Young West Papua: Guardians of the Papua Forest

Greeners.co on 26 October 2019 published Young West Papua: Guardians of the Papua Forest article in bahasa Indonesia.

Story of Alfa and Abdel

Jakarta (Greeners) – Alfa Ahoren and Abdel Gamal Naser, two young Papuans share their experiences of preserving the forests of Papua. Both of them filled the KLHK Climate Talk at the Arborea Cafe, Manggala Wanabhakti Jakarta, Thursday (10/24/2019).

Alfa Ahoren is an alumni of the School of Eco Diplomacy initiated by Econusa in 2018. Through the program, young people are invited to care about environmental issues by living in the mountains of Arfak in West Papua while protecting the forests there. “

Youth are very important in making programs to make people aware (environmental issues). That is one of our programs at the School of Eco Diplomacy, “said M. Farid, Director of the Econusa Foundation.

Papua’s forest has an area of ​​33.7 million hectares. Inside there are carbon reserves that have the potential to reduce gas emissions.

Unfortunately, public awareness to protect the environment is still low. Alfa Ahoren tries to raise awareness through a community approach or through social media. “

When I entered the School of Eco Diplomacy, it turned out that I felt that many Papuan children were relaxed thinking that their forest or what they were safe turned out to be a lot that was heading towards extinction “said Alfa.

Sarang Pintar

Alfa, who graduated from a tourism school, revealed that he is now pioneering Sarang Pintar. A new breakthrough that focuses on environmental education.

“We are initiating an innovation called Sarang Pintar. So there we provide literacy and education to children in Papua. “Young people from a young age to related to environmental issues,” said Alfa, who was met after the talk titled Millennial Forest Guard in Eastern Indonesia.

The mission of the struggle to protect the environment in Papua is also carried out by Abdel Gamel Naser. The man who works as a Cendrawasih Pos reporter tried to voice environmental issues through direct movements as well as environmental narratives he wrote.

Mangrove House and Jayapura Community Forum

Gamel is also the initiator of the Mangrove House. A community that focuses on the preservation of nature and the environment in Papua. Examples of their simple actions are the dangers of plastic waste campaigns.

He is also the environmental coordinator at the Jayapura Community Forum. Through the forum he tried to transmit the spirit of environmental love across communities.

Demonstration

Gamel tells the story of demonstrations of environmental issues carried out in front of the Papua Governor’s Office. He successfully provoked the community to not only dwell on political demonstrations. “How come it’s just a political demonstration, why isn’t it also an environmental demo,” he said straightforwardly.

The man who calls himself the person who writes and photographs often produces writings about the environment. Some of the writings he showed even managed to open the eyes of the local government related to environmental problems.

Now Gamel underlines the issue of the Bird of Paradise. He said the original bird of Papua land was still often hunted to be used as decoration. Many officials outside Papua came to want him to be brought home when he visited.

10 Jakarta officials came, 10 Cenderawasih we died “said Gamel.

Both Gamel and Alfa continue to transmit environmental issues in Papua. They are aware of protecting the nature of the motherland, not alone.

Author: Mohammad Fariansyah