News about Sulawesi and Bunaken

(Updated: 28.12.09)

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A new video from Bunaken (unbelievable):

Environmental Threat !!

A foreign gold mine company has only 2 boat hours away from Bunaken started with preparations for the construction of a gold mine. The accruing poisonous delays should be disposed into the sea. Not only the concerned population around the area of Rinondoran/Batubutih see its health and its basic living conditions as Fischermen endangered through these measures, but also the Dive Centers there consider their existence and thus also thousands of jobs at stake. Particularly however, all of them are fearing a damage to the sub-water world with his unique fauna. The NSWA (North Sulawesi Watersports Association) has therefore pointed in a press to the risks of a disposal of the waste into the sea, and alternative into the soil and has asked the Indonesian government insistently to deny the approval to the Australian operator of the gold mine, as long as the harmlessness of the planned disposal method  is not proved by an independent scientific study.

There is at least a partial success to announce meanwhile: The disposal into the sea is first overruled. However the company wants to dispose of the waste on land now. If you liked to follow up the latest development, then inform yourself with Freundeskreis Lembeh-Pulisan-Bangka

Special Word of Praise !!

Sarah Noak contemplated measures to protect the The sub-water world of the BUNAKEN NATIONAL PARK by a unique idea: Not by bans and regulations. No, her motto was:

Only what one sees with eyes of his own, one can love.
And one protects only what one loves.

Unfortunately, she is no longer on the spot by now to continue the project, initiated by her. I do not know which reasons have made her to stop it for a start.

She set herself the task to archieve an improved protection for the reefs by joy in dealing with nature. And she wanted to contribute to the understanding of the local inhabitants that the sea is not only a "fishing reservoir" and that the environmental protection ashore is also important to the maritime habitat. Moreover she was right putting emphasis on education instead of laws and control and started with teaching the native youth.

To be able to carry out her private activities more effectively, she had founded an organization. You can look up more about its aims on its website http://www.thinkblue-ev.de.  But it seems to me that it has not been updated since the end of 2005 any more.

Please!

If you want to pass a small comment on this web site or if you like to write about own experiences, then take a little time for my Guest Book. You may help other travellers by this.