CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The 15 international environmental activists who were arrested and detained “for more than 24 hours,” after Indonesian police dispersed what one of the green group member described as a “peaceful” press conference last Monday, are now safe and on their way to their home-countries, a local network member said Wednesday.

In an interview, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan (LRC-KsK)—a legal and policy research non-government organization (NGO) Executive Director Judith P. Pasimio said that on July 5, Jean Marie M. Ferraris, Team Leader of LRC-KsK’s Davao office, together with 14 other green activists were in a middle of a press conference on the ill-effects of coal-fired power plants, when some 100 Indonesian police barged in and arrested the activists.

“This outrage only shows what appears to be collusion between the Indonesian government and the Cirebon Elektrik, Ltd. We denounce how the police violently disrupted a peaceful and legitimate practice in the defense of the environment and the rights of its people,” said Ms. Pasimio.

She said the international environmental watchdog Greenpeace, along with network organizations, attended a peaceful press conference—organized by anti-coal communities in Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia—a five-hour train ride from capital city, Jakarta.

“Jean went to Indonesia to share the Philippine experience on the deadly impact of coal and our own learnings from our anti-coal campaigns, particularly in Maasim, Saranggani,” Ms. Pasimio said in an emailed statement.  “She kept her humor throughout the ordeal. (I) am just really worried about her health, as they were not given proper meals, no rest, and of course the tension.  While she is a very strong woman and activist, she has her physical limitations, but am sure that this experience will keep her stronger, and more determined in our advocacies,”

Here in the city, LRC-KsK Cagayan de Oro Regional Office team leader officer Ma. Zherwinah B. Mosqueda , in an interview Wednesday, that by 5pm, Tuesday, the detained NGO workers, including Ms. Ferraris, were already turned over to their respective embassies.

“Our last communication with the delegation, she (Ms. Ferraris) is set to arrive today. She’s safe, although she still shaken from the ordeal,” said Ms. Mosqueda.

“Still, we maintain that the Indonesian government should explain this affront against the rights of peoples to peaceably assemble and pursue genuine solutions to our deteriorating environment and rational utilisation of natural resources for the national interest and not for the profits of corporations,” she said.

She added the delegation claims representatives of coal-fired power plant Cirebon Elektrik, Ltd. accompanied the 100 Indonesian police when they were arrested.

An emailed statement from LRC-KsK, appealed for President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III to immediately intervene and demand an explanation from the Indonesian government.

“The new administration of President Aquino must send a strong message to the international community that it is committed to protecting our citizens from abuses committed on foreign soil, even if it is by a foreign government," an emailed statement of LRC-KsK reads in part.

Illegally detained

In an email, Tuesday evening, Amalie Conchelle C. Hamoy-Obusan—one of the anti-coal campaign network members detained—said that she, together with other activists from Greenpeace and other communities in China, Indonesia, Thailand and India were apprehended at around 2pm, Monday and detained for more than 24 hours.

“We were in the village simply to give support and learn from the experiences of our brothers and sisters who share the same plight as our countrymen living around coal-fired power plants,” Ms. Hamoy-Obusan said in her email.

She claimed that while at the Cirebon police station, they were accused of “visa irregularities” and “engaging in activities that create instability.”

“The interrogation lasted through the night and we’ve had little sleep,” said Ms. Hamoy-Obusan.

One of the unilateral agreements of member-nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is that visa is not required if a citizen of any member-nation—visiting an ASEAN country—for visits of less than a week.

“On behalf of Greenpeace, I would like to express my personal appreciation to the network for being quick on denouncing this injustice.  Rest assured that I will return to the Philippines in good health but with greater hope that we are all in this together,” she added.

Beyond common sense

In a phone interview, Greenpeace Southeast Asia-climate and energy campaigner Arif Fiyanto claimed the reaction of the Indonesian police was “exaggerated.”

He alleged that the officers acted beyond common sense.

“We are here to educate local people and fishermen regarding (the ill-effects of a) construction of a coal-fired power plant in Kanci. They have lost their jobs since the power plant was built,” said Mr. Fiyanto.

This reporter tried to contact the Indonesian Embassy Office in the city, to confirm the arrests and subsequent investigation. However, they declined to comment on the incident pending the official statement from their foreign affairs minister.

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PRESS RELEASE

07 July 2010