Aceh

Peace mission to troubled province

The Australian - November 27, 2004

Sian Powell, Jakarta -- Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made a flying visit to the blood-soaked province of Aceh yesterday, demonstrating his resolve to come to grips with a conflict that has claimed as many as 13,000 lives since 1976.

The Government's decision last week to extend the province's civil emergency status was widely criticised in Aceh, and separatist rebels publicly spurned the subsequent offer of an amnesty.

At least 11 people, including seven alleged rebels, have been killed in Aceh in recent days, giving impetus to the push for a negotiated settlement.

Yesterday's visit to the country's westernmost province was thought to be an attempt to start conciliation afresh. In his first major trip to an outlying capital, Dr Yudhoyono held an hour-long meeting with religious and community leaders in the Governor's offices in Banda Aceh in the hope of beginning to negotiate a lasting peace. "The best way for Aceh is a special autonomy, which is broad for Aceh," Dr Yudhoyono told the assembled leaders.

He repeated the offer of an amnesty for rebels who were prepared to return to the Indonesian fold, and promised to further discuss the amnesty with national parliamentarians. "God willing, with God's permission, and our convictions, together we can reach these solutions," he said.

Rebel leaders have already declared they will be satisfied with nothing less than an independent homeland, but the offer of an amnesty may lure some Free Aceh Movement members to surrender.

Some noted the offer of increased autonomy for the oil- and gas- rich province, along with unspecified economic aid, differed little from offers made by previous governments.

Dr Yudhoyono's administration has made it clear international assistance will not be used to broker peace talks, but there has been concerted pressure from human rights groups and concerned nations to make progress towards peace.

Yet there has been no suggestion from the Government that any of the thousands of troops stationed in Aceh will be withdrawn.

In a comprehensive report last month, Amnesty International noted a "disturbing pattern of grave abuses of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights" in Aceh. Amnesty said the Indonesian military was primarily responsible for these human rights violations, "although GAM [Free Aceh Movement] has also committed serious human rights abuses, most notably the taking of hostages and the use of child soldiers".

The military says more than 2000 rebels have been killed, captured or have surrendered since the operation to crush the separatists began in May last year but human rights groups allege many, if not most, of the casualties have been civilians.

As chief security minister in the administration of President Megawati Sukarnoputri, Dr Yudhoyono launched the crackdown in May last year. Acehnese nevertheless overwhelmingly voted for him in this year's presidential election.

Following the meeting, the President visited Banda Aceh's spectacular Baiturrahman mosque for Friday prayers.

'There's still a chance to resolve Aceh peacefully'

Jakarta Post - November 22, 2004

Aceh police chief Insp. Gen. Bahrumsyah Kasman has been appointed head of the Aceh Civil Emergency replacing Governor Abdullah Puteh, who has to answer a summons by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over corruption charges. The Jakarta Post's Nani Farida talked with Bahrumsyah for two hours about the weaknesses of the previous civil emergency and his future plans. The following is the excerpt.

Question: What factors were behind the decision to extend the Civil Emergency in Aceh?

Answer: It is based on many analyses and field data, including inputs from a number of societal groups in Aceh during the visit of coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs (Widodo Adi Sucipto) early in November. A key point in the extension of the civil emergency is the monthly review.

Was there a review of the previous civil emergency?

We had already done that earlier. There were monthly reviews involving various interest groups.

Will the governor head the civil emergency administration?

It is stated in the presidential regulation that while the governor is undergoing legal process under the KPK, the duties and authority of the Regional Civil Emergency Administrator (PDSD) will be assumed by the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs as the Central Civil Emergency Administrator (PDSP). The PDSP may appoint as the administrator a PDSD member in Aceh. With his instruction No. 43 dated November 18, 2004, the security minister has appointed the Aceh police chief as the administrator of PDSD here.

What are the achievements and weaknesses of the first civil emergency?

People should be the judge. The people can bear witness to the success and failure of the civil emergency. I personally think that in the previous civil emergency the regional administration lacked enthusiasm in discharging its main duties.

How many GAM members have been processed legally?

Some 3,900 rebels have been processed from martial law until the civil emergency. Around 400 of them have been released.

How many of them surrendered voluntarily?

As many as 2,021 rebels surrendered. After joining a training program, they were given Rp 2.5 million each as capital to start a business.

How many police personnel were killed during the martial law and civil emergency?

Since the imposition of martial law and the civil emergency, 49 police personnel have been killed and 154 others injured.

What are the targets of the civil emergency in the next six months?

I will do what Bapak President wants us to do, namely conduct quality integrated operations. None of the five integrated operations will stand alone. All of the operations have to support each other.

What will be the parameters to scale down the civil emergency to civil order?

When the GAM leadership and field rebels surrender and hand over their weapons to us. As long as they exist, the operations will not be halted. That is what the security minister has expressed. We will continue to hunt down GAM rebels, unless they surrender and face the future Aceh together.

So, there is no plan to make peace with GAM?

From the very beginning, the Indonesian government has always offered a peaceful settlement (to the Aceh question). And even now, under the leadership of Bapak Susilo, the offer to resolve (the Aceh issue peaceful) still remains.

Is the peace (your are talking about) is similar to the 2002 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement?

Not exactly. Armed contacts still continue, but dialogs also remain. Hopefully, it can be achieved. I hope people who want to resolve the Aceh issue will also participate in the settlement process. Do not issue statements that may cause people to panic.

What about PDSD's commitment to fighting corruption in Aceh that has under the spotlight?

As the Aceh police chief and head of law enforcement, I have given my personnel the homework to investigate corruption cases at the regental level. There are 38 graft cases that are currently under investigation.

While Aceh's security condition has slowly improved, the number of people living in poverty has increased. How is that possible when so much money is being pumped into Aceh?

I think it is because job opportunities cannot accommodate the labor force yet. Indeed, there are a lot of funds, including funds to help conflict victims, economic improvement funds, and so on, but they are all in the form of cash. That explains why the economic recovery operation and humanitarian operation are so difficult. If the two operations run smoothly, job opportunities will come. But we will also find other factors that cause the high poverty rate.

During the second state of civil emergency, will there be priority areas because of, for example, the critical condition?

GAM rebels keep on moving. God willing, the civil emergency will not be applied in certain areas only. We are treating all regions equally. All areas must be taken care of so that safe areas will remain safe, and unsafe ares will be made safe.

Do you have any information about GAM recruiting new members during the state of civil emergency?

Perhaps not in the form of formal recruitment, particularly now that they are completely battered. But, if their family members get shot, they will just join GAM without being recruited. Supporting GAM does not necessarily mean taking up arms, but also by supplying logistics and giving information to GAM.

How strong is GAM now?

It has around 2,500 to 3,000 personnel with around 800 weapons.

Do you think they can be wiped out during the six-month civil emergency?

It depends on whether or not the integrated operations run smoothly and the public at large report (to us about GAM's whereabouts). Besides, the issue is over once we make peace with GAM.

'Acehnese want peaceful dialog, not war'

Jakarta Post - November 22, 2004

Blontank Poer, Nusakambangan, Central Java -- It rained at dawn on Idul Fitri and 188 inmates at the Permisan penitentiary on Nusakambangan island were forced to crowd into the mosque to perform their Ied prayers.

After the prayers, 31 of them, aged from 25 to 40, hugged each other, some shedding tears. It was their first time to observe Idul Fitri without their families.

Since being moved from a number of penitentiaries in Medan and several areas in Aceh, they have only seen their families once since November 2003.

"Thanks to the International Red Cross, we saw our relatives two months ago. All expenses were paid by them," said Central Aceh Free Aceh Movement (GAM) commander, Marzuki Abdurrahman.

Marzuki, also known as Wen Rimba Raya, is serving a 17-year prison term for subversion. The 33 year old was arrested in June 2003 by security personnel when he visited his wife in Jambi.

On November 14, Marzuki Abdurrahman spoke of his experience in prison and a possible peaceful solution in Aceh to The Jakarta Post at the Permisan penitentiary. This is an excerpts from the interview:

Question: How do you feel after being imprisoned in Permisan for a year?

Answer: I feel sad because we are treated the same as the criminals. There are many murderers and hard-core criminals here. Thank God, they are nice to us. I really feel isolated here because we cannot communicate with the outside world. We can still correspond by mail with our relatives, however it's not possible to communicate with GAM anymore. Now, the government has extended the civil emergency status until May next year, when it should have ended on November 19.

Q: What's your opinion about this?

A: I have placed my trust in Pak Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono because he had promised that he would not resort to the military might to resolve the Aceh problem. He knows the situation quite well, as he used to be involved in various peace negotiations.

Q: What solution is necessary to end the conflict?

A: Now is the time to focus on regional autonomy. Efforts are needed to resolve the Aceh problem peacefully. A referendum is preferably the best way for the people of Aceh to choose their own leader. Give GAM a chance to be involved in the election. The important thing is, Aceh must not be disunited from Indonesia.

Q: Is that possible, keeping in mind that GAM is resolute that Aceh must be independent?

A: I personally see that GAM is open to dialogue. Just grant a special autonomy. The Indonesian government surely knows GAM's strength and the people should negotiate. Let GAM members be free to compete and develop their own areas through direct elections, such as a referendum to elect leaders -- from regents to governors. I know exactly about this, because prior to the dialogue with Jakarta, I was still with Abdullah Syafi'i and Muzakir Manaf. I know GAM's way of thinking. I was also a former civil servant. I once worked at the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Q: With whom do you think the dialogue between GAM and Jakarta can be realized?

