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Article

22 Oct 2017

Jewel Topsfield and Amilla Rosa, Sydney Morning Herald

Indonesia: Anti-gold mine protester faces up to 12 years in jail for allegedly spreading communism

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"Gold mine protester tried for spreading communism as red scare sweeps Indonesia", 12 October 2017

An anti-gold mine protester has become the latest person to be tried under...anti-communist laws in Indonesia.

...Heri Budiawan could face up to 12 years in jail for spreading communism.

Prosecutor Budhi Cahyono said banners made by protesters against a gold mine...contained a hammer and sickle drawing in red spray paint like that used by the defunct Indonesian Communist Party, the PKI.

"The defendant led the activities of the people protesting and did not stop or prevent the placement of the banner with the hammer and sickle symbol identical to the PKI symbol, knowing that communism is forbidden in Indonesia," Mr Budhi said in the indictment in the Banyuwangi District Court.

...Environmental groups claim the gold mine, PT Bumi Suksesindo, is using the communism allegations as a tactic to shut down protests against alleged environmental damage caused by the mine.
 
The man who filed the complaint... was the then senior manager of external affairs at the gold mine.
 
Mr. Heri claimed there was no way he would invoke the former communist party in his fight aganinst the gold mine.
 
"I am against the PKI, I don't want it in Indonesia either. If there was an anti-PKI rally I would join it."
Mr Heri is convinced the case against him has been made up because of his fight against the gold mine, BT Bumi Suksesindo, which he claimed had destroyed the local forest and and was responsible for mud floods.Fandi, from the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) in East Java, said this was not the first time locals had been criminalised to stop the fight against the mine.