Ari Saputra, Jakarta – Scores of people from the Greater Jakarta Labour Joint Secretariat (Sekber Buruh Jabotabek) held a candle lit vigil at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on Wednesday evening for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

The peaceful action candle lit vigil, which was joined by around 20, both adults and children, put up posters in support of Chavez's ideas and struggle. They also brought a long banner with the message, "Solidarity and condolences of the Indonesian people for Hugo Chavez and the Venezuelan people, a pro-people anti-capitalist president".

"We join in mourning a great figure like Hugo Chavez. Hugo's death causes deep sorrow for the poor throughout the world who are seeking a road to liberation from the capitalist economic and political system", said action coordinator Sultoni, speaking at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Wednesday March 6.

According to the group, Chavez's successfully built a society that is independent and free from Western influence. Chavez showed courage in carrying out a program of nationalisation by promoting people's control over private companies that previously controlled the necessities of life. This was done to support all of the populist programs.

"Our leaders should follow the example of Chavez's struggle who carried out nationalisations and [his] anti-capitalist [stand]. We have lost a person who was an example to the ordinary people", added Sultoni.

The group said that Chavez succeeded in building around 11,500 healthcare centres. In the education field, Chavez created the motto "Togetherness, to understand and to work". Schools were established everywhere as far as the most isolated settlements and indigenous ethnic communities in the Chavez Mountains. Schools for traditional societies were made free.

The participants finally disbanded after around one hour. Scores of uniformed and plain-clothed police officers could be seen monitoring the peaceful action from a distance. (Ari/fdn)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Jokowi launches Jakarta's first pedestrian bridge with escalator

Jakarta Globe - March 6, 2013

SP/Deti Mega Purnamasari – Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo launched on Wednesday the first TransJakarta pedestrian bridge that has an escalator, but encountered some glitches.

The escalator, located at the Salemba Carolus bus stop in Jalan Salemba Raya, Central Jakarta, was built by The Capitol Group to replace the stairs. It's located only on one side of the bus stop, where a condominium owned by The Capital Group stands.

"[It's] one example of public transportation infrastructure development in Jakarta," Udar Pristono, head of Jakarta transportation agency, said at the launch. He added that the government hoped such developments would encourage Jakarta's residents to use public transportation.

After the launch, the governor tried to go up the escalator. But it stopped midway, forcing Joko to continue his way up manually. After five minutes on the overpass, Joko used the stairs to go down because the escalator was still not functioning.

Wiranto meets British ambassador

Antara News - March 4, 2013

Jakarta – General (ret) Wiranto, chairman of the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), met with British Ambassador to Indonesia Mark Canning at the party's headquarters here on Monday.

This was the fourth such meeting held by Wiranto with foreign ambassadors in the past one-and-a-half months. Wiranto met recently with ambassadors of Singapore, Pakistan and Iraq.

In his meeting with Ambassador Canning, Wiranto briefed him on the party's principles based on conscience which promotes truth, sincerity, fairness and responsibility values to the public.

In reply to the ambassador's query on the difference among parties in Indonesia which all adopt Pancasila as ideology, he said Hanura is a corruption-free party. None of nearly 1,000 Hanura members sitting in local legislative assemblies all over the country has been involved in a corruption case.

He said this is not the party's claim but is based on surveys, government officials' statements and NGOs' findings. According to him, there are three major things to win the 2014 general elections, first, increasing the quality of democracy, second, enforcing law and order and third, enhancing the people's welfare. The three aspects must be carried out in a balanced way.

Hanura has also committed itself to increase international relations, said Wiranto who was during the meeting accompanied by the party's leaders Yuddy Chrisnandi and Bambang Soemarsono.

On the difference among the political parties, he said though they all adopt similar ideology, namely Pancasila, each of them has its significant platforms. But the more important thing is how they are able to respond to the people's needs, such as the availability of jobs, education and health facilities.

According to him, Hanura has its own uniqueness, namely the power of conscience as the basis of its ideology. This is an asset to compete with other parties in the 2014 elections.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Canning lauded Indonesia for its success to uphold democracy and maintain high economic growth amidst the global economic slowdown.

He saw the 2014 elections would change members of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the President and hoped the next leaders could continue the achievements reached by Indonesia today, particularly in democracy and economy.

On the presidential candidates, the ambassador said he did not support any of them but hoped the next president would be able to continue the country's achievements.

Ambassador Canning praised Wiranto for his democratic outlook although he has a military background, and pledged to establish cooperation between political parties in Britain and Hanura.

Canning, who was a political counselor in 1993-1997, said he realized the situation faced by Indonesia during the New Order regime and the role played by Wiranto as then minister of defense and chief of the Armed Forces.

As chairman of Hanura Party, Wiranto said he stated his stance that democracy is a point of no return and committed himself to promote democracy in Indonesia.

Atheism, same-sex marriage forbidden in Indonesia: Justice candidate

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2013

Margareth S.Aritonang, Jakarta – A Constitutional Court justice candidate, Arief Hidayat, said on Monday that atheism and same-sex marriage should be prohibited in Indonesia because they were based on values that contradicted the country's ideology of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.

"Indonesia is a religious nation; so, religious freedom in this country must uphold theistic principles. The discussion about religious freedom here, therefore, is not about whether Indonesians may be atheists. All Indonesians should be believers," Arief told lawmakers on Monday during a fit-and-proper test at House of Representatives' Commission III overseeing legal affairs and human rights.

Arief's comments were in response to a question posed by Golkar Party lawmaker Poempida Hidayatullah, who asked him about his stance on religious freedom and how he would respond to requests to legalize same-sex marriage.

Arief, a professor of law at Diponegoro University in Semarang, Central Java, added that if selected, he would oppose same-sex marriage because it was based on values that were not in line with the Constitution.

"The idea can be accepted in the United States but not here because, theologically, Indonesia defines marriages as being between a man and a woman," he said.

Lawmaker Adang Daradjatun from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) posed another question to Arief, asking him whether or not Indonesia should comply with the universal human rights standards as laid down by the United Nations. He replied "no", arguing that Indonesia had its own cultural norms.

"Indonesia should implement human rights that are compatible with the local context instead of unconditionally implementing these so-called universal values," he emphasized.

Arief is one of three candidates competing to become Constitutional Court chief justice, replacing Mahfud MD, whose tenure ends in April. Other candidates include Djafar Albram, a lecturer from Borobudur University, and Sugianto, a lecturer of sharia law at Gunung Jati State Islamic University.

House Commission III is expected to select one of the three candidates as the new Constitutional Court chief justice later in the evening. (ebf)

President Yudhoyono hails Indonesia's democratic success

Jakarta Globe - March 1, 2013

Robertus Wardi – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that Indonesia has successfully managed its transition toward democracy, which started in 1998, a success he attributed to a collective effort involving the people and the government.

"The social conflicts in Maluku, West Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Papua and Aceh were successfully handled and solved through a joint understanding for the sake of the state's unity," Yudhoyono said, as quoted by presidential adviser on regional development and autonomy Velix Wanggai in a press release sent out on Thursday.

Velix said that the president saw Indonesia's grand idea of nationalism, social integration, harmony and Bhineka Tunggal Ika, or Unity in Diversity, as a collective language that should be embraced by all citizens. The president also stressed that the country was founded on tolerance, justice, social virtues and the supremacy of the law.

"President SBY recently said that if we don't want to see the arbitrary use of power, all of us who have power must prevent ourselves from abusing power," said Velix, adding that the president also encouraged all citizens to lead a polite, ethical and peaceful democratic life – a crucial foundation for democracy.

The president last month called on Indonesians to aspire to the qualities personified by the Prophet Muhammad in order to achieve social harmony.

Speaking to thousands of Muslims attending an event to mark the birthday of the prophet, Yudhoyono said that these qualities were most needed now, ahead of the 2014 legislative and presidential elections and all their attendant issues and controversies. "We have to aspire to the example set by the prophet, who led a diverse group of people," he said.

He added that history showed that although Muhammad had followers from a wide range of backgrounds, he still managed to keep the peace among them and prevent their differences from spilling over into violence.

The president said the same spirit of solidarity amid diversity was needed in the run-up to the polls, which in the past have proved fractious and polarizing.

Monument to Soeharto established in Yogyakarta

Jakarta Post - March 1, 2013

Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta – A tall monument that occupies a 3,800 meter plot of land located at Kemusuk Lor Hamlet, Bantul regency, in the southern part of Yogyakarta has been erected by the extended family of the late former president Soeharto.

The monument exhibits dozens of photographs and other memorabilia that show the late former president's life story from when he was born until his departure.

"We built this monument so that people who come after him would still be able to recognize what Pak Harto did for his beloved country," Soeharto's half brother, Probosutedjo, said on Friday.

The opening of the Soeharto monument, which stands on 600 m2, has coincided with the commemoration of the March 1 General Attack, in which Soeharto had played a leading role despite controversy.

Soeharto's elder daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, widely known as Tutut, hoped that the monument of her father would be a positive experience for people.

"Please take all the benefits from learning from my father's experiences and just throw out the bad examples should you find them," she said.(dic)

West Papua

Paniai sweeps intensify misery as security forces ban music, torture priest

West Papua Media - March 6, 2013

Local residents in Paniai regency are bracing for more repression in sweep operations by Indonesian security forces after two separate incidents across the Paniai have intensified ongoing crackdowns on West Papuan independence sentiment, torturing a local priest and even banning the possession of traditional music.

The latest crackdown, imposed in Paniai after guerrillas from Paniai commander Jhon Yogi's Paniai unit of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN-PB) were involved in armed engagements with the Indonesian army (TNI) and Police throughout February.

Reliable human rights sources in Paniai have reported to West Papua Media that an influx of joint TNI and police have "arrived with total war equipment" to bolster sweeps and raids across Paniai against civilians accused of holding pro-independence sentiments.

"In order to confront the TPN PB and on orders from President SBY, a brigade of TNI/Police have arrived with total war equipment. There were drops of TNI/POLRI in Paniai on 3 March 2013. The brigade arrived by 7 'Inova' vehicles via the coast road," the source told West Papua Media.

Helicopters belonging to illegal gold miners in Degouwo were again being used by Indonesian troops to support the operation, similar to the massive offensive against Paniai people during 2011 and early 2012, according to both human rights and church sources.

"A yellow and white helicopter owned by an illegal business in Degouwo at 13.00 WPB (west Papua time) made two drops of personnel and logistical war equipment. The first drop was to the Enarotali airport in Paniai district, and the second helicopter drop of the brigade forces together with war equipment was at Obano also, in the west of Paniai district," the human rights source told West Papua Media.

Independent sources are also reporting that Indonesian colonial occupation forces are putting massive pressure on local civilians, with routine violations of civilian's dignity, and arbitrary strip searches, that have created opportunities for brutality and torture on local people.

The notorious battalion 753 from Nabire has erected scores of "state of emergency tents" every 5-10 kilometres along the main road between Nabire and Paniai, according to witnesses. "TNI are carrying out very strict checking of everything. The TNI from unit 753 are undoing the clothes of every passenger in the area to check them including females. Advocacy and monitoring is requested," said the human rights worker.

Military Destruction of traditional culture amounting to cultural genocide

Papuan independent media outlet Tabloid Jubi has reported remarkable accounts of the extraordinary measures Indonesian police commandos from Paniai police headquarters are taking to destroy traditional Papuan culture by banning music.

Father Saul Wanimbo, the Director of the Commission for Justice and Peace (SKP) in Timika diocese, told Tabloid Jubi that during police sweeps, local people are being forced to hand over their mobile phones. They analyse the memory cards on the mobile phones to find songs in Papuan language, and if the memory card is found to contain either one or many Papuan folk songs, police will smash the memory card with stones, according to Fr Wanimbo.

"The police are sweeping HP (Handphone) memory cards of Enaro society (people) for the last two months," Wanimbo told Jubi, citing his own experiences and stories directly from Enaro residents from 1-20 Febrruary 2013. Wanimbo said that Paniai people have been so demoralised that they just accept the oppressive actions of the occupation forces.

Wanimbo said that the actions by Police were killing three values: "There is destruction of cultural values, murder of the people's creativity, and character assassination."

"The situation is conditioned in such a way so that people cannot resist. How can the people fight if the area has a variety of (security force) members lurking there," Fr Wanimbo told Jubi. The police acts were morally and legally wrong, police could not arbitrarily violate people's privacy for no apparent reason, and such actions must be done with a warrant, he said.

"Paniai Police must explain the meaning of this sweeps. Or the Papua Police chief must stop the actions of the Kapolresnya (local police command) men in Enaro. This is serious. We can say it's the beginning of the genocide, " he said.

Priest tortured by police who then demand bribe for his release

Meanwhile, again in the Paniai regional centre of Enarotoli, local human rights workers have documented a serious case of torture of a local priest. According to human rights workers attached to the Kingmi church, at 8.30 in the morning on March 2, Reverend Yunus Gobai (55 years) was arrested, threatened and tortured by local and Brimob commando police at the Enarotali (Kapolresnya) police compound in Paniai district.

According to the report received and confirmed by West Papua Media, as a result of beating Gobai's nose was bleeding, his upper and lower lips were split and bleeding, and he sustained abrasions on his hands, swelling on his forehead and cuts on his head, after which he he was put in a cell at the Police Sector command (Polsek) in Enarotali.

Family members went to request his release from the Police station, but the Paniai police demanded a bribe or ransom money to free him, according to the report. Family members reported they were forced to gather money in order to pay the police, and a Paniai member of the DPRD directly handed over to police one million rupiah (about US$103) at Polsek Paniai. Reverend Gobai was then released at 1030am local time, and taken straight home to his village by his family, according to the report.

Rev Gobai is the former pastor and head of the council of the community of KINGMI Maranatha Nabire. According to his family, after Rev Gobai became pastor of the community he suffered from (an undefined) mental disturbance together with epilepsy. Gobai's family reported that he would regularly be seen "shouting for no reason or running around shouting".

Reverend Gobai was arrested after exhibiting these symptoms outside the police station in Enarotoli, causing his arrest, but police did not treat the issue as an illness and used unwarranted torture and inhumane treatment on the pastor, according to the report.

(WPM Editor's Comment: Whilst the KINGMI report uses unclear terminology describing the pastor's behaviour as "mental illness", often random outbursts of unintelligible shouting and psychotic visions are perfectly normal and accepted behaviour of Christian pentecostal pastors, Muslim imans, Hindu holy people, and almost all other religious leaders and clerics across human history. To arrest and torture someone for this behaviour is to ignore the experience of humanity.)

Paniai is no stranger to unrestrained Indonesian security force violence and torture against local people, primarily made up of members of the Mee tribe. Previous offensives in the Paniai since December 2011 have displaced tens of thousands of civilians, and burnt down hundreds of villages. Paniai was the scene of widespread military operations between 1963-1969, 1977- 1978, and again in 1981-1982. During this period US supplied Bronco aircraft were used to bomb villages while helicopters strafed Papuans with machine gun fire.

Police question Papuan leader over peaceful 'treason' demo

West Papua Media - March 6, 2013

[Written up Pacific Scoop from Social Media Reports by West Papua Media.]

Markus Yenu, Manokwari Governor of the West Papua National Authority (National Federated Republic of West Papua), was forced to appear at Manokwari Police Sector HQ today (March 6) for questioning over makar (treason) charges relating to the organising of a peaceful mass demonstration almost two months ago.

Yenu has not yet been released, and no further information has yet been received about his status =- whether he will be charged or released.

West Papua Media has contacted police in Manokwari without reply and the Papua Police Criminal Investigation chief in Jayapura – who claims to know nothing about Yenu's whereabouts.

On January 17, a crowd of peaceful protesters calling for a referendum on the future of Indonesian-ruled West Papua assembled at a rally point in Manokwari.

The crowd – including students and workers – moved towards the Banyan Tree at UNIPA Manokwari together with the protest coordinator, Alex Nekemen, and speakers, among them Silas Ayemi, the area secretary of Bintuni WPNA),; Abraham Waynarisy (SH chairman Solidaritas Pemuda Melanesia Papua Barat SPMPB) and the pro-independence group KNPB. Political speeches were made accompanied by slogans of "Papua Merdeka" ("Free Papua") along the way. The crowd marched around the city of Manokwari towards an open field.

In front of the office of the State Attorney of the Republic of Indonesia, Markus Yenu openly questioned bout the detainees after a an incident on December 14 – Melkianus Bleskadit, Rev. Dance Yenu and 5 students from UNIPA Manokwari who have been held by police for almost four months without charge.

Ambassador explains Indonesia's attitude to Papua

ABC Radio Australia - March 5, 2013

The killing of eight Indonesian soldiers in two separate incidents in Papua late last month was the bloodiest attack on security forces in the Indonesian province for two years. Those responsible have not been found or identified.

Gun attacks have been common in Papua, where poorly-armed separatists have fought a low-level insurgency for decades on behalf of the mostly ethnic Melanesian population.

Indonesia's Ambassador to Australia says opposition to Indonesian rule comes from a tiny minority in Papua. Speaking before the latest photographs came to light, the ambassador said Papua will always be part of Indonesia but concedes Jakarta also needs to ensure the security forces are properly trained.

Correspondent: Karon Snowdon

Speaker: Nadjib Riphat Kesoema, Indonesia's Ambassador to Australia

Kesoema: Well Papua is a province unique to Indonesia because as you know the colonial has just tried to help Papua for quite some time after the independence of Indonesia. The problem is that, the reason also in this discussion is about rule of law. For me, rule of law is the twin brother or twin sister of democracy. If you have a democracy but you don't have rule of law so it will be difficult for you to apply a democratic system. The problem in Papua is that a lot of demonstrations that then go into violence, they burn police cars, and then this exaggerates the emotions also of the officers.

Snowdon: So the security forces also need to show restraint or be better trained to handle such situations?

Kesoema: Exactly, I think it's most important that training be given very deeply for awareness for everybody. And then also the people should be aware of the situation. So they have to be trained in what is actually democracy, how the interactions should be between the people who take care of the demonstrations and the people who do it.

Snowdon: Briefly I wonder if we can deal with the historical point that you made that Indonesia resumed control over Papua as part of its right. Just very briefly, I know it's a complex issue but Indonesia seems to be saying it would never consider giving up Papua, even though it was taken as a colony and there were questions over the vote of free association that was taken way back. So even though other countries have given independence to colonies, Indonesia doesn't see it that way?

Kesoema: Of course it's impossible for Indonesia to give away Papua because Papua is a part of Indonesia. You know the principle of uti possidetis juris, that the area that colonised by one country will get independence together.

Snowdon: Would then Indonesia given what you've said, the importance of Papua to Indonesia's sense of itself, Indonesia would be prepared as someone here in this meeting has suggested, Indonesia would be prepared to go to war to keep hold of Papua?

Kesoema: Well maybe not war because war is not an alternative now. But Indonesia is ready for the ramification of this problem because we always said that from Sabang in Aceh to Merauke in Papua, it's part of our blood.

Snowdon: Why not just send in more troops and clear out what you say is a very small minority of opposition?

Kesoema: Well we don't want to have bloodshed over in Papua. We want to have a peaceful settlement of the issue in Papua.

Snowdon: On the issue of religious intolerance, there are certain views that it is on the rise in Indonesia, and some concern over what's said to be government inaction or inadequate responses to it. Will those comments, we're here at an Indonesia-Australia Dialogue, will those comments be conveyed by you to the government in Jakarta?

Kesoema: Well this situation is also... we're back again to this twin brother and sister, the democracy angle of law. I have to confess that perhaps our officials are not well trained so that's why it still happens that this minority action could not be settled amicably.

Snowdon: Turning to business and economics a little bit more, there are many people here who want to see improvement in visas and travel access both ways, and indeed the convenor of this meeting John McCarthy has said he expects just the same old stonewalling by both bureaucracies on calls for easing visa restrictions to improve business, education and as well as cultural interactions between the two countries, is he right?

Kesoema: Karon, we discussed about the consular matters several times and we have a working group on consular affairs between Indonesia and Australia. Right now we have agreed both countries to have what's called work and holiday visa for our young people to gain the experience of having work outside their country.

Snowdon: And when can I get a visa to go to Papua, if I may interrupt?

Kesoema: Well you can go to Papua but you know that the situation is very inconvenient now for you to travel there or you just send your application to us, I will send it to Jakarta and they will consider whether you go or not.

Papuan priest awarded for mediation role

Jakarta Post - March 2, 2013

Nethy Dharma Somba, Papua – Rev. Neles Tebay of Papua has been named the winner of the Tji Hak-Soon Peace and Justice Award for 2013 for mediating peace talks between Papuan separatists and the Indonesia government.

