Poverty in paradise: The dark side of Indonesia's new tourism hope

Yahoo – AFP, Kiki Siregar, September 22, 2017

A tableau of white sandy beaches, colourful coral reefs and turquoise water, the
 islands of Raja Ampat are set to be Indonesia's next tourism hotspot -- but locals
fear the government is failing both them and the environment in its development
push (AFP Photo/GOH CHAI HIN)

Raja Ampat (Indonesia) (AFP) - A tableau of white sandy beaches, colourful coral reefs and turquoise water, the islands of Raja Ampat are set to be Indonesia's next tourism hotspot -- but locals fear the government is failing both them and the environment in its development push.

Stretching across 67,000 square kilometres in Indonesia’s far east, the picture-perfect islands might be as close to paradise as visitors can find.

"It’s amazing. We’ve been to millions of islands and I would say it’s the most beautiful one," Canadian Angelika Redweik-Leung said at a lookout above the Pianemo island group.

Raja Ampat -- which means Four Kings -- is made up of 1,500 islands and is home to about 1,400 varieties of fish and 600 species of coral -- making it one of the most biodiverse marine habitats on earth.

Indonesia's government is intent on turning the area into a tourism hotspot, building hotels, restaurants and investing in new harbours.

But on a palm-fringed island about two hours boat ride from Raja Ampat's capital Waisai, villagers still live in simple huts that lack electricity and clean water, while the nearest high school is scores of miles away.

Locals in Indonesia's Raja Ampat told AFP they had seen no improvements to their

 lives despite the dramatic rise in visitors. According to government estimates around 

15,000 tourists now come to the area each year -- up from less than 5,000 in 2010

 (AFP Photo/GOH CHAI HIN)

Locals told AFP they had seen no improvements to their lives despite the dramatic rise in visitors. According to government estimates around 15,000 tourists now come to the area each year -- up from less than 5,000 in 2010.

"They've hurt us indigenous people. They took our land, our water and our forest. We feel betrayed," Paul Mayor, chief of the island's Byak Betew tribe, said of the government's tourism drive.

"That's our land, our ocean, which now is a world-class tourist destination, but we've gained nothing from the influx of tourists," he added.

Mayor also criticised authorities for failing to properly protect the area's unique ecosystem, pointing to a catastrophic cruise ship crash in March, which damaged 13,500 square metres of pristine coral reef.

The 4,200-ton Caledonian Sky ran aground near the island of Kri carrying 102 passengers and 79 crew, but half a year later no one has been held accountable.

Raja Ampat -- which means Four Kings in Indonesian --- is made up of 1,500 islands

 and is home to about 1,400 varieties of fish and 600 species of coral -- making it one

 of the most biodiverse marine habitats on earth (AFP Photo/GOH CHAI HIN)

'We are still poor'

Researchers from the University of Papua, who assessed the impact of the accident, said restoring the damaged reef could cost as much as $16.2 million.

The head of tourism for Raja Ampat, Yusdi Lamatenggo, said the company operating the boat -- Noble Caledonia -- will be summoned to appear in court soon but so far they have not accepted responsibility or paid any damages.

In the meantime, he told AFP, steps were being taken to prevent further accidents by establishing clearly demarcated cruise ship routes and world-class harbours.

But the accident has fuelled feelings of mistrust and exclusion often felt by Papua's indigenous Melanesian population. The resource-rich region was annexed by Jakarta in 1969 and most Papuans feel they have not been given an even share of its natural riches.

The military retains heavy influence in the region and regularly stifles dissent.

After taking office in 2014, president Joko Widodo pledged to speed up development in Papua, but many locals insist they have been forgotten.

"There has been no change," Ariel Fakdawer, head of Saukabu village in Raja Ampat told AFP.

"They've hurt us indigenous people. They took our land, our water and our forest. 

We feel betrayed," Paul Mayor, chief of the island's Byak Betew tribe, said of the

government's tourism drive (AFP Photo/GOH CHAI HIN)

"The yearly Raja Ampat festival, for example, attracts thousands of tourists but we gain nothing from that. We are still poor, but the organizers of such festivals, outsiders, they have made a fortune," he added.

