Virus-hit Indian resort turns pool into fish farm

Yahoo – AFP, Arun CHANDRABOSE, August 24, 2020

The pool at the Aveda Resort now houses thousands of pearl spot fish

A luxury resort in southern India has turned its swimming pool into a fish farm to stop the business sinking amid the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Normally the 150-metre (500-feet) pool at the Aveda Resort in Kerala state is packed with European tourists. Now thousands of pearl spot fish are causing the splash.

The complex was forced to shut in March when a nationwide coronavirus lockdown was ordered. Few hotels have been allowed to reopen since.

Of those which are still shuttered, not many boast a pool with 7.5 million litres of water, which can be put to alternative use.

"We have had zero revenues, so in June, we put around 16,000 two-month-old pearl spot fish in the pool," Aveda's general manager Jyotish Surendran told AFP.

The fish, which takes about eight months to reach full size, is a popular ingredient in dishes in southern India and the Middle East.

The resort's manager hoped money from the fish farm would help cover 

basic bills until tourists return

"We plan to harvest by November and will export to the Middle East," Surendran said, predicting about four tonnes of pearl spots growing in the swimming pool could be worth $40,000 on the market.

The makeshift farm would not cover the losses from the pandemic, which has driven many hotels to bankruptcy, said the hotel boss.

But Surendran was hopeful that the money would help cover basic bills so the business can keep running until tourists return. 

And the Aveda plans to keep faith with the pearl spot even when business resumes.

"We can't continue with this farm in the pool, but we are trying to find alternative land where we can build up this knowledge for bigger projects," he said.

Local people battle to free nine beached sperm whales stranded in #AcehBesar, Indonesia

Local people battle to free nine beached sperm whales stranded in #AcehBesar, Indonesia pic.twitter.com/zdYYSAFVN5

— AFP news agency (@AFP) November 13, 2017

Drone camera photo shows Nature Conservation Agency officers and environmental activists trying to refloat stranded sperm whales in #AcehBesar, Indonesia on November 13 pic.twitter.com/z8MlQRJ8AJ

— AFP news agency (@AFP) November 13, 2017

Almost 500 Rohingya rescued off Indonesia: officials

Yahoo – AFP, 10 May 2015

Migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh pictured at a shelter in Matang Raya

village in northern Aceh, Indonesia on May 10, 2015 (AFP Photo/Reza Juanda)

Jakarta (AFP) - Rescuers on Sunday brought ashore 469 migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh after their wooden boat arrived off Aceh in northwest Indonesia, an official said.

"We received a report from fishermen this morning that there were boat people stranded in the waters off north Aceh," Aceh provincial search and rescue chief Budiawan told AFP.

"We despatched teams there and evacuated 469 migrants who are Rohingya from Myanmar and Bangladeshis. There are women and children among them. So far, all of them are safe," he added.

He said the group would be taken to a detention centre in north Aceh district, where police and immigration officials would carry out "further processing" which would include investigating their motives.

Darsa, a disaster management agency official who like many Indonesians goes by one name, told AFP the group had arrived near a beach in north Aceh district early Sunday and were told to swim to shore.

"One of the migrants who could speak Malay told me that their agent had told them they were in Malaysia, and to swim to shore," he said.

"Some of them did. But later they found out from fishermen that they were in Indonesia," he added.

According to the migrant, five boats had departed from Myanmar last week to escape the conflict in their country, Darsa said.

"He said the Muslims were beaten and had hot water poured on them and they just wanted to get out of Myanmar as soon as possible, to anywhere where they could seek refuge," he said.

Buddhist-majority Myanmar views its population of roughly 800,000 Rohingya as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, and they have been targeted in outbreaks of sectarian violence there in recent years, prompting many to flee.

Migrant women and children from Myanmar and Bangladesh wait at a shelter

 in Matang Raya village in northern Aceh, Indonesia, on May 10, 2015 (AFP 

Photo/Reza Juanda)

Darsa said there were 83 women and 41 children on board. One of the women was pregnant and some of the children were aged under 10.

"There was little food and water on the boat. Some of them were not doing too well and needed medical attention," he said.

Thousands of Muslim Rohingya have braved the dangerous sea crossing from Myanmar to southern Thailand and beyond in recent years.

