Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle Party (PDI-P) patron and People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Taufiq Kiemas died at a hospital in Singapore on Saturday evening, according to message on the official PDI-P Twitter account.

The message was from House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Pramono Anung, who accompanied Taufiq in Singapore, along with PDI-P chairwoman and Taufiq's wife Megawati Soekarnoputri and Puan Maharani, kompas.com reported on Saturday.

PDI-P secretary-general Tjahjo Kumolo said Taufiq's remains would be brought to Jakarta from Singapore on Sunday through Halim Perdanakusma Airport. He added that the remains would be buried at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery.

Taufiq was hospitalized after he felt sick when accompanying Vice President Boediono in observing the Pancasila anniversary on June 1 in East Nusa Tenggara.

A former student activist, Taufiq was Megawati's third husband. Puan Maharani is the only child from Taufiq's marriage to Megawati.

Taufiq was among those eager to promote Pancasila as one of the four state pillars. He often said Indonesia required a firm basis – the four state pillars - in order to be able to achieve great things.

The three other state pillars are the national motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), the 1945 Constitution and the concept of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia. (hrl/dic)

Soeharto did 'blusukan' first: Family

Jakarta Post - June 7, 2013

Jakarta – As Jakarta Governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's popularity has grown for his impromptu visits, locally known as blusukan, the family of former president Soeharto is saying that the country's second president carried out such visits first.

Soeharto's visits with the people is the subject of a book that was launched on Wednesday in an attempt to repair his tarnished image. The pictorial book illustrates his blusukan's during the glory days of the New Order era.

"My father made incognito visits to learn about what people really needed so that he could prepare effective national development programs," Soeharto's eldest daughter, Siti Hardiyanti "Tutut" Rukmana, said at the book launch in Jakarta.

Soeharto, known as the smiling general, reigned over the country after the fall of president Sukarno in 1967 and resigned in May 1998 following days of demonstrations that claimed the lives of four university students.

Tutut told reporters that she expected the book to present Soeharto in a more positive light and would show the public who he really was.

The book, entitled "Incognito Pak Harto', was published by Yayasan Harapan Kita, a foundation established by Soeharto. The book contains stories and pictures detailing the former president's 13-day visits to villages, pesantren (religious schools), his birth place, orphanages and development projects in Java and Bali in 1970.

A former finance minister during the New Order era, JB Sumarlin, had nothing but praise for his former boss. He said that Soeharto was the only president who had a long-term vision and managed the country with five-year development plans.

Before formulating the plans, he visited people in remote areas, said Sumarlin. He explained that during Soeharto's rule, economic growth was mostly contributed by government spending, whereas growth was now mostly stimulated by the private sector.

The book is not the first move Soeharto's family has made to remind the public of his legacy. Soeharto's half brother, Probosutedjo, through the latter's Mercu Buana University, published in April a book entitled "34 Palace Journalists Talk About Pak Harto", which presents stories from palace-based reporters.

The family also inaugurated in early March a monument on a 1,000-square- meter plot of land in his birth place, Kemusuk Lor village in Bantul district, Yogyakarta.

Political communications expert Efendi Ghazali, who is also a former student activist who fought against Soeharto's dictatorship, said the book was a good public relations campaign, through which the family was claiming that Soeharto carried out blusukan before the current Jakarta governor.

"I think if Soeharto had continued doing impromptu visits up to end of his term, he would have seen how hard life was for villagers then," he said.

Meanwhile, historian Hilmar Farid said that the book launch, along with other previous moves by Soeharto's family, was probably aimed at mending the bad image of the former corrupt and authoritarian president, as well as to restore the confidence of his supporters, who might be aiming to regain political power.

"I don't think the book will influence our generation," he said. "But it will probably remind them about the glory days of low-middle-class people who benefited from the former president's development programs," he added.

For about 32 years, Soeharto brought political stability and economic prosperity to the nation. However, he is also responsible for the current corrupt political culture as well as the deaths and torture of thousands of people. He was named the most corrupt leader in the world by Transparency International with total illicit assets worth between US$15 billion and $35 billion. (koi)

Young people skeptical about Pancasila

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2013

Jakarta – As politicians from the older generation call for the strengthening of the state ideology Pancasila, members of the younger generation believe the sanctified five principles have failed to address the country's problems.

Fransisca Perwitasari, an 18-year-old student from Atma Jaya Catholic University, said that the government had failed to be led by the five principles when dealing with problems, especially those affecting the poor.

"Let's take the fifth principle, social justice for all the people, as an example. Do you think that the country's poor have justice?" Fransisca said. "Our lawmakers get huge salaries, but they ignore the plight of the poor. They have not created any programs to help people out of poverty," she added.

Astrid Vidya, a 17-year-old senior high school student, said people no longer live by Pancasila's values, especially when it comes to equality for minorities. "There are too many incidents of discrimination on the basis of race and ethnicity," Astrid said.

Members of the younger generation certainly did not experience the rule of Soeharto's New Order, when Pancasila was imposed by coercion. It was taught in schools to forcibly embed the values of Pancasila in students. When the New Order fell in 1998, old ideologies repressed by Soeharto re-emerged and Pancasila became less relevant.

Recently, fears of radicalism have abounded with extremists preaching radical religious and political ideologies that threaten pluralism and tolerance. The growth of radicalism recently prompted politicians to call for a return to Pancasila.

Speaking during the 68th anniversary of Pancasila on Saturday, chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Megawati Soekarnoputri, daughter of first president Sukarno, who is credited with formulating the five principles, said younger generation were strangers to Pancasila.

Megawati said that the 32 year New Order rule had compromised the core values that Sukarno instilled in Pancasila. "Pancasila has become an alien objects to today's kids [...] and its basic teachings have disappeared from our lives," Megawati said in her speech.

Megawati called for a complete return to Pancasila as the only way to right contemporary wrongs. "We must use Pancasila as an ideology to guide this country to glory. We must work to make Pancasila a reality," she said.

Meanwhile, Vice President Boediono said in his speech in Ende, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), that Pancasila is indispensable to maintain pluralism.

"Diversity must be considered a gift; a responsibility. It must be nurtured well. Diversity must always be viewed in the context of unity. Indonesia is not only for Muslims or Christians or Hindus or Buddhists or Confucians. It is not only for those living in the western part nor is it only for those living in the eastern part," Boediono said, warning against a renewed push for an indoctrination of Pancasila as practiced under the New Order.

He suggested that Pancasila be implemented as practical day-to-day values for the people. In Ende, Boediono also inaugurated a statue of Sukarno, who spent his time in exile on the island formulating Pancasila. (ogi)

West Papua

Pertamina denies link to Papua officer with 1 million liters

Jakarta Globe - June 7, 2013

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura, Papua – State-owned energy company Pertamina says it does not know how a low-ranking police officer in Papua who is accused of fuel smuggling and illegal logging could have ended up with 1 million liters of subsidized fuel.

Muhammad Irfan, Pertamina's general manager for Papua and Maluku, said on Thursday that his office cut business ties with police officer Adj. First Insp. Labora Sitorus last year.

"We don't know from where he got [the fuel] from that was seized by police, because Pertamina stopped supplying [his company] in March 2012," Irfan said.

He said that a few months later, in October 2012, Pertamina dropped Labora's company Seno Adhi Wijaya as an authorized fuel distributor on account of poor performance. Whereas Pertamina wanted a target of 300 kiloliters per month a month, Seno Adhi Wijaya wanted that to be their annual target.

Labora, who was arrested last month, said the fuel seized from a boat and warehouse registered in his name was unsold stock from Pertamina. But a crewman on board the boat where 400,000 liters of fuel was found denied that. He said the fuel was obtained when the crew was ordered by Labora to siphon it from tankers out at sea.

The arrest and contraband grabbed headlines last month following information from the police that a report from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), the government's anti-money laundering agency, showed Rp 1.5 trillion ($154 million) in financial transactions passing through Labora's bank accounts between 2007 and 2012.

The officer has been charged with fuel smuggling and illegal logging, although he insisted that both businesses were legitimate and the money was his family's.

In addition to the 1 million liters of fuel, police also seized 115 containers of timber at Surabaya's Tanjung Perak Port, reportedly destined for export to China. The containers held 2,264 cubic meters of merbau, a rare and highly prized tropical hardwood that is illegal for export as rough-sawn timber.

Police say Labora obtained the wood through another company, Rotua, which bought it from local communities allowed to fell the trees in limited quantities for their own use.

While much of the attention in the case so far has been focused on Labora, sources in the police force say most of the money was being passed up the chain of command to senior officers, in exchange for being allowed to operate unhindered for years.

A source told the Jakarta Globe that officers called Labora "the cash machine" because he would fork out sums of up to Rp 300 million at a time.

Papua man murdered for allegedly refusing to join separatist group

Jakarta Globe - June 7, 2013

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – A man was murdered on Thursday after he allegedly refused to join the Free Papua Organization (OPM), police said.

"A resident was shot dead and his neck was slashed by the armed group," Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. I Gede Sumerta Jaya said on Friday in Serui City. "The victim refused to join the armed group led by Rudi Orehri, who often disturbs security and extorts some companies in Yapen [district]."

The victim, Loudrik Ayomi, was on a motorcycle with a relative when an armed group assaulted him on Thursday at 3 p.m., police said.

"He was shot and fell down. His relative sped up, [leaving him behind] because he was afraid," Sumerta said. "After shooting the victim, the perpetrators slashed his neck with a machete and left his remains on the street."

Witnesses told the police that the perpetrators concealed their faces with balaclava masks and carried rifles. Sumerta said that Yapen Police officers were still looking for the perpetrators as of Friday afternoon.

Australian politicians clash over West Papua

Radio New Zealand International - June 7, 2013

Australia's Foreign Minister has accused people who advocate self- determination rights of West Papuans of misleading the indigenous people of Indonesia's Papua region.

Bob Carr made the comment during a Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee hearing on his government's response to ongoing human rights abuses in West Papua.

Johnny Blades looks at the growing scrutiny on Canberra's support for Indonesia's hold on West Papua.

Johnny Blades: It's not the first time that Bob Carr has been called on to defend Canberra's stand on issues of human rights abuses and the conduct of Indonesia's military in West Papua. But when taken to task over West Papua by the Greens Senator Richard Di Natale, the Minister launched an unprecedented attack. Insisting that Canberra regularly raises rights issues in West Papua with Jakarta, Bob Carr criticised the international West Papuan solidarity movement.

Bob Carr: The people who fly Papuan flags are the people who talk the language of secession and independence. They are planting in the minds of people who actually live in the place the notion that this campaign has some kind of international resonance. And that is a cruel deceit by self- indulgent people safe in their own beds, safe in a democracy – a cruel deceit about the potential of a demand for secessionism. Australia and the world recognise Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua.

Johnny Blades: Senator Di Natale found Mr Carr's comments deeply offensive.

Richard Di Natale: It is incredibly patronising and incredibly arrogant that you would suggest that a movement within a nation of people who are able to make decisions for themselves are somehow being controlled by people externally.

Bob Carr: This is the Green Party cause of the day. It's a game for the Green Party, it's a little game, but its implications on the ground for Papua can be very serious.

Richard Di Natale: Can I finish... Can I finish my question, Senator Carr? Well, again, I find the notion that somehow standing up for the democratic rights of the people is a cause for the day. That is, again, deeply offensive.

Johnny Blades: The Greens senator asked the government about the lack of impact from its representations to Jakarta over ongoing rights violations and a growing list of security forces atrocities in West Papua. Allaster Cox from the South-East Asia Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs explained that Canberra supports Jakarta's efforts to improve life in West Papua through economic development.

Allaster Cox: It's correct to say that the situation is not adequate yet – the Indonesians themselves recognise that, including on issues of freedom of expression and so forth. And I think if you ask any of the Indonesian officials and people concerned with this policy area they will say, 'Yes, it is not yet where we want it to be'.

Johnny Blades: Canberra recently boosted military co-operation with Indonesia. However, echoing calls in the Senate by the Democratic Labour Party, Senator Di Natale said the time has come for Australia to make its extensive funding and support for Indonesian security forces conditional on an end to human rights abuses in West Papua.

FLNKS formally invites West Papua to attend MSG meeting

Radio New Zealand International - June 5, 2013

New Caledonia's pro-independence FLNKS Movement has officially invited West Papua to attend this month's Melanesian Spearhead Group summit in Noumea.

At the summit, MSG leaders are expected to decide on a formal membership bid by the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation.

The FLNKS spokesperson, Victor Tutugoro, says they have also met the consul of Indonesia in Noumea about their position on West Papua.

The chairman of the Vanuatu Free West Papua Association, Pastor Alan Nafuki, says the invitation is an important step.

"I think this is one of the major steps in history of West Papua since 1961. And I think for myself it is the answer, the answer of our struggle together, the answer of the people of god who have been praying for many many years, over 50 years now, and we have at least achieved something and I am very so proud of that."

Students demand referendum, reject autonomy

Jakarta Post - June 4, 2013

Arya Dipa, Bandung – Members of the Papuan Students Alliance (AMP) studying in West Java staged a rally on Monday demanding the United Nations hold a referendum on Papua.

Chairman of AMP's central committee, Rinto Kogoya, said a referendum was the best solution for prosperity.

"Granting special autonomy is not a solution," he said during the rally in front of the Gedung Sate gubernatorial office compound. "The right mechanism is referendum."

The students brought various banners proclaiming independence. Kogoya said the division of regions, which is part of special autonomy, brought more conflicts among the local elites and residents.

"That is why the Indonesian government and the UN have to immediately organize a referendum on self-determination for Papua," he said. "Indonesia must withdraw all of its soldiers and police from Papua and the UN must immediately recognize the sovereignty of the state of West Papua."

The Papua issue was taken into the international arena by Free West Papua leader, Benny Wenda, who established a representative office in Oxford, the UK. "That [the office] is for campaign and dissemination purposes for the state of West Papua and have reached Europe, the US and Australia," Kogoya said.

Meanwhile, AMP spokeswoman Lince Waker said the students had a strong basis for their demands because Papuans declared independence – which was not recognized by Indonesia – from the Dutch on Dec. 1, 1961. The Dutch refused to hand Papua to Indonesia in the 1949 recognition of sovereignty.

Waker said despite many changes of government, the Papuan resistance, which is supported by certain elements in Western countries as well as Pacific nations, has not yet been quelled.

"This is not about social justice or economic disparity. This is about the identity of Papua as a state, which cannot be solved by Indonesian government policies," she said.

Papua political prisoners decline SBY's clemency offer

Jakarta Globe - June 4, 2013

Camelia Pasandaran – Political prisoners held at Papua's Abepura Prison rejected President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's offer to grant them clemency as part of the Home Affairs Ministry's proposed "special autonomy plus" program for the restive region.

More than 50 political prisoners will be granted their freedom during an August visit by the president commemorating the new autonomy program. Local leaders floated the proposal during discussions with the president on the implementation of the "special autonomy plus" program – an enhanced version of Papua's existing autonomy agreement that would allow the local government to enter discussions with the armed Free Papua Organization (OPM).

The prisoners, many who were arrested during protests marking the anniversary of the provinces' contested inclusion as part of Indonesia, would be free to participate in discussions on the future of the resource- rich region, said Yunus Wonda, a deputy speaker of the provincial legislature.