Neles is slated to come to Seoul, South Korea, to accept the award on March 13. "I have never expected this award. I was just informed on February 27 about this," Neles said on Saturday.

Neles has been praised for his work with the globally-recognized Papua Peace Network, which has organized several rounds of negotiations between the separatists and the government.

Neles, a former contributor to The Jakarta Post, is also a lecturer at the Fajar Timur Theology Institute in Jayapura.

The Tji Hak-Soon Peace and Justice award is given in the name of the late Bishop Daniel Tji Hak-Soon, who gave his life and works to struggle to free those who experience injustice. (dic)

Governor refuses additional troops in Papua

Tempo Interactive - March 2, 2013

Ira Guslina Sufa, Jakarta – Newly elected Papua governor elected on January 29 Lucas Enembe believes that adding military troops in Papua will not solve the security issues in the area.

Based on my experience, the more incoming troopers, the more welcome they'll get from [armed groups], said Lucas during a discussion entitled: The Expansion of Papua at Sari Pan Pacific Hotel in Jakarta on Tuesday, February 26.

Lucas said repressive actions by the army would not settle security issues in Papua. The Indonesian National Army s (TNI) military operations have been unable to quell the armed group resistance.

One of the reasons is Papua's geographical landscape the island is mainly covered with dense forest, difficult for the TNI to navigate, but easily accessible for locals.

Additional army troops will also mean additional weapons. Lucas said that it would benefit the armed resistance because they can easily steal the weapons and add them to their inventory. Nature has trained them to conquer the terrain.

Aceh

Aceh Ulema urges shariah police to pursue women involved in sex raffle

Jakarta Globe - March 7, 2013

Nurdin Hasan, Banda Aceh – After it was revealed that a group of young married women in Aceh had met to raffle off young men to sleep with, an ulema in the conservative province urged religious law enforcement officials to immediately address the issue.

"The Shariah Police, or Wilayatul Hisbah, has to uncover this shocking phenomena because the behavior of these young women who raffled men to sleep with has marred Aceh's reputation, which is known to be a Shariah- based region," said Aceh's Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Teungku Faisal Ali.

Dahlia, the chairwoman of the Aceh Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Agency (BP3A), said on Tuesday that her office first observed the practice in Banda Aceh a year ago among affluent, young and often married women.

"These young mothers get together in a cafe or a hotel and hold a raffle in which the prize is a sum of money that the winner uses to pay to sleep with a good-looking young man," she said.

Dahlia added that the wives of certain public officials and prominent businessmen were known to participate in the raffles "just to get satisfaction from these young men," but declined to name them.

Faisal, who is also the deputy chairman of Aceh's Ulema Consultative Assembly (MPU), said that if the information conveyed by Dahlia is true, law enforcement officers had no reason to not investigate the practice.

"The head of BP3A must also submit the data to law enforcement officers so that they can be processed by the law that applies in Aceh," Faisal told the Jakarta Globe. "They could be charged for violating qanun [Islamic bylaws] and for khalwat [close proximity between members of the opposite sex]."

Aceh official bemoans growing sexual promiscuity

Jakarta Globe - March 6, 2013

Nurdin Hasan, Banda Aceh – Women's empowerment officials in the staunchly Islamic province of Aceh say they have uncovered a growing practice of women getting together to raffle off a man to sleep with.

Dahlia, the chairwoman of the Aceh Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Agency (BP3A), said on Tuesday that her office first observed the practice a year ago among affluent, young and often married women.

"These young mothers get together in a cafe or a hotel and hold a raffle in which the prize is a sum of money that the winner uses to pay to sleep with a good-looking young man," she said.

"The amount paid can be negotiated. For a single encounter it can range between Rp 5 million and Rp 10 million [$515 to $1,030]. So the women involved are those who can afford to pay such sums."

Dahlia added that the wives of certain public officials and prominent businessmen were known to participate in the raffles "just to get satisfaction from these young men," but declined to name them.

"We're actually very ashamed of this practice happening here in Aceh because it's really bad," she said. She warned that paid sex was also on the rise among teenage girls in Aceh, some of whom she said were selling themselves to older men for millions of rupiah.

She blamed the spread of sexual promiscuity in Aceh, which partially employs Islamic Shariah law, on the lack of strong punishment for extramarital sex.

Those convicted under Shariah bylaws of extramarital sex, Dahlia said, were usually "only caned a few times," and called for changes to the bylaws to allow for offenders to be jailed.

"I really hope that stronger bylaws can be truly enforced. Whoever violates these bylaws must be fully punished under the true terms of Islamic Shariah that we have been calling for," she said.

Dahlia also called on parents to be more strict about monitoring their children's activities away from home, blaming teen sexual promiscuity on poor parenting and negative household influences.

"Education is important, but if there's no attention from the parents, it's very hard to tackle this kind of behavior," she said.

Another factor that she highlighted as having a nefarious influence on impressionable teens was the provision of free wireless Internet at cafes and other hangout spots popular with young people.

"How can we guarantee that they're not accessing forbidden sites? It's these sites that compel them to experiment and have sex. We need to find a solution to this immediately," Dahlia said.

Human rights & justice

Komnas HAM infighting ends with new leadership

Jakarta Post - March 7, 2013

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – In what many see as a pinnacle of infighting within the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), nine commissioners of the rights body voted to oust incumbent chairman Otto Nur Abdullah on Wednesday.

The nine commissioners, who earlier changed an internal regulation to allow annual turnover of the commission's leadership, voted in the absence of Otto, outgoing deputy chairpersons Sandrayati Moniaga and Muhamad Nurkhoiron and commissioners Roihatul Haswidah.

The four commissioners walked out of the plenary room in protest of the vote. "We have stated our position. We don't want a vote. This is the logical next step from our stance in going against the decision to change our internal regulations," Otto told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. Otto was chosen as Komnas HAM chairman in November last year.

In the Wednesday vote, the nine commissioners elected Siti Nur Laila as the new chair of Komnas HAM. Serving as her deputies are Imdadun Rahmat and Dianto Bachriadi.

Many suspect that the infighting has been orchestrated by politicians who want to interfere with the internal process of the commission ahead of the 2014 elections.

Some activists go so far as to suggest that many commissioners themselves are mere stuffed shirts: appendages of political parties, if not actual government agencies, including the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the State Intelligence Agency (BIN).

Various groups with considerable vested interests in emasculating Komnas HAM have coalesced to form a movement with the objective of impeaching Otto, well known for his uncompromising struggle to uncover past human rights abuses.

Otto has said that he would press ahead with investigations to uncover past human rights abuses, some of which had been conducted under the leadership of his predecessor Ifdhal Kasim.

Under Ifdhal's leadership, Komnas HAM declared that the anti-communist purge in 1965, the 1998 riots and the mysterious shootings in the early 1980s are gross violations of human rights.

Komnas HAM also declared that the Lapindo mudflow in Sidoarjo, East Java, was a human rights violation and that the oil and gas company PT Lapindo Brantas was responsible for the man-made disaster. Soon after being elected Komnas HAM chairman Otto said that he would focus on the anti-communist purge and the Lapindo mudflow disaster.

Rights activists have grown concerned that under Siti's leadership, Komnas HAM will stop efforts to uncover past human rights abuse.

Activist Chairul Anam of the Human Rights Working Group (HRWG) said that the ouster of Otto was politically-motivated. "The turmoil within Komnas HAM, we call it a coup d'etat, is a strong indication that political interests has made an inroads to the rights body," Chairul said.

He said that the proposal for an annual turnover was not based on a careful consideration and would only compromise the work of Komnas HAM. "Based on past experiences, the annual turnover will only prevent commissioners from effectively handling cases," Chairul said.

The Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI), a human rights network of 28 rights watchdogs from 17 countries in Asia, have also said that it would be unlikely for Komnas HAM to realize its goal with the shortened term for its leadership.

Indonesia to ratify Rome Statute

Jakarta Post - March 6, 2013

Bagus BT Saragih and Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The government is closer to finally ratifying the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) amid accusations that party political motivation lies behind the timing of the ratification ahead of the 2014 elections.

A delegation of government officials and representatives of prominent Indonesian human rights groups led by Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Denny Indrayana has been on a working visit to the Netherlands since Monday to meet with officials of relevant bodies in that country to study all the necessary processes required for the ratification.

"I believe these programs we have been holding in the Netherlands will significantly help the process," he said on Tuesday via text message. The former anticorruption activist, however, declined to answer when asked when exactly the government would begin the ratification process.

Denny and his team planned to visit the ICC in The Hague on Wednesday. He said that they would "learn about academic aspects as well as the administrative and technical procedures required for the ratification".

His visit to the Netherlands won praise and prompted optimism particularly from human rights activists.

Poengky Indarti of human rights watchdog Imparsial said the ratification would be important in ending any impunity for human rights abusers. "We have witnessed in the past where state operators who have allegedly committed human rights violations have enjoyed impunity. We don't want to see that anymore."

Outspoken lawmaker from the House of Representatives' Commission III overseeing law and human rights, Eva Kusuma Sundari, echoed Poengky's statement saying that the ratification would force any state official to think twice before committing something that could be considered a human rights violation.

"I see no reason to object to the government's move [to initiate the ratification process]," the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician said.

Other lawmakers, however, rejected the plan to ratify the statute, citing a political agenda that might have partly motivated the government's move.

"Don't be reckless in ratifying it. The ratification could be utilized by certain parties to politically assassinate certain senior political figures," Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) lawmaker Mahfudz Siddiq who is also the chairman of the House of Representatives' Commission I overseeing foreign affairs, said.

He may have been referring to People's Conscience Party (Hanura) chairman and former chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Gen. (ret.) Wiranto as well as Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) chief patron and former commander of the Special Forces Command (Kopassus) Lt. Gen. (ret.) Prabowo Subianto who were both implicated in human rights violations, including the kidnapping of student activists, during the 1998 riots.

Even though the ICC is formally only allowed to investigate serious crimes that were committed after the Rome Statute came into force in July 2002, experts have mixed opinions on whether the court has the power to investigate cases such as forced disappearances, which, though committed before that time, could be categorized as ongoing.

Rights activist turned Democratic Party politician, Rachland Nashidik, slammed those who criticized the government's move to ratify the statute.

Even though he agreed that forced disappearances could be considered as ongoing for as long as the victims' whereabouts remained unknown, Rachland denied it was politically motivated. "I defy anyone to undermine the ratification because of objections from a few retired generals who have been haunted by their own wrongdoings," he said.

Mahfudz' fellow lawmaker from Commission I, Helmy Fauzi, said he supported the government's move to pave the way toward ratification and brushed aside the delays and any political motivation that might have been involved.

"Better late than never," the PDI-P politician said. "It is for the sake of humanity. Hence, if a country refuses to ratify the statute, it may have plans to commit crimes against humanity in the future," he added.

As of February, 121 member nations of the UN were party to the Rome Statute. No less than 31 countries have signed but not yet ratified it.

Time line for Indonesia ratifying Rome Statute

2004: President Megawati Soekarnoputri issues Presidential Decree No. 40/2004 on the Human Rights National Action Plan 2004-2009, which mandates that Indonesia will ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Feb. 9, 2007: The government and members of the House of Representatives agree to ratify the Rome Statute by 2008.
July 10, 2008: The National Commission on Human Rights urges the government to immediately ratify the 1998 Rome Statute.
April 29, 2009: The president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Song Sang-hyun expresses disappointment that Indonesia has failed to fulfill its pledge to ratify the Rome Statute by the end of 2008.
May 4, 2009: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah says Indonesia is committed to ratifying the Rome Statute. It, however, has not been ratified by the legislature or signed by the president. "We are still preparing for the ratification. There are a few elements [in the treaty] that need to be discussed," he told The Jakarta Post.
July 17, 2012: Human rights groups call on the Indonesian government to immediately ratify the 1998 Rome Statute as part of its commitment to ending impunity and protecting human rights in the country. "By adopting the Rome Statute to the national law, Indonesia will have a stronger legal instrument as a basis for upholding justice and human rights in the country. It will also reflect the country's commitment to maintaining peace both within the country and internationally, which is mandated by the 1945 Constitution," National Human Rights Commission chairman Ifdhal Kasim says.

Source: The Jakarta Post

Sexual & domestic violence

Family slams pace of cleric's sex abuse investigation

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2013

Jakarta – The parents of alleged victims of sexual abuse by Muslim cleric Hasan Ja'far Assegaf in 2011 have expressed concerns over the police's sluggish investigation.

"This is a tragedy for us. We have moved on, but we want the police to immediately take action," a parent who declined to be named told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.

"I hope the police can move faster to save other children," he said. "If the cleric thinks that this is defamation, then report us. We are ready."

Twelve boys reported Hasan in December 2011 for alleged sexual harassment. He is alleged to have abused students since 2002, groping them and engaging in oral sex with them in what he claimed was alternative healing therapy.

The case gained attention after reports circulated on social media sites and online forums stated that the alleged abuse took place in Kampung Kandang in Jagakarsa district, South Jakarta, where Hasan had set up his own Islamic study group. The study group held sermons in public, causing traffic problems.

According to the parent, the cleric's doctrine had made the students loyal and led them to believe the man would not engage in the activities he is accused of.

The National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA) said the Jakarta Police had wasted too much time investigating the case, despite all the evidence collected. The group said it had sent a letter to them to remind them that they were very slow.

The head of the police's teens, children's and women's unit, Adj. Sr. Comr. Hando Wibowo, recently said the police were being "careful" in handling the case, considering that the suspect was a group leader.

Police had summoned 12 people, including the victims, their families and people in Hasan's circle, to gather more information. The Criminal Code stipulates a penalty of seven years in prison for underage sexual abuse.

One victim spoke of his anger toward Hasan, but said he and other victims were also angry at the police. "If being a cleric means we are immune from the law, then everyone would want to be one," he said, adding that the victims were planning to visit the Jakarta Police this week to check developments in the case. (JP/fzm)

Islamic subject teacher arrested for allegedly molesting 13 students

Jakarta Globe - March 1, 2013

Farouk Arnaz – A teacher of Islamic studies in East Java was arrested on Friday for allegedly molesting at least 13 elementary school students.

"The suspect, S., 48, holds a degree in Islamic studies and teaches at an elementary school in Gandu, Nganjuk. He has been detained as of today for molesting his students," Nganjuk Police Chief Adj. Comr. Anggoro Sukartono told the Jakarta Globe on Friday.

Anggoro said that S. often called his students into private meetings on the pretext of grading their tests. He asked the students, some as young as 8, to sit on his lap while he molested them. The students said the teacher had also touched them improperly during classes.

All 13 victims have undergone a medical examination, Anggoro said. "The medical examinations confirm that the students have been sexually abused," he said.

Anggoro said the police were still questioning the suspect to find out how long he had been sexually harassing his students. "If there's other victims, we hope they will come out and file a report, and immediately get a medical examination."

Anggoro said the suspect threatened the students if they told anyone about the alleged sexual abuses. The police said if proven guilty, the suspect could face 15 years in prison for violating a law on child protection.

Headmaster demands oral sex in exchange for diploma, student says

Jakarta Globe - March 1, 2013

SP/Fana F.S. Putra – A student has reported to police that the deputy headmaster of a Jakarta high school threatened to withhold her diploma if she refused to give him oral sex.

"He threatened that he would not issue my grade point [report card] and [graduation] certificate. I'm scared," said M.A., the 17-year-old student of a high school in Matraman, East Jakarta.

The deputy headmaster, identified with the initial T., forced her to give him oral sex four times between June and July last year, the student said. The first case happened on June 26, 2012, M.A. claimed, adding that T. asked her to meet him in front of a bank office in Utan Kayu, East Jakarta.

In another incident, the student reported, T. brought her to a dark area in Ancol and forced her to perform oral sex. Afterward, he gave M.A. Rp 50,000 ($5.17) to go home by cab, she said. In the more recent case, the headmaster asked for more than just oral sex when he invited the student to his home, M.A. said.

"I refused," M.A. said. "Looking at the condition of the house, it [the sexual advance] seemed to have been planned before."

The student said she decided not to answer phone calls from T. and confessed the harassment to a teacher, who encouraged M.A. to report the case to police.

M.A. claimed that T. threatened her after she spoke to police. T. also gathered members of the Intra-School Student Organization and said that M.A. lied about the oral sex, and asked for support because his wife is pregnant, M.A. said. Even though he has stepped down from his position as deputy headmaster, T. still serves as a biology teacher at the school.

"The headmaster and class teacher intimidated me," M.A. said. "I still go to school but can't be free. I'm afraid even to go to the canteen."

Some teachers and the headmaster of the school, as well as officials from the East Jakarta education agency, asked M.A. to halt her lawsuit until final exams are over. Head of Jakarta education agency Taufik Yudi Mulyanto said he had suspended T. from his position as the deputy headmaster on Friday afternoon.

"Today I gave an instruction to the headmaster to remove the deputy from his post and to suspend him as a teacher," he said. Taufik said he would monitor the legal process and ensure T. would comply with the investigation.

Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo said on Friday that T. would be fired if he is found guilty of the students claims. "I have already checked it, and have ordered to suspend him as deputy headmaster and teacher as it is a bad example," Joko said. "And if it's true, we'll fire him."

The Jakarta Regional Representatives Council (DPRD) had previously demanded the immediate dismissal of the teacher."I want the teacher that molested the student to be fired," member of DPRD Jhony Simanjuntak said, adding that teachers should set a good example for students. "Why do we have to hire teacher with bad morality? The Jakarta education agency should not be afraid to take a firm action."

Labour & migrant workers

Riau workers sideline Islamic Games preparation with pay protest

Jakarta Globe - March 4, 2013

Ami Afriatni – The troubled Islamic Solidarity Games hit another roadblock on Monday as construction workers sealed the Riau Main Stadium, in Pekanbaru, over allegations that they had not been paid.

Construction crews began their protest last year by disassembling hundreds of spectator seats, the sound system and the score board at the stadium. They reignited the dispute on Monday as Indonesia Olympic Committee (KOI) officials visited the site, according to reports on the Indonesian news portal Detik.com.

The workers locked the doors and hung a banner reading "We do not permit PT PP-Adhi-Wika use our asset facility before [they] settle up the payment. No more fake promises."

The workers claim they are owed Rp 30 billion ($3 million) in backpay. The money is allegedly held up by the local government, which had agreed to pay the PP-Adhi-Wika consortium the funds to hire a subcontractor to build the stadium.

The stadium, which was constructed for Indonesia's National Games (PON), has been clouded by corruption allegations levied against Riau governor and graft suspect Rusli Zainal.

Officers with the local Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) removed the banner and opened the stadium on Monday morning, allowing KOI president Rita Subowo to enter with her staff. She promised to resolve the payment issue and ensure that preparations for the Islamic Solidarity Games continued on schedule.

"It is our commitment to succeed [with] these games, despite the reality we are now facing," she told reporters. "It is for the sale of the 'Merah Putih' [red and white]. This problem must be cleared up. The main stadium is where the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games are going to take place." Rita urged the local government, PP-Adhi-Wika and the workers to put an end to the dispute.

"The province should be proud to hold such an international event," she said. "Without the stadium, there would be no Islamic Solidarity Games."

The planned Islamic Solidarity Games will bring some 5,000 athletes to Pekanbaru, Riau, to compete in 17 sports from June 6 to June 17.

Freedom of information & press

Indonesian journalist physically attacked while covering land dispute

Jakarta Globe - March 4, 2013

Tunggadewa Mattangkilang, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan – A television reporter in East Kalimantan says she suffered a miscarriage after being beaten by a village chief and more than a dozen other men while covering a land dispute on Saturday.

Normila Sari Wahyuni, 23, a reporter from Paser TV, which airs locally in the district of Paser, was interviewing one victim of a bitter land dispute in Rantau Panjang village when she was allegedly stopped by a number of men, including the village chief, Ilyas. She said the men tried to confiscate her camera before attacking her.

Normila, who was on Sunday seeking treatment at Panglima Sebaya Hospital in the town of Tanah Grogot, said she was beaten, had her clothes ripped off and her camera taken from her.

"I was dragged across the road like an animal after my coverage. My shirt and trousers were ripped apart. I was one month pregnant and I had a miscarriage after my body, including my stomach, was kicked by thugs and village officials. They treated me inhumanely," she told the Jakarta Globe in a telephone interview on Sunday.

"I had told them that I am a reporter and showed my press ID... but still they beat me."

Normila said she was beaten to the ground and had her camera taken from her. She said the men threw the camera into a nearby pond and left her there. "There was a local who happened to pass the road and took me to the hospital," she said.

Paser district police chief Ismajuddin said the reporter had filed a complaint against the village chief, the only attacker she recognized, for aggravated assault.

