Villagers live in fear as recently released tigers roam free
Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung
Two Sumatran tigers recently released into South Bukit Barisan National Park (TNBBS) are blamed for killing eight goats and causing panic among villagers living within the park.
"Although forest rangers keep guard over our village, we are still afraid," Idai, 33, of Pengekahan village in Bengkunat Belimbing district, West Lampung regency, said Tuesday.
He added villagers' fears intensified a few days ago when the tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) were spotted entering the village and sleeping in front of the local elementary school building.
The tigers, two of five slated for release at the park, were released on July 22, despite concerns over the safety of some 500 people living in Wayharu village, Pengekahan.
Wayharu borders the release site, which lies in the Tambling Wildlife Nature Conservation (TWNC) area owned by tycoon Tommy Winata.
Villagers have lived in the area since 1942, long before Wayharu was included in the TNBBS reserve. Efforts were begun two years ago to relocate them, but have proved futile.
Warsito, head of West Lampung's forestry office, said a safer site had been prepared for the relocation, but still lacked approval from the Forestry Ministry.
The local administration, legislators and activists insisted the release should not be carried out until the villagers were relocated, but their protests fell on deaf ears.
Mukri Friatna, director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment's (Walhi) Lampung branch, said the villagers would be in danger if nothing was done about the situation.
"In Aceh, tigers killed livestock first. Later, they killed humans. This could also be the case here," said Mukri, referring to a similar case in Mount Leuser National Park in Aceh.
"Now the tigers have been released, we urge the TNBBS and the Forestry Ministry to deal with the consequences of their actions," regency legislator Ulul Azmi Soltiansah said.
In response to the protests, Forestry Minister M.S. Ka'ban, who officiated the release two weeks ago, and Tommy Winata claimed it was highly improbable the tigers would venture into the village, because TWNC abounded in their natural prey.
"There are lots of deer, wild boars, monkeys and wild buffalo. The tigers will feel at home here and will not enter the village," Ka'ban said at the release.
TWNC management expressed similar sentiments, saying the tigers had been tagged with global positioning system (GPS) devices to track their movements.
Neither the ministry nor the park have come up with a contingency plan in case the tigers really do venture into the village.