But 26 prisoners currently held at the Abepura Prison refused the president's offer, stating in a letter delivered to Yudhoyono that they plan to remain incarcerated until Papua is granted its freedom.

"The do not want [clemency] because they seek Papua's freedom, not individual freedom," Markus Haluk, a Papua human rights activist, told the Jakarta Globe on Tuesday. "The political prisoners will remain as long as the Indonesia government refuses to free Papua."

Papua was annexed by Indonesia in a 1963 vote widely seen as a sham by international monitors. Armed separatists forces, like the OPM, have been engaged in a protracted battle for independence with the Indonesian government since the former Dutch territory joined the republic.

The battle has pulled non-violent activists pushing for a second self- determination vote into the fray. Indonesian security forces have increasingly targeted groups like the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in recent months, jailing members for treason and shooting others during a violent crackdown that garnered criticism from international human rights groups.

Papuans caught raising the "Morning Star" flag can be jailed for up to 20 years on treason charges. There are estimated to be up to 50 Papuan political prisoners currently held nationwide. The website papuansbehindbars.org lists 40 people and the offenses for which they were convicted, which include raising the Morning Star flag, treason and taking part in rallies such as "indigenous people's day celebrations" and "anti- Freeport demonstrations."

The "special autonomy plus" program is a marked departure from the government's previous efforts to crush the armed insurgency with a heavy military presence. Local leaders called the plan an example of "development with compassion" and see the release of the political prisoners as an important step in quelling tensions in the region. But it remains to be seen if the prisoners, many of them activists who are critical of the central government's actions in Papua, will accept the terms.

"The release of the political prisoners was an important points of the special autonomy plus that was proposed to the head of state," Yunus said. "The president had no objection and is ready to offer clemency. It's hoped that the political prisoners will join the Papuan people in the development [process] to create prosperity."

Papua governor Lukas Enembe previously told the Jakarta Globe that his administration planned to ask the OPM to work with the local government and help draft new policies to develop the region and alleviate Papua's endemic poverty.

"There's no denying that a lot of our brethren are on the other [separatist] side, but they're people too, and as long as we can communicate with one another, we should keep doing so," the governor said. "With the right approach, I believe they will be willing to listen."

Freeport worker dies in latest mine accident

Jakarta Globe - June 2, 2013

Rangga Prakoso – Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold reported another death at its Grasberg mine in Papua on Sunday after a worker was seriously injured while conducting maintenance on an underground tunnel, a company official said.

Herman Wahid, a long-time truck driver at the Puncak Jaya mine, was working in a "Deep Orezone" – or DOZ underground mine – when he was injured in an work-related accident on Friday, a Freeport Indonesia official said. Herman was admitted to a nearby hospital in critical condition. He died on Sunday.

"The doctor fought to save his life," Freeport Indonesia President Director Rozik B. Sucipto said in a press statement. "We declare our deep condolences to the family. [Herman] left a wife and three children."

The company is investigating the cause of the accident, but said that the underground mine was likely not up to Freeport Indonesia safety standards for the handling of wet ore.

Friday's fatal accident occurred some two weeks after a tunnel collapse killed 28 miners during a safety training exercise on May 14. The two accidents are not related, Rozik said.

The Indonesian government ordered Freeport Indonesia to cease operations until investigators finish their report into the collapse. The US-based mining giant suspended operations for two weeks, but had restarted some activities at its open-pit mine last week.

Aceh

Anti-Shariah movement allegedly discovered in Aceh

Jakarta Globe - June 8, 2013

Banda Aceh – The government in Aceh has claimed that a social media movement aiming to discredit Shariah law in the province exists, though it has refused to provide any details on who may be carrying out the conspiracy.

"We recognize there are still parties who are unhappy with the implementation Islamic Shariah in Aceh," Syahrizal Abbas, the head of Aceh's provincial Shariah agency, said on Friday, as quoted by Antara news agency.

Syahrizal urged all parties in the province to use mass media and social media to promote positive perceptions of Islam.

Yasir Yusuf, the head of the Aceh branch of the IKADI, echoed Syahrizal's sentiments and stated that he has observed efforts which aim to undermine the Islamization of Aceh.

"Their movement is really academic and systematic. It involves social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter," Yasir, who is also a professor at an Islamic Institute in Banda Aceh, stated.

He also claimed that the group behind the scheme often held biased discussions on Shariah, or Islamic law based on the teachings of the Koran.

"Their talks quote national and international media sources, even though such news is formatted to create stereotypes about Islamic Shariah in Aceh," Yasir asserted.

The implementation of Shariah law, which nominally applies to all Muslims in the province, including police officers and government officials, has long been criticized by human rights groups.

Recently, North Aceh's district head banned all adult women from dancing when welcoming guests in North Aceh because such actions "damage Islamic Shariah values." Additionally, a police officer was publicly caned for violating Shariah law last month.

Domestic violence on the rise in Aceh

Jakarta Post - June 5, 2013

Nadya Natahadibrata, Jakarta – A coalition of women's rights groups report that cases of violence against women have been on the rise in Aceh in the past two years.

The coalition, Jaringan Pemantauan 231 (231 Monitoring Network), of non- governmental organizations (NGOs) monitors the implementation of Article 231 of Law No. 11/2006 on female empowerment and child protection in Aceh.

In its survey found 1,060 reported cases of violence against women in the province in 2011 and 2012, of which they were able to fully verify 561. Of these cases 73.6 percent were domestic, 224 cases in 2012 up from 189 in the previous year.

Samsidar, an activist from LBH Apik Aceh, one of NGOs in Jaringan Pemantauan 231, claims the large number of cases is a legacy from violent conflict in the region.

"In Aceh, violence often takes place in public places and no sanction is handed down to the perpetrators. It is then internalized within society without any concrete solution by the government," Samsidar said on Tuesday.

Suraiya Khamaruzaman of women's rights organization Flower Aceh put the blame on the Sharia-inspired ordinances in the region.

Suraiya is convinced that the Sharia-inspired bylaws, which have been adopted by the Aceh administration since 2001 as part of special autonomy, gave no specifics on protection for women, and instead only focus on trivial matters.

"The very first order from the Sharia law was for people to read Arabic scriptures and for women to wear the hijab, which are not substantial matters for the community," Suraiya said.

Earlier this year, the local administration in Lhokseumawe raised a fuss about issuing a bylaw that would ban women from straddling motorcycles, arguing that it is an improper conduct under Islamic tradition.

Last month, the North Aceh Regent Muhammad Thaib suggested that women must not perform traditional dances in public.

"The impact of those qanun [provincial by law] is actually more severe than that which the local administration initially visualized," Suraiya told The Jakarta Post.

"The planned bylaw that ban women from straddling on motorcycles specifically targeted underprivileged women who ride motorcycles. Women who have cars are not affected by the plan."

Separately, the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) commissioner Andi Yentriyani said that while the number of domestic violence cases recorded in Aceh may not be as high as those of other provinces, it could mask the true magnitude of the problem in the region.

Nationwide, Komnas Perempuan's analysis indicated that domestic violence comprised 95 percent of almost 120,000 cases of violence against women in 2011.

"The highest number of domestic violence cases is recorded in Java but that is mainly because the counseling infrastructure here is much better than that of other provinces so more cases are actually reported," Andi said.

"The budget allocated for female empowerment in Aceh was only 0.02 percent of the provincial budget and the amount was not evenly distributed to NGOs that specifically target women."

Military ties

US pledges to step up military ties with Indonesia

Agence France Presse - June 1, 2013

Singapore – The United States will step up its military cooperation with Indonesia, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in Singapore on Friday after meeting his Indonesian counterpart Purnomo Yusgiantoro.

"The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of deepening ties (and) reviewed progress made in recent years to increase exercises and training, as well as regular defense policy dialogues," Pentagon spokesman George Little said after the meeting.

The two defense ministers met on the sidelines of Singapore's annual security forum, the Shangri-La Dialogue, organized by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

Hagel recalled the importance of respect for human rights as a prerequisite for deeper military ties and "discussed American support for Indonesia's military modernisation, including through US foreign military sales," Little said.

US interest in boosting military ties with Indonesia is in line with President Barack Obama's "pivot," or strategic shift, to the Pacific region announced in January 2012 after a decade of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, put a priority in his first term on building ties with the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, which has quickly embraced democracy since the 1990s.

While some experts see the warming ties as more rhetorical than substantive, the United States has notably boosted relations with Indonesia's military after earlier concerns about a special forces unit's human rights record.

Human rights & justice

UN envoy told to press Indonesia on housing rights

Jakarta Post - June 8, 2013

Nadya Natahadibrata, Jakarta – Human rights groups have called on the United Nations special rapporteur on housing rights, Raquel Rolnik, to demand that the Indonesian government immediately resolve cases of housing rights violations, such as forced evictions and the forced expulsion of minority groups.

Rolnik, who arrived in Indonesia on May 30 and will be in the country until June 11, is scheduled to meet with senior government officials, representatives of the UN system, the donor community, NGOs and the public during her visit.

She is also scheduled to publicize her findings on the last day of her visit and report her recommendations on housing rights in the country to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2014.

"The President recently received an award in recognition of his work in supporting human rights. With the award that was recently given to him and a visit from the UN rapporteur, this is the right time for him to show the public that he really is committed to upholding human rights," Rafendi Djamin, the country's representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), said recently.

Human rights groups, including the Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), Arus Pelangi and the Indonesian Women's Coalition, had a meeting with Rolnik in Jakarta on June 3 where they expressed their concerns over the inadequate housing rights in the country.

Ali Akbar Tanjung of the HRWG said the human rights groups had called on Rolnik to recommend that the government resolve agrarian conflicts and review its policies on natural resources that have harmed the public's housing rights.

"We also urged her [Rolnik] to ask corporations to practice responsible business practices, as in the past they have caused a lot of people to lose their homes and livelihoods," Ali said.

Tumpak Hutabarat of Walhi said the NGO had recorded 613 conflicts regarding natural resources and plantations in the country last year, including the conflict between PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) VII and residents in Ogan Ilir in South Sumatra.

The rights groups also urged the Jakarta administration to provide adequate housing for the victims of forced evictions in Jakarta. LBH Jakarta recorded that 2,545 people had been affected by forced evictions and did not have access to adequate housing last year. The number had significantly increased from 1,176 a year earlier.

"Our data also showed that last year the country experienced 503 natural disasters including floods, landslides and forest fires," Tumpak said on Thursday.

Rafendi said that the right to adequate housing did not solely mean putting roofs over people's heads but also included people's rights to adequate sanitation, access to clean water and health services.

Meanwhile, King Oey from Arus Pelangi said that violations of adequate housing rights did not only befall victims of agrarian conflicts, but also minority groups including those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

"A lot of forced evictions were carried out by local residents with the help of local administrations due to discrimination against minorities," King said.

"The government did not protect these people and they lost their homes just because other local residents did not want to share their neighborhoods with people of a different sexual orientation," he said.

A victim of enforced disappearance speaks out

Asian Human Rights Commission - June 4, 2013

[An interview with Mugiyanto, a victim of enforced disappearance, published by the Asian Human Rights Commission.]

During 1997-1998, members of Student Solidarity for Democracy (SMID) who demanded democratisation in Indonesia were abducted by the military. Their critical view was deemed to be a threat to the state. One of the victims was Mugiyanto who, along with several others, were eventually released following strong demands from the public. As of today, there are 13 more activists whose whereabouts are still unknown. They are: Suyat, Yani Afri, Sonny, M. Joseph, Noval Alkatiri, Dedy Hamdun, Ismail, Ben Peter, Abdun Naser, Hendra Hambali, Ucok Siahaan, Yadin Muhidin and Wiji Thukul.

To commemorate the International Week of the Disappeared, Mugiyanto spoke to the AHRC on his experience as well as the victims' efforts to encourage legal proceedings on the abduction of activists in 1997-1998.

Would you like to share what had happened in relation to the abduction you experienced?

When the abduction took place, I was active in an organisation called the Indonesian Student Solidarity for Democracy (SMID) which was affiliated to the People's Democratic Party (PRD). We had to conduct our activities in secret since 27 July 1996 as our organisation was banned by the government. Our organisation was accused of masterminding the 27 July 1996 riot. I stayed in a rented house that my friends and I called the 'safe house' located in Klender, East Jakarta.

On 13 March 1998 at around 7 pm I was arrested by around 10 men – two of them were wearing military uniform. From the rented house I was taken to several places including the office of the District Military Command in East Jakarta. I do not know to where else they took me because I was blindfolded during the whole journey but I could hear the voice of my friends Aan Rusdiyanto and Nezar Patria. We were taken to an unknown place we called 'X' where we were tortured for two days. I learned later that 'X' was the headquarters of Kopassus (the Army Special Forces) in Cijantung, Jakarta. During the abduction, the military asked me about the best solution for the economic crisis ongoing at that time, the independence of East Timor, the reason why I was against the dual function of The Indonesian Armed Forces and why I supported the struggle of the people of Aceh for independence.

Two days after I was moved to another unidentified place. Again I did not know what that place was because I was blindfolded. Only later I understood that it was the office of Jakarta Metropolitan Police. We were detained there for 3 months for the allegation on conducting subversive activities because they thought we wanted to overthrow the New Order regime. When I was detained at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Munir was the person who was defending me. I met with Munir often since then.

Do you know why were you targeted? What kind of activities were you engaged in at that time?

At that time my role (in the) SMID was to organize international campaigns in Europe, Asia and Australia. I was campaigning for the release of political prisoners both those who engaged with the PRD and other types of political prisoners.

How long were you detained and what exactly happened during this time?

I was interrogated for two days. I was blindfolded and stripped that I was only wearing my underwear. During the interrogation I was electrocuted, beaten, threatened, yelled at, and subjected to other inhumane treatment. I do not know who did it because I was always blindfolded. I only knew Nezar Patria and Aan Rusdiyanto were also there because I heard their voices in 'X'.

How did the abuse affect you and your family?

My parents live in fear as many strangers came to my house. Some of my neighbours in the village looked down at me because I was detained at Jakarta Metropolitan Police. It is just how most people live in village think: anybody who once had been arrested must have been a bad person. I personally experienced trauma for approximately two years. Every time I heard the sound of a hand transceiver or being alone on the road I was always worried and scared.

What do you do to encourage the settlement of the case?

The first thing I did was joining the other victims' and their families and established the Indonesian Association of Families of the Disappeared. I brought together the victims from Aceh to Papua which was facilitated by the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) in October 2002. I also empowered the victims both mentally and economically. I advocate for the settlement of the case along with KontraS, Indonesian Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI) and other organisations. We are demanding justice for the victims of enforced disappearance by conducting demonstrations as well as well lobbying various state institutions. We are probably the only organisation that had held a demonstration in front of Kopassus's headquarters in Cijantung. We do not do this at the national level only but also at the international level. Almost every year we go to the UN Human Rights Committee and the UN Human Rights Council or send complaints via email. The activities we do are supported by friends from regional NGOs such as AFAD, AHRC, EURO Mediterranean and other regional organisations in Latin America.

Who do you think was responsible for the abuse that you endured?