Many hope to go on to mainly Muslim Malaysia but the migrants have often fallen prey to people-traffickers in Thailand.

The UN considers the Rohingya to be one of the world's most persecuted minorities.

Nine Years After Tsunami, Wounds Still Fresh in Aceh

Jakarta Globe, Nurdin Hasan, December 26, 2013

Acehnese women gaze at photos of the damage caused by the 2004 tsunami
 displayed at the Ulee Lheue mass cemetery in Banda Aceh on Dec. 26, 2013.
(JG Photo/Nurdin Hasan)

Banda Aceh. The people of Aceh on Thursday paid their respects to the more than 170,000 people who perished nine years ago today when a 9.3 magnitude earthquake caused a massive tsunami to sweep through the region, leaving a path of devastation in its wake and turning the eyes of the world upon the province.

The provincial government, flying their flags at half-mast, held the nine-year commemoration event at Ratu Safiatuddin park, where thousands of locals, government officials and students took part.

Arie Ginanjar Agustian, a well-known Indonesian motivational speaker, led prayers and gave a speech, while Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal, the mayor of Aceh, also spoke, as did Aceh Deputy Governor Muzakir Manaf and Administrative Reform Minister Azwar Abubakar. Azwar was the acting governor when the disaster took place on Dec 26, 2004.

Hundreds of people also prayed at the Ulee Lheue mass cemetery, where 14,264 victims were buried.

Hera Fazra, 20, a college student at Ar-Raniry State Islamic University, said she came to the cemetery to pray for three of her relatives killed in the disaster.

“Their bodies were never found,” she said.

Her immediate family, though, was able to survive the tsunami since their house was far from the ocean.

“We ran to the mountains when the disaster struck,” she said. “Now, when there are big earthquakes, my family and I always retreat to areas far away from the sea, because we are still traumatized by the tsunami.”

Assessing the province’s present condition, Hera said she appreciated how much Aceh has improved since 2004. Life is better nowadays, she said, since the main roads are in good shape, especially the 145 kilometer road from Banda Aceh to Calang, the capital city of Aceh Jaya district, built with the support of USAID.

Nanda Suhada, 29, a contract worker with the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, said that when the disaster struck, he was on his way to his college campus. He returned to his house in Peukan Bada sub-district, Aceh Besar, at 3 p.m. to find his father, brother and grandmother killed by the wave. His brother and mother managed to save themselves by fleeing to the Fle Geunteng mountains.

“The tsunami is something that I can never forget because it was so extraordinary,” he said, “I always recall the disaster. If there are big quakes, every villager runs to the mountains to save themselves because they are worried about another tsunami occurring.”

Nanda has since become a tour guide for the PLTD Apung, an electric generator ship owned by state electric company PLN that has become a monument to the tragedy in Banda Aceh. Although the ship weighed 2,600 tons, the tsunami forced it two to three kilometers inland. It now sits in the capital city, a constant reminder of the tsunami’s power, and attracts several hundred visitors per year.

Prayers were held next to the PLTD Apung, and thousands of people in white shed tears in remembrance of their love ones taken by the tsunami.

Mariana, 40, said she could not contain her emotions during the memorial.

“I remember my family who died during the tsunami,” she said, adding that she lost 14 members of her family that day.

Acehnese fishermen abstained from taking to the seas today in honor of the dead and joined the masses to pray for the province’s fallen.

“It was a historical day, because it will never be forgotten when Allah issued a warning to humans,” Tabrani, an Acehnese sea commander with Panglima Laot (a traditional organization of fishermen in Aceh) in Lhok Krueng, said. “Most of the tsunami victims were fishermen and their families. Let us perform dhikr [the recitation of God’s name] and pray for all of our loved ones.

On Dec. 26, 2004, the massive 9.3-magnitude earthquake hit the Indian Ocean just west of the northern tip of Aceh.

The epicenter of the quake was located some 160 kilometers west of Aceh. The tremor sent devastating tsunami waves across the region, reaching as far as Africa’s eastern coast.

The tsunami killed some 230,000 people in 14 countries along the rim of the Indian Ocean.

