Malaysian Rain Forests

The connection between people seemingly totally separated by geography, culture, language and “development” was excellently portrayed in the series on the rain forest of Sarawak. Having made a visit to the Iban people of Borneo many years ago I was saddened to see the changes that so-called development has brought to their culture.

Even more than that, however, is the effect of destruction of the precious rain forest and how it impacts not only on their lives but also on our own.

The realization still has not penetrated our consciousness that as we spew out carbon from our automobiles and factories in our industrial societies, we are very dependent on those rain forests for giving us the oxygen that sustains us. The indigenous people who are the guardians of that rain forest are in reality our guardians as well. The linkage is undeniable.

Let’s see more on these vital ecological issues.

RICHARD G. SAXON

Encino