Jembatan Kita

Illegal Logging

Ladies and gentleman, it is really a pleasure right to feel the fresh air, and see green forest along the road. In this globalization, forest has become a really important things, but unfortunately there are still many people who do not realize the important of forest, even they take it without noticing the impact.
Indonesia has 180 million hectare of forest, and the most is in Kalimantan island. This is the second largest forest in the world after Brazil. Unfortunately, exactly the deforestation case in Indonesia got the first place in the world. Based on State of the World’s Forests 2007 1,8 million hectare of forest in Indonesia lost every year and the amount is always increase. Imagine, if this is continue not more than 200 years our forest will be no more. The first causes of deforestation is illegal logging. By the increase of population growth, the needs for land and also other resources will also increase. This will affect in clearing the forest for land. Actually, the government through forest department have given quotes for forest logging. But not all the logging done legally, some irresponsible person cut forest more than the quotes.
The definition of illegal logging by itself actually is the pillage of woods which out of the laws in concerned area. Illegal logging may cause of a lot of negative impact to the environment and also human being.
As we know, forest is the habitat for many living things. Rainforest in Indonesia accommodate 28.000 species of plants and 350.000 species of animal. 20% of them are in danger like Sumatran tiger, orang utan, sandalwood tree and many more. Imagine, if all of the forest cut, where do those creature live? There are so many report that wild animals like tiger entered the village and ate the citizen’s cattle. Why did they do that? They, like human also need food, and because their habitat which is destroyed by human can’t provide enough food, they go to the village to look for food. At last, they will extinct and we can’t see them no more. Beside, forest also could be an attractive tourism object. Not only that, plants also produce oxygen, reduce carbon dioxide and reduce the pollution in earth, if forests cut, the temperature will be hotter, less oxygen and more carbon dioxide in air and also there is much pollution because nothing neutralized it. The bigger result is global warming. We must think of our child, our next generation so that they could also breathe the fresh air. The worst things are cutting of plants in forest could result in natural disaster like flood and land slide. Bare forest, can’t hold water, so in rainy season it could cause flood and land slide. From economic side, if we always take everything from our forest without taking care of it of course slowly it will disappear and finally we’ll have nothing more. If this already happen what could we do? What could we give to our child?
Very miserable right? So, what could we do to save our forest? Actually there are so many things to do to save our forest, even simple thing in our life actually could have big mean if done in large scale. First, we could plant some trees; one single tree could produce 14.000 l of oxygen and become habitat for several living things. For the logger, they should do selective logging and replant the forest by reforestation. After all, we hope that deforestation in Indonesia could be prevented. Forest has given a lots of things for us, so we could take care the forest. Who will save the forest if not us?

Sangkuriang

Once upon a time in a little village in West Java, lived a very beautiful woman named Dayang Sumbi. She lived alone and didn’t have any husband yet.
In a morning, when she was painting in front of her house, her paintbbrush fell of from her house. She was very lazy to pick it up, so she spoke
“Somebody please pick up my paintbrush. If a man that pick it up, he will by my husband. But if a woman that pick it up, she will be my sister” After that, a male dog called Tumang picked it up and gave it to Dayang Sumbi. Dayang Sumbi couldn’t break her promise. So, she got married with Tumang. Their love grew naturally from time to time. From that wedding, Dayang Sumbi gave birth to a baby named Sangkuriang. Dayang Sumbi never told Sangkuriang about his father.
One day, Dayang Sumbi asked Sangkuriang to hunt in the forest with Tumang. Unfortunately, after walked for a long time, Sangkuriang didn’t find anything. He was very tired and angry.
“Where is all of the animals here?! My mother will be angry if I bring nothing home.” and then he saw Tumang. Because of madness he killed Tumang, slayed its meat then went home.
At home, Dayang Sumbi asked Sangkuriang
“How about your hunting, Sangkuriang? Did you get anything?”
“Actually I didn’t find anything. But, when I saw Tumang, I think we could eat it. I also want to try dog’s meat. So, I killed it”
“What? You killed Tumang?! Do you know if Tumang is your father! Rebellious child! Get out you from here! I don’t want have a child who kill his own father!” said Dayang Sumbi while hit Sangkuriang’s head with a big spoon.
“Oh, so mother prefers that ugly dog to me? Ok, I will get out from here!” said Sangkuriang then he got out from his house.
Day changes into another day and years changes into another year. After many years, Sangkuriang became a gentleman but Dayang Sumbi still beautiful like she was young. When Sangkuriang went to a village , Sangkuriang met with Dayang Sumbi. They fell in love at the first sight. After that Sangkuriang and Dayang Sumbi often to met. Until one day, involuntary Dayang Sumbi saw the scar in Sangkuriang’s head. She remembered with her son. But she pretended to know nothing.
Sangkuriang’s love to Dayang Sumbi became more and more. So in one beautiful day, Sangkuriang proposed Dayang Sumbi.
“Sumbi, our relationship is very closed, I want it be deeper. I love you very much, Sumbi. Will you marry me?” Dayang Sumbi was very confused with that situation.
“Sangkuriang, I know it’s difficult. But I’m your mother. So, I can’t marry with you. I can’t marry with my own son”
“Don’t lying Sumbi. I know you are lying. It’s impossible! My mother must be very old now. She is not young and beautiful like you”
“Sangkuriang, please believe me. I’m your mother, your mother”
“No, you’re not my mother! Don’t look for any reason, Sumbi!” Dayang Sumbi thought once again, then she had an idea.
“Ok, I will marry you but in one condition. You must build a lake from Citarum river and also make a boat. If you not finish it yet until the morning, you can’t marry me. Do you agree?”
“I will do everything to marry you, Sumbi”
In the night, Sangkuriang called all of his friends, ghosts and forest fairies to help him.
“Hey all my friends, please come, I need your help” said him loudly.
“Yes Master” answered them. They worked very fast with magic power.
The morning is still far but Sangkuriang almost finished all of his jobs. Dayang Sumbi was very worried.
“Oh my God, please help me. I can’t married with my own son” Then Dayang Sumbi had another idea. She asked another women in the village punch the grains with the grains puncher. The ghosts and forest fairies were very disturbed with that sound.
“Oh noooo!”said them while ran away and leaved Sangkuriang before finish the job.
The morning came but Sangkuriang not finish his job yet. He was very angry. He kicked away the boat and it turned into a mountain that called Tangkuban Perahu.