Jakarta – The non-governmental organization, The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), condemned on Thursday the government's decision to allow controversial pulp plant PT Toba Pulp Lestari to restart operations, Antara reported.

"The issuance of the permit reveals that the government does not care about the interests of the people," Walhi said in a statement Thursday. Walhi urged the government to review its permit.

On Thursday, State Minister of Communications and Information Syamsul Mu'arif said that the government decided to allow the plant to continue operations pending the establishment of a team to review the possibility of reopening the plant.

Earlier this week, New York-based Human Rights Watch accused the company of violating human rights in its efforts to end the people's protest.

People in Porsea, North Sumatra where the plant is located have opposed the reopening of the plant, formerly known as PT Indorayon, because of serious environmental degradation in the area.