A: The dialogue can only be realized through Hasan Tiro. However, there are other factions if Hasan refuses to sit for talks, namely the civilian faction known as the GAM Deliberation Council, which is led by Dr. Husaini, and now resides in Malaysia. But I'm sure Jakarta has a way to accommodate GAM, whether it be through the military wing led by Hasan Tiro or the movement's civilian wing.

Let the people choose the legal system they wish, for example, the implementation of syariah law. If Tiro declined the offer, deploy the civilian wing, after all the people do not know about the real freedom movement.

Supposing that the elected head of the province has a GAM background, it will somehow or other have a big impact on the peace process. The people are already tired of the protracted dispute. They have tended to dislike GAM lately, but also disfavor the new government.

Q: What about the prominence of GAM and the foreign support it gets?

A: GAM became prominent due to Jakarta's blunder in handling the dispute. Most of the people in general, like me, don't know the real problem. We are just the victims of the interests of people in Jakarta.

Formerly, leaders in Aceh were recruited from the bureaus. I was from GAM's information bureau, the same as Ishak Daud. We are programed for that, so we must know the real condition. Now, I have doubts about the actual condition, whether there are foreign parties supporting GAM. We are pessimistic about it. It feels like that is impossible because this is a strong country. Why is GAM prominent? It's because of the government's own mistake.

Q: What do you think about the Aceh problem?

A: Many people are talking about Aceh, but they don't really know what's happening. They only know about the welfare and injustice in Aceh. GAM claims that they have a right to Aceh soil, and so does Indonesia.

I've lived in two worlds, as an Indonesian and a GAM member. I know that the Aceh conflict is due to the interests of some people in Jakarta. No matter how hard the stance of GAM is, they also see the condition in the field. Many of them have perished, and they don't have the capability to free themselves. This is a note in itself for the people of Aceh.

Hopes fade for end to Aceh conflict

Radio Australia - November 22, 2004 Hopes that an end was in sight to nearly three decades of conflict in the Indonesian province of Aceh are fading. There was more violence over the weekend, just after the Indonesian president had announced a six month extension of the civil emergency in the province. Some observers have criticised the move, and say Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appears to have stepped back from his commitment to pursuing a peaceful solution.

Presenter/Interviewer: Marion MacGregor

Speakers: Marty Natalegawa, Indonesian government spokesman; Ahmad Human Hamid, Professor of Sociology, Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh; Bachtiar Abdullah, spokesman, Free Aceh Movement (GAM)

MacGregor: After eighteen months of martial law and civil emergency, curfews and censorship have become a part of life for the people of Aceh. And little is about to change after the president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced the emergency would be extended until May next year. Indonesian government spokesman Marty Natalegawa:

Natalegawa: Things have markedly improved in Aceh compared to the recent past in terms of law and order, general security among the public at large. There is a greater degree and sense of normalcy in Aceh. But we are the first to admit that to make these things lasting and sustained we need to continue unfortunately with what we have.

MacGregor: But many Acehnese aren't happy with the move. The provincial government says it recommended Jakarta pursue a dialogue approach. Ahmad Human Hamid a professor of sociology at Syiah Kuala University in Banda Aceh says the extension of the emergency is a way of sidestepping a political solution.

Hamid: It seems to me that this extension is not well prepared by his administration. It is just an extension of the previous one without additional measures to be taken in order to end the emergency after six months.

MacGregor: The government didn't just extend the emergency. It also offered an amnesty to the leaders of the main separatist group, GAM, if they drop their demands for independence. That was rejected by the GAM leaders, who say they won't do any deals until the emergency is lifted. GAM spokesman Bachtiar Abdullah, based in Stockholm, says the group is willing to talk to the government.

Abdullah: We have made it clear to the international community that we have never closed the door for dialogue. But you cannot talk at gunpoint at the same time. In this case, they have to show to us that they have to stop all this military offensive or you know at least we try to stop fighting first before we can start to talk peacefully, so to speak.

MacGregor: The Indonesian government continues to blame GAM for the breakdown of talks.

Natalegawa: We have been at pains and left no stone unturned in pursuing the dialogue approach, but it became obvious that when it counts, when they need to do certain things based on what we have agreed with them previously, and that has immediate bearing on their own strength so to speak, they refuse.

MacGregor: What's the president's long-term plan for Aceh?

Natalegawa: Aceh ... There can be no doubt whatsoever or any question whatsoever in terms of its being part and parcel of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia. And our vision for Aceh is an Aceh which enjoys a great degree of autonomy and we have the special autonomy in application in Aceh as we have in some other provinces but with Aceh is a singularly exceptional autonomy which they enjoy. We need to make this autonomy work, because we are the first to admit that while on paper it seems to be well and good, perhaps the application may not have been as well as we anticipated or expected. So we need to work hard to make sure that the autonomy that they are legally now enjoying actually materialises in practice and that is our homework now ahead.

MacGregor: And how much of the military and administration are in favour of that plan that you've outlined?

Natalegawa: Well you know, I mean, nowadays in Indonesia, the military, they cannot have their own way or their own say in these sorts of issues. They very much defer to the civilian democratic leadership. So they carry out what the civilian elected government deems that they should carry out in terms of policies.

MacGregor: But many observers aren't so sure. If SBY had full control, they say he would have offered a new paradigm for Aceh. Instead, says Professor Hamid, the recipe seems to be more of the same.

Hamid: It seems to me that he's not a strong president yet. On the evening when he got elected, I mean officially declared that he won the election, he did say he wanted to start opening the dialogue, but then on the other side, I heard that even the movements wanted to start to come back to the table again, but when, where and who is going to mediate, it remains to be seen.

MacGregor: So do you believe that he does genuinely want to see this issue resolved but he's somehow being constrained by forced in the Parliament or the military?

Hamid: I would say yes, I would say yes.

Soldiers kill eight suspected rebels in Aceh

Associated Press - November 22, 2004

Jakarta -- Soldiers shot and killed eight suspected rebels in Indonesia's Aceh province, the military said Monday, in the worst violence in the rebellious region for weeks.

The killings occurred during a gunbattle Sunday in the northern village of Krueng Aji, military spokesman Ari Mulya Asnawi said. Troops recovered four assault rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

The fighting came despite a promise by newly elected President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to end the separatist conflict, offering rebels from the Free Aceh Movement amnesty and economic development if they drop their bid for independence.

A spokesman for the Free Aceh Movement couldn't be reached for comment.

It is impossible to verify the military's claims since it limits the movement of journalists in the province, and bars them from most rebel-held areas.

Guerrillas have been fighting since 1976 for an independent homeland in Aceh. At least 13,000 people have been killed in the conflict, including 2,300 since Jakarta launched its latest military offensive in May 2003. Both sides have been accused of widespread human rights abuses.

More Aceh areas to be opened up to foreign visitors

Jakarta Post - November 24, 2004

Banda Aceh, Jakarta -- Citing better security conditions in Aceh after six months under a state of civil emergency, the provincial authorities have decided to lift its travel ban on foreigners in three regencies.

However, civil emergency administrator Insp. Gen. Bachrumsyah Kasman said his administration would still closely monitor the entry of foreign non-governmental organizations into the province.

Bachrumsyah said foreign tourists and investors would be allowed to enter Singkil, Southeast Aceh and Gayo Lues regencies, "We are also considering allowing foreign ships to dock at Sabang port," he said, referring to the province's northernmost island, which was declared a free trade zone in 2000.

The decision follows a presidential regulation extending the state of civil emergency in the natural resource-rich province for another six months, effective from November 19.

During the first six months of civil emergency, the provincial administration lifted the travel ban on foreigners in Sabang and Simeleue. Aceh was closed to foreigners, including foreign journalists and NGO activists, during the martial law period from May 20003 to May 2004.

Bachrumsyah, who is also the provincial police chief, said he would discuss further with the governor, local military chief and prosecutor's office the possibility of allowing foreign NGOs to resume their activities in those regencies that had been declared open to foreigners. "There is one condition, that the NGOs don't incite people in such a way as to worsen the conflict," he said.

In Jakarta, the House of Representatives claimed that it had never endorsed the extension of the civil emergency in the troubled province, saying that the support of the House leaders was given in their individual capacities. The House defense commission decided during an internal meeting that it did not support the extension and, in fact, actually opposed it.

"The commission would like to correct the widely publicized news that the House has thrown its support behind the extension of the civil emergency. It is just not true," House member Permadi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) told The Jakarta Post after the meeting.

Permadi also said that the commission had also agreed to revive the working group that had previously monitored the effectiveness of the state of civil emergency in the strife-torn province. "This working group will visit Aceh and collect information about whether or not the Acehnese still need the civil emergency. The House should not only listen to what the government and non- governmental organizations have to say about conditions in Aceh," he said.

The House's opposition, however, will not make much difference as the government decision to extend the state of civil emergency does not need the approval of the House. An endorsement from the legislature is required only for the imposition of martial law.

Earlier in the day, all the factions in the House had been silent during a plenary meeting about the issue when House deputy speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno reported the House leadership's decision to approve the government's policy on Aceh last week. Only the Prosperous Justice Party faction raised an objection, doubting that the renewal of the state of civil emergency would achieve its desired objectives, and saying that it would only perpetuate the suffering of ordinary Acehnese.

Absurdity on Jalan Lamno

Tempo Magazine - November 23-29, 2004

Admitting to hailing from Demak, this woman was charged with being the commander of Inong Balee and sentenced to 18 years in prison by a special tribunal. The drama began on the side of the road in Lamno, Aceh Jaya, in early March.

