Australia extends assistance to help preserve Lorentz park
Saturday, December 2 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
Australia`s Environment Affairs Ministry will extend a financial assistance aimed at helping preserve the Lorentz National Park in Indonesia`s Irian Jaya province.
Head of the provincial office of the Natural Resource Conservation Center, Sutedja, said here Thursday that the Australian government`s assistance, to be channeled through its AusAid program, will be for the management of the park from 2001 to 2003.
Sutedja said the assistance was the result of an approach made by the Indonesian delegation during the recent workshop on world inheritance of archaeological sites, held at the Tongario National Park in New Zealand.
The workshop was held last Oct 26-30, involving 17 Asian and West Pacific countries.
"The assistance also aims to empower the local people in preserving the national park and its environment," he said.
The 2,500-hectare Lorentz National Park was appointed by Indonesia`s Forestry and Plantations Ministry in 1997 as an archaeological site.
However, a portion of it has been handed over to PT Conoco for oil exploration.
In 2002 and 2003, the Australian government is planning to give a chance to those involved in the preservation of the Lorentz Park to visit Australia to observe the Kakadu National Park, which is mostly managed by the local people, particularly the Abrogines. (*)