downtoearth-subscribe

Activists detained near Bali deported

three activists were detained in Bandung, Indonesia, for campaigning against a waste-to-energy plant. They were arrested the same day the conference of parties to the un's climate change conference started in Bali.

The three activists who were deported later were part of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, a network of 500 organizations. Shibu Nair from India, Gigie Cruz from Phillipines and Neil Tangri from California had been invited by environment groups protesting a garbage incinerator in Bandung. "It was not a public assembly. We were invited to talk about our experience of waste-to-energy plants,' said Shibu Nair of Thanal, a Thiruvananthapuram-based ngo.

They were detained for a day and then taken to the immigration office where they were interrogated. "We were told that we will be deported, without any reason,' he added.

They wanted to address a forum in Bali on waste and co2 emissions. "The government is attempting to burnish its credentials by hosting the conference. At the same time, it is suppressing people and their ideas,' said Neil Tangri.