A public bus was pulled over by troops from the TNI (Indonesian Military) and Brimob (Police Special Mobile Brigade). In accordance with martial law in effect at the time, in the province of Aceh, such random raids were commonplace.

Sometimes squads would appear from out of the thick underbrush, or at one time a military barricade was stopping motorists on the bend in a narrow road. On this particular day, the ensuing raid would be all too traumatic for Elit Baleno.

As usual, all passengers were required to disembark from the bus. All passengers were clutching their special red and white KTP, special identity cards that civilians were required to carry with them. Elit held her card tightly, while the security forces glanced at each and every face one by one.

Then it was Elit's turn. A soldier took a good close-up look. Elit was very young-only 18 according to her KTP. Her skin was tanned, her hair short, black and wavy. With her solidly built torso, at first glance her posture resembled that of a man. Perhaps it was these physical dimensions that sparked the terrible accusations which followed: "I was said to be the commander of the paramilitary unit Inong Balee." Elit stated, recounting her story to Tempo at the Lhok Nga Women's Prison in Aceh Besar, on Thursday three weeks ago.

Inong Balee is an armed female wing of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). It is essentially composed of widows, wives and family members of the GAM guerrillas. Although battle trained, they are rarely engaged in direct combat. In the words of Teuku Cut Kafrawi, GAM spokesperson for East Aceh, they are a reliable "behind the lines" unit, "including matters of intelligence and logistics," added Kafrawi.

Elit, who comes from Demak in Central Java, denies these heavy charges. For one thing she does not even speak fluent Acehnese. "I'm Javanese, but have somehow been accused of being Inong Balee," she said. Her Javenese accent is still very thick. She admits to being a child of transmigration, along with her parents. She has lived in Aceh since her primary school days.

After leaving Demak, the family moved to the Rencong area around 10 years ago. Along with her father, Bahari, and mother, Kasum, Elit stayed at the SP III transmigration complex in Teunom district, Aceh Jaya. Then they moved to the village of Lueng Gavo, which is located in the same district. The family was lucky not to be driven out by GAM when armed conflict intensified there. "We moved before we were pushed," Elit said.

But the roadside raid on Jalan Lamno stopped Elit in her tracks. The soldiers were convinced that Elit was actually Salbiah alias Cut Nyak Sah, second-in-command of Inong Balee 4th District in Teunom, whereas her KTP quite clearly contained the name Elit Baleno, resident of Banda Aceh. "They said my name was false," she told Tempo.

In the past three years, Elit has indeed been living in Banda Aceh. She even works in the canteen at the TNI mess in Keraton (an area of the provincial capital). On that fateful day, she had wanted to look in on her sick mother in Teunom, around 140 kilometers from West Banda Aceh. Could Elit really be Salbiah, the female guerrilla on Teunom's most wanted list?

Ilyas Syam, the canteen owner, supported Elit's claim that she worked in his kedai. Ilyas said that since coming to Banda Aceh at age 15, Elit has held her own KTP. It was Ilyas who arranged her identity card when martial law was declared. "In the three years she's been with us she's rarely left the house," Ilyas told Tempo. Ilyas can only shrug his shoulders in the matter of Inong Balee. To his knowledge the young girl was not active in politics, and had also only been back to her village once, soon after she arrived, to visit her ailing grandmother. "She was generally well behaved," Ilyas said.

The raid on Jalan Lamnno immediately transformed Elit's life. Despite denials to the point of tears, she was still taken to the military police post where she was interrogated day and night. Elit was charged with murdering TNI First Private Idris, a member of Linud 700, and later she was accused of causing the death of a teacher at a state high school in Samadua, southern Aceh. The school had been burnt to the ground, allegedly also on account of Elit's actions.

Elit continued to deny the allegations, until one interrogator beat her and ordered her to strip naked. "They said they were looking for tattoos on my body," she said. Terrified of being raped, Elit admitted to the accusations. She told Tempo that the authorities had forced her to sign a record of an interview that she was never allowed to read. Since then she has acquired the new name: Salbiah, Commander of Inong Balee for the region of Teunom.

After being charged by police in West Aceh, Elit alias Salbiah was hauled before the Calang District Court, Aceh Jaya, at the end of last March.

Denied legal representation, she faced her trial. The judge did question her repeatedly about the truth of her being a member of Inong Balee and although she denied it, she was given a heavy jail sentence-the same number of years as her age-18-at the time. The penalty handed down was two years less than the prosecution had demanded. Elit could only groan. She can't stop thinking about why she was tried under Salbiah's name.

It's also how she's known among her cellmates. She said that during her trial, not a single witness had given evidence. She herself was only taken into the courtroom on two occasions. "Once when the indictment was read out and then again when sentence was passed," she said.

There are two sides to every story, and the head of Calang Prosecutors Office, Superi, gives a very different version. According to Superi, Elit Baleno is merely a cover name designed to fool the authorities. Her original name, according to Superi, is Salbiah alias Cut Nyak Sah, daughter of Bahari.

According to Superi, Salbiah is a dangerous woman. She, along with her 'gang,' tricked a member of military unit Linud 700, which led to the death of a TNI soldier.

At the time Salbiah was pretending to be a member of the Ground Forces Women's Corps from Bandung, going by the name of Captain Elit Baleno. In addition, "Her own parents told me themselves that their daughter's name was Salbiah, and not Elit Baleno," Superi said.

According to Superi, witnesses did in fact appear at the trial. From their testimony, the prosecution became more and more convinced that Elit Baleno was in fact Salbiah. And Salbiah is no ordinary woman. Her official post is as the Deputy Commander of Inong Balee, the Gajah Keng division, in the area of Krueng Sabee. One of the most important witnesses was Nulussa'adah, repeatedly mentioned as Salbiah's trainer at the Inong Balee military camp. Each of the witnesses was credible, he said. "It wouldn't be possible for me to prosecute without evidence." He claimed that the investigation was carried out in line with procedure, and warded off claims that Elit had been tortured.

Superi also denied that the trial had only consisted of two sittings, claiming that the court had actually been in session four times. According to the prosecution, Elit also confessed to all charges during the trial. Superi is firmly convinced that Elit Baleno is Salbiah. "I'm prepared to prove it to anyone at all," he asserted.

Amidhan, member of the National Commission for Human Rights, said that his institution had indeed received reports that the investigation and subsequent trial of Elit Baleno were unfair. "Elit has admitted to not being represented by a lawyer and never meeting with witnesses," said Amidhan, who visited Elit in prison last month. Amidhan heard from Elit herself the story that she had been forced to sign a confession in court, out of fear of being stripped naked and raped. "We're still conducting investigations into the court process," Amidhan said.

Using Elit's case as a starting point, the commission is also concerned about conditions in detention centers in Aceh. Prisoners there are believed to be consistently receiving trials that are unfair. Although having a trial is very important, it is pointless if justice is failing to be upheld, said Zoemrotin, Chairperson of the National Commission for Human Rights. "They are getting trials but not justice," Zoemrotin said.

Since the time of the raid in Lamno, Elit has spiraled downwards into a life she could never have possibly imagined: that of a convicted felon in Lhok Nga Prison. She is confined there with 51 other women, who are also accused of being Inong Balee members. Cut Nurasyikin, a businesswoman repeatedly mentioned as being the Inong Balee coordinator for the whole of Aceh, just shakes her head. "Poor Elit, she's undergoing a punishment not in line with anything she's ever done," she said. War is indeed a drama full of absurdity.

[Nezar Patria, Yuswardi A. Suud in Banda Aceh.]

Jakarta told to reopen dialog with GAM

Antara - November 25, 2004

Jakarta -- A number of noted Acehnese figures urged the government on Wednesday to reopen dialog with the Free Aceh Movement to help settle the prolonged conflict amicably.

"Dialogs are tiring, time consuming and a large amount of funds is needed, but that is the only appropriate means to settle the conflict, diligently and judiciously in a civilized way," Ghazali Abas, one of the figures, said.

The former legislator said that extension of the civil emergency in the restless province would only lengthen the list of failures on the part of the government in handling the conflicts which have taken place for decades.

The sign of the government's failure could be seen from the increasing number of local people who had become poorer, he said, adding that more civilians, soldiers and GAM members were killed.

Moreover, corruption was also becoming uncontrollably rampant, thereby depleting the government's funds for handling the conflict, he added.

In a related development President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to make his first visit later this week to Aceh where Indonesian troops are involved in a major campaign against rebels.

Susilo's scheduled trip would coincide with the revocation on Tuesday of travel restrictions on three additional districts in Aceh by civil emergency administrator Bachrumsyah Kasman.

Tight security as Yudhoyono makes first visit to Aceh

Agence France Presse - November 26, 2004

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who has vowed to end the decades-long conflict in Aceh province, made his first visit there against a backdrop of continued violence.

The visit of just a few hours is the first by Yudhoyono since he took office last month after pledging to end the 28-year separatist conflict in the devoutly-Islamic province on the western tip of Sumatra island.

Yudhoyono, a former security minister, last year oversaw the launch of a major military crackdown against Aceh rebels which continues more than 18 months later.

But in September Yudhoyono said the military campaign alone would not solve the region's problems. "A solution to the Aceh problem must be comprehensive," he said at the time. "We will improve welfare and education so that they [separatist rebels] will return to the fold." He said he expected the conflict could be resolved within two or three years.

On Thursday, Information Minister Sofyan Jalil described Yudhoyono's visit, which took place under high security, as part of that comprehensive solution.