"We will summon a number of witnesses, including the village chief who participated in the assault. We will investigate the case as swiftly as possible," he said.

Nurdin, chairman of the Paser chapter of the Association of Indonesian Journalists (PWI), condemned the attack, saying that the perpetrators must also be charged with violating the Law on the Press.

The law stipulates that anyone trying to stop or threatening to stop journalists from doing their work could face up to two years in prison.

"This is an inhumane act. Violence against reporters is rampant because people don't understand the importance of a journalist's work. Therefore, we demand police to also charge the attackers with the 1999 Press Law," Nurdin said.

Political parties & elections

Senior Golkar members move to oust Aburizal

Jakarta Post - March 7, 2013

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The rift within the Golkar Party has intensified with Aburizal Bakrie's camp warning rival politicians to end their campaign to oust him as party chairman.

Fadel Muhammad, an Aburizal loyalist, said on Wednesday that three senior members of the party, Agung Laksono, Sharif Cicip Sutardjo and Priyo Budi Santoso had begun making moves against Aburizal's leadership. Sharif is maritime affairs and fisheries minister, while Priyo is deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.

Fadel said that Agung, party deputy chairman and coordinating people's welfare minister, had traveled extensively around the country meeting the party's provincial and regional leaders, to build support for his bid to replace Bakrie when his term expires in 2015.

Local party leaders have confirmed Fadel's statement. Muntasir, chairman of Golkar's municipal chapter in Banda Aceh, and also chairman of Golkar's regency and municipal leaders' forum said Agung had been making political maneuvers in preparation to take over the party leadership from Aburizal.

Muntasir declined to give details about which local chapters had been the target of Agung's maneuvering but he said: "It is a betrayal of the party and is against the party's statutes."

Agung has denied the accusation. "Our first objective is to win the legislative election in April and second to win the presidential election," he said.

In his speech to Golkar party lawmakers and local councilors on Tuesday evening, Aburizal said that he was still in charge of the party and warned party members against making efforts to seek his removal.

Aburizal called on all party members to set aside their political ambitions and concentrate on winning the legislative and presidential elections in 2014.

"The party's national congress is still a long way off and before we get there, we have to focus on the legislative and presidential elections first," he said, to applause from more than 2,800 Golkar members who later pledged that they would meet the party's target of winning 33 percent of the votes and getting Aburizal elected president.

A number of senior Golkar members who were present in the room including former president BJ Habibie, former vice president Jusuf Kalla and former Golkar chairman Akbar Tanjung responded coolly to the event.

Both Kalla and Akbar have openly stated their opposition to Aburizal's bid for the presidency given his low approval ratings in public opinion polls. Akbar recently said that the party's decision to nominate Aburizal late last year was not yet final and could still be evaluated.

A source within Golkar said that the party was split over the list of legislative candidates which it had to submit to the General Elections Commission (KPU) by April 15. A number of Aburizal's rivals rejected the list because it was dominated by loyalists of the party chairman.

Political analyst Iberamsyah of the University of Indonesia, said that Aburizal's rivals would continue to use his low approval rating as a stick to beat his candidacy.

He said that Aburizal's rivals would also use the Lapindo mudflow in Sidoarjo, East Java and the alleged tax fraud involving his companies, to undermine him. "They will continue using those issues to frustrate his presidential bid," Iberamsyah said.

He added that Golkar had set an unrealistic target of getting 33 percent of the votes. "Golkar can talk of getting 33 percent in the coming legislative election but they should remember that the next election will see voters punishing parties that fail to perform, including Golkar," he said.

Dems seeking coalition support on Century

Jakarta Post - March 6, 2013

Bagus BT Saragih and Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Democratic Party politicians are trying to consolidate support from members of the government coalition to block an attempt to launch a new investigation into the 2008 Bank Century bailout scandal.

The House of Representatives' monitoring team on the investigation into the bailout scandal is planning to summon former party chairman Anas Urbaningrum and four other individuals who Anas has said hold valuable information regarding illegal practices surrounding the disbursement of Rp 6.76 trillion (US$697.5 million) of public funds to save the bank.

The party is likely to face another obstacle to forming a solid coalition to serve its interests. The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Golkar Party, which are member parties of the coalition, will likely block the Dems' initiative.

Analysts have said the two parties, which often go against the coalition line, may use the renewed investigation to attack President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his administration.

The United Development Party (PPP), another coalition party, said that representatives of six coalition parties had met at the joint secretariat to discuss the committee's move.

"We planned to discuss several issues but it turned out that the Century case became the main focus of our attention," PPP lawmaker Hasrul Azwar said.

"In the meeting, the Democratic Party requested all coalition parties not to carry out political maneuvering following Anas' testimonies. They do not want the monitoring team to exceed its authority," Hasrul said.

The identities of the four individuals who are believed to be the new witnesses in the Century case remained undisclosed. Anas gave their names to members of the House's team when they visited his residence in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta, on Monday.

According to Hasrul, the ruling party has also questioned the team's move to seek information on the bailout from Anas. "They seem worried about new political turmoil," he said.

Outspoken Golkar lawmaker and one of the team members, Bambang Soesatyo, denied allegations that his party would use Anas as political tool to undermine the President, now seen as Anas' opponent in the Democratic Party. Bambang said, "this is about telling the truth."

Team member from the PKS, Fahri Hamzah, acknowledged the team planned to summon Anas and the four new witnesses. "Anas said he was eager to testify, but he is burdened by his legal status as a suspect," Fahri said.

Anas has been declared a suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for accepting illicit gratuities in the Hambalang affair.

The PKS is also been said to be planning retaliation after its former chairman, Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq, was arrested by the KPK in connection with procurement of imported meat. The Islamic-based party claims that the charges against Luthfi are part of a conspiracy to weaken the party ahead of the elections.

When asked if the PKS would use the Century case to attack Yudhoyono, PKS President and House deputy speaker Anis Matta said, "This is about the team and the House's responsibility to complete our inquiry." He added, "It must be done because the tenure of the team ends at the end of this year and cannot be extended again."

A team member from the PPP, Ahmad Yani, said he would push the team to summon Anas. "We believe that Anas has information about wrongdoings and the culprits behind the bailout scandal," he said.

The team was established in 2010 with one year of tenure which has been extended twice. It was established as a follow up to the House's inquiry into the bailout which concluded in 2010 that the government's decision to bail out the ailing Bank Century (now renamed to Bank Mutiara) in 2008 was irregular and involved wrongdoings.

The inquiry was widely reported by the media and jolted Yudhoyono's administration particularly after some of his coalition members, namely the PKS, the Golkar Party and the PPP, decided to side with the opposition.

NasDem targets workers in bid to bolster shrinking ranks

Jakarta Globe - March 4, 2013

SP/Yeremia Sukoyo – The struggling National Democratic Party is attempting to bolster its ranks with laborers after some 20,000 members burned their membership cards and quit in the wake of former party boss Hary Tanoesoedibjo's high-profile exit.

"It's time for laborers to enter the party and fight for their rights from within," the party's secretary general Patrice Rio Capella said. "Labor rights are part of NasDem's agenda, therefore we hope labor activists can run as legislative candidates in the 2014 election."

Hundreds of laborers had already flocked to the party, he said, as the party established ties with the workers' rights group Mass Labor Movement.

The organization's chairman, Irma Chaniago, said the partnership would give workers a voice in the government. "We want to give the opportunity for laborers to participate in the legislative [process]," Irma said.

The party began losing members last month after media mogul and former chairman Hary quit NasDem after rival Surya Paloh was elected as the party's new chief. Hary accused Surya of changing the direction of the party.

In the following weeks, thousands of NasDem members left the party, some in mass resignations that numbered in the thousands. The party's membership is estimated to have dropped from 65,000 to 45,000. NasDem is the only new party to be given a slot in the 2014 legislative election by the General Elections Commission (KPU).

Dems ask KPU for leeway on 2014 legislative candidate list

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2013

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – The Democratic Party has made a plea to the General Elections Commission (KPU) to allow it to bypass submitting a list of legislative candidates for the 2014 election without authorization from the party's chairman.

The ruling party, which is currently without a leader following the decision of Anas Urbaningrum to quit, claimed last month that it was in a difficult situation given the 2012 law on legislative elections, which stipulates that parties' legislative candidates lists for 2014 must be signed by a legitimate party leader.

"The KPU has the power to issue regulations on election management. So, the commission can issue a regulation on how to deal with a certain situation [like what the Democratic Party currently faces]. But I don't want to give advice or even dictate to the KPU," Democratic Party patron and Law and Human Rights Minister Amir Syamsuddin said on Sunday.

Amir said the regulation would be crucial in the future as leadership problems could affect other parties.

He proposed that the Democrats be given some leeway in the submission of the legislative candidates list. "It would be great if the party's supreme assembly was allowed to endorse the list," Amir said.

The KPU has set an April 15 deadline for political parties to submit provisional lists of their legislative candidates. Many have suggested that the Democrats must hold an extraordinary congress to elect a new chairman to approve the party's list.

Executives of the party have argued that there was not enough time to set up such a congress, as it would involve lengthy preparation and consolidation of the party structure down to local level.

Analysts, however, have suggested that Yudhoyono and his supporters were concerned that an extraordinary congress – if held today – could see one of Anas' supporters elected as chairman. Despite facing graft charges, Anas is believed to enjoy massive support from party members at local level.

"Yudhoyono does not want to see his party being led by somebody he does not want, like what happened in 2010 when Anas was democratically elected," Pol-Tracking Institute executive director Hanta Yuda said.

Hanta said that the KPU must not make an exception for the Democrats, despite the dire situation the party faced. "The KPU works for all political parties and therefore must not give special treatment to one party," Hanta said.

He added that the Democratic Party still had ample time to prepare a congress. "There is still more than one month for the Democrats to organize an extraordinary congress, so, its request to the KPU is unacceptable," he added.

The Democratic Party had begun the process of coming up with a legislative list long before Anas stepped down. Many also speculate that Anas' departure stalled the process, with his opponents within the party wanting to restart it from the beginning.

Hayono Isman, another party patron, said that his party could get around the election law. "The role of the chairman to sign the preliminary list can be given to the deputy chairman and the secretary-general," he said.

SBY gets erratic as Dems' crisis deepens

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2013

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – Visibly irked from the prolonged turmoil within his Democratic Party, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono lashed out at other political parties, saying they were working to sow instability in the country in order to benefit from such a situation.

Speaking of intelligence reports to back up his claim, Yudhoyono said a number of parties had tried to take advantage of the chaos in the Democratic Party to distract him from his state duties and disrupt the work of the government.

"I've been monitoring the political situation and continue to receive intelligence reports. I hope political elites and certain groups can stay within the corridors of democracy in pursuing their goals. However, if they plan to destabilize the state and stop the government from working, this will only bring suffering to the people," Yudhoyono told a press conference at the Halim Perdana-kusuma Airport in East Jakarta on Sunday.

He was due to leave the country for a five-day state visit to Germany, which will also include a visit to Budapest.

"This year and next, the political situation should remain conducive so that the 2014 elections will run smoothly. If the nation is destabilized by the stirring up of problems, it will not be good for the state," Yudhoyono said.

Yudhoyono has been criticized for his handling of the Democratic Party leadership crisis, which ended with the resignation of Anas Urba-ningrum as party chairman. Analysts have said Yudhoyono orchestrated the move to oust Anas.

Anas decided to quit the party following a move by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to name him a suspect in the Hambalang graft case. In his resignation speech, Anas threatened to retaliate against his opponents in the party.

Earlier last week, Anas began his attack on Yudhoyono's family by accusing his son, Eddhie "Ibas" Baskoro Yudhoyono, of receiving money from the Hambalang project.

Also on Sunday, Yudhoyono made a statement that could be seen as meddling with the work of the KPK by saying that Anas should eventually be acquitted of all charges.

"As you all must have known, the trigger of all of these political maneuvers was the situation surrounding Pak Anas. As a result, legal issues have been mixed with politics. My suggestion to him is to focus on his case. Hopefully he will be declared innocent because that will be good for us," he said.

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) activist Emerson Yuntho called the statement unethical. "A President shouldn't have publicly stated that a graft suspect be acquitted of all charges. It's unethical and unwise," he said.

Hifdzil Alim of Gadjah Mada University's Center for Anticorruption Studies (Pukat) said Yudhoyono had contradicted his own statement about not interfering with legal matters. "The President said don't mix politics with legal issues, but he and others in the party have done the opposite," Hifdzil said.

Ray Rangkuti of the Indonesian Civil Society Circle (LIMA) said Yudhoyono might have been trying to distract the public from the most pressing issue.

"Yudhoyono's actions could be due to the allegation that his son Ibas is involved in corruption, and the prospect of Anas using the Bank Century bailout case as his trump card," he said.

KPU declares Ahmad and Deddy winners of the West Java governor race

Jakarta Globe - March 3, 2013

Bandung – The West Java chapter of the General Elections Commission (KPU) on Sunday declared incumbent Governor Ahmad Heryawan and his running mate, veteran actor Deddy Mizwar, as the winners of the recent gubernatorial election.

The pair, backed by the Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), will lead West Java until 2018.

"I hope everyone can accept this decision," KPU West Java head Yayat Hidayat said during a plenary session in Bandung on Sunday, according to Indonesian news portal Tempo.co.

Ahmad and Deddy led with 32 percent of votes, followed closely by Rieke Diah Pitaloka and Teten Masduki, who were backed by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), with 28 percent votes.

Actor Dede Yusuf and his running mate Lex Laksamana, backed by the Democratic Party, finished third with 25 percent of the votes, followed by Golkar Party candidates Irianto Syafiuddin and Tatang Farhanul Hakim, with 12 percent votes, and independent candidates Dikdik Mulyana Arif Mansyur and Cecep Nana Suryana Toyib, with 1.8 percent of the votes.

More than 20.7 million ballots were cast on election day (Feb. 24) in Indonesia's most populous province. Nearly 3 percent of the votes were declared invalid.

The week in review: Political novel in-the-making

Jakarta Post - March 3, 2013

Endy M. Bayuni – Indonesia's chattering classes got all excited after Anas Urbaningrum announced his resignation as chairman of the ruling Democratic Party and quipped that this was only "the first page" as he seeks to defend his name and reputation against charges of corruption.

In the absence of any other major breaking story, Anas dominated the news headlines this past week. While he has revealed nothing to suggest that he is moving to Page Two anytime soon, there was never any shortage of speculations and conspiracy theories from politicians, pundits and journalists to keep the nation busy, if not amused and entertained. The social media make sure that whatever these people have to say are being quickly disseminated to a much wider audience beyond the small political elite.

Whether Anas is innocent or guilty of corruption as charged by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), he comes across as vengeful, someone determined to bring everybody else's down, including the party which he had chaired since 2010, and even President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono or members of the First Family. At least, that's how the media have portrayed him, rightly or wrongly.

As party chair for three years, he certainly knew about what went on within the party much more than he cares to admit, including how chief treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin used the party's influence to secure lucrative contracts and raise funds. Nazaruddin, jailed for seven years, has implicated other party seniors, including former youth and sports minister Andi Mallarangeng and now, finally, Anas. Exactly how deep Anas was involved in the scam over the construction of the Rp 1.17 trillion (US$121 million) Hambalang sports complex project in West Java is what the KPK is trying to determine.

Anas may know a lot, but the more pertinent question is how much he would reveal and how far he would be willing to bring down the party or President Yudhoyono with him. While there are pressures from the party's detractors for Anas to go all the way, he knows too that the more he reveals, the more he incriminates himself. He was, after all, the chair of the party, and therefore the most responsible for how the party raised its money. Anas would destroy himself first before he brings everybody else's down.

Another reason why the nation's political elite got all excited this week was the suggestion (which did not come from Anas's mouth) that he had some new information about the process of the 2008 Bank Century bailout that would reveal the role played by Vice President Boediono and World Bank Managing Director Sri Mulyani Indrawati. These two were respectively the Bank Indonesia governor and the finance minister at the time of the bail out, and therefore deemed as most responsible for making the decision.

Whatever the Bank Century piece of information Anas has, it is unlikely to change the nature of the KPK investigation. After more than four years, everything we need to know about the bailout surely is already known. The real question for the KPK now is to determine whether any crime had been committed as the House of Representatives has insisted. Still this didn't stop the President's detractors in the House to demand a hearing with Anas and to suggest that KPK question him about Bank Century. The KPK has also announced this week that it will travel to Washington DC to question Sri Mulyani.

The KPK in the meantime decided this week to launch an independent inquiry into how a draft letter ordering the investigation of Anas had been leaked. The leak, one week before Anas was officially named a graft suspect, led to speculation that the KPK had come under pressure from the Presidential Palace.

Rather than a story about Anas' role in the Hambalang scandal, his story quickly turned into a tale about how Yudhoyono was plotting to remove Anas. This has become the dominant story line, at least for this week.

This has been Anas' week, but he is wrong to think that this is the first page of a big story. His story would be too small to stand on its own. Anas may not even be the central figure in this still evolving political drama. He may be the main character in the current chapter of the story dedicated to his part and his role. But Anas doesn't get to write the story and therefore doesn't get to choose how it would end. And Anas is not necessarily the good guy in the novel either. So his supporters should be prepared to be disappointed with an anti-climax ending for this particular chapter on Anas.

Anas' story instead is a part of much broader and longer political drama in-the-making about high level corruptions in this country. Anas joins other characters who have already come and gone in the story, including Nazaruddin, Angelina Sondakh to Andi. No doubt there will be other characters as the story unfolds in the coming weeks and months. We have yet to see what role Yudhoyono played in all this mess.

This may turn out to be one of the longest-running political novels Indonesia has seen. Just sit back and enjoy, and watch how it ends.

Yudhoyono to gather party's local executives as crisis rumbles on

Jakarta Post - March 2, 2013

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will hold a meeting with the local executives of his ruling Democratic Party in Cikeas, West Java, on Saturday as the party struggles to cope with a leadership crisis following the resignation of party chairman Anas Urbaningrum.

Democratic Party central executive Sutan Bhatoegana said on Friday that the consolidation meeting would review current incidents concerning the party, including future efforts to save the party.

It remains unclear whether the meeting would discuss plans to hold an extraordinary congress to select a new chief to replace Anas as required by the party's constitution.

The party has yet to make any decision on the timing of the congress amid rumors that the party leadership at the local level is still dominated by Anas' supporters.

"We will talk about how to bring all leaders together to save this party. I expect all party leaders and members to put aside personal feelings for the sake of this party. Please do remember that the Democratic Party doesn't belong to Anas or any other person. It belongs to the people," Sutan said.

A politician within the party who requested anonymity said that Yudhoyono, who chairs the party's supreme assembly, was cautious about calling the congress as he might risk losing full control of the party he founded. Anas, known to be an influential figure within the Islamic Students Association (HMI), reportedly managed to recruit HMI activists in the regions to join the party.

Such a strong support base has helped him survive various attempts to unseat him before he stepped down after being charged by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

It is not impossible that his loyalists who remain in the party could control the votes in the congress and elect a new chief who is out of favor with Yudhoyono.

Ulil Abshar Abdalla, one of the party's executives, said the political cost of the congress "would be too expensive" for Yudhoyono. "It's better not to push for the congress in the near future. It will be too risky because we cannot control the votes. Any undesirable person could end up as chairman," said Ulil.

"The congress is the most democratic way to determine a new chairman but under the current circumstances, it would be unwise to hold it," he added.

The party's constitution stipulates that the party's chairman is elected by a congress. Ulil and other party members, however, have called on the President to instead appoint an interim chairman.

A number of high-profile figures have been tipped to replace Anas, including Yudhoyono's brother-in-law, Army chief of staff Gen. Pramono Edhie Wibowo, who will soon retire, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto and House of Representatives speaker Marzuki Alie.

Pramono has refused to comment on his possible appointment, while Djoko has said he has never had any thought of leading a political party.

Marzuki, who is regarded as neutral between the Anas and Yudhoyono factions is seen as one the strongest candidates. He said he was ready to lead the party. "I will always be committed to doing my job whatever it is."

On Friday, Marzuki called on Yudhoyono to prioritize party members to be the next chairman instead of appointing an outsider. The statement is seen as a rejection of the possible appointment of Pramono or Djoko as the new Democratic Party leader.

"It would be unethical to appoint an outsider to chair the party. Our regulations don't permit that. I believe all party members are well informed about this, and so is Pak SBY," Marzuki said, referring to Yudhoyono.

Golkar, Gerindra shrug off threats from Dems

Jakarta Post - March 1, 2013

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – The leadership of the Golkar Party and the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party have shrugged off a Democratic Party threat to thwart their presidential aspirations.

