Football can HELP save the Orangutans
Dear Fellow Football Lovers,
We all hate spam mails, but please take 2 minutes to read our message and realize that this is not Spam.
We are football fans who happen to also be members of a coalition of people concerned about the environment in Aceh, Indonesia. We are trying to save the Tripa peat swamps in Aceh on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, and the rare orangutans (and tigers and bears and many other endangered species) that live there, from extinction. This is important not only to save the Sumatran orangutan (one of our closest cousins), but also to stop the release of huge amounts of carbon from the peat swamps that will contribute to global warming. Our opponents are oil palm companies who regularly break Indonesian and international laws, and get away with it through corruption and intimidation.
More infomation can be found at an online petition that we have set up at the following website: http://www.change.org/petitions/enforce-the-law-protecting-tripa-peat-swamp-and-its-orangutan-populations
or at the facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/savetripa
Images and videos of recent fires and destruction can be found at: http://endoftheicons.wordpress.com/category/video/
Many of you may not be aware how massive the premier league is in SE Asia, especially Malaysia and Indonesia. Every weekend millions of Indonesians sit up til all hours to watch live Premier League games. This weekend we will be watching, Aston Villa v Chelsea; Everton v WBA; Man. City v Sunderland; Newcastle U. v Liverpool; Spurs v Swansea City; QPR v Arsenal; and Blackburn R. v Man Utd. Millions of people watch YOU watching these games, your banners, your costumes and your flags. Amongst our coalition we have fanatic fans of Liverpool, Arsenal, Man. Utd, Chelsea, QPR (particularly Malaysians), Spurs, Hull City and Ipswich Town (okay the last 2 of us are Brits!). We love football, and we think that besides providing entertainment for millions around the world, it can also be a force for social change.
We realize time is short, but we are appealing for your support in the following in one or more of the following ways over the next few days:
1. Share this email with your friends and family.
2. Sign the online petition (website above) expressing you support for enforcing Indonesian laws that protect these orangutans and peat swamps.
3. If you are going to one of the games listed above this weekend, make a show of support for our cause by make banners/placards: suggested messages could be “SAVE TRIPA ORANGUTANS IN ACEH” or better still the Indonesian equivalent “SELAMATKAN ORANGUTAN TRIPA DI ACEH”. Another option is “ENFORCE THE LAW TO SAVE TRIPA” or its equivalent “TEGAKKAN HUKUM, SELAMATKAN TRIPA”. A few seconds of images of these signs, especially if those holding them were wearing ORANGUTAN costumes, on live TV in Indonesia could have a huge difference. YOU would be making a massive contribution to saving these orangutans and our envrionment.
4. If you do want to wear an ORANGUTAN costume, we know that Greenpeace in the UK has lots of Orangutan costumes, and you could also contact SOS (a UK-based Sumatran orangutan conservation organization). Alternatively, you local party costume outlet might have one.
Please, please support us, have some fun, and enjoy the games this weekend of the best footall league in the world,
Thanks, the Coalition for the Saving The Tripa Peat Swamps
If you need more information feel free to contact:
- Deddy Ratih, (fanatic Liverpool) Walhi / Friends of the Earth Indonesia; Mobile: +62-81250807757, Email: ube.hitar@gmail.com
- Yuyun Indradi, (calm Arsenal) Greenpeace/Forest Political Campaigner; Mobile: +62-812 2616 1759, Email: yuyun.indradi@greenpeace.org
- Ian Singleton, Ph.D (Hull City comedian) Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme/Director of Conservation; Mobile: +62811650491, Email: mokko123@gmail.com
- Graham Usher, (ever-optimistic Ipswich Town) Landscape protection specialist: +6287766008476, Email: kimabajo1@gmail.com
