Destruction of Panaitan Island??????

Environmental ethics being questioned in West Java, Indonesia.

NB: Surfersvillage Editor's note; The following letter and images are published here completely without prejudice and at the request of Jason Childs, Senior Photographer for Surfer Magazine. Any comments may be addessed to Jason directly at childs@indosat.net.id

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 10 March 2005: - - I would like to make a few points clear about the destruction that is going on at Panaitan Island a World Heritage listed National Park. I'm devastated by what Matt Rumley and his investors are doing and will be emailing all the Surf Industry and Media asking them to boycott this camp and any Surf Travel Agents, etc that are involved. A newly formed organization out of Jakarta, The Panaitan Island Conservation Group (PICG) will be doing all it can to preserve one of the World's and Indonesia's last untouched areas. We hope you will support us in saving the World Heritage Listed National Park of Panaitan Island, West Java, Indonesia.

Matt Rumley-G Spot Surf Camp owner is building a Surf Camp out at Panaitan Island. Until yesterday he had been selling it as a Surf Camp. But, due to pressure has now changed his tact and has called it an Eco Resort and now claims that he is only managing it for the National Parks Department. This is not the first time people have tried to build a camp out on the Island.

   

Indonesia only has 2 World Heritage Listed National Parks. One is Ujung Kulon (of which Panaitan Island is a part) and the other is Komodo. Accommodations are currently available on Peucang Island and it is the current and ideal location for the Ranger Station as more than 85% of the National Park of Ujung Kulon is on the mainland of West Java and Peucang is a 5 minute boat ride across the small 100% wave protected channel from the bulk of the park. Speedboats, transfer boats, canoes, and a beautiful sand volleyball court are all there for guest use.

Peucang offers varied styles of accommodations ranging from a/c’d rooms with hot water, to dormitory shared accommodation, to private rooms with fan and shower only. It has a tasty restaurant that is fully equipped with beer, wine, food, ciggies, snacks, souvenirs and is built within a large manmade clearing teaming with wildlife such as deer, monkeys, & monitor lizards. The rangers will take you on guided tours to hike Puecang’s rainforest or boat you across the channel to row canoes up beautiful rivers in the National Park on the mainland. The rangers will also take you to Panaitan Island for hiking the trails through the dense jungle or to visit the Hindu Statues in the higher mountains that were left there in the 1800’s.

   

It only takes 15-20 minutes by a fast boat to reach Panaitan Island from Peucang. It is common knowledge that illegal fishing is rife at Ujung Kulon and it isn't policed. Fishermen actually go into the Rangers Station at Peucang to fetch water, bathe and supply fish, which have been illegally caught to the rangers. So how is another camp going to change anything? Money could be well spent on patrol boats and personal based out of the already existing facilities at Peucang, and the jungle left well alone. Why the hell do they need to build another camp then? Money is the reason. Clear and simple.

It is impossible to justify setting up a 2nd camp on the island of Panaitan by cutting down 86 trees (or more) to build structures, dig in septic tanks, use coral reef and sand from the beach to build foundations, burn a massive clearing in the jungle, and bring supply boats over the reef countless times.

   

The future devastation to the unadulterated island with guests walking all over it’s reefs and jungle topsoil, running generators 24 hours a day, burning off trash, inevitable littering, human waste deposits, and certain poaching of sea, land and beach that will surely consist of shells, spearing fish, and eating whatever the Indonesian camp providers feed themselves with no regard for where it came from.

Rumley claims the camp is not his idea; it is the Dept of Forestry idea to set up the camp to stop the illegal boats raping the reefs and wildlife. Matt asked me a few years ago about setting up a camp at Panaitan Island and I informed him that it was a World Heritage Listed area and this cannot and should not happen. Who's idea was it?

Rumley was asked in a recent interview “What are the differences between the camp in G-Land and Panaitan?” Rumley’s answer- “The main difference in camps is that one is still pristine untouched virgin island (Panantan) whilst the other Gland is more commercial and continually gets crowds each year. In a word, Panaitan is a more exclusive camp compared to Gland where everyone and anyone rocks in”.

   

The New Zealand Government has spent millions of dollars over the years to help preserve and protect Panaitan Island. Rumley aims to expand his business ventures in a National Park of a developing country. He would never get away with this type of exploitation in Australia. It is exploitation of a resource that belongs to the people of Indonesia. He has been involved at G-Land in the past in various schemes and has used the road to take in surfers to the National Park. The road is only for use by the National Park Rangers and not for any other use. Matt fixed his problem by paying off the rangers. This guy Matt Rumley is only interested in making money. He cannot be trusted.

Lets do all we can to ensure that the all mighty western $$$$$ don’t destroy the World Heritage listed Panaitan Island

We will keep you updated as things happen.

Thanks and best regards,

Jason Childs
The Panaitan Island Conservation Group (PICG)
savepanaitan@yahoo.com  

PS He ripped of my photos and photographer Mark Newsham for his website. He knows me personally and has my number and has never called me about using my images or anything. We have asked for our images to be withdrawn from the site immediately.

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Jason Childs
The Panaitan Island Conservation Group (PICG)
savepanaitan@yahoo.com  

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