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Conservationists Work With Fishermen to Save the Reefs

In Malang, coral repopulation is key, Dyah Ayu Pitaloka writes

Jakarta Globe, Dyah Ayu Pitaloka, November 10, 2013

Sahabat Alam has teamed up with local fishing communities to help repopulate
coral reefs. (JG Photo/Dyah Ayu Pitaloka)

A group of volunteers, some still in their teens, walked up to the shoreline of Kondang Merak beach in Malang district, East Java.

Slowly they rolled up their jeans as small waves pounded their feet. They were each carrying pieces of coral that had been carefully attached to prefabricated wire mesh bearing the volunteers’ names.

The volunteers “donated between Rp 10,000 and Rp 50,000 ($0.88 to $4.40) each for this coral reef repopulation effort. Though there are also those who cannot afford to donate money but are able to give their time and power to plant coral reefs,” Andi Syaifudin said.

Andi is the chairman of Sahabat Alam (Nature’s Friend), which focuses on coral reef, mangrove and sea-turtle conservation around Kondang Merak beach.

The 5-square-kilometer area, located 62 kilometers south of Malang city, was once famous for being one of the most beautiful snorkeling and diving spots off the southern coast of Java.

“We fell in love with Kondang Merak because of its beautiful coral reefs and pristine white sands,” he said.

But since early 2000 the use of fish bombs and cyanide by local fishermen has contributed to the destruction of 80 percent of the local coral population.

With the reefs destroyed, residents in the area have lost their livelihoods, not only from dwindling fish populations but also from the declining number of divers visiting Kondang Merak’s five diving spots.

“Around five to 10 years ago we were able to get 50 kilograms of lobster each time we sailed out to sea,” local fisherman Edi said, adding that he could earn between Rp 400,000 to Rp 750,000 per kilogram.

“Now we consider ourselves lucky to get just 5 kilograms [of lobster],” he said.

Sahabat Alam has been teaching local fishing communities about the importance of coral reefs and how using fish bombs and cyanide in fishing poses a huge threat to their livelihoods.

“Lobsters like to hide in coral reefs and now the reefs have been destroyed,” said Edi, who joined Sahabat Alam’s coral repopulation drive. “Slowly we are realizing that we need to catch lobsters using techniques that will not harm the coral, by diving or using nets.”

The Malang district’s Maritime and Fisheries office noted that there are nine areas in Malang with critically damaged coral reef systems, including Kondang Merak. In these areas, coral reefs will disappear unless something is done.

Coral reefs not only provide a vital food source for the fish but also stop erosion and tidal waves.

At 10 more sites in Malang, coral reefs are considered fairly damaged, which means the reefs will be able to repopulate without human intervention if the damaging activities stop.

Wahyu Hidayat, local head of the Marine and Fisheries Agency, said the government has the necessary funding to repopulate the coral reefs but needs help from groups like Sahabat Alam for human resources and expertise.

“Any community willing to do real work will get our support,” he said.

Zainul Arifin, a Sahabat Alam member, said it is important to engage the local fishing community in conservation efforts.

Coral grows between 2 to 3 centimeters a month and needs to spend at least six months in nursery grounds before it can be planted in open water and survive on its own. During that period, they need constant care to keep sand and mold from getting into their pores and inhibiting their growth. That, Zainal said, is where the fishermen come in.

“A huge percentage of our donors’ money goes to the fishermen for this monitoring process. Without the involvement of the local fishing community it will be all for nothing,” he said.

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Fishermen Blast Premier Dive Sites Off Indonesia

Jakarta Globe, Jacob Herin, April 20, 2012

In this May 15, 2010, a Pinnate batfish swims among other fish in Tatawa
 Besar in the waters of Komodo islands, Indonesia. Coral gardens that  were
 among Asia's most spectacular, teeming with colorful sea life just a few months ago,
 have been transformed into desolate gray moonscapes by fishermen who use
explosives or cyanide to kill or stun their prey. (AP Photo/Robert Delfs)  

  

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Komodo Island, Indonesia. Coral gardens that were among Asia’s most spectacular, teeming with colorful sea life just a few months ago, have been transformed into desolate gray moonscapes by fishermen who use explosives or cyanide to kill or stun their prey.

Dive operators and conservationists say the government is not doing enough to protect waters off the Komodo Islands in eastern Indonesia. They say enforcement declined greatly following the exit of a US-based conservation group that helped fight destructive fishing practices.

