Four Arrested in Jakarta for Selling Body Parts of Endangered Animals

Fidelis E. Satriastanti, The Jakarta Globe 13 Feb 09;

Four traders from Rawa Bening market in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, were arrested on Thursday for selling body parts of endangered animals, an activist said on Friday.

The arrest was carried out by officials from the Forestry Ministry, the Natural Resources and Environment Task Force of the Jakarta Police, the Special Response Police Forest Task Force and Wildlife Forum, an umbrella organization for nongovernmental groups that promote environmental causes.

“We have been monitoring the traders for a year based on information provided by the public,” said Pramudya Harzani, spokesman for the Jakarta Animal Aid Network.

He said they were forced to ask for police help after the Natural Resources Conservation Agency failed to make a move more than a year after they reported the traders.

“We reported the case to the police force, and they responded quickly,” he said. “Experts are currently trying to confirm if the goods indeed came from endangered animals.”

Rawa Bening market is known for its precious stones and jewelry, but vendors in the market also sell items like traditional daggers, stones and animal parts that have superstitious value for some people.

The body parts of animals like elephant and tigers supposedly promote sexual vitality and increase physical strength, according to local superstitions.

Under the 1990 Law on Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation, the arrested traders could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of Rp 100 million ($8,500) for engaging in the trade of endangered animals that are protected by legal measures.

However, Irma Hermawati, coordinator of the Wildlife Advocacy Institution, said that current efforts to apprehend illegal dealers were inadequate, because the main sources still remained untouched.

“So far, we have only managed to get to one end of the supply chain,” she said. “We were hoping that the arrested traders would divulge the names of their suppliers and the heads of their operations, but so far they haven’t.”

Awriya Ibrahim, the director of investigation and forest protection at the Forestry Ministry, said the case against the traders was very strong because they were caught in the act of selling the contraband items.

“We will let the police carry on with the investigation by themselves,” he said.

“However, the investigation should be thorough, because there have been instances when lawbreakers were not punished adequately.”

Awriya cited a previous case when his office caught a ship trying to smuggle live turtles to China from East Kalimantan Province. The smugglers got three-year prison sentences.

A number of traders who were convicted of selling 13 tons of dead pangolins in South Sumatra Province were sentenced to only 15 months each.

Awriya said the South Sumatra traders should have been given heavier sentences because the animals that they were trying to sell were already dead.

“The [current] investigation should be done properly, because the judges consider only sound evidence,” he said.

Irma said that her group conducted four raids in 2008, but the practice of selling the body parts of endangered animals continued unabated.

“A month or two after the raids, the vendors start to sell the items again,” she said.

Irma also criticized the buyers of the contraband items.

“As long as there is strong demand, there would also be supply,” she said.

Body parts of protected animals confiscated
Agnes Winarti, The Jakarta Post 14 Feb 09;

The high demand and supply for products made from protected animals was again revealed Thursday, after a raid confiscated dozens of body parts of Sumatran tigers, spotted leopards, bears and elephants.

The parts were sold at the Rawa Bening precious stone market in East Jakarta.

“The body parts of the protected animals were sold for mystic practices,” Pramudya Harzani from Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

“The findings from the Rawa Bening market are evidence that there is still a high level of demand for the animals.”

The raid confiscated dozens of skins, feet, nails, skulls, tails, teeth of the spotted leopard (Panthera pardus), Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) and bear (Helarctor malayanus), as well as a stuffed spotted leopard. Several ivory products were also confiscated.

The estimated value of the confiscated items is over Rp 130 million (US$10,830), ranging between Rp 150,000 for a small Sumatran tiger skin and Rp 15 million for a keris (dagger) with a handle and sheath made of ivory.

“The body parts were from five Sumatran tigers, two spotted leopards and two elephants,” Pramudya said.

“Since 2007, animal rescue centers have performed fewer raids and campaigns due to a lack of funds. Thus, trade in protected animals, both dead and alive, has increased over the past two years.”

Thursday’s raid at the market was performed by the police, Forestry Ministry and Jakarta Wildlife Forum — which includes the World Conservation Society (WCS), International Animal Rescue (IAR), JAAN, Lembaga Advokasi Satwa (Lasa), and Profauna — after the groups started monitoring illegal trade at the market in April last year.

It is estimated that 23 kiosks, out of 250 precious stone traders, at the market sell the body parts of protected animals, killing seven Sumatran tigers on average per month.

After the raid, four traders with the initials DP, MR, MZ and SF were named as suspects.
Pramudya said that not many suspects caught were sentenced.

“Many cases of illegal animal trading are regarded insignificant. The cases never reach the courts.”

Lasa director Irma said that even if cases reached trial, the convictions were much more lenient than the regulations.

A press release made available by Profauna on Friday said Jakarta was one of the destinations where tiger parts are smuggled.

The arrest of the suspects at Rawa Bening market in Jakarta was expected to cause a deterrent effect to illegal trading, the release said.

According to the 1990 Indonesian Wildlife Act, trade of protected animals like the Sumatran tiger is prohibited. Offenders face up to a five years’ imprisonment and Rp 100 millions in fines.