Burmeso, Jubi – A 2-day workshop and seminar held in Burmeso, Mamberamo Raya Regency (7-8 November 2014) resulted an agreement to encourage the upgrading status of the Mamberamo Foja Wildlife Sanctuary to become a National Park.
The Director of Yayasan Lingkungan Hidup (Environmental NGO – Yali) Papua, Bastian Wamafma said several recommendations were made during the seminar. One of the important recommendations is the customary people who live in the Mamberamo Foja Wildlife Sanctuary asked the Forest Office and related stakeholders to endorse the alteration status of the sanctuary.
“The recent status of Mamberamo Foja area is a Wildlife Sanctuary. The local community asked to change its status to a National park, to bring access towards road development or other developments,“ said Wamafma in Burmeso on Saturday (8/11).
The villagers, he further said, have gave their supports by signing a letter for the Mamberamo Customary Council Chief to be forwarded to the regional and central governments. Meanwhile, the Head of Technical Division of BKSDA Papua, Christian Mambor said the villagers’ signed letter would become the key approval and important attachment to encourage the alteration process of sanctuary status.
“If this is representing the common needs, including the customary people and Regional Government, therefore the Provincial Government and BKSDA Papua will propose this alteration to the Central Government,” said Mambor. “
He further thought the process need to follow up immediately to ensure the customary people to have the utilized space and zone within the Mamberamo Foja area. With its current status, the local community and government cannot have access to the area, but if it becomes the National Park, the access to the development or other improvement would be open. (Albert Yomo/rom)