Local officials disagree, pointing to dozens of arrests and several deadly gunbattles with suspects.

Michael Ishak, a scuba instructor and professional underwater photographer who has made hundreds of trips to the area, said he’s seen more illegal fishermen than ever this year.

The pictures, he said, speak for themselves.

When Ishak returned last month to one of his favorite spots, Tatawa Besar, known for its colorful clouds of damselfish, basslets and hawksbill sea turtles, he found that a 200-square-meter reef had been obliterated.

“At first I thought, ‘This can’t be right. I must have jumped in the wrong place,’” he said, adding he swam back and forth to make sure he hadn’t made a mistake. “But it was true. All the hard coral had just been blasted, ripped off, turned upside down. Some of it was still alive. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The site is among several to have been hit inside Komodo National Park, a 500,000-acre reserve and U.N. World Heritage Site that spans several dusty, tan-colored volcanic islands and is most famous for its Komodo dragons — the world’s largest lizards. Its remote and hard-to-reach waters, bursting with fluorescent reds and yellows, contain staggering levels of diversity, from iridescent corals and octopuses with lime-green banded eyes to black-and-blue sea snakes.

They are supposed to be protected, but fishermen are drawn there by locally popular fish like fusiliers and high-value export species like groupers and snappers.

Fishermen can be seen in small wooden boats, some using traditional nets or lines. Others have been captured on video blasting sites with “bombs” — fertilizer and kerosene mixed in beer bottles. Breathing through tubes connected to air compressors at the surface, young men plunge to the bottom and use squeeze bottles to squirt cyanide into the coral to stun and capture fish.

Dive operators are increasingly seeing dead fish on the sea floor or floating on the surface.

“The biggest problem is that fishermen seem to be free to come into Komodo, completely ignoring the zoning and resource use regulations,” said Jos Pet, a fisheries scientist who has worked with numerous marine conservation groups in the area in recent years.

He said they are “quite simply fishing empty this World Heritage Site.”

Sustyo Iriyono, the head of the park, said problems are being exaggerated and denied claims of lax enforcement. “It’s only part of the black campaigns against us by those who are hurt by our rules and orders,” he said without elaborating.

He said rangers have arrested more than 60 fishermen over the past two years, including a group of young men captured last month after they were seen bombing waters off Banda island in the western part of the park.

One of the suspects was shot and killed after the fishermen tried to escape by throwing fish bombs at the rangers, Iriyono said. Three others, including a 13-year-old, were slightly injured.

“You see?” said Iriyono. “No one can say I’m not acting firmly against those who are destroying the dive spots!”

He added that the park is one of the few places where fish bombing is monitored with any regularity in Indonesia, a Southeast Asian nation of more than 17,000 islands.

Divers, however, say enforcement has dropped dramatically since 2010, when the government reclaimed sole control of operations.

For two decades before that, The Nature Conservancy, a U.S.-based nonprofit, had helped the government confront destructive fishing practices there. “No-take zones” were created, protecting spawning areas, and coastal areas also were put off limits.

Patrols using park rangers, navy personnel and local police were key to enforcement.

In 2005, the government gave a 30-year permit to Putri Naga Komodo, a nonprofit joint venture company partially funded by The Nature Conservancy and the World Bank to operate tourist facilities in hopes of eventually making the park financially self-sustaining.

Entrance and conservation fees — just a few dollars at the time — went up several tenfold for foreign tourists. With around 30,000 local and international visitors annually at the time, that would have given the park a budget of well over $1 million, but outraged government officials demanded that the funds go directly into the state budget. The deal collapsed in 2010, when Putri Naga Komodo’s permit was yanked.

“They had no right to directly collect the entrance fees from the tourists,” said Novianto Bambang, a Forestry Ministry official.

Dive operators and underwater photographers have asked The Nature Conservancy and similar organizations like WWF Indonesia, to return to Komodo and help with conservation efforts there.

Nature Conservancy representative Arwandridja Rukma did not address that possibility, saying only that the organization operates in Indonesia upon the invitation of the government.

