Increasing Pressure To Suspend Greenpeace Indonesia

Jakarta, July 27 (ANTARA) - There has been increasing pressure to suspend Greenpeace Indonesia on grounds of the offenses allegedly committed by the non-governmental organization (NGO) while operating in Indonesia. The rising pressure to suspend the NGO came out during a discussion on the "Polemic of Mass Organization Bill and Freedom of Association - Greenpeace Indonesia Legal Status" at the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta on Thursday. Among the speakers at the discussion were the Foreign Ministry`s Multilateral Director General official Hananto Arko B, Padjajaran University professor Romli Atmakusumah, and the National Police spokesperson, Police Commissioner Boy Rafli Amar. On the occasion, Hananto said Greenpeace should be suspended for repeatedly violating the law of the land while operating in Indonesia. "This foreign NGO has violated enough rules for its activities to be stopped," he added. The discussion revealed that Greenpeace Indonesia violated many rules. For instance, as a foreign NGO, the organization never reported about the funds and assistance it received from abroad to the country�s police or the Home Affairs Ministry in Jakarta. Earlier, Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi called Greenpeace Indonesia �a wild organization because they never report about or their activities or the foreign funds they receive to the Foreign Affairs Ministry�. The environmental organization received funds from the Southeast Asia Greenpeace Foundation, amounting to Rp1.2 billion in 2009 and Rp1.7 billion in 2010, but never reported it to the Indonesian government. Greenpeace Indonesia has also been accused of depending heavily on gambling funds because it received donations from Postcode Lottery in 2010 and 2012, amounting to �2.25 million or about Rp33 billion Besides, Greenpeace Indonesia is only registered as a civil association under the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, whereas the NGO has been operating in the realm of public law. Since legal protection for associations such Greenpeace is still at the bill stage in the country�s parliament, the NGO should be suspended until the bill is passed. The discussions also revealed that Greenpeace Indonesia often made accusations against the government and companies based on invalid data. Romli Atmakusumah urged the Ministry of Justice to revoke the licence of Greenpeace Indonesia. "Greenpeace was registered under the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, so the ministry should freeze and revoke the NGO�s license on grounds of what the organisation has done," he said.