Press Release Climate Justice Right advocate team Indramayu, west java, Indonesia, Dec 17th 2017 Acts of arbitrariness and arrogance of police officers again occurred. On Sunday, December 17, 2017, at 1:15 am, 4 police officers from Indramayu Resort Police came and arrested three environmental fighters from Pulokuntul block in Mekarsari village. The reason for the arrest is the humiliation of the state flag. The arrest of 3 Mekarsari villagers, Sawin, Nanto and Sukma, was triggered by the reporting of the Indonesian flag installation upside down. Initially on Thursday, December 14, 2017, at around 16:00 pm, residents installed banners rejection of ndramayu 2 Coal Power Plant along with the National flag. But on the next day the position of the flag has been reversed. The incident was then reported by the party who was disturbed by the attitude of the people's rejection of the  Indramayu 2 Coal Power Plant. The reporting then proceeded to forced forcible by Indramayu Police officers on Sunday morning at the time the residents were resting. The four members of the Indramayu Police came with a letter of arrest on behalf of one person, Sawin. But what happened was they forced two other citizens, Sukma and Nanto. According to the wife of Nanto, the officers apparatus did a crude act by kicking the door of the house. The action clearly shows the arrogance and arbitrary attitude of the police in the duty. According to residents who helped install the banners and flags believe they have rightly positioned the national flag . In addition, many other witnesses of the villagers who watched also. So it is highly unlikely that there will be any deliberate mistake in the installation of the Red and White flag. Plus there is other evidence in the form of photos when the beginning of banners and flags are in the actual position. From this incident is clearly a slander.

The police have also indirectly committed intimidation and silencing the struggle of villagers fighting for their rights. Forcible pickup made early in the morning for the sake of investigation showed a very unprofessional attitude. Police officers did not see the whole and only heard false reports. For that we demand  the Indramayu Police Chief to  immediately released Sawin, Nanto, and Sukma. We also urge the police officers to be fair with the arrest of the perpetrators and the mastermind behind the false reporting of the installation of the Red and White flag upside down. The Indramayu 2 Coal Power Plants had capacity 2x1000 MW is funded by Japanesse(JICA).  Indramayu 2 Coal Power Plant Environment permit of had revoked by Bandung adminsitrative court on dec 6th, 2017. contact: dwi sawung : ph 62 8156104606 (walhi national executive) email; sawung@wp_walhi.local Iwank  : 0812 1869 4471 ( WALHI west java ) Gugun : 0813 2205 2016 ( Bandung Legal Aid ) Domo     : 0853 2100 8538 (JATAYU/Mekarsari people )