Indonesia: Forestry minister disappointed by US actor Harrison Ford

Antara 9 Sep 13;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan has expressed his disappointment over US actor Harrison Ford`s behaviour during an interview on Monday.

Harrison Ford came to the Ministry of Forestry that day to interview the minister for his documentary film on global warming that also depicts pictures of a number of forests in Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan and Riau.

In a press conference, after the interview, the minister said the US actor viewed that Indonesian forests had been severely damaged, national parks encroached and actors behind them were not caught while permit for ecosystem restoration has not been issued.

"I understand the American man just came here to see Tesso Nilo (national park in Riau) and wanted violators to be caught the same day. It was not easy to explain it to him. He was very emotional. His temper was high during the interview. I could understand his love for the fauna, the environment and the rain forests in Indonesia," he said.

He said he had explained to Ford that the settlement of forest problems in Indonesia was done in stages. No force is used against the encroachers but it is done by improving their welfare by providing them with land for them to farm.

"The time was very short. I was only given an opportunity to speak one or two words during the interview. Discussion should have been done before so that there would be understanding despite the differences. I was immediately given a make-up and then acted for the interview," he said.

Zulkifli said he was not afraid if the result of the interview would be used to discredit Indonesia.

"Now people are free. If they are not allowed to cover it they could seek materials from other sources. We are not covering up anything," he said.

Regarding newsmen`s disappointment over their failure to interview Harrison Ford despite almost three hours of waiting the minister said that "we have signed a contract that Ford would not give any statement or a press statement." (*)

Editor: Heru

Indiana Jones explores Indonesia’s forests
Dwi Atmanta and Bagus BT Saragih The Jakarta Post 8 Sep 13;

Without fanfare, the Hollywood star known for his role in the Indiana Jones movie franchise, Harrison Ford, has been venturing deep into Indonesian forests and breathing the air of Jakarta in between.

Ford and his team are in Indonesia to work on their contribution to a documentary film on climate change, Years of Living Dangerously, which is coproduced by James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The movie is set to premier in April 2014.

Ford, who snuck into Jakarta on Sept. 1 on a chartered jet at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta, aimed to interview a number of local environmental figures as well as provide the narration for the section on Indonesian rainforests — including information on forest fires, peatland conservation and oil palm plantations.

The list of Ford’s interviewees include President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono; Presidential Working Unit for the Supervision and Management of Development (UKP4) chief Kuntoro Mangkusubroto; Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan; plantation businessman Franky Widjaja, and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (Kadin) deputy chair for the environment and climate change, Shinta Widjaja Kamdani.

Presidential special staffer for disaster relief Andi Arief said on Saturday that Yudhoyono would be interviewed on Sept. 10. “But I am not sure if the President’s meeting with Ford will be included as part of the movie,” he told The Jakarta Post.

Andi also said the location of the interview with Yudhoyono had not yet been decided.

Shooting is already underway in Jakarta before the team moves to Riau. Ford recently filmed inclusive peatland conservation activities conducted by Dharsono Hartono and activists from international green groups, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Greenpeace.

President Yudhoyono, who last week attended the G20 leaders’ summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, informed his ministers about Ford’s two-week trip to Indonesia four days before Idul Fitri.

During a Cabinet meeting, the President said Ford had asked him for a meeting and an interview.

After receiving the President’s nod, Ford, through Presidential Palace officials, asked if the President would like him to bring any of the movies that he had starred in.

“Indiana Jones”, the President was quoted as saying.