GREENPEACE HAILS MINISTER'S DECISION TO HALT APRIL'S DEFORESTATION ACTIVITY

Jakarta, Nov.21 (ANTARA) - Greenpeace has welcomed Forest Minister Zulkifli Hasan's statement ordering APRIL (RAPP) to halt its forest clearing activities on the carbon-rich peatlands of the Kampar Peninsula, Riau, Sumatra, pending review of their permits.

Minister Zulkifli's statement followed a Greenpeace non-violent direct action on November 12 at an APRIL concession in Kampar to highlight active clearing of peatland forests by the company for pulp and paper.

"Greenpeace expects the Forest Minister to do a comprehensive review of all the existing permits and concessions for pulp and paper companies in the Kampar Peninsula. The main players in the destruction of these precious peatlands are the pulp and paper giants - Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) and its main rival, Asia Pacific Resources International Holding Limited (APRIL). Combined they control 73% of Indonesia's total pulp capacity and own two of the world?s largest pulp mills," said Bustar Maitar, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Forest campaigner, said as reported on Greenpeace's official website on Saturday.

"Saving these forests is something that the Indonesian people want - as demonstrated by the overwhelming support our climate defender's camp has received over last few weeks," he added.

Greenpeace opened its `Climate Defenders Camp' over three weeks ago to bring urgent attention to the role that rainforest and peatland destruction play in driving climate change in the run up to the critical UN Copenhagen Climate Summit this December. Since then, the camp has been visited by `Inglourious Basterds' film star Melanie Laurent, the US Ambassador to Indonesia and supported by Indonesian folk-rock star Iwan Fals.

However, other guests were not made so welcome. Over the last week, 13 international Greenpeace activists have been deported from Indonesia, even though they all held valid business visas.

Furthermore, two independent journalists were also detained, questioned and subsequently deported - whilst holding valid permits and visas - prompting criticism and condemnation from parliamentarians, civil society and journalist associations nationally and internationally.

"President Yudhoyono has a historical opportunity to work with the international community ahead of Copenhagen. He must stop Indonesia's rampant deforestation that makes the country the third largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions. In turn, developed countries must make deep emissions cuts at home and provide the funds necessary for forest protection here. We call on the President to use this momentum to immediately declare a moratorium on any further deforestation across Indonesia, including in carbon-rich peatlands, in order to fulfill his internationally announced emission reduction targets," said Shailendra Yashwant, Campaign Director, Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

"Greenpeace is calling upon all pulp and paper companies operating in Indonesia to immediately stop further expansion into rainforests and peatlands, including in the Kampar Peninsula on the island of Sumatra. Greenpeace is also demanding that the companies rehabilitate peatlands within existing plantation areas once the current plantation rotation is complete and resolve in a meaningful and equitable manner social conflicts in concession areas," he added.

Greenpeace is calling for an end to deforestation globally by 2020 as a key part of the UN climate negotiations this December.