Jakarta – A member of the presidential Judicial Corruption Task Force is questioning government efforts to ban two Greenpeace activists from entering Indonesia, saying it might tarnish the image of the nation and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Greenpeace has supported Indonesia's forest preservation efforts, task force member Mas Achmad "Ota" Santosa told The Jakarta Post on Sunday. The task force investigates the work of the so-called "forest mafia", among other things.
"Greenpeace is being attacked and discredited systematically, as if the NGO is a threat to our national security. In fact, I see statements and studies [of Greenpeace] that are relevant and supportive of President Yudhoyono's commitment to prevent deforestation and reduce carbon emissions," he said.
Immigration officials tried to deport British Greenpeace campaigner Andrew Ross Tait at Halim Perdana-kusuma Airport in East Jakarta on Saturday as he departed with Ota, Greenpeace Indonesia activists and several UK officials to inspect deforestation in Kalimantan.
The attempt failed, however, after the travelers discovered that many of Tait's personal details were not listed accurately in the deportation order.
"After we carefully looked into the deportation letter, we refused the deportation attempt because the personal details in the letter were different," Nur Hidayati, Greenpeace Southeast Asia's country representative for Indonesia, told the Post.
"The name and the passport number in the deportation order were different. The letter also did not have any photo or official stamp," Nur Hidayati said.
Tait's name was written "Andrew John Taits" in the deportation order, Nur Hidayati said, adding that Tait said his middle name was not John.
Immigration previously denied entry to John Bernard Sauven, the executive director of Greenpeace in the UK, when he arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport although he held a business visa issued by the Indonesian Embassy in London. Sauven, who arrived on the same day as Tait, was forced to return home.
Nur claimed that the government's moves were part of several "attacks" launched against Greenpeace in Indonesia, which have intensified since the NGO published reports depicting forest destruction allegedly perpetrated by Asia Pulp and Paper, a unit of Indonesia's Sinar Mas Group.
Greenpeace's campaigns against the Sinar Mas Group reportedly cost the company dearly, with prominent firms such as Burger King, Carrefour, Kraft, Mattel and Unilever all reportedly cutting Sinar Mas companies, especially the Asia Pulp and Paper, out of their supply chains. A representative from the Sinar Mas Group was not available for comment on Sunday.
"The recent attacks against Greenpeace have embarrassed President Yudhoyono to the maximum extent, as the President was once committed to reducing carbon emissions and promoting forest conservation," Nur said.
Immigration spokesman Maryoto refused to disclose the reasons behind the government's decision to deny entry to Sauven, claiming that the government had the sovereign right to deny entry to Sauven and that the Greenpeace official had "not fulfilled the requirements to enter Indonesia". (sat)