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Dr. Maya Rumantir Hutasoit Appointed Honorary
Advisor for OUREI
 June
16, 2006- Los Angeles, CA. During a formal presentation
and press conference held at the Consulate General Republik
of Indonesia in Los Angeles, Dr. Maya Rumantir Hutasoit,
celebrity pop singer and peace activist from Indonesia was
appointed Honorary Advisor to the Orangutan Republik Education
Initiative (OUREI). OUREI Founders Dr. Gary & Inggriani
Shapiro announced the appointment in a ceremony following
an illustrated presentation by Dr. Shapiro about orangutans,
their threats and the work of OUREI. Dr. Rumantir plans
to work with OUREI in Indonesia to further the mission of
saving the orangutan through song and programs that touch
and inspire Indonesian people to care about and to stop
the exploitation and killing that contribute to the species
rapid decline.
 Dr.
Rumantir has had a distinguished career as a top model and
popular singer. She is also recognized for her achievements
in education, humanity and peace. Dr. Rumantir is president
director of the Maya Gita Human Resources Development Institute
which is operated under the Maya Bhakti Pertiwi Foundation
that she founded in 1989. Through her celebrity and her
spiritual message of peace, she has brought people from
various ethnic and religious groups in Indonesia together
to celebrate the diversity of the world’s largest archipelagos.
For her efforts and achievements in mediating peace between
religious factions, she was received by Pope John Paul II
on three occasions and once by Mother Teresa. In 2003, she
organized and hosted an “International Day of Peace” in
Indonesia’s Bung Karno Stadium attended by 50,000 people.
Dr. Rumantir joins OUREI Honorary Advisors Ed Begley Jr.
(actor and environmentalist), and Mr. Handriyo Kusumo Priyo
(former Consul General) and his wife, Nani. Together with
OUREI Ambassador, Ms. Angelina Sondakh*, (Miss Indonesia
2001 and current member of Parliament), Dr. Maya Rumantir
will make an effective team in Indonesia to enlighten and
inspire the Indonesian people to appreciate and save wild
orangutans from extinction.
 During
the evening, Dr. Robert Kounang, President of American Indonesian
United (Amerindo United) presented Dr. Rumantir with a certificate
of appreciation for her education and humanity work at the
Maya Gita Human Resources Development Institute. Consul
Bambang Susanto and Nieke Gaston of the Indonesian consulate
received certificates of appreciation from OUREI and Dr.
Rumantir. The event was attended by nearly 70 people including
supporters of OUREI and Amerindo United.
Dr. Rumantir accepted the honors and showed
slides of her work throughout Indonesia. She enchanted the
audience by singing three songs including “Healing for All
Nations”, a song she wrote and sang for the 2003 “International
Day of Peace”. She announced she plans to organize a similar
event in Southern California later this year.
 Indonesia
is home to the largest remaining populations of wild orangutans.
Found only on the islands of Borneo and North Sumatra, their
numbers are decreasing rapidly (>10% declinie annually)
due primarily to habitat conversion and destruction (principally
from palm oil plantations and illegal logging) and the illicit
pet trade in baby orangutans. Fewer than 7,000 are believed
to remain on Sumatra.
ABOUT The Orang Utan Republik Education Initiative.
In October 2004, OUREI was established by Dr. Gary Shapiro
and his Indonesian wife Inggriani in response to the crisis
that threaten the critically endangered populations of wild
orangutans in Sumatra. Based in Santa Monica, their mission
is to enroll Indonesian people to care and conserve the
species through education and outreach campaigns. Every
Sunday morning, they can be reached at the Santa Monica
Farmer’s Market at Ocean Park and Main St. from 9am till
1pm.
ABOUT American Indonesian United. Amerindo
United began in 2003 as an Indonesian service organization
based in Redlands, California. It serves the Indonesian
and Indonesian-American community through education programs
that provides information and understanding on topics such
as higher education, credit and finance, and other issues.
Amerindo United also produces a periodic newsletter for
the Indonesian community.
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* Note: In November 2005, as the Ambassador for OUREI, Ms.
Sondakh, with the Minister of Forestry, MS Kaban, officially
established Orangutan Caring Week that will be celebrated
each year.
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