The country is to host the International Press Freedom Day event in May next year but the Pacific Freedom Forum this week called on Jakarta to first ensure it ends abuses against local media in Papua and West Papua and ensures open access for foreign media.

But the Minister Counsellor at the Indonesian Embassy in Wellington, Wanton Saragih, said great strides have been made since President Joko Widodo came to power. He said the President had stated that foreign journalists can visit Papua freely.

Mr Saragih said in 2014, there were 27 requests for journalistic visits to Papua and only five were declined and that was due to incomplete administrative requirements.

And he said last year all journalists' requests to visit Papua were granted, including two New Zealand media organisations – Maori Television and RNZ International. The counsellor said as the world's third largest democracy, Indonesia embraces freedom of the press. He said freedom of the press in Indonesia was guaranteed by law, as a human right.

Mr Saragih said the facts show that the national and local media in Indonesia are free to convey information as long as it was objective and accurate.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/308218/indonesia-says-claims-of-media-restrictions-wrong

West Papua delegation arriving

Solomon Star News - July 8, 2016

Ronald Toito'ona – Members of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) are arriving in Honiara starting this week, ahead of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Leaders' Summit next week.

This was confirmed to the Solomon Star by Ben Didiomea, one of the West Papua campaigners in the country. They arrived in Honiara on separate flights.

The summit was originally scheduled for Port Vila in Vanuatu at the start of May, but moved to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, towards end of June. However, it was postponed again because the leaders could not find time to meet during the Asia Caribbean Pacific (ACP) meeting in Port Moresby.

It was understood that, the MSG Leaders' Summit will now be held back to back with the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) which was also scheduled to be held in Honiara, next week also.

The Solomon Star understands that a peaceful demonstration is planned during the MSG Leaders' Summit next week by West Papuan supporters to denounce the human rights treatment by Indonesia against West Papuans.

A musical concert will also be staged to support the fight of West Papua's United Liberation Movement for freedom from the rule of Indonesia.

Source: http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/10917-west-papua-delegation-arriving

Indonesia given deadline to end Papua violations

Radio New Zealand International - July 7, 2016

Indonesia has been given a 2017 deadline to address press freedom violations in its Papua province.

The call from the chair of the regional media watchdog Pacific Freedom Forum came as Indonesia was earmarked to host the International Press Freedom Day event in May next year.

Speaking from Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea Titi Gabi said Jakarta must end abuses against local media in Papua and West Papua and ensure open access for foreign media to the restive Melanesian provinces.

In May and June this year Indonesian security forces arrested more than 2,500 protesters there after they called for an independence referendum and an international investigation into numerous human rights abuses.

Titi Gabi said Indonesia needed to rein in security forces persecuting citizens exercising their rights to freedom of expression before it can play host to the rest of the world on Press Freedom Day next year.

The PFF chair also added her organisation's support for a growing demand for global intervention in Papua and West Papua, as declared in recent statements from the United Nations, the Melanesian Spearhead Group, the European Union, TAPOL and ICP, the International Coalition for Papua.

In 2015 two New Zealand media organisations, including RNZ International, were given access to Papua.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/308127/indonesia-given-deadline-to-end-papua-violations

NZ groups launch petition to support West Papua

Radio New Zealand International - July 7, 2016

West Papua solidarity groups in New Zealand have launched a petition calling for the New Zealand government to speak out about human rights in the Indonesian region.

Green MPs have been among protestors outside the Indonesian Embassy in Wellington today marking the death of a teenager Owen Pekei last week.

The high school student was displaying the outlawed West Papuan independence flag when he was killed, allegedly by security forces.

A spokesperson for the group Catherine Delahunty says 3000 people have been arrested since May so far this year at rallies.

The groups say the situation is at breaking point with young people being arrested for nothing more than peacefully marching or carrying a placard.

The groups are hoping to get thousands of signatures on the parliamentary petition before the end of August calling for fundamental UN guaranteed freedoms to be respected in West Papua.

"We cannot be silent about these abuses in our backyard, especially with the Prime Minister's imminent trip to Indonesia," said Ms Delahunty.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/308169/nz-groups-launch-petition-to-support-west-papua

NZ greens urge PM to raise human rights concerns in Papua

Radio New Zealand International - July 5, 2016

The New Zealand Green Party says Prime Minister John Key must address human rights in West Papua when he meets with Indonesia's Joko Widodo later this month.

Mr Key intended to discuss trade and economic links, but a Greens' MP Catherine Delahunty said there was no mention of discussions on the political situation in West Papua.

She said the complete absence of human rights from Mr Key's agenda was particularly damning given a schoolboy was shot by military police in West Papua only last week.

Ms Delahunty said Mr Key should urge Indonesia to stop talking about a more democratic approach and start acting on it.

She said this should start with a commitment to end military and police abuses, political detention and state-sanctioned killings in West Papua.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/307997/nz-greens-urge-pm-to-raise-human-rights-concerns-in-papua

PIANGO reiterates World Churches call for West Papua solidarity visit

Pina - July 4, 2016

Pacific Islands Association of NGOs (PIANGO) executive director, Emele Duituturaga has welcomed a call made by the World Council of Churches (WCC) for a solidarity visit to West Papua by an international ecumenical delegation.

Duituturaga said the call made by the WCC for a solidarity visit to be organised as soon as possible, is timely given that the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) will be meeting next week in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

"WCC has called for this visit to demonstrate the ecumenical movement's accompaniment of the churches in the region, to hear the voices of the victims of violence and human rights violations, and to pursue the pilgrimage of justice and peace," Duituturaga said.

"WCC joins the many voices from around the world that have been calling for justice and peace in West Papua and it's a call that should weigh heavily on the hearts and minds of our leaders who will meet in Honiara next week."

Duituturaga said the Christian churches through WCC is a prophetic voice that must be given due consideration by the region's leaders.

"WCC has called on its member churches to pray and act in support of the witness of the churches – especially the Evangelical Christian Church in Tanah Papua, and through the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC), and the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) – for justice and peace in the region."

"And rightfully so, the churches can no longer stand by and watch the genocide of indigenous Papuans. They have spoken about the need to protect human dignity," she said.

"As a regional platform, PIANGO stands with WCC's representative in the region, the Pacific Conference of Churches as they pray and act in support of Papuans suffering under the brutal rule of Indonesia."

PIANGO is also collaborating with other regional NGOs to remind the MSG of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's application for full membership.

"ULMWP are Pacific Islanders, they are Melanesians and Indonesia's continued denial of the genocide happening right at our doorstep of their people, our wantoks, warrants their full membership of the MSG."

She said that with ULMWP's full membership, Melanesian leaders can fully deliberate on the multifaceted nature of Indonesia's brutality and its impact on Pacific people.

Source: http://www.pina.com.fj/index.php?p=pacnews&m=read&o=1564588124577b2d18830972adc70f

NZ media 'ignore' Pacific's biggest story in spite of social media revolution

Pacific Media Centre - July 4, 2016

New Zealand news media are "ignoring" the biggest story in the Pacific region in spite of a social media revolution taking the storytelling to the world.

This is the view of a journalist and media educator expressed at the Otago Foreign Policy School at the weekend, Pacific Media Centre director Professor David Robie.

In a presentation entitled "Tanah Papua, Asia Pacific news blind spots and citizen media: From 'Act of Free Choice' betrayal to a social media revolution", Dr Robie spanned a half century of human rights atrocities and gagged communications for the indigenous people in the Indonesian-ruled region of West Papua.

He praised two New Zealand media crews – from Mori Television's Native Affairs and Radio New Zealand International – who took advantage of an apparently more relaxed stance of Indonesian officials over West Papua since the election of President Joko Widodo to obtain visas "go to see for themselves" last year.

However, he said, "a disappointing outcome from the two visits to West Papua officially for the first time by New Zealand journalists... is that so far it has not encouraged other media in New Zealand to take up the challenge."

Dr Robie referred to Australian investigative journalist of SBS Dateline Mark Davis who had twice visited West Papua as an "underground, illegal" journalist, and "thus was not popular with the authorities in Jakarta"

'Open' policy hypocrisy

"But in May 2014, he also had the opportunity for rare access to the secretive region to find 'Open' policy hypocrisy out what is really happening in the struggle over self-determination with Indonesia."

'Praising the TV report for its nuanced and revealing overview, he said Davis had also exposed the hypocrisy of the so-called "open" policy to the media.

"Was it West Papua's New Dawn?," Dr Robie asked, referring to the programme's title. "Hardly at all. And a major question for journalists is just how much do we offer a fig leaf to Jakarta by cooperating with these heavily "minded" see-no-evil, hear-no-evil visits to the region.

Earlier this year, a Catholic Justice and Peace Commission fact-finding mission from Australia visited West Papua in lieu of the Pacific Islands Forum summit's initiative which had been decided at the Port Moresby summit in September 2015 but blocked by Indonesian authorities.

The mission produced a devastating report in May that called for urgent action to support Papuans who were "living with unrelenting intimidation and brutality".

"The situation in West Papua is fast approaching a tipping point. In less than five years, the position of Papuans in their own land will be worse than precarious," the report said.

'Demographic tidal wave'

"They are already experiencing a demographic tidal wave. Ruthless Indonesian political, economic, social and cultural domination threatens to engulf the proud people who have inhabited the land they call Tanah Papua for thousands of years."

Despite an announcement in May 2015 by President Widodo that journalists would have free access to West Papua, media access was still restricted, said the report.

"There is no freedom of expression. Almost 40 political prisoners are currently in jail – written before 2000 plus arrests on May 1/2 this year and then a further 1000 plus arrests on June 15 – customary land tights are not protected and there is no systemic policy of affirmative action.

West Papuan human rights are also not protected. Throughout 2015, the Indonesian security forces have targeted young people in particular, all of whom have been unarmed.

Dr Robie outlined how in spite of a dramatic global social media strategy – led by high profile groups such as the Free West Papua Campaign – in the past couple of years having boosted "awareness of the West Papuan people's story" around the world, this was still largely shut out by the New Zealand media.

He paid tribute to the so-called Balibo Five and Roger East in Timor-Leste in 1975 at the time of the Indonesian invasion, saying their deaths had been a game-changer.

"While journalists had previously died in conflict and war zones, the Balibo massacre and subsequent execution of Roger East were believed to be the first time journalists had been killed because they were journalists.," he said.

Dr Robie also referred to other "black spot" stories shunned by the New Zealand mainstream media, such as the Kanak independence struggle in the 1980s (which he had personally reported on) with a self-determination referendum due by 2018; the militarisation of the Mariana Islands in the North Pacific; the "Nuclear zero" lawsuit by the republic of the Marshall islands against the nine nuclear powers in the International Court of Justice; and recent anti-government unrest in the universities of Papua New Guinea which climaxed with heavily armed police firing on students, wounding 23.

Answering his own rhetorical question about why New Zealand media were not giving attention to important Pacific stories, he said: "Primarily because we have no genuine tradition of foreign correspondents and foreign editors in New Zealand, so the specialist knowledge required is seriously lacking."

Source: http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/07/04/nz-media-ignore-pacifics-biggest-story-in-spite-of-social-media-revolution/

Minister: Indonesia wary of separatists at MSG Summit

Republika.co - July 2, 2016

Jakarta – The Coordinating Minister of Political, Law and Security Affairs, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, said Indonesia is concerned about separatists participating in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Summit that will be held on the Solomon Islands from July 14-16, 2016.

"We received information that there is an effort by separatist groups who aimed to join the MSG. However, they are not a country. Their status is as an NGO. Thus they cannot join," Panjaitan said here on Friday evening.

Previously, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (UMLWP) was asking to join the MSG, where Indonesia is a non-permanent member of the forum. Panjaitan said the UMLWP does not have legitimate status and does not represent the Papuan people.

According to Luhut, the allegation that Indonesia violated the human rights of residents in Papua has no truth to it.

The Indonesian government has worked to enforce human rights in Papua by establishing integrated teams that gather data and analyze information, then submit reports to President Joko Widodo, Panjaitan said.

The team aims to speed the investigation on human rights violations in Papua and West Papua, which was initiated by the Human Rights Commission in 2011. Luhut said anyone found guilty of violating human rights in Papua or West Papua will be prosecuted.

The Minister also invited the Ambassador of New Zealand to Indonesia, Trevor Matheson, Ambassador of Solomon to Indonesia, Salana Kalu, and Ambassador of Fiji to Indonesia, ST Cavuilati, as well as Papua's New Guinea Ambassador, Peter Ilau, as observers to support the transparency of the investigation process.

"The four ambassadors gave positive feedback on this policy. They all praised the government of President Joko Widodo," Luhut said.

Indonesia is also developing infrastructure in West Papua and Papua Provinces by building toll road, railways, as well as ports to support local economic development.

Source: http://en.republika.co.id/berita/en/national-politics/16/07/02/o9p4nj317-minister-indonesia-wary-of-separatists-at-msg-summit

West Papua proclamation day commemorated with flag raising event in Yogyakarta

Suara Papua - July 1, 2016

Bastian Tebai, Yogyakarta – Every year July 1 is commemorated by Papuans as West Papua proclamation day. The proclamation was read out at the Victoria Headquarters in Waris Village, Jayapura, in 1971.

Today, on Friday June 1, Papuan high-school and university students in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta coordinated by the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) city committee held a commemoration of the event with a reading of the proclamation during a Morning Star flag raising event on the grounds of the Kamasan I Papua dormitory.

Suara Papua was able to witness firsthand the 45th commemoration of the reading out of West Papua's proclamation of independence.

"To the beloved Morning Star, present arms!", shouted commanded Mikael, who chaired the event. Wearing the customary clothing of the penis gourde, his voice was loud and firm. Scores of people attending the event swiftly raised their right fists to respectfully honor the beloved Morning Star.