Four police helicopters escorted Yudhoyono's entourage past armoured vehicles which guarded strategic points along his route from the airport to the governor's residence.

Yudhoyono, who last week extended a state of emergency in Aceh for another six months and offered an amnesty to guerrillas willing to surrender, is scheduled to hold talks with Acehnese religious and community leaders.

Accompanied by chief security minister Widodo Adi Sucipto, top welfare minister Alwi Shihab and national police chief Da'i Bachtiar, the former general is also expected to attend Friday prayers at the capital's main Baiturrahman mosque. He was to return to Jakarta at 3pm.

Rights groups have said Yudhoyono faces a key test in his handling of the problem in Aceh, a province rich in resources but where poverty is widespread.

In a September report, the New York-based Human Rights Watch said electric shocks, cigarette burns, beatings and other tortures are routinely used by Indonesian security forces on detainees suspected of supporting armed Aceh rebels.

The watchdog's Asia division head, Brad Adams, said Yudhoyono's credentials as a reformer "can be judged by his willingness to take these allegations seriously." At about the same time, Amnesty International urged Yudhoyono to give top priority to ending human rights violations in the restive province of Aceh.

"This is the first test for Mr. Yudhoyono when he takes office and the steps he will take on the situation in Aceh will define his presidency," said T. Kumar, the rights group's Washington- based advocacy director for Asia and the Pacific.

At least 23 alleged Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels have died in clashes with soldiers since Sunday the military has said.

Under the emergency which replaced the martial law, civilian authorities can order press censorship, curfews and other restrictions.

The military says thousands of rebels have been killed, captured or have surrendered since the operation began. Human rights groups say many of the casualties have been civilians.

Autonomy best solution for Aceh: Susilo

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2004

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh -- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told the Acehnese on Friday that special autonomy was the best way to resolve the Aceh conflict, signaling that there would be no policy changes in dealing with the secessionist movement there.

"I am sure the implementation of the special autonomy law is the only way to end the conflict in Aceh. Based upon autonomy, we can join hands with the rebels to develop the province," Susilo said during a dialog with some 400 youths, religious leaders and non- governmental organization activists in Banda Aceh.

Susilo made a five-hour visit to Aceh on Friday, one week after he extended for six months the state of civil emergency in the province, where the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been fighting for independence since 1976. More than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since then.

The visit was tightly guarded by some 3,000 military and police personnel deployed in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh. The police also closed all roads leading to the Aceh gubernatorial offices, where the dialog was held, causing traffic congestion for hours in some areas.

Many had hoped that Susilo, who has promised to resolve the Aceh question justly and honestly, would offer fresh solutions to the decades-long rebellion, which prompted the government to put the province under martial law on May 19, 2003 before reducing this to a state of civil emergency one year later.

Under the special autonomy arrangements introduced on January 1, 2001, Aceh is basically free to run its own affairs except in the fields of defense, fiscal, foreign and religious affairs. GAM, however, has rejected the arrangement, saying that they want full independence.

Susilo also offered an amnesty to insurgents willing to give up their arms. "I will talk to the House of Representatives about the granting of an amnesty to rebels who decide to quit the movement," Susilo said.

Military officials said earlier that there were still between 2,500 and 3,000 rebels waging an independence war in Aceh, down from around 5,000 before the imposition of martial law in May 2003.

During the visit, his first since becoming president on October 20, Susilo was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo A.S., Coordinating Minister for the Economy Aburizal Bakrie, Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin, State Minister for Social Welfare Bachtiar Chamsyah, military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar.

After holding the dialog, President Susilo performed Friday prayers at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque before flying back to Jakarta.

TNI, police clash one day before Susilo's visit

One day before President Susilo's visit to Aceh, a clash broke out between troopers from the police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) and military personnel at Idi Rayuek village, East Aceh regency, on Thursday.

The incident, the first since the start of the massive military and police build-up in May 2003, killed one police officer and seriously injured two others.

There were no explanations forthcoming from either the police or the military as to the cause of the clash. Gen. Endriartono said on Friday that the troops were emotionally exhausted as they had been in Aceh for more than six months.

"The case will be handled by the local commanders of the two units as this is simply a brawl between colleagues," he said.

Foreigners allowed to enter five regencies in Aceh

Tempo Interactive - November 26, 2004

Banda Aceh -- The civil state of emergency authority in Aceh has decided to open five regencies for foreigners wishing to enter Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) province.

According to Insp. Gen. Bachrumsyah Kasman, who is responsible for the daily operation of the civil state of emergency in the NAD province, the regencies are Sabang, Simeulu, Singkil, Southeast Aceh and Gayo Lues.

Foreigners who would be allowed to enter Aceh, Kasman said, were investors and tourists. A selection process will be carried out as regards foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that will be allowed to enter Aceh based on their interest in Aceh.

"If an NGO is useful for Aceh, we will allow its people to enter Aceh. Otherwise, we will certainly ban them," Kasman told reporters in Banda Aceh on Tuesday (23/11).

Since the military state of emergency was imposed in May 2003, the government had banned foreigners from entering Aceh. The government has slightly lessened this strict policy since the civil state of emergency was imposed in Aceh in May this year. The government had since allowed investors and foreign tourists to visit Sabang and Simeulu islands via Sultan Iskandar Muda airport in Banda Aceh.

According to Bachrumsyah, the current situation in Aceh only enables the opening of the five regencies for foreigners as the situation in these regencies is much safer than in the other areas in Aceh. "It's for the sake of the foreigners. Other regencies are still dangerous in terms of their security," said Kasman, who is also Aceh Police chief.

The civil state of emergency authority in Aceh is also considering allowing foreign ships to enter Sabang harbor under tight guard. This measure is aimed at helping economic recovery in Aceh. "Within the next one or two weeks, there will be a clear regulation issued regarding this matter," Kasman stated.

He added that the second phase of the civil state of emergency in Aceh would be focused on economic operations, implemented through the development of the agriculture sector. However, this does not mean that the authority would reduce security operations.

"We have to admit that there have been problems in conducting economic operations in Aceh, bearing in mind the government's limited funds," said Kasman.

Meanwhile, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) governor Abdullah Puteh said that he and Kasman would request the Corruption Eradication Commission to audit the use of funds during the first phase of the civil state of emergency. (Yuswardi A Suud/Sunariah-Tempo News Room)

Yudhoyono visits Aceh and pitches amnesty plan

Associated Press - November 27, 2004

Banda Aceh -- Indonesia's President yesterday pitched his proposal for an amnesty for separatist rebels to bring peace to Aceh during a one-day trip to the oil- and gas-rich region, his first since taking office.

Dr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held discussions with hundreds of government officials, religious leaders and others in the provincial city of Banda Aceh amid tight security. But he did not meet rebels from the Free Aceh Movement or civic groups that espouse independence.

The trip is Dr Yudhoyono's first to the province since becoming president last month. He has said he will make ending the Aceh conflict one of his priorities.

The conflict has festered under successive presidents since fighting between separatist rebels and government troops broke out in 1976. At least 13,000 people have been killed.

Presidential visits to the province are relatively rare. Dr Yudhoyono's predecessor, Ms Megawati Sukarnopuri, visited three times in more than three years.

Dr Yudhoyono offered an amnesty last week to separatist militants in Aceh if they drop their bid for independence and return to the "family" of Indonesia, but the rebels rejected the offer quickly.

He said the government's proposal -- which mirrors earlier peace plans dating back to 1999 -- would include increased autonomy and an unspecified amount of economic assistance. "If [the rebels] are willing to accept the special autonomy, then it is the obligation of the government to talk to the Parliament about giving them amnesty," he said after his discussions yesterday.

Foreign negotiators have predicted that he will reopen peace talks with the rebels. The 55-year-old retired general was instrumental in arranging a short-lived truce with the Free Aceh Movement in December 2002 when he was security minister.

However, he has not said whether the offer means the government will revive the peace process, which was abandoned in May last year after both sides accused the other of violating the six- month pact.

Yudhoyono to be sued over extension of civil emergency

Detik.com - November 28, 2004

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta -- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is to be sued by 4.1 million Acehnese people on the grounds that his broke his campaign promise by extending the civil emergency in Aceh. The suit is be registered with the Central Jakarta State Court by the People's Lawyers Union (Serikat Pengacara Rakyat, SPR).

"[When] SBY [Yudhoyono was] in Lhoksemauwe [East Aceh] during the second-round [of the presidential election] campaign [he] said [he] would resolved the conflict in Aceh peacefully and with dignity, because he knew the Acehnese people has suffered enough as a result of the prolonged conflict. But instead, through Presidential Decree Number 2/2002 dated November 18, SBY extended the civil emergency in Aceh for six more months", said the plaintiff's coordinator, Thamrin Ananda, from the Acehnese Popular Democratic Resistance Front (Front Perlawanan Demokratik Rakyat Aceh, FPDRA) at a press conference in Jakarta on Sunday November 29.

In addition to this said Thamrin, Yudhoyono also said that the problems in Aceh could be resolved through granting special autonomy to the province. "But special autonomy and a civil emergency are two things which contradict each other so they have never run [properly] to this day", he said.

SPR chairperson Habiburokhman SH said that according to research by the Institute for Social and Economic Research, Education and Information (LP3ES), voters in Aceh chose Yudhoyono because of this promise. "But what has now occurred is not that he has revoked the civil emergency but rather [he] has supported the extension of the civil emergency and this represents a contravention of the law", said Habiburokhman.

Therefore he explained, SPR will be registering a class action by the Acehnese people with the Central Jakarta State Court against Yudhoyono on Wednesday December 2.

