NGOs to celebrate Earth Day in Porsea

JAKARTA: A number of non-government organizations, religious leaders and students will commemorate Earth Day in Porsea, North Sumatra on April 21, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) says.

"We will remind the people that Porsea residents have been suffering from pollution and repression during the operation of pulp company PT Indorayon," Longgena Ginting, the executive director of Walhi said on Wednesday in a statement.

Earth Day falls on April 22.

Indorayon was closed down by former president Abdurrahman Wahid due to environmental concerns, but President Megawati Soekarnoputri allowed the company to resume operation early this year.

Three activists have been arrested by police for staging a protest to close Indorayon, which has since been renamed PT Toba Pulp Lestari. --JP