where the fishermen are from.

"What I do know is all the boats have come from the [Indonesian] port town of Roti and out of that town, there have been numerous incursions into Australian waters in the past," he said.

He says fisheries and customs officials will now see if members of the group have been caught fishing in Australian waters before.

"Ten are juveniles - they are usually repatriated immediately and then we go through and check through the remainder to see whether they are what we call recidivists, those who have offended before," he said.

"If so, then decisions are made as to whether they should be prosecuted."

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Massive waves pound beaches in Bali, Java

The Jakarta Post, Bandung, Yogyakarta

Massive waves have pounded Indonesia's coastlines since Thursday destroying fishing boats and shacks and creating widespread panic in Bali where thousands of tourists are holidaying for the long weekend, Reuters said Friday.

The weather pattern is unusual and not in-line with annual forecasts, officials said. No casualties have been recorded to-date.

Parts of the southern coast of Java island and Sukabumi area in West Java have been affected by water coming into villages and forcing residents to evacuate.

Weather officials have warned fishermen against sailing off southern Java and authorities have forbidden people from surfing at Kuta beach until the weather subsides.

Some officials and media reports have referred to the weather phenomenon as a regular set of tidal waves that have been exaggerated because the moon is in line with the sun, Reuters said.

Waves as high as four and five meters have struck Bali's Jimbaran resort area, destroying more than 100 fishing boats and forcing the popular restaurant strip to be evacuated.

At Kuta beach in Bali, three- and four-meter-high waves also forced tourists to desert the area.

The Water Tourism Safety Agency office in Bali asked its workers on Friday to take special preventive measures because the waves were expected to continue into Sunday.

"We are working hard. We have fielded 80 workers to keep tourists from coming to the beach," Bali's water safety agency coordinator I Made Suparka told Antara.

"Many of the workers will keep their eyes on tourists using 12 towers along the 20-km Bali beach."

The guards have also asked vendors selling food, beverages and handicrafts to abandon the beaches and avoid the dangerous waves.

Bali Police spokesman Sr. Comr. AS Reniban told marine tourism operators and all fishermen to stay out of sea.

On Friday the waves destroyed fishing houses on Kedongan and Jimbaran beaches in Bali, as well as other houses and food stalls in the popular Pangandaran beach in Ciamis, West Java.

The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency in Bandung, West Java has asked tourists spending the long weekend in the area to avoid beaches.

Agency head Hendri Subakti said the tidal waves might reach as far as 100 meters inland and would continue for the next three days.

The tides have struck West Java southern coastal areas, from Sukabumi to Pangandaran, damaging hundreds of food stalls, kiosks and houses.

Much damage has been recorded at Pelabuhan Ratu beach in Sukabumi.

Hendri said hundreds of kiosks on the beach, which is located 160 km from Bandung, were swept away by the four-meter-high waves.

"We have asked tourists and fishermen to abandon the sea to avoid casualties," Hendri said.

"This is dangerous because we had no indication the waves would strike."

Hendri however offered another explanation for the tidal waves. He said they were a natural phenomenon and an accumulation of monsoon weather near the Indian Ocean adjacent to Australia.

He said the wind associated with the weather had reached speeds of 25 knots per hour.

Nana Sukarna of the Sukabumi regency disaster mitigation coordination unit said 61 houses and food stalls in Pelabuhan Ratu beach had been swept away by the tides.

"Currently, hundreds of families have been evacuated to the representative office of Pelabuhan Ratu regent," Nana said.

In southern Garut, the tides have damaged 13 houses, according to Garut Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Eko Budi Sampurno.

"The sea suddenly rose and reached 100 meters inland," he said.

In Yogyakarta's Samas beach, two-meter-high waves have destroyed more than 10 houses and food stalls, as well as damaging approximately 60 fishing boats.

Head of Yogyakarta's Samas beach fishermen association, Rudjito, told The Jakarta Post on Friday the waves had made people panic.

