Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Allegations made Wednesday by Australian Senator Ian MacDonald and president of mining company PT Newmont Minahasa Raya Richard Ness that an Indonesian environment group has connections to terrorist activities have been slammed as baseless and outrageous by the group's leadership.
The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) said it was not involved in activities with the Islamic Forum (FUI), an alliance of Islamic mass organizations, including the Indonesian Muslim Assembly (MMI) and Hizbut Tahrir.
The accusation was made during a parliamentary session on August 9 by MacDonald. He said Walhi's connection with the FUI was proven when FUI held a demonstration at the South Jakarta District Court on July 19 during a session of Abu Bakar Ba'asyir's case against police Detachment 88 anti-terror unit.
The court session was being held on the same day but was separate to an ongoing civil case between Walhi and Newmont. In FUI flyers distributed during the rally, the Islamic forum used Walhi's name and linked their protest to the Walhi versus Newmont case.
MacDonald also alleged Walhi's executive director, Chalid Muhammad, was involved in a violent rally outside the U.S Embassy in April wearing a full Islamic robe.
In addition, on August 9, Newmont's president Ness allegedly sent a letter to the Friends of the Earth (FoE) in Australia undermining Walhi's reputation as an environmental group. The FoE then informed Walhi about Ness' allegations.
During a press conference Wednesday, Walhi council chairman Johnson Panjaitan said the accusation had defamed his organization and he demanded an apology.
"To (say) Walhi has a connection with terrorist organizations is completely baseless and outrageous," Johnson said. "Walhi has campaigned environmental issues for 27 years with support from communities and has proven its non-violent track record," he said.
Walhi said the allegations were part of systematic efforts to stop the group's environmental movements and its criticism of Newmont's activities. Walhi said it had for seven years defended a community in Buyat Bay in North Sulawesi, which was polluted by Newmont's activities.
The systematic efforts began with a lawsuit by Newmont against environmental activists in North Sulawesi's provincial capital Manado, Walhi said. Another lawsuit was filed against the New York Times for publishing Newmont's operations. Newmont followed this action by accusing Walhi of being attached to terrorist activities.
"Their efforts to discredit Walhi will not stop us from doing our activities and criticizing environmental vandals," Walhi's Chalid said.
To oppose the allegations, Walhi said it has sent letters to the Australian parliament, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry and House of Representatives demanding Australia and Newmont apologize.