Although the suit being made on behalf of 4.1 million Acehnese people, according to Habiburokhman SPR will be issuing a public notification of the suit in Aceh itself. "So that if there are Acehnese people who do not agree with the suit they will have the right to write a letter of objection to the Central Jakarta State Court's clerk of courts", he said.

During the press conference which was attended by representatives from 15 regencies in Aceh, the disappointment felt over the extension of the civil emergency was apparent. Raihana Diani from Greater Aceh said "The civil emergency will only be a waste of money. Four trillion rupiah was budgeted for one year and now there are indications that 2.7 trillion rupiah has been embezzled by the Regional Emergency Military Commander Major Endang Suwarya. This information was obtained by the Corruption Eradication Commission".

Diani also lamented Yudhoyono's visit to Aceh on Friday November 29. "SBY only came to Aceh in an effort to legitimise the civil emergency. SBY indeed arrived to talk about corruption in the administered by the civil authorities but did not touch on the substantial discussion [which is of concern to] the Acehnese people, that is security", she said.

According to Ananda, in reality security over the last six month of the civil emergency had not improved. "In Greater Aceh yesterday there was an abduction of a member of Relatives in Solidarity with the Victims of Human Rights Violations named Nasrudin, who was arrested by Koramil [sub-district military command] on the legal grounds [Aceh is under a state] of emergency", he said. (ast)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

TNI officers involved in attack on Brimob post arrested

Tempo Interactive - November 27, 2004

Imran MA, Jakarta -- As many as 25 TNI (armed forces) officers from the Karma Bhakti Infantry Battalion, Rifle Company B in East Aceh have been found to have violated the code of discipline. They have been in detention at the Iskandar Muda military headquarters in Lhokseumawe since Friday November 26.

The TNI officers under arrest have been connected with an attack by around 30 TNI officers from the battalion on a Mobile Brigade (Brimob) post in the village of Seuneubok Bace in the Idi Rayeuk sub-district of East Aceh on Thursday November 25. The attack left one Brimob officer dead and three others wounded.

The arrests were made after the commander of Lilawangsa 001 Sub- regency Military Command (Korem), Colonel Azmin Yusri Nasution and a number of ranking TNI officers from Korem arrived at the location where the incident occurred. "I have taken steps against my officers who are at fault, they were taken directly to Lhokseumawe and put in jail. I jailed the lot of them", Nasution told journalists.

Nasution said that the 25 officers had acted outside of the code of discipline although the seriousness of the violations and the exact involvement of the officers is not yet known. "If during the investigation they are proven to be at fault, I won't hesitate to dismiss them", said Nasution.

With regard to the reasons behind the attack, Nasution was reluctant to say much other than that the incident occurred because of a misunderstanding.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Brimob officer shot dead in clash with TNI soldiers

Tempo Interactive - November 27, 2004

Imran MA, Lhokseumawe -- The body of a Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officer from a Brimob post in the village of Seuneubok Aceh in the Idi Rayeuk sub-district of East Aceh who was killed in an attack by TNI (armed forces) troops from the Karma Bhakti Infantry Battalion 111, Rifle Company B, in East Aceh on Friday November 26, has been returned to his home in Palembang South Sumatra.

The dead officer, Jonsen, was shot the head. Three others were wounded in the incident. Dikdik Santosa was shot in the thigh, Private Faisal was shot in the side and Alidah was shot in the head. They are now being treated at the Langsa Public Hospital.

The clash between TNI troops and Brimob occurred on Thursday November 25 between 3.30pm and 4.30pm. The clash broke out without warning after some 30 TNI troops from Infantry Battalion 111 arrived at the Brimob post in Seuneubok on four motorbikes and a car.

According to the post commander, Gadir Hery Wibowo, upon arriving at the post one of the soldiers immediately requested that the Brimob officers gather inside the post and were invited to discuss a some issue which Wibowo was not clear about. What Wibowo heard were the words "Where is the one who stopped me yesterday? Where is he? Yeah, we'll just come in an look inside the post".

Initially, only three TNI officer came into the post but more soon entered. There were even some who entered through the back door escorting one of the Brimob commanders called Sugeng.

Sugeng was then punched by one of the soldiers. The situation became increasingly tense then gun shots were heard outside. "The atmosphere that night was chaotic. Fortunately I was wearing a bullet proof vest", said Wibowo who was shot -- although the bullet failed to penetrate -- when he tried to check what was happening outside the post. A firefight then ensued which continued until the soldiers finally disappeared.

The Brimob officers at the post said that something felt strange as soon as the soldiers arrived. This was apparent [from their behavior] as the Brimob post normally has visitors from the TNI or other police posts. According to Wibowo, police officers or the TNI from other units often visited the post to eat. "I even greeted them and I asked what the problem was", said Wibowo.

Following the incident, evidence of the clash was still visible with walls potted with bullet holes. Also left behind were as four damaged motorbikes, a beret, a cell phone and a number of bullet shells. The evidence has been secured by the East Aceh police.

As of going to print there has yet to be an official announcement on the cause of the incident. TNI Lieutenant-Colonel Edy Sulistyadi from the political, legal and security affairs department has confirmed the incident although he has refused to comment on the matter because those involved are local soldiers. The Aceh police chief has also declined to comment.

[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski.]

Extension of civil emergency still necessary: Yudhoyono

Detik.com - November 27, 2004

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh -- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says that the extension of the civil emergency in Aceh is necessary if only to maintain continuity and to provide space for a just and dignified resolution to the Aceh problem.

This was conveyed by the president in a discussion with around 100 ulamas (Islamic religious leaders) and public figures at the Anjong Mon Mata Building in the governor's housing complex on Friday November 25. "The best road for Aceh is a comprehensive special autonomy", he asserted.

Yudhoyono added that another possible solution for Aceh to give amnesty to Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members who are prepared to reunite with the Republic of Indonesia. Yudhoyono promised to speak with the People's Consultative Assembly on the issue.

Furthermore he continued, development in Aceh must have concrete goals and be in accordance with special autonomy in terms of economic, social and religious development. If all of this is done said Yudhoyono, he would not need to extend the civil emergency in Aceh again.

He also hopes that the ulamas, members of the provincial parliament and all layers of society will invite GAM to sit together. "God willing and with God's blessing and conviction together we can achieve that solution", said Yudhoyono.

Yudhoyono's entourage arrived at the governor's audience hall at around 11am and the meeting lasted more that an hour. Yudhoyono arrived accompanied with his wife, Kristiani and a number of government ministers including the Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, retired Admiral Widodo AS, Armed Forces Chief General Endriartono Sutarto, National Police Chief Da'i Bachtiar, the Minister for Communication and Information Sofyan A. Djalil and the Minister for Social Affairs, Cachtiar Chamsyah.

Following the discussion, Yudhoyono joined in Friday prayers at the Raya Baiturrahman Mosque after which he had lunch at the governor's official residence and at 3pm was scheduled to return to Jakarta. (aan)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Demonstrators in Jakarta protest extension of civil emergency

Detik.com - November 24, 2004

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta -- Activists from the People's Solidarity Movement for Aceh (Gerakan Rakyat Untuk Aceh, SEGERA) held a demonstrated at the offices of the ministry of political, legal and security affairs on Wednesday November 24. They were protesting the extension of the state of civil emergency in Aceh and calling on the government to review the decision.

The demonstrators arrived at the ministry on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta at around 12noon carrying posters and banners condemning the extension. "Civil emergency = a violation of human rights", "SBY-Kalla and Widodo, murderers of the Acehnese people"(1), "Peace yes, civil emergency No" and "Civil emergency source of corruption in Aceh" read the posters.

SEGARA spokesperson, Lukman Hakim, said that the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) had betrayed the trust given to him by the Acehnese people by extending the civil emergency. This is because in his campaign for the second-round of the presidential elections SBY said he would resolve the Aceh conflict peacefully. "The extension of the civil emergency indicates that the SBY administration is the same as the previous administration of [President] Megawati [Sukarnoputri]", said Lukman.

By extending the civil emergency there is concern that there will be an escalation in violence and the level of casualties will remain high. The government should not have extended the civil emergency but rather focused on the operation to improve people's welfare in Aceh. This is bearing in mind that the level of poverty in Aceh has increased to 48.2 per cent out of a total population of 4.1 million people.

In fact during to the state of martial law(2) the level of poverty had increased from 46.7 per cent, up from 42.23 per cent. The high levels of poverty are a consequence of the failure of the government's planned military operation. (iy)

Notes:

1. SBY - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Kalla - Vice President Yusuf Kalla. Widodo - Minister for political, legal and security affairs.

2. Aceh was placed under martial law on May 19, 2003 which reduced to a state civil emergency on November 19 and has been in place since then.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

West Papua

Thousands of Papuans flee troops

Courier-Mail (Queensland) - November 27, 2004

Greg Poulgrain -- Thousands of people were starving after they were driven from their villages by Indonesian forces and militia groups, a Papuan leader claimed yesterday.

Tom Beanal said the number of Papuan refugees now exceeded 15,000 people from 147 villages. Some were forced to hide in caves in the mountains in the central Puncak Jaya district. "These people do not have food. People are starving to death. They need food now," he said.

The death of 15 peoples, mainly children, was reported on Thursday.

There are tent encampments for 2800 troops in several locations around Tingginambut, 25km from Mulia in Puncak Jaya. These are blocking off access to Papuans who fled into the forest in October seeking refuge from machine-gunners in helicopters.