No doubt, the persons who are responsible for abducting and disappearing activist during 1997-1998 were former President Soeharto and the armed forces commander at that time. Commander of Kopassus who ordered Rose Team to abduct the activists was also responsible. Those individuals were policy makers when the abduction and enforced disappearance took place.

What was the government's response to the victim's effort to fight?

The government's responses have been very slow. The victims found the attitude of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is very disappointing on this matter. He has been in power for nine years but still cannot solve this case. The Parliament gave positive response in 2009 by issuing four recommendations delivered by a special committee established in 2007-2009. The aim of the committee's establishment was to follow up the investigations result concluded by the National Human Rights Commission which was submitted to the Attorney General in 2006. The four recommendations were for the President to establish an Ad Hoc Human Rights Court to examine the case of involuntary disappearance; for the government to find the 13 activist who are still missing; for the government to provide compensation and restitution to the victims; and for the Government to ratify the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. These four recommendations are yet to be executed by the President as of today.

What are the obstacles you and other victims have experienced in the search for justice?

The main obstacle is that the state tend to ignore the settlement of past human rights violations cases. This happens because who are serving in the government today are individuals involved in the abuses. The biggest challenge ahead is to make the past human rights issues being discussed widely in the society as much as for instance, the issue of corruption.

Victims of enforced disappearance have joined political parties founded by the persons who allegedly gave orders to abduct you. How do you feel about this?

Personally I do not mind if my friends join a political party. Yet what troubles me is the fact that a former friend of mine entered the political party led by people who are responsible for the abductions and enforced disappearances or other serious human rights violations such as the People's Conscience Party (HANURA) and Gerindra. I of course cannot do anything to prevent my friends from joining such political parties. All I can do is conducting campaigns to public and persuade them not to elect parliamentary candidates or leaders involved in human rights violations, corruptions and crimes against the environment. People should understand that public officials must have a clean track record.

What are your expectations of the current government?

The current government only has a year left before the election in 2014 and I do not believe that they will be able to solve this case within such short period of time. Yet I hope the government – especially the president – will lay the foundations of solving the case in the remaining one year. By 'foundations' I refer to policies issued by President such as Presidential Decree, Instruction, or Regulation which are in favour of the victims.

What motivates you to keep on fighting?

It is just something that comes from within me. I am part of the victims and their family. I can understand what the victims feel as I myself have been there. My own mother also always teaches me kindness. Throughout the last 10 years I have been very close to the victims of past human rights violations and their families. They are also the ones who motivate me to keep fighting together in demanding justice.

As the 2014 general election is approaching, what message would you like to deliver to the public in Indonesia?

I will hold campaigns to the public to persuade them not to elect parliamentarian and presidential candidates who have been involved in human rights violations. I will do so by holding discussions, film screenings, using the media and other means. Most Indonesians do not know who had actually perpetrated human rights violations. For example, neighbours in my village told me that they will vote for Prabowo for the presidential election. They want to vote for him because they do not know who Prabowo actually is. The campaign on do not vote for human rights violators, corrupted politicians and candidates who contribute to the destruction of the environment is part of public education which needs to be held systematically.

What is your message to the international community?

I am hoping the international community will not blindly believe the reports made by government on human rights situation in the country. If you only listen to the government then you will get a false picture on the situation in Indonesia that everything is fine. It is important for the international community to listen to the voice of the victims or the NGOs. Please do not give false judgment on the situation in Indonesia as what one of the international organisations did recently by giving the President an award or religious freedom of tolerance when actually there have been many cases on discrimination and violence against minorities during his administration. As for the case on abduction and enforced disappearance, I hope the international community will support the victims and their struggles in various means.

[The AHRC is not responsible for the views shared in this article, which do not necessarily reflect its own.]

Labour & migrant workers

Golkar plays down legislator's claims trashing maid bill

Jakarta Globe - June 7, 2013

Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The Golkar Party insists that it supports a bill on domestic workers' rights currently being proposed for deliberation, despite earlier remarks to the contrary from one of its legislators.

Poempida Hidayatulloh, a Golkar legislator on the House of Representatives' Commission IX, which oversees labor affairs and welfare, said on Thursday that the party fully supported all efforts to push the bill on protection for domestic workers through legislation.

"This bill is important for providing legal protection to domestic workers, who are not covered by the existing [2003 Manpower Law]," he said.

"On that basis, all Golkar members of House Commission IX not only agree to support the bill, but also take a proactive interest in ensuring that ongoing discussions about the bill can bring about legislation that fully covers not just domestic workers, but also their employers and placement agencies."

He added that a statement earlier in the day by Golkar's Nurul Arifin, a member of the House Legislation Council, voicing opposition to the bill was just a reflection of her personal views and did not represent the party's views.

In her remarks, Nurul claimed that the bill could "destroy the social fabric" by formalizing the relationship between domestic workers and their employers.

"This bill shouldn't be aimed at households that employ domestic workers, but rather at the agencies that place the workers in jobs," she said.

"I hope we can stick to the values and traditions that we have always exercised with respect to domestic workers, and not adopt liberal traditions based on materialism."

She claimed that because domestic workers were seen as part of the family, they should not be treated the same as factory workers and thus should not be afforded wage and working condition guarantees enjoyed by the latter.

"We shouldn't let our basic social structure crumble by allowing our thoughts to become poisoned by materialistic thinking," Nurul said.

She added that if the intention of the bill was to protect domestic workers from violence, this was already regulated in other legislation. However, no existing legislation addresses this issue.

Poempida insisted that it was important for the bill to be passed, noting that there were an estimated 10.7 million domestic workers in Indonesia and six million abroad, the vast majority women, for whom no minimum wage, paid or maternity leave, or guarantee of standardized working conditions existed.

"The problem is that there are many employers who treat their domestic workers very badly and refuse to accommodate their interests," he said.

"With this bill, we hope to regulate those interests, which include days off, working hours, basic rights and so forth. The ultimate aim of the bill is to bring domestic workers up to the same level of society as other salaried workers and to treat them as professionals."

Domestic workers' rights organizations are also urging the House to pass the bill as well as the government to ratify the International Labor Organization's Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers.

A petition by the Domestic and Migrant Workers Protection Action Committee (KAPPRTBM) calls on legislators and the manpower minister to ramp up deliberations of the bill and pass it into law.

It also urges the House and the government to apply universal values of human rights to domestic workers, a group that it says is often discriminated against and has its rights flouted with impunity.

Workers protest against outsourcing

Jakarta Post - June 5, 2013

Hundreds of workers from PT Bali Taru Utama, a stationery company located in Tangerang regency, took to the streets to demand that the management abandon outsourcing, which they said was affecting their livelihood.

Demonstrators rallied on the main road leading to the regent's office, hoisting banners protesting against the outsourcing and calling on the management to re-employ three workers who were dismissed for organizing resistance to the policy.

"We demand that the management renew the contracts of the three workers who were fired without clear reasons," rally coordinator Imam Sukars said after speaking at a free speech forum held in front of the regent's office.

In Karawaci, approximately 2,000 workers from PT Sulindafin, a subsidiary of textile company PT Shinta Group, went on strike, demanding the management fulfill their rights, including paying them the regional minimjum wage and social security.

Political parties & elections

SBY hesitant to move against PKS

Jakarta Post - June 7, 2013

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has yet to make a decision regarding the fate of the "rebellious" Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

Once again, the PKS sided with the opposition and opposed the government's subsidized fuel plan, irking politicians from Yudhoyono's Democratic Party and the four other coalition parties.

"The coalition has ethics and every member party is bound by the code of conduct," presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said when asked if Yudhoyono would punish the PKS on Wednesday.

Julian was referring to an eight-point agreement signed by leaders of all six parties in the coalition April last year.

At that time, Yudhoyono summoned leaders of all six parties to his residence in Cikeas, West Java, after a plenary session at the House of Representatives rejected an article in the revised 2012 State Budget Law, which would allow the government to change the price of subsidized fuel.

It was another blow to the ruling coalition following a series of moves against the government.

The Cikeas meeting resulted in the signing of the agreement, which clearly states that all members of the governing coalition must support the government's policies, or leave the coalition.

The agreement was seen by many as a move by Yudhoyono to "discipline" the PKS after previous "punishment" – reducing the number of ministers from the PKS from four to three – had failed to make any impression.

Democratic Party executives said the PKS should not have double standards and urged the party to formally leave the coalition. The PKS insisted its decision was not a form of rebellion.

"The President has always stressed that [increasing the subsidized fuel price] is neither political nor for the interest of the government. It is purely for the sake of the people," Julian said.

PKS members were absent from a meeting at the residence of Vice President Boediono in Central Jakarta on Tuesday evening to discuss the expected political showdown concerning the planed fuel policy.

After the meeting, Democratic Party deputy chair Nurhayati Assegaf said the PKS' absence was a clear indication that the party "no longer had respect for the coalition." PKS chairman Anis Matta claimed he had never received an invitation to the meeting.

Also on Tuesday, former PKS chairman Tifatul Sembiring revealed his party had been split over its stance to the government's planned fuel policy.

Tifatul, who is also the Communication and Information Technology Minister in Yudhoyono's cabinet, claimed the party's chief patron, Hilmi Aminuddin, had told the President that the party agreed with the government's decision to increase the price of subsidized fuel.

"[Hilmi] met with President Yudhoyono to clarify this issue," said Tifatul, who is currently a member of the PKS' board of patrons.

When asked to comment on the matter, PKS board of patron member Refrizal shrugged off Tifatul's statement saying, "All ministers from the PKS are the President's men," he said.

Political analyst Tjipta Lesmana of the University of Indonesia said the PKS might have been reluctant to leave the coalition and would wait for Yudhoyono to show them the door.

"Many have said that the PKS could gain sympathy from the public if the President dismissed it from the coalition and kicked its ministers out of the Cabinet. I think the party could get more popularity if it was willing to take concrete action to leave the coalition and withdraw all of its ministers," he said.

PKS rebels on fuel price rise

Jakarta Globe - June 7, 2013

Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Ezra Sihite & Yeremia Sukoyo – The ruling Democratic Party on Thursday demanded that coalition partner the Prosperous Justice Party swiftly remove banners it mounted across Jakarta opposing the government's plan to increase subsidized fuel prices.

"PKS has to immediately take down those provocative banners spread in different areas of the city," said Didi Irawadi Syamsuddin, a Democratic Party politician, referring to the junior coalition member.

Didi said he hoped PKS politicians would put an end to their "dirty politics" and said that as members of the ruling coalition, PKS enjoyed many benefits and was obliged to stand by government policy, even when it was unpopular.

"The provocative banners only complicate the situation. [It] confuses the public and provokes [them]," he said.

Julian Aldrin Pasha, a spokesman for Democratic Party chairman President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said the banners were politically provocative and undermined government efforts to promote the fuel price rises and the compensation that will accompany them.

"The president's hope is that the public realizes that there is a great need for this [the fuel price hike]. It is not a political need, it is not just because of the interests of a political party or the government," he said on Wednesday.

PKS's opposition to the fuel price increase has led to accusations of rebelliousness. Such claims were encouraged by the party's absence from a coalition meeting on the fuel subsidy issue at Vice President Boediono's residence on Tuesday night.

At the meeting, United Development Party (PPP) secretary general Romahurmuziy said the parties in the coalition agreed to the fuel price hike, in line with the draft 2013 state budget revision.

"The fuel price hike is seen as the last step in restoring the state budget," he said, adding that the government's deficit was at risk of exceeding the 3 percent limit set by the State Finance Law.

The government has previously announced plans to raise as soon as this month the price of subsidized gasoline to Rp 6,500 a liter and subsidized diesel to Rp 5,500 a liter. Both types of fuels are sold at Rp 4,500, less than half their unsubsidized market prices.

The meeting agreed that compensation would be offered following the fuel price hike through four programs: a temporary aid package (BLSM), the Family of Hope scheme (PKH), scholarships for the poor (BSM) and a food subsidy program (Raskin).

Ichsanuddin Noorsy, a public policy expert, said the Democratic Party and PKS were competing to win public sympathy ahead of next year's national elections.

"The Democratic Party is trying to earn sympathy through its BLSM program, while PKS does the same by opposing the fuel price hike. The outcomes are hoped to create a favorable image in the public eye," Ichsanuddin said.

He added that should the fuel price increase materialize, PKS may still benefit from the PKH, which will be managed by the Ministry of Social Affairs, the minister for which is PKS politician Salim Segaf Al-Jufri.

Ichsanuddin urged the public to monitor political elites who may try to exploit public policies for personal benefits.

"In the science of political finances, the public remains the base of authority and the object of policies. This is something we should be aware of in order to oppose those who pretend to be supportive of the public but are in fact trading this essence [for their own good]," he warned.

The government has tried several times to increase the price of subsidized fuel, which is a major drain on government finances given the rising oil price. An attempt last March was thwarted by the House of Representatives.

PKS denies adopting Wahhabism as protesters rejects chairman's visit

Jakarta Post - June 5, 2013

Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Anis Matta denied rumors that the party was adopting Wahhabism as residents of Sampang, Madura, East Java protested his visit to the area on those and other grounds.

"The PKS does not follow a certain ideology. PKS is a missionary party and a forum to defend the Muslims which consist of various mass organizations, such as Muhammadiyah, NU, and PERSIS," Anis said in Sampang on Monday evening in response to the protest.

The residents rejected to Anis' visit to the area for various reasons. They said they did not want to have a political figure, whose party cadres were involved in a graft cases, because corruption brings misery to the people.

The protestors also called on the provincial government to prevent the Wahhabi ideology from spreading in Sampang in particular, and in Madura in general, because it would stir up trouble among local residents.

The demonstrators said the PKS was a political party using religion as a front, but that it was propagating Wahhabism. "I think the accusation was politically motivated. It's not true that PKS adopts Wahhabism," Anis defended.

Regarding criticism over party cadres being involved in a corruption, Anis said the beef graft case protestors referred to had nothing to do with the party, and only involved the party's former chairman Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq.

"Nevertheless, should the court find Luthfi guilty, we as the functionaries, will apologize to the public," Anis explained.

Wahhabism is the ultra-conservative branch of Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia. The movement was pioneered by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703- 1792) on the Arabian peninsula.

Some Islamic scholars say the spread of Wahhabism is responsible for rising religious intolerance and violence in generally moderate Indonesia. It is therefore contradictory to peaceful Islamic teachings because of the extremism it espouses.

Parties in race for illicit funds: Watchdog

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2013

Jakarta – Election watchdog the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) predicted that political parties will use election campaigns to collect as much illicit funding as possible.

Chairman of Perludem Didik Supriyanto said it was a "tradition" during political campaigns for political parties to collect donations from businesses in the country.

"Using the excuse that they will need funds for campaigning, parties will force businesspeople and companies to donate funds," Didik said, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

Perludem had earlier suggested that the government should incrementally increase financial aid for political parties to dissuade them from dishonest practices.

Perludem alleged that most political parties in Indonesia engaged in money politics, apparently because they only received meager amounts of money from the government.

Presidency beckons for Jakarta's rags-to-riches governor

Reuters - June 2, 2013

Kanupriya Kapoor & Andrew R.C. Marshall – Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, the governor of Jakarta, might well be the future of Indonesian democracy. Here's why.

