Antara 3 Jun 08;
Tapaktuan, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (ANTARA News) - A continuing conflict between rural farmers and wild elephants in two regions in South Aceh district has prompted the regional military commander to address an urgent request to the Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) to send a team to the two places to overcome the problem.
"I have contacted the chief of the NAD provincial BKSDA and asked him to assign a team to deal with the wild elephant problem in Truman and East Trumon sub districts as soon as possible," Lt Col Erwin Septiansyah, commander of Military District 0107, said here on Monday.
He said the conflict between man and the protected animals could not be allowed to drag on as the elephants had already damaged or destroyed crops on tens of hectares of local farmers` cultivation fields and plantations, and even threatened local residents` safety.
"If the elephants` destructive activity is not stopped, the local communities will continue to suffer losses," he said.
The same request was made to NAD`s BKSDA by South Aceh District Chief Tgk Husen Yusuf who specifically asked the agency also to set up command posts in the two regions to monitor the wild animals` activity and even a wild life reserve in Trumon district.
"The behavior of a herd of elephants estimated to number 12 is causing great anxiety among the local people. The conflict between man and wild elephants in the region has existed for decades but it was never resolved conclusively," he said.
Meanwhile, according to a report from Alue Lhok village in East Trumon sub district, a few wild elephants on Sunday night almost harmed a 14-year-old elementary school student who was tending to his familiy`s durian plantation.
"The boy, Muyan, `was about to be attacked by the animals but fortunately he was able to escape by outrunning them," an East Trumon community leader, Jamadi, said.
Wild elephants recently also destroyed oil-palm trees and secondary crops in Naca, Ie Jeurneh, Pinto Rimba and Ladang Rimba villages in East Trumon sub district.
"What puzzles me is that the elephants have been living in areas where people reside for more than a month now but nobody among the local authorities seems to care," Jumadi said. (*)