Mr Beanal and other Papuan groups claim that the mid-October incident which prompted military action was a fabrication. The feared Kopassus special forces reported that six non-Papuans were killed in a bullet-ridden burnt-out car but no bodies were seen.

Indonesia has fought a low-level battle against separatist OPM guerillas since the 1960s. In the past year, the military has faced allegations that it is using East Timor-style militia groups to stir up regional hostilities.

Mr Beanal said the axing to death last week of two government officials and a policeman was the work of militia. When he briefed newly elected Vice-President Jusuf Kalla in Sulawesi this week, he explained that one militia comprised 2000 Papuans, mainly from the Dani tribe.

He accused the military of "wanting to turn Papua into another Aceh", a reference to the western Indonesian province where troops are fighting a determined independence movement.

In his talks with Mr Kalla, Mr Beanal said the army had undermined autonomy and was urging President Susilo Bambang Yudhuyono to establish a new army command of 3000 troops in Puncak Jaya. Mr Beanal is the acting executive director of the political mass organisation Papua Presidium Council and has emerged as a leading spokesman since the assassination three years ago of independence figure Theys Eluay.

Fast-changing culture fuels HIV boom in Papua

Deutsche Presse-Agentur - November 27, 2004

Jakarta -- Even though the Indonesian province of Papua sits on the sprawling nation's remote, far-eastern frontier, it has been placed squarely on the frontlines of the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Experts say the small province, with about 2.5 million people, has the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS rate in the archipelago -- some 30 times the national average -- ranking just behind Jakarta as the province with the highest number of total cases, more than 1,700.

These same experts say a change in tribal cultures and values in Papua has contributed largely to the mushrooming infection rate since the first case was diagnosed in the province 10 years ago.

"In the last 10 years, there have been many, many changes," said Gunawan Ongkokusumo from the Papua office of Family Health International. "Many new things have come."

"There's so much alcohol, so many porno vcd's [video cd's]. More people have more money and are looking to have more fun," Gunawan said. "This new culture is the biggest cause of the problem." Among such strong cultural influences as pornography and alcohol has come a sharp increase in the number of sex workers, which experts say has been paramount in trying to cope with the problem.

Some 96 per cent of HIV infections in Papua are caused by sexual transmission, with AIDS activists saying most of these cases can be traced back to the commercial sex industry.

Gunawan pointed to studies showing that more than 95 percent of HIV/AIDS carriers in Papua were people having frequent sexual contact with commercial sex workers, were spouses of people who often had sexual contact with those living in high-risk communities, such as commercial sex workers, or were sex workers themselves.

Intravenous drug users were less than 2 per cent of HIV/AIDS cases, while homosexuals made up less than half of one per cent. Researchers say the increased availability of commercial sex in Papua has been coupled with a sharp rise in demand.

The development of the country, which has been hastened by an influx of such industries as mining, fisheries and timber, has brought with it more money and mobility, changed perceptions about sex, and fewer traditional rules by which to abide.

"Where development occurs, there are a lot of men who are separated from their families who have a lot of money," said Nafsiah Mboi, senior consultant for the government's National AIDS Commission. "It's there that you also see a lot of commercial sex and sex among the population." "A lot of the protective tribal environment is lost when they move to the cities," said Nafsiah Mboi, senior consultant for the government's National AIDS Commission. "And the cities are growing very fast." Researchers say that even within tribes, laws have often slackened. Members of some tribes who previously would have been beaten, expelled or sentenced to death if caught having premarital sex or extramarital sex are now often only fined.

The incentives fueling the increased demand for sex are in addition to what researchers say is a historically highly-sexual population.

An American researcher, Leslie Butt, found in a survey that more than 30 percent of male Papuan respondents admitted they had at least 10 sexual partners during the course of their lives, with 25 percent saying they had more than 50 partners, according to the Jakarta Post. The majority of respondents acknowledged they had experienced sexual contact before the age of 15.

"Alcohol and pornography and more liberal views have probably influenced the rate of HIV infection, but there's also a long history that has put them at risk," said Dr. Stephen Wignall, country director of Family Health International.

Aids workers say the increased rate of sexual activity has not seen a corresponding change in the frequency of condom use, and awareness among Papuans about condoms and sexually-transmitted disease, in general, remains very low.

Butt's study also found that of 175 respondents, 149 said they never used condoms.

A low education rate and access to media, poor physical infrastructure and the rugged terrain of the area contribute to the problem of getting the word out.

"It's a logistics nightmare there," Wignall said. "That makes it [fighting HIV] a huge challenge." NGOs are engaged in education campaigns and local officials are considering passing new regulations to raise people's awareness and use of condoms, but some AIDS workers say their biggest hope comes from the new government, which they expect will take a more vigorous approach to the problem.

"There's hope that there will be more government leadership and talking openly about the problem," Wignall said. "Tackling this problem is going to take real attention and acknowledgement on the part of the government."

Kopassus blamed for Papua murders

Jakarta Post - November 22, 2004

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura -- Local non-governmental organizations, churches and student organizations urged the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to set up a fact-finding team to investigate the recent series of shootings in the province.

Eight people, including a church minister and a police officer, were killed in a series of attacks by unidentified gunmen between August 17 and November 12, 2004 in Puncak Jaya regency. Some 15 others, mostly children, died when more than 5,000 residents of 27 villages in the regency had to flee and take refuge in remote areas after they felt their lives were in danger due to the continued presence of the gunmen.

The police and military are blaming the Free Papua Movement (OPM) separatist rebels for the incidents, while tribal leaders, religious leaders and human rights activists in the province are alleging that the Indonesian Military (TNI) is behind the shootings.

A joint press release issued by ELSHAM Papua, the Indonesian Legal Aid Association in Papua, Kontras Papua, the Papuan Presidium Council and Students Organizations in Jayapura, said that the rights body should investigate the incidents as they believed there were strong indications that security personnel from the local TNI unit were involved in the series of shootings.

"The national Commission on Human Rights should immediately send an independent team to investigate the shootings because neither the police nor the local military have sent their own teams to probe the bloody incidents," said the press release.

The press release explained that since August 17, 2004, five deadly killings had occurred in the regency, with the death toll currently at seven, including Pastor Elita Tabuni. The six others were minivan drivers in the regency capital of Mulia.

The latest killing occurred on October 14, when Yance Frans Kirioma, a police officer based at the Mulia police station, was tortured and beaten to death when he and his 11-member team were deployed to monitor the condition of villagers taking refuge in remote areas of the regency.

Reliable sources in the province told The Jakarta Post by telephone here that the local unit of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) was involved in the incidents.

"We have received information from many groups in the regency, who all say that Kopassus has been involved in the series of shootings, either directly or indirectly," said the sources who have called on the Indonesian Military (TNI) leadership to pull out all Kopassus personnel from the province.

A number of Kopassus personnel were redeployed to the province as the TNI brass believed there had been an increase in separatist activities after the Army disbanded a Kopassus unit in Jayapura in 2003 following the involvement of Kopassus personnel in the killing of Papua Presidium Council Chairman Dortheys "Theys" Hiyo Eluay in 2002.

Puncak Jaya regent Eliezer Renmaur said that his administration would fully support the rights body if it chose to investigate the killing spree. He also said they wanted to help ensure the safety of the civilians, who had just returned home after taking refuge for months.

"We will allow the rights body to freely investigate the incidents if it wants to do so and we will help it carry out the investigation thoroughly," he said.

Albert Yogy, chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle faction at the Papua provincial legislative council, said the legislature had urged the police to investigate the crime wave and penalize the perpetrators to the full extent of the law.

"If security personnel, either from the military or the police, are found to be involved in the incidents they must be punished with the harshest of sentences," he said.

Papua illegal logging may involve senior officers

Jakarta Post - November 23, 2004

Tony Hotland and Nethy Dharma Somba, Jakarta/Jayapura -- Police are investigating the possible involvement of high-ranking police officers in illegal logging in Papua following the confession of a low-ranking officer who surrendered late last week after years on the lam.

National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung said on Monday that police investigators would seek more evidence and information on the involvement of more police in logging crimes in the country's eastern-most island.

"We're looking into the case. This guy is a key part of this case and we should first take his case files from the Sorong Prosecutor's Office," he said.

First Inspector Anshar Johar, a former officer of the operations division of the Sorong Police station, turned himself in last week after eluding an investigation into an illegal logging case that also involved then Sorong precinct chief Adj. Comr. Faizal Abdul Nazer.

The case surfaced when a timber businessman, Felix Welianto, complained that his logs were being kept as evidence without sufficient reason by police.

It turned out that Felix's logs were actually used by Faizal and Anshor to replace 12,000 cubic meters of illegally felled logs contained in a vessel, MV Africa, which the two were ordered to seize but later let go. Felix's logs were used so it would appear that the two had seized the logs on board the MV Africa.

When quizzed, the two said they let the illegal logs go after being ordered to do so by then Papua Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Raziman Tarigan because Rp 700 million had already been transferred into the account of the Papua Police deputy chief.

Feeling slandered, Tarigan investigated and found out that the transfer had been done in 1998 when Brig. Gen. Moersoetidarmo Moerhadi was the Papua Police deputy chief.

Faizal himself is now an investigator at the National Police and is awaiting trial since his case files have been declared complete by the Sorong Prosecutor's Office.

However, Suyitno said police would review Faizal's case files again to add necessary information that they wanted to get from Anshor, and complete Anshor's case files as well.

"Faizal's dossier was declared complete before Idul Fitri [on November 14], but we'll examine it again. As for other high- ranking officers we find connected, we'll check their availability for questioning," asserted Suyitno.