Then, an instrumental version of the national anthem "Oh My Land Papua" could be heard. The eyes of the scores of students standing in respectful attention on the ground of the dormitory could be seen shining with tears.

Next, the text of Papua's proclamation of independence was read out. After closing the ceremony by bowing their heads in a moment of silence, the participants gathered beneath the Morning Star flying on a bamboo pole to listen to the reading of a joint statement by AMP Yogyakarta chairperson Abi Douw.

"Today, Friday July 1, exactly 45 years ago, Brigadier General Zeth Jafet Rumkorem read out the text of the proclamation of the state of West Papua at the Victoria Headquarters", said Douw.

In the statement Douw affirmed that giving the Papuan people the freedom of self-determination was the most democratic solution for the Papuan people today.

"Human rights violations, poverty, exploitation and exploration and various forms of uneven development under the colonisers authority is a consequence of what was created by the annexation of West Papua by the NKRI [Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia]", asserted Douw.

In the joint statement, the AMP made three demands. First, provide the freedom and the right to self-determination as a democratic solution for the Papuan people.

Second, close down all multi-national corporations such as Freeport, BP, LNG, Medco, Corindo and the MIFEE food estate mega project. Three, withdraw all organic and non-organic military and police from the Land of Papua.

After reading out the statement, the commemorations were continued with a free speech forum. Each of the participants, one-by-one, conveyed their affirmation that Papua must be free for the sake of saving the Papuan's national livelihood in the Papuan homeland.

One of the Papuan students, Yusuf Kosay, said in a speech that independence is the right of all nations and, based on international law, the Papuan nation also has the right to self-determination, to determine their political status, to pursue economic and social development in accordance with the development of their cultural and civilisation.

"Papua", shouted Kosay, which was greeted with shouts of "Independence" from participants.

According to Suara Papua's observations, the participants continued the event with songs and dance. They also put their signatures on a white cloth as a form of support and their determined resolve to back and continue actively participating in efforts towards an independent Papua.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "HUT ke-45 Proklamasi West Papua, Bintang Kejora Berkibar di Yogyakarta".]

Source: http://suarapapua.com/2016/07/01/hut-45-proklamasi-west-papua-bintang-kejora-berkibar-yogyakarta/

The urgent cry for help from West Papua

Anglican News - July 1, 2016

Adam Boland – Prominent West Papuan religious leader Benny Giay believes Pacific countries might offer the last hope to save his people. During an emotional interview with Pasifik News from Jayapura, Dr Giay predicted the Papuan culture could disappear within decades.

"Almost everyday, our people are dying. Almost everyday. Papuans are not being taken into consideration by Indonesia. Nothing is being done to secure our future."

He says he's constantly receiving reports of women and children starving to death and claims Jakarta turns a blind eye, preferring instead to focus on infrastructure and services for the influx of non-Papuan migrants. "These are anti-Papuan development policies," says Dr Giay.

He spoke out as member states of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) consider awarding full membership status to the United Liberation Movement of West Papua. Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands will push strongly for the move at a summit of leaders in Honiara on July 14.

Dr Giay hopes the MSG can pressure Indonesia to hold formal talks about the plight of the Papuan people. "We need a third party to talk to Jakarta. Papuans don't trust Indonesians and Indonesians don't trust Papuans. That's why we need a third party to moderate," he says.

Climate of fear

That distrust continues to be fuelled by reports of human rights violations. Just this week, a West Papuan student was killed while riding his motorbike in Nabire city.

Indonesian authorities insist the death of 18-year-old Owen Pekei was the result of a traffic accident but his relatives say he was shot in the head. Photos have emerged on social media that seem to support the family's claim.

Witnesses reported seeing Pekei being pursued by security forces, apparently for carrying a bag emblazoned with the outlawed Morning Star pro-independence symbol.

Lack of media freedom

Stories like that aren't uncommon but are hard to verify because of the continuing crackdown on journalists in the region.

In May last year, Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced with much fanfare that foreign reporters would be allowed to travel unhindered to the region. But correspondents are still finding it hard to get visitor permits and those who have been say they were closely monitored.

Earlier this year, French journalist Cyril Payen was told he would not be allowed to return after a documentary he made about the region was aired on France 24. Things aren't much easier for local journalists.

Prominent West Papuan religious leader Benny Giay believes Pacific countries might offer the last hope to save his people. Last month, Jayapura police stopped them from covering a pro-independence demonstration with threats of arrest.

"President Joko Widodo's promises now sound emptier than ever," says Benjamin Ismaïl from Reporters Without Borders. "Authorities continue to censor and control media coverage arbitrarily."

Silence from Australia

Peter Arndt from the Australian-based Catholic Justice and Peace Commission says that lack of transparency reduces the urgency of other countries to act.

"Last month, we saw police in Papua New Guinea shoot at students. That received instant media coverage around the world," he says. "Within hours, you saw Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop holding a press conference and calling for human rights to be respected. Yet there is absolute silence about the continuing human rights violations in West Papua."

Mr Arndt says Australia's reluctance to off-side Indonesia is taking a major toll. "How many Papuan mothers and fathers have to bury their murdered children before our Government shows a shred of decency and human compassion?"

He thinks Australia should be following the example of West Papua's Melanesian neighbours. "Countries like the Solomon Islands are helping to raise awareness through their actions at the Melanesian Spearhead Group. Hopefully that leads to action."

Dr Giay has hope of that too but is realistic. "Papuans are losing their identity. We are losing our lives. Papua is a land of mourning. There's been too much silence. I just hope it's not too late."

[Officials from the Indonesian Government were approached for comment but said they wouldn't be available until after July 11.]

Source: http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2016/06/churches-express-solidarity-with-west-papua-independence-campaigners.aspx

PIANGO applauds speech on West Papua

Radio New Zealand International - July 1, 2016

A grouping of the region's NGOs says a top United Nations official must be commended for highlighting the plight of West Papuans.

Last week the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Maina Kiai, brought up West Papua at the at a Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva.

The director of the Pacific Islands Association of NGOs, Emele Duituturaga, says Mr Kiai's speech highlighted the reality of West Papuans' struggles with demographic and socio-economic changes under Indonesian rule.

She says Mr Kiai was not afraid to illustrate ongoing discrimination, and his act should be applauded.

Ms Duituturanga says more people are speaking up against Indonesia's rule of West Papua, and its peoples quest for self-determination. PIANGO says the development has fueled its resolve to see Pacific leaders implement a proposal to call for UN intervention in West Papua.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/307743/piango-applauds-speech-on-west-papua

Sexual & domestic violence

Government submits chemical castration regulation to House

Jakarta Globe - July 1, 2016

Jakarta – The government has recently submitted a regulation allowing tougher punishment, including chemical castration, for child sex offenders to the House of Representatives, a minister has confirmed.

Lawmakers are expected to soon deliberate the regulation in lieu of law, which was signed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in late May, to revise the 2002 law on child protection

"Waiting for agreement is the only thing left for now," Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani said on Thursday.

If lawmakers, many of whom have expressed support for the additional penalty, later approve the regulation, a number of ministries are expected to immediately prepare its implementation.

"There will later be a government regulation issued on mechanisms of the punishment execution, their executors and others," Puan said, as quoted by Kompas.com.

The submitted regulation also allows a maximum prison term of 20 years, life imprisonment and the death penalty for pedophiles, serial rapists and those committing gang rape.

This tougher punishment also applies to perpetrators whose offenses pose severe impact, ranging from injuries to mental disorders and death.

Believing it could eradicate sex crimes – which has been declared an extraordinary crime – the government has defended the regulation, which has drawn both widespread support and opposition from child and women safety activists.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/govt-submits-chemical-castration-regulation-house/

Environment & natural disasters

Number of forest fire hotspots increases ahead of Idul Fitri holiday

Jakarta Globe - July 4, 2016

Jakarta – The Indonesian space agency has recorded an increase in the number of forest fire hotspots ahead of the Idul Fitri holidays.

Based on observations by the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (Lapan) with the Modis satellite, 288 hotspots have been detected with a moderate (30 percent-79 percent) to high (80 percent or higher) confidence level on Sunday (03/07).

Of those, 245 with a 30-percent confidence level were found on Sumatra Island, spread out across the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau, Bengkulu, Jambi, Lampung and South Sumatra.

Members of the Integrated Forest Fire Taskforce in Riau have made embarked on efforts to put out the fires, while the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) allocated two helicopters and two aircraft specially adapted for firefighting.

Meanwhile, forest fires in Kuala Kampar, Riau, covering areas of up to nine hectares, are being put out by officials on foot.

Officials are also still trying to put out fires in the Tesso Nelo National Park in Riau, while in West Sumatra, forest fires have been burning for two days in locations that have been difficult to identify.

Forest fires covering areas of up to 25 hectares have been put out in various locations in Tampung and Pekanbaru in Riau since Saturday. The locations of the forest fires, combined with dry conditions and poor accessibility to water, have made it difficult to put out.

With dry weather expected between July and September, officials predict that there will be a marked increase in the number of forest fire hotspots.

BNPB head Willem Rampangilei has ordered the provincial disaster mitigation agency to increase its efforts to extinguish forest fires, as the effects are detrimental, especially in the holiday period.

He also stated that prevention activities must be increased as it is more effective than putting out fires.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/number-forest-fire-hotspots-increase-ahead-idul-fitri-holiday/

Graft & corruption

Supreme Court struggles to clear image

Jakarta Post - July 4, 2016

Nurul Fitri Ramadhani, Jakarta – Seemingly disturbed by public scrutiny of the corrupt deeds of its officials, the Supreme Court has been telling the public that it has taken many laudable steps to improve its image.

Supreme Court chief justice Hatta Ali said that as part of these efforts, the court had in the last five months dismissed dozens of staffers implicated in graft cases being investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

"We fired those involved in corruption cases even before the KPK had officially laid charges against them," Hatta said.

The country's highest judicial institution is currently in the spotlight as a number of its officials have been implicated in graft cases. The cases, in which court staff members are mostly accused of receiving money to influence verdicts, have increased the public's doubt about internal reform at the court.

A recent high-profile case is that of Central Jakarta District Court registrar Edy Nasution, who was arrested on April 20 on suspicions he accepted a bribe to influence a case review of a civil dispute involving Malaysia-based pay TV operator Astro and PT First Media, a member of influential business conglomerate Lippo Group.

The case dragged in Supreme Court secretary Nurhadi after KPK investigators confiscated a large amount of what it claims is dirty money from his house and office, as the Supreme Court has the final say on any case review.

Following the case, Hatta said the court immediately fired two Central Jakarta District Court officials, Irdiansyah and Sarwo Edy, for allegedly helping Edy commit the crime. However, the Supreme Court has yet to dismiss Nurhadi.

Another case is one that implicates Andri Tristianto Sutrisna, chief of the subdirectorate of appeals and special civil case second reviews at the Supreme Court. He was implicated in the graft case due to a delay in extending an appeal request for a verdict in a corruption case surrounding the development of a port in West Nusa Tenggara in 2007 and 2008.

Hatta said the Supreme had fired not only Andri, but also Kosidah, an official at the subdirectorate of special crimes overseeing corruption cases.

Hatta went on to say that reform had been ongoing since 2010 and the Supreme Court already had the blueprint for guidelines until 2035, including shorter deadlines for case settlement, from the previous three months to 30 days, and online publication of verdicts via the Supreme Court's official website.

However, it may not be enough to satisfy the public as even the Association of Deans of Indonesian Law Schools (APPTHI) – comprising the deans of more than 180 private law schools across the country – came to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ask him to let them take part in the internal reform by examining numerous Supreme Court rulings.

The academic examination would cover a number of Supreme Court rulings that have binding legal status and would aim to scrutinize, for instance, whether the rulings applied the correct legal doctrine, or whether the decisions are appropriate.

The Judicial Commission, the external judicial supervisory body, objects to APPTHI's idea, saying that it should be the responsibility of the Commission.

"It won't be effective to establish a new team, moreover, we will need a new regulation as well," Judicial Commission chairman Aidul Fitriciada Azhari said.

House of Representatives Speaker Ade Komarudin expressed the same objection. According to him, the demand is only a reflection of a power struggle in the legal fraternity. "People may disagree with the Supreme Court's verdicts. But they are still protected by the Constitution. And the institution is also protected by the Constitution," Ade said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/04/supreme-court-struggles-clear-image.html

KPK resumes battle against judicial mafia in courts

Jakarta Post - July 2, 2016

Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is continuing to combat graft in crucial government bodies after recently arresting Muhammad Santoso, a clerk of the Central Jakarta Court, for allegedly receiving a bribe in a civil case involving two natural resources companies.

The civil case was between two companies specializing in natural resources, PT Kapuas Tunggal Persada as the defendant and PT Mitra Maju Sukses as the plaintiff. The court's verdict was in favor of PT Kapuas Tunggal Persada.

Apart from Santoso, KPK has also named two other suspects, Raoul Adhitya Wiranatakusumah, who served as a legal representative of PT Kapuas Tunggal Persada, and Ahmad Yani, a staff member of a legal consultant firm assisting the defendant's side.

Santoso was caught red-handed in Matraman, Central Jakarta, on an ojek (motorcycle taxi) after allegedly receiving envelopes that contained S$25,000 and S$3,000, respectively, from Ahmad Yani.

Based on a recent investigation, KPK commissioner Laode Muhammad Syarif said the money was allegedly received from lawyer Raoul, who is currently still at large.

He went on to say that the anti graft body would be looking into the possibility of involvement of the case's judges and possibly ask the immigration office to bar them from leaving the country in case prosecutors needed to question them.

