Greenpeace slams Indonesia after deportation

(AFP) Google News 14 Oct 11;

JAKARTA — Greenpeace on Friday accused Indonesia of waging a vendetta against the environmental group, after the head of its British branch was denied entry to Jakarta to campaign against deforestation.

Greenpeace UK director John Sauven was blocked by immigration officials on arrival at Jakarta international airport Thursday evening and was sent back that night to Britain.

"Parts of the government want to attack Greenpeace," the environmental group's Indonesia forestry campaigner Bustar Maitar told AFP. "It's obvious that some government officials are involved," he added.

In recent years, Greenpeace has run several campaigns against Indonesia-based Sinar Mas, a privately owned paper and palm oil giant which environmental groups accuse of illegally logging swathes of carbon-rich and biodiverse forests.

Greenpeace campaigns have seen the likes of Unilever, Kraft, Burger King and Barbie maker Mattel cut supply chains from Sinar Mas companies, including Asia Pulp & Paper, one of the world's largest paper makers.

"Immigration never gave us any official notification that Sauven's visa had been rejected. We are still trying to find out why he was deported," Maitar said.

The Human Rights and Justice Ministry did not respond immediately to AFP requests for comment. But a spokesman told the Financial Times that Sauven was deported for portraying Indonesia "in a negative light through bad campaigns".

Several Greenpeace activists and journalists were deported in 2009 as the environmental group campaigned on Sumatra's Kampar Peninsula, where private paper company APRIL has allegedly been destroying carbon-rich peatland.

Greenpeace's campaign ship the Rainbow Warrior was denied entry into Indonesia in 2010.

Greenpeace says its campaigns support President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's pledge to cut Indonesia's carbon emissions by up to 41 percent by 2020, largely through reducing deforestation.

Deforestation in Indonesia is among the fastest in the world and accounts for up to 80 percent of the country's carbon emissions, according to Indonesia's National Council on Climate Change.

Greenpeace accuses Indonesia after director refused entry
Reuters 14 Oct 11;

JAKARTA Oct 14 (Reuters) - Indonesia is trying to undermine Greenpeace's work in halting deforestation in the archipelago of 17,000 islands, the environmental group said on Friday, a day after its head was blocked from entering the country.

Over the past few weeks, Greenpeace, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last month, said there had been accusations about the legal status of its Indonesia office and the source of its funding and small demonstrations outside its Jakarta office.

Greenpeace UK Executive Director John Sauven was blocked from entering the country on Thursday, despite having a business visa, Greenpeace said.

"Over the past few months, there have been a number of attempts to undermine our work in Indonesia to halt the country's spiralling deforestation rates," it said in a statement on its website.

"It has been challenging for Greenpeace staff and volunteers there to say the least."

Sauven had planned to discuss plans with the campaign team in Jakarta, visit deforested areas in Sumatra province and take part in discussions with officials and Indonesian companies.

The Indonesian immigration office was unavailable for comment.

Indonesia is seen as a key player in the fight against climate change and is under intense international pressure to curb its rapid deforestation rate and destruction of carbon-rich peatlands.

A year ago, Greenpeace accused palm oil giant Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology (SMART) of clearing peat land and forests that sheltered endangered species.

The palm oil producer said in February it would work with the government and a non-profit body to improve its forest conservation policies.

In June this year, Greenpeace attacked toy manufacturers which it accused of using packaging produced by Indonesian paper firm Asia Pulp and Paper, which it accused of destroying rainforests. (Reporting by Michael Taylor; Editing by Nick Macfie)