Many have long claimed that police officers are actively and directly involved in illegal logging activities, which have contributed to massive deforestation in the country and caused numerous disasters.

Police, on the other hand, always refute such claims, saying that they will take stern measures against officers proven guilty of these acts.

While some say this case would help uncover police involvement, Papua Legislative Council deputy speaker Komaruddin Watubun said he was pessimistic and said that Anshor was being made a scapegoat to cover for high-ranking officers.

"There's no way that low-ranking officers like Anshor or Faizal would have the guts to do these acts if they hadn't received backing from people of a higher rank," Komaruddin told The Jakarta Post.

He added that the involvement of police was surprisingly obvious since many logs in Papua that had been stamped illegal just disappeared before being processed.

Apart from the fact that illegal logging has actually become a business for many police officers, Komaruddin said the reason why it was difficult to curb was because the central government did not have the will to combat illegal logging.

Indonesian army accused of deadly attacks in Papua

Sydney Morning Herald - November 23, 2004

Matthew Moore, Jakarta -- Human rights advocates in Australia and Indonesia fear a new military campaign in Papua province is behind eight recent deaths and has caused up to 5000 people to flee their villages.

Several groups have issued statements in recent days blaming the military for a series of incidents in Puncak Jaya regency in the Highlands, warning that the military is likely to step up operations.

A statement, released in Jayapura and signed by human rights groups Elsham and Kontras, the Legal Aid Foundation and church groups, details a series of killings and attacks that began on Indonesian Independence Day, August 17.

According to the statement, an army helicopter dropped bombs and shot at villagers at undisclosed locations on October 17, causing people to flee to the forests. On October 12 six drivers in Mulia in Puncak Jaya were shot dead in the bloodiest attack and a priest was killed on September 14, the statement says. A police officer was killed on November 12 and two local government officials were badly wounded while delivering food and medicine in the Mulia district.

Major Ganda Situmorang, a spokesman for the military in Papua, denied the military was killing innocent people but declined to discuss the specific allegations. He said some media reports aboutthe spate of incidents had been "twisted".

He said many people had accused the TNI (army) of carrying out an attack near Timika in Papau in 2002 in which two American and one Indonesian school teachers were killed. He denied 5000 villagers had fled to the forest, a claim supported by a spokesman for the Papuan provincial government, Fred Menufandu. Mr Menufandu said he had heard of the alleged attacks, and of the refugees, but had "not received complete data".

Human rights groups and churches have called on Indonesia's new President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, to immediately order troops out of Puncak Jaya regency to begin a dialogue with Papuans as he has promised.

Papua human rights probe mooted

Australian Associated Press - November 23, 2004

Indonesia's human rights watchdog may launch an investigation in Papua following fighting which has left eight people dead and forced thousands to flee gunmen said to be covert members of the notorious Kopassus commando unit.

A coalition of activists, churches and student organisations last week urged Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights, known as Komnas HAM, to set up a fact-finding team to investigate a series of shootings in the separatist province.

Eight people, including a church minister and a police officer, were killed in a series of attacks by unidentified gunmen between August 17 and November 12 this year in Puncak Jaya regency. Another 15, mostly children, died when more than 5,000 residents from 27 villages fled into the forests fearing further attacks by the gunmen, the coalition said.

Aloysious Renuaren, from the Jayapura-based rights group Elsham, said local people believed the gunmen were members of Kopassus. The feared 5,000 strong unit has a notorious rights record, which includes training the militia forces behind the 1999 East Timor post-independence vote bloodbath.

"We believe that Kopassus is involved," Renuaren told AAP. "Kopassus is here, but they came in to do military intelligence operations, so we don't know how many there are. Most of them are not wearing uniform so people cannot recognise them, but because of their military operations in Puncak Jaya around 5,000 local people cannot eat and are now surviving on grass in the jungle."

The police and military are blaming separatist rebels belonging to the Free Papua Movement for the shootings. But rights activists, tribal and religious leaders blame the military.

Kopassus troops were recently redeployed to the province to quell an increase in separatist activities after earlier being withdrawn following revelations Kopassus personnel were involved in the 2002 killing of independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay. An Elsham spokesman in Australia recently accused the military of trying to "East Timorise" the province of Papua by stirring unrest.

Komnas HAM member Lies Sugondo said the watchdog had been looking closely at Papua and had already investigated earlier military and police abuses there. "We have to review it," he told Kompas newspaper. "But it will need money to investigate and we have to look first at whether it is available." Puncak Jaya regent Eliezer Renmaur said he would support an investigation.

Human rights groups have asked Indonesia's new President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to pull troops out of Puncak Jaya as the first step to a peaceful solution for the province.

Separatists have waged a low-level struggle against Jakarta since Indonesia took over Papua from Dutch colonial rule in 1963 following a referendum widely seen as rigged.

Police involved in timber smuggling investigated

Tempo Interactive - November 25, 2004

Jakarta -- The National Police headquarters (HQ) is to investigate the involvement of former Sorong Police Operations chief, First Inspector Anshar Johar and former Sorong Police chief, Adj. High Comm. Faisal A.N. as they were allegedly involved in an illegal logging case in Papua.

"We're investigating this matter right now," said National Police headquarters (HQ) chief of detectives Comm. Gen. Suyitno Landung in Depok on Monday (22/11).

Johar is alleged to have neglected the order of Papua Police chief at that time, Insp. Gen. Made Mangku Pastika, to confiscate the illegal logs, worth Rp12 billion, in Sorong, in 2001.

The evidence, coming from an African motor boat, is assumed to have been switched with other evidence owned by other people, who then reported this matter to the National Police headquarters (HQ).

Landung said that the dossiers of the case were already in Sorong. However, he is yet to receive the dossiers as they are still in the hands of the Papua High Prosecutor's Office.

Landung said that Johar was guilty in this matter as he had deserted from his work as a police officer. "It's the mistake of First Inspector Johar. Everything related to the dossiers of the case is out of control because of his desertion," stated Landung.

National Police chief Gen. Da'I Bachtiar has said that he would take stern measures against anyone involved in illegal logging such taking place in West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan and Papua.

"One thing is for sure, the police have taken measures against those involved in illegal logging activities," said Bachtiar.

[Martha Warta-Tempo News Room.]

West Papuans forbidden to commemorate December 1

Kompas Cyber Media - November 26, 2004

Jayapura -- The governor of West Papua, Jaap Salossa, has forbidden people from commemorating December 1 as Papua's independence day as well as hoisting the morning star flag or other symbols which are incompatible with official state symbols of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

The prohibition is one of the points from an appeal which was issued by the governor and provincial council following a meeting which took place at the governors audience hall at Dok V Atas in the provincial capital of Jayapura on the night of Thursday November 25.

The appeal which contained five points, which as well as being signed by Salossa was also signed by the commander of the Trikora territorial military command, Major-General TNI Nurdin Zainal and the chief of police, Brigadier-General Pol Dody Sumantyawan, also appealed to the public to continue to carry out their normal activities and to those who know of such activities to report them to the police or security forces.

After reading the appeal, Salossa told journalists that he hoped that the public would be able to create a sense of peace which until now has been well maintained. "Don't do things which are incompatible with the nation and state because the impact will be felt by the public themselves", said Salossa. The governor also explained that the appeal would come into force immediately and had no time limit.

According to Salossa, the meeting also discussed a number of other issues including the Constitutional Court decision on West Irian Jaya, the attack by Papuan National Army/Free Papua Movement in Puncak Jaya and the incident which occurred at Assue in the regency of Mappi.

Specifically on the incident which occurred in Assue, from the explanation given by the chief of police the governor explained that action has been taken against his officers who are suspected to be involved the illegal activities adding that this was also the case in the Puncak Jaya incident and that the local government is now able to deal with it. "The security situation in these areas is becoming conducive and the public is carrying out its daily activities as normal", said the governor. (Ant/Edj)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Labour issues

Migrants ignore amnesty offer

Jakarta Post - November 22, 2004

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta -- The majority of illegal Indonesian migrants working in Malaysia have chosen to ignore the amnesty offer from Kuala Lumpur.

According to the latest data from a national coordinating post set up to help the illegal migrants return home, only 72,363 of an estimated 180,000 Indonesians working without proper documents have left Malaysia in the past month.

"We have to focus on thousands of people who remain in Malaysia. There will be a massive deportation as soon as the amnesty period ends in January," the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration's director general for placement and training of migrant workers, I Gde Arka, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

He said the poor response of Indonesians to the amnesty offer left the government unable to prepare for upcoming negotiations with Malaysia over the recruitment of migrant workers, as all of its attention would have to be focused on bringing the undocumented migrants home.

To mark the Idul Fitri holiday, the Malaysian government offered illegal Indonesian workers amnesty in exchange for their voluntary exit from the country. The offer originally was due to expire on November 14, but Kuala Lumpur greed to extend it until Jan. 1 due to the large number of undocumented Indonesian workers in the country.

About 500,000 Indonesians are thought to be working illegally in Malaysia, mostly on plantations and at construction sites.

Malaysia introduced a tough new immigration law last year due to a steady increase in the number of illegal migrants in the country.

An official with the Indonesian national coordinating post, Ade Adam Noeh, said the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur was still working to inform Indonesian workers about the amnesty offer.

"We have tried to inform Indonesian workers that they should leave before the amnesty expires, but so far we have been unable to reach many of them," Ade told the Post.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Human Resources Minister Fong Chan Onn said plans to sign an agreement governing the recruitment of Indonesian maids had been postponed indefinitely due to a dispute over the details of the agreement.