The case has delivered another blow to the country's judicial system. Recently, the KPK uncovered a similar case after discovering that North Jakarta District Court registrar Rohadi allegedly received a bribe in June from suspect Saipul Jamil, a dangdut singer accused of child molestation.

The Supreme Court has intensified its efforts to overhaul its image by providing an online system through which the public can track ongoing legal cases at the court. But, the number of arrests against its officials will likely drag down the court's reputation.

Judicial Commission spokesperson Farid Wajdi severely criticized those recently arrested, saying that such cases had further degraded the image of Indonesia's judicial system.

"The growing number of arrests does not seem to act as a deterrent to court officials," he said. "Being confined in prison seems like a small matter for them."

Separately, Supreme Court spokesman Suhadi said his office respected the steps being taken by the anti graft body and would immediately discharge Santoso from his position if he was proven guilty.

He said the court had an internal supervising body that aimed to evaluate the performance of all officials working in the court.

Earlier this week, the KPK caught I Putu Sudiartana, a member of House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal affairs, for allegedly brokering infrastructure projects for a businessman worth Rp 300 billion (US$22 million) in West Sumatra. (fac)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/02/KPK-resumes-battle-against-judicial-mafia-courts.html

Terrorism & religious extremism

Experts want stronger efforts to curb radicalism after Solo blast

Jakarta Post - July 8, 2016

Jakarta – Terrorism experts have demanded stronger efforts to curb radicalism and the development of terrorist groups following the suicide bombing that severely injured a police officer in Surakarta on the eve of Idul Fitri.

An expert on Indonesian radical movements, Solahudin, encouraged the government to strengthen Counterterrorism Law No. 15/2003 in regard to the police's authority to arrest people suspected of spreading radical ideology.

However, he dismissed concerns that the number of Indonesians supporting the Islamic State (IS) terror group had grown significantly, saying that only 480 people were recorded to have departed to Syria to join the radical group and that around 40 percent of them were women and children.

Similarly, Al Chaidar, another terrorism expert, said the government should not worry too much about the number of IS supporters in Indonesia but instead focus on tracking down people with an insidious agenda.

"According to my sources, there are several other cities that they have been targeting. Cities like Surabaya, Balikpapan and Lampung are likely on their list," he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday, without elaborating.

A suicide bomber, suspected to be Nur Rohman, blew himself up near the gate of the Surakarta Police headquarters in Tuesday morning. According to the preliminary police investigation, the attacker was part of a terrorist cell led by Bahrun Naim, who is suspected to have planned the Thamrin police post bombing in Jakarta earlier this year. (win/dic)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/08/experts-want-stronger-efforts-to-curb-radicalism-after-solo-blast.html

Surakarta suicide bomber linked to Thamrin attack mastermind

Jakarta Post - July 5, 2016

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – Nur Rohman, 30, identified as the suicide bomber who attacked the Surakarta Police headquarters in Central Java this morning, is alleged to have been affiliated with a local offshoot of the Islamic State (IS) militant group. The group is led by Arief Hidayatullah, whose patron Bahrum Naim was among the masterminds behind the attack that killed four civilians and four perpetrators in Jakarta on Jan. 14, a source has said.

Nur was the only member of the group to have escaped arrest during a series of raids carried out in December last year by the National Police in which dozens of terrorist suspects were rounded up in several areas in Java, including the Greater Jakarta area, a source at the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) said on Tuesday.

The group had allegedly planned to launch an attack on New Year's Eve revellers. While the group's field commander Arief Hidayatullah was arrested, his patron Bahrum Nain fled the country to join the IS movement in Syria.

Police believe that Bahrum, along with IS spiritual leader in Indonesia Aman Abdurrahman, directed and financed their followers to launch the attack that was carried out earlier this year on Jl. Thamrin in Central Jakarta.

"These people are linked to Bahrum Naim. Nur Rohman is the only group member who escaped the December raids. He appears to have traveled to East Java before returning to his hometown [in Surakarta to launch the attack]," said the BNPT representative. (dan)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/05/surakarta-suicide-bomber-linked-to-thamrin-attack-mastermind.html

Freedom of religion & worship

Mosques, churches use Idul Fitri to tighten bonds

Jakarta Post - July 8, 2016

Jakarta – Mosque and church caretakers say they always use the Idul Fitri holiday as an opportunity to strengthen interfaith friendship and cooperation. For them, small gestures of kindness are pivotal to preserving inter-religious relationships.

The Protestant Masehi Injili Sangihe Talaud Church in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, has long been known for its location, standing side-by-side with the Al-Muqarrabien mosque. The church's former minister, Tatalade Barakati, recalled that the friendship between the two religious communities had lasted 50 years – and counting.

"A few years ago, Idul Fitri prayers were held on a Sunday, so we decided to forgo morning service that day," she told thejakartapost.com on Friday.

For this year's Idul Fitri prayers, she continued, the church allocated its main yard as a parking lot for the Muslim faithful. She added that it was also customary for members of the two congregations to share breaking of the fast meals during Ramadhan.

Adi Muhammad, an official at the mosque, noted that it was traditional for the two houses of worship to share whatever they had every day, and especially during religious festivities. He also smoke warmly of the joint breaking of the fast tradition and the church's willingness to provide parking space for worshippers at the mosque.

Not far from the location, a mosque caretaker who asked to remain anonymous revealed that his usual mosque, the Jami At Tauhid Mosque, enjoyed a similarly harmonious relationship with the church next door, the Western Indonesia Protestant Church.

"Every time we hold an event here," he said, "the church always opens its door and lets us park our vehicles there." (win/dic)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/08/mosques-churches-use-idul-fitri-to-tighten-bonds.html

Government urged to end bigotry in regions

Jakarta Post - July 4, 2016

Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has demanded more involvement from the central government in addressing a surge in cases of intolerance across the country.

Komnas HAM chairman Imdadun Rahmat said recently that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration had to be firm with local administrations in upholding religious freedom, as the latter were often part of the problem.

"Currently, the central government only makes promises to local administrations," Imdadun said at the launch of the commission's report on religious freedom at his office in Jakarta.

The report shows that the number of complaints regarding violations of religious freedom has risen over the past three years. In 2014, Komnas HAM recorded 74 complaints, while 89 complaints of alleged violations of religious freedom were filed last year.

"As of May, the number of complaints was 34. It is very likely that the number will increase until the end of this year," said Jayadi Damanik, Komnas HAM coordinator of religious freedom.

Local administrations were often the main actors in the violations reported in the first five months of this year, according to the report. Of the 34 complaints, 18 were attributed to local administrations. Mass organizations were the main non-state actors, with six complaints attributed to them.

The report also reveals that the highest number of complaints were related to bans on the building of places of worship, with 11 in total. This was followed by eight complaints related to Jamaah Ahmadiyah Indonesia (JAI) being prohibited from worshipping and two incidents of demolitions of places of worship.

"This has made them reluctant to protect minority groups from threats made by their neighbors or local intolerant groups. The Home Ministry and the Religious Affairs Ministry could disseminate those regulations so that local administrations have a good understanding of how to protect their citizens in terms of religious freedom," said Imdadun.

Jayadi said that the commission had received a complaint from the Pentecostal Church in Indonesia (GPdI) Sumedang, West Java, on June 3 that the local administration was still refusing to grant a permit for them to build a church.

"The church's parishioners have had to pray in a variety of places since 2012. We also found that a number of subdistrict officials did not give the church access to obtain the permit," Jayadi said.

On March 22, The commission also received complaints by JAI members in Subang, West Java, following a ban on them worshiping by an non-defined group. "The Subang district chief also demanded they cease the development of their mosque," Jayadi said.

Imdadun said there were no legal tools that provided directives on how to mitigate these two problems. "The central government has to create a road map to repatriate both the Ahmadiyah and Shiite refugees back to their hometowns."

Although, Jayadi applauded two local leaders in West Java who had tried to uphold religious freedom in their respective regions: Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil and Purwakarta Regent Dedi Jayadi. (mos)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/04/government-urged-end-bigotry-regions.html

Komnas HAM to approach new police head for protection of religious freedom

Jakarta Post - July 4, 2016

Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) plans to meet the new National Police chief, Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian, to demand his commitment to safeguarding the freedom of religion in Indonesia.

"I'm happy to know that the next police chief has stated his commitment to make human rights principles an important part of his agenda. Later, we will invite him to our office, maybe after Idul Fitri [observed on July 6], to discuss matters pertaining to religion and the freedom of faith," Komnas HAM chairman M. Imdadun Rahmat said in Jakarta recently.

In an earlier statement, Tito said if he was appointed as the new police chief, he would uphold human rights principles, especially in handling terrorism.

The House of Representatives officially appointed Tito as the new National Police chief during a plenary meeting on June 27. The decision followed a series of screenings held by the House's Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, human rights and security.

Imdadun said he expected Tito to influence all police officers to have a deep understanding on human rights principles. "A clear understanding could pave the way for the police to be a supporter of human rights," he said. (vps/ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/04/komnas-ham-to-approach-new-police-head-for-protection-of-religious-freedom.html

Denpasar, Sumedang lack cooperation in resolving religious freedom cases: Komnas

Jakarta Post - July 3, 2016

Jakarta – Denpasar, Bali and Sumedang, West Java, are among regions where its administrations have been criticized by the national rights body for their poor performance in resolving religious freedom violation cases.

"The Denpasar and Sumedang administrations have been uncooperative in resolving religious freedom violation cases," the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) religion and faith freedom desk coordinator Jayadi Damanik said in Jakarta on Thursday.

Komnas HAM is monitoring the settlement of several religious freedom violation cases nationwide. The cases include the rejection of intolerant groups toward the development of a Mushola Assyafiiyah in Denpasar, Bali, a prayer room, and the prohibition of the congregation of the Pentecostal Church in Indonesia (GPDI) in Sumedang, West Java, from worshipping.

"The GPDI case in Sumedang occurred in 2012 and has not yet been resolved due to difficulties in obtaining the church permit," said Jayadi. He further said that, earlier in June, the Sumedang administration had for umpteenth time rejected processing the permit.

Meanwhile, Komnas HAM has been handling the Denpasar case since February 2015. However, after a number of meetings attended by the Bali Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB), Bali-based Religious Affairs Ministry officials and Mushola Assyafiiyah management members, a settlement has yet to be reached. (vps/ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/03/denpasar-sumedang-lack-cooperation-in-resolving-religious-freedom-cases-komnas-ham.html

Muslims break fast at synagogue

Jakarta Post - July 2, 2016

Manado – North Sulawesi is making a name for itself as one of the country's most religiously harmonious regions, with the latest example a recent breaking of the fast event involving Muslims and Jews at a synagogue in Tondano, Minahasa regency.

Rabbi Yaakov Baruch of the synagogue said that the event was held as a form of hospitality and togetherness and at the same time as a way of introducing Judaism in the region.

"This is our initiative and was inspired by similar activities in London," Baruch said. He said the event, which was also attended by other religious leaders, was opened with Muslims prayers. He expressed hope that the event would serve to deter negativity and prejudice.

"This event can also serve as a barometer of interfaith tolerance in North Sulawesi," the rabbi said.

Indonesia is home to some 500 Jews, including 100 in North Sulawesi. Baruch said that Judaism was not a proselytizing religion and placed a greater focus on heritage and ancestry.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/02/island-focus-muslims-break-fast-synagogue.html

West Java is most intolerant province: Komnas HAM

Jakarta Post - July 1, 2016

Jakarta – West Java maintained its poor record as the most intolerant province in the country, according to findings by a national rights body revealed on Thursday.

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) revealed there were 34 cases related to violation of freedom of religion and faith reported between January to May.

From the reports, West Java was ranked the highest with six reports, followed by Jakarta with five, Aceh and Bangka Belitung with four reports, respectively, and North Sulawesi with three reports, Komnas HAM's religion and faith freedom division coordinator Jayadi Damanik said in a press conference on Thursday.

Recent cases in West Java included the prohibition of the Muslim minority group Ahmadiyah from conducting religious activities in Subang in March and the extortion of churches in Bandung for permits in June.

This was not the first time West Java came out on top spot for intolerance cases as the province also recorded the highest number of religious freedom violation cases in 2014 and 2015 with 34 and 20 reports, respectively, Jayadi said.

Regional administration officials were always reported as the main human rights abusers for letting violence take place in their areas, he added. The regional administrations were reported 18 times to Komnas HAM for acts of intolerance in January to May.

The figure was ahead of community groups and organizations with six and five reports, respectively. The regional administration also topped the list for perpetrating abuse with 39 and 50 reports following their policies and lack of willingness to protect minority groups under their jurisdiction. (vps/rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/01/west-java-is-most-intolerant-province-komnas-ham-1467336793.html

Housing & property

Indonesia plans emergency law to let foreigners buy apartments

Straits Times - July 2, 2016

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Jakarta – Indonesia plans to issue an emergency law – known as a perppu – to break an impasse of more than a decade in efforts to streamline unfriendly laws as the country aims to allow foreigners to purchase apartments in Indonesia.

The government had in the past repeatedly tried to move forward and set regulations to allow foreigners to own apartments in South-east Asia's biggest economy.

But they were never able to get these implemented because the basic stipulation under Indonesia's 1960 Agrarian Law is that foreigners just cannot own homes in the country, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan said.

"But the era has changed now. The property sector needs a reform so we could attract foreign investment. Foreigners should be allowed to buy apartments – but not landed houses – even if they don't hold Kitas (Indonesia's residence permit)," Luhut told The Straits Times. "It is similar to that in Singapore," he added.

Indonesia's Constitution gives the President the right to issue a rule in lieu of law (perppu) when he determines that an emergency in the country requires it. A perppu is immediately effective after the President signs it, and Parliament can either let it remain effective or end it within a year after the perppu is issued.

