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'.

        Greenpeace on the other hand insisted that by establishing Climate Defenders Camp in Kampar Peninsula's forest in Riau Islands Province, they did a favor to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono by helping him meet his commitment to cutting carbon emission.

        They had violated their tourist visas and were deported through Jakarta, Jumanter Lubis, head of the Riau immigration office, told ANTARA on the phone on Nov. 18.

        The two foreign journalists, respectively Kum Kum from Hindustan Times of India and Raimondo Bultrini of El Expresso of Italy, were deported for having no permit to cover Greenpeace activity in Kampar Peninsula, Riau Islands Province, he said.

        But, Susilaningtias, Greenpeace lawyer, said the deported foreigners indeed did not have traveling permits, but they had other necessary documents.

        Greenpeace has set up a "Climate Defenders Camp" and put a huge banner in an area of freshly destroyed rain forest reading "Obama : you can stop this" in a Kampar Peninsula rain forest.

        Greenpeace opened the camp three weeks ago to bring urgent attention to the role that rain forest and peatland destruction play in driving dangerous climate change in the run up to the critical UN Copenhagen Climate Summit.

        The NGO specifically addressed the banner to US President Barack Obama who attended APEC Summit held in Singapore, which shares marine border with Indonesia's Sumatra Island, last November 15, 2009.

        On its official website, Greenpeace Southeast Asia complained that Indonesian authorities had ramped up Intimidation tactics against Greenpeace activists, independent media and local community members supporting its Climate Defenders Camp on the Kampar Peninsula on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

        "We are calling on President Yudyhono to step in and stop these extreme and embarrassing actions against Greenpeace activists who are carrying out their peaceful activities along with the local communities to help our President fulfil his internationally announced emission reduction targets," said Nur Hidayati, Indonesian office representative of the Greenpeace Southeast Asia, recently.

        Greenpeace also wrote a letter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to report about intimidation and deportation by Riau authorities.

        "We sent a letter to the President to report the case happening in Kampar Peninsula, Teluk Meranti village, Meranti sub district, Pelalawan District, Riau Province," Nur Hidayati, said in Jakarta on Wednesday (Nov. 18).

        The local police and company personnel intimidated Greenpeace activists after some Greenpeace activists had locked themselves to seven excavators owned by APRIL, one of Indonesia's biggest pulp and paper producers, in Kampar Peninsula, on Nov. 12.

        "We set up the camp to protect the forests in Kampar Peninsula which have considered been destroyed by company`s activities," Hidayati said.

        "We want the President to know that his personnel have conducted policies contradicting to the president`s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emission," she said.

        At the Pittsburgh G20 Summit earlier this year, President Yudhoyono made an international commitment of a 41 percent reduction in carbon emissions with international support. This commitment needs to be matched by developed countries making deep emissions cuts at home and support forested countries like Indonesia by committing to provide funding for the protection of tropical forests under the Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) scheme.

        Last Saturday (Nov. 21), hundreds of Greenpeace activists and supporters from several of Java's main cities today rallied in support of President Yudhoyono's international commitment to reduce carbon emissions from Indonesia.

        They called for his promise to be immediately put into practice by halting deforestation which is driving runaway climate change. More than hundreds activists gathered early in the morning at Monas and marched down Jl. Sudirman to Bunderan Hotel Indonesia where they unfolded a banner reading, "Stop talking, start acting save the forests for our future".

        Currently, around 50 percent of the world`s total carbon reserves are in Indonesia`s forests and peatlands. Meanwhile, Indonesia is the third largest carbon emitter after the US and China, by contributing around 20 percent to the carbon emission.

        Of Indonesia's over two million hectares of peatlands, around 50 percent was damaged due to deforestation and forest conversion into plantation areas.

        "Kampar Peninsula is one of the world`s largest carbon sinks. If the Kampar forests are destroyed by pulp and paper industries, that will be clearly contrary to President Yudhoyono`s commitment,"Hidayati said.

        Responding to the Greenpeace non-violent direct action in Riau, new Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan in Jakarta on November 19, ordered APRIL (RAPP) to halt its forest clearing activity on the carbon-rich peatlands of the Kampar Peninsula, pending review of their permits.

        Greenpeace hailed the decision and expected the Forestry Minister to do a comprehensive review of all the existing permits and concessions for pulp and paper companies in the Kampar Peninsula, said Bustar Maitar, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Forest campaigner, said.

        "Saving these forests is something that the Indonesian people want - as demonstrated by the overwhelming support our climate defender`s camp has received over last few weeks," he added.

        Bustar Maitar defended that the NGO`s presence in Sumatra`s forest was to support President Yudhoyono`s commitment to cutting the country's greenhouse gas emissions by up to 41%.

        "We are helping him honour that commitment by spotlighting the priority areas for protection," he said.

        Members of Riau's former Siak Sultanate, Meiko Sofyan and Anas Aismana, supporting the Greenpeace's demand, asked PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP) to stop exploiting in the peatland reas in Kampar Peninsula.

        "Herewith, we strongly warn RAPP and other companies to stop your illegal activities in Kampar Peninsula, or otherwise we will take a stern action and not allow anything bad in this 'Bumi Lancang Kuning' land," Meiko Sofyan said in a statement issued on Monday (Nov. 23).

        The former Siak Sultanate also expressed support to Greenpeace, Jikalahari (Networking of Riau Forest Protectors), Walhi (Indonesian Environmental Forum) in their efforts to safe Riau's forests.

        "As a mother who delivered the birth of the Republic of Indonesia, we have the rights to remind our child, the Indonesian government, and outsiders such as RAPP not to do bad deeds in Riau land," Sofyan said.

        Indonesia has made climate change a key priority in its national budget for 2010, reaching half a billion dollars, which includes preservation and expansion of the country's tropical rain forest cover.

        Along with 10 other tropical rain forest countries, Indonesia initiated the establishment of the Forest-11 joint cooperation, to ensure that their forests would be a key part of global climate solutions, President Yudhoyono said in his recorded statement to the UN Climate Changed Summit held in New York, last September 2009.

        "There is a historical responsibility that must be translated into deep cut emissions. This also should be transformed into willingness to help those who are vulnerable to the impact of climate change to adapt to it," Yudhoyono said in his statement to the Summit. ***3*** (f001/A/HAJM/B003) 2. 17:30. (T.F001/A/F001/B003) 24-11-2009 18:27:56