Indigenous groups say they need communication satellites, electricity, better infrastructure, and the right to govern themselves by customary law.

"The government never fulfils our needs because they don't understand what we want," chief Mayor said.

"I believe the government has to approach us by bearing in mind our cultural needs. They have to talk to us indigenous people," he insisted.

But not everyone is against the rush to open up Raja Ampat to the world.

Villager Medzke Karoswaf explained: "This is a modern world. We cannot live isolated like in a cave forever. We have to be open-minded. Like it or not, we don’t live alone in this world."

PKS Calls for Immediate Response to Growing Rohingya Refugee Crisis

Jakarta Globe, May 17, 2015

Rohingya migrants who recently arrived in Indonesia by boat wait in line to be
registered in Kuala Langsa, in Aceh province, on Sunday. The United Nations has
 called on countries around the Andaman Sea not to push back the thousands of
desperate Bangladeshis and Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar now stranded in
rickety boats, and to rescue them instead. (Reuters Photo/Roni Bintang)

Jakarta. Legislators from an Indonesian Islamic party have urged the government to address the Rohingya boatpeople crisis by issuing a regulation allowing Jakarta to assist the migrants, including by providing temporary shelter for them.

Fahri Hamzah, a deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, said in Jakarta on Sunday that he was concerned with media reports that Indonesian officials had prohibited boats carrying hundreds of Rohingya migrants from reaching Indonesian shores.

He said he understood that officials were turning the boats back because of a lack of legal grounds to assist the refugees, but added this should not be the case.

“[Lack of regulation] should not be an excuse to turn a blind eye to the suffering of people from other nations,” said Fahri, also a deputy secretary general of the Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party, or PKS.

“Their suffering is evident. Do we, as a nation that believes in humanity, have the heart to see them suffer?”

He urged President Joko Widodo to issue a presidential regulation to specifically address the growing crisis at sea.

Fahri added that Indonesia should not treat the boatpeople the same way that neighboring Malaysia and Thailand are doing, by pushing the boats out of their national waters in what the International Organization for Migration has blasted as a perverse game of “maritime ping-pong.”

Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have been criticized for sending Rohingya refugees back to sea on rickety, unseaworthy boats after catching them in the countries’ waters or after also giving them food.

Indonesia and Malaysia last week saw a surge in refugees from Bangladesh and Myanmar following a Thai government crackdown on human trafficking, under which the Thai authorities are blocking boats carrying migrants from landing.

Neither of the governments of the three countries has responded to an appeal made by the United Nations’ refugee agency, the UNHCR, last week for an international search and rescue operation for the thousands believed to be stranded in Southeast Asian waters.

The UNHCR has said several thousand migrants were abandoned at sea by smugglers after the Thai crackdown, warning that the region is risking a “massive humanitarian crisis,” Reuters reported.

Another PKS legislator, Sukamta, said last week that Indonesia’s immigration law and international relations law actually addressed the matter of migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers.

He added, though, that the lack of derivative regulations meant there were no technical details for officials to adhere to in addressing actual problems.

“There is no presidential decree yet for those laws. The presidential decree should serve as an operational guideline for how we should treat refugees,” said Sukamta, a member of House Commission I, which oversees defense and foreign affairs.

“We want to make sure that this country, Indonesia, sides with humanity, at least by providing [the refugees] with temporary shelter. The government can do this as long as it has the will to,” he added as quoted by state-run news agency Antara.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman on Sunday said he would hold separate meetings this week with his Indonesian and Thai counterparts to discuss the Rohingya migrant crisis — including to work out a collective proposal under Asean and discuss it with Myanmar to resolve the Rohingya migrant crisis.

“As Asean chairman, we will discuss in depth, so that this problem will be solved. I hope Myanmar will sit with us to find solutions before we take it to the international level,” Anifah said, according to Malaysian newspaper The Star.

