5 arrested for protesting Jacob's visit
Ade Siboro and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Porsea, North Sumatra
Visiting Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea was greeted by a demonstration in Porsea, North Sumatra, on Saturday that lead to the arrest of five more activists protesting the planned reopening of the PT Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL) pulp and mills.
The demonstrators, who distributed anti-TPL pamphlets and carried banners, marched from the town to the nearby pulp and sawmills in Sirait Uruk to stop the minister and his entourage from entering the two plants, which are scheduled to soon recommence operations.
The minister avoided the demonstration and cut through the town to nearby Balige where he handed over eight manual tractors to a number of local farmers' groups.
Two students, identified as Master Sinambela and Andi Panggabean, and a local resident, Robinson, were arrested when they erected banners along the road to the mills calling for a halt to the violence in the town and the release of detained protesters.
Benget, chairman of the North Sumatra Legal Aid Institute (Bakumsu), told The Jakarta Post by telephone on Saturday that two more activists -- Dwi Wandari of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), and Saurlin Siagian -- had been detained without any explanation being given by the local police.
"The five were brought to the police station in Porsea and so far have yet to be released," he said.
Tension in the town has been mounting following an increasing likelihood that the pulp and sawmills will be reopened in the immediate future.
The police also arrested 16 people on Nov. 20, 2002, for their alleged involvement in the ransacking of a district head's office. They have so far ignored call for the detainees' release.
In the past, the company, formerly known as PT Inti Indo Rayon (IIU), sparked criticism and protests from various sides over the air and water pollution that it caused, and its failure to implement a local community development program to help improve the lot of local people.
The pulp and sawmills, which were established in 1988, have been allowed by the central government to resume operation after being closed in 1998, subject to the proviso that the management install environmentally friendly technology and contribute to the community development program in the town.
Nuwa Wea appealed to local people to give an opportunity for TPL to prove its strong commitment to installing environmentally friendly technology and helping accelerate economic development in the area.
"We should give an opportunity to TPL to improve its performance and demonstrate its commitment to the environment. The company will be closed permanently should it fail to adhere to the new paradigm," the minister said.
Jacob criticized the anti-TPL demonstrations, saying the protesters numbered only hundreds out of the more than 3,000 residents of Porsea.
"Do these protesters represent Porsea? Of course not. But I will listen to them should they wish to talk to me," he said, saying he had been assigned by President Megawati Soekarnoputri to help mediate in the dispute until the pulp and sawmills resumed operation.
He also said that the planned reopening would provide job opportunities for locals, and that the company would pay local taxes and charges.
Posma L. Tobing, chairman of House Commission VII on labor and social affairs, said it would be better to delay the planned reopening until a more opportune time.
"If the reopening is delayed, TPL will have adequate time to disseminate its new paradigm so that the people are ready to receive TPL as a development partner in the future.