Associated Press

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Shark fin goes off the menu at Peninsula hotels

The move will affect the group's nine hotels, including those in China and Hong Kong, the center of the global shark fin market

guardian.co.uk, Justin McCurry in Osaka,  Thursday 24 November 2011

73 million sharks are killed yearly for shark fin soup.
Photograph: Paul Hilton/EPA

Environmental groups are claiming a significant victory in the campaign to save the global shark population, after the Peninsula hotel group said it would stop serving shark fin dishes from January.

Peninsula, one of Asia's most prestigious hotel chains, said on Monday it would no longer sell the dishes, considered a delicacy in Hong Kong and other parts of the region, "in recognition of the threat facing the global shark population and in line with the company's sustainability vision".

The move will affect the group's nine hotels, including those in China and Hong Kong, the center of the global shark fin market.

Hong Kong handles between 50% and 80% of the global trade in shark fins, bringing in catches from more than 100 countries, with Spain its biggest supplier. In 2006 it took delivery of more than 10,000 tonnes worth US$276m, according to the UN food and agricultural organisation.

Most is consumed in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but also in mainland provinces such as Guangdong, where its consumption has become a status symbol among China's nouveau riche.

Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, which owns the Peninsula group, said it would honour requests for shark fin soup made before 21 November, for consumption after 1 January.

The dish, which comprises pieces of rehydrated shark fin in a rich broth, is a popular staple at wedding parties and formal banquets, with a serving for 12 people costing around US$138.

In Hong Kong districts such as Sheung Wan, which specialises in dried seafood, premium shark fin can fetch up to US$1,280 per kilo. One Sheung Wan wholesaler recently told the Guardian, however, that the market price had dropped by about 20% in the past two months, partly as a result of the campaign.

About 73 million sharks are killed every year, and the appetite for their fins in places such as Hong Kong has taken one in three shark species to the brink of extinction.

"By removing shark fin from our menus, we hope that our decision can contribute to preserving the marine ecosystem for the world's future generations," the Peninsula group's chief executive, Clement Kwok, said in a statement.

"As Asia's oldest hotel company, we also hope that our decision will inspire other hospitality companies to do the same."

Other luxury hotel chains have attempted to reduce shark fin consumption by offering alternative menus for wedding banquets, sometimes with inducements such as a free night's accommodation for the newlyweds.

The push to remove the delicacy – prized more for its glutinous texture than for its taste – has gathered momentum after a slow start, according to World Wildlife Fund, which has seen 97 caterers and hotels sign up to its alternative shark-free menu in the past year.

A 2010 survey of eating habits by Bloom Association, a marine conservation group, found that despite the dish's central place in Cantonese cuisine, attitudes were shifting, particularly among younger people.

According to Bloom, 66% of Hong Kong diners said they were uncomfortable with the idea of eating an endangered species, and more than three-quarters said they would not mind if it was removed from banquet menus.

The Peninsula announcement came as the European commission called for a global ban on shark finning – the practice of cutting off a shark's fin and throwing its body back into the sea – by EU fishermen. EU countries are responsible for about 14% – the second-largest share – of the global shark catch.

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A day in the Kei Islands

Tifa Asrianti, The Jakarta Post, Kei Islands, Maluku | Sun, 08/08/2010 11:04 AM | Travel

As the small airplane flew above Kei Islands in Maluku, passengers saw green hills and crystal-clear blue water — a perfect holiday destination.

Ngurbloat beach or Pasir Panjang beach in Ngilng
of village.

Located directly under the “bird head” of Papua, the Kei Islands encompass a number of small islands with Kei Besar and Kei Kecil (big and small) being the biggest islands in the group. Kei Besar may be bigger in size but it is the Kei Kecil that has a larger population.

Our plane landed at Dumatubun Air Force Base on Kei Island. A commercial airport is currently under construction and is expected to be ready by 2012.

The island is known for its white sandy beaches. One of these beaches worth visiting is Ngurbloat Beach in Ngilngof village. Local natives call this beach “Pasir Panjang” or the long sandy beach.

On a recent sunny Sunday, I had the opportunity to visit this beach. The white sand felt as soft as baby powder beneath my feet as I walked along the coastline. Wearing sunglasses is strongly recommended as the white sand of the beach reflects the sunlight strongly.

So clear was the sea that people on the beach could see the gradation in the seawater’s colors, from crystal clear to aquamarine and then to stronger hues of blue as it goes deeper.

