Borneo's jungle kings -- September 25, 2007

Location: Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, Eastern Borneo - the world's largest rescue center for orphaned orangutans.

Time: 9:45 a.m., 15 minutes before the daily morning feeding

Scene: About 50 tourists armed with cameras and politely jostling each other for prime position along the railing to see this iconic primate of Borneo. We peer eagerly into the trees for a glimpse of the telltale ginger fur amongst the greenery.



All of a sudden, a large male orangutan lopes along the edge of the railing toward the feeding deck. We all rear back in delighted surprise and the sound of clicking digital cameras ensues. Elbows become a little bit sharper as we rush in to get the perfect "National Geographic" shot.



Then the metal cables running up to the feeding deck begin to sway wildly, and soon, about 10 orangutans of all shapes, sizes and facial features swing into view. These particular primates are slowly being weaned off the hands-on feeding and emotional attachment to humans that characterize their early years at the center in the hopes they can be eventually released back into the wild. These are the "in-between" orangutans who now live in the jungle behind the center but still need to come back for the additional fruit, milk and multi-vitamins.











These beautiful and human-like creatures (they share 96.4% of our DNA) used to rule the jungle's tree tops across Southeast Asia and into southern China, but are now relegated to Borneo and Sumatra. Numbered at 50,000 in Borneo, orangutans are highly endangered as more and more of their natural habitat is cleared for palm oil plantations. While it is thrilling to see the orangutans up close at the Sepilok Rehabilitation Center, it is sad that such a facility is even needed here in Borneo.

On the doorstep of wild Borneo - September 21, 2007

After weeks of anticipation, I've left the confines of mainland Malaysia and have landed in Kota Kinabalu, the capital city of Malaysia's eastern-most state on the island of Borneo. My Malaysian friend assures me that Borneo will be a vastly different and a more rewarding experience than the peninsula. I believe her, but right now, I'm surrounded by a bustling, noisy city that doesn't seem that different from any other Malaysian city.

However, the weeks ahead look promising - visiting the largest orangutan rehabilitation centre in the world, heading out on a three day journey on the Kinabatangan River to look for bearded pigs, crocs and elephants, killing myself on a two day hike up Mount Kinabalu.... I will keep you posted!

A historic and personal moment - September 20, 2007

In recent days, news that former Khmer Rouge leader Nuon Chea has been arrested and charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity has made headlines around the world. For me, it brought me back to the day I visited Toul Sleng, the notorious S-21 prison in Phnom Penh. As I gazed at the photos of children who were imprisoned and tortured there, I remember the visceral anger and despair that washed over me -- Pol Pot was already dead and his comrades were in their 80s and not far behind. Would the perpetrators never have to answer for these unspeakable atrocities?

Now, I am elated and relieved. A few weeks ago, the Cambodian tribunal arrested Duch, the Toul Sleng commandant, and now with Nuon Chea they've got Pol Pot's second-in-command. Prosecutors have submitted the undisclosed identities of three other leaders who will soon be charged. Finally, after 30 long years, those responsible for murdering almost 2 million Cambodians will be brought to justice.

I am also happy for Youk Chhang, the Director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, who I had the fortune to meet when I was in Phnom Penh. For the past decade, he has been doggedly compiling and recording information about the Khmer Rouge, much of which will be used as evidence in this tribunal. Mr. Youk was very friendly and helpful, and I admired his passion and perseverance, even in the face of unrelenting disagreements between the UN and the Cambodian government on how the tribunal should be formed and run. He played a huge role in gathering the information for the arrest warrants; I can only imagine how he must be feeling at this historic moment.

When I was in Phnom Penh, I also had a conversation with a young Cambodian about how he felt about the tribunal. At that time, it was still mired in procedural disagreements; he argued that the money would be better spent on building roads or fixing the education system. Our discussion was fairly academic - i.e., do tribunals such as these help heal the wounds of war torn countries; is the West trying to impose its judicial values on a culture that would rather move on and forget?

Now, as I pore over the details of Nuon Chea's arrest, my reaction is purely emotional as I realize how much I wanted this day to come. I'm not looking for blood or revenge or lengthy jail sentences. I don't even care if they confess or show their remorse (Nuon Chea has already claimed that he had no part or knowledge in the mass executions). I just want the leaders of the Khmer Rouge to stand up in a court of law and be forced to defend what they did to the people of Cambodia, including my own family, during their evil regime.

A quiet paradise - September 2-7, 2007

Sometime in early August, I was trudging up a steep Lao mountain with my heavy backpack digging into my shoulder, when it suddenly occurred to me that I hadn't seen the ocean in over four months. Under a veil of sweat and aching muscles, the vision of me relaxing on a tropical white sand beach with aqua crystal clear water firmly planted itself in my brain, and I knew I needed to include some serious beach time with my next destination.

Funny enough, I spent my first weeks in Malaysia surrounded by the chaos of bustling cities but soon enough, I found myself on a boat speeding toward Pulau Tioman, the setting of the 1958 Hollywood film South Pacific and once voted as one of the world's most beautiful islands by Time magazine. Torrential rain pelted the awning of our boat, striking fear in all us sun-seeking tourists on board about the week ahead.

We needn't have worried; once we arrived at the beach, the rain melted away, leaving behind a scorching sun that would remain for the entire time I was on the island. Most of the beaches on the western side of the island have become quite busy since the island's Hollywood debut so I decided to head to Juara, the only eastern beach site whose sole connection to the overcrowded west was via a horrible mountain road.

I couldn't have been happier with the choice; nestled along a sweeping bay, the smattering of humble chalets were nicely spaced and a calm pervaded the pretty white sand beach.



Best of all, tourists have yet to flood the place with their Western demands of internet, laundry service and raucous beach parties so it remains a quiet fishing village with friendly locals that stop to guide new arrivals to their guesthouse (like me!)

This was a week about doing nothing - reading on my veranda, staring out at the crashing waves and trotting over to the local beach cafe to have dinner with my new found Dutch friends. Here's the view from my chalet...




On one memorable day, we went on an all day snorkelling trip where we were treated to an underwater explosion of greens, neon blues, oranges and purple floating around us. We stopped at this pretty beach on the way back just to lounge around.