INDONESIA ESTH HIGHLIGHTS - JANUARY 2007

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000303

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/IET, OES/IET, AND OES/ETC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV TPHY TBIO TRGY ENRG ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA ESTH HIGHLIGHTS - JANUARY 2007



1. Summary. Minister of Forestry M.S. Kaban and European Union
(EU) Commissioners Louis Michel and Stavros Dimas agreed in Brussels
on January 8 to initiate formal negotiations on a voluntary
partnership agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance
and Trade. On January 12, the leaders of Brunei Darussalam,
Indonesia, and Malaysia officially endorsed an agreement to conserve
the "Heart of Borneo" (HOB) at a meeting on the margins of the 12th
ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Philippines. On January 17, World Wildlife
Fund (WWF) Indonesia issued a report asserting that the development
of coffee plantations in and around Bukit Barisan Selatan National
Park threatens Sumatran rhino, elephant and tiger habitats. On
January 24, Vice President Yusuf Kalla announced that the government
would open a tender process for a 2 million hectares reforestation
project in 2007. On January 10, the Indonesian National Space and
Aviation Agency (LAPAN) launched its first Indonesia-built micro
satellite in conjunction with the Technical University of Berlin.
The Government of Indonesia (GOI) issued a new regulation on
obtaining foreign research permits on December 15 that requires all
research permit applications to go through the State Ministry of
Research and Technology. Ministry of Health data indicate that
dengue fever infected over 8000 individuals and claimed at least 144
lives in Indonesia during January 2007. End summary.

Indonesia and EU Cooperate to Combat Illegal Logging
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2. Minister of Forestry M.S. Kaban and EU Commissioners Louis
Michel and Stavros Dimas areed in Brussels on January 8, 2007 to
initiate formal negotiations on a VPA on Forest Law Enforcement,
Governance and Trade. The agreement will ensure the legality of
Indonesian forest products exported to the EU. Minister Kaban noted
that, under the agreement, Indonesia and the EU would establish an
independent body to monitor the legality of log sources. Indonesia
and the EU plan to conduct a series of informal consultations with
stakeholders in Indonesia in conjunction with the negotiations.
Cooperation under the agreement will include capacity building,
market and technical studies, and knowledge sharing.

Three Countries Issue Statement on Heart of Borneo
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3. On January 12, the leaders of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and
Malaysia officially endorsed an agreement to conserve the Heart of
Borneo (HOB) area at the third Summit of the Brunei, Indonesia,
Malaysia and Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area in Cebu,
Philippines. Leaders from the three countries plan to sign the
joint declaration in Bali at the United Nations Forum on Forests on
February 12. The HOB initiative aims to promote sustainable
development, protect vital natural resources and reduce poverty.
The HOB covers approximately 220,000 km2 (approximately 84,900
square miles) of equatorial rainforests and numerous wildlife
species. Scientists have identified more than 13 primate species,
350 bird species, 150 reptile and amphibian species, and over 15,000
plants species in the area. The HOB is also the source of 14 of the
island of Kalimantan's 20 major rivers. WWF has announced plans to
assist the three governments in implementing the joint conservation
plan. The U.S. Government also has provided $100,000 in funding to
advance the HOB initiative.

Plantation Development Threatens Rare Sumatra Species
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4. On January 17, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia issued a
report asserting that the development of coffee plantations in Bukit
Barisan Selatan National Park threatens the habitats of a number of
rare species. The report, entitled "How Illegal Coffee Plantations
Increase the Threat to Sumatran Rhino, Elephant and Tiger Habitats
in the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park," claims the increase in
international demand for coffee has brought pressure to build
additional plantations in the area. Plantations in the national
park generate roughly 45% of the coffee produced for export in
Lampung, Sumatra, according to the report. WWF Indonesia has called
on central and local governments to promote alternate economic
activities in the region to reduce dependence on coffee production.
It has also asked countries that purchase coffee from the area to
adopt responsible procurement policies and to control their chain of
custody in an effort to support conservation in the park. In 2004,
the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) declared Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park
as a historically important area.

GOI Will Accelerate Reforestation Program in 2007
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5. On January 24, Vice President Yusuf Kalla announced that the

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government will open a tender process for a 2 million hectares
reforestation project in 2007. Kalla noted that President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono has already instructed Indonesian policymakers and
business interests to balance the needs of the wood industry with
the risks of deforestation. Minister of Forestry Kaban noted that
funding for the program will come from the State Budget, but he
failed to specify the total amount of funding allocated to the
project. The reforestation project will reportedly include
re-planting and soil enrichment programs in both publicly and
privately held areas.

LAPAN Launches First Indonesian-built Satellite
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6. On January 10, the Indonesian National Space and Aviation Agency
(LAPAN) launched its first Indonesia-built micro satellite in
conjunction with the Technical University of Berlin. The satellite
weighed 57 kilograms (126 pounds) and was launched into orbit by a
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C7 rocket from the Indian Space
Research Organization's Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota,
Andhra Prakash. LAPAN engineers cooperated with scientists from the
Technical University of Berlin to design and assemble the satellite.
The total cost of the satellite program to date is Rp 30 billion
(US$ 3.29 million). The satellite has an expected lifespan of two
to three years, but LAPAN is optimistic that it will continue to
function for up to six years.


7. The satellite is orbiting roughly 630 kilometers (391 miles)
above the earth and carries telemetry and telecommand transmission
systems, as well as an altitude control system. LAPAN will use the
satellite for real-time monitoring of various natural hazards
including forest fires, volcanic activity, and floods. The
satellite will pass over Indonesia four times a day. Ground
stations are located in Rumpin Serpong (Banten province),Berlin,
and Spitzbergen, Norway. LAPAN Deputy Chairman for Technology Agus
Nuryanto reportedly noted that Indonesia plans to launch another
satellite in 2009 or 2010.

New Regulation on Foreign Research Permits
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8. On December 15, 2006, the GOI issued Government Regulation
41/2006 on obtaining foreign research permits, replacing
Presidential Decree No. 100 of 1993. The regulation will take
effect on December 15, 2007. Under the new regulation, all research
permit applications will be required to go through the State
Ministry of Research and Technology (MENRISTEK). The regulation
governs all research and development activities conducted by foreign
universities, foreign research and development agencies, private
foreign companies and foreign individuals. MENRISTEK is preparing a
coordinating team to manage the new approval process, which will
replace the current team under the Indonesian Institute of Sciences
(LIPI).

Dengue Fever Claims 144 Lives in Indonesia
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9. On January 31, the Ministry of Health released data indicating
that dengue fever has infected over 8000 individuals and claimed at
least 144 lives in Indonesia since the start of 2007. The Aedes
aegypti mosquito, which can travel distances in excess of 100
meters, transmits the disease. Jakarta Health Agency Deputy Head
Salimar Salmi noted recently that the constant stream of dengue
cases was the result of the long transition between the rainy and
dry seasons, which allows the mosquitoes to breed continuously.
Beginning in late January, the GOI began a mass fogging campaign in
the 41 of Jakarta's 267 sub-districts that the Government has
declared to be "red zones." GOI officials define red zones as areas
in which at least three people per week contract dengue fever and/or
at least one person per week dies from the disease.


10. As of January 31, the number of dengue cases in Jakarta had
escalated to 2,022 with eight recorded fatalities. The Jakarta city
administration offers free dengue treatment at 17 hospitals in the
city; however, hospitals often receive more patients than they can
handle during the rainy season.

Pascoe