During a press conference on Wednesday, two executives of the Democratic Party – Ulil Abshar Abdalla and Rachland Nashidik – said that the main objective of the party was to prevent either Gerindra chief patron Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto or Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie from securing the country's top job in 2014.

"From my perspective, the primary task for the Democratic Party now is to prevent Prabowo and Aburizal from becoming the country's next president. If the Democratic Party fails in becoming a great party then it will fail in stopping the other political parties," Rachland said in a press conference to respond to accusations leveled by former Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum at the family of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Rachland, a former human rights campaigner, said that Indonesia risked becoming a pariah state if its next leader had a record of human rights abuses, a statement that alluded to Prabowo.

A member of Gerindra's board of patrons, Martin Hutabarat, called the statement "amateurish". He considered Ulil and Rachland as junior politicians within the Democratic Party who had yet to gain sufficient political skills.

Martin said that the statement did not represent the official stance of the Democrats and reflected the worries of some politicians about the soaring popularity of Prabowo.

"The improving electability rating of Prabowo should not be seen as a threat by other figures or political parties. It should be seen as having a positive impact for the country's future," Martin said.

Golkar deputy chairman Agung Laksono said Rachland's statement did not represent the official stance of his party. "I don't want to muddy the waters by commenting on that. It was a personal statement. It is not the mission and vision of the party, so it is better for me not to comment on that," Agung told reporters.

He said that if Golkar decided to formally respond to the statement it would only provoke unnecessary tension.

Both Aburizal and Prabowo have been implicated in cases concerning human rights violations.

A report published by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) in 2003 alleged that Prabowo, then commander of the Army's once notorious Special Forces Command (Kopassus), was responsible for gross human rights violations that occurred during extensive rioting in Jakarta in 1998, which preceded the end of former president Soeharto's long regime.

The investigation found that "security authorities at that time failed to curb widespread rioting that took place simultaneously".

In August last year, Komnas HAM announced that the Lapindo mudflow in Sidoarjo, East Java, was a human rights violation and that the oil and gas company PT Lapindo Brantas, which is owned by Aburizal, was responsible for the man-made disaster.

Earlier this year, the government pushed for the establishment of an ad hoc human rights tribunal to hear cases of gross human rights violations that took place during the May 1998 riots, which could become a stumbling block for the presidential aspirations of Prabowo.

SBY on verge of losing Dems

Jakarta Post - March 1, 2013

Bagus BT Saragih and Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono risks losing full control of his Democratic Party as former party chairman Anas Urbaningrum's loyalists still control the votes needed for the party to pass crucial policies, including the appointment of a new chairman.

Since Anas' decision to step down from the chairmanship on Saturday, the party remains undecided over the timing of the so-called extraordinary congress, a special forum to appoint a new chairman.

A politician within the party, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue, said on Thursday that Yudhoyono was concerned that his desired candidates would lose the chairmanship vote at the congress. "The congress could even pave the ways for Anas' loyalists to take over the party," he said.

"Anas still has a deep-rooted influence over party leaders at provincial [DPD] and regency [DPC] levels. These are the people that have votes in the congress," he said. The party comprised 33 DPD and 461 DPC leaders, of whom the majority were supportive of Anas, said the politician.

Party official Ulil Abshar Abdalla confirmed the concerns, saying that the political cost of the congress "would be too expensive" for Yudhoyono. "It's better not to push for the congress in the near future. It will be too risky because we cannot control the votes. Any undesirable person could end up as chairman," said Ulil. "The congress is the most democratic way to determine a new chairman but under the current circumstances, it would be unwise to hold it."

Speaking to The Jakarta Post on Thursday, Anas said there was no way for the party to legally appoint a leader other than through a congress. When asked about the chances that his loyalists would vote against Yudhoyono's candidates, Anas merely said that "it would not be difficult for them to count the votes and forecast the outcome".

"But I have urged all members to stay calm and rational. I am positioning myself as their best friend," said Anas, who is widely known for his ability to speak in a subtly nuanced Javanese style.

Should Anas' loyalists exercise their power during the congress, Yudhoyono would risk losing the party in a similar way to former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid in 2008 when he lost the National Awakening Party (PKB), which he founded, to his nephew Muhaimin Iskandar, who is now the manpower and transmigration minister.

Member of the party's board of patrons, Hayono Isman, also shared Ulil's concern that the congress would only strengthen the position of Anas' loyalists. "The party has not yet begun any arrangement for a congress due to various considerations," he said.

Political observer Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia said the party's elites must start developing a solid network in the regions to persuade Anas' supporters to jump ship. "If Anas' supporters decide to revolt and retaliate, the party will sink even deeper," he said.

Anas' strength in forging loyalty has been based on his strategy of regularly visiting the regional branches to maintain communications – a strategy not favored by his party rivals who preferred to meet the branch leaders in fancy hotels.

Anas stepped down last week after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named him a suspect for accepting gratuities or making promises related to several projects, including the construction of the Hambalang sports center.

The party would need to have a definitive chairman in order to approve a list of legislative nominees to be submitted to the General Elections Commission (KPU) by April 15, or risk being excluded from the 2014 general election. "We have proposed skipping the congress and have Yudhoyono appointed someone as interim chairman to sign the list of the nominees. This is legal enough to be accepted by the KPU," said Ulil.

Several names have circulated as Anas' replacement, including House of Representatives Speaker Marzuki Alie and Yudhoyono's brother-in-law, Gen. Pramono Edhie Wibowo.

Political observer Burhanuddin Muhtadi of the Indonesia Survey Institute (LSI) argued that an interim chairman would not have enough standing or sufficient legal authority to sign the nominees list. Such a weakness would trigger further infighting within the party. Burhan also said that aside from Anas' faction, Yudhoyono should also be worried about Marzuki's ambitions to lead the party.

"Marzuki has enough firepower to tackle Yudhoyono's candidates. A congress is the most constitutional method to appoint a new chairman. But it is taking so long to hold it because the party's elites are still trying to find the best compromise," he said. "Marzuki does not fit with Yudhoyono who wants to appoint someone from outside the party. Someone that he can trust," added Burhan.

[Rendi A. Witular also contributed to the story.]

Surveys & opinion polls

Former general Prabowo gets poll boost in bid for Indonesian presidency

Jakarta Globe - March 1, 2013

Anastasia Wienanti Resardhy – Former military general Prabowo Subianto's bid for the presidency next year has been given a boost, with a survey declaring him to be the most popular candidate, with his Great Indonesia Movement Party trumping all its rivals.

In the poll, conducted by the National Leadership Center and international research institution Taylor Nelson Sofres, 35 percent of respondents nominated Prabowo as their preferred candidate, while 20 percent chose former President Megawati Sukarnoputri, and 12 percent chose former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, results released in Jakarta on Thursday showed.

NLC president director Taufik Bahaudin said that business tycoon Aburizal Bakrie gained support from just 7 percent of respondents, and former military general Wiranto, Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengkubuwono X and State Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan 4 percent each. The polling put Chief Economics Minister Hatta Rajasa and Constitutional Court leader Mahfud M.D. on 2 percent each, and first lady Ani Yudhoyono and former Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati on 1 percent.

Taufik said the polling found the public was generally optimistic about Indonesia's future.

The TNS polling also found Prabowo's Gerindra was the most popular political party, preferred by 26 percent of respondents, followed by Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P, 25 percent), Aburizal's Golkar (18 percent), the Democratic Party (8 percent), the United Development Party (PPP), Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and National Democratic Party (NasDem) (3 percent each), National Awakening Party (PKB), Hatta's National Mandate Party (PAN), and Wiranto's People's Conscience Party (Hanura) (2 percent each). The survey of 2,020 people in 31 provinces was conducted from Jan. 14 to 19. Its margin of error is a little less than 4 percent.

NLC did not include Joko Widodo in the polling because the Jakarta governor has denied an interest in standing for the presidency next year. "We have asked him and he has confirmed that he will not run for president," Taufik said.

Joko has topped previous surveys conducted by other polsters. A survey by the Jakarta Survey Institute (LSJ), published last week showed that Joko topped other candidates with 18 percent of respondents voting for him if the election was held now. The survey, which polled 1,225 respondents nationwide from Feb. 9 to 15, put Prabowo a distant second with 11 percent, Wiranto on 10 percent, Kalla and Aburizal on 9 percent and Megawati on 7 percent.

A poll by the United Data Center (PDB) conducted from Jan. 3-18 and surveying 1,200 respondents in 30 provinces also found that Joko topped a list of 33 possible candidates, receiving support from 21 percent of respondents.

Many polls on Indonesia are conducted with partisan motivations, but TNS does have a track record of success in predicting results. Three months ahead of the first round of the 2004 presidential election, it accurately picked Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the likely victor.

Internet & social media

Groups urge government to uphold human rights in regulating Internet

Jakarta Post - March 2, 2013

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – A coalition of Indonesian civil society groups wants the government to focus on human rights at an international conference on Internet governance in Bali Island in October.

Indonesia has been slated to host the 8th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) from Oct. 21 to 25. The IGF is a series of policy dialogues on Internet governance, bringing together stakeholders, governments, the private sector and NGOs.

A representative of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (Elsam), which is a member group of the Indonesian CSO Network for Internet Governance (ID-Config), raised concerns on an increasing number of incidents of illegal filtering and content blocking on the Internet that have hampered the freedom of expression in Indonesia.

Elsam executive director Indriaswati D. Saptaningrum said that the public must ensure that the IGF considered human rights when managing the Internet, adding that she hoped that the forum would help the government to better shape its Internet policies.

"There are targets for both the government and the private sector to accelerate the increase in the number of Internet users in Indonesia," Indriaswati said on Friday in Jakarta. "But if regulations are not considered seriously, the impact will be dangerous for our rights."

Indriaswati cited the case of the so-called Minang Atheist, Alexander Aan, who was sentence to two-and-a-half-years' imprisonment years for blasphemy after he declared himself an atheist on Facebook and the case of Prita Mulyasari, a housewife sued by a hospital for libel after she sent private emails to several friends complaining about the service she received there.

Indriaswati said that Elsam agreed that not all Internet users in Indonesia understood the potential of the Internet or its risks.

"However, public participation in the cyberspace should be given enough space. What we need is the protection of the Internet users, not user restrictions by tapping or limiting content."

Moreover, Indonesia had no clear regulations on content filtering, she said. "So much contents is blocked. The government argues this contents is related to porn, violence or even possesses threat to security."

In its "2012 Freedom on the Net" report, US-based Freedom House gave Indonesia a rating of 42 out of 100, an increase from 46 points in 2011. A lower score means more Internet freedom. The report evaluated conditions in 47 nations based on barriers to access, limits on content and violations of user rights.

Indriaswati also raised the issue of selling personal data on the Internet. "There are so many SMS for product promotions, although we never give them our numbers."

According to Elsam, the only one article in the 2008 Information and Electronic Transaction Law covered personal data management, albeit inadequately.

Speaking to the conference over the telephone from Paris, Sita Laskmi of ID-Config said her team wanted to raise public awareness of international forums to ensure the quality of internet management both abroad and at home.

"As civil society representatives, we need to make sure that the Bali dialog is transparent and the output will consider human rights."

Meanwhile, Ashwin Sasongko of the Communications and Information Ministry, rebuffed criticism that the ministry had failed to promulgate the existing 2008 Law.

"Cyber-ethics are supposed to be in line with the ones in real world. If people cannot curse people in the real world, they should not do it in cyberspace. We all have to stick to such norms," he told the discussion.

Wahyudi Djafar of Elsam said that if Ashwin was correct, human rights protections must also cover the Internet, as stated in a UN Human Rights Council resolution.

In mid-2012, the council released a resolution that stated that "the rights people have offline must also be protected online, in particular freedom of expression, in accordance with articles 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights".

Environment & natural disasters

Community values buried under Lapindo mud

Jakarta Post - March 5, 2013

The following stories are the second of a series of reports on the life of residents in Sidoarjo, East Java, who have been affected by a mudflow since 2006. The Jakarta Post's Hans David Tampubolon recently visited the devastated area of Porong.

The continuous mudflow stream in Porong, Sidoarjo, within the last seven years has all but destroyed the social and economic lives of its residents.

The mudflow began in 2006, while PT Lapindo Brantas was conducting drilling within the area. The mudflow has buried more than 600 hectares of land, displacing almost 40,000 people from 12 villages.

According to several residents, who have lost their lands and businesses due to the mudflow, community values have shifted to become more selfish and individualistic within the last two years, whereas it was not that long ago that collectivism and cooperation was the common social spirit.

"Before the mudflow tarnished our lands, people were more willing to share what they had with their neighbors. If someone was sick, then everyone would do their best to help," Harwati, a resident who lost her convenience store business under the mud, told The Jakarta Post during a recent interview.

"But now, things have changed. If you are sick, then it is your own problem. Nobody cares. If you die, you die alone," she added.

Under the presidential regulation No. 14/2007, Lapindo should compensate residents in the area by buying their properties in two separate payments. First, Lapindo should pay residents 20 percent of the property values and the rest of the payment should be completed within two years.

In 2009, however, the Supreme Court ruled that the mudflow was a natural disaster and Lapindo, partially owned by the Bakrie family, had no obligation to pay for compensation. Despite this, Aburizal Bakrie, the patron of the Bakrie family and the chairman of the Golkar Party, has promised to fully compensate the residents by buying their land with the family funds, saying it was the dying wish of his late mother.

However as of now, the payments have not been completed. This has forced people who have not yet received full compensation for their properties to stay within the area, which has practically become a ghost town with only a few businesses and jobs available. In the past, Sidoarjo was famous as East Java's center for shrimp farms and the leather industry.

Harwati said that most of the people who lost their properties and businesses were now unemployed or had to work as motorcycle taxi drivers around the mudflow area.

"Do you see those people sleeping down there? They used to be factory workers. They used to have lives and income to put food on the table for their families. Now, they just come here, lie around and hope for people to give them money just to get by," Harwati said while pointing out a group of people under the dam containing the mud near the Porong main road.

Harwati said that former factory workers in the area had difficulties looking for jobs in other regions because most were over 30 years old when their workplaces sunk under the mud. "Nobody wants to hire old workers. They prefer young people from nearby regions. This is why so many of us have been left unemployed," she said.

As for the young people of Porong who could not get jobs in other regions and could not look for other ventures in their own area, several turned to a life of crime.

"They mug people because they need the money. Once they have the money, they use it to swallow their pain using alcohol. Most of the young people here get drunk every night just to forget their misery," Harwati said.

"Those who could save enough money to own a motorcycle then opt to become motorcycle taxi drivers like myself. But we do not have stable and sufficient income like in the past. When I still had my store, I could earn at least Rp 300,000 (US$30) per week. Now, I can only earn Rp 500,000 per month at the most," she added.

The mudflow disaster has also forced residents to compete against one another for income. "There are official motorcycle taxi drivers around the Lapindo mudflow area and there are unofficial ones," Agus Kholiq, a motorcycle taxi driver, said.

"The official ones have a green identity card which says that they are Lapindo victims. They operate above the dam, while the unofficial ones do not have the cards and mostly hang around below the dam. The unofficial ones are not direct victims of the mudflow. They are probably victims' relatives trying to look for money around here," he added.

However, Cacan, a motorcycle taxi driver who is stationed below the dam, said that what Agus said was not true. "I am a victim as well. I have been to Jakarta many times to demand my rights," Cacan said.

Untung, who once was a farmer before the mud covered his four-hectare farm, said victims had failed to obtain full compensation until now because they had been successfully divided and conquered by Lapindo.

"Lapindo, sometimes, invites some of us for a meeting. The people who come to the meeting will then be suspected as traitors by those who do not come," Untung said.

"The fact that the compensation scheme has changed from the initial one is also suspected to have been masterminded by Lapindo and several residents who received special treatment and facilities from the company," he added.

Under the current compensation scheme, the rest of the payment is paid in monthly installments of Rp 5 million. However, according to Untung, this scheme has not been strictly implemented. "For 2013, we have not received a single payment from Lapindo," he said.

According to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Lapindo still owes Rp 800 billion in compensation.

Lapindo executive Andi Darussalam Tabusala had promised that full compensation would be completed by this May, while Aburizal spokesman Lalu Mara said the delay in the compensation payments was tolerable. "We are only human and we have shortcomings," Lalu Mara said.

Mudflow erupting after 7 years

Jakarta Post - March 5, 2013

Hans David Tampubolon – Residents of Porong, Sidoarjo in East Java will never forget May 29, 2006. This was the date when a mudflow began to erupt in the area, forever changing their lives.

The eruption took place near a drilling site belonging to PT Lapindo Brantas. This triggered speculation that Lapindo might have been negligent during its drilling process.

Lapindo, however, cited a number of scientists' arguments that the mudflow was triggered by a 6.3 Richter scale earthquake that hit Yogyakarta two days before the eruption took place.

For nearly seven years the mudflow has been wreaking havoc in the livelihoods of Porong residents in particular and on the Sidoarjo economy as a whole.

The monetary value of the damage wrought by the continuous high-pressure mudflow has been estimated at Rp 27.7 trillion (US$2.9 billion) by the National Development Planning Board and Rp 33.27 trillion by Greenomics Indonesia, an NGO.

The mudflow has also buried more than 600 hectares of land, displacing 39,700 people and submerging three subdistricts, 12 villages, 11,241 buildings and 362 hectares of rice fields.

The flow was last estimated at about 10,000 to 15,000 cubic meters per day, while in 2007 and 2008, during the highest peak of the flow, the amount could reach 150,000 a day, according to the data from the Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency (BPLS).

Taxpayers have paid more than Rp 6.7 trillion in compensation to date via the state budget and the government has budgeted Rp 723 billion for the 2013 fiscal year for the same purpose.

An audit report from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) published on May 29, 2007, revealed that there were numerous violations made by various stakeholders during the drilling process that eventually led to the mudflow eruption.

First, the BPK report said that the Sidoarjo regional government had violated several regulations when it permitted Lapindo to conduct drilling in the area.

"The drilling is located five meters away from residential zone, 37 meters from public infrastructure [the Surabaya-Gempol highway] and less than 100 meters away from Pertamina gas pipes," BPK member Hasan Bisri said in the report.

"The permission given by the regional government to conduct drilling exploration in an area close to residential and public infrastructure violates the Indonesia National Standard Agency Regulation no. 13-6910- 2002, which clearly stipulates that explorations such as drilling must be conducted more than 100 meters away from residential and public infrastructure," Hasan added.

The BPK also deemed that Lapindo had appointed a contractor that lacked the capacity and capability to conduct the drilling.

"PT Medici Citra Nusa [MCN] as the appointed contractor for the drilling does not have enough experience to conduct the project. The MCN company profile showed it had conducted similar projects only once in 2001. This lack of experience would increase the risk," Hasan said.

"The MCN drilling crew also lacked the capacity to do its job properly. Based on the daily drilling report, several drilling crew members often faced difficulties during operations," he added.

Regardless of the findings of blatant human errors by the BPK, the Supreme Court ruled on April 3, 2009, that the mudflow was a natural disaster and therefore, Lapindo had no responsibility to compensate the residents whose villages were now at least ten feet under the mud.

The court's ruling drew heavy criticism from numerous environmental and human rights activists. They deem that political interests might have played a role behind the ruling due to the fact that Lapindo is partially owned by the influential Bakrie family, which is under the patronage of Golkar Party chairman Aburizal "Ical" Bakrie.

Eventually, under heavy pressure from the public and his political enemies, Aburizal said that the Bakrie family and Lapindo were committed to paying compensation for the mudflow victims.

He also said that the only reason he was willing to pay the compensation was because his late mother told him to do so.

However, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono recently revealed that they still owed at least Rp 800 billion to compensate the victims. "I heard that Lapindo has not fulfilled its obligation. Its liability of Rp 800 billion [$82.9 million] has not been met," Yudhoyono said.

In response to Yudhoyono's statement, Lapindo executive Andi Darussalam Tabusala said that the compensation payment would be completed in May this year, which will mark the seventh anniversary of the disaster.

Endless mudflow breeds political apathy among Porong residents

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2013

Political apathy is growing in Porong, Sidoarjo, East Java, where since May 2006 residents have suffered from an endless mudflow. Their plight has been used for political ends, yet the victims say they just want full commitment from the state and all others that have promised to look after them.

Earlier in February, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono warned the company that allegedly triggered the mudflow to immediately settle its dues, while the state budget was also revised last year to include support for the victims. The Jakarta Post's Hans David Tampubolon recently visited Porong and spoke to some of the people affected. The following is the first of a two-part report.