On a recent afternoon he visited Tambora, a densely populated area of west Jakarta, to inspect the aftermath of a slum fire. Within minutes, the narrow streets were a moshpit of jostling well-wishers. Women embraced him. Men kissed his hand. School children chanted "Long live Jokowi!"

Unattended by bodyguards, Widodo edged through the scrum wearing a spotless white shirt and the sort of unfaltering grin that makes a normal man's face ache.

No wonder he's smiling. He is a wildly popular leader in a country where scandal has tarnished or toppled almost every leading politician, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and those vying to replace him in next year's election.

His rise has been formidable. So, too, is the task of fixing a city whose problems are holding back one of Asia's largest and fastest-growing economies.

Widodo, 51, is a former furniture salesman who grew up in a riverside slum in Surakarta, better known as Solo, a once-declining city in Central Java where he was elected mayor in 2005. Over the next seven years he cut crime, revived the local economy and gained a reputation for clean, can-do governance that propelled him into Jakarta's City Hall last October.

Widodo's plans for the Indonesian capital are even more ambitious. He vows to solve its chronic flooding, alleviate its maddening traffic and re-house more than a million slum-dwellers. "My inspiration is the people," he told Reuters. "I think we can solve our problems here."

Jakartans think so too. Widodo is mobbed by crowds during his daily visits to low-rent communities, feted by the media and feared by underperforming city officials.

That Widodo's simple formula – competence, transparency and the common touch – seems so revolutionary is a testament to how corrupt and remote most Indonesian politicians are. In a country where political parties are distinguished not by policies but by personalities, Widodo seems a shoo-in for president – if he decides to run. For now, he says he will concentrate on Jakarta.

His Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) may have other ideas. Its leader is former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of Indonesian independence hero Sukarno.

"Megawati doesn't want to stand next year," says a senior party official, a Megawati confidant who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We don't want to announce it yet, but... it's clear that in the party, everyone has Jokowi in mind."

While Widodo's popularity is rare for an Indonesian politician, it is far from unique. He is only the most celebrated of a new batch of popular and pragmatic leaders who could revolutionize the way Indonesia's young democracy is run.

Good, bad and ugly

These leaders are products of Indonesia's decade-old experiment with decentralization – a process more often blamed for creating corrupt local elites. "It's important for Indonesians to understand that it's not just Jokowi," says Marco Kusumawijaya, director of the Jakarta-based urban studies think tank Rujak. "What we're seeing is the emergence of new types of leaders."

Many of them hail not from the bureaucracy – the usual source – but from other professions.

Kholiq Arif, the mayor credited with revitalizing the Central Java city of Wonosobo, is a former journalist. Mayor Herman Sutrisno of Banjar, another Javanese town, is a doctor who still performs vasectomies as part of his family planning program.

Capable regional leaders often win attention and funds from the central government, as Widodo did in Solo. Bantaeng in Central Sulawesi was picked for a pilot national healthcare program after its mayor Nurdin Abdullah improved the city's welfare services.

"Indonesia should have more of these leaders," says Tri Rismaharini, the mayor of Surabaya, herself praised for reviving Indonesia's second-largest city. "We've been independent for over 60 years and we should have advanced further by now. We are rich in natural and human resources, and we need leaders who understand this potential."

But for every mini-Widodo there are local leaders who have used decentralization to misrule and plunder.

Syamsul Arifin is serving a six-year jail sentence for embezzling nearly Rp 10 billion ($1 million) during his time as governor of North Sumatra. Banten, a province run by Indonesia's first female governor, Ratu Atut Chosiyah, has become a byword for nepotism. Her husband, son, daughter-in- law, sister and sister-in-law all hold senior political posts.

Other local politicians have passed Islamic bylaws that oblige women to wear headscarves or be chaperoned by male relatives when going out after dark.

'Shining without corruption'

Widodo's father was a truck driver, his mother a bamboo seller, and his childhood home a shack on the banks of the Kalianyar River in Solo. Later, his father ran a small timber business, and Widodo studied at the forestry department of Universitas Gadjah Mada in the nearby city of Yogyakarta – He was the first member of his family to attend university.

It taught him a valuable lesson: poor people who don't understand the value of education remain poor. During his walkabout in Tambora, he not only inspected burned-out houses but also handed out free books and school bags to children. "Study! Study!" he urged, as they mobbed his departing car. Exporting furniture made Widodo a millionaire and a prominent Solo businessman. But it was the city's deteriorating state that lured Widodo into politics.

Riots during the 1998 downfall of the dictator Suharto razed homes and businesses in Solo and wrecked its economy. The city was also notorious as the home of radical Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, considered the spiritual leader of the bombers who killed more than 200 people in Bali in 2002. "Investors didn't trust our city," he says.

Campaigning with the slogan "Shining Without Corruption," Widodo became Solo's first directly elected mayor in 2005. His signature achievement was unclogging Solo's streets and public spaces by relocating thousands of illegal vendors to new facilities. He did this through incentives discussed at dozens of meetings with the vendors, often over lunch or dinner.

"He kept on talking until he convinced them," says Widodo's friend Mari Pangestu, then Indonesia's trade minister and now its minister of tourism and creative economy. "He's very persistent – not pushy, but persistent. If he believes in that idea he'll keep coming back to you and follow up."

After revitalizing Solo's traditional markets, he attracted new business by setting up a one-stop shop that allowed investors to cut through bureaucratic corruption and red tape. Corrupt officials were fired.

Widodo and his then-deputy Hadi Rudyanto also improved slums and access to healthcare services, and boosted tourism by promoting Solo as a centre for Javanese art and culture. They were re-elected in 2010 with 90 percent of the vote.

Widodo abandoned his second term as Solo mayor to run for Jakarta governor, easily beating the Jakarta-born incumbent, Fauzi Bowo.

Capital punishment

Jakarta, home to 10 million people, should be famous for its rich Betawi culture and thriving arts scene. Instead, it is notorious for biblical floods, sprawling slums and soul-crushing gridlock.

Floods have grown more frequent over the past decade, killing scores of people and causing millions of dollars of damage. In mid-January, days of heavy rain transformed the city into a grim imitation of Venice. The grounds of City Hall, a white-painted Dutch colonial building in central Jakarta, were shin-deep in filthy water.

Jakarta has a shabby and chaotic public transport system and no subway, which forces more people – especially Indonesia's growing middle classes – into private vehicles. Jakartans buy more than 440 cars and 1,400 motorbikes every day, says Widodo.

Then there are the slums: more than 4.7 million Jakartans live in them, he says.

Widodo's big-ticket public transport projects are the city's first subway (which was first proposed 24 years ago) and a monorail (14 years ago). He promises the subway, or mass rapid transit (MRT), will be completed in seven years – he formally announced the $2.4 billion project on May 2 – and the monorail in half that time.

He also plans to add more buses and dedicated bus routes, and to squeeze motorists with stiffer parking fees and congestion charges.

Many of Jakarta's problems are interconnected: its lack of green space, for example, means lower absorption of flood waters. But then so are its solutions: remove refuse-producing slums from the banks of rivers and canals and flood waters drain more easily.

Another example is street vendors. In 2004, Jakarta had about 90,000 of them, mostly illegal, says Hasan Basri Saleh, Widodo's top economics advisor at City Hall. Today, there are more than 270,000. Getting these stalls off the roadsides and into purpose-built markets will ease traffic congestion. Some 4,000 can move into unoccupied kiosks at Jakarta's 153 existing markets, he says, but new markets will have to be built for the rest.

Jakarta's burgeoning population has overwhelmed city planners since Indonesia won independence in 1945. This explains why many of Widodo's solutions involve moving people.

His immediate goal is to transfer more than 100,000 families from slums into public housing during his first term. That's about half a million people. His longer-term plan is even more ambitious: to re-house a total of 370,000 poor families.

Widodo says the city will buy up hundreds of hectares of land, mostly from private developers, to build not just housing but also parks and flood- prevention infrastructure. The plan is "really massive", says economics advisor Hasan. "I don't know of any precedents."

Widodo says there is "more than enough" in the city's $4.9 billion budget, which he vows to double in two years through a more efficient tax system.

'New star'

Widodo's reflexive populism can get tiresome. Who are his political advisers? "My adviser is the people." Biggest achievement? "Ask the people." We get it.

But Jakarta people aren't like Solo people, says Fadli Zon, vice chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and a long-time Widodo associate. With a population twenty times larger than Solo's, Jakarta is a "mosaic of different religions and ethnic groups" with a highly critical middle class impatient for change, he says. "It's a very, very difficult position."

A free healthcare scheme was widely criticized for overwhelming the city's hospitals, clinics and medical staff. But the response to Widodo's walkabouts suggests his popularity is undented.

When President Yudhoyono made an impromptu visit to a fishing village in Banten province in January, the Indonesian media accused him of trying to boost his flagging popularity with a distinctive Widodo tactic.

"Jokowi is a new star," Yudhoyono told Reuters in April. "He could be a contender for the presidency someday." But he said Widodo needed more time as Jakarta governor to learn how to run a large organization.

Yudhoyono's own scandal-plagued Democratic Party offers no credible rivals. Widodo remains more popular than any other declared presidential candidates. Aburizal Bakrie, the billionaire leader of the Golkar party, lacks his rags-to-riches backstory and common touch. Prabowo Subianto, the Gerindra party candidate, is sullied by human rights abuses committed by Indonesia's special forces, Kopassus, which he once commanded.

Even so, the PDI-P will announce Widodo's candidacy as late as possible, says the senior party official. "If we announce it now, everyone will make him a target and gun him down between now and next year."

Many supporters still hope Widodo will save any presidential bid for 2019. "Jakarta still needs him," says Budi Adiputro, 26, one of dozens of journalists now on the City Hall beat.

Urban planner Marco Kusumawijaya is less concerned. "In this country, where there is such a shortage of good leaders, we should let him go as high as he can," he says. "We shouldn't keep him to ourselves. And he might manage Jakarta quite well, even as president."

Surveys & opinion polls

SBY's second term brings no change: Survey

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2013

Yuliasri Perdani, Jakarta – A recent public opinion poll inferred that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's second term was a complete failure.

The poll, conducted by the National Survey Institute (LSN) revealed that 49 percent of 1,230 respondents thought that Yudhoyono, since winning his second five-year term in 2010, produced no significant improvements for the country. Thirty percent of respondents perceived the country to be worse off under Yudhoyono's second term.

The survey was conducted between May 1 and May 10, respondents were from across all 33 provinces. LSN executive director Umar S. Bakry said that only 18 percent of respondents thought Yudhoyono had improved the country's condition.

"Respondents think SBY's cabinet has done a terrible job everywhere apart from health and education. The cabinet performs the poorest in legal, economic, political and sports sectors," Umar said in a press release made available to The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

The majority of respondents said they wanted Yudhoyono and his ministers to focus on their responsibilities, rather than their own political maneuvers ahead of the 2014 general elections.

The survey also found that the public thought badly of Yudhoyono decision to take over the leadership of the Democratic Party. "Seventy-seven percent lamented Yudhoyono's decision to serve as Democratic Party chairman," Umar said.

Yudhoyono took over the party in March, replacing former chairman Anas Urbaningrum who resigned on February after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named him a graft suspect.

Other than being the party's chairman, Yudhoyono also serves as chairman of the party's honor council, supreme assembly and board of patrons.

"In order to prevent a conflict of interest, 71 percent of respondents said ministers who wish to contest the 2014 election should resign from cabinet," he adds.

Some ministers in Yudhoyono's second United Indonesia Cabinet are leaders and prominent figures of political parties. Among them is Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, who is chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN).

Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar and Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali chair the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party (PPP) respectively.

Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan and State-Owned Enterprise Minister Dahlan Iskan have openly declared their intention to run for president in the upcoming election.

Gita is considering joining the Democratic Party for its presidential primary race. Dahlan has not yet made any decision regarding his possible candidacy.

Judicial graft dents faith in rule of law

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2013

Margareth S. Aritonang and Ina Parlina, Jakarta – Fifteen years into the reform era, the public still have little faith in the rule of law in the country, according to a recent study.

The study, conducted by the Indonesian Legal Roundtable (ILR), found that on a scale of one to 10 the country only scored 4.5 when it came to law enforcement.

The biggest problem the country faces is judicial corruption. The study found the judiciary was perceived to be the most corrupt institution, leading to the perception that the rule of law is not being upheld.

Forty nine percent of the 1,220 respondents involved in the study, conducted in December last year, were convinced that Indonesian judges were involved in collusive practices as well as bribery.

Furthermore, 40 percent of the respondents did not trust judges' rulings as they believed that judges were influenced by politicians, government officials and public figures. They were also convinced that collusive and corrupt practices marred the process of selecting judges.

"This is the portrait of law enforcement in our country. The very low law- enforcement score and growing distrust in the judiciary has shown us that the authorities have failed to uphold the law here," ILR executive director Todung Mulya Lubis said during the launch of the study, Indeks Persepsi Negara Hukum Indonesia 2012 (Indonesian Law Enforcement Perception Index 2012), in Jakarta on Friday.

The study examined the independence of judicial authorities, the process of lawmaking, the recognition and protection of human rights, and access to justice.

While the country continues to witness instances of intolerance and human rights abuse, the study found that the majority of respondents believed that the government guaranteed freedom of expression, of religion, and from torture. The score for human rights protection was 5.74, well above the score for access to lawmaking, which was 3.13.

Todung felt that such a perception was likely a legacy of the New Order regime when open discussion about ethnicity and religion was restricted. "This is why most Indonesians still perceive the country to be a tolerant place for religious minorities, when it is actually not," he said.

Human rights watchdogs have recorded a number of cases of human rights violations against religious minorities in which the authorities have been involved.

The government, for instance, has failed to enforce a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that allowed the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Yasmin congregation to worship in their church in Bogor, West Java. Until now, members of the congregation are still barred from worshiping in their church by local government officials and hardliners.

The ILR study confirmed the findings of previous surveys. The Indonesian Survey Circle's (LSI) survey, released last month, showed that only 29 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with the government's performance in enforcing the law.

The survey found that the dissatisfaction stemmed from rampant corruption involving government officials, unresolved social conflicts and the high level of impunity enjoyed by members of the National Police and the Military.

The survey concluded that the state had committed human rights violations against the people by allowing rampant corruption to prevail and by condoning the actions of vigilante groups. For the survey, the LSI interviewed 1,200 respondents as well as engaging with them in focus group discussions between April 1 and April 4.

Todung said he hoped the study would encourage authorities to gradually improve law enforcement in the country.

Environment & natural disasters

Endangered elephant killings rising in Indonesia

Associated Press - June 5, 2013

Jakarta, Indonesia – Poisoning or shooting killed many of the 129 critically endangered elephants that have died on Indonesia's Sumatra island in less than a decade, highlighting weak enforcement of laws against poaching, an environmental group says.

WWF Indonesia said killings of Sumatran elephants are on the rise, with 29 either shot or poisoned last year, including 14 in Aceh province. The group said Tuesday that no one has been convicted or jailed in the deaths that were counted in Riau province since 2004.

The report came three days after two dead Sumatran elephants were found near a paper plantation in Riau, allegedly poisoned by poachers. Another elephant was killed last month near Tesso Nilo national park and its tusks were hacked off. An autopsy found a plastic detergent wrapper in its belly filled with poison.

