News Focus: RIAU SEEKING FOREST PROTECTION COMPENSATION FROM ADVANCED COUNTRIES by Fardah

     Jakarta, Nov. 30, 2009 (ANTARA) - While Greenpeace recently put Riau's forests in the international spotlight, Riau authorities have said that advanced countries should help compensate its forest preservation efforts.

        "We in Riau need funds to protect the forests from illegal logging activities and to solve the root of the illegal logging problem, namely poverty among the local community," Zulkifli Yusuf, head of the Riau provincial forest service, said in Pekanbaru, last Nov. 25.

GREENPEACE ISSUES STOP-DEFORESTATION APPEAL FROM 'GROUND ZERO' By Fardah

      Jakarta, Nov. 17, 2009 (ANTARA) - Greenpeace Southeast Asia activists have issued an appeal to stop deforestation from a camp in a so-called 'ground zero' rain forest in the Kampar Peninsula in Sumatra.

        "Greenpeace is calling for an end to deforestation globally by 2020 as a key part of the UN climate negotiations this December", according to information from the Greenpeace Southeast Asia official website on Sunday (Nov. 15).

News Focus: GREENPEACE WANTS TO HELP PRESIDENT MEET CLIMATE COMMITMENT By Fardah

        Jakarta, Nov. 24 , 2009(ANTARA) - When the noted environmental NGO Greenpeace Southeast Asia campaigned to protect Sumatra's forest recently, local security authorities tried to crack down on them. Was it miscommunication or misunderstanding?

        The Riau immigration recently deported 13 Greenpeace campaigners and two foreign journalists for what the local authorities said 'lacking permits to engage respectively in environmental campaigning and journalistic activities in the region'.

Sri Lanka Asylum Seekers' Fate Still Uncertain by Fardah

    Jakarta, Nov. 16, 2009 (ANTARA) - At the beginning it was thought that the 'Indonesian solution' would work well but the problem of Sri Lanka asylum seekers aboard the Australian ship MV Oceanic Viking has now led to a standoff not easy to solve.
        On October 18, 2009, the MV Oceanic Viking had picked up 78 Sri Lanka asylum seekers, after they had sent out a distress signal in what Australia called an 'Indonesian search and rescue zone'. But, an Indonesian military officer said they were rescued in waters near Australia's Christmas Island.

News Focus: MONTARA OIL SPILL STOPPED BUT CONCERN CONTINUES By Fardah

    Jakarta, Nov. 10, 2009 (ANTARA) - The East Nusa Tenggara authorities seeming to be still concerned about the possible impact of Australia's Montara oil spill, despite an assurance that the leakage has been stopped.

        When Amien Rais, former chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) visited East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), which shares marine border with Australia, he was told about the oil spill and the provincial authorities' concern over the unresponsive attitude of the central government.