"There were no strong winds or any storm -- but suddenly the waves struck.

"This kind of phenomenon is the first I've experienced ever. Nature is no longer friendly," he said.

Violent waves have also made tourists abandon West Sumatra's busy beach in Padang since Thursday, with the seawater flooding roads located 10 meters away from the beach.

-- Syofiardi Bachyul Jb. contributed to the story from Padang, West Sumatra

RI told to crack down on FOC cargo vessels

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) called on the government to take action against Indonesian cargo vessels flying flags of convenience (FOC), saying this practice did not contribute to the welfare of the country and abused workers.

"The rampant use of FOCs among Indonesian vessels serving sea transportation both home and overseas has cost Indonesia hundreds of billions of rupiah annually.

"It has also worsened the unemployment problem in the country since the vessels pay no taxes and employ Indonesian workers under contracts which are below international standards," Secretary General of London-based ITF John Wood said.

Wood made the call during a visit here Friday as part of ITF's world campaign against the use of FOCs in developing countries.

He said such a practice is rarely found in developed countries, which generally follow their own harsh laws due to annual anti-FOC campaigns that have been held for more than 60 years.

The ITF has identified 32 countries, including Panama and Liberia, as having facilitated the registration of FOC ships.

The Indonesian government issued a regulation on cabotage in 2005 in order to empower the national shipping industry. However, the regulation is yet to be effective because of weak supervision at ports and at sea. The regulation requires all Indonesian cargo and passenger ships to carry the national flag, putting them under Indonesian law.

Wood said that despite the regulation, it was quite difficult for domestic authorities to identify Indonesian FOC ships, but stressed it could be done through enhanced cooperation with seafarers and their labor unions.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Indonesian Seafarers Association (KPI) Hanafi Rustandi said many Indonesian cargo vessels flying flags of convenience had exploited Indonesian workers because they could not be reached by labor laws.

"Thousands of Indonesian seafarers working on cargo vessels flying FOCs have been underpaid and employed in work places which lack health facilities and safety equipment. Despite Indonesian ownership, the vessels could not be sanctioned because of their FOC status," he said.

Hanafi, also a former captain, said the government should crack down on FOC ships operating in Indonesian waters and enforce the regulation requiring them to carry the national flag. "Such measures will force them to comply with the labor law and recruit more workers to be employed at seaports and in their ground offices," Hanafi said.

He said many unskilled workers, employed as laborers on FOC ships, had been paid below the minimum wage level and forced to work extra hours when engines on vessels were in trouble.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

N Sulawesi exports canned fish to six Middle Eastern countries

Manado, North Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - North Sulawesi in the first quarter of 2007 earned US$968,268 from exporting 462.05 tons of canned fish to six Middle Eastern countries, an official said.

The six countries were Yemen, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lybia and Jordan, the chief of the export and import section of the North Sulawesi provincial industry and trade office, Johny Rumagit, said here Tuesday.

The province`s exports in the first quarter of 2007 totaled US$135.92 million.

The exports went to 38 countries. The Netherlands took the lead, importing US$71.79 million worth of commodities from the province in the first quarter of 2007.

The United State came in second with US$14.29 million, followed by China (US$11.51 million), South Korea (US$10.82 million) and Germany (US$8.53 million).

North Sulawesi`s exports covered coconut powder, canned fish, palm oil, prefabricated traditional houses.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Fate of missing Indonesian shipcrew still a mystery

The Jakarta Post

BEIJING (Antara): The fate of an Indonesian shipcrew,Mihi Raja, 29, who was reported missing in the East Chinese Sea after a ship collision on April 9, 2007, was still a mystery.

"Up till now, the Indonesian embassy here maintained contact with the local security authorities asking for the fate of the missing Indonesian sailor following the collision. But no reply on his fate has been received," an official of the Indonesian embassy in Beijing, Nicolas Hendrik T Manopo, said Monday.

According to him, his side maintained contact with theauthorities in Zhejiang province, the location where the collision happened, but till now there was no reply on the missing sailor.