The group said 59 percent of the dead elephants were definitely poisoned, 13 percent were suspected to have been poisoned, and 5 percent were killed by gunshots. Others died from illness or other causes, or the reason for their death was unknown.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the animals as "critically endangered" after their numbers dropped to between 2,400 and 2,800 from an estimated 5,000 in 1985. Environmentalists say the elephants could be extinct within three decades unless they are protected.

The decline is largely due to destruction of their habitat. Forests across Sumatra are being logged for timber, palm oil, and pulp and paper.

Sumatra has some of the most significant populations of Asian elephants outside of India and Sri Lanka and is also home to tigers, orangutans and rhinos.

"Effective action on the ground should be taken immediately to protect Sumatran elephants from extinction, especially in Riau," the report said. There are about 300 elephants left in Riau, which is part of Sumatra island.

Achmad Saeroji, head of the government conservation agency in Riau, denied the allegation of lax law enforcement, saying at least eight cases have been handled by authorities recently.

"We always investigate every case of elephants found dead," he said. "But it is hard to capture the perpetrators, either because of late reports or the fear of people to report the poachers, who work in a network." Indonesia's elephants sometimes venture into populated areas searching for food. They destroy crops or attack humans, making them unpopular with villagers. Some are shot or poisoned with cyanide-laced fruit, while others are killed by poachers for their ivory.

Health & education

Activists say anti-tobacco day is an 'industrial ploy'

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2013

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – A number of activists grouped under the Indonesian Kretek Community (KKI) staged a rally in Medan, North Sumatra, not to commemorate World Anti-Tobacco Day on Friday, but to express their support for the national tobacco industry.

The activists opposed the commemoration of World Anti-Tobacco Day as they say it would kill the tobacco industry and hurt local farmers.

They staged a theatrical play as they distributed stickers saying: "It is okay to smoke" during the rally at the intersection near the PT Pos Indonesia office on Jl. Balai Kota.

Medan KKI coordinator Chaidir Harahap said Anti-Tobacco Day, which falls every May 31, was part of a ploy by foreign countries to destroy the tobacco industry.

Chaidir added Indonesia was the biggest tobacco producer and home to a considerable number of cigarette industries, so World Anti-Tobacco Day would only destroy the tobacco industry in Indonesia.

Chaidir said they did not see tobacco from a health point of view because it could definitely cause illness, but from an economic view, tobacco had played a significant role in spurring the economy in Indonesia as it contributed a considerable amount of revenue to the state.

"Tobacco and kretek cigarettes are some of the biggest assets of Indonesia because every year, they contribute a significant amount of income to the state. In 2012, cigarette duties earned for state coffers amounted to Rp 68 trillion [US$6.88 billion]," Chaidir told The Jakarta Post.

He said foreign parties were trying to control tobacco use nationally by promoting health concerns linked to smoking, so that the cigarette industry would go bankrupt.

Chaidir cited two major national cigarette industries, namely Sampoerna and Bentoel, which had been taken over by foreign companies and thousands of small-scale cigarette producers who had gone bankrupt.

"Don't let our country become bankrupt just because our natural resources, including tobacco, which have been the nation's biggest assets, are being dominated by foreign parties," said Chaidir.

Meanwhile, Antara news agency reported that in Jember, East Java, a similar rally was also held by the local kretek community. The rally was staged at the traffic roundabout in front of the Jember Regency Legislative Council compound.

The protestors performed the Labako dance to symbolize their opposition to World Anti-Tobacco Day, rally coordinator Arga Brahmantya said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Labako is a dance from Jember depicting the activities of farmers planting, harvesting and processing tobacco. Jember is one of Indonesia's main tobacco producers in addition to Deli Serdang in North Sumatra.

"World Anti-Tobacco Day is a hidden agenda by foreign countries that is detrimental to Indonesian tobacco farmers," said Arga.

Gender & sexual orientation

Indonesia among world's least accepting countries of homosexuality: Pew

Reuters - June 5, 2013

Indonesia remains one of the least tolerant countries in the world regarding attitudes toward homosexuality, a new survey finds.

"Acceptance of homosexuality is particularly widespread in countries where religion is less central in people's lives. These are also among the richest countries in the world," the Pew Research Center said in its summary of the findings. "In contrast, in poorer countries with high levels of religiosity, few believe homosexuality should be accepted by society."

The "Global Divide on Homosexuality" study surveyed 37, 653 people in 39 countries. It found Indonesians were overwhelming opposed to homosexuality, with 93 percent saying that gay people should not be accepted.

While Muslim countries were found to be overwhelmingly opposed to homosexuality, Indonesia was more resistant to same-sex relationships than both Malaysia and Pakistan – two countries that prohibit same-sex practices by law.

The survey conducted 1,000 face-to-face interviews with Indonesian adults, giving a margin for error of 4 percent, broadly in line with both surveys for Malaysia and Pakistan.

In addition, attitudes do not appear to be changing in the archipelago. Only 3 percent of Indonesians claimed to be supportive of gay rights in the last Pew survey in 2007.

People in predominately Muslim countries such as Jordan, Egypt, Indonesia and Pakistan along with Nigeria, Senegal and other African nations overwhelming said gay men and lesbians should be rejected from society at large, the Pew Research Center found.

In some countries where religion tends to be less central – such as Russia and China – gays have yet to gain acceptance, Pew found. Sixteen percent of Russians and 21 percent of Chinese were supportive.

One leading indicator of gay tolerance is same-sex marriage, which is now legal in 13 countries, including France, Argentina and South Africa, as well as parts of the United States and Mexico.

But anti-gay sentiment persists in much of the world. In Nigeria, where sodomy is punishable by jail, the House of Representatives passed a bill last month to criminalize gay marriage, same-sex "amorous relationships" and even membership of a gay rights group.

Earlier on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said foreign same-sex couples should be barred from adoptions, saying that he would support a bill allowing only "traditional" families to adopt Russian children.

In the Pew survey, age and gender were also important factors in respondents' attitudes, with women and younger adults more likely to say they are tolerant of homosexuality.

Even in nations such as France and the United States where most men and women back gay rights, women are more likely to be accepting by at least 10 percentage points, according to the poll.

Younger generations were also "consistently more likely than older ones to say homosexuality should be accepted by society" even in countries that overall are more supportive of gays, Pew said.

For example, 54 percent of all Japanese polled offered support. But 83 percent of those younger than 30 said they accepted gays compared to about 40 percent of those 50 and older.

In the United States, 70 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds supported gays compared with 52 percent of those ages 50 and older. In Indonesia, the findings were less conclusive, with 4 percent of those under 30 supportive of gays, which was the case for only 2 percent of respondents aged 30-49.

Even in Lebanon, where 80 percent of those polled said they reject homosexuality, attitudes are changing. Nearly 30 percent of Lebanese aged 29 and younger said gays should be accepted compared to just 10 percent of those 50 or older.

The poll, which was conducted between March and May, has a margin of error of between plus-or-minus 3.1 percentage points and plus-or-minus 7.7 percentage points.

Graft & corruption

KPK, legislators caught in a heated debate

Jakarta Post - June 5, 2013

Jakarta – Tempers have flared during a hearing between the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the House of Representatives monitoring team on the Bank Century scandal.

The tantrum between KPK commissioners and House legislators began when Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) lawmaker Indra jeered at the commission for failing to attend two previous invitations for a hearing from the team.

As quoted by kompas.com, Indra used the word "drag" to describe what lawmakers would have done to the commissioners if the KPK had decided to decline three invitations in a row.

KPK Chairman Abraham Samad objected to Indra's comment and demanded that the lawmaker withdraw it. "The KPK is not an animal that you can easily drag here and there," Abraham said during the hearing at the House in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Indra, however, remained persistent and said that he was only quoting the remarks made by Indonesian students associations.

Another tantrum involving a PKS legislator, Fahri Hamzah and his colleague from the United Development Party (PPP), Ahmad Yani, also took place during the hearing with Abraham's deputy, Bambang Widjojanto.

Bambang objected to the legislators' remarks that the KPK had been too slow in investigating the scandal.

"From the beginning, we had a firm commitment to solve this case. We have properly used our investigation strategies. So, let's not use hyperbolic expressions. Only those who have the same brain frequency as us can comprehend what we have done so far," Bambang said.

Bambang's comments only drew more anger from Yani. "You are not the only one with a smart brain here," Yani said.

In support of Yani, Fahri said that Bambang had been in contempt of the House with his remarks. "I do not like the way Bambang treats legislators. I believe he should not speak again," Fahri said.

KPK zeroes in on House deputy speaker in Koran graft case

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2013

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said on Friday that it would investigate whether House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso had embezzled state funds allocated to the Religious Affairs Ministry.

The information was revealed in the verdict of suspended Golkar Party lawmaker Zulkarnaen Djabar, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday for his role in the Koran procurement scandal.

KPK commissioner Bambang Widjojanto said that the antigraft body had taken note of all the important information, including where the court claimed that Priyo, who is also a Golkar politician, received 1 percent from the Religious Affairs Ministry's laboratory procurement budget.

"The information will be clarified later with other information that has been obtained by the KPK," he told The Jakarta Post.

The commission then would use the said information to determine whether or not to proceed with the investigation, Bambang continued to explain. "KPK investigators will be the ones who decide whether it is necessary to develop the case or not," he said.

KPK spokesperson Johan Budi, meanwhile, said that the information could be used as evidence to implicate Priyo. "But we have to investigate the information [before we decide whether it can be used as evidence]," he told a press conference at the KPK's headquarters in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

In the meantime, the antigraft body could not do much with the information since the verdict was not yet legally binding as Zulkarnaen had decided to file an appeal, according to Johan.

KPK commissioner Busyro Muqoddas recently said that the commission had obtained definite evidence linking Priyo to the case, adding that it was still in the process of validating the evidence.

Responding to Zulkarnaen's verdict, Golkar deputy secretary general Nurul Arifin said the sentence was unfair. She said the verdict was much harsher than those imposed on other graft convicts. "There's an element of injustice in handing out the verdict compared to other graft cases that also caught the public's attention," Nurul said.

She added the party would not kick Zulkarnaen out of Golkar since the case was still ongoing and was in the process of appeal. "Golkar will not abandon its members who are suffering from problems. Zulkarnaen is a member of the big family that is Golkar. We have to stand by him during this tough time," Nurul said.

Golkar secretary general Ade Komaruddin, meanwhile, said the verdict stood on weak ground because the panel of judges handed down the sentence based on the idea that Zulkarnaen had hurt the feelings of Muslims in the country given that the scandal was related to the procurement of Islam's holy book.

"We can't measure the notion that his action hurt Muslims' feelings. Everyone has different interpretations," he said.

Ade added that Golkar would aid Zulkarnaen in appealing by providing legal assistance. The party would also help Priyo should he need legal aid, according to Ade.

Zulkarnaen decided to appeal the case after the court handed him 15 years behind bars, the heaviest sentence ever imposed on a politician convicted of corruption.

The court also sentenced Zulkarnaen's son, Dendy Prasetya, to an eight-year prison term for aiding his father in the scandal along with another Golkar politician and graft convict Fahd El Fouz, who acted as a broker between the pair and the ministry.

56 graft convicts remain free: ICW

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2013

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has claimed success after putting Aru regent Teddy Tengko and former National Police chief detective Susno Duadji, both graft convicts, behind bars. But a graft watchdog says that dozens of other graft convicts remain on the loose.

The Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) said on Friday that at least 56 people who were convicted of corruption between 2002 and 2013 were still breathing the air of freedom.

"Prosecutors failed to put 23 convicts behind bars as these people were already on the run at that time. They failed to carry out their duty," Emerson Yuntho of the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) said on Friday. "Moreover, as many as 12 convicts had yet to be executed as prosecutors had failed to sternly carry out the imprisonment process."

Emerson added that the remaining convicts claimed to be too ill to face imprisonment or had exhausted all existing legal avenues to overturn their convictions. The ICW also found that the Central Java Prosecutors' Office was the worst performer as it failed to execute the verdicts of 22 graft cases.

Among the graft convicts who remain free are former state-owned TV station TVRI Sumita Tobing and businessman Adelin Lis.

Sumita, who was found guilty of embezzling billions in state funds in the procurement of television camera equipment and spare parts during her tenure as TVRI chief in 2001, claimed that the Supreme Court had issued two conflicting rulings in her case.

On January 2011, the Supreme Court sentenced Sumita to 18 months in prison despite the fact that it had previously upheld a ruling by a lower court that acquitted her in the same year.

The latest ruling was issued by a different panel of justices, presided over by Artidjo, who said he himself, M. Taufik, and Suryadjaya had reached an unanimous verdict to declare Sumita guilty. In 2009, the panel of justices hearing her case comprised Andi Abu Ayub Saleh, Djafni Djamal and Muhammad Taufik.

Former Supreme Court chief justice Harifin A. Tumpa said at that time that he acknowledged an "error" took place in the verdict numbering system that caused the website to provide false information in 2009. He said the latest ruling was correct.

In a different case, businessman Adelin was also acquitted of illegal logging charges by the lower court in November 2007 before he fled the country. Nine months later, a cassation panel at the Supreme Court later sentenced him to 10 years.

Earlier this week, reelected Aru regent Teddy Tengko was put behind bars after he dodged imprisonment after the Supreme Court found him guilty of corruption and sentenced him to four years' imprisonment in April last year.

Former National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. (ret) Susno Duadji turned himself in earlier this month after blatantly defying a cassation court ruling sentencing him to three-and-a-half years in prison.

Djoko given billions, court told

Jakarta Globe - June 1, 2013

Novianti Setuningsih & Markus Junianto Sihaloho – Djoko Susilo, former National Police Traffic Corps. chief, received billions of rupiah from Budi Susanto over a two-year period. This transpired on Friday in the ongoing multi-billion rupiah driving simulator graft case currently in court.

"Yes Djoko collected money several times. I can't remember how much because it happened over a long time – from 2009 until 2011," Comr. Legimo, treasurer of the Traffic Corps., told a Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on Friday.

Legimo said in March 2011, Djoko asked him to accept four boxes of cash from Budi Susanto, president director of Citra Mandiri Metalindo Abadi (CMMA), which was delivered by staff member, Wahyudi and his colleagues.

Legimo said he kept the money in his office until Djoko's personal secretary collected it. In April 2011, Legimo was once again asked to accept Rp 4 billion ($408, 000) from Budi intended for Djoko.

Former deputy chief of the Traffic Corps Adj. Sr. Comr. Teddy Rusmawan told the court on Tuesday that members of the House Budget Commission had received four boxes of cash from Djoko, the defendant in the simulator equipment procurement graft case in 2010.

Teddy became a witness in the hearing against Djoko, who has been charged with allegedly accepting a Rp 2 billion bribe to help route a Rp 198 billion driving simulator procurement contract to an unqualified middleman.

In his testimony, Teddy, who was in charge of the simulator project in 2011, confessed to being ordered by Djoko to deliver four boxes containing an unknown amount of cash to the House Budget Commission (Banggar) coordinator, Muhammad Nazaruddin.

"Djoko ordered Nazaruddin to collect and then coordinate the delivery of four boxes to Banggar," Teddy said. In his testimony, Teddy also revealed Nazaruddin was not the only one present at a meeting at Basara restaurant.