Luhut said the perppu that covers a new rule allowing foreign investors to buy apartments is one of between four and five perppu that Indonesia plans to issue by August, to resolve other obstacles hindering the government reform programme. "This is a revolutionary step to address such problems," he said.

A so-called debottlenecking working committee has been set up to identify problematic and protracted clauses in all laws. "We will comb all legislations that overlap with each other," Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, who heads the working committee, told The Straits Times.

The perppu will supersede only the problematic clauses in each law and serve to bypass them, Luhut said. He added that one perppu could address problems in five to more than 10 existing laws, and about 80 per cent to 90 per cent of the existing laws can be harmonised.

Issuing perppu is a normal practice that some foreign governments, such as the United States, also use, Luhut said, adding that the term used in the US is "presidential Act".

In May, President Joko Widodo signed a perppu that allows courts to increase penalties for sex crimes, which include for the first time chemical castration and death sentence, after the media highlighted a growing number of attacks against children.

Previously, the maximum sentence for a child sex offence was 15 years' jail. Indonesians have mostly welcomed the move.

Amending existing laws through the normal process, by proposing Bills to Indonesian Parliament, can drag on for several years, and in some cases, proposed Bills were thrown out.

Numerous government reform programs in Indonesia in the past decades have hit a snag due to conflicting laws that need amendment.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/02/jakarta-plans-emergency-law-to-let-foreigners-buy-apartments.html

Jakarta & urban life

BPN to get tough on land acquisition for Jakarta toll roads

Jakarta Post - July 8, 2016

Ayomi Amindoni, Jakarta – The National Land Agency (BPN) will reappraise the value of land on which toll roads are to be built in Greater Jakarta in a bit to settle price disputes affecting most of the projects.

Agrarian and Spatial Planning Minister Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, who also heads the BPN, said most of the affected landowners were developers trying to take advantage by setting sky-high prices, while in the long term, they would be the main beneficiaries of the toll roads.

In a meeting also attended by the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises and the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing two weeks ago, the government decided to act on the basis of the 2012 law on land acquisition, which grants the state the authority to seize land if this is in the public interest.

"We will enforce the land acquisition law, setting the price and paying [the owners]. The reappraisal is needed, because we have been letting the process stall for years," Ferry told The Jakarta Post in Jakarta on Thursday.

Previously, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo visited stalled toll road projects in the Greater Jakarta area, including the Depok-Antasari toll road project in South Jakarta, the Bekasi-Kampung Melayu toll road project in East Jakarta and the Bogor-Ciawi-Sukabumi toll road project in West Java. The 2012 law on land acquisition for basic infrastructure is supposed to have made land acquisition problems easier to solve. "The law is the legal basis for accelerating projects in the field," Ferry said, highlighting that the process would be completed before the end of the year. (ags)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/08/bpn-to-get-tough-on-land-acquisition-for-jakarta-toll-roads.html

Golkar veteran defends APL over reclamation project

Jakarta Post - July 4, 2016

Corry Elyda, Jakarta – Veteran Golkar politician and former minister under president Soeharto, Cosmas Batubara, has become the hope of property giant PT Agung Podomoro Land (APL) in its dispute with the government over the controversial reclamation project in Jakarta Bay.

Cosmas, who is currently APL president director, rejected Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs Rizal Ramli's statement that the company had been reckless in building islet G, which is one of 17 islets in the reclamation project.

"We never ignore rules and regulations when we do our work," Cosmas, who held two ministerial offices, as minister of public housing and minister of manpower, during the Soeharto era, said in press conference on Saturday.

Cosmas who was previously APL's president commissioner, was appointed company president replacing Ariesman Widjaja after the latter was arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in April this year.

The KPK arrested Ariesman along with Jakarta councilor Muhammad Sanusi in a bribery case related to the deliberation of draft bylaws on the reclamation project.

Rizal Ramli announced on Thursday that a joint investigative team from various ministries concluded that work on Islet G violated several regulations, as it was built on top of undersea electricity cables and gas pipelines and amid shipping lanes.

The team also recommended that the on-going construction should be stopped and the sand that has already been dumped in the bay should be removed. The minister also pointed out that the project was severely damaging to the environment.

APL subsidiary, PT Muara Wisesa Samudra (PT MWS) got the principal permit for the work in September 2012. The permit was issued by Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama in his role as acting governor when then governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo was on leave for his presidential campaign.

The Environmental Impact Analysis (Amdal) for the project was issued in June 2014 and the company got the Infrastructure Construction Permit (IMP) in October before eventually getting the construction permit in December 2014.

The company also hired globally reputed companies like UK-based consultant Royal DHV and Dutch companies – Boskalis and Van Oord to carry out the project.

PT MWS president director Halim Kumala rejected the minister's claims and said the shape of the islet was in line with the existing utilities under the sea, including the electricity cables and gas pipelines.

Halim said the presence of the utilities had been recognized by the designer of the islet before any construction work by MWS began. "The designer had already distanced the islet from the utilities by 25 meters. We then decided to make it even farther, to 75 meters," he said.

APL has made required contributions to the city administration in connection with its permits to build Islet G. These include the construction of low-cost apartments in Daan Mogot, West Jakarta, and the construction of a parking facility at the Jakarta Police headquarters.

In an agreement between Ahok and APL's Ariesman when they met in 2014, MWS was given other projects to complete as additional contributions for Islet G.

These comprise the construction of a pump house and sluice gate on the Angke River, the revitalization of Angke dock, the renovation of low-cost apartments in Marunda, North Jakarta, and building the embankment as planned in the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD) project.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/04/golkar-veteran-defends-apl-over-reclamation-project.html

Govt's decision to halt reclamation may frighten investors: Ahok

Jakarta Post - July 3, 2016

Callistasia Anggun Wijaya, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has claimed that the government's move to cease the development of islet G on the northern Jakarta coast by PT Muara Wisesa, a subsidiary of property firm Agung Podomoro Land, will spread fear among investors.

"All investors will be surprised to hear this decision. I don't know why the government is only targeting islet G. This may be because I was once referred to as 'Podomoro governor' by some people," Ahok said at City Hall on Friday. He referred to criticism he received for supporting the involvement of Agung Podomoro in realizing his reclamation project.

Ahok said Agung Podomoro had contributed to a low-cost apartment in Daan Mogot, West Jakarta. The developer has also fulfilled all of the project's requirements. Concerning those points, Ahok said, the government's order for the ceasing of the reclamation project was not fair.

Ahok believes the reclamation project is beneficial for the capital. If the reclamation of 14 islets is completed, he said, the administration may reap around Rp 77 trillion (US$5.88 billion) worth additional revenues for the city budget.

Ahok further said the government's decision to halt islet G development would burden the administration as he did not know what to do with a half-developed islet. "As an example, to dredge islet N, we will need around Rp 1 trillion. Would you want to provide such a huge amount of money?" Ahok said. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/03/govts-decision-to-halt-reclamation-may-frighten-investors-ahok.html

Jakarta braces itself for thousands of new arrivals after Idul Fitri

Jakarta Post - July 2, 2016

Callistasia Anggun Wijaya, Jakarta – The Jakarta administration has predicted the arrival of at least 10,000 newcomers to the capital after the Idul Fitri holidays. People tend to flock to the capital in search of opportunity, Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat said on Friday.

Jakarta has always been considered a lucrative destination for people living outside Jakarta. Approximately 70,000 new people moved to the city after Idul Fitri 2015, Djarot said.

While the Jakarta administration is open to newcomers, there is always a chance that the city will be burdened.

"Most of the newcomers are unskilled laborers, so it's the informal sector that will benefit. We must record the newcomer's data properly," Djarot said at City Hall on Friday.

The administration plans to record data of all new comers to the city in what has been referred to as a 'population operation'. The data collection is likely to begin 15 days after Idul Fitri. The city plan to use its Jakarta Smart City program to document the data properly, he added.

If it is found that the newcomers do not have jobs to enable them to live sufficiently in Jakarta, the city plan to send them back to their hometowns. (rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/02/jakarta-braces-itself-for-thousands-of-new-arrivals-after-idul-fitri.html

Developers bite the bullet in Jakarta reclamation

Jakarta Post - July 1, 2016

Agnes Anya, Jakarta – Developers of the Jakarta Bay reclamation project are repeatedly biting the bullet as an investigative team has imposed strict penalties on the tangled project, including permanently ceasing development of an islet.

"The joint team concluded that islet G has committed gross violations as it is being built above electricity wires in the sea and among ship lanes. We decided that the development of the islet has to be stopped," said Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli on Thursday, referring to an islet developed and marketed by PT Muara Wisesa Samudera, a subsidiary of PT Agung Podomoro Land.

Rizal announced the decisions after a meeting with the joint team, which consists of experts from the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, Environment and Forestry Ministry and Transportation Ministry, as well as the Jakarta administration.

In the meeting, he added, the team reported irregularities in the Jakarta Bay reclamation project, which has been halted amid a dispute regarding overlapping regulations.

The official classified the irregularities as gross, moderate and minor violations. Classified as a gross violation, the development of islet G has been deemed a danger to the environment, strategic vital projects and ship traffic, as it is being built above submarine electricity wires and between ship lanes.

Aside from islet G, which had been offered to the market while having commenced construction, the joint team has also penalized islets C, D and N. Islet C and D belong to PT Kapuk Naga Indah, a subsidiary company of Agung Sedayu, while Islet N is owned by state-owned port operator Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo).

Development of the three islets were considered a moderate violation because they had undergone construction without following their initial design plans, as agreed to in Gubernatorial Regulation No. 121/2012 on the spatial management of reclamation the northern Jakarta coast, Rizal said.

Developers of islets C and D, which have been integrated as one big islet, are required to construct a canal to separate the two islets, as stipulated in the regulation with consideration that the canal functions as flood control, ship lane and sea current path.

"Islets C and D can still be developed but they have to reconstruct the islets as they were built without following the initial reclamation plan," Rizal said, adding that to carry out the work, the developer might require hundreds of billions of rupiah.

He, however, did not elaborate on the violations in the development of islet N, which is set to be a new port.

Asked whether the decisions will be stipulated in a particular legal form, Rizal said the government would consider its options once it finished the investigation, which is expected to be completed in the next three months.

The team still has tasks to complete, including evaluating the development plans of 13 other islets that have yet to be built, Rizal added.

Meanwhile, the Jakarta administration will not enforce the decisions on the existing projects, unless the decisions are stipulated in a regulation issued by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who holds the authority to impose the penalties, said Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama.

"I see the decisions as recommendations," Ahok said, adding that Muara Wisesa may sue the government, as well as the administration, as it held permits to build islet G.

The reclamation project hit headlines after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested APL president director Ariesman Widjaja and Jakarta councillor Muhammad Sanusi in a bribery case related to the project in the Jakarta Bay in April.

Ariesman is allegedly to have bribed Sanusi, a politician from the Gerindra Party, with Rp 1 billion (US$76,000) to influence the drafting of bylaws related to the reclamation project.

The city administration plans to require developers to pay a 15 percent additional fee in the bylaws while developers have reportedly attempted to approach councillors to lower the fee.

Besides the arrest, the KPK has also banned Ahok's expert staff Sunny Tanuwidjaja and Agung Sedayu chairman Sugianto "Aguan" Kusuma from traveling overseas in relation to the bribery case.

Meanwhile, the head of the spatial planning and environment bureau of the Jakarta administration, Vera Revina Sari, admitted on Thursday that the additional fee was decided without a legal basis.

Speaking in Ariesman's hearing at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Vera said the additional fees, which had been received by the administration, had been approved by the governor.

"Most of [the fees] were used to build low-cost apartments," Vera said responding to a question from KPK prosecutor Ali Fikri.

Vera said among the reclamation developers that had paid the fee was Muara Wisesa, a subsidiary of APL, and that the fee had been used to build a low-cost apartment in Daan Mogot, West Jakarta.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/01/developers-bite-the-bullet–in-jakarta-reclamation.html

Ahok questions but complies with central govt reclamation decision

Jakarta Post - July 1, 2016

Callistasia Anggun Wijaya, Jakarta – The Jakarta administration has questioned the central government's decision to halt some of the reclamation projects off the capital's coast but will comply with the order nevertheless.

Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama said he regretted the decision made by the central government on Thursday to halt the construction of the 161-hectare islet G in the Jakarta Bay, developed by PT Muara Wisesa, a subsidiary of property giant Agung Podomoro Land.

The developer has obtained all permits, including one from state-owned electricity company PLN, and completed the environmental analysis.

"We will study the order, especially the legal aspects. We think that the administration and government have a different interpretation of the reclamation's [legal] basis, which is the presidential decree of 1995," Ahok said at City Hall on Friday. However, he promised to comply with any decision the central government made.

Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli ordered the developer of islet G to completely halt construction on Thursday following a joint research team finding that the project posed environmental risks.

It could also disrupt strategic projects and maritime traffic as the reclamation islets are being built above submarine power cables and between ship lanes.

Meanwhile the central government allowed construction of islets C and D, developed by PT Kapuk Naga Indah, a subsidiary of another property giant Agung Sedayu, to proceed. However, the man-made islets must be reconstructed to comply with the reclamation plan, with a flood control canal separating the two islets. (rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/01/ahok-questions-but-complies-with-central-govt-reclamation-decision.html

Transport & communication

Twelve people die in traffic jam in Indonesia at junction called 'Brexit'

Agence France Presse - July 8, 2016

Twelve people have died after being stuck in a three-day traffic jam in Indonesia at an intersection known as "Brexit".

The traffic stretched for more than 13 miles (21km) at the junction for Brebes, a town on the main island of Java, as millions of people headed home to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. Locals refer to the toll gate at the intersection as Brexit, short for "Brebes exit".