The search for the missing Indonesian continued in rough waters.

Recent reports said the local authorities would disassemble the ship's body to find the missing Indonesian shipcrew and other victims.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Fuel shortages keep fishermen from going to sea in Lombok

Panca Nugraha, The Jakarta Post, Mataram

Hundreds of fishermen in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, have been unable to go to sea for the last four days due to a fuel shortage in their area.

Fishermen from Ampenan, Batulayar and Pemenang in West Lombok have been forced to leave their fishing boats idle, using their time instead to repair damage to their boats and fishing nets.

"I have not gone to sea for four days. The fuel supply is limited at the moment. If there is any fuel, the price skyrockets to Rp 10,000 (approximately US$1.11) per liter," M. Mursim, a fishermen from Ampenan, said Saturday. The normal price of fuel is Rp 4,500 per liter.

He said that 30 liters of fuel is required for a boat to go to sea. "I don't want to gamble. What if I don't get a good catch? I will just lose money," he said.

Mursim said his livelihood depended on fishing, relying on it to feed his wife and four children.

"It is very hard at the moment with the price of basic commodities such as rice and cooking oil creeping up. We borrow from cooperatives and loan sharks to survive," Sukmawati, Mursim's wife, said.

In Batulayar, fishermen find themselves in a similar predicament. Every morning hundreds of boats are parked in rows along the coastline. Only a handful of boats attempt to sail manually when the wind permits.

"I have to go to sea in any way I can. If I don't, we'll find it hard to eat," said Kadir, a fisherman from Batulayar.

However, Kadir said that catches from manual sailing were barely enough to make ends meet in his own kitchen.

Struggling to survive, the fishermen hope that the price of fuel will return to normal soon.

West Nusa Tenggara councilors Saturday asked representatives from state oil and gas company Pertamina's Ampenan depot for an explanation on the fuel shortage.

After the meeting, councilor Husni Jibril said the fuel shortage had been caused by a lack of transparency within Pertamina.

"We've urged Pertamina to provide the public with an explanation on the fuel shortage to prevent them from panicking," Husni said, adding that some people had taken advantage of the situation by hoarding fuel and selling it later at a much higher price.

Ari Wibowo, head of Pertamina's Ampenan depot, said the fuel shortage had been caused by a delay in the shipment of fuel from Karang Asem in Bali. Fuel shortages had also affected parts of Bali, he said. "That is the reason we were only able to distribute a third of the normal consumption," he said.

Ari said the situation is expected to return to normal within the next two days after the arrival of 1,600 tons of fuel from Bali on Saturday.

Cirebon ports struggling

The Jakarta Post

CIREBON, West Java: Development of Cirebon city's two major ports is lagging behind that of other ports in West Java, a city legislative council member said.

The two ports -- an inter-island port and fishing port Kejawanan -- are unable to provide significant contributions to the city's development.

"The two ports cannot contribute to the people living in their surroundings or to the city's development," said Cirebon Legislative Council Speaker Sunaryo.

He blamed the ports' condition on poor management and facilities, which mean the inter-island port is rarely used to transport goods. Most businesspeople, he said, prefer to use Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta.

"All exporting of rattan handicrafts from Cirebon to European countries, as well as to the U.S. and Japan, are done through Tanjung Priok. This is happening because businesspeople find it more efficient to do it there than from Cirebon port," Sunaryo said.

He said the poor condition of both ports could curtail efforts to make the city an entry point for trade in West Java.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

FAO to promote sustainable fishing in Aceh

NEW YORK (Antara): The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has announced that it partners with the American Red Cross to help fishing communities in the tsunami torn area in Aceh province.

The program will help fishing community in the province to carry out fishing sustainable management. No detail about the program was reported.

FAO said in its recent statement that the program is to prevent overfishing and other activities that may cause further damage to the ecosystem, which is still recovering from the tsunami.

