ORANGUTANS: Men of the Forest

Kutai, a Nat.l park in East Kalimantan, Home to most of the remaining moreo Orangutans (approx 4,825), 10 other Primates & other Critically Endangered Mammals & Birds.

Underneath Kutai: ab. 38Mega Tonnes of coal, which a British Conglomerate, Churchill Mining, claim to have the rights to. They acquired their license from ex-president Suharto's son-in-law, Gen. Subianto, (famed for ordering the 1991 SantaCruz massacre, with over 250 EastTimorese civilians & foreign journalists machine gunned to death), caused international condemnation & partly led to the fall of Suharto's 'New Order' regime. Subianto's/Churchill's license became invalid,& dissolved in 2011 by the Provincial Gov.t of East Kalimantan. Now, Churchill & their Economic heavy weight Investors (GoldmanSachs, Blackrock, BarclaysBank) are taking the claim to a Tribunal in Jakarta: all 3 judges are old Suharto cronies & their verdict is obvious.

Churchill Mining have enough money to litigate for years, don't care that mining in a protected park is illegal. A victory for Churchill will open the flood gates to massive Forest Clearances across Indonesia & other countries with economically weak Gov.ts that can't afford the litigations that these multinational mining consortia can. With enough opposition, Churchill might back down or the Indonesian judges will deliver an unfavorable verdict for them.

 

Lets hope we get enough signatures to stop this. Signed Thanks Michela

Signed this one as well. Thanks Michela.

Signed, thanks.

#113
how many hundreds of petitions more do we need to sign, how many products do we need to boycott, how many messages do we need to get through before someone listens to us??
and the battle continues..

signed. sigh,

number 120

I signed already. It is frustrating Beatrice. greed is a powerful force.

very happy to sign #13 thx so much Michela

opps #123

Noted and signed Michela :-0

Michela, NEVER EVER I will give up a battle, a fight.
I am just wandering, at times, how long will it take before we start seeing some compassion, caring and understanding in this world?
My sleaves are rolled up to continue what we have been doing for so long

signed

I cant login my change org account for some reason, page wont open! ..:((

Signed.

signed #163 we are too few - share the max that you can

Michela force does not get discouraged (forza non ti scoraggiare) sorry for my poor english

We must NEVER GIVE UP!!!!! Let us SIGN, INVITE to JOIN Group, FORWARD ..... this is what we all want to Michela, strong and determined

thank you Michela "Our Wonderwoman"

What's wrong with those people???

Signed. Thank you, Michela. Never give up.

For sure happy to sign! I just keep remembering a quote of Margaret Mead that says
'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it's the only thing that ever has."
This is a National Park with magnificent Orangutans and so much wildlife that should be untouched! I surely hope that someone comes to their senses and turns Churchill Mining down!! Thanks so much Michela.

Signed Michela. Thanks for keeping us on our toes :) (we need to keep signing).

Thank you much!

SIGNED THANKS!!

Signed. Thank you everyone, bless your hearts!

I love everyone in these groups showing that not everyone wants an end to the habitat of the other living creatures of this earth.

Signed - thank you Michela!

signed, thanks Michela

Signed and shared.Thank you Michela.

Signed!

Signed. I'm slowly getting through all the petitions. Thanks for inviting me to the group I love helping organgutans and their habitat. It's getting critical. Thanks for keeping us informed of the important stuff. Have a good day everyone.

Signed and noted Michela :-) Thanx ) ) )

Michaela,we know you care. Signed petition, but I shall approach from another mail and sign again by another name. Hug.

Signed with comment (#310) plus sent link in a message to all British Care 2 friends as the company involved is British.  Will get my husband to sign too from his computer because it won't let sign more than once from mine.  Is there a secret to allowing you to sign a Change.org petition more than once?  Just wants me to share with Facebook friends and I won't do FB.   

signed, TU Michela

As a child I often visited the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo with my family or classmates, & still recall those fond memories. In 1998, I realized it had been almost 20 years since my last visit, so I felt the urge to grab the camera and re-live those past excursions. One of the trip's highlights was a young female Orangutan rolling around within her burlap "sleeping bag", and performing for the smiling crowd. She then seemed to pause for a moment, allowing the shutterbugs to snap off a few memorable photos.

The Photographer - Rod Watson

from: Liz G.