On the weekends, the beach bustles with locals relaxing after a week of work. Some people swim in the shallow waters while others strolled.

Despite being remote, life at Ngurbloat is not as modest as we assume. In fact, there was a family who enjoyed its fast ride on a jet ski.

Thanks to the beauty of nature, Ngurbloat has big potential to be developed into a world-class resort, but for the time being, only locals manage the area. In their modest ways, these people erected gazebos and small food stalls along a pathway flanked with coconut palms and other vegetation.

Traditional snacks and beverages are offered at the stalls, including thinly-sliced fried bananas served with sambal and coconuts the vendor picks directly from the tree after an order is placed.

If you prefer to go for a pristine beach, you might find Ngur Sarnadan Beach more to your liking. Located in Ohoililir village, Ngur Sarnadan is not far from a fishing village.

At Ngur Sarnadan there are long rows of bamboo tables onto which fishermen usually place their catch.

No, not fish, but seaweed. While I stood there waiting for the sunset, one fisherman was cleaning a long rope he used at his seaweed farm.

With a road system almost encircling the island, it’s not difficult to explore and find a favorite beach. My favorite beach was the thickly vegetated crescent-shaped beach in Madwaer village. It is a perfect getaway for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. And the good thing is that there isn’t any cell phone signal in this area.

After a swim in the sea, you can clean up at Goa Hawang, a freshwater cave in Letvuan village. A guide told me that this cave is around 100 meters long and people can explore only by putting on a mask and snorkel. In local language Hawang means ghost so prepare yourselves for the unexpected. Another legend surrounding the Kei Islands is that of Ken Dedes, a Singosari princess who sought refuge to in the islands to escape from the invading Majapahit soldiers. Locals believe the tomb of Ken Dedes is on Kei Kecil.

Local also believe Dedes had a daughter named Nen Dit Sak Mas, who became a queen and codified a new set of law Larvul Ngabal. This law has seven articles concerning treatment of criminals, respect of women and civil law.

The Larvul Ngabal law continues to have an important role in the Kei Islands, having prevented a religious conflict affecting the entire Maluku in 1999. One of the truisms in the law that help prevent the conflict is that Kei people come from the same chicken egg and breathe with the same gills.

Muslims and Christians share the Kei Islands as their home, although the latter is larger in number.

Mosques and churches stands next to each other, and women wearing the Muslim headscarf could be seen sitting next to women wearing a cross.

Goa Hawang, a freshwater cave in
Letvuan village.

Christianity entered Kei Islands in the early 1900s, and recently several villages celebrated the religion’s centennial anniversary in the islands. Wab village celebrated this milestone in 2007.

At the highest point of Kei Kecil, there is the Cross Path and a statue of Jesus Christ opening his arms towards the sea. Locals are extremely friendly. Once I bumped into a group of schoolchildren walking home, and every one of them greeted me with a smile and said “Good afternoon” to me.

For food lovers, the Kei Islands is known for its seafood, mostly served fried or grilled. For vegetarians, sautéed papaya flower is another specialty and while the staple food of Kei people is rice, they also consum sago and enbal (made from cassava).

The best way to enjoy sago and enbal is to dip them into hot water and wait a few minutes before eating them. You can also replace hot water with tea, coffee, milk or soup, as long as it is hot.

For whatever reason you finally go to the Kei Islands, for business or pleasure, you will certainly leave them with the wish to return.

Tips

• Currently, only three airlines fly to Kei Islands, Wings Air, the subsidiary of Lion Air (www2.lionair.co.id), Express Air (www.expressair.biz) and Trigana Air (www.trigana-air.com).
• If you are flying to the Kei Islands from Jakarta or other cities in Indonesia’s western time zone, you’d better take enough rest before the flight given the two-hour time difference.
• You can find public minivans serving long routes across the island. But for your own convenience, better rent a car or a motorcycle from locals, as almost public minivan drivers have an inexplicable penchant for turning up the volume of their car stereo.
• If you want to remain connected, consider switching to Simpati, Indosat’s Mentari or IM3 provided by Telkomsel as those three GSM services are currently available in the area. However, not all areas on the islands are covered.
• While the Kei Islands is supposed to be in its dry season in July, torrential rains often hit the islands without warning. Sunglasses, blockout and a waterproof hooded jacket are essential.