Aceh's western coastal area and Nias Island, North Sumatra, were devastated by an 8.9-magnitude earthquake and gigantic tsunami on December 26, 2004, which destroyed most of infrastructures, including harbors and fish markets.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Saving ocean reefs - it's as easy as picking up shoes

Prodita Sabarini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Under the blue sky and scorching sun on one of Kepulauan Seribu's islands, a boy dipped his feet to the water and recovered a discarded potato chip packet.

"Look what I've found," Jason Tamsil, 13, said to fellow members of the beach clean-up team.

He disposed of it in a black plastic bag carried by one of his fellow team members.

Not too far away, another team member collected various shoes ranging from flip-flops, sneakers -- even ladies shoes.

In another part of the beach, a second group found underwear and a broken toilet seat.

The clean-up groups are part of a team of 46 people, including 11 divers, who had traveled from Jakarta to Pramuka Island, 45 kilometers north of Jakarta, for a weekend of cleaning up beaches.

The teams are part the Everyday is Earth Day event put together by a non-profit local diving community called Forum Selam, in conjunction with Earth Day on April 22.

While children combed the beach for rubbish, divers participating in the event plunged into waters scattered with sea porcupine.

Amid the hazardous underwater mines, they collected huge amounts of garbage with the potential to seriously damage coral reefs.

Forum Selam member and organizer of the event Meliana Salim told The Jakarta Post she had been inspired by an organization in San Fransisco called The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) and their Dive in to Earth Day.

"The alliance organizes events for people who enjoy diving to help clean up the ocean -- and I think that's a brilliant idea," she said.

In the lead up to Earth Day, the non-profit organization dedicated to keeping coral reefs alive, promoted the event widely.

Volunteers from more than 70 countries and territories participated in protecting local aquatic environments by planning beach clean ups, underwater clean ups, educational workshops and fish and reef surveys.

On its website, www.coralreefalliance.org, the group said, "In their modern form, coral reefs have thrived on earth for more than 50 million years. In recent years, however, more than 20 per cent of the world's reefs have been lost and 50 percent of remaining reefs are in jeopardy of collapsing if we do not take action now."

Coral reefs in Indonesian waters are in an alarming state because of potential threats from coastal developments, marine pollution, over-exploitation of marine resources and inland pollution, said the World Resource Institute via their website (www.pubs.wri.org).

The weekend beach and sea clean-up program, although not exactly in line with Earth Day, was linked with a worldwide commemoration of the day.

"After all, it doesn't need a particular time of year to clean up our beach and sea," Meliana said.

Tadjus Taslim, a road contractor, brought two of his children to participate in the event.

"I think it's important to educate children at an early age about the importance of taking care of nature," he said.

"Indonesia has lots of beautiful natural tourist sites.

"But the downside is they're usually dirty.

"It's good to bring children here to learn to love nature in an entertaining way," he said.

Pramuka Island is one of 110 islands in Kepulauan Seribu.

Some 20,000 people live on 11 of the islands, including Pramuka Island.

According to Marudin Boko, head of a community-based conservation area, 75 percent of inhabitants make their living from fishing.

More than 40 islands in Kepulauan Seribu have been declared part of Kepulauan Seribu National Sea Park.

Diver Eva Sobartini said she found lots of garbage under water.

"Most of the rubbish is made up of plastic bottles, noodles wraps, plastic bags, tin cans and sandals," she said.

Forum Selam member and leader of the dive Ronald Soefajin said they collected seven sacks of garbage in a one hour dive.

Eva was so enthusiastic in her search for underwater trash, she brushed her thigh on sea porcupine thorns and was stung by jellyfish.

"These are souvenirs to bring home," she said pointing the scars.

According to most divers, the condition of the coral reefs are in bad shape.

Prastowo of The Indonesian Coral Reef Foundation (TERANGI) said Indonesia has the most diverse species of coral reefs in the world, but that 70 percent of Indonesia's reefs were in bad shape.

"Mostly the coral reefs in the western part of Indonesia are in bad shape," he said.