Seven years ago, mining firm PT Lapindo Brantas decided to drill the earth in Porong in search of gas. No one would have thought that the drilling would allegedly trigger one of the most catastropic environmental disasters of all time, known widely as the Lapindo mudflow.

The company management and owners are not legally cupable, however, as in 2009 the Supreme Court ruled the mudflow was caused by natural factors, including the earthquake in Yogyakarta that occured just days before the drilling commenced.

The mudflow has so far displaced almost 40,000 residents, who have not only lost their properties but also their way of life, culture and past attachments. The mudflow continues to expand even to this day.

Not all residents have received compensation for their losses, but they have proved a useful political commodity for the elite.

It is easy to see why the mudflow victims are often cited, if not exploited, by the country's political top brass. Lapindo is partially owned by politically wired Bakrie family, which is under the patronage of the Golkar Party chairman Aburizal "Ical" Bakrie.

Golkar is currently the second largest faction at the House of Representatives, while Aburizal is the party's presidential candidate in the 2014 general election – meaning Golkar may soon go its separate way from its current coalition partner, the ruling Democratic Party.

The Democratic Party itself has been under a negative spotlight during the last two years; most of its elite have been arrested and sent to jail for graft.

Meanwhile, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Democrats' chief patron, recently slammed Lapindo for failing to pay compensation to the Sidoarjo mudflow victims.

"I heard that Lapindo has not fulfilled its obligation. Its liability of Rp 800 billion [US$82.9 million] has not been met. Tell Lapindo that it must keep its promise. It's a sin if they play around with these people," he said.

Speculation is rife that Yudhoyono's statement reflected his effort to shift the current public spotlight on his party toward Golkar and Aburizal. Aburizal spokesman Lalu Mara Satria Wangsa denied that Lapindo had neglected the victims.

Mudflow victim Untung, whose village – Renok Kenongo – and 4-hectare farmland is now 10 feet under the mud, said it was not unusual for the elite to utilize the victims' plight to attack their political enemies

"Some years ago, when Golkar held its congress to elect a new chairman, Pak Surya Paloh came to me and offered me Rp 60 million to take 20 people to Riau, so we could launch a rally against Ical," Untung said.

Surya competed against Aburizal for the Golkar chairmanship during the party's national congress in Riau in 2009. Surya was defeated and decided to establish the NasDem Party a couple of years later.

Untung said he refused Surya's offer, saying he was unfamiliar with Riau. "I've had many experiences where politicians and public figures have paid us to rally in major cities but then have left us stranded," Untung said.

"We hope Nasdem is willing to pay attention to our fate and rights. The victims will never forget those who want to fight for our rights," Untung said.

However, NasDem Party executive Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, formerly of Golkar and part of Surya's team for the Golkar chairmanship, said Untung's claims about Surya were untrue, and that the party had never engaged in such moves.

"Maybe, it was just someone claiming to represent Pak Surya to the victims," Ferry said, adding that the NasDems would not exploit the Lapindo issue for the 2014 general elections.

Untung added that other political figures had often promised the victims that they would be taken care of if they voted for certain parties or candidates during election seasons.

"For example, [East Java Governor] Pak Soekarwo said during his campaign in the last East Java gubernatorial race that he would ensure the Lapindo victims would be fully compensated within one year, but many have yet to receive full compensation," he added.

Soekarwo, a senior politician for the Democrats, won the race to become East Java governor in 2009.

Greater Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra) chief patron Prabowo Subianto also once sent a representative to deliver his promise to the victims, Untung said.

"The representative said that one day, Prabowo would personally visit the mudflow site and residents to give us help and assistance," but the representative had said the time was "not proper" for his visit, according to Untung.

Gerindra senior politician Desmon Mahesa said Prabowo thought it would not be proper to meddle with the Lapindo issue when the Bakrie family was still trying to compensate the victims.

"The Bakrie family has said it will fulfill its commitment by the end of May this year. Gerindra and Prabowo believe that meddling in the issue right now will only increase the political tension. In addition, we do not want the public to see us as opportunists," Desmon said.

"Internally, we have been discusing how to manage the mudflow and what we should do after the victims have been compensated, what to do with the current affected area and victim resettlement," Desmon added.

Another victim, Agus Kholiq, said residents could not care less about the political bickering over their fate.

"All the residents wish for now is for someone or any party that genuinely wants to help us, not just use us as a commodity for a political campaign or agenda. All we've wanted for the last six or seven years is to move on with our lives after all of us have been fully compensated," Agus said.

Agus added most residents no longer believed in politicians and their promises. "Most of us do not even believe the government anymore," he said.

With the local residents witnessing empty promises, the result has been political apathy, Agus said.

"During the 2009 elections, most of us decided not to vote for anybody. Political leaders see us only as a commodity and nothing else," he said. "If this continues, we will not vote again in 2014," Agus added.

How the story goes

May 29, 2006: Mud begins to flow in Porong, Sidoarjo, just hundreds of meters away from a drilling site belonging to PT Lapindo Brantas.
Aug. 21, 2006: The mudflow covers at least 350 hectares of land including crops and settlements, and threatens Sidoarjo's famed shrimp farms and leather industry.
Oct. 30 2006: Police submit the dossier of their investigation to the prosecutor's office. The prosecutor rejects the police report twice, latterly in April 2009. Thirteen Lapindo executives and staff are declared suspects but never detained owing to their "cooperation."
March 11, 2007: The affected area grows to 470 hectares, which the Supreme Audit Agency in a later report compares to the size of Monaco. As well as buried settlements major toll roads and railways are also damaged.
April 8, 2007: A government regulation sets up the Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency (BPLS) to replace the temporary national team on the mudflow. The regulation states all expenses for mitigation efforts relating to infrastructure will be covered by the national budget; Lapindo is responsible for paying for efforts to stem the mudflow and the construction of a spillway to the Porong river.
May 29, 2007: The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) completes its audit report on the mudflow disaster and concludes that human error, through numerous regulation violations, may have contributed to the disaster. BPK calculates a cost of nearly US$3.5 million to restore Sidoarjo and surrounding regions from 2006 to 2015.
July 17, 2008: First change to 2007 regulation on BPLS, citing the mudflow impact beyond the affected zone designated on March 22, 2007; the state budget opts to cover "social expenses" in three villages outside the zone, including the purchase of victims' land.
April 3, 2009: The Supreme Court upholds a lower court ruling that the mudflow is a natural disaster, thus the government bears responsibility for the victims and damage to public infrastructure.
Aug. 7, 2009: East Java police drop their criminal investigation into the disaster and drops charges against the 13 suspects, citing lack of evidence that they violated the law on environmental management.
Sept. 23, 2009: Second change to government regulation on BPLS, stating that the government and state budget will cover efforts to mitigate the mudflow.
Sept. 27, 2011: Government issues third change to 2007 regulation on BPLS, outlining compensation for victims and public utilities.
March 20, 2012: Bakrie family matriarch and widow of noted entrepreneur Achmad Bakrie, Roosniah Bakrie, dies. To honor her last wishes, Aburizal later promises that mudflow victims would be fully paid by the end of the year. Reports quote him citing Roosniah, who had stated that the Bakrie family must complete the purchase of the mudflow victims' land. Aburizal repeatedly says the funds are from the Bakrie family and are to be used to buy victims' land – not compensation from Lapindo – as the company has been acquitted by the Supreme Court.
April 3, 2012: House of Representatives passes controversial revision to law on state budget, leading to increased state funding through the BPLS to Rp 1.6 trillion (US$165 million) from the Rp 1.3 trillion initially allocated for 2012. The revision allows BPLS to buy land from victims outside the immediately affected area under Lapindo's responsibility.
April 5, 2012: President signs fourth change to 2007 government regulation on the BPLS, which lists areas outside the immediately affected zone under Lapindo's responsibility, where residents are entitled to compensation from the state budget.
Aug. 14, 2012: National rights body declares the mudflow disaster is a human rights violations for which Lapindo is responsible, among others causing 200 people to have died from poor health and 80 percent of residents experiencing lung problems.
Dec. 13, 2012: Constitutional Court rejects request to change 2012 law on state budget, arguing that allocating state budget funds to rectify problems created by the mudflow beyond the immediately affected zone did not eliminate Lapindo's obligations.
May 29, 2013: On its seventh anniversary, the mud covers more than 600 hectares. The BPLS website lists technical difficulties affecting operations in curbing the mud and directing it to the Porong river, including sulfur emissions damaging equipment, blocking of pipes by debris and timber from the former human settlements and increasing dangers in the rainy season.
Feb. 14, 2013: On Valentine's Day, the President states that both Aburizal and Lapindo have failed to meet their promises to fully compensate mudflow victims.
Feb. 15, 2013: Lapindo executive Andi Darussalam Tabusala says that Lapindo will fulfill its promise by the end of May 2013.

Water posing health threat to victims

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2013

Hans David Tampubolon – The failure to mitigate and to stop the mudflow that started in 2006 in Porong, Sidoarjo, in East Java, has severely damaged the environment and threatens public health surrounding the area.

Some residents claim that they know several families suffering from cancer and other diseases. Harwati, a local, said that her husband died because of lung cancer four years ago.

"The mudflow has polluted our air and water. My husband used to be a very healthy man but after years of exposure his lung began to deteriorate and we then found out that he had developed cancer," she said.

Harwati said that she received no assistance for her husband's treatment from Lapindo Brantas, the company that initally drilled a hole in search of gas in the area.

"Many members of my family and neighbors have also begun showing symptoms of cancer," she said. Skin rashes and cysts are common among mudflow victims, according to Harwati.

Another resident, Agus Kholiq, said it was difficult for the victims to escape exposure to pollution due to the mudflow management policies of Lapindo and the Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency (BPLS).

"They simply mix the mud and water from rainfall with their machinery and then they dump the highly polluted mix of water and mud in the nearby Porong river," Agus said.

The BPLS on its official website says that the decision to channel the mud into the Porong river is the only viable option presently, given that there is no sign of the mudflow eruption stopping in the near future.

"The main purpose is to mitigate the possibility of the mudflow expanding its coverage," the BPLS says. BPLS deputy operations chief Soffian Joyopranoto had also said that as of now, the mitigation agency still could not predict when the flow would stop.

The Porong river itself is one of the creeks of the Brantas river, which has also been heavily polluted by industrial waste.

Both Harwati and Agus have managed to secure a portion of compensation from the government and Lapindo. They are now able to at least relocate to a safer place near the affected area. Yet their current residencies are still prone towards air and water pollution.

Agus said that his family had to bear using yellowish and salty water for bathing. "If you take a bath using water from this area, your skin will itch and sooner or later, rashes will start to grow," he said.

At times, Agus said that if his family managed to save enough money, they would buy bottled water for bathing. "Bottled water is very expensive for daily use. So, we probably only buy it once a week to get a feel for clean water," he said.

Sanitation and access to clean water is worse in residencies within the mudflow affected areas, such as in Kedungbendo village. The villagers still refuse to relocate because they say they have not received a single cent of compensation for their loss of assets.

Kedungbendo is regularly hit by floods during rain and residents use nearby water streams, which have been polluted by mud, oil from mud processing machines and human excrement, for their sanitation and water needs.

Hastuti Martiningsih, a resident and also the widow of late Kedungbendo village head Hasan, said that apart from physical hazards, residents have also endured endless stress in the last seven years.

"My husband was one victim of both physical pain and stress. As a village head, he was responsible for making sure the residents received full compensation. He was so overwhelmed by this that he forgot to treat his diabetes properly and died a few months ago," she said.

"I really do hope Lapindo is willing to pay our compensation fully using a one-time payment instead of monthly installments, so we can relocate to a safer place."

Lapindo executive Andi Darussalam has promised that their debt will be fully paid in May."I just pray that this is not another empty promise," she added.

Meanwhile, an early detection cancer specialist at Dharmais Cancer Hospital in Jakarta, Martha Roida, said residents nearby the mudflow should immediately move out of the area because the longer they were exposed to pollution, the more prone they would be to cancer and other diseases.

"Constant exposure to the polluted water and environment will surely increase the possibility of cancer," she said.

Marriage & polygamy

Marriage registration fee to be scrapped: Religious affairs ministry

Jakarta Globe - March 6, 2013

The Religious Affairs Ministry said it would stop charging a marriage registration fee to ease the burden of those who want to get married and discourage the practice of charging exorbitant "thank you" fees.

"It's final, there'll be no more fees for those who want to get married," Ministry Inspector General M. Jasin said on Tuesday, as quoted by Antaranews.com.

Under a government regulation issued in 2004 on non-tax revenues, couples have to pay Rp 30,000 ($3) to register their marriage at the Office of Religious Affairs (KUA).

"The minister has agreed to eliminate it," Jasin said. "So this is a form of goodwill from the government for the people. Once implemented, there will be no 'thank you' envelopes anymore."

In 2010, research conducted by the ministry showed that despite the low official fee, in practice couples have to pay officials anywhere between Rp 150,000 and Rp 1 million to register their wedding.

The head of a Religious Affairs Office in Jakarta admitted to the Jakarta Globe for a story published in 2009 that his office relied on "donations" from couples to cover its expenses.

The official said he could get Rp 500,000 to Rp 4 million for a ceremony and could officiate up to 12 weddings a month. "We receive very little budget from the central government. If it weren't for donations, we don't know how the office would run," he said at the time.

But Jassin said the "additional fees" only benefited wedding celebrants and the KUA chief. He added that in addition to eliminating the marriage registration fee, the government will give allowances to the wedding celebrants, including Rp 110,000 for transportation.

"So there'll be no more reason to ask for additional fees because that would be enough for them," Jassin said. "The operational fund [for each KUA per month] will be increased from Rp 2 million to Rp 5 million."

Refugees & asylum seekers

Fishermen rescue 63 Rohingya asylum seekers off Indonesia

Agence France Presse - March 1, 2013

Fishermen in western Indonesia rescued more than 60 ethnic Rohingya asylum-seekers from Myanmar found adrift in a wooden boat, police said Friday, in the second such arrival this week.

The vessel with no engine had 23 children on board and was found drifting off the eastern coast of Sumatra island near the province of Aceh.

"Fishermen found the boat with 63 Rohingya late Thursday afternoon around 160 kilometers [100 miles] from the coastal town of Idi Rayeuk. They then towed the boat to shore," East Aceh district police chief Muhajir told AFP.

"All we know is they are from Myanmar. We don't know where exactly the boat sailed from as they're too tired and hungry to be interviewed and we're having problems communicating," said Muhajir.

The asylum-seekers were being held in an immigration office in the nearby town of Langsa, and were likely to be transferred to a detention center, Muhajir said.

Fishermen in Sumatra rescued 121 Rohingya on Tuesday, with one claiming Thai authorities had shot at them and taken their food and petrol supplies to sabotage their boat as they crossed Thai waters.

Thai authorities are cracking down on Rohingya refugees entering the country, turning around a boat in January with 200 Rohingya in its waters, pushing them towards a third country. "Considering the situation in Myanmar and Thailand, we're expecting to find more Rohingya in boats around here," Muhajir said.

The UN considers the Rohingya, a stateless Muslim ethnic group, one of the most persecuted minorities in the world, and Myanmar views its roughly 800,000 Rohingya as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, denying them citizenship. Buddhist-Muslim unrest in the western Myanmar state of Rakhine has left at least 180 people dead and more than 110,000 displaced since June 2012.

Graft & corruption

Politically wired cop in KPK probe

Jakarta Post - March 7, 2013

Hans Nicholas Jong and Yuliasri Perdani, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) quizzed politically wired deputy National Police chief Comr. Gen. Nanan Sukarna on Wednesday as a witness in a corruption case within the police force that has fueled tensions between the two law enforcement institutions.

The KPK investigators questioned Nanan for nine hours in connection with an alleged rigged tender in the Rp 200 billion (US$20.6 million) procurement of driving simulators at the National Traffic Police Corps (Korlantas).

Nanan was dragged into the case after Sukotjo S. Bambang, director of PT Inovasi Teknologi Indonesia, which was subcontracted by tender winner PT Citra Mandiri Metalindo Abadi (CMMA), accused him of receiving Rp 1.7 billion in kickbacks when he was chief of the police's general supervision inspectorate. Nanan is said to have signed the letter dated April 8, 2011, awarding the project to CMMA.

National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo and former Korlantas chief Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo, the only top police official charged in the case, were among those who also signed the letter.

Speaking to reporters after the questioning, the visibly tired Nanan said that as chief of the general supervision inspectorate he had to conduct a pre-audit on the project before giving it the go-ahead. "The audit was to convince Timur as the end user of the project before signing off on the project," he said.

Nanan, slated to retire in the next couple of months, has strong influence among senior officers within the police force, leading a faction whose members include National Detective chief Comr. Gen. Sutarman and Djoko Susilo. Nanan also has connections to several political parties.

Nanan and Sutarman have sternly opposed the KPK's investigation into the simulator case.

The driving simulator case has escalated tensions between the KPK and the police force. When the case first emerged in October last year, the two institutions were involved in a series of showdowns, culminating in dozens of police officers trying to enter the antigraft body's headquarters to arrest KPK investigator Novel Baswedan, a leading investigator in the case, for allegedly shooting robbery suspects in 2004.

The police then ordered 20 of its officers seconded to the KPK, most of whom were also investigating the case, to immediately return to the force.

Apart from Nanan, the KPK has questioned other top officials implicated in the case as witnesses, including the officer overseeing the procurement, Adj. Sr. Comr. Teddy Rusmawan. Teddy was named a suspect by the police when they insisted that they should take over the case despite the KPK's ongoing investigation.

The National Police said they respected the KPK's move to question Nanan. "We will respect the KPK's investigation," Sutarman said.

Sutarman also said that the police were ready to investigate the leak scandal within the KPK should the ethics panel investigating the case find indications of criminality by KPK officials.

"We will respect the decision of the ethics commission at the KPK. If they find more than just ethical violations, but also criminal offences, let the ethics commission hand over [the evidence] to be investigated by me," he explained.

Several KPK commissioners are now facing an ethics hearing following the leak of a classified document naming Anas Urbaningrum a suspect in the Hambalang graft case. Anas has claimed the leak was part of a scheme devised by his opponents to oust him as chairman of the Democratic Party.

Anies Baswedan, the head of the KPK ethics panel, said it would hand the case to a law enforcement agency if they found evidence of criminality. "If there is an element of criminality, the case will be transferred to a law enforcement agency," he said on Tuesday. Anies said the panel had not decided whether to file the case with the National Police or the Attorney General's Office (AGO).

Sutarman made clear that he did not intend to exploit the scandal to undermine the KPK. "I don't want any assumption that I will use the case to criminalize [the KPK officials]. If there are criminal aspects to the case, let the KPK's internal commission make a decision on that. We will just wait," he added.

The police have charged senior KPK officials before. Back in 2009, the police detained then KPK chairman Antasari Azhar for his involvement in the 2009 murder of Nasruddin Zulkarnaen, the director of pharmaceutical company PT Putra Rajawali Banjaran. The case is said to have been rife with irregularities.

Later that year, the police arrested then KPK deputy chiefs, Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah, for alleged power abuse and extortion linked to graft suspect Anggoro Widjojo. Activists claimed that the case was orchestrated.

Lawmaker willing to be shot if found guilty of graft

Jakarta Post - March 5, 2013

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – Outspoken member of the House of Representatives Bambang Soesatyo said on Monday that he was ready to face a firing squad if the accusation that he had been involved in a high-profile corruption case was true.

Bambang denied that he received money as kickbacks for helping to expedite the budget allocation for the driving-simulator project at the National Traffic Police Corps (Korlantas).

"I am ready, not only to be jailed but to be shot dead if I am proven guilty of the crime," Bambang said. Bambang said that he was shocked at the allegation.

"I was shocked by news reports suggesting that I, along with other lawmakers from the House Commission III, each received more than Rp 1 billion [US$103,018] in return for allocating certain sums from the State Budget for the driving-simulator project," said Bambang, a politician from the Golkar Party,

Last week, the KPK questioned Bambang with three other high-profile House members as witnesses in the graft case centering on the procurement of driving simulators for Korlantas.

The three lawmakers – Aziz Syamsuddin also of Golkar, Herman Hery of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Benny Kabur Harman of the Democratic Party – served as members of House Commission III on law and human rights, which oversees the work of the National Police.

The KPK summonsed the four members of the House following information from former Democratic Party lawmaker and party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin, who accused Bambang, Azis, Herman and Benny of complicity in the graft case.

The KPK has named former Korlantas chief Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo as a suspect in the graft case which caused losses of Rp 100 billion ($10.45 million) to the state.