My dear Michela,THANK YOU so much for the lovely compliment, YOU mean the world to me and ALL the beautiful Orangutans you work so hard for.... You are WONDERFUL!   May you enjoy a relaxing weekend with your loved ones and take time out for YOU my precious friend.... Bunches of love always to you dear Michela.Hugs Liz Xx

We must NEVER GIVE UP!!!!! Let us SIGN, INVITE to JOIN Group, FORWARD, SPREAD the WORD, also on other Social Networks!!! Our counterparts are very powerful!!! Only a VERY CONSISTENT PUBLIC RESPONSE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL!!!!!!! Orangutans, Tigers, Elephants, Rhinos, etc... DO NOT DESERVE to be EXTINCT!!!!! They NEED ALL OUR EFFORTS!!!! WE OWE IT also to OUR children & OUR Earth!!!!!!!!

signed. getting there

noting and signing anything I've missed.

agreed WE MUST NEVER GIVE UP....and we have new additions like the koala bear

so sad.

thanks Mic for everything.  time to redouble our efforts ,species are slipping through our hands.

All done

from: K.J.N.

Signed.

2 d8,thanks Mic

Signed.  I will email my contacts about it.  

signed

signed with a grrrrrrrr

News: Indonesia's Ambitious Rainforest Plan Not Going So Well The combination of strong corporate interests & rampant political corruption in Indonesia made observers more than a bit nervous when the $1 billion partnership was announced back in 2010. But this type of partnership is a major component of plans to cut emissions worldwide, and the world is watching the success or failure of Indonesia's effort. A little more than a year ago, Indonesia enacted a moratorium on deforestation, and got major financial backing from the US and Norway to make it happen. But now halfway into its two-year moratorium, it is still a long way from meeting its goal of cutting carbon emissions by saving the Rainforest. The Norway-US partnership provided $1 billion to Indonesia to protect its forested lands, with the goal of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions 26% by 2020.

News: Indonesia's Billion-Dollar Climate Experiment

Cal: http://www.care2.com/news/member/193692282/3382493

Signed with a deep, deep sigh.

Hardi Baktiantoro: belonged to my Group when I was on FB!! Hardi Baktiantoro says his work has exposed corruption & criminal networks involved in the wildlife trade & brought him into conflict with the authorities; he claims the authorities are not interested in saving Orang-utans & their objective is to see more Palm plantations established.

Indonesia: Borneo: one of the planet's last big Forests, but every hour an area the size of 3 football pitches is cut down to be used for PalmOil production; Environ. activists battling to save Endangered species such as Orang-utans & SeaTurtles. Allegations of corruption; Harassment of the campaigners; another campaigner, Irma Hermawati, threatened & beaten by wildlife traders. Local environmentalists trying to rescue the Orang-utan, heading for extinction; Orang-utans kept illegally by local people as pets; Critically Endangered animals sold as pets or for the Chinese medicine trade;

Palm Oil farmers: see Orang-utans as vermin; give local people a $10 reward when they bring in an Orang-utan's head or severed hand; the few infants spared: end up in cages or are sold as pets; middle men can pay just US$25 to a poacher or plantation worker for a baby Orang-utan, smuggled to Thailand, worth ab.US$25,000.

Local people: want the forest to remain intact bec. they can get everything they need for their income from the Forest, but it’s being destroyed to make way for PalmOil plantations; land clearances took away their livelihoods & they are now poorer than ever; the loss of Forest brought people into conflict with Orang-utans; a farmer who captured one baby Orang-utan says he thinks they are a nuisance.

An official from the ForestryMinistry: guarding Rainforests from illegal deforestation & protecting Endang.Species; if they obtain enough evidence they arrest & prosecute poachers or Orang-utan traders.

Animal market in Jakarta: hundreds of animal species in Indonesia are on the brink of extinction & protected by law, but most of these species, on sale as pets or for body parts to be used in FarEastern medicine in a trade worth millions of dollars; Numerous rare birds, reptiles, apes & a small primate, the slow loris. Bali: a turtle farm keeping animals in appalling conditions, then selling them for religious sacrifice; breeding turtles, sale of products here legal under Indonesian law. Next to the farm: a shop selling souvenirs made from turtle shells. A “surprise raid” on the farm: but the police asked a local politician & turtle farm owner to guide them: instead of freeing the turtles, the police officers taking photos of each other with the animals. Unless there's a change of public opinion & the Gov.t ends corruption & begins to enforce its laws, there will be very little to stop species like the Orang-utans & Turtles from disappear!!! Source: Ann P.

I'm so sorry that the most powerfull organization is not all what it seem to be.
Read the article in th link.



http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/wwf-helps-industry-more-than-environment-a-835712.html

Thank you..I'm trying to sign...