Other members of House Commission III were also present, including Golkar politicians Aziz Syamsuddin and Bambang Soesatyo, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (P-DIP) politician Herman Herri and Desmond Junaidi Mahesa of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).

Ahmad Yani, of House Commission III believed Teddy and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) had been set up to testify against the lawmakers by an interested party. He refused to comment on who he thought that actor was.

Yani said Teddy's claims were inconsistent. Initially Teddy had stated the money was for several lawmakers – later changing his version of events saying the money had been for Nazaruddin.

Yani said the KPK therefore should not admit Teddy's statement to the court. "Teddy's statements kept changing and KPK still relied on them to bring this case to court – it was an 'ordered package,'?" Yani said on Friday.

Bambang Soesatyo, also from Commission III, said he was ready to be questioned by the KPK regarding Teddy's allegation.

"I am ready to be summoned at any time. [I'm] ready to provide information with regards to the allegation. I have been confronted with Teddy about that before. So, there's nothing new," Bambang said.

He added that KPK should play the recording and disclose evidence to make the case clear. "It were just claims. Let the KPK investigators trace whether or not this actually happened, whether or not I was involved. But I had no business with the boxes of money," Bambang insisted.

Hard-line & vigilante groups

Police clash with FPI over land acquisition in Tangerang

Jakarta Post - June 7, 2013

Jakarta – A clash between the Tangerang police and members of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) over a land dispute in Tangerang resulted in two police officers being hospitalized.

"The clash broke out when the police tried to move FPI members from a land execution site on Thursday evening," Jakarta police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said as quoted by kompas.com, adding that the two officers sustained injuries caused by thrown stones.

Members of the FPI tried to forcefully take over the land, which belonged to housing developer PT Alam Sutra. The FPI claimed that it belonged to their client.

"The police arrested eight people for carrying sharp weapons; they remain in custody," Rikwanto said. (hrl/dic)

Freedom of religion & worship

Protest mounts against LDII mosque in Depok

Jakarta Post - June 5, 2013

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Depok – After cooling off for a month, protest against construction of a grand mosque by the Indonesian Islam Propagation Institute (LDII) mounted when gangs of youths from various parts of town took to the streets demanding the administration stop the project in Beji subdistrict.

Head of the RW 2 neighborhood in Beiji, Ahmad Baharuiddin said protest was being stepped up with banners in strategic locations. The residents' opposition has won support from the religious affairs agency in the municipal administration.

Ahmad's group has filed a petition, supported by at least 50 residents, asking the Beji village head to ban the LDII community from constructing the mosque. LDII is widely regarded as sectarian, and its teaching is different from the Islamic mainstream as proselytized by Nadhlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah.

The mosque was to be constructed on a plot of land belonging to a man known as Imam, a member of LDII, in the village.

"Pak Imam is a newcomer here and there are less than 20 LDII members here. Why do they not use the existing mosque to pray?" Ahmad said referring to the 2006 Joint Ministerial Decree requiring the support of at least 90 residents for the construction of a mosque, church or temple in any given area.

Kadar Solihat, of the local religious affairs agency, said his office has looked into the issue and the LDII members should not be allowed to set up their own mosque in the village because of their small numbers. He claimed his office was impartial in dealing with such sensitive issues.

The LDII is considered sectarian because, like the Ahmadiyah Islamic sect, LDII has a grand imam as its leader. The sect has been free from raids or opposition from vigilante groups because it is closely affiliated with the Golkar Party.

Meanwhile, chairman of the LDII in Depok Ratman Latief said they would go ahead with the construction despite the protest, because LDII members could not join prayers with other Muslims because its prayer schedule was more rigid than the mainstream.

"LDII has its prayer schedule and it will raise many problems if LDII dominates an existing mosque," he said, but declined to reveal the substantial reasons behind LDII's rejection of joining local Muslims to pray.

Yudhoyono deserves religious freedom award: Kalla

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2013

Jakarta – Former vice president Jusuf Kalla said that, in spite of his flawed performance, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono deserved the World Statesmen Award from New York-based interfaith organization the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (ACF).

Kalla, the current chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), said the award was more than an acknowledgment of Yudhoyono's achievement; it was in fact recognition of the country's pluralism.

"This award is for the whole nation; this country remains plural in spite of cases of intolerance," Kalla said, as quoted by kompas.com.

Late last week, in the face of protest from rights groups and activists Yudhoyono accepted the World Statesmen Award for his efforts to promote religious freedom in the country.

In his speech prior to receiving the award, Yudhoyono admitted that Indonesia still faced problems including "intolerance, communal conflict and radicalism". Yudhoyono then vowed to maintain harmony in society and address incidents of religious intolerance.

The President also promised he would "make sure that those who violate the rights of others will face the arms of justice".

The Wahid Institute, which promotes pluralism and peaceful Islam, reported that incidents of religious intolerance have increased steadily over the past four years.

The report showed religious intolerance cases in 2012 stood at 274, up from 267 in 2011. In 2010, the institute recorded 184 cases and 121 cases in 2009.

One minority group, often a subject of harassment, is the Shia community from Sampang, Madura, East Java. Members of the community were forced out of their homes and now live in a temporary camp after the majority Sunnis burned their houses and killed two in August.

Ten members of the community on Sunday highlighted their plight and rode bicycles from Surabaya, the capital city of East Java, to the State Palace in Central Jakarta.

"These Shia followers will leave for Jakarta to seek protection [...] We expect them to arrive in Jakarta by June 17," rights activist Muhammad Khatib of the Universalia Legal Aid Institute said, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

Khatib said the trip would represent the resentment felt by the community to the ACF award. "Members of the Shia community are proud that the President got the award. But the timing is not right. There are still so many religious conflicts here," Khatib said.

Ambassador denies paying Indonesians to rally in support of SBY

Jakarta Globe - June 3, 2013

Camelia Pasandaran & Ezra Sihite – Indonesian Embassy officials denied claims that the office paid Indonesians living in the United States to rally in support of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as he accepted an award for his commitment to religious tolerance.

The Indonesian newspaper Koran Tempo ran an article claiming the supporters, many of them allegedly the families of consulate, embassy or central bank staff, were paid $100-a-head to rally in support of the president.

"The news is totally wrong," said Dino Patti Djalal, Indonesia's ambassador to the United States, in a press statement issued Sunday night. "Ask the Indonesian people who attended the gala dinner."

A small crowd of approximately 60 supporters greeted Yudhoyono as he arrived at the Pierre Hotel, in New York, to accept a "World Statesman" award from the interfaith Appeal of Conscience Foundation (APF) last week.

Koran Tempo journalist Victoria Sidjabat was on location last Thursday covering the awards ceremony. Victoria interviewed the supporters after she was barred from entering the gala dinner without committing to staying inside for the entire evening.

"They told me that they wanted to support SBY because they loved SBY and they considered SBY a successful president deserving of the award," Victoria said.

The supporters, she told the Jakarta Globe, seemed to rally as part of an effort to head off what Indonesian officials reportedly believed would be a large protest criticizing the foundation's controversial decision to issue the award to Yudhoyono.

Few admitted to following current events in Indonesia and said they knew little of reports of religious intolerance back home, Victoria said.

The Indonesian government has struggled to curb a rising tide of religious intolerance in recent years as religious minorities found themselves under attack from Islamic hard-line groups.

"I think the [pro-award] demonstration was prepared in anticipation of an anti-award demonstration which was predicted to involve many people," Victoria said. "Actually many of them [anti-award protesters] suddenly decided not to show up."

Less than a dozen people showed up in protest of the event. The protestors brandished signs showing the victims of religious violence against Shia and Ahmadiyah members and portraits of slain human rights activist Munir.

John M. Miller, national coordinator of the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, was among the protestors outside the awards gala. He accused the foundation of polishing Yudhoyono's image abroad when intolerance was in the rise in Indonesia.

"President Yudhoyono must not be allowed to polish his image while incidents of religious intolerance increase, the prospects for justice for past rights violations diminishes, and violations by Indonesia's security forces continue," Miller said in a recent e-mail to the Jakarta Globe.

The Indonesian Ambassador accused the protestors of offering money to those who rallied against Yudhoyono. "Our people reported from trusted sources that there is an Indonesian calling up diaspora in US and asking them to join demonstrations against SBY in New York with $100 as payment," Dino said.

The supporters denied receiving compensation from the embassy, Victoria said. The allegations surfaced days before the awards gala, although the source of the information remained unclear, she said. "The source is not clear," Victoria said. "When I interviewed people who were there to demonstrate, they denied it."

Paying protestors to demonstrate is a common practice in Indonesia where "mass organizations" are available to rally in the interests of whoever provides food or cash as compensation.

Officials with the Appeal of Conscience Foundation have not responded to interview requests from the Jakarta Globe or Koran Tempo. Indonesian journalists traveling with the president were told they had to stick with Yudhoyono throughout the event, preventing reporters from interviewing the protestors outside, Victoria said.

Religious intolerance taints award for Indonesian president

Inter Press Service - June 1, 2013

Rebecca Lake & Sandra Siagian, Jakarta/New York – Standing in front of the two-meter concrete wall, barbed wire and corrugated iron fence that surrounds his mosque, Muhammad Iqbal says he feels like a second-class citizen in his own country.

The head of a beleaguered Ahmadiyya Muslim sect in the Bekasi, West Java was forced out of his mosque in April after local authorities shut it down following protests from Islamic hardliners.

The Al Misbah mosque in Pondok Gede, about an hour away from Indonesia's capital Jakarta, was barricaded with an iron sheet by the local municipality to prevent its members from entering.

Sixteen people from the Ahmadiyya community remain locked inside as a means of protest, relying on the community to throw food and supplies over the high barricade.

"I feel uncomfortable because there is no freedom to practice religion," Iqbal told IPS on Tuesday in front of his mosque, which has been offering a place of worship since 1998.

"The head of the Satpol PP [regional public order agency] said that we couldn't practice here. But we have nowhere else to go. As an Indonesian, we should get the same treatment. We are very sad and uncomfortable."

This situation experienced by Bekasi's Ahmadiyya is certainly not an isolated one. In the same province as the Al Misbah mosque, local authorities demolished a Christian church in March after they claimed the congregation did not hold a valid building permit to worship.

Pastor Torang Simanjuntak of the HKBP Taman Sari church in Setu, could only stand back and cry with his congregation as they watched the destruction unfold before their eyes.

"Where is your heart and feeling Mr. SBY?" a congregation member screamed in reference to Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono before the church was knocked down." When people cry out in other countries, people will hear. But when we cry out in our own country, people don't hear us."

Intolerance on the rise

International world leaders have often praised the archipelagic nation, which requires its citizens to choose from one of only six official religions, as a model for religious harmony.

But recently human rights groups have documented a rise in religiously motivated conflict and discrimination. Attacks on minority religious groups including Ahmadiyahs, Bahai, Christians, and Shia Muslims have increased, from 244 violent attacks in 2011 to 264 in 2012 according to the Jakarta- based Setara Institute.

Many critics, including international rights group Human Rights Watch, point to the government's "inaction", "complicity" and the nation's discriminatory laws which include permit regulations for houses of worship and the highly controversial 2008 Ahmadiyya decree, which bans the minority Islamic faith from propagating their belief.

But Indonesia's secretary general for the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Bahrul Hayat, dismisses any ideas of intolerance in his country, deeming the nation a model place of religious harmony.

"In Indonesia, the process of democracy I think gives open space to everybody and of course there are limitations," Hayat explained. "So I don't see that this [intolerance] is appropriate to label this as an increase in terms of religious conflict in the country."

Indonesia is among the top 15 countries in the Pew Research Center's 2012 social hostilities index, which monitors religious freedom of 197 countries, and is listed as a country with "very high government restrictions on religion," alongside Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.

Daniel Baer, the US Department of State's deputy assistant secretary for the bureau of democracy, human rights and labor, who was a witness at last week's Human Rights Commission Hearing on Indonesia in Washington DC, acknowledged that Indonesia's issues regarding religious intolerance were complicated.

He highlighted a combination of factors that are fueling the issue which he said included "deep societal prejudices which are something that won't be solved in the short term by the government."

However, Baer noted that despite the complexity there were certainly proactive actions that the government could and should take now. Governments don't just a have a responsibility to participate but they have an affirmative responsibility to protect people," he told IPS.

"There are steps the government can take including repealing blashphemy laws. They can change the laws regarding the anti-Ahmadiyya decree in 2008. Laws send a signal. They not only have a direct implication but they send signals to the broader community about who counts and who deserves sole protections."

Contradictory award

Aggravating this already contentious issue is an award that Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono received by New York-based interfaith coalition the Appeal of Conscience Foundation on Thursday night.

After significant criticism from Indonesians, which included protests and petitions, Yudhoyono accepted the World Statesman award in recognition of his work to support human rights and religious freedom in the country.

The Foundation, whose officials declined to be interviewed for this story, instead issued a statement explaining their decision to honour Yudhoyono.

"As the first directly elected President of the world's most populous Muslim Country, President Yudhoyono is recognized for his pursuit of peace and helping Indonesia evolve into a democratic society and an opponent of extremism," the Foundation said.

An IPS request for comment from the Indonesian Mission to the United Nations was not responded to by deadline.

However, John M. Miller, National Coordinator for the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, who organised the protest, told IPS there has been little willingness to prosecute previous human rights abuses.

"[ETAN's] position is that the Indonesian Foreign Ministry has been asked to find awards for the president, and are trying to burnish his image as a statesman and humanitarian" before he leaves office, Miller said.

Kurnia Hutapea, an architect, traveled from Baltimore to attend the protest. A Christian, his family had their church destroyed in Indonesia. "To [have to] get a permit to build churches, that's not freedom of religion at all, and that's why I smell something behind this award," Hutapea told IPS.

Andreas Harsono, Indonesia researcher for Human Rights Watch, also believes that President Yudhoyno's leadership is in direct conflict with the foundation's ethos. "The Yudhoyono government's failed to confront militant groups whose thuggish harassments and assaults on houses of worship and members of religious minorities has become increasingly aggressive," Harsono told IPS.

Iqbal said on Tuesday that he hoped the award would be an incentive for improvement. "Wouldn't it be nice if the president could fix religious intolerance in his own country first?" the Ahmadiyya leader said.

"He is happy to help other countries fight intolerance like in Myanmar, but he needs to fix intolerance problems in his own country first. He hasn't directly instructed his government to fix the problems."

Emilia Az, a Shia Muslim who helps mediate resolution conflicts between religious groups, echoed Iqbal's concerns.

It would be OK for him [the president] to accept the award, but he has to solve the problems of minorities before he decides to go," Az told IPS, who gathered with minority groups on Sunday to present a mock award to the president showcasing images of intolerant acts from across the country.

"He's saying that this is for the Indonesian people, but all these minority groups' ems have not been solved."

[Additional reporting by Lucy Wescott from New York.]

Another church sealed off after 22 years of peaceful coexistence

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2013

Jakarta – A protestant church in Cipinang Muara, East Jakarta, was sealed off by the Building Supervision and Regulation Agency (P2B) on Monday for not having a renovation permit.

"The church was built in 1991, there have been no protests from local residents. So why did [the administration] tell [us] there have been residents protesting this church amid it being renovated," said A Sinaga, a church official, on Friday, as quoted by tempo.co.