Indonesia's roads are choked every year at the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims, but the chaos at Brexit was particularly acute this year as tens of thousands of cars crammed on to the arterial highway, said Hemi Pramuraharjo, a transport ministry spokesman.

"In terms of this 'Brexit' case, there's been a total of 12 victims over different days," he said. The deaths occurred between 3 and 5 July.

Pramuraharjo said several victims were elderly, while others died from fatigue and other health complications. Local media reported that a one-year-old was killed by fumes.

More than 400 motorists have died on Indonesia's roads during the holiday season, including those in the Brexit jam, Pramuraharjo said. Accidents are common during this time on Java's potholed roads. The island is home to 144 million people.

Motorists posted pictures on social media showing cars stuck in miles of queues near the junction. Aerial photos captured a sea of motionless vehicles, with some drivers looking for respite from the jams away from their cars.

Pramuraharjo said roadside vendors and crowded markets near Brexit had compounded the chaos. "There is a bottleneck there, where there's a petrol station very nearby and many people queue," he said. "There's no space on the road. We don't have a solution."

The Indonesian health ministry denied earlier reports that the Brexit victims had died in one day, and urged motorists planning a long journey to rest and to take necessary precautions.

Achmad Yurianto, a spokesman for the ministry, said the heavy use of air conditioning could also lead to an increase in carbon dioxide levels in people's cars.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/08/indonesia-traffic-jam-deaths-java-brebes-brexit-junction

Police must apologize for Idul Fitri traffic deaths: Watchdog

Jakarta Globe - July 8, 2016

Jakarta – Chairman of the Indonesian Police Watch has called on the National Police to publicly apologize for casualties resulting from traffic in Central Java's East Brebes Toll exit, popularly known as Brexit.

Neta S Pane said that instead of apologizing, the National Police tends to use empty rhetoric to share the blame around rather than take responsibility.

"IPW deplores the stance of National Police traffic unit chief Insp. Gen. Agung Budi Maryoto who said causalities had occurred not just at the Brebes Toll but elsewhere as well," Net said on Friday (08/07).

Neta called on the Agung to resign after failing to properly manage the Brebes and Central Java roads. Traffic at the time was stopped for 25 hours and was described by commuters as "hellish."

"IPW hopes that President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo cares about the casualties resulting from the totally jammed Brebes route. If Jokowi cared about a vendor in Banten being evicted by the municipal police [Satpol PP], the president should care more about the deaths of holiday travelers in Brebes," Neta said, referring to a vendor who made headlines after being forcibly shut down during Ramadan.

The deaths should not be ignored and the government and National Police must evaluate the incidents, Neta said fearing similar instances in the future.

"The police should find solutions and recommendations for the government, for example whether it needs to limit the number of vehicles or apply a moratorium on automotive industries to loosen traffic jams," Neta said.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/police-must-apologize-idul-fitri-traffic-deaths-watchdog/

Police record 244 traffic fatalities during holiday exodus

Jakarta Globe - July 8, 2016

Jakarta – The National Police's traffic unit said in its most recent update on Thursday (07/07), that at least 244 people have died in traffic accidents during this year's Idul Fitri holiday exodus.

According to a statement, the fatalities were recorded during the exodus between June 18 and July 6. However, the figure is nearly 26 percent lower than last year, when 328 people died on Indonesia's roads during the holiday exodus.

A significant decrease was also recorded in the number of accidents this year, totaling 1,289, which is 21 percent lower than last year.

An estimated 1.6 million cars have left the capital since last week, as approximately 17 million people traveled to their respective hometowns to celebrate Idul Fitri.

The sheer number of cars on the road has caused massive traffic congestion at the Brebes toll gate in Central Java – now popularly known as "Brexit" – where the toll road from Jakarta currently ends.

As most offices will start normal operations on Monday net week, holiday travelers are expected to start returning to the capital between Friday and Sunday.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/police-record-244-traffic-fatalities-holiday-exodus/

Armed forces & defense

Paspampres personnel 'procured guns for personal use', TNI claims

Jakarta Post - July 8, 2016

Jakarta – In the light of a recent case uncovering alleged gun-smuggling involving US military personnel, the Indonesian Military (TNI) has claimed guns procured by members of the Presidential Security Detail (Paspamres) were for personal use only, with no intention of overstepping legal procedures.

The TNI Military Police questioned eight personnel thought to be involved in the case around a year ago, TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman said on Friday. The problem lies in the failure to fulfil certain administrative requirements for gun purchase, he added.

"[They bought the guns] on their own initiative, in order to increase their personal capabilities. They are obedient shooters and had no intention of using the guns for nefarious purposes," Tatang told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

No details have been published regarding the number or type of the guns in question.

The case went public after a US Army soldier named Audi Sumilat pleaded guilty to a US court on Wednesday to charges of participating in a scheme to buy guns in several places in the US and later sell them to Paspampres personnel. Sumilat did not own a license to export firearms and the plan started in 2014, according to reports from the Associated Press.

The 36-year-old soldier will be sentenced in October and could face a sentence of five years in prison and a fine of US$250,000. Another suspect in the case has also been charged and is scheduled to face trial on July 19. (fac/rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/08/paspampres-personnel-procured-guns-for-personal-use.html

Criminal justice & legal system

Graft convicts Nazaruddin, Gayus among thousands given idul fitri sentence cuts

Jakarta Globe - July 6, 2016

Jakarta – Graft convicts Muhammad Nazaruddin and Gayus Tambunan were among thousands of inmates who received sentence cuts during this year's Idul Fitri celebration, officials said on Wednesday (06/07).

Nazaruddin, a former Democratic Party treasurer who was jailed for seven years for siphoning off state money from the graft-ridden Hambalang Sports Complex project, received a 45-day sentence cut from Sukamiskin Prison authorities in Bandung, West Java.

Disgraced former tax official Gayus, who is serving a 30-year prison term for bribery, money-laundering and passport forgery in the same jail, received a two-month sentence reduction.

"Around 71 of the 506 inmates were granted remissions," Sukamiskin Prison head Surung Pasaribu told Vivanews on Wednesday. He added that 32 of those were graft convicts.

However, Cipinang Prison in East Jakarta did not grant any sentence reductions for graft convicts, Suara.com reported.

Among the 409 inmates at the prison who were given remissions, are two serving time for terrorism, 214 for drug convictions and 193 for general crimes, prison head Asep Sutandar said.

I Wayan K Dusak, the director general for penitentiaries at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, said more than 63,170 inmates were given sentence cuts during this year's Idul Fitri celebration.

Around 700 of those are set to be released as they have completed their time in prison, Dusak added.

North Sumatra province granted the highest number of remissions with 6,765, followed by West Java with 5,915.

As of June, Indonesia had 192,104 people in penitentiary and detention facilities, comprising 131,529 convicted inmates and 66,575 being detained during criminal investigations.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/graft-convicts-nazaruddin-gayus-among-thousands-given-idul-fitri-sentence-cuts/

Police & law enforcement

Police still struggle for professionalism

Jakarta Post - July 2, 2016

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The National Police, commemorating their 70th anniversary on Friday, still face major challenges to reform to become a more professional law enforcement institution.

With an image continually in decline, especially following the criminalization of marginalized communities, the institution is challenged to improve amid strong public sentiment against all police officers throughout the country.

"The police face a heavy task in the future," President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo told an audience during an iftar gathering and anniversary dinner at the National Police headquarters on Friday.

"But I am convinced that it will be able to accomplish this with two conditions: it maintains internal unity and reforms the institution comprehensively. And reforms start from an accountable recruitment process of police officers," added Jokowi.

Jokowi, therefore, encouraged all of the country's police officers to uphold the laws fairly, without discrimination against any societal, religious and cultural group.

The police have been in the spotlight since the beginning of this year following incidents of forced dissolutions of public gatherings, discussions, events and art performances that are unilaterally defined as disturbances to the majority public nationwide.

The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) recorded that police officers had engaged in 735 cases of violence against civilians throughout the archipelago within a year.

Police officers were involved in torture as it recorded 224 cases from July last year until early July this year. In addition to torture, the list also includes forced detention, unaccountable shootings, intimidation and forced dissolutions.

The highest number of cases of violence by the police occurred in the country's easternmost province of Papua, which saw 80 incidents, according to Kontras. It also recorded a high degree of violence in the South Sulawesi, North Sumatra and West Java provinces.

A ceremony to observe the 70-year presence of the institution in the country on Friday saw outgoing chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti officially bid farewell to all members of the National Police.

Badrodin will retire later this month. He will be succeeded by the current chief of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian, a 1987 graduate of the Police Academy.

Badrodin admitted that the police had yet to finish many things under his leadership. "I have accomplished some things [during my leadership]. I haven't accomplished some things also. This will be the job of Pak Tito to continue to settle them," Badrodin said.

He cited efforts to solve cyber crimes among the jobs that his successor needed to focus on in the future in addition to the protection of vulnerable groups.

In a separate interview, Tito told reporters that he aimed to improve the image of the police, which he would achieve by first of all increasing interaction with the public.

"We will immediately respond to issues circulating in the media especially on social media. We can no longer ignore discussions in the media. We must listen to them in order to survive," Tito said.

He, however, stopped short of saying what he would do to protect vulnerable groups, particularly religious-based communities, in order to protect religious freedom. "There are laws regulating it," he said shortly.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/02/police-still-struggle-professionalism.html

Tourism & hospitality

Free visas, promotion lead to sharp rise in tourist numbers

Jakarta Post - July 2, 2016

Jakarta – Recent expansion of a free-visa policy and aggressive promotion have proved a boon for Indonesia's tourist industry, with foreign visitor arrivals in May once more exceeding 900,000, a monthly figure traditionally not reached until the latter months of the year.

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) announced on Friday that total foreign visitors had reached 915,200 in May, topping 900,000 for a third consecutive month.

Of the total number, Australian visitors accounted for 101,857, while those from China amounted to 110,035. The figures increased on both monthly and yearly bases.

The BPS attributed the positive development to the government's recent decision to introduce free 30-day visas for citizens of dozens of countries, including Australia, in March.

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya has previously said the government expects to see the number of Australian visitors increase by around 20 percent this year as a result of the policy.

Data from the Tourism Ministry show that most tourists from the neighboring country entered Indonesia through Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali between January and May, with 411,768 visitors.

Ratna Suranti, deputy assistant to the international tourism marketing strategy division at the Tourism Ministry, said that many international events were held in May that had attracted visitors.

"They included [sports and recreation event] Bali Interhash 2016, which involved around 6,000 global participants and helped trigger the rise in foreign tourist arrivals there," she said.

"For some Australians, Bali is like a second home, one of their favorite places. And with the free-visa policy, it is easier for them to come," Ratna added.

The ministry's efforts to promote Indonesia have also born fruit, as reflected in the higher number of Chinese visitors. The ministry has embarked on several promotional tours to "secondary cities" in China – outside Beijing and Shanghai – for the past few months to attract new tourists.

At the same time, national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has also opened new routes to nine secondary cities in China, namely Chengdu, Chengzhou, Chong Qin, Harbin, Jinan, Kunming, Ningbo, Shenyang and Xian.

In total, Garuda now plies 26 routes to China, including to Beijing and Guangzhou, from Jakarta and Bali, which is, as with Australians, Chinese tourists' main point of arrival in the archipelago.

Meanwhile, data from the BPS show that the total number of foreign visitors has reached 4.12 million so far this year.

Most of them entered Indonesia through regular entry points, such as Ngurah Rai airport and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, and only a few entered the country overland.

With the May result, the government has realized almost 40 percent of its full-year foreign visitor target. It has set 12 million as the target for 2016, an increase from 10 million visitors last year.

Separately, Jajang Gunawijaya, a tourism observer from the University of Indonesia, called on the government to keep improving the quality of tourism services to ensure repeated visits in the future.

"The government should improve the service of public transportation, fix damaged roads or even upgrade the signal of BTS [base transceiver station] towers at popular tourist destinations."

Jajang also proposed that the Tourism Ministry coordinate with the Communications and Information Ministry and the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, adding that regional administration needed also to lend a hand to develop local travel agencies to welcome foreign tourists. (vps)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/02/free-visas-promotion-lead-to-sharp-rise-in-tourist-numbers.html

Economy & investment

Non-commodity sectors to drive RI growth: Study

Jakarta Post - July 8, 2016

Stefani Ribka, Jakarta – Indonesia's oil and gas and heyday may have come to an end, with non-commodity sectors taking over as the engine of growth over the next ten years, according to a recent study by Fitch Group's BMI Research.

"Growth in Indonesia will be far less commodity-centric than over the past decade, as the mining and oil and gas sectors will stagnate," BMI Research said in its latest report, entitled Ten Emerging Markets of the Future. Indonesia is included in the top-10 list, along with the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria.

BMI Research forecast that annual oil output in 2025 would be 12.2 percent lower than in 2015, while rapid growth is predicted in non-commodity sectors in line with a major government drive in infrastructure and manufacturing.

Power network infrastructure, the automotive industry and consumer services such as e-commerce and health care are cited as the sectors that may drive growth in the next ten years.

Electricity generation is predicted to increase by 40 percent between 2015 and 2020, as the government embarks on a 35,000 megawatt (MW) electricity procurement program. For the automotive industry, annual vehicle production is expected to grow 42.7 percent between 2015 and 2020.

"Indonesia will develop as an increasingly important auto manufacturing hub within the Association of South East Asian Nations trading bloc, with exports growing strongly," the report highlights, noting that 90 percent of production is sold domestically at present.

In the consumer services sphere, BMI Research expects e-commerce to enjoy one of the fastest growth rates, with 12.4 percent annual growth from 2016 to 2020.