SIGNED #777 - THANKS MICHELA.

ethical expeditions http://ethicalexpeditions.ning.com/

Video: Climbing Into Orangutan Nests http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XB8UwAamN0&feature=player_embedded#

Video: Orangutans of Wehea - Born to be wild http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14bAIDCPIm4&feature=relmfu  

Video: Wild Wehea http://ethicalexpeditions.ning.com/video/wild-wehea

signed. horrible photo.

Video: Mysterious Monkey Discovered in Wehea Forest Borneo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3FAHlLntfA&NR=1&feature=endscreen  

Video: First Known Video of Miller's Grizzled Langur http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6NUwS9ziGk&utm_source=Ethical+Expeditions+eMembers&utm_campaign=7451402056-June_2012_Update6_8_2012&utm_medium=email

Wehea Forest, April & May 2012, the 1st known Video footage of the extremely rare Primate, Miller's Grizzled Langur

Already signed, thanks.

Signed, thank you!!!

All open petitions signed to date.

Signed against mining.

News: Look into my eyes: Meet Noel the heart meltingly gorgeous baby Orangutan

Rescued from small cage after his Habitat was cleared for a new plantation

This super-cute baby Orangutan has had a difficult start to life, rescuers freed 10-month-old Noel from a small wooden cage in Siduk, Indonesia. He was locked up by locals after his home was destroyed during the construction of a new Palm Oil plantation. They spend most of their time in the trees & are the most intelligent of the primates.

Orangutan babies are similar to humans in many ways: they cry when they’re hungry, whimper when hurt & smile at their mothers.

Baby Orangutans stay with their mother, riding on her back & learning to move through the Forest for around 7 or 8 years. After that time they become more independent & eventually go off on their own. They can live for up to 40-years in the wild & males grow to around 4ft 6in tall.

Source: Andrea S.

Signed and shared all petitions thanks so much Michela youre the BEST : )

Just signed Churchill Mining: Stop the destruction of East Kutai Nat.l Park & its 4,825 Orangutans

Already signed 2,000 Bornean Orangutans need our help  

So glad to see that over 50,000 have signed this. 

Signed, thanks.

Signed. Thanks

Both signed -- thanks.

Signed both and shared on FB.  Such wonderfull creatures!!

firmado michela, gracias

Same to you My friend :-) Thanx Hugggs ) ) )

signed, thank you

all 3 petitions signed

Signed - thank you!

signed 3, gracias

ok... signed or already done, thank you, have a wonderful weekend dear Michela!!!!

Signed. I hope the petitiions have a positive impact before all the animals have been killed and the forest destroyed.

Signed all I hadn't already signed and where I could. Like Muriel I hope the petitions have a positive impact all animals and their habitat is completely destroyed. Thanks Michela for all you do.

Signed and up to date

signed!!

Signed, thanks.

all signed, TU

Up to date! 

signed 4, gracias

Watch this Video: Orangutan Smile

Watch this Video: Green Film Director talks about Palm Oil and Orangutans

a simple yet strikingly poignant film about a dying Orangutan named Green. The thoughtful, beautifully shot film makes chillingly clear our role in the rapid destruction of Indonesia’s Rainforests – and it does so without frills or embellishments, without so much as a spoken word
Jill:  http://www.care2.com/news/member/478413351/2717963

Thank you for the pictures, some of which being particularly cute. How is it possible to harm such cute and genhtle creatures is something I can't understand.

I had already signed all those petitions.

All petitions signed

Thanks Michela, signed the latest.

from Roshani S.:

2) Petition:  2,000 Bornean Orangutans need our help   htt ps://www.rainforest-rescue.org/mailalert/881?ref=nl&mt=1351  Pls Sign!! I signed with all my family Emails. Big cash or Orangutans: what is more important? The question an Indon. court has to answer right now. The Brit.Churchill Mining plans to exploit a multi-billion$ coal deposit in Nat.lParkKutai: home to more than 2,000 Bornean Orangutans: their survival depends on protected areas like this where they found a refuge&live with Sunbears&CloudedLeopards. Churchill is IllegallyLogging & preparing an Int.l lawsuit to claim its right to destruction. Source: Dianne C.

SIGNED

SIGNED

Done. That 11 months old petition (the one on top) is closed...

                        http://www.orangutan.org/

I have already taken part in this alert.

Thanks Michela, already signed.

Signed the one open one, tx! Jude

done:))

Petition 2:

from Magda V

Those photos are priceless!

1 thru 4 done!  (Signed quite some time ago.)