“If necessary, we will call for an emergency Asean meeting as suggested by the Prime Minister,’’ he  added.

University of Indonesia international law professor Hikmahanto Juwana said Indonesia must be able to convince Malaysia and Thailand to allow Rohingya migrants to enter their territories so that the ill sick could be given medical treatment.

“We’ve already done the right thing if we focus on the humanitarian aspect, especially for those who have entered Indonesia, such as those who have been rescued by Indonesian fishermen,” he said.

“Don’t ever send them back to sea; don’t give them food and then send them away like Thailand and Malaysia have done.”

He suggested Indonesia could set up a refugee camp on one of its thousands of islands, as it did for Vietnamese war refugees on Galang Island in Riau Islands province.

“Financially, we cannot run such an island alone. We would need help from others. We need to discuss this with the UNHCR,” Hikmahanto said.

Most importantly, he went on, the issue would never be resolved without serious discussions with Myanmar, which refuses to recognize the Rohingya or acknowledge the discrimination and violence they face in the country.

Myanmar has refused to attend crisis talks on the issue slated for May 29 in Thailand if other countries use the word “Rohingya” at the meeting, saying it does not recognize the term.

One of migrants housed in a makeshift camp in Langsa,

 Indonesia, shows the scars he says are from violence that erupted

 on the boats while still at sea. Photograph: Antonio Zambardino/

Guardian

Related Articles:

'They hit us, with hammers, by knife': Rohingya migrants tell of horror at sea

Over 900 migrants rescued as pressure grows over SE Asia crisis

Jakarta’s ‘Topeng Monyet’ Could Be Released Into the Wild: Joko

Jakarta Globe, Lenny Tristia Tambun, February 6, 2014

Children watch a trained monkey wearing a mask during a “topeng monyet”
(masked monkey) show, a traditional Indonesian street performance, in East Jakarta,
in this file picture taken on April 25, 2011. (Reuters Photo/Beawiharta)

Jakarta. Dozens of masked monkeys seized in the Indonesian capital may be released into the wild after the city’s zoo declined to take the animals into its care, Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo said on Thursday.

The Jakarta administration staged a city-wide crackdown on topeng monyet — a cruel practice where long-tailed macaques are forced to wear costumes and perform for spare change — last October, purchasing the monkeys from handlers for Rp 1 million ($82) each. More than 60 monkeys were seized in the sweeps, putting an end to what was once a common sight on the streets of Jakarta. But the question of what to do with the animals, many of which suffered years of abuse, still hangs in the air.

The monkeys, which are being rehabilitated by the Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN), were initially slated for the city’s Ragunan Zoo. But zoo officials have declined to take in the capital’s street monkeys, arguing that they suffered from diseases and posed a threat to the facilities current animal population.

“The illnesses vary, from hepatitis to tuberculosis, so if Ragunan Zoo doesn’t want them, then that’s OK,” Joko said.

Instead, the city should look to releasing the monkeys into the wild, he said.

“The ill monkeys have to be healed, but once they’re healthy we may release them to the forest,” Joko said.

JAAN wild animal protection coordinator Femke den Haas told the Jakarta Globe that the animals were no longer sick. Fourteen macaques were put down after testing positive for tuberculosis, Den Haas said. The remaining 67 are free of disease and slowly learning to socialize with other macaques — a significant step after spending much of their lives living alongside humans.

“All the monkeys we have now are healthy, so they are ready to be transferred to wherever is best for them,” Den Haas said. “[But] we still have to socialize them [first]… to socialize monkeys who are traumatized and have not spent time around other monkeys takes time.

“That is why we don’t want them relocated now.”

The organization, which campaigned for years to get the monkeys off the streets, has floated the idea of purchasing an uninhabited island in Pulau Seribu — the capital’s Thousand Islands district — to house the animals. The group is now staging a fundraising campaign to buy the small island and establish a topeng monyet sanctuary.

“We at JAAN believe the monkeys are best off on an island,” Den Haas said. “They will be happy on an island… but for Jakarta, for the government, it would be great if they had an enclosure for these dancing monkeys.”