Jatinegara district head Sofian Taher confirmed the closure. "It [the church] has been sealed off because [the building] doesn't have a building permit (IMB)," said Sofian.

According to Sofian, a church official said that its permit was being processed. "If they obtain a permit, we will lift the seal and allow them to continue with renovations," he said. (nai/dic)

Shariah law & morality

Bikini ban at Miss World pageant

Jakarta Post - June 8, 2013

Jakarta – Fans of the scantily dressed Miss World contestants will be disappointed this year as the bikini category will not be included.

Contestants from across the globe will instead wear one-piece bathing suits and sarongs during the swimwear fashion show, in the multi week show slated to begin on Sept. 4.

According to RCTI's spokesperson Adjie S. Soeratmadjie, the official broadcaster and local organizer, sexy bikinis are being replaced in order to value the country's traditional customs and values.

The chairwoman of the Miss World Organization, Julia Morley, confirmed that none of the 137 contestants would wear a bikini, saying that the organization had agreed with the condition. "We like to respect every country [we work in] and I cannot see why when you go to somebody's country you should not behave respectfully," Julia Morley told the Associated Press.

Adjie said that the swimsuit fashion show was a sensitive issue and the organizers had a long discussion before deciding to cover the contestants with sarongs, following demands from hard-line Islamic groups to cancel the beauty pageant.

"That contest is just an excuse to show parts of women's bodies that should remain covered," Mukri Ali, a prominent cleric from Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) said as quoted by the Associated Press. "It's against Islamic teaching."

The organizers also claimed that this year's pageant would focus on inner beauty, which includes intelligence, manners and achievements, instead of a woman's physical attributes.

The Miss World pageant was first held in London in 1951, and the first winner, Kiki Haakonson from Sweden, was the first and last winner to be crowned in a two-piece bathing suit. Due to mounting protests from the public, the following winners were no longer crowned while wearing a bikini.

Miss Indonesia 2005 Imelda Fransisca said that a bikini is only an accessory in a beauty pageant, therefore, a ban would not get in the way of the event's main purposes.

"The winner of the Miss World competition is selected to represent the Miss World organization at various charity activities, therefore, a bikini does not represent the main purpose of the event," Imelda said.

"It is normal to wear a bikini on the beach, but of course it would be a different story [if women in bikinis] were broadcast on television and watched by the public, especially as the majority are Muslim," she added. "I guess there's nothing wrong in complying with the country's customs and values."

Separately, the National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) commissioner Sri Nurherawati said that such control on women was set by society and should not restrict women from developing themselves.

"A rule should be not to limit women from obtaining her rights," Sri told The Jakarta Post on Friday. "However, we should firstly observe at the main intention of this event. If it was aimed exploiting women's body parts, it is a form of violence against women," she added.

Despite the fact that Indonesia has become increasingly attractive to world artists, it also becoming more stringent against international performers, when it comes to appearances deemed not in line with Islamic values.

Last year, Lady Gaga was forced to cancel her sold-out concert following threats by Islamic hard-liners. The same year, Jennifer Lopez was also forced to tone down her outfits and dance moves while performing in Jakarta.

Legislator demands higher levy on alcoholic beverages

Jakarta Post - June 7, 2013

Jakarta – A legislator at the House of Representatives Commission XI on economy, banking and finance has urged the government to impose a higher levy on alcoholic beverages.

Nusron Wahid from the Golkar Party said as quoted by kontan.co.id on Friday that as of now, the levy on alcoholic beverages was much lower than that on cigarettes and tobacco.

"Alcohol clearly tarnishes the morale of the nation but it is protected by the government," Nusron said.

Nusron said that the government only raised the levy on alcoholic beverages once every four years, while the levy on cigarettes was consistently raised by 8.5 percent annually.

In addition, Nusron said that while the government had a clear policy on cigarette levy, there was no blueprint on how to monitor the levy on alcoholic beverages in the distribution chain.

Separately, Finance Ministry's Fiscal Policy Interim Head Bambang Brodjonegoro said that Nusron's input would be considered. "There is still room to raise the levy on alcoholic beverages," Bambang said.

Indonesian Muslim hardliners vow to stop Miss World

Agence France Presse - June 7, 2013

Islamic hardliners vowed Thursday to stop the "immoral" Miss World beauty pageant taking place in Indonesia even after organizers agreed this year's contestants would not wear bikinis.

The Hizb ut-Tahrir group slammed the show as like "selling women's bodies" and threatened to hold demonstrations against it, while a group in the province where the final is due to take place also voiced strong opposition.

More than 130 women will compete in the September event, with some rounds on the resort island of Bali and the final in Bogor outside Jakarta. Bogor is in West Java province, parts of which are considered a stronghold for radicals.

Organizers confirmed on Wednesday the contestants would not wear bikinis during the beach fashion section, to be held in Bali, and would instead wear more conservative attire such as traditional sarongs.

However, the concession was not enough for hardline groups in Indonesia, where some 90 percent of the 240 million population are Muslims.

"Supporting this event is the same as supporting the selling of women's bodies," said Ismail Yusanto, spokesman for Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia, who also warned the group may organize protests.

"Women are lowering themselves by allowing themselves to be turned into objects, to be stared at and have their bodies measured."

Hardline group the Islam Reformist Movement (Garis), which is affiliated with prominent radicals the Islamic Defenders Front, also said the bikini ban was not enough.

"They will still wear outfits that will encourage sex and immoral acts," said Chep Hernawan, the head of Garis which has its base in West Java province.

The organizers have insisted the decision not to have bikinis was taken when the deal was struck last year to host the show, and not after pressure from radicals. Vocal protesters have succeeded in getting events cancelled in the past in Indonesia.

Last year, pop sensation Lady Gaga axed a concert after hardliners threatened to burn down the venue and criticized her for wearing only "a bra and panties."

Most Indonesians practice a moderate form of Islam. Rights group the National Commission on Violence Against Women urged people to take a more measured view of Miss World.

People should consider whether "the contest really looks at the women as humans and judges them based on their talents," said Andi Yentriyani, a commissioner with the group.

No bikinis, please, for Miss World contestants

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2013

Wasti Atmodjo – The Indonesian government has proposed the adoption of "Eastern values" during the prestigious Miss World competition scheduled to take place in Jakarta and Bali in September.

Sapta Nirwandar, deputy tourism and creative economy minister, told journalists that the government had asked Miss World's organizing committee to follow the Indonesian tradition.

Around 130 beautiful and intelligent women from 130 countries will compete for the Miss World crown. "Some people in Indonesia still consider it taboo for women to wear bikinis and outfits that expose body parts," Nirwandar commented.

In fact, he said, only a very small group of people were against the competition. "They are only trying to make a sensation, which will in turn harm the image of Indonesia on the international stage."

Indonesia has frequently organized beauty pageant contests and has also sent representatives to both Miss Universe and Miss World competitions.

I Gusti Ngurah Putera, secretary general for the ministry's marketing and promotions, said that the Indonesian government had come to a mutual agreement with the organizing committee.

In Bali, the Miss World competition will be held in Nusa Dua Resort complex and surrounding areas. Participants will take part in tours to various tourist destinations, cultural and historical places across the Island. Participants will be scheduled to attend various charity activities during their stays in Bali.

In Jakarta, the Miss World 2013 will be held at the Sentul International Convention Centers in Bogor. Previously, Jakarta Governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, said that all contestants of Miss World 2013 would be required to wear sarongs (Indonesian long cloth) instead of the sexy bikinis during the Beach Fashion segments.

Indonesian representative and contest hopeful Vania Larissa was supportive of the global contest but lamented that she was also eager to see the Miss World contestants wearing sarongs to replace bikinis.

"Miss World competition is not only about physical beauty but also about brains, cultural values and knowledge about the current issues," said the 17-year old girl. "This [beauty pageant] will be a huge promotional effort for Indonesia with wide international media coverage," Putera said.

In addition to the participants, world-class sponsors, guests and the world's media would also attend the international event.

Jakarta & urban life

Water privatization challenged after 16 years

Jakarta Post - June 5, 2013

Corry Elyda and Sita W. Dewi, Jakarta – The Coalition of Jakarta Residents Opposing Water Privatization (KMMSAJ) filed a lawsuit against city water operator PAM Jaya and its foreign partners over the privatization of the water supply business.

KMMSAJ lawyer Tommy AM Tobing told a press conference on Tuesday, that the citizen lawsuit was aimed at annulling the agreement signed on June 6, 1997, among PAM Jaya and two partners, private firms PT Pam Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja) and PT Aetra Air Jakarta.

Tommy said the partnership was not beneficial to Jakarta residents and hindered public access to affordable clean water. "Palyja and Aetra charges all operational costs of the firms to customers. It makes the price too high, so the poor cannot access the facility," he said.

Jakartans pay around Rp 7,000 (71 US cents) per cubic meter, with the exception of low-income residents who pay only Rp 1,050 per cubic meter. The gap in prices has limited the access of poor neighborhoods to piped water.

Tommy said the contracts also enabled Palyja and Aetra to charge PAM Jaya, which would take the fund from the local budget to pay the shortfall.

According to Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Tama Satrya Langkun, the contracts with both companies had kept the city deep in debt with a dual financing program that differentiates between the price PAM Jaya pays operators to supply water to households and prices charged to customers, allowing the firms to book huge profits by overcharging customers.

Tama said that in its 16th year of operation, both Palyja, which manages the west side of the city and Aetra, which manages the east side, only fulfilled the needs of 34.8 percent of Jakarta residents.

Tommy said if they won the case, which is now waiting for an interlocutory at the Central Jakarta District Court, the city administration would not have to pay a single dime to take over the operation.

He explained that the city must only pay the penalty if the contract was terminated by one of the parties in the agreement. "The residents are not one of the parties in the contracts," he said.

Tommy said the lawsuit was not only aimed at annulling the contract but also to declare the effort to privatize water as an unlawful act.

Tama said that in order to take over the operation, the city administration had two other options – either terminate the contracts or buy shares from the companies.

"The first option would cost the city around Rp 2.2 trillion while buying the all the shares would be around Rp 9 trillion," he said.

"We will help the administration by calling on residents to chip in if the administration wants to buy them," he said, adding that the coalition had installed donation boxes in several places such as the ICW headquarters.

Meanwhile, after a closed-door meeting with French trade minister Nicole Bricq at City Hall on Monday, Governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo told reporters that he had conveyed the city administration's intention to acquire Suez Environment's 51 percent share in Palyja to the minister.

"I have told the French trade minister that we want to take over [Suez's] shares in Palyja. Money is not a problem," Jokowi said. "We are capable so why not? This is a huge step and we have to be brave," he emphasized, adding that "the minister smiled in response to my aspiration."

Jokowi said that he had unveiled a "plan B" should the city not get the green light to acquire the majority shares. "I want the city to be able to manage its water so that citizens can get wider access to water. It's all for the people," he said.

Armed forces & defense

Public restraint expected during Cebongan trial

Jakarta Post - June 8, 2013

Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – All community elements in Yogyakarta have been told to remain in control during the planned trial of members of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus).

Twelve commandos from Kopassus' Grup II in Kandang Menjangan will stand trial for their role in the murder of four detainees at the Sleman Penitentiary in Cebongan.

"We don't want to see any community group that wants to help secure the trial later be responsible for creating a vulnerability in security instead," Yogyakarta Legislative Council speaker Yoeke Indra Agung Laksana said on Friday after a hearing with Yogyakarta Police Chief Brig. Gen. Haka Astana. The hearing, among other things, covered security conditions in Yogyakarta prior to the trial.

Yoeke was responding to statements made by certain groups in the province expressing a desire to help secure the trial to be held at the Yogyakarta Military Court.

There have been growing rumors that the trial would start Saturday. However, no confirmation on the trial schedule has been made by the authority.

072/Pamungkas Military Regional Command chief Brig. Gen. Adi Widjaya overseeing Yogyakarta province said that he had yet to know the trial schedule. "The dossiers have not yet been finished, we are still waiting for the military prosecutors' decision," he said.

The Yogyakarta Military Prosecutors' Office chief, Lt. Col. Budi Harto, refused to give details on the schedule when asked in a phone conversation, saying that he was in a mosque and then hung up. He also did not respond to The Jakarta Post's text message inquiring about the schedule.

Following the attack that killed Hendrik Angel Sahetapi, Yohanes Juan Manbait, Gameliel Yermianto Rohi Riwu and Andrianus Candra Galaja, security has been considered problematic in Yogyakarta. Supporters and detractors of the raid are engaged in a dispute expressed through banners and posters.

"Military tribunal is a legal process, so let's run it securely," Yoeke said, adding that if any community groups insisted on participating in guarding the trial, it was compulsory for them to coordinate with the police and the military court.

Councilor Istianah ZA of the National Mandate Party (PAN) expressed fear that involvement of community groups in security measures during the trial could lead to vulnerability, especially as the 2014 general election was approaching. "It gives an impression that the community groups do not have trust in the law enforcers," Istianah said.

Separately, Haka said that the police were ready to guarantee the security during the trial. Yet, the security at the military court building was the preserve of the Indonesian Military (TNI). The police would just help secure the area outside the building.

"I have coordinated with the IV/Diponegoro Military Command chief for the security of the trial. Each of us has our own responsibility," Haka said.

He also said that the police were ready to protect the witnesses if the Victim and Witness Protection Institution (LPSK) asked them to do so. There are 42 witnesses in the case, who have asked for protection from LPSK.

Meanwhile, Adi said that the TNI was ready to secure the trial, starting from the Sleman penitentiary, the routes to be taken by the witnesses and the area around the military tribunal building. The TNI had as well coordinated with the Yogyakarta Police for the traffic arrangements.

New army chief Moeldoko vows military change

Jakarta Post - June 5, 2013

Yeremia Sukoyo – Newly installed Army Chief of Staff Gen. Moeldoko vows to change the culture of the Indonesian military, including getting rid of arrogant behavior against civilians that has recently triggered conflicts between military officers and civilians.

A series of violent clashes that pit soldiers against police and residents continue to escalate in recent months. A group of soldiers stormed a penitentiary in Yogyakarta in March, shooting four prisoners dead. In the same month, dozens of soldiers attacked and burned down a police station in Ogan Komering Ulu, South Sumatra.

In April, 10 Army soldiers attacked the office of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in South Jakarta.

"I want the officers to be more polite, humble and to understand what civilians want [from them]," said Moeldoko on Tuesday. He said he wanted all military personnel – from the lowest rank to the highest – to be individuals with a humble personality.

The four-star general, who was installed last month, also hoped to improve the military's professionalism, but he reminded the public that the process could take time. "I hope the people can be patient," he said.

Moeldoko said that improvement over a period of time was necessary because the cultural change would begin with fixing the armed forces' education and training model.

Analysts have said that the military's involvement in civilian affairs is rooted deeply in the Suharto era since the 32-year New Order gave the military unchecked power.

"The military has ruled for so long that they find it difficult to realize that times have changed and the civilians should lead them," said Bantarto Bandoro, a lecturer at the Indonesian Defense University.

Moeldoko also promised to bring all soldiers in violation of the law to court, saying that perpetrators of attacks have been processed according to the law.

In the Cebongan prison attack, army officers suspected of breaking into the prison three months ago and shooting four detainees were a step closer to being brought in front of a judge, he said.