In Kepulauan Seribu, fishermen would fish using bombs and potassium cyanide.

In the last five years, however, and after being exposed to educational campaigns, fishermen have shifted their destructive ways toward more eco-friendly practices.

Prastowo also said coral transplantation had been carried out on the Islands.

"However, there's still a long way to go before we can improve the condition of coral reefs."

Prastowo also said the presence of garbage was endangering the coral reefs.

"Especially any garbage made of plastic," he said.

"If plastic covers the coral reefs then it can't grow or develop and it will die."

After the dive, Prastowo gave a presentation on how to save the ocean's ecosystem.

"It takes around 250 years for plastic wraps to degrade," he said.

"For sandals and shoes it takes around 450 years.

"So for those of you who collected plastic and shoes from underwater -- you have done a great deal for the ocean," he said.

A knowing smile flicked on all the participants' faces, making way for them to start the barbecue party.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Councilors urge govt to repair Java's northern coastline

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Indramayu

Indramayu legislative councilors in West Java have urged the government to pay urgent attention to damage caused by abrasion along Java's northern coast.

According to councilors, some of the damage can only be repaired through reforestation along coastal areas.

Councilor Syamsul Bahri said Monday that Indramayu had the longest coastline along the northern coast of the island, spanning 114 kilometers in West Java.

Syamsul said the abrasion was caused mainly by the destruction of mangroves in the area.

"The absence of government policy and lack of awareness on reforestation is believed to have lead to a faster rate of destruction along this coastline," he said.

Yoyon Suyaryono, an environmental activist who is also coordinator of the Labor and Environment Foundation, explained that coastal abrasion was caused mainly by large waves hitting the shore.

"Based on our observations, most of the mangroves along the coast of West Java have been damaged by waves," he said, adding that abrasion was occurring along 57 kilometers of the coast, especially at Juntinyuat and Sukra districts.

"Besides destroying mangroves, abrasion has also damaged residential sites belonging to fishermen in the regency. It has caused a great deal of loss," Yoyon said.

He attributed the fast rate of destruction to the absence of clear-cut and sustainable environmental policies on the part of the local administration.

Yoyon said local residents were driven by poverty to destroy mangroves.

"Most of the local people are poor and they cut down the mangroves to get firewood for cooking."

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

More money for remote areas next year, says minister

Ary Hermawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Transportation Ministry will focus its capital spending on remote and disaster-hit areas in 2008, with Rp 3 trillion (US$333 million) having been set aside to build and expand airports and seaports in Papua, Maluku and North Sumatra.

According to the ministry's 2008 business plan, these development projects are based on the assumption that the ministry will get Rp 15 trillion next year, a 49 percent increase over its budget for this year.

"We will distribute the funds proportionately to those provinces ... infrastructure development in Papua and West Irian Jaya has been identified as a priority," Transportation Minister Hatta Radjasa said last week.

The ministry will allocate Rp 1 trillion for expanding existing ports and airports, and building new ones in the two eastern provinces. "This is one of the biggest items," Hatta said. It includes the expansion of seven strategic ports in Papua at a cost of Rp 86 billion.

The construction of more seaports and the provision of more ferries archipelagic provinces, such as Maluku, North Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara and North Sulawesi, would also be prioritized so as to shorten travel times in these regions.

"Especially in Maluku, it can involve a month's wait for a ship from one island to another at the moment," Hatta said. The ministry plans to allocate Rp 239 billion on the development of the sea-transportation sector in the province.

Another large chunk of the money will be spent on the construction of the new Kualanamu Airport in North Sumatra (Rp 930 billion) and Lombok Baru Airport (Rp 515 billion) in West Nusa Tenggara, and on expanding Hasanuddin Airport, which will cost about Rp 491 billion.

The ministry will continue funding the construction of the Kualanamu Airport and Hasanuddin Airport through 2009, Hatta added.

