Police arrest 14 more Greenpeace activists in Riau

Rizal Harahap ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Pekanbaru   |  Wed, 11/25/2009 5:49 PM  |  National

Local police on Wednesday detained 14 Greenpeace activists, including nine foreigners, who blocked four cranes at a pulp mill in Perawang, Riau.

At the time of writing one of the four cranes was still blocked by four Greenpeace activists, while police personnel and managers of the pulp mill, PT Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper (IKPP), were negotiating.

The activists still blocking the crane were Frank Simon (German), Norika Maureen (Indonesia), Joel Catapong (Philippines) and Henriette (the Netherlands).

Frank Simon told Antara state news agency that one policeman and eight security guards had climbed the 40-meter-high crane and asked them to come down.

"They wanted us to come down, but I just ignored them," Simon said.

Earlier this month, Riau immigration officers deported 13 Greenpeace activists and two foreign journalists, following a rally.

Separately on Wednesday, Greenpeace activists also blocked cranes in Kampar Peninsula, Riau.

"With the critical UN Copenhagen Climate Summit just 12 days away, our activists took direct action today - blocking one of the world's largest pulp mills, owned by Asia Pulp & Paper [APP], in the heart of Indonesia's rainforests," Greenpeace Southeast Asia said on its official website.

Twelve activists locked down cranes at the giant paper plant's port and displayed banners that read: "Forest Destruction: You can stop this", urging world leaders to provide strong leadership to avert climate chaos and allocate the funds needed to end tropical deforestation as part of a fair, ambitious and legally binding climate deal at the Copenhagen Climate Summit in December.

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