Feature - RAJA AMPAT: HONORING INDONESIA'S FAR EAST PARADISE by: Aditya E.S. Wicaksono

It was mid-April, and the Raja Ampat waters were rather calm, when the Motor Vessel Pin Yuwen made its way underneath a clear sky, bringing on board 14 ASEAN journalists who were invited as part of the Journalists Visit Program by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Some of them perched themselves bravely on the narrow deck, enjoying the voyage and taking in the picturesque parade of coral islands and crystal clear waters. The journalists were invited to experience for themselves Indonesia's tourism potentials, especially the Raja Ampat region. Some had previously heard about Raja Ampat, while others had not. "At first, I thought Raja Ampat just had beautiful beaches, but in reality, it is full of adventure," Idayu Suparto, a journalist from Singapore, said. To reach the Wayag Islands, they had to cross the Dampier Strait from Sorong to Waisai, making a two hour boat trip. From Waisai, the voyage continued for about four hours to reach the Wayag Islands in the northern part of Raja Ampat District. While it was exhausting, Raja Ampat offered spectacular views, a clear blue sky, coral reefs, red-finned marlin, flying fish gliding above the surface, and even a group of dolphins. Arriving at Wayag Islands, they had to climb a steep hill layered with sharp porous stones to get an eagle eye view of the breathtaking panorama of the karst islands formation. "From above, what I saw felt like heaven. It was the most beautiful scenery I ever saw in my life," Sopheak Khuon from Cambodia said. Clicking a selfie with Wayag Islands in the background has become a must for anyone visiting Raja Ampat. "Raja Ampat's waters are so beautiful. I had seen other waters but nothing like this. These waters were blue and so clear," Idayu added. Conservation efforts Nevertheless, the Wayag Islands, which are often featured in calendars and adorn Indonesia's tourism brochures, are not the only enticing thing in Raja Ampat. The lifestyle of the local people and their perseverance in conserving their native place is rather exceptional -- an exemplary illustration of how to live side by side with mother nature. Some years back, blast fishing and over fishing of marine resources seemed a major challenge that the local government faced in ensuring the survival of this piece of heaven situated at the northwest tip of Bird's Head Peninsula on the island of Papua. The devastation and over exploitation of Raja Ampat's marine life caught the attention of the world's ecologists, such as Shawn Heinrich, inspiring them to come to Papua. "When I watched fishermen ripping off the fins of live sharks and throwing their bodies into the water to die, it was such an insult to this special place," Heinrich said during a meeting in Jakarta. Heinrich, a documentary movie director, had been on the lookout for the one last place on earth that is still beautiful and intact, and he found it when he arrived in Raja Ampat islands of Papua in 2006. He was mesmerized by the natural beauty and the biodiversity of the marine conservation area there. This piece of heaven, this slice of the Papuan land, as Heinrich called it, was under a huge threat due to overfishing and fish bombings, and that was what drove him to produce his documentary film. He teamed up with Conservation International (CI), supported by the USAID and the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, to document the conservation efforts in Raja Ampat through his film, titled "The Guardians of Raja Ampat." The success stories of the people of Raja Ampat documented in the movie include the establishment of a Marine Protected Area, which covers 3.6 million hectares, in 2006, and a sanctuary for sharks and manta rays in 2010. Local people are now banned from harvesting sharks, stingrays, dugong and sea turtles in Raja Ampat waters. Fishermen are also forbidden to fish in the area established as the "fish bank," which serves as a place for marine creatures to multiply. "We have stopped fishing in Lalosi. It serves as a fish bank, which has all kinds of fish. There is more fish to catch as it supplies big and smaller fish," Nomensen Membraku, a local fisherman, said. When the journalists visited the islands, there were no big fishing vessel sailing in Raja Ampat waters. "Fishing using trawlers is banned. Therefore, local people are now fishing using only simple rods on board a canoe," Thias Taborak, an official of local Fishery Office, said. The Wisdom of Sasi The people of Raja Ampat are also bound to an unwritten law which prohibits exploitation of marine resources for a certain period of time. The local Sasi wisdom, practiced for generations by people of Raja Ampat, has played an important role in managing the marine resources by allowing the sea creatures time to breed and multiply. "It can last for three months, or six months or even a year. After that, people are allowed to fish again," said Tahir, a local resident of Misool Island. The local people also practice Sasi when it comes to their land, during which cutting of trees or harnessing fruit is forbidden for that period. In general, local people are allowed to cut trees in the forest. "They may use the tree to build houses but they cannot sell the wood to anyone outside Raja Ampat," Tahir said. Following such local wisdom has kept the islands lush and green, providing shelter to numerous species of birds such as birds of paradise, cendrawasih, egrets and eagles. Marine Treasure Located at the Coral Triangle, the Raja Ampat District covers around 46,000 square km area, with 87 percent of its territory being waters. Conservation International, which has been working since 2004, found that the Raja Ampat waters are home to 75 percent of world's coral species. Those rich waters provide food, livelihood and shelter, helping to buffer communities from tropical storms. A total of 65,000 people live on 37 inhabited islands. Also, studies found that at least 1,427 species of coral fish live in Raja Ampat's waters, along with hundreds of types of mollusks, dozens of shark species, whales, sea turtles and the famous manta ray. There are also two endemic species of sharks, which local people call wabbegong and kalabia, or the walking sharks since these use the fin not only to swim but also to walk on the sand or coral reefs. Raja Ampat also has abundant diving spots. International divers have even called Raja Ampat a paradise for diving. There are at least 20 diving spots in central Raja Ampat alone, waiting to be explored, not to mention those in the northern waters and in the southern Misool Island. "When you dive, and you look above, you can see thousands of fish, barracuda, mackerel or tuna circling around like hurricane," Thias said about Blue Magic, one of the best diving spots in Raja Ampat. More adventure and beauty remain to be discovered in Raja Ampat's waters, dotted by at least 1,846 islands. If one day is spent to explore one island at a time, it would take at least five years to cover all the islands in Raja Ampat. "Raja Ampat is so rich in natural treasures, but as the District Head said, it is better to reveal them bit by bit," Assistant III of Regional Secretary of Raja Ampat Semuel Belseran said. On May 9, the people of Raja Ampat will commemorate its anniversary in Waisai Torang Cinta Beach. They will have a fiesta, celebrating life and showing their gratitude for God's gift for the land of Papua.