Please cut and paste the following letter (or better yet, write your own) and send it to the following addresses:
wayan@profauna.org
profaunabali@indo.net.id
info@sos-seaturtles.ch
Here is a video of what we are trying so hard to stop. It is graphic and disturbing, but that is why it is so important to stop this practice. Please watch it, and then help in any way you can. THANK YOU!! http://www.sos-seaturtles.ch/Clip_%20sos-seaturtles.wmv
Your Honour
I'm very much concerned about how endangered sea turtles are being treated in your country. Until 10 years ago on Bali alone, an average of twenty thousand sea turtles per year were brutally cut out of their tortoiseshell alive! As a result of wise decisions by the Government, several actions by the Bali Police and campaigns by Indonesian and international animal welfare organizations, this number has fortunately dropped by 90 percent and according to latest investigations, even less nowadays. However, in view of the sea turtles being threatened with extinction, every animal counts.
Besides the damage to the environment, the killing of sea turtles is illegal according to the Indonesian Government decree No 7 /1999, and the trade of turtle products by CITES regulations.
According to the latest publications in the international media, I have learned that the Bali Government plans to give permission to the killing and trading of 1000 Turtles per year for Balinese rituals. It is obvious and a matter of historical record that such a decision will open the floodgates to uncontrolled killing again, because it will be impossible to control the number of animals slaughtered!
If this quota becomes reality, it would definitely damage the image of Bali and will have an impact on the number of visitors. Hundreds of thousands of people are very much concerned about Bali's sea turtles, and although it may seem a national issue, saving endangered sea turtles is an international issue and only an international approach and cooperation will save them from extinction. In addition, the prospect of swimming and diving with sea turtles, watching them nest and watching the nests hatch is a great draw for tourists to Bali. Your sea turtles are worth much more alive than dead.
I urge you to reconsider the plan to resume the legitimate slaughter of 1000 sea turtles annually, which will result in the illegitimate slaughter of thousands more. Please maintain the ban on killing sea turtles.
Sincerely yours,