JAAN hoped Ragunan Zoo would reconsider its refusal to accept the monkeys and construct an appropriate habitat and eduction center to show the capital’s residents that the animals are better off after the sweeps.

“They should make as mall museum to show the pictures we have of these monkeys when they were still working on the street,” Den Haas said. “It could be very educational for Jakarta citizens. They could learn about them and see that the monkeys are now happy and living in groups. I think it is good to educate the public.”

The capital’s move to ban performing monkeys has been wildly successful, Den Haas said.

“We don’t see any monkeys on Jakarta’s streets anymore,” she said. “We used to get phone calls every day, but now we don’t get phone calls about monkeys [in] Jakarta.”

The organization still receives word of topeng monyet performing in the West Java cities of Bandung and Bekasi, but the measures taken by Joko’s administration seem to be catching on, she said. The local government in Bandung is currently preparing for sweeps of its own.

“We think other cities will follow,” Den Haas said.

Related Article:

Jakarta Ramps-Up Efforts to End Masked Monkey Performances

A Tranquil Island Paradise Just Off the Jakarta Coast

Jakarta Globe, Anna Egutkina,  June 2, 2013

A view from the beach on Pantara island; cottages are in the middle of a
jungle, giving visitors privacy.  (JG Photo/Anna Egutkina)

Looking for an intimate weekend getaway?

The farthest island of Pulau Seribu (Thousand Islands), Pulau Pantara, is the perfect place. Located in the middle of the Java Sea, it offers breathtaking views and its white-sand beaches and crystal-clear water soothe both mind and soul.

The paradise island of only 10.5 hectares first opened to tourism in 1987 and has since has developed into a popular destination for people from around the globe.

There are many similar islands out there in Pulau Seribu, but there is something special about Pantara.

When you walk around the dense jungle, or sit on the beach watching the sunset, the only sounds to break the tranquility are waves hitting the shore and palm leaves rustling in the warm wind. The secret is that cottages are located far apart, separated by trees.

“Actually right now, from March to July, is high season, and all 40 of the cottages are fully booked, so we have over 90 people on this island,” Dwi Rohadi, receptionist at the island resort, said.

After a two-hour journey on a luxury speedboat, holidaymakers are greeted with live music and a tropical welcome drink in the vast lobby, the largest lobby on the Thousand Islands.

All cottages are located on the shore, so guests have their own private spot on the beach. The western-style food is included in the total price of Rp 1,936,000 ($197) and is served three times a day at the island’s only restaurant.

“Because the price is quite expensive, the majority of our visitors are foreigners. Holidaymakers from as far as South Africa come here to relax,” Dwi said.

“We always try to make our foreign guests feel at home on the island, for example if we have visitors from Italy we play Italian songs at dinner.”

Dwi has been working as a receptionist on the island for 12 years, and has seen all sorts of customers.

“Most of the visitors are very nice, enjoy their stay here and want to come back again.

“But of course sometimes you encounter difficult people, who complain about the island being a disappointment and not meeting their expectations,” she said.

One thing foreigners need to prepare for, is the lack of pubs and parties. Even though during the day Pantara island offers tennis courts, table tennis and a swimming pool, as the day draws to a close, there is not much to do. The place is far from Bali’s wild discos.

After dinner, Pantara is dead, with nobody to be seen. Buying alcohol after 10 p.m. is impossible — because everything is closed.

As compensation for that missing bottle of wine, visitors can sit beneath the amazingly bright star-lit sky and enjoy the diverse wildlife of the island.

All kinds of birds and insects can be seeing wandering around, and if you get lucky you might see the king of the island, which Indonesians call biawak — a giant monitor lizard that can reach up to three meters in length and only lives on small tropical islands where it does not face much competition for food.

“The biawaks do not pose a danger to humans as long as they aren’t disturbed. Our guests should respect that they are wild, so don’t be tempted to get too friendly with them. Once a guest tried to catch a poisonous stingray while snorkeling, and he got hurt,” Dwi recalled.

