Dear Friends and Supporters,

This July, members of the Berkeley Borneo Project will travel to Sarawak and visit our sister community of Uma Bawang. We will travel with tourist visas rather than as a delegation officially sanctioned by the government of Malaysia.

Two weeks ago, in a complicated, almost byzantine communication with the Malaysian Embassy in Washington, we were told that the state government of Sarawak was "... unable to accept the proposed visit at this time. No specific reasons were given [by Sarawak]." In later phone conversations, the deputy chief of mission at the Embassy told us that Malaysia has suspended its sister city "policy", that Uma Bawang is not a city, and that the government could not guarantee our safety as Uma Bawang is in the wilderlands of Sarawak.

When asked if this means that members of the committee could not travel in Sarawak as tourists, the Embassy spokesperson said that Malaysia wants to encourage tourism and that we are, of course, welcome as tourists. So... we metamorphosed from citizen diplomats to tourists with a mission.

We have been in close communication with Uma Bawang. They have encouraged us to continue with our plans for both the visit and the collaborative projects. These projects include working with citizens of Uma Bawang and neighboring longhouses on survey and mapping skills; studying the feasibility of establishing a solar and/or microhydro powered generator in the village; and supporting Uma Bawang's income generating activities through the marketing of village and forest products in the U.S.

Our departure date is set for the First of July. Time is short and there is much to do. We are well on our way towards meeting our $24,000 budget of trip expenses and contribution to Uma Bawang. Almost half of the costs of the trip will come from the pockets of the delegation itself. But we still need to raise $10,000 in the next four weeks. We are appealing to foundations, Berkeley businesses, special donors, and now, to our project supporters. In the words of John Lennon, "HELP!"

There are many ways to help. One is to give money.  Two is to contribute to donate any used items to our upcoming garage sale. Three is in-kind donations. Information on all three options is listed on the reverse side of this letter.

Uma Bawang has a dream of a healthy rainforest controlled by the community which has tended it sustainably for generations. Your help goes to providing these courageous visionaries with the tools to regain control of their forests. Your help makes a tremendous difference.