BMI Research's study also reveals that non-commodity sectors in other emerging economies will also grow strongly. Exceptions, however, are made for Egypt, with a growing natural gas business, Myanmar with mining, Pakistan with oil and Vietnam with oil refining. (est)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/08/non-commodity-sectors-to-drive-ri-growth-study.html

Indonesia a promising country for investment: Study

Jakarta Post - July 8, 2016

Stefani Ribka, Jakarta – Indonesia is considered one of the promising emerging countries to invest in during the next 10 years by Business Monitor International (BMI) Research, which belongs to rating agency Fitch.

BMI Research has put Indonesia on its to-watch list as the market of 250 million people is still largely untouched, hence leaving room for rapid growth in several sectors that include agriculture, construction, manufacturing, power, financial services, healthcare and retail.

The country is also considered a manufacturing hub, especially for textiles and the automotive industry, as it has improved infrastructure and boasts competitive labor costs amid rising wages in China.

Indonesia would enjoy widespread growth across many sectors, as it had reached a sufficient level of development and had a large enough domestic market, BMI Research said in a statement.

The other nine emerging countries on the list are Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines and Vietnam.

"We forecast the 10 countries will transition into key emerging markets and cumulatively add US$4.3 trillion to global GDP by 2024 – roughly the equivalent of Japan's economy currently – providing significant opportunities for investors," the research note read. (est)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/08/indonesia-a-promising-country-for-investment-study.html

Government policy changes again

Jakarta Post - July 4, 2016

Grace D. Amianti, Jakarta – Doing business in Indonesia often means being prepared for policy dynamics in which drastic changes or contradictions may occur over a short period of time.

The government has several times issued and retracted rules to the dismay of businesses and consumers. Cases in point included plans to impose a 10 percent value-added tax (VAT) on toll road users and livestock and imposing a tax on gemstone purchases.

Some of the plans saw the ensuing issuance of a Finance Ministry regulation, only to be retracted or canceled in a number of days. Though lamented by many, such flip-flopping policy has continued and stirs doubts over the government's thorough policy-making decisions.

The latest case involves the postponement of a ministerial regulation that allows the Directorate General of Taxation to peep into credit card transactions.

After being implemented on May 31, the government decided last Friday to put the practice on hold until March 2017. It claims that it wants to prioritize tax amnesty implementation to improve tax revenues, thus putting credit card transactions on the back burner.

"We want to calm down bank customers, so that we can be more intensive in reviewing credit card transaction data after the tax amnesty is over," Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said last week. Bambang rejected the notion that the delay occurred because of objections from the credit card industry.

Tax office spokesman Hestu Yoga Saksama acknowledged that the credit card rule was introduced because it was initially skeptical of whether the tax amnesty bill would be passed into law.

Yoga did not provide details on the fate of the policy after March. Meanwhile, credit card issuers said they were relieved upon learning about the postponement.

"This is what we want. We told the regulator that we would obey the rule, but we needed solutions because of the negative impacts that followed," Indonesian Credit Card Association (AKKI) general manager Steve Marta said on Friday.

He said when news of the policy broke several months ago, some customers became concerned about the privacy of their data, prompting them to close their accounts, while several others cut back on spending.

Bank Indonesia (BI) data shows the total volume of credit card transactions fell to 23.68 million in April from 25.84 million in March, while transaction value dropped to Rp 22.15 trillion in April from Rp 24.77 trillion in March.

"We usually see low transactions in April, but the decline was especially significant last April compared to previous years," Steve said.

The association, with membership comprising 22 banks and one financial services firm, acknowledged that the figures had recovered in May, but said it needed time to assess the sustainability and whether it was a one-off rise in preparation for the Idul Fitri holiday.

Banking executives said they would wait for a formal postponement notification from the tax office before officially revising their business outlook, but agreed that the postponement was a blessing in disguise.

Bank Mega credit card and personal loan director Dodit Wiweko Probojakti said the lender welcomed the postponement, as it boosted its confidence to increase transactions in the second half.

Bank Mandiri's consumer loans group senior vice president, Harry Gale, said it was conducting further calculations on the business, but said that the postponement would probably not generate significant growth in the near future.

In addition to postponing the rule, the tax office also announced it was assessing another policy that would allow certain components in credit card transactions to be used as deductions in their income tax (PPh) calculations.

It argued that the policy would help support "less cash" transactions, making it a habit among consumers to avoid paying with cash.

To the AKKI, however, it remains to be seen how the tax incentive will play out in reality. "There is the same incentive offered abroad to spur higher electronic transactions, but we don't know yet in detail what the government seeks to offer us," Steve said.

[Prima Wirayani contributed to this story.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/04/govt-policy-changes-again.html

Finance & taxation

Government too optimistic on tax amnesty: Kadin chairman

Jakarta Post - July 8, 2016

Jakarta – The government is being too optimistic in setting a state revenue target of Rp 165 trillion (US$12.53 billion) for the tax amnesty program, says Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) chairman Rosan P. Roeslani.

"I guess the government has been too aggressive by targeting that high figure," Rosan said Thursday evening on the sidelines of an open house event at his residence in South Jakarta.

Rosan said state revenues from the tax amnesty would likely amount to Rp 30 trillion in the first phase of the program's implementation in September. The tax amnesty program runs until the end of March 2017 and will give a tax pardon in exchange for low penalty charges of 2 to 10 percent of the declared or repatriated assets, a policy that is expected to bring more liquid assets into the country.

"The government has stated that it has all the data [on all tax evaders]. However, I guess no one is quite sure about the exact numbers. We could not even rely on the Panama Papers, in which we found more debts than assets," he went on.

Indonesia's tax office has identified 272 taxpayers from 1,038 taxpayers listed in the Panama Papers who own a local tax identification number (NPWP). Of these, 235 taxpayers reported their annual tax assessment, while the 137 others have received tax collection letters. (vps)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/08/govt-too-optimistic-on-tax-amnesty-kadin-chairman.html

Credit card data collection plan on hold amid tax amnesty

Jakarta Post - July 2, 2016

Ayomi Amindoni, Jakarta – The Taxation Directorate General has decided to postpone a plan to collect credit card transaction data until the scheduled end of a planned tax amnesty in March next year.

Tax office spokesman Hestu Yoga Saksama explained that the policy, which was initially aimed at improving the tax database, had been postponed due to mixed perceptions regarding the issue.

"With the implementation of the tax amnesty, we are giving taxpayers the opportunity to participate in the program. Once it is done, we will bring the plan back," he said in Jakarta on Friday.

As stated in a finance minister regulation, credit card data was to be collected monthly starting May 31. "It has been postponed until the expiration of the tax amnesty program," Yoga added.

To support the non-cash transactions program, especially through credit cards, the tax office is currently formulating a policy to provide tax incentives by allowing credit card users to have certain bill payments deducted from their income tax. "The point is that we want to support a cashless society," he added. (ags)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/01/credit-card-data-collection-plan-on-hold-amid-tax-amnesty.html

Jokowi kicks off tax amnesty program

Jakarta Post - July 1, 2016

Ayomi Amindoni, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has officially inaugurated the Tax Amnesty Law on Friday, marking the beginning of the most-anticipated program to repatriate funds from overseas into the real sector and financial market.

In his opening remarks, Jokowi called the amnesty program as a breakthrough to solving the country's tax-revenue problems, which had continuously experienced shortfalls in recent years. He called for tax evaders to take part in the program to attain relief for past discretions.

"This opportunity will never come again as tax amnesty will not be repeated again. Anyone who wants to participate in the program, please do. Those who don't feel like needing to, be careful," Jokowi said at the Directorate General of Taxation office on Friday in Jakarta.

The Finance Ministry is currently finalizing the ministerial regulations that will guide the tax amnesty's implementation, including appointment of designated banks authorized to accept repatriated funds and the procedure as well as requirements for reinvestment.

The program will start accepting applications after the Idul Fitri holiday providing a low redemption rate and amnesty for tax evaders. A repatriated asset will enjoy a redemption rate ranging from 2 to 5 percent of the assets, while a declared asset is to have a 4 to 10 percent rate.

The government aims to see Rp 4 quadrillion (US$303 billion) of declared assets and Rp 1 quadrillion repatriated assets from overseas and to pocket Rp 165 trillion in tax revenue from penalties. (ags)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/01/jokowi-kicks-off-tax-amnesty-program.html

Analysis & opinion

Can Indonesia afford a fish war with China?

Foreign Policy - July 8, 2016

Keith Johnson – In recent years, Indonesia has tried to stay above the fray as other countries feuded with Beijing over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Now, though, Southeast Asia's largest country is becoming increasingly assertive in pushing back against Beijing's far-reaching claims, impounding Chinese fishing ships, deploying naval vessels to patrol its waters, and dispatching fighter jets to far-flung islands.

Indonesia's newfound stance could alter the regional balance of power before next week's ruling from an international tribunal at The Hague, one that is widely expected to slam China's pretense to ownership of nearly the entire South China Sea.

Jakarta's biggest beef with China isn't about isolated reefs and rocks, the front-line flashpoints that have soured relations between China and its neighbors Vietnam, the Philippines, and Japan. In fact, Indonesia still maintains that it has no territorial dispute with China, unlike most of the other states in the region.

Rather, far-ranging Chinese fishermen, subsidized by the Chinese government and protected by Chinese Coast Guard ships, are increasingly poaching in Indonesian waters. That's bad news for a country that depends heavily on its fish and seafood exports, and a big reason why Indonesia has taken to blowing up vessels it catches fishing illegally, whether Chinese or not. The foreign fishing crews are usually repatriated, while Jakarta makes a point of publicizing the destruction of the boats to signal to China and others that it will not tolerate any encroachment on its fishing grounds.

The Indonesian government, led for a change by a businessman rather than a general, is still trying to find a balance between bolstering economic ties with China and protecting what it sees as its national interest. The president, Joko Widodo, desperately wants to secure Chinese investment to build up the Indonesian economy, especially big-ticket infrastructure projects like China's first overseas high-speed rail line. But Joko has also launched new maritime and defense strategies that make clear Jakarta's wish to stake out a bigger security role that reflects its economic heft and large population.

In recent months, Indonesia has taken a host of steps that suggest a much tougher line against Beijing. In late May, it publicly released its first defense white paper in nearly a decade, outlining plans for the archipelagic nation to become a "global maritime power," especially in light of the tensions in the South China Sea. It also calls for stepped-up air and naval facilities on the Natuna Islands, where Jakarta already dispatched several F-16 fighters this spring.

Jakarta has also started sending out Navy vessels to push back against muscled-up Chinese Coast Guard vessels that accompany the fishing fleet. To drive home the message, Joko held a cabinet meeting in late June on one of the warships that recently tussled with Chinese fishermen.

"Joko is torn, but the trajectory is one of gradually becoming tougher," said Evan Medeiros, a former Asia hand in the Obama administration and now managing director at the Eurasia Group. "The fact that he went out to the Natunas and conducted a cabinet meeting at the naval base, that is very significant symbolism for a country like Indonesia."

Since winning the presidency in 2014, Joko has stressed his goal of transforming Indonesia into a maritime powerhouse. That includes both greater economic development and an increased maritime presence, from the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. He just announced plans for more oil and gas drilling and fishing near the Natunas.

"We believe that our future is in the sea," Joko said after the Natuna cabinet meeting in June.

For its part, China has bristled at Indonesia's newfound willingness to police its own waters. For the first time, China acknowledged that the two countries have overlapping claims in the waters around the Natuna Islands, an archipelago at the southern edge of the South China Sea, about halfway between Singapore and Brunei.

The frictions between China and Indonesia have largely centered on fish. China believes that it has "historic rights" to all the waters in the South China Sea, whether for fishing or oil and gas drilling, though there is no such concept in international law. Indonesia argues that waters inside its 200-mile exclusive economic zone, as laid out explicitly in the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, are its exclusive economic preserve, especially when it comes to fishing.

But dwindling fish stocks in other parts of the Pacific are driving Chinese fishermen with plenty of government encouragement and financial assistance deeper into foreign waters. China and Indonesia are the first- and second-largest fish-catching countries in the world.

The fishing tussle is turning into an outright fight. China uses its fishing fleet as an informal militia. It escorts private fishing vessels with oversized Coast Guard ships, usually former naval vessels, and conducts military training for its fishermen. To keep up, Indonesia has had to deploy naval vessels of its own and for now they're keeping Chinese ships at bay.

"There has been an escalation on the Indonesian side in terms of the kinds of ships that are being sent," said Don Emmerson, director of the Southeast Asia program at Stanford University. What was once a purely economic tiff now has more serious overtones, he said.

"Now that the Navy is involved in repelling Chinese fishermen, it is clearly about security, and that's another indication of a marginal shift" in Indonesian thinking, Emmerson said.

To be sure, there are plenty of divisions inside the Indonesian government. Some officials, including Maritime and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti, are more hawkish about taking on China. Others, including Joko himself, have prioritized bolstering economic growth which requires a more cooperative approach with China. Indeed, despite this year's defense white paper, Indonesian military spending is set to fall this year, as the budget emphasis shifts to big infrastructure projects.

"There are signs that Indonesia is becoming more concerned" about China and what it is doing in the South China Sea, Emmerson said, but he cautioned against "wishful thinking" in Washington about the depth of the Indonesian evolution.

Still, Indonesia's shift is important given the heft it has in the region and the standoff role it has traditionally played. As a result of heavy-handed Chinese actions from land grabs to the creation of artificial islands to the dispatch of oil rigs to foreign waters countries like Vietnam and the Philippines have started to push back against Beijing. In January, the Philippines approved the return of U.S. naval forces after a quarter-century absence. The United States just lifted an embargo on lethal arms sales to Vietnam, and the former enemies are cooperating more on defense. Now, Indonesia seems poised to align itself closer to those countries that have adopted a firmer line with China while seeking stronger security ties to the United States.

