Press Releases

April 7, 2012 - Medan, Sumatra.   FOLLOWING a period of assessment and planning, OURF gave the green light to begin the second year of the Mobile Education and Conservation Unit (MECU2) program, a field education and community enhancement initiative that endeavors to reduce conflict between villagers and orangutans.  The first year program (MECU1) allowed the Orang Utan Republik Education Initiative Indonesia (OUREII) in Jakarta to purchase a 4-wheel drive truck (with US Fish &Wildlife assistance) and to oversee the activities of the Orangutan Caring Club of N. Sumatra (CPOI-Sumut) in assessing 16 villages in and around Gunung Leuser National Park in N. Sumatra. The Park is home to hundreds of wild and ex-captive orangutans. MECU1 also enabled the field team to conduct education programs about orangutans, other wildlife, environment, and ways to improve the livelihood of the villagers.

6 April 2012- Banda Aceh. The man who signed the permit allowing 1600 hectares of carbon-rich peat forest and orang-utan habitat to be razed and turned into a palm oil plantation agrees his decision was ''morally wrong''. However, Irwandi Yusuf, the former governor of Aceh who is seeking a second term in Monday's election, said he had done it as a wake-up call to the international community over its failing climate change policies.

3 April 2012- Banda Aceh, INDONESIA. Today the Council of Judges of the Banda Aceh National Administrative Court announced it was the inappropriate body to make a ruling on the challenge mounted by the Aceh branch of WALHI / Friends of the Earth Indonesia against legality of an oil palm concession permit granted by the former Governor of Aceh to PT Kallista Alam in the protected Tripa peat swamps.

16 March 2012, Medan, Sumatra.  In a well attended ceremony at the Jangga House in Medan, Sumatra on March 16th, twelve scholarships were presented to students from North Sumatra and Aceh, Sumatra. The Orangutan Caring Scholarships (OCS) have been expanding in number and location over the past several years. All scholarships are competitive and provide for tuition for 4 years and research funds to complete the degree in Biology and Forestry. Additionally, veterinarian students from Syiah Kuala University in Aceh now have funding for a 5th year for an internship enabling them to become practicing veterinarians. This is because of the generous contributions from the Animal Health Foundation (AHF).