"The process of preparing the dossiers of all suspects in the Cebongan case has been completed and we have submitted them all to the military tribunal," Moeldoko said. "Be assured that the military tribunal will work in line with the regulations."

The detainees awaiting trial are Hendrik Angel Sahetapi, Yohanes Juan Manbait, Gameliel Yermianto Rohi Riwu and Adrianus Candra Galaja.

Military investigators have said that the motive for the killings was revenge for the death three days earlier of their Kopassus colleague First Sgt. Heru Santoso, for which the four detainees had been arrested.

Human rights groups, arguing that military tribunals in Indonesia lacked accountability, transparency and neutrality, have called for the army officials to be brought to a civilian court.

Under Indonesian law, soldiers cannot be tried in civilian courts, regardless of the nature of their offense, although there have been a few notable exceptions in which officers were brought in front of an ad hoc human rights court regarding human rights violations.

In a separate case, the Diponegoro Police Regional Military in Central Java has named six military officers as suspects in the murder of a civilian, Rido Hehanusa.

It was reported that Rido and his friends got into a fight with several people who were believed to be military officers at the Liquid Cafe, Semarang, on Thursday.

After the fight, an unknown men approached Rido and took him away on a taxi. At 11 pm, Rido was found dead and was taken to a hospital in Semarang. The military sent Rido's remains to his hometown in Maluku and covered all expenses.

House split on bid to introduce TNI draft

Jakarta Globe - June 3, 2013

Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Anastasia Winanti Riesardhy – A controversial bill that calls for a mandatory draft has polarized opinion at the House of Representatives.

Tubagus Hasanuddin, a deputy chairman of House Commission I, which oversees foreign and defense affairs, said on Sunday that the Reserve Components Bill should be rejected on several points.

The main argument against it, he said, was that with a standing military of 420,000 personnel and ongoing programs to upgrade weapons systems and improve soldiers' welfare, there was no foreseeable military threat to the country in the next 10 or 15 years that would justify a draft.

Hasanuddin, a former two-star Army general, also said that certain provisions in the bill, proposed by the Defense Ministry, came off as discriminative, including articles stipulating that the draft would only be applicable to civil servants, laborers and salaried workers.

"What about entertainers and businesspeople? Why should they be exempted from the draft?" he said.

He noted that the bill also prescribed a minimum prison sentence of one year for refusal to enlist. Hasanuddin also took issue with articles allowing the state to commandeer the assets and resources of state-owned and private companies if deemed necessary for defense purposes.

"This is nothing short of state robbery," said the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, adding that all these flaws rendered the bill unfit for deliberation as it stood.

However, Susaningtyas Kertopati, a House Commission I member from the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), said it was important to deliberate the bill, arguing that a draft would help boost nationalism and patriotism among the people.

She also said that threats to Indonesia did not necessarily have to come from military aggression, but could also manifest themselves in the form of terrorism, people smuggling, the international drug trade or other transnational crimes or issues directly impacting on the country's sovereignty and domestic security.

"Indonesia's strategic geographical position makes it a country that is prone to a multitude of threats. That's why we need this legislation on reserve components for the armed forces," Susaningtyas said.

Neta S. Pane, the head of Indonesia Police Watch, a nongovernmental monitoring group, argued that a military draft should only be instated if absolutely necessary.

He said there were only two reasons for introducing a draft, the first being the presence of an outside threat. But he pointed out that Indonesia's security situation at present and for the foreseeable future remained stable, and there were no signs of any threats, whether from outside the country or inside.

Neta said the second reason that would justify a draft was if youth unemployment had reached critical levels and was fueling crime. However, he said this was not the case at the moment either, thereby obviating any justification the government could have for a mandatory draft.

No urgency for military conscription

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2013

Yuliasri Perdani, Jakarta – Rights groups are strongly opposed to the proposal for mandatory military service, saying that the plan would compromise the capability of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and that training from the program could easily be abused by subversive organizations.

The conscription proposal, included in the draft bill on an auxiliary reserve for national defense, provides a legal basis for the government to recruit and train civilians and mobilize them for combat purposes.

Article 8 (3) of the draft bill, for instance, stipulates that civil servants and laborers must join the auxiliary reserve (of the Army, the Navy or the Air Force) when they are qualified.

Al Araf of human rights group Imparsial, the Indonesian human rights monitor, said there is no urgency to introduce military service in the near future.

"According to the defense white paper issued in 2008, there is only the smallest chance of a major security threat in the next 10 to 50 years," Al Araf said on Sunday. Rather than spending on conscription, Al Araf believes the government should invest more on the TNI's capabilities.

"Rather than spending so much on an auxiliary reserve, the government must focus on bolstering the main component: the TNI. We need to upgrade obsolete equipment and radically improve soldiers' living standards," he said.

Chairman of the Indonesian Police Watch (IPW) Neta S. Pane said that conscripts could easily be recruited by vigilante groups and would be more effective members of such groups.

"This plan could be a risk to public order. What if people who join the auxiliary reserve become a members of paramilitary of vigilante groups? Or are abused for short-term gain?" he said.

Defense expert Andi Wijayanto of the University of Indonesia supports the plan, arguing that by 2029, 165,000 individuals for the auxiliary reserve will be needed to be part of the national defense system.

Andi said that the number of individuals conscripted to the TNI's auxiliary reserve would barely make a dent in the total number of the workforce, which stood at 118 million last year. He also said that the plan would not add to the state budget.

"These people will only get one and a half months of training and if, after five years there is no national security threat, they are to free to go or to reapply. This will not be a drain on the state budget," Andi told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

Former TNI commander Gen. (ret.) Endriartono Sutarto said the conscription plan would benefit the civilians involved in the program.

"Should there be an external threat, the government will do everything to resolve it. But if diplomacy fails, we must engage in war. In this last resort, we must deploy all of our potential, including civilians, so they must be prepared," he said.

The House of Representatives plans to deliberate the auxiliary reserve bill soon after the passage of the national security bill. The national security bill has an article mandating the creation of an auxiliary reserve.

"The national security bill is being deliberated by a House special committee. If the government approves this bill, we can move on to the deliberation of the conscription bill," said lawmaker T.B. Hasanuddin of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Police & law enforcement

Timur replaces regional police chiefs

Jakarta Post - June 8, 2013

National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo has decided to replace 76 middle- and top-ranking officials within the National Police, citing tours of duty as the sole reason. Among those officials, 11 regional police chiefs have been replaced as recorded in a circular dated today.

Tribunnews.com reported that among those replaced is West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Tubagus Anis Angkawijaya. Anis is replaced by Insp. Gen. Suhardi Alius, currently posted as National Police spokesman.

Anis will be posted as information technology division head at the National Police headquarters. Suhardi's post as National Police spokesman will be taken by Brig. Gen. Ronny Frengky Sompie from the Crime Detective Body.

Another regional police chief to be replaced is East Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Hadiatmoko. Hadiatmoko, who is to be stationed at the National Police headquarters, will be replaced by Ins. Gen. Unggung Cahyono, who is currently the National Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) commandant. Insp. Gen. Rum Murikal, who lectures on the National Police's leadership course, will take Unggung's position as Brimob commandant.

Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Didiek Tri Widodo is replaced by Insp. Gen. Dwi Priyatno, who is currently posted as National Police chief expert staff. Didiek will be posted as deputy chief of the National Police Intelligence Body.

South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Mudji Waluyo is to be replaced by Insp. Gen. Burhanuddin Andi, also currently a lecturer on the National Police leadership course.

North Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Wisnu Amat Sastro will be replaced by Insp. Gen. Syarief Gunawan, another lecturer on the aforementioned course. Wisnu will later be posted as deputy chief at the National Police Security Maintenance Body. (hrl/dic)

Mob attacks, strips and shaves accused thief in East Jakarta

Jakarta Globe - June 4, 2013

SP/Fana FS Putra – A woman accused of stealing two BlackBerry cellphones was assaulted before being stripped bare and shaved bald in another instance of vigilante justice in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old was marched to a security post in Matraman, East Jakarta, by a mob after she was allegedly caught stealing mobile phones from two homes. The teenager begged local residents for forgiveness as they beat and cursed her, said Gunadi, one of her alleged victims.

The residents, most of them women, then forced her to strip and shaved her head to "demean her," Gunadi said. "All were emotional, so they shaved her head to bald," she explained.

Tuesday's ordeal began as Gunadi reportedly caught the woman in her home. "She was suddenly inside my house, I don't know her," Gunadi said.

The woman asked to use her bathroom, but was later seen with a BlackBerry belonging to Gunadi's son, the victim said. Neighbors arrived on the scene and searched the 19-year-old, reportedly finding a second stolen phone.

"The mobile phone that was in her hand was my son's phone, the other one was my neighbor's phone," Gunadi said. "She stole the phone before [coming to my house]."

The crowd then passed judgement and attacked the woman. Mob justice is a common occurrence in Jakarta where residents have set vehicles ablaze after traffic accidents and attacked accused thieves.

Foreign affairs & trade

Second-largest trade deficit booked in April: BPS

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2013

Jakarta – Indonesia recorded its second-largest trade deficit ever of US$1.62 billion in April, data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS)revealed on Monday.

The country's largest trade deficit was booked in October last year, which amounted to $1.88 billion.

The deficit in April showed a plummeting performance of the country's trade balance from the previous month, during which the country recorded $304.9 million of surplus.

BPS head Suryamin said as quoted by kompas.com that Indonesia's exports plunged in April by 2.18 percent to $14.7 billion, while imports rose by 9.59 percent to $16.31 billion.

Overall, Indonesia's exports in the first quarter this year stood at $60.11 billion with imports at $61.96 billion, accounting for the country's trade deficit of $1.87 billion during the first four months of 2013.

Analysis & opinion

Of trust and the legend of Teuku Abeuek: The Aceh flag as a test case

Jakarta Post - June 8, 2013

Aboeprijadi Santoso, Amsterdam – The controversy over Aceh's flag and symbol between the Aceh administration and the central administration in Jakarta lingers on, despite weeks of "cooling down", and is now at a crucial phase in which, if disagreement remains, the President is expected to decide the issue by special instruction.

Most quintessentially, the question is whether the proposed Aceh flag represents the idea and spirit of separatism as Jakarta argues, based on Government Regulation 77/2007, or not, as the Aceh administration vehemently insists, basing its argument on the 2005 Helsinki peace accord and Provincial Bylaw (Qanun) No. 3/2013.

A compromise seems impossible for to adopt the Aceh proposal, Jakarta would have to give up its regulation and thereby create a precedent for other provinces; worse, it may fuel anger among nationalist politicians, including some powerful Army officers in Jakarta.

Likewise, any change to the proposed flag as universally agreed in Aceh would hurt not only the local administration and political parties (both the Aceh chapters of national political parties and local Aceh parties) but the wider community as well.

Given the Helsinki memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2005 and Aceh's sub-laws on the MoU (UUPA 2006), Aceh has the legitimate right to choose its own flag and symbol precisely because the peace accord itself contradicts any separatist aspiration.

Interestingly, this argument has now been supported by Indonesia's highest judicial entity, the Constitutional Court.

The problem, however, can only be resolved either by adopting the proposed flag or modifying it; and any adaptation will affect its specific design – symbol, form and color.

However, Aceh offers narrative discourses that tell us how peace may be achieved and nurtured without offending the authorities or dignities involved.

Shortly after the Helsinki accord was signed seven years ago, my good friend Ramli A. Dally, an Acehnese versed in local folklore, told me that the Helsinki deal reminded him of the story of Teuku Abeuek, which he believed served as a mirror to reflect the commitments Jakarta and GAM (Free Aceh Movement) rebels made in Helsinki.

Teuku Abeuek, the leader (uleebalang) of Pameue, West Aceh, was a recalcitrant man who had frustrated the Dutch rulers in the 1920s. As attempts to subdue him failed, the Dutch finally sent Lieutenant JHJ Brendgen – a capable officer who not only mastered Acehnese, but learned the art of sword fighting, of which Abeuek was a renowned master.

They agreed to meet and, as Brendgen put it, to "play the dance of the sword" on one condition: the loser had to die. The Dutchman soon found out that Abeuek was superior. As his sword fell, he asked the victorious Abeuek to kill him, but the latter refused.

They then celebrated peace by dining together. "Why didn't you kill me?" asked Brendgen. "Because you refused to take up your sword," said Abeuek. Brendgen was astonished by Abeuek's fair play, being unwilling to kill an unarmed man.

Abeuek was not a rebel but he often helped the Muslim rebels, despite the Dutch "peace" (Korte Verklaring) imposed to end the war. Neither Brendgen nor Abeuek was subsequently sanctioned by higher authorities and Aceh remained calm thereafter.

The event is not in all respects parallel to the Helsinki deal. But the moral of the legend, Ramli suggested, was valuable: It was not the issue leading to the confrontation that was most significant, but rather the way in which Abeuek and Brendgen resolved it. Just as what happened in Helsinki; that was the key to ending the conflict. Only then could the warring parties restore one another's authority and dignity.

Abeuek's apparent "subversive" stance was seen as minor aspect. The discourse thus suggests that once peace is achieved, mutual trust becomes the sublime transition from peace into stability.

That's precisely what is now lacking; the flag issue has become a test of trust for both Jakarta and Aceh.

If Jakarta rejects the proposed flag, it would amount to putting its own regulation above the internationally acknowledged Helsinki peace accord for which its architect, Finland's former president, Martti Ahtisaari, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008.

Above all, to do so would contradict the very consensus among the Acehnese populace in supporting the Helsinki MoU. Conversely, to adopt the proposed flag would remain faithful to the MoU, which may result in political capital that could bind Aceh and Jakarta.

On the other hand, to reject the flag, which is a hugely emotive symbol for Aceh, Jakarta would risk its valuable political potential for the 2014 election in that it may invest pain, so to speak, into Aceh's future.

It is true that the Aceh flag as proposed by the Aceh Party (PA), the political party formed by former GAM rebels, is identical to the former GAM flag, which also bears a similarity to the flag belonging to the PA. Hence, to reject the Aceh flag, Jakarta will unnecessarily lose its leverage vis-a-vis both the PA and Aceh.

In contrast, by allowing the flag, Jakarta would help the PA preempt any future element that disagrees with the MoU. In this way, Jakarta would eradicate any association of the flag with separatism once and for all.

Either way, the ruling PA will ultimately benefit. As one keen observer, Uzair, has pointed out, if the flag is adopted, the PA will strengthen its hegemony over Aceh; if not, it will emphasize the growing gap between Jakarta and Aceh and fuel Aceh's distrust toward the central government, which would only benefit the PA stance.

In turn, the PA – as an International Crisis Group (ICG) report recently suggested – could use any gain to compensate its controversial alliance with the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party, the political party led by the man blamed for many atrocities, Lt. Gen. (ret.) Prabowo Subianto.

Trust and distrust thus work in different ways. But, as the Teuku Abeuek legend teaches us, trust is essential to swing the pendulum toward a common prospect. This is all the more urgent since the MoU and its ideal of "self-government" have not been fully implemented.

While Jakarta would prefer to adapt rather than adopt the proposed flag, the issue may have become a political commodity for trade-offs in order to raise Aceh politicians' own prospects in the 2014 election.