Press Release: SLANK Campaigns for Parrot Protection in North Maluku
(03/27/2010) The decreasing population of North Moluccan parrots which threats the birds with extinction has moved a famous Indonesian music group band that has more than four millions fans all over Indonesia, SLANK, to campaign for parrot protection together with ProFauna Indonesia, a wildlife protection organization. The group was involved in ProFauna's launch of conservation short-movie entitled "Suara Masyarakat Maluku Utara (Voices of North Moluccan People)" with the support of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) held in the Capital of North Maluku, Sofifi, on 25 March 2010.
SLANK who is one of ProFauna"s honourable members (volunteers) also paid a visit to a school in North Maluku to promote ProFauna"s education programme in bird conservation. During the visit, "Voices of North Moluccan People" film was played and question and answer session was held. SLANK"s participation raised the locals" awareness not to poach parrots to be illegally traded because the endemic birds are threatened by extinction.
In front of hundreds of students and villagers attending the visit in SMP (Junior High School) 5 of Tidore Kepulauan (Tidore Islands), Kaka, SLANK"s vocalist quoted, "You guys are lucky as North Moluccans because of the Islands" beautiful natural resources including parrots. Save them from extinction because they are what you should be proud of North Maluku". Bimbim, SLANK"s drummer added, "SLANK has been concerned of nature conservation for long time ago. This has included nature creatures like wildlife. We should keep and save them for our future generation".
At the film launch, ProFauna and RSPCA granted each organization"s award for Sultan of Ternate Palace, North Maluku, and Governor of North Maluku respectively, for their efforts to protect North Moluccan parrots. In 2003, Governor of North Maluku published a Governor"s Instruction prohibiting parrot poaching from the wild of North Maluku. While Sultan of Ternate Palace has issued an order called "Idin Kulano" for the locals and regional government to protect the birds endemic to North Maluku.
For further information, please contact:
Swasti Prawidya Mukti
(International Affairs Officer, ProFauna Indonesia)
Email: international@profauna.net
Mobile: +62 856 369 3611