Jupernalis Samosir, Jakarta – A coalition of mainly environmental groups in Riau province staged a protest on Friday outside the provincial legislative council's office to the demand the closure and eviction of a paper company accused of illegal loggings by environment groups including Greenpeace.

Activsts unfurled banners printed with "RAPP Devoured Riau Forests", "Eject RAPP MS Kaban & Sukanto Tanoto Robbers of the People's Forests", SBY Where is Your Promise on 26 Percent Less Emission", Arrest Fugitive Sukanto Tanoto, RAPP: Riau The Mainstay of Robbers, and other insults, while others buried pictures of Sukanto Tanoto (owner of Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper) and Malem Sambat Kaban (former Forestry Ministry).

They demanded the regional government to revoke the company's license to exploit resources in Riau forests. "We want the government to close the Kampar Peninsula from exploitation and restore its function as peat land," a field coordinator of the protest Hariansyah Usman. They also denounced license given to Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper to exploit forests in smaller islands in the province.

Some of the groups in the protest include Walhi Indonesia Friends of the Earth, Jikalahari, Scale Up, Greenpeace South East Asia, Bahtera Alam, FGI-TI, Riau Mandiri, KPA Tiger, AMAR, Brimapala Sungkai, and Pekanbaru Legal Aid Foundation.