The ministry's plan also states that it will provide Rp 200 billion for the expansion or construction of 27 small airports in remote and disaster-hit areas, including Banda Aceh, Nias, Meulaboh, Nunukan, Atambua, Alor, Tanah Merah and Nabire.

Hatta said capital expenditure in the transportation sector would be aimed at supporting economic growth.

"Transportation is the backbone of the economy as it has an important role to play in reducing the costs of distribution in every industry," he said.

Indonesian shipbuilders receive orders worth US$220 mln

Jakarta (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - Shipping companies from the Netherlands, Britain and Germany will place orders for cargo ships and tankers worth US$220 million from Indonesian shipbuilding companies.

PT Destini Marine and three state shipyards PT Dok & Perkapalan Kodja Bahari, PT Dok and Perkapalan Surabaya and PT Industri Perkapalan Indonesia, are scheduled to sign contracts with the foreign shipping companies in July, a company official said.

Negotiations are in the final stage with prospective buyers, Chairul Anhar, president of Destini Marine, said.

Saturday, May 5, 2007

ITS to have ship design and engineering center

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post): The Surabaya-based technology institute ITS has been appointed by the Industry Ministry to set up the National Ship Design and Engineering Center, which is expected to develop innovative and efficient ship designs that will be competitive in international markets.

ITS rector Priyo Suprobo said the center would be constructed on a 2,200-square-meter lot and cost some Rp 13.9 billion (US$1.5 million).

"The funds will be used to finance the construction of the center and the procurement of equipment and facilities. The construction is expected to be completed in six months," Priyo said as quoted by detik.com news portal.

Priyo added that the center had secured orders for the designs of three tankers from state oil and gas company PT Pertamina. "The constructions themselves will be carried out by PT Dok Dan Perkapalan Surabaya and PT Dok Koja Bahari."

SE Asia, Austalia to stop illegal fishing

Ten Asian and Pacific nations have vowed to take measures to tackle rampant illegal fishing in the region and stop depletion of fish stocks.

Press TV Sat, 05 May 2007 02:15

Fishing ministers from the 10 countries signed an agreement on Friday to share information on illegal fishing and step up surveillance in their waters in an increased effort to reduce poaching and overfishing, AFP reported.

They also pledged data-sharing on the levels of fish stocks in their waters and the catches of their fishing fleets so they could work together to determine what amount of future fishing was sustainable.

The agreement was inked in a one-day meeting of the ministers on the resort island of Bali co-hosted by the Indonesian and Australian governments.Australian Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz hailed the agreement as crucial to increasing regional cooperation and combating unsustainable fishing.

"Today's meeting sends a clear message to the fish poachers that governments regionally are determined to cooperate and tackle the problem head on," he said after the signing.

"Illegal fishing is not just a problem which threatens Australian fish stocks, it affects many countries in the Southeast Asian region."

Other states which signed the pact included East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Brunei.

The regional plan of action covers fishing in the South China Sea, the Sulu Sulawesi Sea, Arafura Sea north of Australia and the Timor Sea.

The accord also paves the way for Australia and Indonesia to stage joint patrols to help stamp out illegal fishing in the waters between the two countries, Indonesian Maritime Minister Freddy Numberi said.

Boediono, Indonesia's coordinating minister of economic affairs said achieving sustainable fishing was hard as Asian countries balanced feeding their growing populations with preserving marine resources.

"On the one hand we have to prevent further decline in fish stocks, on the other hand we need to positively respond to the increasing demand of fish for human consumption," Boediono said.

"Illegal unreported and unregulated fishing distorts competition by jeopardizing the economic survival of those who fish in accordance with the law and in compliance with the relevant conservation and management standards," he added.

RI, Brunei strengthen cooperation in fishery sector

Denpasar (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian delegation to an international fisheries conference here held a meeting with its counterpart from Brunei Darussalam on Friday to strengthen the two countries` cooperation in the field.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the "Regional Ministerial Meeting on Promoting Responsible Fishing Practices in the Region," attended by representatives from 12 countries, namely Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Timor Leste, Singapore, Thailand, China, Brunei Darussalam, Japan and Indonesia, Sau P Hutagalung, chief information officer of the fisheries and marine resources ministry, said.