Given its history and the size of its population and economy, Indonesia is the "de facto" leader of the organization meant to speak for regional governments, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Medeiros said. While Joko in his two years in office has been reluctant to seize an international leadership role, Medeiros said, "when Indonesia speaks or acts, the rest of the region listens."

China has leaned heavily on ASEAN members to tone down public criticism of its island-building and coercive moves in the South China Sea, and that has not gone down well with Indonesia's government.

"I think China's attempts to break ASEAN have really touched a nerve in Jakarta – They feel a certain sort of ownership over ASEAN as an institution," a congressional staffer told Foreign Policy.

With its tough tactics, Beijing has irritated a government that had been preoccupied with domestic affairs, and would have been content to avoid public clashes with China over territorial disputes. Beijing has "antagonized Indonesia much more than necessary," the staffer said.

Most importantly, just before the Hague tribunal ruling that will likely put Beijing on the spot, and perhaps even tempt Chinese leaders to lash out at what they see as a politically motivated witch hunt to check Beijing's power, Indonesia's changing tune could have important echoes in Beijing.

"The more that countries in the region demonstrate that they have the capability and the political willingness to push back," Medeiros said, "that affects China's strategic calculation."

[FP's Dan De Luce contributed to this article.]

Source: http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/07/08/can-indonesia-afford-a-fish-war-with-china/

Not right in Ramadan

New Mandala - July 8, 2016

Duncan Graham – Indonesia's insistence on the death penalty will haunt its people and the nation for decades to come.

In late 1965 Beny was a young policeman serving in Nusa Tenggara Timor, Indonesia's far eastern province that's closer to Darwin than Jakarta.

It was a turbulent time for the Republic, then only two decades old. A moral tsunami was sweeping the nation, the waves generated in the distant capital where a military coup had dethroned first president Sukarno.

His successor General Suharto said the army acted because the godless communists were about to seize control. He ordered a purge. An estimated 500,000 died.

Citizens were condemned as reds though membership of the Communist Party had been legal. They were imprisoned, brutally treated, then forced to the beach or jungle and shot.

Beny was among the official executioners. He squinted down the sights of his rifle, aimed at the bowed heads of neighbours he'd known and pulled the trigger.

The defenceless targets were so close he could hardly miss. Then he saw what he'd done – the shattered skulls, the splashed brains and the gore. Over several months he killed 17 men.

When the insanity eventually passed a sort of nervous normality returned. Memories of the terror were buried along with the victims, but could not be stilled.

A teenage daughter discovered her parent's awful secret. To help lay the ghosts she later wrote his story published as a chapter in Memecah Pembisuan or Breaking the Silence (Monash University Publishing).

Speaking of her research she said: "He told me that he was very much affected by the killing. He felt as if he were going mad. Two years after the killings, my parents got married.

"The first year of their marriage was very hard for my mum. My father beat her a lot. Only after they performed some traditional rituals, visited a local shaman, and prayed every midnight for several months in the church, did my father become calm.

"For the first four years of their marriage they did not have any children. My mother had some miscarriages. So they prayed and asked forgiveness from God and promised God that if they had children, they would dedicate their first one to God."

That child is now the Rev Dr Mery Kolimon, a leading advocate for reconciliation as co-editor of Forbidden Memories – Women's Experiences of 1965 in Eastern Indonesia (also from Monash University Publishing).

Her father had someone to shrive his soul and died quickly of a heart attack. Other executioners burdened by their terrible deeds went insane or committed suicide. Their distressed families seldom understood why their loved ones were going crazy and causing so much strife.

Joshua Oppenheimer's films about the 1965 massacres, The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence reveal the unstoppable mental torments suffered by the executioners despite outward bravado.

Along with its agents, the state is also a victim. Last year the Indonesian government savaged its reputation as a modern civilised nation by killing eight drug traffickers including two Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

Australia, Brazil and the Netherlands withdrew their ambassadors. There were protests around the world. Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo claimed the shootings were "more orderly and more perfect" than earlier executions. Now more are planned.

Prasetyo said he delayed the next round in respect for Ramadhan which ended on 7 July. Sometime soon five local and five foreign convicts, mostly drug traffickers will be tied to posts at Nusa Kambangan prison and gunned down at midnight.

Prasetyo reportedly told journalists: "Conducting executions during the holy month will not sound right."

Nor does the sound of gunshots in jail whatever the month and wherever in the world. Judicial killings have long ceased to be right along with crucifixions, burning witches and dismemberments. All nations have a history of enacting ghastly punishments. Most have matured, repented and reformed.

Along with 31 US States, Indonesia has yet to find the moral courage to join the majority.

Supporters of the grizzly procedure say it's a deterrent but show no figures. If true, drug trafficking would have ceased long ago. What is known is that Indonesia's legal system is so rotten there's no certainty the convicted are guilty as charged.

Brazilian Rodrigo Gularte, 42, had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Priest Charlie Burrows said the condemned man could not understand that he was to die in the last batch.

Filipina Mary Jane Veloso got a last-hour stay when new evidence showed she may have been an unknowing drug mule.

Polls show locals approve of capital punishment. Indonesia often demonstrates its inferiority complex through demands to be treated as a great nation. The public thinks executions prove its position with a tough guy president giving the finger to the international community.

Those scheduled for the next mass execution are men from countries like China and Nigeria which also retain the death penalty. There are no Westerners or pretty women listed this time, which probably means protests will be muted, diluting the abolitionists' campaign.

Indonesia is also hypocritical. Around 280 citizens are on death rows overseas, principally Saudi Arabia where maids allegedly despatching their brutal bosses seem to be a regular tragedy. Spurred by an outraged media the Indonesian government pleads for clemency, not always successfully.

Among those involved in the coming gruesome ritual are 150 marksmen undergoing training, though no skill is needed to shoot a sitting target. Authorities say some rifles will be loaded with blanks so no-one can be sure they were responsible.

This is nonsense. Army trainees who have used live rounds and blanks are well aware the kick is different. The guilty will know.

Like Dr Kolimon's dad they'll spend the rest of their days reliving the unholy nightmares, tormenting themselves and families. Attorney General Prasetyo should rest well for ensuring no wrong sounds upset the peace of Ramadan.

[Australian journalist and author Duncan Graham lives in East Java and writes for the Indonesian media.]

Source: http://www.newmandala.org/not-right-ramadan/

Anti-communist backlash in Indonesia reflects political elite anxiety

Red Flag - July 7, 2016

James Balowski – A recent spate of arrests of people for wearing T-shirts with symbols of the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), seizures of books about the 1965 anti-communist purge and a propaganda campaign to whip up fears of a PKI revival in Indonesia reflect just how anxious elements of the political elite are about growing pressure to resolve one of the most horrendous crimes of the 20th century.

The arrests and raids on bookstores followed a government-sponsored national symposium in Jakarta on 15 April with the stated aim of seeking recommendations on how to resolve the mass killings of 1965-66.

Using the pretext of an alleged PKI coup attempt in September 1965, sections of the military, led by general Suharto, launched one of the most ferocious mass slaughters in modern history. Within four months, as many as 1 million communists and left wing sympathisers were killed, and hundreds of thousands of others interned without trial. Officially portrayed as a response to a failed "communist coup", the killings have been justified by successive governments doggedly clinging to the myth that they were necessary to save the country from communism.

Although some high profile rights groups boycotted the 15 April symposium, fearing it would become a fig leaf for the government, it ended up providing an unlikely forum for Indonesians to hear an alternate account from survivors and the family members of the victims, who described their horrifying experiences and the decades of injustice and discrimination they endured.

Government officials were clearly uncomfortable with the public airing of these heart-wrenching testimonies. Security affairs minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, a key backer of the symposium, claimed that only 1,000 people were killed and reiterated that the government would not issue an apology or make restitution for the victims.

Even before the symposium ended, a grouping of retired army officers announced they would stage a counter-event to the "one-sided" symposium.

Backlash

Despite its limited mandate, the symposium still sparked a backlash from sections of the Indonesian military (TNI) and police.

Speaking to hundreds of retired generals and right wing groups in Jakarta on 13 May, former army general and now defence minister Ryamizard Ryacudu launched into a tirade about the need to counter the "treasonous" rise of communism. Ryamizard insisted that the TNI had the right to crack down on "swelling leftist symbolism", even though by law only the police can conduct raids and make arrests. "The police cannot deal with this matter alone, without help from the military", he said.

The military and police have been using the 1999 State Security Law to justify the arrests and seizures. It is based on a 1996 decree on the dissolution of the PKI and prohibitions of Marxist, Leninist and communist teachings.

A week earlier in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta, a screening of the documentary "Buru Island My Homeland" about 1965 political prisoners was closed down by police after protests by the Community Forum for Children of the Armed Forces (FKPPI) and the Indonesia Anti-Communist Front (FAKI). Ironically, the event was part of International Press Freedom Day.

On 8 May, a concert in East Java was closed down and band members arrested for playing a reggae rendition of the Javanese folk song "Genjer-Genjer", which is associated with the PKI-affiliated women's organisation Gerwani. On 9 May, police arrested two men in South Jakarta for selling T-shirts of the German death metal band Kreator, which happened to include a hammer-and-sickle symbol. The next day, four activists in Ternate, North Maluku, were taken into custody over T-shirts featuring the motif and the letters PKI, which turned out to stand for Indonesian Coffee Lovers. Two men were also detained in separate arrests in the Riau Islands and Jambi, Central Java.

On 14 May, CNN Indonesia reported that the country's largest book retailer, Gramedia, had withdrawn books related to 1965 from several of its stores in Jakarta after a "surprise inspection" by police. Book stores and publishing companies were also raided in Yogyakarta, and the Jakarta Post reported that seizures took place in Sukoharjo, Solo, Tegal and Grobogan in Central Java and Surabaya in East Java.

Expanding civil role

The arrest of civilians by military personnel has raised fears that the TNI is seeking a greater role in civilian affairs. Reforms implemented since 1998 resulted in the TNI losing its "dual" social and political function. In 2002, it was separated from the police, becoming responsible for external defence only.

It has, however, maintained its territorial command structure, allowing it to act as a security force at all levels of society. These commands are important to maintain its illegal business interests, many of which have been infringed upon by the police since their separation, resulting in deadly clashes between the two forces.

Under current president Joko Widodo, the TNI has expanded its civilian functions. This has included security for seaports, airports, railways and bus stations, providing guards for prisons, assisting with the "war on drugs" and helping to stabilise food prices and "facilitate" land acquisitions. The TNI has also been involved in operations against alleged ISIS terrorists in Poso, Central Sulawesi.

Along with the TNI commander, general Gatot Nurmantyo, Ryamizard has been championing the State Defence program, which aims to train 100 million civilians to confront "non-traditional" threats. They argue that this is necessary to counter "proxy wars" undermining the state ideology of Pancasila, which they claim are orchestrated by NGOs, the media, social interest groups, gays and undefined foreign interests, who want to take control of the country's resources.

Military observers say that this also reflects an attempt by the army to maintain its relevance in the face of Widodo's much-touted Maritime Axis, which emphasises protecting Indonesia's territorial waters and is part of the US president Obama's "pivot to Asia". The army top brass are also concerned that a greater portion of the budget going to the navy and air force will deprive it of lucrative kickbacks on arms procurements.

Social media

If social media are any guide, the attempts to whip up an anti-communist frenzy failed miserably. A Facebook posting on 9 May read: "Anyone who possesses a hammer and a sickle at home should destroy them lest they be accused of being a PKI member". Another read: "There are lots of hammer-and-sickle pictures on Google. The police should also seize Google!"

The authorities were clearly not amused. Police spokesperson Boy Rafli Amar warned people not to forward communist propaganda, reminding them they could face a 12-year sentence for the crime.

All this appears to have created unease within Widodo's administration. Cabinet secretary Pramono Anung said on 13 May that the TNI and police had overreacted to an earlier order by Widodo to uphold the law against the spread of communist teachings, and police chief Badrodin Haiti called for an end to book raids.

Not new

This kind of harassment is nothing new. The Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy recorded that in 2014, at least 27 events related to 1965 were subject to restrictions and bans, including 17 film screenings and discussions, four forced dispersals of meetings of victims, three cases of intimidation, three cases of deportation and forceful arrest and one magazine recall.

In August 2015, a meeting of survivors and victims' families in Salatiga, Central Java, was cancelled after threats by the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI). In October, the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival had to cancel some events on 1965 due to pressure from local police.

In March, a performance in Bandung, West Java, about socialist and national hero Tan Malaka was postponed after FPI threats. The event later went ahead under heavy police security after Bandung mayor Ridwan Kamil publicly supported the event.

On 2 April, police closed down the 10th annual Lady Fest in Yogyakarta after an attack by the Islamic Community Forum (FUI). On 14 April, police disbanded a meeting of 1965 victims in Bogor, West Java, after the Pancasila Youth (PP) and the FPI threatened to attack the event. Ironically, the meeting was part of preparations for the government symposium in April.

But despite the regularity of such incidents, there has been no systematic repression, and no-one has been charged or jailed. Unlike protests against land seizures and labour rallies, in which protesters are attacked and assaulted by police and company thugs, violence is the exception. Many proceed without incident or go ahead after open resistance by students and activists.

Forcing open debate

Over the last few years, Indonesian and overseas activists have been forcing a debate about 1965. This poses a threat to those who would prefer that the details of the victims and their killers remain buried.

This pressure was behind the government's move to hold the April symposium. It hoped to defuse growing demands to issue an official apology and provide compensation and rehabilitation to survivors and victims' families.

This is also an ideological struggle. Not just because the alleged PKI coup justified the military's seizure of power, but because it legitimises the legal prohibitions on spreading communist ideas. While these laws remain in force, those advocating socialist solutions to Indonesia's social and economic problems risk arrest and jail.

