Japan Press Weekly

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2019 April 10 - 16 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Indonesian farmers opposing coal-fired power plant project ask for JCP assistance

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Inoue Satoshi on April 12 in the Diet building met with a visiting delegation of Indonesian farmers opposing the Japan-subsidized coal-fired thermal power plant project in West Java.

The Prime Minister Abe-led government has provided funds for the controversial project through JICA (the Japan International Cooperation Agency). It is reported that the power plant construction project has caused environmental destruction and health damage to local people. In addition, unjust arrests of farmers and fishermen fighting against the power plant construction to protect their farming and fishing grounds have been made.

In the meeting with the JCP lawmaker, the delegation head pointed out that an environmental impact assessment had been conducted in violation of relevant laws and said that an Indonesian power company is moving ahead with the project without obtaining local consent.

A male delegation member said that he was falsely arrested for disrespecting the national flag during a protest action and was jailed for five months. He stressed that he is innocent and suffered human rights abuses.

JCP Inoue agreed with the Indonesians that the power plant project should be carried out with approval from local residents. Offering his view that the project goes against JICA’s guidelines for environmental and social considerations, Inoue expressed his intent to urge the government to stop providing financial support to the project.

The Indonesian farmers’ delegation arrived in Tokyo two days earlier. They held a press conference in the Environment Ministry building to demand that the Japanese government suspend its support, including financing, to the power plant construction in their country.

Past related articles:
> Indonesian civil group: Japan should not fund coal-fired power plant in their country [May 16, 2018]
> Indonesian group asks JCP for cooperation in efforts to oppose Japan-funded thermal power generation [December 6 & 8, 2017]