Riau to deport Greenpeace

Riau to deport Greenpeace

Rizal Harahap , The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru

Police in Pelalawan regency, Riau, handed over two foreign Greenpeace activists and two journalists Tuesday to the Pekanbaru Immigration Office, which will deport them to their respective countries for alleged visa violations.

The deportation is being planned for this Wednesday via Jakarta.

Pekanbaru Immigration Office head, Jumanter Lubis, said the Pelalawan Police detained the four foreign citizens on Monday from two separate locations.

A Greenpeace activist from Belgium, Tom Keunen, was nabbed by police in Teluk Meranti village, in Pelalawan, while he was protesting with dozens of local Greenpeace members.

Another activist from Italy, Chiara, was arrested by police when she was accompanying two foreign journalists covering forest destruction in Pelalawan.

Both the journalists, Indian citizen Kum Kum and Italian national Raimondo Bultrini, work for the Hindustan Times and El Expresso respectively.

According to Jumanter, both Greenpeace activists will be deported for visa violations.

"Both of them have been proven to have violated visa procedures such as those stipulated in the 1992 Immigration Law," he said in Pekanbaru on Tuesday.

He added the journalists were initially held for not holding a permit from the police.

During questioning, both of them were unable to produce news coverage permits from the Information and Communications Ministry.

"The two journalists could actually cover the news with tourist visas, but they still have to get permits from the relevant ministry," said Jumanter without elaborating.

"They will be taken to Jakarta tomorrow, from there they will be deported to their own countries," he added.

The foreign journalists had repeatedly protested the unclear reasons behind their deportation. Raimondo said he had even reported the issue to the Italian Embassy in Jakarta.

"I own a passport and a visa, but the police and immigration still claim that I am not equipped with a travel permit. The embassy has expressed its reservation on the issue," said the 54-year-old man.

Raimondo said the excuse given by the police to stop the news coverage was baseless and had forced him to be interrogated until the early hours of Tuesday.

"I reported my presence to the Pelalawan Police and they cleared the matter, but an hour and a half later they brought me to their headquarters. I have been working as a journalist for 34 years, and the police's excuse is just too outrageous," he said.

Raimondo also said he was treated unfavorably during the interrogation. "I was not allowed to eat and drink. What's wrong with us. We're not breaking the law," he said.

Pelalawan Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Ari Rahman denied any wrongdoing and said the four foreigners had been treated well before and after the questioning.

"They asked us whether they could stay in a hotel after being questioned. We allowed them to on condition they pay their own bills. We also gave them time to rest. They will leave here for Jakarta by tomorrow noon," said Ari.

ENDS

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