Indonesia deports 2 French journalists

Indonesia has deported two French journalists for committing visa violations while shooting a documentary film in Indonesia’s easternmost province of Papua, an official said Sunday.

The journalists, Jean Frank Pierre and Basille Marie Longhamp, were sent home Friday through Mozes Kilangin airport in Timika, said immigration office spokesman Agung Sampurno.

The pair were working on “The Explorers,” a project about nature, culture and other attractions at several locations in the Indonesian province on the western part of New Guinea. Papua province, a former Dutch colony, is known for biodiversity and large mining reserves as well as a simmering separatist movement among its indigenous people, and foreign journalists face restrictions while working there.

Sampurno said the two French journalists had ordinary visas without necessary documents from related institutions.

He quoted local immigration chief Jesaya Samuel Enock as saying the journalists’ activities were appropriate, as they were sponsored by the national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, but they had started working last week while their necessary documents were still being processed. Enock said they are being banned from entering Indonesia for next six months.

Local media reported Pierre and Longhamp were taken into custody when they were about to take pictures of Cartenz using a rented helicopter. They also planned to take pictures at locations in the neighboring province of West Papua. /