Bambang's statement is akin to former Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum's response when asked about his alleged involvement in the Hambalang, West Java, sports complex graft case.

Anas said that he would be ready to be hanged from the National Monument (Monas) or face a team of executioners if he was involved in the graft case. "If I stole 1 rupiah in the Hambalang case, hang me from Monas," Anas said.

Almost a year later, the KPK named Anas a suspect for allegedly accepting a Toyota Harrier car as a gratuity from a construction firm that won the tender for the construction of the Rp 1.17 trillion Hambalang project.

Bambang also said on Monday said that the charges against him were politically motivated. He alleged it was connected with his being outspoken against government policies especially on the issue of the Bank Century bailout.

In the past week, Bambang, along with fellow members of the House- sanctioned monitoring team on the Bank Century bailout case, openly called on Anas to encourage him to reveal information on the scandal.

The team's public move breathed new life to the 4-year-old case and reignited suspicions that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his Democratic Party had benefited from the controversial bailout.

"I will never stop voicing the truth," Bambang, who is also a mining businessman, said. He added that he regretted the KPK's decision to question him based only on a statement from Nazaruddin. "Such a baseless allegation can be considered as character assassination," Bambang said.

Meanwhile, KPK spokesman Johan Budi said that the anti-graft body would once again summons Bambang for another round of questioning. "If the investigators need someone to attend questioning then of course we will send them a summons," Johan told reporters on Monday.

Graft convict sentenced to 8 years in prison spotted at a wedding party

Jakarta Globe - March 5, 2013

Graft convict Raja Thamsir Rahman, the former district chief of Indragiri Hulu district in Riau who was sentenced to eight years in prison, was spotted by journalists attending a wedding party on Sunday afternoon.

Antaranews.com reported that Thamsir was seen attending the wedding of Yoannita Kesuma, the daughter of Riau's assistant governor, on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Thamsir was accompanied by several high-ranking officials of the Riau government. No police officers were seen at the location.

Pekanbaru district court at the end of 2012 sentenced Thamsir to eight years in prison for his involvement in the corruption of a district budget worth Rp 116 billion ($11.9 million). The court ordered him to pay a Rp 500 million fine or spend an extra two months in jail. He was also ordered to return Rp 28.8 billion in state funds or face another two years in jail.

Antaranews.com reported that the prosecutor accused Thamsir of spending Rp 46 billion of the district budget on personal use.

Riau prosecutor office spokesman said on Monday, as quoted by Riauexpress.com, that the prosecutor ordered him to stay within city boundaries. He did not explain the reason why Thamsir was not serving his jail sentence.

During the trial in early 2012, the Riau prosecutor office also imposed a city arrest on him, citing Thamsir's poor health. Babul Khoir, head of the Riau prosecutor office, said told DumaiPos.com at the time that the city restriction was only effective during the trial, as Thamsir had to undergo medical treatment at the Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital in Jakarta.

Terrorism & religious extremism

Scrutiny grows on Densus 88 torture video

Jakarta Globe - March 7, 2013

National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Sutarman, who oversees counterterrorism unit Detachment 88, admitted on Wednesday that some officers had been found to be using unlawful, violent tactics against terror suspects.

"It is true that there are violations and we cannot let the same thing happen again," he said during a hearing at the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The violations had come to light in a 14-minute-long video posted to YouTube last month. The video shows officers of the counterterror unit known as Densus 88 and Mobile Brigade (Brimob) using violence and torture in the capture and interrogation of suspects.

The three star-general said on Wednesday that all Densus 88 officers involved in the violence depicted in the video had been punished.

Sutarman also alleged that the video misleadingly showed two different incidents – one in December 2012 and the other in 2007 – edited into a single file of footage. Both incidents occurred in the restive region of Poso, Central Sulawesi, a known terrorism hotbed.

"There are two different events but they were merged on purpose to make it appear that our troops on the ground are committing acts of torture," the three-star general said. "For the December 2012 event our officers are being prosecuted in an ethics tribunal as well as in a criminal court."

The second video, he said, showed Densus 88 officers closing in on terrorism convict Rahmat Kalahe, also known as Wiwin in 2007. Wiwin is now serving 19 years in jail for brutally killing three Christian students in Poso.

"For the video on Wiwin's arrest there is no torture. Wiwin was shot in a crossfire. It is a lie when he claimed to be arrested and then shot. There was no violence there."

Last week, the chairman of Muhammadiyah, the country's secong largest Islamic organization, and several other Muslim leaders came to police headquarters to submit the video to National Police Chief Gen. Timur Pradopo and demanded he investigate the video.

"We came here to report the alleged instances of torture captured on this video, but we do not know when or where this abuse took place. This is a gross violation of human rights and we hope that Densus 88 will stop reacting excessively," Din said at the time.

Excessive reaction?

The 14-minute video shows at least four young men, some who appear to be in their teens, being interrogated by dozens of armed men wearing the uniforms of Indonesia's counterterrorism unit and the Mobile Brigade.

The men are bound, topless and lying on the ground. One has a wound on his upper right leg, with blood flowing out, darkening his pants. "Where did you hide your gun?" one interrogator asks, his face not shown. "Where did you hide the bomb?" The video then zooms to one of the men who is being accused of terrorism.

"I don't have them," the man replies. He is then hit in the head with what appear to be an officer's Kevlar helmet. The impact makes a sharp crack and the force of the blow opens a cut on the suspect's lip.

In the background, gunshots are heard. The camera pans across scores of heavily armed, masked men in combat gear, waiting to raid a nearby house.

One interrogator questions another suspect. "Just tell the truth. Did you kill a police officer?" he asks, pinning the suspect down with his boot. Moaning can be heard, but its origin is unclear. "Just crack his head," another officer says.

Toward the middle of the video, a man exits the house being targeted in the raid. He is told to walk to the middle of the field and remove his pants, despite the gunshot wound in his torso.

The man is also suffering from head wounds, and appears to be on the verge of losing consciousness. Yet the uniformed men ignore his cries of pain and continue interrogating him.

Disbanding Densus?

After viewing the strong imagery, several members of the House of Representatives are demanding much more than an investigation. Tired of the many complaints and abuse allegations surrounding the unit, lawmakers are pushing for its disbandment, or tighter controls for the unit.

However, the government and the police said Indonesia still needed the squad, considering that terror attacks were very much a threat across the country.

Sutarman said Densus' presence is still needed, particularly in known terrorism hotbeds like Poso, Ambon and Bima. "Last year, there were 23 bombs ready to be detonated in Poso, which we managed to secure. So don't think about disbanding Densus 88 because that would be a victory to the terrorists," he said.

Ansyaad Mbai, chief of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), agrees with the view that disbanding Densus 88 is a mistake.

"Densus 88 has been very gentle in using its arms. Compare it with Yemen, which uses missiles, or Pakistan, which uses airplanes to eradicate terrorism. In Indonesia, [terrorists] are being prosecuted by police officers. The world has praised our efforts," Ansyaad said on Wednesday. "It is the terrorists who should be disbanded. Densus was formed because of terrorism."

He said that disbanding the squad would be a clear victory for terrorists. "The terrorist groups will celebrate the disbanding of Densus," he said.

Djoko Suyanto, the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, also said that calls for dissolution of Densus 88 were excessive and premature. "The police are now investigating the case, but demanding that Densus 88 be dissolved is too much."

Densus 88 was formed shortly after the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. The counterterrorism unit began attracting foreign donors and training agreements, making it the most elite unit in the police force.

But the pressure on getting the job done has seen many officers torture nearly all arrested terrorism suspects, with some suspects reportedly burned and beaten, according to security think-tank the Institute for International Peace Building.

Densus 88 has also been blamed for extra-judicial killings of suspected terrorists. In 2010, Densus 88 officers gunned down five people in Cawang, East Jakarta, claiming they were armed terrorists who had tried to attack arresting officers. The police only ever identified four of the fatalities, fueling suspicions that the fifth victim had been innocent.

"The National Police chief is urged to follow up the demands of several Islamic mass organizations that want Densus 88 to be disbanded. Brimob's presence was sufficient enough to maintain public security and order," Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, chairman of the party known as PPP, said in Jakarta over the weekend.

Lukman said that Densus 88's presence in the National Police has long been of public concern.

Lawmakers from House of Representatives Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, are planning a working committee to monitor the performance of Densus 88.

"The intention is to accommodate the people's criticisms relating to the handling of terrorism.... The working committee will also ask that the counterterrorism action be conducted transparently and accountably," said Al Muzzammil Yusuf, deputy chairman of Commission III.

The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) lawmaker said that while he and his colleagues supported the fight against terrorism, he called on the authorities to uphold the presumption of innocence, the Constitution and human rights.

On Wednesday, radical Islamic organizations, such as the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and the Islamic People's Forum (FUI), demanded Densus 88 be disbanded. "Rather than using violence, we should deploy persuasive tactics," said Muhammad Al-Khathat, seceretary-general of FUI.

Retaliatory acts

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) on Sunday warned of fresh outbreaks of violence in Maluku and the Central Sulawesi town of Poso after the video surfaced on YouTube.

"We've got information that there will be underground movements related to the Densus 88 violence video, which has greatly upset many people in Poso and Maluku. Soon, those movements will do some unwanted things," Komnas HAM commissioner Siane Andriani said in Jakarta.

Siane said that the commission had been in contact with various law enforcement agencies, and hoped that they would be able to provide protection against any further violence.

No need to disband Densus 88, says minister

Jakarta Globe - March 5, 2013

Ezra Sihite – Despite mounting criticism against the National Police's counterterrorism unit, Densus 88, calls to disband the body are excessive and unnecessary, a minister said on Tuesday.

"The police are now investigating the case, but demanding that Densus 88 be dissolved is too much," Djoko Suyanto, the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, said in reference to a video that allegedly shows members of Densus 88 brutally torturing suspected terrorists.

The Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI), the country's highest Islamic authority, recently urged police to disband the unit and employ a different approach to fighting terrorism in the archipelago.

Djoko noted that the video was not a strong enough reason to completely get rid of Densus 88, especially since Timur Pradopo, the head of the National Police, promised to investigate the case and question police officers allegedly involved in the torture.

"The National Police are still evaluating the case to find out if the people in the video were indeed members of Densus 88 or from another unit," he said.

The footage caught on the tape shows alleged members of Densus 88 tying up, shooting, trampling and verbally insulting a terrorist suspect.

An official with the Muslim Mass Organization and Institution Forum, Mustofa Nahrawardaya, said several Muslim leaders received four copies of the video and showed them to Timur on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the investigation of an alleged act of violence conducted by 18 of Central Sulawesi Police chief Dewa's officers is still ongoing. Eighteen police officers faced disciplinary sessions following torture in December 2012 during an arrest by the National Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) and Poso District Police officers of 14 people from Kalora Village in Poso.

National Police launch probe of Central Sulawesi torture claim

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2013

Jakarta – The National Police are examining the allegation that some of their members have been involved in human rights abuses when handling suspected terrorists in Central Sulawesi.

National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo said the Internal Affairs Division has questioned members of the police's elite Mobile Brigade (Brimob) stationed in Central Sulawesi.

"We have questioned Brimob [personnel]. We'll see [the results] in court," Timur told reporters at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport on Sunday. Timur refused to disclose more details of the investigation but said the police had wrapped up their probe into the alleged torture.

Late last week, Muslim groups including Muhammadiyah and Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) called on the National Police to dissolve the country's Densus 88 counterterrorism unit in the wake of allegations that it had tortured, wrongfully arrested or killed suspected terrorists while fighting terrorism.

The groups said they presented the police with video footage depicting men in Densus 88 uniforms intimidating and torturing what appeared to be a suspected terrorist.

Timur declined to confirm the authenticity of the video and said that experts within the corps were now examining the footage.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said the police had been aware of the alleged torture practice long before the Muslim groups presented the video.

Boy, however, said that the police had a problem authenticating the video. "We don't know yet whether the video is original or not, as well as when and where the abuse in the video took place," Boy told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

He said the police had launched a probe into the torture allegation late last year. "We've questioned 18 Brimob officers in Poso since December last year for their alleged involvement in torturing suspected terrorists in Central Sulawesi," he said.

So far, no police officers have been named suspects in the torture allegation, with a disciplinary tribunal for Brimob members being held in the event that reliable evidence was found.

However, Boy said that no such evidence had been found regarding members of both Brimob and Densus 88 being involved in torture. "We cannot yet determine the perpetrators shown in the video, because the footage is poor quality," Boy said.

In his meeting with the National Police on Thursday last week, Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin said the video insulted Islam and could give the wrong impression about Muslims in the country, who are largely opposed to terrorism.

The groups later called on the National Police to dissolve Densus 88, with politicians also supporting the proposal.

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) deputy speaker Lukman Hakim Saefuddin, who is also a United Development Party (PPP) politician, said an evaluation of Densus 88 must take place.

He said Densus 88 had created a stigma that terrorism was closely related to Islam. Lukman also accused Densus 88 of violating human rights.

"Their current approach to combating terrorism, including shootings and killings, are forms of human rights violations," Lukman said on Saturday as quoted by Antara news agency.

Chairman of the Indonesian Police Watch (IPW), Neta S. Pane, said that the police had long been known for their arrogance when dealing with terror cases and had made no effort to end impunity among their members.

"Muslim groups have repeatedly filed reports of mistreatment against terrorist suspects, but those reports are never followed up," Neta said.

He added that last year, Muslim groups filed several reports of abuse against terrorist suspects who were implicated in a string of shootings targeted at the police in Surakarta (Solo), Central Java.

"Despite these allegations, the police did nothing to punish those officers responsible," he said. (nad)

Rights commission warns of 'retaliatory acts' on Densus 88 torture video

Jakarta Globe - March 3, 2013

Yeremia Sukoyo – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) on Sunday warned of fresh violence in the Central Sulawesi town of Poso and Maluku after the publication of a YouTube video depicting the torture of terrorism suspects.

Komnas HAM expressed concern on Sunday, two days after the nearly 14-minute video was uploaded on Youtube by user ArrahmahChannel.

It shows several topless men, said to be terrorist suspects, bound and lying on the ground, while dozens of other men in the uniforms of anti- terror police unit Densus 88 and the mobile brigade (Brimob) unit yell at the suspects and carry guns.

In the middle of the video, one of the suspects, called Wiwin, was told to walk to the middle of the field and remove his pants. He was then shot in his chest. Police officers ignored his cries of pain and continued interrogating him. The video had been viewed more than 20,000 times as of Sunday afternoon.

"We've got information that there will be underground movements related to the Densus 88 violence video, which has greatly upset many people in Poso and Maluku. Soon, those movements will do some unwanted things," commissioner Siane Andriani said on Sunday in Jakarta.

"We've contacted the LPSK [Witness and Victim Protection Agency] to protect witnesses in the video, and have also asked police to take legal action against people who have spread [the video] because it may trigger anger in Poso."

Siane added that Komnas HAM had received information about such videos and warned police about them a month ago.

An official with the Muslim Mass Organization and Institution Forum, Mustofa Nahrawardaya, said several Muslim leaders received four videos from a source, and showed them to National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo on Thursday.

Din Syamsuddin, the chairman of Indonesia's second largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah, said the videos proved police officers' use of violence in handling terrorist suspects.

Din, as quoted by Indonesian news portal Tempo.co, dubbed it "gross human rights violations." Komnas HAM has called on Muslim leaders to discourage the public from resorting to violence. (SP & JG)

No need to dissolve Densus 88, say lawmakers

Jakarta Post - March 2, 2013

Margareth S. Aritonang – House of Representatives Speaker Marzuki Alie said on Friday that the Densus 88 counterterrorism unit had been successful in preventing terror acts and therefore should not be dissolved but better supervised to make it "human rights friendly".

"Today is much safer compared to the past when terror attacks occurred. Foreigners were afraid to come to Indonesia and this greatly hurt the tourism industry. Densus is not yet perfect in carrying out its operations, but dissolving it is not the right thing to do," Marzuki told reporters at his office on Friday.

The Democratic Party politician argued that the police could set up a new squad but there was no guarantee it would not violate human rights in its operations.

"Terrorism is a transnational crime like narcotics and corruption. It's a serious threat to our nation. Densus 88 has effectively countered terrorist attacks against the country, thus we still need it. It just needs to improve its procedures to be more human rights friendly," he went on.

The country's counterterrorism squad was formed on June 30, 2003, following the Bali bombings that killed more than 200 people, including foreigners. Since its establishment, the squad has been partly funded and trained by the US as well as Australian governments.

The squad, however, has been a continuous target of criticism due to the way it has gone about arresting, torturing or killing individuals believed to be terrorists.

On Thursday, Muslim groups, including Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, called on the National Police to dissolve the squad, accusing it of breaching the basic rights of terrorist suspects.

The groups said they had video footage depicting men in Densus 88 uniforms intimidating and torturing a suspected terrorist, which, according to Muhammadiyah leader Din Syamsuddin, was an insult to Islam.

Deputy chairman of the House Commission III overseeing law and human rights, Tjatur Sapto Edy, told The Jakarta Post that his commission was discussing a plan to establish a working committee to supervise the squad, although it had yet to reach a decision.

"We are still working on how to maintain Densus 88 and ensure that it improves its operations in order to prevent future human rights violations in operations, but no matter what, we still need the squad," he said.

House seeks to establish body to oversee terror-busting unit Densus 88

Jakarta Globe - March 1, 2013

Lawmakers from House of Representatives Commission III are planning a working committee to monitor the performance of the National Polices counterterrorism unit, Densus 88.

The intention is to accommodate the peoples criticisms relating to the handling of terrorism.... The working committee will also ask that the counterterrorism action be conducted transparently and accountably, said Al Muzzammil Yusuf, deputy chairman of Commission III, which oversees legal affairs.

The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) member said that while he and his colleagues support the fight against terrorism, he called on the authorities to uphold the presumption of innocence, the national constitution and human rights.

We certainly support the fight against terrorism. But we dont want to see Densus 88s actions become counterproductive and to ignite public anger, he said.

He added that Densus 88s handling of terrorist suspects was worrying, with the organization allegedly committing serious human rights violations with wrongful arrests and the killing of innocent people.

Muzzammil accused the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) and the National Police headquarters of condoning Densus 88s actions.

Based on [government regulations], these two institutions should have audited Densus 88s performance and... [brought to justice] those in the field who have committed inhumane [actions], he said.

He said that the public has not seen any action from either institutions over Densus 88s performance.

We think that BNPT and the National Police headquarters tend to condone human rights violations that were committed by Densus 88. Thats why we could understand why some people in the public wanted to see Densus 88 disbanded, Muzzammill said.

Previously, Komnas HAM vice chairman M. Nukhoiron alleged that Densus 88 had committed serious human rights violations.

Muslim groups want Densus 88 dissolved over rights abuses

Jakarta Post - March 1, 2013

Jakarta – Muslim groups have called on the National Police to dissolve the country's anti-terror squad (Densus 88) in the wake of allegations it has tortured, wrongfully arrested or killed suspected terrorists while battling terrorism.

Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin, who is also deputy chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), said the police force must change its current approach to combating terrorism as it would prove counterproductive to terrorism eradication efforts.

Din and representatives of other Islamic groups, including Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), DDII and Persatuan Islam (Persis), went to the National Police's headquarters on Thursday to report alleged human rights abuses perpetrated by Densus members against suspected terrorists. NU and Muhammadiyah are the country's largest Islamic organizations.

The groups claimed to have presented to the police video footage depicting men in Densus 88 uniforms intimidating and torturing what appears to be a suspected terrorist.

Speaking to journalists, Din said the man's legs and hands were tied when the supposedly Densus officers verbally abused and shot him. "You are going to die, now istighfar [go ask for God's mercy]," Din said, quoting the officer.

The video, according to Din, insulted Islam and could arouse sympathy among Indonesian Muslims, who largely opposed terrorism, for the militants. "Densus 88 should be evaluated, or dissolved if necessary. It could be replaced by another institution that promotes a different approach, to combat terrorism together because terrorism is our common enemy," Din said.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said the police had no plans to dissolve the anti-terror squad but promised to investigate the alleged abuse featured in the video.

"We will try to find out where [the abuse] actually took place. The police chief [Gen. Timur Pradopo] has ordered the head of the police's general crime unit [Comr. Gen. Sutarman] to follow up on the finding," he said.

Boy said that the incident might have links to the police counterterrorism operation in Poso, Central Sulawesi, where a group of militants have launched terror attacks targeting police officers. Representatives of the Islamic groups, Boy said, would be involved in the police's internal investigation.

The operation in Poso has drawn criticism from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), which has found indications of basic human rights violations in the way the police treated terror suspects there, some of whom were shot dead. The commission has called on the police to avoid using torture methods to retrieve information from terror suspects.