— Photos by JP/Tifa Asrianti

Mt. Baru in West Nusa Tenggara erupts

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 05/02/2010 9:41 AM

In the middle of the lake formed a Little Mountain named Mount Baru Jari at 2376 meters above sea level. (Discovery Indonesia)

Mount Baru, also known as Child of Rinjani, in West Nusa Tenggara erupted again last week, forcing authorities to continue the ban on climbing activities on the Rinjani peak and Segara Anak Lake.

On Friday, the 2,376-meter-high mountain erupted four times, spewing gases up to 1,600 meters to the north.

On Sunday, there was an earthquake near the mountain, kompas.com reported.

Authorities are still allowing climbing activities near Pelawangan.

(www.rinjaninationalpark.com)

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Onrust Island struggles for survival, recognition

Agnes Winarti, The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA | Sat, 03/14/2009 1:32 PM 

 

 So new yet so fragile: Parts of Onrust’s new dike the administration built in 2002 and 2003, are already cracked and damaged. (JP/Agnes Winarti)
 

Despite the city administration declaring Onrust Island a protected historical site almost four decades ago, the majority of the island’s visitors are fishermen, rather than people interested in the site’s history.   

“I have been fishing here since 1991. My father used to bring me here,” said Barouk, a resident of Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, who was camping near the remains of a Dutch fort in Kelor Island. The less than one-hectare island is about one kilometer away from Onrust.

Onrust, once a bustling Dutch shipyard and port, is located in the Thousand Islands.

‘The water is calm here,” he said. “I could catch up to four kilograms of squids and fish every day.”

In 1972, Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin declared Onrust a protected historical site. In 2002, the administration made Onrust and its three neighboring islands - Bidadari, Kelor and Cipir – an archaeological park, because of the artifacts and ruins that were discovered there.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, Onrust - believed to be one of the largest shipyards in Southeast Asia - and its three neighboring islands, were key strategic posts the Dutch East India Company (VOC) used to defend Batavia, now Jakarta.

While a section of Bidadari Island is now a resort catering for up to 50 visitors a day, Onrust, Kelor and Cipir islands have remained under the tourists’ radar.

“Many of our visitors come to fish rather than visit historical sites,” Mahdi Effendi, head of the city tourism and culture agency’s Onrust Archaeology Park division told The Jakarta Post recently.

Last year, Onrust welcomed 15,000 visitors. 

“The figures were much better than last year’s, when we only recorded 8,000 visitors,” said Mahdi.

 

 Fishermen and the sea: Two men stand on a wave breaker near Onrust island, in the Thousand Islands, fishing baronang (Siganus lineatus). Most visitors to Onrust, once a Dutch port, are fishermen rather than visitors touring historical sites. (JP/Agnes Winarti)

Most of the fishermen visiting the islands only pay half of the entrance ticket price, or Rp 2,000. Some end up not paying anything as there are no officers attending the entrance of Onrust’s archeological park. 

“We do not have any boats available to ferry visitors between our islands and Jakarta, let alone officers to monitor visitors entering the park,” said site officer Purwo Lesono.

The administration used to provide a boat that could carry up to 16 people, but this service came to an end after the boat was badly damaged.

As a result, renting a fisherman’s boat at North Jakarta’s Muara Kamal fish auction market has become the most affordable option for both employees and visitors going to the island. Visitors can also rent a more expensive boat from Marina dock in Ancol and Muara Angke fish market.

It takes 20 minutes to travel the 14 kilometers distance between Muara Kamal and Onrust, while Onrust is only one to two kilometers away from the other islands.

“A regular shuttle service to Onrust and its neighboring islands is urgently required. It is the most basic thing we must provide visitors,” said Purwo.

This year, Onrust is hoping to attract 20,000 visitors.   

Bad weather also prevents visitors from accessing the islands.

“During the rainy season, Jakarta waters are quite rough and daunting for people sailing to the islands,” Mahdi said.   

Onrust’s size has shrunk as a result of erosion, from its original 12 hectares to 7.5 hectares in 2002. In that year, the administration built a dike around the island, made out of concrete. About 30 percent of the dike is now damaged.  