Film screenings of Joshua Oppenheimer's award-winning documentaries Jagal (The Act of Killing) and Senyap (The Look of Silence) have stimulated a national discussion about the killings and the consequences of impunity, and exposed ordinary Indonesians to an alternative narrative about 1965.

Jagal explores the anti-communist purge by having the perpetrators re-enact their crimes, while Senyap examines the massacre through the eyes of its victims. Although the Film Censorship Institute banned public screenings of Senyap in December 2014, the government's National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) endorsed film showings around the country to promote reconciliation.

The first public screening in Jakarta, in November 2014, a joint effort by Komnas HAM and the Jakarta Arts Council, attracted more than 2,000 people. Indonesia Watching Senyap has distributed 1,700 DVD copies for screening in 118 cities and regencies, estimated to reach 70,000 viewers. Both films are available for viewing and downloading free from the internet.

Although some screenings have been shut down, others have become a rallying point for different groups to unite to defend free speech and academic independence.

On 11 March last year, some 100 thugs from the FUI and FAKI attempted to storm a Senyap screening at the State Islamic University (UIN) in Yogyakarta. Earlier in the year, they closed down several other screenings in the city.

Event organisers, along with a coalition of student and activist groups, vowed to resist the mob. Students blocked campus gates to prevent a breach. The screening went ahead.

In a statement on 13 March, Oppenheimer expressed his respect for the students: "They are truly heroes in the struggle to uphold, not just academic independence on campus, but also human rights, and reaffirming the spirit of democracy in Indonesia as well as banishing violence".

A 27 May screening of Buru Island as part of the 10th Purbalingga Film Festival went ahead despite opposition from right wing groups. Organisers of the 2016 ASEAN Literary Festival in Jakarta also defied threats by Islamic groups demanding police shut down the event for promoting communist and LGBT ideologies.

In May, the FPI tried to disband a "School of Marx" event in Bandung. Organisers refused to bow to pressure and went ahead with the event after building a cross-campus campaign among Bandung students.

International campaign

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the massacres, in November Indonesian and international activists organised an International People's Tribunal (IPT) on 1965 in The Hague.

The tribunal, which examined thousands of documents and heard testimonies from victims and survivors, concluded that the state was responsible for the massacres. Although not legally binding, the findings will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council as a moral verdict.

Government officials, who tried to brush the tribunal off as irrelevant, were clearly unhappy about the publicity it was generating. The Indonesian embassy in The Hague threatened to revoke students' scholarships if they attended. Although the IPT website was briefly blocked, millions of Indonesians were able to watch live streaming coverage of the hearings.

Events supporting the IPT were also held in Indonesia. Although some were cancelled after threats from hard line groups, a discussion and film showing on 18 February at the UIN went ahead without incident, attended by around 200 people. The venue was guarded by student security teams – some armed with sharpened bamboo sticks – to prevent any disruptions.

No mass support

The anti-communist propaganda campaign is being driven by a handful of senior officials, retired army officers and right wing groups. They have little or no mass support, and there have been no independently organised demonstrations or community-based campaigns supporting them.

Likewise, the harassment of events has been carried out by a small number of groups such as the FPI, FUI, FAKI, PP and the FKPPI, or ad hoc alliances of these groups, all of which have links with the TNI, police or the New Order. They have also been behind the occasional but small anti-communist rallies.

Thanks to the proliferation of smart phones, around 60 percent of the population has internet access to alternative information about 1965. Some websites are blocked, but the writings of Marx, Engels and Lenin are freely available.

Claims of an imminent PKI resurgence have also been undermined by the same "communism is dead" propaganda that is peddled in the West. Even though many Indonesians still hold negative and confused views about communism, no-one believes that the PKI is about to be revived.

Rights groups also say that the TNI is trying to whip up anti-communist fears as its role in the killings comes under scrutiny and that there is genuine anxiety that those responsible could be indicted. They also argue that it is being used to justifying broad limits on civil freedoms and to stifle public criticism of the government.

Anti-PKI symposium

As promised, on 1 June anti-communist groups went ahead with a counter-symposium in Jakarta titled "Protecting Pancasila from the threat of the PKI and other ideologies".

Organisers claimed it was supported by dozens of mass organisations, including the youth wing of the Islamic mass organisation Nahdlatul Ulama and the Catholic Students Union (PMKRI). Both later protested the use of their logos, the PMKRI saying the real threat to the country comes from right wing and extremist religious groups, not the PKI.

Former green beret commander Kivlan Zen, who claimed that the PKI has 15 million supporters and is ready to declare itself, also said that the PKI had started renovating new headquarters in Jakarta. When journalists went to the address, all they found was a dilapidated building overgrown with weeds.

If people weren't already sceptical about such claims, the right wing wasn't helped when symposium coordinator general Kiki Syahnakri tried to explain the difference between communism, Marxism and Leninism during a press conference.

Syahnakri, a former army general indicted for crimes against humanity by the UN in 2003, explained that a Marxist must be an atheist because dialectical materialism was inspired by the ideas of philosophers Aristotle and Plato.

"Marxism is Aristotelian. So a Marxist doesn't believe that the universe was created. That is to say, they believe the universe is present in itself", Syahnakri said. "So it's clear they're atheists as they don't believe in God."

Syahnakri's explanation quickly went viral on social media after journalist Febriana Firdaus – who was expelled from the event by irate members of the FPI – posted it on her Facebook wall.

The day after the symposium, several thousand protesters from the FPI, FUI and FKPPI, along with retired army generals, rallied in central Jakarta warning of the communist threat.

"Since the beginning of the reform era [in 1998], the PKI has been trying to keep its existence by holding three congresses, managing to reverse the historical facts, spreading videos and films consisting of agitation and defamation, and blaming its own faults on others such as the New Order government, the TNI and Muslims", said Indra Bambang Utoyo from the FKPPI.

While the government-sponsored symposium did offer a public platform for Indonesians to hear an alternate account from survivors and victims, it was already clear that, without a concerted campaign, there will be no genuine and just resolution to the massacres.

Speaking on 30 May, days before the anti-PKI symposium had even begun, Pandjaitan said that he welcomed the counter-symposium, and its recommendations would be used as input for the government to make a decision on settling past human rights abuses.

Source: https://redflag.org.au/node/5382

Indonesia – An activist's account of his dedication to peaceful protest

Amnesty International - July 1, 2016

[Amnesty supporters worldwide wrote thousands of letters on behalf of Filep Karma who was released from prison in November 2015. Today, he shares why he won't stop fighting for freedom of expression in Indonesia.]

Files Karma, Indonesia – I was born in Jayapura, Papua, the easternmost region of Indonesia. Since my childhood, I witnessed numerous human rights violations.

Under former President Suharto (1966-1998), people who spoke out for the rights of Papuans were immediately accused of separatism by the military government. Anyone who wanted to fight against this injustice had to go [into hiding].

When Papuans demand independence it's because many of them know that the 1969 independence referendum was unfair. During that time Papuan people were intimidated and coerced by the Indonesian military forces. People were killed or they disappeared. Papuans lived in terror and didn't have the courage to speak out. I could not accept this.

When I was a civil servant in the 1990s I was invited to study for a year in the Philippines. I learned about Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King – how you could struggle against injustice using peaceful methods. I then decided that Papuans should do the same, and speak up for their rights peacefully.

Imprisoned for the first time

When Suharto resigned in May 1998, I thought this was the moment to initiate a peaceful Papuan independence campaign. I organized a gathering in Biak city and I led the raising of the Morning Star Flag [a symbol of Papuan independence which is banned in Indonesia]. For this, I was convicted of "treason" and sentenced to six and a half years in prison [the sentence was overturned on appeal after 10 months].

While in detention I received death threats. One day, I got a dog's head. In the package there was also a letter saying: "I know your family, I know your activities; I know everything, so stay out of it!"

I was scared. But then I thought, if I want to speak out for other people's rights I have to liberate myself first. We have to free ourselves from fear before we can speak out for others. So I was honest with my family and my kids. I just said, if anything happens to me, don't be shocked, don't give up hope and just live your life as normal.

Released from a second jail-term

In May 2015, the Indonesian government released five Papuan political prisoners after they were pardoned by the president. They also offered this to me, but I rejected it. I did not want to accept clemency. I could only accept "abolition" where they annulled my criminal conviction and rehabilitated my reputation.

On 18 November, a prison official informed me that I would be released in the next hour. I initially refused. I said: "Why do you want to kick me out today? At least I should be given a period of adaptation before being released". The next day they released me. I was in shock.

The fight continues

I'm still going to fight for human rights in Papua, and against all the problems Papuans still face. Day by day, there are more Papuans who dare to speak out about their rights.

In January I visited political activists from Maluku imprisoned in Nusakambangan Island, Central Java. I met with [prisoner of conscience] Johan Teterissa for about an hour but unfortunately our conversation was monitored closely by several prison officials.

They were imprisoned only because they organized a peaceful protest by dancing and waving a flag in front of the President [on 29 June 2007]. They were sentenced to 18 years, 20 years and life imprisonment. For me, it's very odd because they didn't pose any threat to the president and it was part of their political expression.

They are being imprisoned in Java which is really far from Maluku. A prisoner should not be imprisoned far from his or her family. These things moved me and I can probably help campaign for them. A few months ago I met with the Minister of Law and Human Rights and he promised to move the Moloccan prisoners back to Ambon, the capital city. He did not say when he would; but he did say it would be "easy".

The power of letter-writing

While I was in prison, I received lots of letters – from elementary, high school and university students, as well as university lecturers from many countries in the world. I give huge thanks to friends from Amnesty International from all around the world who campaigned for me.

I also ask Amnesty to continue to support my friends who are still in prison. Those letters had an enormous impact on me. I think the letters gave me spirit, reassurance and hope. They made me feel like I wasn't alone.

My message to anyone reading this is: give whatever support and energy you can for friends who are being detained for peacefully expressing their aspirations wherever they are. Amnesty needs to tell the stories of these peaceful defenders of humanity, who are treated unjustly and inhumanly, so that people from all around the world know their story.

Source: http://www.amnesty.org.au/iar/comments/42069/

New chief must boost public trust in the National Police

Jakarta Post - July 1, 2016

Cerdikwan, Jakarta – On June 15 President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo submitted the name of Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian as the sole candidate for National Police chief to the House of Representatives.

This submission also ended speculation as to whether the tenure of police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti would be extended. Tito passed the House confirmation hearing and is due to be installed today on National Police Day (Hari Bhayangkara).

This is the right time for the youngest three-star general to better implement police reform. Since 1999, the impact of police reform attempts has been minimal.

The US researcher Allene Masters in her study released last year argues that there has been disconnection "between the orders for the National Police's reform and their actual implementation".

She added, "No concrete steps have been realized to improve police accountability or make the police more representative of the population, nor have target dates been set or measure of progress been instituted."

Public distrust of the police reflects the ineffectiveness of police reform. The most outstanding unresolved problem is corruption within the force and low clear-up rate of public complaints and handling of crimes, followed by terror attacks and violence at the community level.

The global NGO Transparency International published its 2013 Global Corruption Barometer in Indonesia, which reported people's direct experiences with bribery in Indonesia's main institutions.

The National Police was perceived as the most corrupt institution in Indonesia above the legislature, judiciary, political parties and civil servants, with a score of 4.5 out of 5. According to this report, 65 percent of respondents paid bribes to the police.

In the last five years the average clear-up rate of public complaints and handling of crimes was barely 56 percent. Last December the police chief reported that police solved only 178,495 cases out of the total of 316,445 crimes.

The level of public security and trust has decreased with the increase in the number of terror attacks in the last five years. There were 61 attacks in the last six years, with 19 attacks in the last two years.

The latest was the bomb and gun attack on Jan. 14 in the Thamrin business district in Central Jakarta. Six people died including four terrorists.

From 2010 until 2014, there were 473 violent conflicts at the community level. The latter included those listed as ethnic conflicts, land disputes and religious clashes. These incidents happened in Maluku, Aceh, West Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, North Maluku and Papua.

The problem of public mistrust demands the National Police immediately improve police reform and provide the public with a new image that police should achieve.

It can be started by developing some flagship programs such as developing "e-policing", reinforcing integrated criminal justice, strengthening the antiterrorist force Densus 88 and empowering community policing.

An electronic system, among other facilities, must be developed for preventing bribery and abuse of authority by police officers particularly in the traffic division.

Such "e-policing" could boost the public perception of the the National Police and improve its internal management as well.

Another flagship program is to improve the clear-up rate. The above researcher, Masters, also shows that a very low clear-up rate is due to discrepancies of crime investigators especially at the regency and lower levels, quite apart from "inefficiency in budget spending and lack of well qualified crime investigators".

To improve the quality of investigators, the National Police's assesments of investigators' performance must continue.

Strengthening of the antiterrorism force Densus 88 should include upgrading its weapons and equipment – and also improving deradicalization efforts including netralizing radical ideology through interdisciplinary approaches including legal, psychological, religious and socio-cultural approaches to those who have been exposed to violent radicalism.

Last but not least, violence at the community level should be addressed through enhancing community policing by placing a public order officer in each subdistrict.

This would promote a partnership between the police and local communities in addressing local security and social problems. As of now, we have only 58,625 such officers in 80,285 subdistricts.

Expectations that the new National Police chief will bring about changes that can improve public perception and address widespread distrust of the National Police are high.

The new National Police chief Comr. Gen. Tito needs to deliver those expectations and offer sustainable security and order to the Indonesian people.

[The writer, an alumnus of the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University (ANU), is a planner at the directorate of defense and security of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas). The views expressed are his own.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/01/new-chief-must-boost-public-trust-in-the-national-police.html