The country's anti-terror squad was formed on June 30, 2003, following the Bali bombings that killed more than 200 people, including foreigners. The squad has been partly funded and trained by the United States and Australia.

It has won kudos from the international community for its swift action in tracking terrorists and foiling terror attacks. But it is now also facing mounting criticism for its trigger-happy attitude.

Since the Bali bombings, the authorities have detained more than 800 suspected terrorists and accomplices. More than 60 terrorists have been shot dead by the police. According to Yayasan Prasasti Perdamaian (YPP), a foundation that facilitates rehabilitation of former suspected terrorists or terrorist convicts, 33 people have allegedly been wrongfully arrested by Densus 88 since 2010.

Deputy chairman of the House of Representatives' legal affairs commission, Almuzzammil Yusuf, has proposed the establishment of a working committee to step up supervision of Densus. "The working committee is to accommodate critics and input from the public, particularly over claims of abuses and violations. We will demand ongoing counterterrorism measures to be conducted in a transparent and accountable way," he said.

Freedom of religion & worship

Minority groups unite in shared struggle

Jakarta Post - March 5, 2013

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – With the government sitting idly by in the face of violence and discrimination against them, religious minority groups in the country have turned to each other for support, looking to build partnerships that could protect them from future attacks.

Representatives from minority groups gathered in Jakarta to discuss different ways to confront challenges in freely practicing their faiths as well as setting up a joint mechanism that they could use to deal with future attacks.

"We were left alone in the face of attacks from vigilante groups that claimed to be righteous. This [community] will be the source of power for us to maintain strength in dealing with such groups as well as in campaigning for our rights to be defended by the state," Dian Jennie from the Cooperation Body for Indigenous Faiths (BKOK), a new organization set up by representatives from 250 indigenous faiths in the country, said on Monday.

Dian said that the coalition, however, did not hold out much hope for help from the government.

"Together, we hope that we can one day open the hearts of government officials so that maybe they will actually care about us and fully embrace us as rightful citizens of this country. With this movement, we also hope that perhaps our neighbors could become more aware of our struggle to get equal treatment," she said.

Dian said members of the minority groups had suffered greatly just to exercise their basic rights. "Most of us have had to bury our relatives close to our homes because we are not allowed to have a public burial at local cemeteries," said Dian, who subscribes to a Javanese indigenous faith.

In the gathering sponsored by the Setara human rights group, subscribers of indigenous faiths and other minority groups agreed to form a community to protect themselves.

The community will also serve as a sanctuary group for members of persecuted minority groups, including adherents of Ahmadiyah and Shiism, particularly those from West Nusa Tenggara and Sampang, Madura in East Java, who have been living in temporary homes after their homes were torched by their Sunni neighbors.

Members of many Christian congregations, who have been barred from going to their churches have also joined the organization.

Uminah, a member of the Ahmadiyah community in Manislor, West Nusa Tenggara, said that the gathering of the minority groups could put pressure on the government to revoke, among others, a local bylaw that prohibits Ahmadis from receiving basic administrative services.

Uminah said members of the community, who have been living in a shelter over the past seven years, suffered more discrimination after they were attacked by the Sunni majority in the area.

She said that around 400 couples from the community have had to leave their neighborhoods to obtain marriage certificates due to the local ordinance.

"According to the 2002 joint decree by the regent, we must convert in order to get the administrative services. Many of us should temporarily leave the neighborhood to get married because we declined to convert," Uminah said.

She added that many children in the neighborhood also had to drop out from their schools because they were not able to deal with the verbal abuse they received from their teachers and friends who considered their faith blasphemous.

Similar experiences where shared by members of the Shiite community in Sampang, who had to rely on charitable contributions following an attack on their village in August last year.

Members of the Christian congregation said that it would be a long in the struggle for equal rights.

"The struggle for justice might take a long time, but we will not give up. We're done being silenced. We will fight back. We call on human right defenders and other fellow citizens who share our convictions to be with us in this struggle," Rev. Palti Panjaitan from Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP) Filadelfia church said.

Government calls HRW 'naive' for report on growing intolerance

Jakarta Post - March 1, 2013

Prodita Sabarini, Jakarta – Presidential spokesperson Julian Adrian Pasha is calling Human Rights Watch (HRW) "naive" for its report released on Thursday highlighting abuses against religious minorities in Indonesia.

"They should see Indonesia in its entirety, with its diversity and pluralism," Julian said. "Even in a homogenous country there is friction between groups," he said.

The 107-page report released by the New York-based group, titled "In Religion's Name: Abuses Against Religious Minorities in Indonesia", said that President Susilo Yudhoyono's has been inconsistent in defending religious freedom.

The report also said that the government had been complicit in the persecution of religious minorities by failing to enforce laws and issuing regulations that breached minority rights.

Phelim Kine, the deputy director of the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch, said on Thursday that Yudhoyono was "failing to sanction those members of his government, his government's officials and members of the police and security forces who have been passively or actively complicit in acts of religious intolerance and violence". Religious hard-liners have carried out hundreds of attacks local religious minorities such as the Ahmadis, Shia, Christians and Bahai.

The intimidation and attacks have been part of a growing trend of religious intolerance in Indonesia, according to HRW. Setara, a local organization monitoring religious freedom in Indonesia, documented 264 cases of violent attacks against religious minorities in 2012, up from 244 cases in 2011 and 216 cases in 2010.

In August, for example, one man was killed as a mob of 1,000 Sunni Muslims razed 37 homes belonging to Shia Muslims in Madura, East Java, while in February 2011, three Ahmadis were killed as 1,500 Islamist militants attacked an Ahmadi community in Cikeusik, Banten.

The report said that the perpetrators have mostly come from militant Sunni groups that were "at times acting with the tacit, or occasionally open, support of government officials and police".

The central government has also not prioritized the investigation of incidents of religious intolerance and violence for police and security forces, the report said.

The HRW also reported the so-called Coordinating Board for Monitoring Mystical Beliefs in Society (Bakorpakem) for inhibiting religious freedom, saying that Bakorpakem, which is under the Attorney's General's Office, had been influential in pressing the decision to ban religious communities.

The report said that under Yudhoyono, Bakorpakem has had an active role in prosecuting people espousing views it deemed blasphemous to Islam, such as imprisoned Shia leader Tajul Muluk and the Alexander Aan in West Sumatra, who was imprisoned for posting pro-athiest statements on Facebook.

While Human Rights Watch also said that a 2008 joint ministerial decree that banned Ahmadis from propagating their beliefs was a license to violate the rights of religious minorities, Julian said that the extra-judicial attacks against Ahmadis in 2011 resulted from their non-compliance with the decree.

Julian also denied that the police did not have a clear direction under Yudhoyono. "When they [police] are faced with a clash that involves a violation of the law, it's very difficult for the police to protect others – that doesn't mean that they do not protect the right to live and human rights."

Human rights watch urges Indonesia to tackle religious violence

Jakarta Globe - March 1, 2013

Rebecca Lake – Failures in government leadership and law enforcement are fueling a surge of religious violence in Indonesia and have rendered religious minorities vulnerable to attack, an international rights group said in a report released on Thursday.

The Human Rights Watch report, "In Religion's Name," condemned the Indonesian government for its ignorant and at times "complicit" approach to religious conflict that it says has recently escalated.

Phelim Kine, HRW's Asia deputy director, told a media gathering on Thursday that addressing religiously motivated violence "isn't rocket science," adding that the issue of religious conflict in Indonesia should not be left to the next government to deal with.

"This problem is like a form of toxic osmosis, it can and will spread and become a much more serious problem that will be much more difficult to contain in two years or five years," Kine warned.

"Compounding the problem of this violence, intimidation and harassment by these mobs of vigilante-style thugs is a complete failure by the government of Indonesia to confront this violence and intimidation and to put a stop to it," Kine said.

"In several notorious incidents, police and government officials have been passively, if not actively, complicit in acts of religious related intolerance and violence," he said.

Examples where the Indonesian government and security forces have facilitated harassment and intimidation of religious minorities examined in the report include blatant discriminatory statements made by officials, the refusal to issue building permits for religious minorities' houses of worship, and pressure forced on congregations to relocate.

Call for action

The damning report, which documents dozens of religiously fueled attacks between August 2011 and December 2012 in 10 provinces, offers recommendations to the government on tackling the problems. These include a demand to review existing laws HRW believes are "at odds with freedom of religion" and also the immediate need for the government to adopt a "zero tolerance" on religious violence.

But Bahrul Hayat, secretary general of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, said the rise in conflict cannot "simply" be attributed to religious motivations.

"I don't think it is appropriate to label it as an increase in terms of religious conflict. Conflict is not only related to religion but also other issues, including the election process in the district, and sometimes there are other issues that are beyond our understanding," Hayat said on Monday, ahead of the report's release.

In response to several examples of religiously fueled violence, such as recent attacks on churches in West Java, the secretary general admitted that there are "of course one or two cases" but also noted that Indonesia is not the only nation grappling with this issue.

"Of course as I said it's not a perfect place but I want to say that the achievements [in combating religious conflict] are better and getting better and I expect that the maturity of the people will also improve over time."

The official reiterated the government's "very clear" policy on violence. "We condemn any action done by anybody and any group for whatever reason. If it is destructive or against the law."

'Only statements'

But public condemnation of violence, including that directed at religious minorities, is not sufficient, said Eva Kusuma Sundari, a member of the House of Representatives Commission III, which oversees legal affairs.

The outspoken Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker explained that the president and his ministers for religious affairs and home affairs remain complacent with regard to religious discrimination and all have bigger roles to play in preventing the conflict.

"Among these people they don't show a very big political commitment, only statements, statements. There is no real action in place."

Christian politicians, Eva said, were afraid to speak out against the violence because they feared being seen as having a vested interest. Muslim politicians on the other hand, she said, "did not want to risk losing votes by being seen as anti-Islamic."

The HRW report documents the recent rise in religious conflict, with interviews from 71 victims of religious violence. It also cites statistics from the Setara Institute, an Indonesia-based research and advocacy group, that found 216 cases of violent attacks on religious minorities in 2010, 244 cases in 2011 and 264 cases in 2012.

The victims of the attacks mentioned in the report belonged to religious communities including Catholic and Protestant Christians, and Islamic groups Shia, Sunni and Ahmadiyah.

The violence these religious minorities endure includes intimidation, destruction of property, arson attacks and extreme physical harm.

Kine said the source of this intolerance and violence stems primarily from militant Islamists. "Groups of militant Islamists such as the FPI (Islamic Defenders Front), which have an uncompromising view of religious purity, are abusive, disparaging and uncompromising toward those who don't agree with their views."

Seeking moderation

Traditionally Indonesia has been viewed by the international community as an example of religious harmony and a bastion for religious diversity. World leaders sometimes praise the country as a model of tolerance.

This tolerant image is what Yenny Wahid, director of the Wahid Institute, an organization that promotes development of moderate Islam in Indonesia, fears will be destroyed by the rise of hard-line Islamist groups who are threatening to destroy the reputation of the country's majority of moderate Muslims.

"I think if these hardliner groups are not put in check and there is no action against them by the government than it will have a tremendous effect on our image internationally as an Islamic society," said the daughter of former President Abdurrahman Wahid.

The outspoken activist said she was baffled by the government's complacency on religious violence.

"The majority of Muslims in this country will support the government if they take a strong stance against Islamist groups," Yenny said, adding that she believed "our constitution and national cohesion is far more important than just one or two [FPI] controversies."

Armed forces & police

Soldiers clash with police in South Sumatra after fatal shooting

Jakarta Globe - March 7, 2013

Farouk Arnaz – Soldiers in South Sumatra attacked a police station on Wednesday, torching the building and giving 16 inmates a chance to escape, in the latest incident of police-military violence.

Some 70 soldiers with the Indonesian Military's (TNI) Yon Armed (Field Artillery Battalion) converged on a police station in Ogan Komering Ulu to demand officers investigate the recent fatal shooting of a soldier by a police officer. The two sides reportedly disagreed on how to handle the case and a riot broke out.

"[The soldiers] protested, demanding the police investigate the recent shooting of one of their colleagues," National Police Assistant for Operation, Insp. Gen. Badrodin Haiti said. "Somehow that degenerated into a riot."

By the end of the riot, the station was ablaze, four people – including Martapura police chief AD Ridwan – were injured and 16 inmates were missing. Two other police posts were attacked in the melee, the National Police said.

"The Martapura police chief and one of his subordinates who sustained serious injuries were flown to Palembang for intensive care," National Police Spokesman Insp. Gen. Suhardi Alius said.

The soldiers were reportedly acting on their own when they showed up outside the police station, Suhardi said. "The perpetrators moved without an order from their superior so we cannot call this a planned attack," he said. "There was no gunfire either."

The incident stemmed from the fatal shooting of First Private Her, 23, at a police traffic post in Simpang Empat Sukajadi. Her allegedly drove past the traffic post on his motorcycle and became involved in an argument with a police officer identified as "W.J." The police officer reportedly felt slighted and called several friends to confront Her.

A brawl ensued and someone fired their gun. Her was found bleeding and was rushed to a nearby hospital where he died.

Local police said they were investigating the case. "It appears the victim's colleagues were angry even though the case was already being investigated," Badrodin said. He declined to elaborate on the status of the investigation or say whether anyone has been arrested.

The National Police launched an investigation into Wednesday's attack. The officers will investigate the cause behind the most recent attack. "Each conflict has different triggers" he said. "[But] normally the police and the military are very solid."

The military and police regularly clash in Indonesia where disputes over pay disparities, territory and rank often boil over into violence. In one of the worst incidents of soldier-on-police violence, members of the TNI's Air Battalion attacked the Langkat district police in a violent brawl that left seven dead.

Criminal justice & prison system

New criminal code outlaws adultery, cohabiting couples, dark magic

Jakarta Globe - March 7, 2013

Camelia Pasandaran & Abdul Qowi Bastian – Indonesia's revision of its outdated Criminal Code includes proposed sanctions against cheating spouses, cohabiting couples and sorcerers accused of performing black magic.

The revised 500-plus page Criminal Code consists of 766 articles detailing sentences for everything from petty theft to premeditated murder. Included in the draft are harsh sanctions for seemingly benign offenses like living together outside of wedlock, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison, the same punishment for those convicted of prostitution.

The revised Criminal Code needs to pass through the House of Representatives before it becomes law. The document was submitted to lawmakers on Wednesday, a source with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights said.

The ministry argued that the current maximum sentence for convicted adulterers, nine months in prison, had failed to curb extramarital affairs in Indonesia. Under the proposed revision, cheating spouses would face a maximum sentence of five years in jail.

"[The] government proposed [the new penalties] because the sanction for adultery is too light," ministry spokesman Goncang Raharjo said. "In line with current developments, we increased the sanctions to prevent people from easily committing adultery."

Living together outside of wedlock was previously frowned up, but not illegal in Indonesia.

The current Criminal Code also lacked articles on witchcraft or dark magic. Under the revised code, those found guilty of using black magic to cause "someone's illness, death, mental or physical suffering," face up to five years in jail or Rp 300 million ($31,000) in fines, according to Detik.com.

The penalties can be increased by a third if the sorcerer offered to perform a spell for compensation, the Criminal Code read. It is also illegal to claim you have dark magical powers in the first place. Good or "white" magic is still legal under the revised code.

Indonesia's Criminal Code was adopted from Dutch law and drafted in 1918. It was last revised in 1958 and, until recently, considered the theft of anything over Rp 250 (three cents) a serious offense. The ministry has long promised to bring the Criminal Code up to date and adjust crimes and fines in line with the current value of the rupiah.

But this latest revision also comes with proposed laws regulating morality, a section law mostly restricted to local bylaws under the old code.

Ministry of Justice and Human Rights officials stood behind the revisions, explaining that all of the articles, including those concerning magic and other paranormal activities, were drafted for the good the people.

A lawmaker with the House of Representative's commission on law and justice agreed with the proposed articles on witchcraft, as long as the charges were based on fact, not conjecture.

"It should be based on fact finding, not on someone's statement," Khatibul Umam Wiranu, of the Democratic Party, said.

Celebrity psychic Ki Joko Bodo, who lives in Jakarta mansion modeled after Borobodur temple, accused the government of basing laws on fantasy. Joko Bodo worried that police would use the new law to charge anyone accused of sorcery.

"They cannot prove it and can charge people on assumption," he said. "But just let them [the government] do it. It won't be effective."

Articles punishing cheating spouses and cohabiting couples garnered both words of support and condemnation from lawmakers.

"Adultery is the beginning of many social problems," Khatibul said. "The sentence should deter offenders [and] nine months is not long enough. I agree that the sentence should be increased, but five years is too long."

He also welcomed the proposed laws against premarital cohabiting because under the current code there is no way to punish couples who choose to live together.

A commissioner from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) urged the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to focus on rape and child molestation. "I think [adultery and cohabiting] should be regulated, but it is more important to focus on the rape of children," Nurcholis said.

The new Criminal Code also expands the definition of rape to include both oral and anal rape.

Another commissioner, Sandrayati Moniaga, said the articles regulating morality were a bad idea. "Adultery and cohabiting are personal problems," Sandrayati said. "It's none of the government's business, it's the person business with God and their couple. The state should not intervene personal rights. Beside, how will they prove it?"

Both commissioners doubted police could find enough evidence to convict someone of using black magic to harm another person.

A 32-year-old employee of a private firm in South Jakarta agreed with the proposed laws against adultery and cohabiting. "I agree [with the new laws] because it will bring us back to our Eastern roots," Rahmat Surbakti said. "We have all seen celebrities on TV behaving improper and it isn't a nice thing to see."

Not everyone welcomed the proposed changes. The government should be offering protections to long-term couples who live together, not punishing them, Irine Roba, 29, said.

"The government better look at another country, like Australia, [where] people who live together as a couple and are not married are protected under the law," Irine said. "If this revision is implemented in Indonesia, women will be at a disadvantage. And what about the rights of children who are born out of wedlock? "This is so unwise in so many aspects."

Foreign affairs & trade

Lack of competitive edge erode gains from FTAs

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2013

Linda Yulisman, Jakarta – Indonesia is gearing up for further trade liberalization as reflected by ambitious efforts to negotiate a number of trade deals with partners, but a lack of competitive edge in its exports and capacity to sell will prevent the country from enjoying the maximum benefits of increased market access, experts say.

Exports have already doubled over a span of just five years to US$200 billion in 2011, but up to present, the biggest shares are still commodities, some of which Indonesia is the world's largest producer of, such as coal and palm oil, instead of manufactured goods.

"Free trade agreements will certainly boost exports, but we should be aware that most of our exports are raw materials and energy sources, which are unfortunately the most competitive export items," said Hendri Saparini, an economist at the economics, trade and industry research institute Econit.

The heavy reliance on commodities has dragged down the nation's exports as, among others, prices tumble amid weaker overseas demand during the protracted global crisis.

Indonesia's exports plunged to $190.04 billion last year, down 6.61 percent from the previous year, whereas imports, on the other hand, perked up to $191.67 billion, up 8.2 percent. This caused the country's first-ever annual trade deficit of $1.65 billion.

The deficits are even more discouraging in the trade of manufactured goods, as imports expanded higher than exports, industrial statistics suggests. Indonesia ran a deficit of $12.25 billion with China from January-October last year on the back of imports of electronics and telecommunication devices.

Indonesia has sealed free trade deals with Japan bilaterally and has made similar pacts with China and Korea together with other members of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN). The statistics show that Indonesia has yet to reap the benefits of the free trade deals.

"We still export goods with limited added value, such as textiles and electronics, but in contrast, import products of high added value, like machinery and airplanes," said Agus Tjahajana, Industry Ministry's director general for international trade cooperation.

Industrial players said mostly industrial sectors were not ready to fight in the global market, or even face the tougher battle with imports in the buoyant domestic market, caused by the ease in trade barriers, particularly the removal of import duty.

Only a few truly reap the expected benefits, such as the garment, textile and footwear industries, which have been long touted as having higher manufacturing competitiveness due to cheap labor costs.

Garment and textile makers have seen a considerable rise in exports to Japan and Korea since the implementation of the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (IJEPA) and the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA), according to Indonesian Textile Association (API) chairman Ade Sudrajat.

"However, it's much more because our products do not compete head-to-head with their manufacturers. When it comes to China, we lose because their production is much more efficient, allowing them to sell their output at lower prices," Ade said.

Challenges are growing as worker's wages have significantly surged in the past several years, while other factors supporting production like energy costs are on the rise, according to Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) chairman Sofjan Wanandi.