 

Last fort: A visitor takes a picture of the ruins of an old Dutch fort in Kelor Island, located two kilometers away from Onrust. The fort was once used as a surveillance post to store gunpowder. (JP/Agnes Winarti)

The Dutch had to rebuild their Onrust Island naval bases several times, after repeated attacks by the British fleets. In 1883, a tidal wave - caused by the eruption of the Krakatoa Volcano in the Sunda Strait - destroyed the last Dutch navy base in the island. When the construction of Tanjung Priok port began, Onrust was deserted.

During the 19th century, Onrust was used as a sanatorium for people suffering from tuberculosis. Afterwards, the island was used by haj pilgrims heading to and returning from Mecca. The barracks, which could hold up to 3,500 pilgrims, used to occupy two-thirds of the island.

Before Governor Ali Sadikin declared Onrust a protected historical site, there were many thefts, from artifacts to old building ruins, including roofs, bricks and woods. As of today, only a handful of ruins remain.

 

Mary’s tomb: A visitor takes a picture of the tombstone belonging to Maria Van Veldeslyk, who died in 1693. Maria Van Veldeslyk and Anna Adriana Duran’s tombstones are the only Dutch tombs left intact in Onrust. The rest have been damaged throughout the years. (JP/Agnes Winarti)

Sights of interest in Onrust include an unattended graveyard, a run-down prison building that has been newly renovated, a new hospital serving as a museum showcasing pictures, artifacts and a miniature reproduction of what the island used to look like.

Remains of the Dutch dike can also been seen along the shores of Onrust. There are similar remains in Bidadari Island and a dilapidated Martello tower as well as a crumbling fort in Kelor Island.

“I have read the history of Onrust Island. I’ve seen the pictures in books. They are beautiful. I would have never guessed its historical site had been so neglected,” said Ken Paramita, a 19-year-old history student at the University of Indonesia, while she noticed the damaged tombs in the island’s graveyard.

“Wild plants and trash should be regularly removed from the sites,” said Ken.

Mahdi said that the amount of garbage coming from Jakarta’s mainland was a problem too. Some fishermen added that when annual floods hit Jakarta, disused sofas, cupboards and beds wash up on the islands’ shores.

Rangga, an archaeology student visiting Onrust, said better services should be provided to visitors, such as tour guides and comprehensive literature on the island’s history.

“In that way, visitors can get a better idea of what living on this island was like many years ago,” said Rangga.  

Site officer Purwo said his office is still looking into how to showcase the island’s history, given the small amount of historical buildings left.

“We are currently focusing on how to better attract visitors to Onrust. Hopefully, we will come up with a solution at the end of this year,” Purwo said.   

This year, the administration allocated Rp 1 billion to the Onrust Archaeology Park, of which Rp 500 million went toward marketing, Rp 300 million toward maintenance, Rp 36 million toward renovations and the rest toward other operational expenses.    
 

Cost and transportation alternatives to Onrust Island: 

1. Most affordable: rent a fisherman’s boat in Muara Kamal fish auction, North Jakarta. The boat does a round trip from Muara - stopping in Kamal, Onrust, Kelor, Cipir and Bidadari - and costs Rp 300,000 to Rp 400,000. The boat can take up to 30 passengers. Onrust is 15 to 20 minutes from Muara Kamal. To get to Muara Kamal: Take the Harmoni-Kalideres busway to Rawa Buaya. Jump on an ojek to Muara Kamal auction fish (Rp 10,000) or catch a red minibus in Kota. Look for the D06 going from Kota to Kamal and Kapuk and get off at Muara Kamal auction fish.    
   
   
2. Rent a boat from the Muara Angke fish market. A round trip will cost Rp 6 million and can take up to 60 passengers. Onrust is about 20 minutes from Muara Angke.
   
   
3. Rent a ferry boat from Ancol Marina. A four-hour round trip will cost Rp 15 million and can take up to 70 passengers.  Onrust is about 45 minutes from Ancol Marina. 
   
   
4. Catch a boat from Bidadari. The Bidadari round trip - which stops in Onrust, Cipir, and Kelor - takes 2 hours and costs Rp 250,000 per passenger, with a minimum of five passengers and a maximum of 30. Entrance ticket to Bidadari cost Rp 25,000.

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