For immediate release on 23 November 2009

Palangkaraya (22/11)- WWF-Indonesia is grieving. Hendra Ramdan Purnama (30 tahun), WWF-Indonesia staff, Central Kalimantan Project, passed away because of motorboat accident. His body was successfully evacuated on Saturday (21/11)morning from Tumbang Jojang village, Seribu Riam Subdistrict, Murung Raya District, Central Kalimantan, by SAR team comprising local County Police (Polres), Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), Region National SAR Agency in Central Kalimantan (BASARNASDA), WWF-Indonesia, and local community near the location of the accident. SAR team had previously searched Hendra for 7 days.
""The accident happened on Saturday (14/11) afternoon in Jojang river, Seribu Riam Subdistrict,Murung Raya District, approximately at 3 pm West Indonesia Standard Time, ""said Rosenda Chandra Kasih (Sendy), Site Coordinator of WWF-Indonesia, Central Kalimantan. The bad nature condition and heavy downpour occured everyday resulting in the increased of water level and heavy wave made the search took time, Sendy added. Other victim, Environment Agency (BLH )Murung Raya staff Riskanul Yakin, Member of Student Nature Lover Organization, Palangkaraya University Susanti, and the motorist Roman were saved and they are now in their recovery.
Father of the late Hendra, Heri Ponadi and his brother inlaw Juhardi joined the search for 3 days and returned to Palangkaraya on Friday (20/11). ""SAR team consisting of 32 people were divided into 4 groups. Each group searched in 4 different locations,"" Hendrik Segah from WWF-Indonesia said. Group I searched in Balai Riam, Group II combed Tumbang jojang-Takun village lane, Group III did their mission in Takun-Tumbang Jojang, and Group IV traced along Busang river. ""Tracking points were made based on the data from the accident location 00.09338 North Latitude and 113.94706 East Longitude in Jojang river,"" add Metarius, WWF-Indonesia staff. Hendra body finally was found in Busang river, 5-6 km away from the accident location, affer SAR team received the information from local fisherman.
""The team of researchers and activists were on their way home from Tumbang Jojang village to Takun village after they conducted socio-economic study and participatory mapping in some villages located in Muller Forest area,"" Sendy said. ""From the time that the accident occured to the evacuation process executed in Palangkaraya, we got support and assistance from Murung Raya Local Government, and local community living near the accident location,"" WWF-Indonesia Operation Director Mohammad Syafril said. During the search, he intensively did coordination with Murung Raya Local Government in Puruk Cahu. The search operations became priority of the Local Government led by Second Assistant of Murung Raya District Krisno Smeth. Information Command Post were built in Murung Raya Environment Agency Office in Puruk Cahu.
Hendra Ramdan joined with WWF-Indonesia, Central Kalimantan Project since June 2009, left his wife Dian Safitri (29 years old) and 3 daughters, Safrina Hayati (3), Tsani Marani (2), and Reisa Hadiyati (1). The late Hendra started his carrer in conservation after he got his first degree mastering Forest Management from Univeristy of Winaya Mukti Bandung and worked in Orangutan Foundation International (OFI). He gained his Dayak and Banjar language skill since he worked and devoted himself entirely to Orangutan conservation practice in 2005 in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan.
The socio-economic study and participatory mapping have been conducted since 8 Novemebr 2009. 19 facilitators from NGOs based on Palangkaraya left for Murung Raya District conducting study in 6 villages. Before they headed for first destination, Tumbang Tujang village, Uut Murung Subdistrict, Murung Raya District, the team led by Hendra coordinated and consulted his work to The Head of Murung Raya Environment Agency and The Region Secretary of Murung Raya District.
After finishing his business in the first village, the team then headed for second village and conducted their activities on 13 November 2009 in Tumbang Jojang village. Before leaving for Tumbang Jojang village, Hendra who was well known as an optimistic and humorous person, reported his activity progress to WWF-Palangkaraya office on 12 November 2009
His grieving family, particularly wife and parents of Hendra Ramdan Purnama, accepted this calamity with their whole heart. A charter plane flew the body of the only son of Heri Ponadi and Iie Samsiah to Palangkaraya on Monday (22/11) morning. After being prayed over, the body then was burried at the same day in Moslem Public Cemetery in Jl. Tjilik Riwut KM 2 Palangka Raya.
""WWF-Indonesia in Central Kalimantan is now grieving over our lost partner Hendra. His spirit and hard work will always be our motivation. We, as well as Hendra's family have lost such a great person,"" Sendy said.
For further information, contact:

• Rosenda Chandra Kasih, Site Coordinator of WWF-Indonesia Central Kalimantan Project, rkasih@wwf.or.id, cellphone 0811529533
• Nina Nuraisyiah, Communication Manager of WWF-Indonesia, Central Kalimantan Project, nnuraisyiah@wwf.or.idcellphone 0811525356

Notes to Editor:
About Heart of Borneo
In February 2007, the governments of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia signed the Heart of Borneo Declaration. The declaration is supported under important regional and international agreements such as ASEAN Association of Sth East Asian Nations, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East Asia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC), United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCD).
About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. WWF started working in Indonesia in the early 1960s. In April 1998, WWF-Indonesia Foundation was established as a WWF global network's independent national organization. WWF-Indonesia Jakarta office leads and coordinates 23 field offices and more than 300 staf. WWF-Indonesia conservation programme takes place in protected areas in 16 Indonesian provinces.
More info about WWF-Indonesia, visit http://www.panda.org/; or our local sites www.wwf.or.id/ and WWF-Indonesia supporter website in www.supporterwwf.org/.
WWF-Indonesia dan Heart of Borneo:http://www.wwf.or.id/hob/
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