"Our industries, particularly the labor intensive ones, are increasingly losing competitiveness, but on the other hand, we have yet to prepare the industry that processes natural resources. We must seek a way out by thinking about other products we can export," Sofjan said.

Before the Asian financial crisis of 1997-1998, Indonesia's industry performed well, and even outshone other sectors of the economy. However, declining domestic demand and a worsening business environment following the crisis, lead Indonesia's manufacturing industry to remain in limbo, unlike other Asian peers that recovered rather quickly after the crisis.

Along with the poorer performance of the manufacturing industry, exporters shifted away from manufactured goods to commodities. While commodities made up 40 percent of total exports in the 2000s, they now account for 65 percent of exports.

In its recent report "Picking up the Pace: Reviving Growth in Indonesia's Manufacturing Sector", the World Bank points out the striking prevalence in the Indonesian manufacturing sector of what it calls "missing middle": A large proportion of small firms, defined as having between 5 and 19 employees, and a comparatively small number of middle-sized firms, defined as having between 20 and 100 employees, moving up from small into large ones.

"This condition explains why we are now importing a huge amount of raw material and intermediary goods," said Faisal Basri, an economist from the University of Indonesia.

As an example, he cited the automotive industry, which had seen imports climb as the sector grew considerably, in line with a strong domestic demand for two- and four-wheelers.

Institute for Development of Economic and Finance economist Enny Sri Hartati said that the low competitiveness of domestic industries could also stem from the structure of Indonesia's market, which in the past had been characterized by oligopoly and in certain cases, monopoly.

"When the free trade agreements came into effect, our local players that had long benefitted from the market structure were shocked because they suddenly had to face open competition," Enny said.

However, learning from how the ASEAN-China free trade agreement had affected the local industry, Indonesian stakeholders should prepare before negotiating similar pacts apart from enhancing the competitiveness of exports, she added.

"Boosting competitiveness is important for manufacturers to thrive amid tighter global competition, and the simple way is to decrease the prices of our products," Enny said.

Local firms reel under free trade deals

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2013

Linda Yulisman, Jakarta – As the only tinplate producer in Indonesia, Pelat Timah Nusantara (Latinusa) has supplied packaging material to an array of manufacturers, such as producers of condensed milk, biscuits, paint and batteries.

The firm's heyday has apparently passed, however, after the domestic market was opened to foreign competitors by free trade deals with nations such as China and South Korea.

Latinusa says sales have plummeted, claiming that it cannot compete with lower prices offered by foreign rivals. The company reported a net loss of Rp 44.28 billion in the third quarter of last year, versus Rp 13.2 billion in net profits in the same quarter of 2011.

"We have been significantly affected by the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement put into effect in 2012," Ardhiman, the president director of Latinusa, said, citing a 23.1 percent rise in imports from Korea to 37,112 tons in the third quarter. Korean imports comprised 38 percent of the nation's overall imports last year.

Latinusa is one of many companies that have been seriously hurt by the free trade agreements signed by Indonesia. Through ASEAN, Indonesia has signed FTAs with South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Across the globe, free trade deals remain contentious and controversial, even in nations with advanced economies like South Korea or United States. However, in a world where production has become increasingly fragmented, trade deals have an unstoppable momentum.

After the Doha Round of World Trade Organization (WTO) talks stagnated in 2008, many nations stepped up measures to liberalize their markets, either through signing bilateral agreements or regional pacts.

Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, has been no exception. The nation is currently negotiating FTAs with several other nations and associations, such as the European Free Trade Association, which comprises Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. It also has begun initial negotiations for a preferential free trade agreement with Chile and has been eyeing similar arrangements with Nigeria and Peru.

The nation has also taken the lead in negotiations scheduled for May on a regional comprehensive economic partnership (RCEP) between ASEAN and its six FTA partners – Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.

The RCEP, which would encompass 30 percent of the world's output, would further open Indonesian markets when compared to the trade pacts currently on the books for ASEAN.

Sofjan Wanandi, the chairman of the Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo), struck a cautionary note, saying that the government must seriously consider the benefits – and the risks – that more free trade pacts would pose to local businesses.

Economist Hendri Saparini was also cautious, saying that government officials should decide if it wants to facilitate trade and investment by signing free-trade deals, or does it want to strengthen local businesses, something that would require extraordinary efforts.

"If the government wants to facilitate trade and investment, we can just open industrial estates, provide tax incentives and overseas firms will relocate their facilities here, which can also help the industry grow, boost exports and contribute to our economy," Saparini said.

"That's great, but never dream that we will one day have our own industries and enjoy the full added value on our own," she said.

Economy & investment

Food, power drive inflation to its highest in 20 months

Jakarta Globe - March 2, 2013

Dion Bisara & Fracezka Nangoy – Indonesia's inflation accelerated at its fastest pace in 20 months in February as consumers started to pay higher electricity bills and prices of some spices and vegetables rose on the back of supply disruptions and curbs on imports.

The consumer price index rose 5.3 percent on an annualized basis last month, after rising 4.6 percent in January, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) said on Friday. That was higher than economists' consensus as surveyed by Reuters, which forecast inflation at 4.81 percent. February's figure was the highest since the 5.5 percent increase in June 2011.

The consumer price rise will not necessarily prompt Bank Indonesia to tighten monetary policy by raising its key interest rate, economists said. The central bank is due to hold its monetary policy meeting on Thursday.

Shares in consumer-related companies such as Unilever Indonesia and retail-store operator Mitra Adiperkasa fell on Friday amid concern higher prices will erode profitability, even as the benchmark stock index rose to a record high.

Sancoyo Antarikso, a director at Unilever Indonesia – the largest personal and home-care goods maker in the country, whose products include shampoo and soap – said the company had raised the prices of some its products. He did not identify those products.

"At Unilever, there is always adjustment from time to time. As of today, there are some prices of home care and personal care products that we have increased," Sancoyo told the Jakarta Globe.

Having said that, he said, whenever possible, the company always puts "optimization of cost efficiencies" before increasing product prices. "Inflation is always there, but as long as it does not spike sharply, especially on food inflation, I think it is fine," Sancoyo said.

Still, February's inflation rate almost exceeded the central bank's inflation target range this year of 3.5 percent to 5.5 percent. The inflation data "highlight the risks stemming from inward-looking policies," Citibank Indonesia economist Helmi Arman said in Jakarta on Friday.

The government was trying to mitigate deterioration in the trade balance, which slipped to deficit last year, by imposing curbs on imports such as food, mobile phones, electronics and textiles, he said. "These may help to curb import growth but that can take a further toll on inflation," Helmi said.

Costs of raw food last month climbed 10.3 percent from a year earlier, driven by higher prices of fresh produce such as garlic, tomatoes, onion and chili, as well as other fruits and vegetables. "This has to do with a series of regulations to tighten the importation of horticulture products," Helmi said in a research note.

Indonesia's Trade Ministry has halted imports of cabbage, carrot, chili, pineapple, melon, papaya and durian from January to June this year to prop up the price of local produce during harvest time.

The increase in electricity prices in January prompted landlords to raise their rents, BPS data showed. The government has pledged to this year incrementally increase electricity tariffs, aiming for a 15 percent increase across the year.

Without the volatile food and energy prices, core inflation eased slightly, to 4.29 percent in February from 4.32 percent in January, due to the decline in gold jewelry prices.

The slow gain in the core inflation rate is not likely to be enough for the central bank to raise its benchmark interest rate, which has been at a record low 5.75 percent since February last year. The core inflation rate matters more with fiscal and trade policy than with monetary policy.

"Although the language in upcoming statements may sound more hawkish, it may not be followed by a rate move unless the rise in non-core inflation starts to generate second-round effects to core inflation," Citibank's Helmi said.

He expects Bank Indonesia to maintain its overnight deposit rate, known as the Fasbi rate, at 4.0 percent, at next week's meeting. Central bank officials have repeatedly said that if core inflation stayed at below 4.5 percent, Bank Indonesia would not adjust monetary policy.

Low borrowing costs have helped encourage Indonesians to take out loans to buy goods such as cars and motorcycles. Private spending accounts for more than half of the nation's economic activity.

Fetty Kwartati, corporate secretary of Mitra Adiperkasa, which holds the franchising rights for international brands such as Zara and Sogo department stores, did not return calls or messages from the Jakarta Globe seeking comments on inflation.

Rupiah drops most in a week on trade deficit, bonds decline

Bloomberg - March 1, 2013

Indonesia's rupiah fell by the most in a week as the nation posted its fourth monthly trade deficit in January, weighing on the current account. Government bonds dropped as February inflation beat analysts' estimates.

A 1.2 percent drop in exports from a year earlier and a 6.8 percent increase in imports resulted in a shortfall of $171 million, official data showed today. The current-account deficit was $7.8 billion last quarter, the largest in data compiled by Bloomberg going back to 1989, central bank data show. That is 2.8 percent of gross domestic product. Consumer prices rose 5.31 percent from a year earlier, compared with the 4.81 percent median estimate in a Bloomberg survey, data showed today. That was the most since June 2011.

The rupiah fell 0.1 percent to 9,675 per dollar as of 10:33 a.m. in Jakarta, the most since Feb. 21, prices from local banks compiled by Bloomberg show. It gained 0.3 percent this week and 0.8 percent in February, the biggest advance since January 2012. One-month non-deliverable forwards declined 0.1 percent to 9,685, a 0.1 percent discount to the spot rate, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

"Exports likely remained weak as January-February is seasonally weak," Prakriti Sofat, a regional economist at Barclays Plc in Singapore, said before the data was released. "We maintain our year-end rupiah forecast of 9,900, given a structural current-account deficit, weak terms of trade and a higher political risk premium."

A daily fixing used to settle rupiah derivatives was set at 9,669 yesterday, from 9,687 on Feb. 27, by the Association of Banks in Singapore. One-month implied volatility in the rupiah, which measures expected moves in the exchange rate used to price options, dropped seven basis points, or 0.07 percentage point, to 5.79 percent.

Bonds decline

"We expect Indonesia to return to its pre-Asian crisis norm of running annual 2 percent to 3 percent of GDP current account deficits," Tim Condon, head of research for Asia at ING Groep NV in Singapore, wrote in a note today.

The yield on the government's 5.625 percent bonds due May 2023 rose eight basis points this week to 5.36 percent, prices from the Inter Dealer Market Association show. The rate was advanced one basis point today.

Analysis & opinion

Jakarta condones religious violence

Wall Street Journal - March 6, 2013

Phelim Kine – The worst fears of the Shia Muslim community in Sampang in Indonesia's East Java came to pass on Aug. 20, 2012. That morning, hundreds of Sunni militants attacked the community, torching some 50 homes, killing one man and seriously injuring another.

The local police, warned ahead of time of the impending violence, stood by at the scene of the attack and refused to intervene. The Sampang regency's top government official dismissed criticism of the police's failure to provide protection for the minority Shia by saying: "I don't care [about] human rights as long I protect those who voted for me as their leader."

The horror endured by the Shia of Sampang stands in stark contrast to the Indonesian government's claims of adherence to the country's constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. A new Human Rights Watch report released Thursday exposes the increasingly routine intimidation, threats, and, too often, violence against Indonesia's religious minorities – and the weak or nonexistent government response.

The minorities in question, including Christian Protestant groups, Shia Muslims, and Ahmadiyahs, typically are targeted by groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front (locally called FPI) that mobilize masses of "protesters" and swarm minority houses of worship. The leaders of such groups say they are defending the Muslim community against "infidels" and "blasphemers." They disrupt the religious observances of minority faiths with loudspeakers and the dumping of animal carcasses and feces on doorsteps.

The tactics of these Islamist militants are growing increasingly violent. According to the Jakarta-based Setara Institute, which monitors religious freedom in Indonesia, religious minorities suffered 264 physical attacks in 2012, up from 216 in 2010.

The most brutal incident targeted an Ahmadiyah group in Cikeusik, Banten province, western Java. On Feb. 6, 2011, some 500 Islamist militants attacked 21 members of the community as they gathered at a private house for prayer, bludgeoning to death three men and seriously injuring five others. A court sentenced 12 of the perpetrators to token prison sentences of three to six months.

Ironically, that same court sentenced an Ahmadiyah man who attempted to defend himself and his community to a six-month prison term. At this writing, almost two years since the attack, the police have not announced the results of their internal investigation into the attack.

The government response to this rising intolerance has been weak at best, and complicit at worst. Officials and security forces frequently facilitate harassment of religious minorities, in some cases even blaming the victims for the attacks. Authorities have made blatantly discriminatory statements, refused to issue building permits for houses of worship, and pressured minority congregations to relocate.

Police often side with Islamist militants at the expense of the rights of minorities, ostensibly to avoid violence. In some cases, police collude with the attackers for religious, economic, or political reasons. In other instances, they lack clear instructions from above or feel outnumbered by militants. In all cases though, the poor police response reflects institutional failure to uphold the law and hold perpetrators of violent crimes to account.

The Religious Affairs Ministry, the Coordinating Board for Monitoring Mystical Beliefs in Society under the Attorney General's Office, and the semi-official Indonesian Ulema Council have all issued decrees and fatwas against members of religious minorities and pressed for the prosecution of "blasphemers." Such behavior contravenes the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Indonesia ratified in 2005.

So far Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been part of the problem. Despite the occasional lofty rhetoric in support of religious tolerance, he has failed to act decisively in support of rule of law and the rights of religious minorities. He has not disciplined members of his government who encourage abuses, including Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali. At a March 2011 political convention, Mr. Ali exhorted the government "to ban the Ahmadiyah."

Mr. Yudhoyono's weak response has only emboldened hardliners. He can and should revoke laws facilitating religious discrimination, and fully prosecute all those implicated in threats or violence against religious minorities. To prove he's serious, he needs to adopt a "zero tolerance" approach to religious vigilantism. This includes taking disciplinary action against government officials like Mr. Ali.

When US President Barack Obama visited Jakarta in November 2010, he praised "the spirit of religious tolerance that is enshrined in Indonesia's constitution, and that remains one of this country's defining and inspiring characteristics." Almost three years later the deadly indifference of the Yudhoyono government makes a mockery of that statement. Only a vigorous government defense of religious freedom will reverse this course.

Why calling for disbandment of FPI is wrong and dangerous

Jakarta Post - March 6, 2013

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – In the next few weeks, Indonesia's liberal-minded middle class will possibly get what they have always wanted: the end of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI).

This is because by the end of this month at the latest, the House of Representatives will pass into law a bill that, if enacted, will allow the government to freeze or dissolve an organization for operating against the state ideology of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.

The Mass Organizations Bill will replace the 1985 law of the same name, which Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi once said had prevented him from taking swift action on "violent groups". This is almost like a dream come true.

The FPI has long been accused of acting against everything Pancasila stands for. The group is violent – at least it used to be, according to our records – and definitely has trouble coexisting with people who disagree with them, especially the educated middle class who may not like Lady Gaga but want to know the country is open to all foreign performers, no matter how controversial they are.

The proposal to revise the 1985 law came when online calls mounted for the government to outlaw the FPI. The imminent passage of the bill will surely give hope to those who have long dreamed of an Indonesia without the FPI, like feminist Ratna Sarumpaet, who initiated a petition against the FPI on the social movement website, change.org.

This may sound encouraging to Ratna, but I beg to differ. As a liberal myself, I am against any form of religious fascism, but I think calling on the government to disable the FPI is wrong, hypocritical and even dangerous.

First of all, it is detrimental to the basic principle of democracy, of peaceful coexistence. The problem with the FPI is the violent behavior of its members. The government's job is to ensure they play by the rules, not to deny their right to freedom of association.

Furthermore, such a call could be used as a pretext to bring back authoritarianism to this country. We have lived in a democracy for more than 14 years, but the specter of Soeharto's authoritarianism has not left. It haunts us every time we feel democracy is failing us.

In the past few years, the government has attempted to pass legislation deemed as draconian by human rights activists. This bill, known as the "Ormas" bill, is just one of a few legislative proposals that could turn the clock back to a time when it was not okay to say anything bad about the government, let alone the first family.

At the end of the day, this is not about the FPI. Several Islamic groups and human rights defenders, including those at the United Nations, have voiced their concerns about the possible adverse outcome of the bill's enactment.

For Islamic groups, the bill brings to mind Soeharto's asas tunggal policy that criminalized those who subscribed to any ideology other than Pancasila. The policy was to blame for the 1984 Tanjung Priok tragedy during which human rights abuses are believed to have taken place.

For rights defenders, it will only worsen the persecution against "dangerous" people. The bill stipulates that any organization operating in the country, including foreign NGOs, must uphold Pancasila or other ideologies that do not contradict it. The bill does not specify what those other ideologies are, but atheism and communism are definitely not on the list. While it is far-fetched to assume the bill, when enacted, will trigger a sort of witch-hunt, it is perfectly reasonable to be anxious that it could be used by the powers that be to take our freedom away.

It is likely too late to block the passage of the bill. The House's special committee tasked with deliberating the bill said it had resolved almost all contentious issues and would soon bring it to plenary for approval. Human rights activists have failed to convince the lawmakers to suspend the bill's approval, while Islamic groups are calling for lawmakers to insert a clause in the bill stating that liberalism and atheism have no place in the country.

The bill, of course, will likely foment the culture war between Muslim conservatives and liberals – most of them are Muslims, too – in the country. But it may no longer be a fair fight between the two, as the government may step in at any time to end the battle the wrong way.

In a democracy, it is natural for people to differ and compete for influence. Even in the United States, the world's evangelistic democracy, religious conservatism still influences the process of policy and law- making.

The problem in Indonesia is that the government has failed to enforce the law. It has failed to punish those who do not play by the rules, and tacitly condoned the violent behavior of militants. The answer to this problem is not to devise potentially draconian legislation, but to make a stronger commitment to carrying out political and judicial reforms. This may take a while and we need to be patient.

It is a truism to say that without strong law enforcement democracy can easily turn into anarchy. But this is exactly what is happening in Indonesia. There is no excuse to let the recalcitrant FPI members get a slap on the wrist or go unpunished for repeatedly breaking the law. But that is by no means a pretext to revive Soeharto's authoritarianism. If we believe in democracy and cherish our freedom, we may have to let the FPI remain among us.

Say no to torture

Jakarta Post Editorial - March 5, 2013

The nation's commitment to honest and transparent law enforcement has again been put to the test by recent allegations of human rights abuses committed by members of the National Police's Densus 88 counterterrorism unit while handling suspected terrorists in Central Sulawesi in 2007.

Such abuses have been widely publicized as the officers were apparently caught in the act, as revealed in video evidence submitted to the National Police headquarters by several Muslim leaders on Thursday.

The video, also available on YouTube, apparently depicts men in Densus 88 uniforms using intimidation and torture while questioning a man suspected to be a terrorist. In view of the allegations of police brutality and torture, the leaders of several Muslim groups, including Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), have gone further, asking that Densus 88 be dissolved.

While the police have declined to comment on the video's authenticity, they have responded quickly, deploying investigators from the internal affairs division to question officers from the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) special operations unit stationed in Central Sulawesi.

Densus 88 recruits heavily from the Mobile Brigade Corps, although outstanding officers from other police divisions are also recruited into the counterterrorism unit.

It is true that the alleged rights abuses did not happen recently and were a practice of the past. However, there are no guarantees that such abuses have not happened since, especially given hard evidence such as the leaked video.

The brutal acts and torture allegedly perpetrated by the officers in the search for terrorists, if found to be true, blatantly violate the universal legal principle of presumption of innocence. The alleged torture would also violate the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which Indonesia ratified on Oct. 28, 1998.

The fact that the allegations occurred nine years after the ratification of the convention offers more proof that the nation – particularly the National Police, as one of several law enforcement institutions in the country – has fallen short of the binding international regulation.

More controversy arose after the National Police headquarters revealed that 18 Brimob officers in Poso, Central Sulawesi, have been questioned since December, although none have been detained or named suspects in torture allegations. "No such evidence had been found regarding members of both Brimob and Densus 88 being involved in torture," National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said.

However, the chairman of the Indonesian Police Watch (IPW), Neta S. Pane, has accused the police of having acted arrogantly when dealing with terror cases and of making no effort to stop their members from acting without impunity. He said that last year, Muslim groups filed several reports of abuse against terrorist suspects who were implicated in a string of shootings targeted at the police in Surakarta (Solo), Central Java. "But the police did nothing to punish those officers responsible," he said.

National Police headquarters must act responsively and transparently in handling such reports regarding alleged rights abuses perpetrated by its officers. It must dare to admit wrongdoing and punish those responsible should the alleged abuse depicted in the 2007 incident prove to be true. Otherwise, the police will only worsen their already tainted image.