The man was taken to the Pantara island clinic, where the staff treated the guest using traditional medicine.

Along with a few dangerous sea creatures, the island paradise poses another potential threat — natural disasters are not uncommon.

“Four months ago there was a hurricane from the sea that rooted out many trees located on the beach. Luckily nobody got hurt,” Dwi said.

Protecting and respecting the flora and fauna is one of the main rules on this untouched piece of paradise. Pantara is one of the few places left in Indonesia where you can truly feel reunited with nature.

A weekend of meditating on the beautiful beach and drifting into calm sleep to the distant sound of waves can really do wonders.

As I boarded the luxurious boat home on Sunday and watched the island grow smaller and smaller, I realized all the problems that had seemed so important a few days ago, had evaporated into the tropical breeze blowing from the sea.

A touch of eco-paradise

Kanupriya Kapoor, CONTRIBUTOR The Jakarta Post, THOUSAND ISLANDS | Sun, 01/24/2010 12:31 PM

Changing your lifestyle to make it more environmentally friendly is easier said than done, but eco-resorts such as one on Pulau Macan in the Thousand Islands make such changes pleasant and rewarding.

While environmental issues are finally getting the media and government attention they deserve, the urgency of the steadily deteriorating state of our planet has yet to permeate political and social realms.

And people (especially in urban areas), bombarded constantly with warnings and reprimands about their impacts on the environment, are often reluctant to adjust their lifestyles, are ill-informed about how they can do so, or are just discouraged by the blatant negligence of relevant authorities.

With COP15 - the biggest, most crucial climate change summit since Kyoto in 1997 - having wrapped up in Copenhagen in December, skepticism is rife about the global community's dedication to slowing climate change. As leaders are left to follow up on Copenhagen to hash out a consensus, Jakartans can take guilt-free pleasure in knowing that, should they go for it, their vacations could be a decidedly more effective measure than the inevitable bureaucracy that is a United Nations summit.

Roderick des Tombes, a Jakarta-born self-proclaimed eco-warrior, is working toward - and succeeding in - constructing a lifestyle that is beneficial to himself and the environment. The eco-resort he manages on Pulau Macan - a tiny island among the Thousand Islands archipelago - is a business venture that makes environmentalism inextricable from the indulgent pleasures of an island vacation.

Located an hour-and-something boat ride from Jakarta's Ancol Marina, the Tiger Islands Village & Eco Resort (Pulau Macan) is a little dot on the map of the Indonesian archipelago - and by "little" I mean you can circle it on foot in 10 minutes at a leisurely pace - that aptly encapsulates the immense diversity that the archipelago boasts.

"I discovered in the course of my research with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, that Indonesia's tourism revenue and industry is far too small.but it has immense potential," says Drigo (as he is otherwise known) of the path toward the inception of the resort. "I came *to this island* with a friend whose parents own the place; fell in love with it and kept coming back *to develop it*."

As the boat slows to dock at Pulau Macan, one can feel Jakarta melt away - the unending traffic congestion; the growing rudeness and disorder; the deadlines, projects, malls; the suffocation - all of it. The idyllic resort island and its deserted twin, known together as the Tiger Islands, promise everything that visitors undoubtedly expect - peace, quiet, solitude and a place to get away from it all.

Startlingly blue waters, speckled with the other islands of the Thousand Islands chain, surround Pulau Macan. The kinds of fish one only sees on Discovery Channel swim by the edge of the island with a lazy, sometimes unabashed, curiosity. White sands that are warmed just enough by sunlight seeping in through the high canopy pave a leisurely walk towards one's cabin or hut, as the case may be.

The island's accommodation ranges from red brick cabins and wooden bungalows on the interior, to driftwood huts and, for the extra-adventurous souls, spacious tents at the waterfront. The buildings have been designed to blend in perfectly with the immediate environment, and have thus been fitted with driftwood furniture and a minimum of electrical appliances, all of which are energy-efficient. For those wary of the tropical heat, the breeze off the Java Sea is complemented by the architecture of the cabins and ensures pleasant temperatures throughout the day.

