Guest guest Posted October 26, 2003 Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Envelope-to: anpeople " vspca nath " <vspcanath " Kim Bartlett " <ANPEOPLE Cc: <sheila Re: Eating endangered turtles on Bali is rising Sun, 26 Oct 2003 07:16:07 +0530 Dear Kim, The sea turtles are in the IUCN list and thus have International protection also. This matter is quite serious and has to be in their wildlife Act. It is the enforcement authorities that I think they should vigorously pursue with redhand evidences and bring the authorities to book cases. In our Wildlife Act there is a clause that if within 60 days of providing with evidence to the concerned authorities ie., The Forest Department relating to the ACT the culprit is not punished or atleast investigated the related officers will be arrested. It is that serious. I will recommend immediately: 1) International lobbying (they can represent to the seaturtle.org which symposium is being held in Costa Rica that I would like to go), 2) National lobbying with the particular animal laws with real evidences, 3) Massive awareness campaign with education materials, 4) Working on religious sentiments. I have been largely successful using this concept. They need to be specific and sustained. With so many turtles consumption and their arrivals we could turn the tables so I feel it is a systematic and effective planning needed to be overcome. This Bali issue was presented in 2000 in London at the WSPA office and I put our case also. After that we have shown results and why not Bali. Pradeep Kumar Nath Visaka SPCA, Visakhapatnam India <vspcanath >. >- >Kim Bartlett <ANPEOPLE ><anmlpepl >Cc: Pradeep Nath <vspcanath >Sunday, October 26, 2003 5:40 AM >Eating endangered turtles on Bali is rising > > > > >X-Sender: sheila >> >X-Apparently-aapn >> > " AAPN List " <aapn > >> >Organization: Lamma Animal Protection >> >X-Priority: 3 >> > " Sheila McClelland " <sheila >> >X--Profile: lammasheila >> >Mailing-List: list aapn ; contact >aapn-owner >> >Delivered-mailing list aapn >> >List-Un: <aapn- > >> >Sun, 26 Oct 2003 07:01:41 +0800 >> > eating endangered turtles on Bali is rising >> > " Sheila McClelland " <sheila >> >X-Spam-Scanned: mail6.whidbey.net 1ADXRT-0001UI-Pn >> > >> >>http://english.eastday.com/epublish/gb/paper1/1066/class000100006/hwz165955 >.htm >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >Despite a police crackdown and a campaign by animal rights activists >> >three years ago, the consumption of endangered turtles on Bali is >> >once again rising as illegal trade flourishes, writes Chris Brummitt >> > >> >The turtle butcher had little hesitation about revealing his occupation. >> > >> >``Come back tomorrow at dawn and you can have as much meat as you >> >want,'' said Wayan Budha, handing over his business card: Bali >> >Catering Service. To the left of the name, a large stenciled image >> >of an endangered sea turtle makes clear to potential customers the >> >nature of his illegal business. >> > >> >Budha's fly-ridden shop is proof of a bloody trade on this tropical >> >Indonesian resort island, which is better-known for its sparkling >> >coastline, friendly people and views of intricately sculpted Hindu >> >temples. >> > >> >Three years ago, consumption of the turtle was decreasing due to a >> >police crackdown and a campaign by local animal rights activists. >> >But the practice is back on the rise again. Earlier this year, >> >police raided three ships carrying more than 250 turtles destined >> >for Bali from other parts of Indonesia -- a sign, conservationists >> >say, of the increasing demand for the meat. >> > >> >Turtle traders are fighting back. In June, around 50 people armed >> >with spears and machetes punched and kicked a group of > > >conservationists as they tried to research the trade on Bali. >> >Budha's shop was one of two in the island's provincial capital of >> >Denpasar where a reporter inquiring about turtle meat was offered >> >the illegal product. >> > >> >Neither had signs, and both were set back from the road. Butchery >> >goes on late at night to avoid the police, Budha said. While all six >> >species of turtle found in Indonesian waters are on the United >> >Nations' endangered species list, the green turtle, which lives for >> >100 years and can measure almost a meter in length, is the only one >> >that is eaten on Bali. Decades of hunting the animal and rapid >> >development of the island's coastline mean it is now rarely found in >> >Balinese waters. Bali-based businessmen send boats elsewhere in the >> >Indonesian archipelago to catch the turtles. >> > >> >Most of the animals arrive on Bali through the harbor at Tanjung >> >Benoa, a poor district on the southern tip of the island where >> >turtle meat is still available in street-side eating houses. Whereas >> >three years ago the boats used to unload their cargo in daylight, >> >they now do so at night, says ex-turtle fisherman Wayan Putra. Putra >> >stopped turtle fishing for fear of being caught, but he still eats >> >the meat. He says it is good for stamina and defends the right of >> >his fellow Balinese to dine on turtle. >> > >> >``It's been in our culture for years,'' he says. ``People should >> >stop telling us what to do.'' The turtles are slaughtered by turning >> >them onto their backs and prying flesh from their shells while the >> >animal is still alive -- a process that enables the butcher to peel >> >meat off easily. Turtle flesh is skewered and barbecued at parties >> >and religious gatherings on the island. Bracelets and trinkets made >> >from the turtle's carapace, or upper shell, are available in towns >> >throughout Indonesia. >> > >> >This trade is illegal, too. The animal is also used in religious >> >ceremonies on the island, where most people are Hindus -- unlike the >> >rest of Muslim-majority Indonesia. After lobbying by priests, local >> >officials allowed a limited number of turtles to be killed each year >> >for use as offerings in religious ceremonies. Those who want to >> >purchase turtle must have written permission from village chiefs and >> >Bali's Conservation Department, but animal rights activists and some >> >Hindu priests says the system is widely abused. >> > >> >``The trade these days has nothing to do with Hindu ritual or >> >tradition,'' said Hindu elder Ida Pedanda Ngurah Kaleran. ``It's >> >just not true if they say it is for religion. The meat is for >> >consumption.'' Kaleran said that a maximum of 300 turtles a year and >> >normally much less would be enough for sacrifices in some ceremonies >> >to symbolize prosperity. >> > >> >He said the animal was not essential for the success of the ritual >> >and could easily be substituted with offerings of flour, rice and >> >cookies. The trade in turtles is not the only danger facing the >> >animals. It is also under threat in Indonesian waters and elsewhere >> >in the world from industrial fishing and the exploitation of eggs >> >and destruction of beaches -- where the turtles nest -- by >> >waterfront development. >> > >> >Despite pockets of affluence, most of Bali is poor like the rest of >> >Indonesia. Last year's bloody nightclub bombings on the island have >> >badly hit its tourist trade, pushing thousands of people out of >> >work. A large green turtle sells for more than US$50, making the >> >business attractive to impoverished villagers. >> > >> >``It's like the drug trade,'' said Wayan Wiradnyana, who works with >> >the local conservation group ProFauna Indonesia. ``The traders are >> >like a little mafia.'' >> > >> > > > > > > > > > >For more information on Asian animal issues, please use the search >> >feature on the AAPN website: http://www.aapn.org/ or search the list >> >archives at: aapn >> >Please feel free to send any relevant news or comments to the list >> >at aapn >> > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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