Protest over France's nuclear test

JAKARTA (JP): More than 40 environmental activists staged a protest outside the French embassy yesterday, calling on the government to break off diplomatic ties with Paris and for a boycott of French products if France goes ahead with its plan to conduct nuclear tests in the South Pacific.

"We condemn the French government and implore them to cancel their plan to hold nuclear tests at the Mururoa Atol in the Pacific," read a written statement presented to a French embassy official.

The protest was the first in Indonesia and followed French President Jacques Chirac's announcement this month that Paris was resuming underground nuclear testing.

The protest was led by the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), which is also spearheading the campaign to oppose the Indonesian government's plan to build the country's first nuclear power plant.

The statement said that they would boycott French products if Paris did not heed the call and urged the Indonesian government to take a tougher line against Paris. "The Indonesian government should break off diplomatic relations immediately if the Mururoa Atol test proceeds."

After a few minutes of singing and yelling slogans outside the embassy on Jl. M.H. Thamrin, three protesters were allowed into the embassy compound and hand over their statement to a French embassy official.

Some wore paper masks depicting skulls, while others wrapped white bandages around their heads

"We will not give up. We will come again with costumes and masks and go on protesting the nuclear bomb test," said Nia Syafrudin, one of the protesters.

The demonstrators dispersed peacefully an hour later.(32)