The driftwood hut, for instance, which stands directly at the edge of the water, is, as the name suggests, made entirely of discarded wood found adrift at sea. Its two walls and low ceiling ensure for the occupant a constant passage of sea breeze. While the minimalist furnishings consist of one mattress, a mosquito net and a cheeky Absolut Vodka bottle reused for drinking water, nothing beats the feeling of being woken up by the gentle sound of the sea and the first rays of sun kissing your toes.

One of the fundamentals of environmental preservation is awareness and education about it. Pulau Macan provides just this, and does so with adventurous fun - with collective snorkeling sessions; meals free from processed meat; yoga at sunset; and a distinct feeling of community - so visitors to the tiny island willingly and sometimes involuntarily learn about reducing their impact on the environment.

Along with the relaxation expected of a typical weekend getaway, Pulau Macan offers ample opportunities for activity for those who seek it. Largely ignored on land, it is wise to heed the customary warning that greets all visitors - to keep one's feet clad - while in the water during a snorkeling session for instance.

A particular favorite with visiting school children (for whom the resort offers special deals on field trips that combine outdoor adventure with environmental education), snorkeling around Pulau Macan and surrounding islands gives a clear-eyed glimpse at the immense biodiversity that thrives in Indonesia.

It is, moreover, an educational experience: first-time snorkelers are taught, for instance, that standing on a coral is akin to damaging it and must be avoided unless necessary (as when there is water in your mask or you are too tired to tread water); vibrant coral and its inhabitants stand in stark viewing contrast to those devastated by irresponsible tourism developers in the Thousand Islands. As a part of its conservation efforts, the Pulau Macan management plants a new piece of coral for each guest they receive, and also employs a transplanting method using cement and biorock to help the coral grow faster and stronger.

A handy local remedy for the thrilling inevitability of getting stung during a swim across to the deserted twin island by bulu babi or sea urchin (it's quite mild, really) is to tap the affected area with the base of a bottle to get the stings out. The local population of Pulau Macan (total: 9), who staff the resort, are gracious in providing such tips and others to visitors whose environmental education thus happens of its own accord.

Though eco-friendly water and waste management is a work in progress at the resort, fulfilling these tenets of eco-tourism - providing employment to the local community, powering 70 percent of the island with solar panels, growing as much food locally and organically as possible, eliminating the consumption of processed meat (especially beef), supporting turtle hatcheries - brings Pulau Macan closer than many of the most popular beach destinations in Indonesia to achieving the harmony with nature for which we all strive.

Drigo, who comes, refreshingly, without the usual dreadlocks and flower-power associated with hardcore eco-awareness, has created at Pulau Macan a sustainable, replicable model, and hopes to expand the eco-tourism industry with the cooperation of both the government and private sector. His company, United Adventures, is looking to repeat the success of Pulau Macan with 10 more similar resorts across Indonesia.

"Indonesia has the most biodiversity in the world and it deserves to be the number-one tourist destination in the world," says Drigo. "I have a firm belief that ecotourism should be a part of the national strategy."

With Jakarta fast making its way up the ladder of world's most polluted cities, concerned residents will, upon their visit to Pulau Macan, be pleasantly surprised to learn that their one less cab a week or one reused plastic bag are not efforts made in vain, that they are not alone in the fight for the environment.

For reservations for weekend packages, corporate retreats or school field trips, visit www.pulaumacan.com. Rates vary from Rp 1.4 million (US$150) to Rp. 1.8 million per person (including costs of boat ride and four surprisingly delicious vegetarian and fish meals) with discounts for Indonesian citizens.

Save tourism in Thousand Islands: Workshop

Indah Setiawati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 01/19/2010 7:50 PM

Sepa Island (one of the Thousand Islands)

Resort operators on Thousand Islands have complained of a sharp decline in the number guests, which they say is a result of poor accessibility and marketing.

Jhonny Lapian of PT Buana Bintang Samudra, the management of Putri Island resort, told a workshop Tuesday business was lackluster following the tsunami disaster that ravaged Aceh in December 2004.

