Actions for Indonesian animals

Caters News Agency

BACKGROUND | SOURCE OIPA (International Organization for Animal Protection)

Since 2009 in the streets of Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, started the horrible practice of the “Dancing monkeys” or “Topeng Monyet”. These poor animals are forced by their owners to dress up in doll costumes, dance, ride scooters and bikes, and even smoke to make money entertaining tourists.

Behind this shame, there is an extended organization: some “bosses” started to buy and collect the monkeys for renting them to others who would use them to make money on the streets; making them dance, ride bikes, smoke, and other awful mistreatments. Some monkeys die during the first weeks of terrible training. Owners cut their teeth to protect themselves from bites.

In the country there is a huge capture of monkeys from the wild and monkey trade in local animals’ markets. In fact, people catch monkeys and sell them on the streets or markets openly. This is possible because of the long-tailed macaques and pig-tailed macaques’ status in Appendix II of the CITES Convention, so they are not necessarily threatened with extinction.

Indonesia has not yet a real Animal Welfare Law, but the Article 302 of the Indonesian Criminal Code contains a small part concerning the protection for animals, but it hasn’t been updated since 1930.

Representatives of the organization Jakarta Animal Aid Network fought hard to stop these abuses and after many meetings with the government, petitions and demonstrations, the past governor in Jakarta has stated that the monkeys should be confiscated. Since the beginning of 2012, JAAD finally started to confiscate and rescue the monkeys, but the new governor is not in his position yet, so for the moment, they can’t do confiscations and save monkeys.

By the way, JAAN does an incredible work in rescuing and rehabilitating dancing monkeys. They already have tens of monkeys rescued with the assistance of the local authorities, and these monkeys are now in their care.

After the rescue, the monkey can literally ‘take off his clothes’ and start a new life. The first thing that JAAD does is to treat and cure the monkeys, for example, from painful tooth infections.

Once monkeys are healthy, they can be socialized with other monkeys in the specially designed socialization cage where they can enjoy again what monkeys do: grooming, playing, sleeping, eating, and even swimming. Right now, JAAN cares for 36 rescued dancing macaques in their rescue center.

Unfortunately, animal abuses are not limited to masked monkeys. In fact, despite dog fighting that clearly contravenes Article 302 of the Indonesian Criminal Code, this terrible phenomenon is highly widespread, especially in the Yogyakarta special region and other major cities including Bali, Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, and Manado. This illegal activity is conducted under the pretext of agility sports, organizing tournaments from regional and even national levels where pitbulls and jirung (Indonesian dog, pitbulls mixed with other breeds) fight against each other.

To stop animal cruelty, on July 16, 2012, in Jakarta, the local animal organizations Animal Friends Jogja (AFJ) OIPA member league, Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAD), and Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA) conducted a resolution drafting workshop, based on Article 302 of the Indonesia Criminal Code. There were fifty participants, including members of the police, authorities, and various governmental departments.

The OIPA member league Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue and Education Centre does a great work concerning the illegal trade of wildlife in North Sulawesi. In fact, they work on the investigations of animal traders, reporting information to the forestry police and organizing the confiscations in cooperation with them. Once the animals being rescued, the staff of the centre takes care of them and the physical and mental rehabilitation begins, in order for them to be released.

OIPA supports the local organizations for animal protection in their fight against animal abuse in Indonesia and hope that they will get good results.


WHOM TO CONTACT

Email Block

edukom@menlh.go.id; pusdata@dephut.go.id; pusinfo@dephut.go.id; dki@jakarta.go.id

Individual

Ministry of Environment
Dr. Balthasar Kambuaya
edukom@menlh.go.id

Ministry of Forestry
pusdata@dephut.go.id
pusinfo@dephut.go.id

Province of Jakarta
dki@jakarta.go.id


SAMPLE LETTER

To Whom It Concerns,

I am shocked to know that in the streets of Indonesian cities monkeys are forced by their owners to dress in doll costumes, dance, ride scooters and bikes, and even smoke to make money entertaining tourists.

Please, ban immediately the capture of monkeys from the wild and the monkey trade in local markets.

I also ask you to stop the awful dog fighting, an atrocious phenomenon widespread in your country.

I ask you to additionally create an Indonesian Animal Protection Law or strengthen the current article 302 of the Criminal Code to make illegal ALL activities that involve the abuse of animals.

Please, put an end to this cruelty; save the reputation of Indonesia in the eyes of the world as a country that has compassion for animals.

Kindest regards,

to some, indonesia looks like a paradise,
but for animals…it is not very nice.
monkeys are treated like wind up toys,
deprived of freedom and its joys.
while dogs are fought,
as
they die and bleed.
island heaven found, in appearance
but not in deeds!

Karen Lyons Kalmenson