The Indonesian delegation was led by Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Freddy Numberi while the delegation from Brunei was led by Industry and Primary Resources Minister Dr Haji Ahmad.

On the occasion, Freddy Numberi emphasized the importance of the implementation of "the Bali Plan of Action" agreed upon in Bali in 2005 at the "APEC Ocean Related Ministerial Meeting."

He also emphasized the importance of expanding the two countries` cooperation by involving the private sectors from both countries to invest in fish catching, processing and marketing.

Numbery also said investment opportunities were wide open in the facility- and industry-related fishery development.

Dr Jahi Ahmad on the occasion appreciated the initiative Indonesia had taken with Australian support to organize the meeting to promote fishery resources especially in areas that border with other countries.

Hutagalung said during the two countries` meeting the two ministers exchanged information about their fishery policies especially in sea fishing and fishery development.

The two ministers also agreed to increase cooperation in the field of fishery and to provide an umbrella for international cooperation in the sector.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Surabaya's customs office head arrested on illegal logs

The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA (JP): Head of Surabaya Customs Office Dwi Cahyono Thursday was arrested for his alleged involvement in trafficking 10 containers of illegal logs from Kalimantan forests.

"I have led the arrests of two suspects. But we release one of them because there is not enough evidence of his involvement," East Java Police chief Ins. Gen. Herman S. Sumawiredja was quoted by Antara news agency as saying in the provincial capital of Surabaya.

He was accused of being involved in counterfeiting documents of 10 containers of logs Rp 10 billion (US$1.09 million) to be sent to abroad from Kalimantan.


Emaar to set up $600m project in Indonesia

MENAFN - 01/05/2007

(MENAFN) Emaar Properties, one of the world's largest real estate firms, is planning to build a $600 million mixed-use project in Indonesia's Central Lombok Island on an area of more than 1,200 hectares, Gulf News reported.

The project will include seven-kilometer natural waterfront which will support a marina, residential clusters and resorts managed by five-star hospitality chains, as well as a golf course and retail facilities.

It is worth mentioning that Emaar currently has an overseas development portfolio of over $60 billion and a significant presence in the emerging markets in Middle East and North Africa, India, the US and Europe.

Japan rejects shrimp exported from S Sulawesi

Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Japan rejected 15 tons of shrimp exported from South Sulawesi for being contaminated with antibiotic substances exceeding the 5 percent limit set by the European Union authority, a spokesman said.

Adriadi, chairman of the Indonesian Cold Storage Association (APCI) for South Sulawesi, said here Tuesday the rejection may disrupt the business operations.

Japan has been the biggest importer of Indonesian shrimps.

Of Indonesia`s total shrimp exports of 7,000 tons per year, 4,000 tons went to Japan, and the remaining 3,000 tons to the EU.

To solve the problem, Adriadi had asked the government and related institutions to improve capacity of the Makassar-based laboratory in detecting and controlling antibiotic contamination of the export commodity.

He suspected that the shrimp had been contaminated with certain chemicals used by the breeders to protect their commodities against disease.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

RI, U.S. to work on tsunami study

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post) : Dr. Yusuf Djadjadihardja from the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) in Indonesia and Dr. Chris Goldfinger from the Oregon State University in the U.S. have agreed to a joint paleoseismologic study of the Sunda subduction zone beneath the Sunda Strait, said a media statement from the U.S. Embassy on Monday.

"The objective of this joint research project is to determine the history of earthquakes and tsunamis along the Sumatra and Java coasts," U.S. Embassy Charge d'Affaires John Heffern said.

Scientists from Indonesia and the U.S. will conduct the expedition aboard the U.S. vessel R/V Roger Revelle from May 7 to June 14, 2007. The 32-member team will include at least eight scientists from Indonesia.