“After the tsunami, our revenue declined. Now we no longer profit from the business. The major problem is transportation,” he said.

He added the resort only provided a speedboat during weekends. Transporting guests by speedboat on weekdays, which are usually quiet, costs the company too much, he said. The boat needs at least 30 passengers to cover transport costs.

Haznil Maulana of PT Pantara Wisata Jaya, the management of Pantara Island resort, said the company now operated East Pantara Island only and ceased the operation of West Pantara Island.

“We stopped operating West Pantara Island because we cannot afford the operational costs,” he said.

Sahat sitorus, the Tourism subagency head of Thousand Islands, said there were 11 resorts operating in the archipelagic regency but six of them closed when the Asian financial crisis struck in the late 1990s..

He acknowledged that transport had hindered the development of marine tourism in the regency, consisting of resorts and residential islands.

“Tourists need convenient, fast boats. The wooden boats currently available in Muara Angke are not convenient, fast or safe,” he said.

Data from the Thousand Islands tourism subagency recorded 141,000 tourists last year, 3,316 were foreigners from Europe and Asia. The number stood at 130,000 in 2008.

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.

Related Article:

City to revive tourism in 1,000 Islands

City to revive tourism in 1,000 Islands

Triwik Kurniasari, The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA | Thu, 03/05/2009 11:06 AM  

After more than a decade of tourism malaise on the Thousand Islands regency, the city has plans in store for a revival. 

The city administration will procure more accessible public transportation to serve the regency, including enlarging its airport runway from 930 meters to 1,400 meters to allow bigger planes to land at the airport, first built in 1990. 

“[The runway development] requires about Rp 180 billion [US$14 million], while we need Rp 300 billion to rebuild sea ports,” Regent Abdul Rachman said Wednesday.

The islets have faced a “tourism crisis” in the last 10 years, with more and more tourism business owners going bankrupt due to the decline in visitor numbers to the regency’s resorts, Abdul said.

“Of nine resorts on 45 islands, five are still in business, while the remainder are dying, with the occupancy rate dropping,” he said.

He added tourism on many islands was “dead or dying out”, including on Pelangi and Bira islets, famous for its golf course.

“Some islets still surviving are Pramuka, Sepa, Kotok, Putri, Ayer, Bidadari and Pantara,” Abdul added.

He blamed the lack of transportation and issuance of travel warnings from other countries for the drop in visitor numbers to the islets.

“Global warming and environmental degradation have also damaged out beautiful reefs,” he said.

“Garbage is also a big problem for us. Plastic bags and bottles, and oil spills that are sometimes found along the coastline, are very harmful to the coastal ecosystem. Nobody wants to visit to a dirty tourism destination, right?”

Culture and Tourism Agency head Arie Budhiman said the administration would try to provide cheap public transportation there.

“People are reluctant to go to the Thousand Islands because it’s so hard to get there. So we’re considering securing more access to the area,” he said.

“Besides rebuilding the public transportation system, we will also improve public facilities there.”

The regency, located 45 kilometers off the Jakarta coast, boasts a unique ecosystem comprising 110 islets, with most of the residents working as traditional fishermen.

Every islet has its own attractions. Pramuka, for instance, is famous for its raptors.

Bidadari is also a favorite place for family vacations or corporate meetings and getaways. It offers marine adventure activities for team-building exercises.

They can be reached by boat from Marina Ancol or Muara Angke Port.

In the 1980s, the Thousand Islands ranked third on a list of the world’s best islands, but are now renowned for the polluted surroundings, Abdul said.

“After 1998, when the economic crisis hit the country, tourist numbers dropped by 80 percent. 

Fortunately, though, we’ve seen an increase in the past couple of years,” Abdul said, adding there were about 50,000 tourists in 2008.

Arie said the administration would hold a workshop and invite stakeholders, as well as the owners of some islets, to seek solutions to the problems.

“We hope more people will invest in the islands. The administration and government can’t just work this program ourselves; we need private companies to support this,” he said.