bird flu fight goes on despite complaint in Jakart

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Bird flu fight goes on despite complaint 

Yuli Tri Suwarni and Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Bandung, Yogyakarta

Efforts to fight bird flu continued to meet resistance from poultry breeders in West Java on Wednesday, despite a resurgence in the disease that has claimed five lives nationwide since the beginning of the year.

Breeders in Sindangsari village in Bandung demanded cash compensation when a team of 10 officials from the city's agriculture and animal husbandry offices began slaughtering some 1,200 chickens. 

Resident Iing said he was disappointed at not getting Rp 12,500 (US$1.34) compensation for each chicken as promised by the government. 

"Besides, my chickens have received certificates which declare them healthy and they have been vaccinated," said the 37-year-old, who owns dozens of chickens. 

The team swept through killing all kinds of birds kept by the residents, from chickens to ducks to songbirds. 

Authorities ordered the mass cull after receiving reports of the sudden death of 35 chickens belonging to a resident named Jumhari. An examination revealed that two of Jumhari's chickens were H5N1 positive. 

The head of the Bandung city agriculture office's pest and disease prevention division, Eman Sulaeman, said there would be no compensation for birds slaughtered within a one-kilometer radius of Jumhari's coop. The coop itself was taken to an empty field and burned. 

"There are no such funds from the central government," Eman said. 

The West Java animal husbandry office had earlier promised to pay the Rp 12,500 compensation for each fowl slaughtered in areas where the virus is found. 

Local governments are supposed to pay first and then be reimbursed by the National Commission for Bird Flu Control and Pandemic Preparedness (Komnas FBPI). 

The country has seen a recent resurgence in bird flu. Its total recorded number of human fatalities is 62, the highest in the world. 

Mass culling was also blamed for rising chicken prices in Yogyakarta. 

"In the past week, chicken prices have continued to increase, from Rp 10,000 a kilogram to Rp 13,000 a kilogram now. And it seems it will continue to rise," said Istikomah, a 32-year-old chicken trader in Yogyakarta's Giwangan market. 

She said the increase was due to low supplies from breeders, since many chickens were slaughtered to stop the spread of bird flu. 

"I can sell around 30 kg of chicken a day, instead of the usual 50 kg," she said. 

Trader Mukaromah in Beringharjo market complained she was receiving only 50 kilograms of chicken a day from breeders, rather than the usual 90. 

The head of the Yogyakarta Chicken Breeders Association, Hari Wibowo, acknowledged the low supply but said the public focus on bird flu had stopped prices from going up. 

"Excessive reports have decreased the demand for chickens by 30 percent in Yogyakarta from the usual 100 tons per day," Hari said. 

The bird flu resurgence has also made bird-flu-free regions like Maluku cautious. 

In Ambon, the Dr. Haulussy hospital has been appointed to treat possible bird flu patients. 

"We are ready to accept suspected bird flu patients and we have prepared an isolation room for that purpose. We have also received equipment from Jakarta to deal with such patients," hospital director Jopie Manuputty said Wednesday

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: bird flu fight goes on despite complaint in Jakart Posted: January 25 2007 at 6:36pm
	Bird flu fight goes on despite complaint Yuli Tri Suwarni and Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Bandung, Yogyakarta Efforts to fight bird flu continued to meet resistance from poultry breeders in West Java on Wednesday, despite a resurgence in the disease that has claimed five lives nationwide since the beginning of the year. Breeders in Sindangsari village in Bandung demanded cash compensation when a team of 10 officials from the city's agriculture and animal husbandry offices began slaughtering some 1,200 chickens. Resident Iing said he was disappointed at not getting Rp 12,500 (US$1.34) compensation for each chicken as promised by the government. "Besides, my chickens have received certificates which declare them healthy and they have been vaccinated," said the 37-year-old, who owns dozens of chickens. The team swept through killing all kinds of birds kept by the residents, from chickens to ducks to songbirds. Authorities ordered the mass cull after receiving reports of the sudden death of 35 chickens belonging to a resident named Jumhari. An examination revealed that two of Jumhari's chickens were H5N1 positive. The head of the Bandung city agriculture office's pest and disease prevention division, Eman Sulaeman, said there would be no compensation for birds slaughtered within a one-kilometer radius of Jumhari's coop. The coop itself was taken to an empty field and burned. "There are no such funds from the central government," Eman said. The West Java animal husbandry office had earlier promised to pay the Rp 12,500 compensation for each fowl slaughtered in areas where the virus is found. Local governments are supposed to pay first and then be reimbursed by the National Commission for Bird Flu Control and Pandemic Preparedness (Komnas FBPI). The country has seen a recent resurgence in bird flu. Its total recorded number of human fatalities is 62, the highest in the world. Mass culling was also blamed for rising chicken prices in Yogyakarta. "In the past week, chicken prices have continued to increase, from Rp 10,000 a kilogram to Rp 13,000 a kilogram now. And it seems it will continue to rise," said Istikomah, a 32-year-old chicken trader in Yogyakarta's Giwangan market. She said the increase was due to low supplies from breeders, since many chickens were slaughtered to stop the spread of bird flu. "I can sell around 30 kg of chicken a day, instead of the usual 50 kg," she said. Trader Mukaromah in Beringharjo market complained she was receiving only 50 kilograms of chicken a day from breeders, rather than the usual 90. The head of the Yogyakarta Chicken Breeders Association, Hari Wibowo, acknowledged the low supply but said the public focus on bird flu had stopped prices from going up. "Excessive reports have decreased the demand for chickens by 30 percent in Yogyakarta from the usual 100 tons per day," Hari said. The bird flu resurgence has also made bird-flu-free regions like Maluku cautious. In Ambon, the Dr. Haulussy hospital has been appointed to treat possible bird flu patients. "We are ready to accept suspected bird flu patients and we have prepared an isolation room for that purpose. We have also received equipment from Jakarta to deal with such patients," hospital director Jopie Manuputty said Wednesday