"We should not rush into signing a MOU (memorandum of understanding) on maids. We need to hold more discussions before committing to the MOU," he said as quoted by The Star newspaper.

The New Straits Times newspaper said Kuala Lumpur objected to Indonesia's insistence that recruiting agents be allowed to bring in maids regardless of their background and experience.

Arka said it was impossible to stop the agencies from bringing in maids, but the government was trying to tighten the supervision of their recruitment in Indonesia.

Fears of abuses during crackdown on illegal immigrants

Associated Press - November 22, 2004

Human Rights Watch has warned that Malaysia's plan to arrest and deport hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants could spark rights abuses and harm legitimate refugees and victims of human trafficking.

The expulsion plan "may result in widespread rights abuses," the New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement released Tuesday.

The rights group fears that police may use excessive force during immigration raids, and that detainees could end up for long periods in overcrowded, unsanitary camps.

"Refugees and victims of human trafficking may be caught up in the sweeps and deported instead of receiving protection," the statement said.

Malaysian authorities plan to launch the crackdown following an amnesty period that allows illegal immigrants to leave the country without being detained. The amnesty is expected to end next month.

Undocumented workers face prison sentences of up to five years, fines and whipping with a rattan cane if convicted under Malaysian immigration laws. About 9,000 offenders were whipped last year, Human Rights Watch said.

Malaysia has about 28,000 refugees, most of whom are from Indonesia's war-torn Aceh province or are members of Myanmar's Rohingya ethnic Muslim minority, who've long accused their country's predominantly Buddhist military of persecution.

Officials estimate some 1 million illegal immigrants work in Malaysia's construction, plantation and domestic services sectors, mostly from Indonesia but including many from the Philippines, India, Bangladesh and other Asian countries.

More than 80,000 illegal immigrants have so far left under the amnesty program.

The group also urged the Malaysian government to scrap a plan to reportedly allow 400,000 civilian members of volunteer neighborhood security watch organizations to help conduct immigration raids, saying the plan "encourages vigilantism and undermines the rule of law."

Workers urge Sutiyoso to annul ruling on wage hike

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2004

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta -- Around 70 protesters grouped in the United Workers Alliance have demanded that the City Council revoke Governor Sutiyoso's decision to raise the provincial minimum wage to Rp 711,843 (US$79). They also said there were legal flaws in the ruling, which was issued two weeks ago.

"The ruling is one-sided and did not comply with the results of the latest survey jointly conducted by the tripartite group. The survey says that our minimum cost of living [KHM] is Rp 759,532," the group said in its statement.

The workers met with councillors sitting on the public welfare commission and later staged a rally in front of City Hall to convey the same demand.

The demand was based on a circular sent by the minister of manpower to governors, saying that the increase in the minimum wage to take effect in January must be the same as or higher than the minimum cost of living.

The cost of living survey was conducted by representatives of the administration, employers and workers in five Jakarta municipalities in July.

The alliance also claimed the Gubernatorial Decree was repugnant to the Constitution and ran contrary to the Manpower Law (No. 13/2003) as both of these stipulate that every citizen is entitled to enjoy a reasonable standard of living. "Moreover, the representatives of the labor unions on the Jakarta Wages Council did not agree to the hike," it said.

Fourteen representatives of the administration and the employers on the wages council approved the hike while the seven labor representatives were deemed to have abstained after they walked out during the vote.

Bellyonardi, the deputy chairman of the wages council, said Sutiyoso signed the decree on November 5, although the council was still discussing on the hike on that day.

He added that even when the wages council met with Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Fahmi Idris and Sutiyoso on November 12, both were still talking about the increase.

Fahmi had been asked to intervene in the matter after the wages council failed to reach a consensus amid a protracted dispute between the representatives of the employers and labor unions.

"During the November 12 meeting, the administration and employers had steered the talks toward Rp 711,843, or a 6 percent increase from this year's Rp 671,550," Bellyonardi said.

The alliance also called on the government to end the red tape and illegal fees imposed on companies operating here. It claimed that the illegal fees could amount to up to 20 percent of the total production costs of a company, much higher than labor costs, which only amounted to between 5 percent and 7 percent. Should the administration decline to revoke its ruling, the workers threatened to stage a massive rally early next month.

However, Sutiyoso insisted that his administration would not annul the decision. "I will not revoke it. If they think the ruling contains legal flaws, they can challenge it in court," he told The Jakarta Post and TempoInteraktif.com.

'War on terrorism'

Four arrested over Australian embassy bombing

Agence France Presse - November 24, 2004

Indonesian police have confirmed their arrest of four Muslim militants, including the bombmaker, for the suicide blast outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta that killed 11 people in September.

Among the four arrested during a series of raids on November 5 in the West Java town of Bogor was a man called Sogir. He is an associate of fugitive Malaysian explosives expert Azahari Husin, said national police chief Da'i Bachtiar.

Sogir, also known as Ansori, played a "significantly important" role in the September 9 attack due to his bomb-making skills, Bachtiar told a press conference.

"Sogir alias Ansori ... turns out to have played a significant role because [he] is capable of assembling bombs. The bombs which were assembled by Sogir had been tried out or detonated in front of the Australian embassy," Bachtiar said.

Three other men captured during the raids were Rois, who is also known as Iwan Darmawan, Hasan and Apuy, Bachtiar said.

At the press conference, police displayed various battery-powered explosive devices containing TNT and ammunition for handguns which Bachtiar said were seized from the four during the raids.

All four could be charged under anti-terror laws which carry a maximum sentence of death. More than 20 people have so far been detained for the embassy blast.

Rois had been in charge of recruiting Heri Golun, the suicide bomber who died in the explosion in Central Jakarta, the police chief said. Rois also helped assemble the explosives used in the attack and had been tasked to find safe houses for Azahari and his Malaysian compatriot Noordin Mohammad Top.

Azahari and Noordin are believed to have masterminded the embassy attack as well as having played key roles in the October 2002 Bali bombings which killed 202 people and last year's Jakarta Marriott hotel attack in which 12 died.

The Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah regional terrorist group is blamed for the embassy attack, the Bali and Marriott strikes and a string of other recent bloody attacks in Indonesia.

Australia, which lost 88 people in the Bali blasts, hailed the arrest of the latest suspects. "We welcome the real determination the Indonesians are showing to find the people responsible," said Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. Justice Minister Chris Ellison called the arrests "a major breakthrough" in efforts to crack the Islamic militant network.

Court orders trial of Bashir to go ahead

Agence France Presse - November 25, 2004

Indonesian judges have rejected a plea to drop terrorism charges against hardline Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir and ordered him to stand trial for his alleged involvement in attacks including the Bali bombings.

Defence lawyers had asked the court to drop the charges against the 66-year-old, saying he had been cleared last year of involvement in terrorism. But the judges told prosecutors to start presenting their witnesses next Thursday.

"The exception by the defense team had to be turned down because the court documents which had been presented by prosecutors were clear and concise enough," chief judge Sudarto told South Jakarta district court.

Bashir is accused of inciting followers to carry out the October 2002 Bali nightclub bombings in which 202 people died and of plotting last year's attack on the Jakarta Marriott hotel in which 12 were killed. If found guilty he faces a possible death sentence.

Foreign governments say Bashir led the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah terror group, which is blamed for the Bali and Marriott blasts, for a suicide bombing outside the Australian embassy in September and for a string of other attacks.

An Indonesian court last year cleared the cleric of leading the group, which seeks to create an Islamic fundamentalist state in Southeast Asia, but police say they have new evidence of his leadership role.

Judge Sudarto, dismissing another defence argument, said his court had the authority to try Bashir since the Marriott bombing occurred within its jurisdiction.

At the end of the hearing, Bashir said he had expected the ruling would go against him.

His lawyer Muhammad Assegaf told AFP the latest ruling was "baseless" since Bashir had been in detention when the Marriott bombing took place in August 2003.

"Where is the logic that a person under detention could be connected or even have any knowledge of a bombing attack that took place outside?" Assegaf said.

He described the current indictment as "a recycled one since it used old, baseless statements from witnesses from last year's trial." The cleric was arrested a week after the Bali blasts and has remained in detention ever since. Prosecutors have said in their indictment that he orchestrated the Marriott bombing from his cell.

Unlike previous court sessions, only about 20 supporters attended Thursday's hearing. "God is great!" they shouted when judges ordered the trial to go ahead.

Bashir has described the indictment as "legal fiction" and said he had nothing to gain from acts of terrorism since they would only fuel interference in Indonesia by Washington.

The firebrand cleric has also rejected claims that in April 2000 he visited a Jemaah Islamiyah training camp in the southern Philippines to convey messages from Osama bin Laden urging attacks on America and its allies.

Prosecutors say several members of the group who trained there went on to conduct terrorist acts.

Among them are Malaysian explosives experts Azahari Husin and Noordin Mohammad Top, who are being hunted as key suspects in the Bali and Marriott attacks and in the Australian embassy bombing which killed 11 people.

The trial is seen as a test of new president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's commitment to stamping out terrorism in the world's largest Muslim-populated country.

Police identify six terror nests on Java

Australian Associated Press - November 26, 2004

Indonesian police identified six suspected terrorist "nests" just a day after arresting four of the Australian embassy bombers.

The chief of central Java police Inspector General Chaerul Rasyid said yesterday anti-terrorist teams were watching six areas on the forested slopes of Salem mountain, near the villages of Losari and Brebes, on the border between west and central Java.

"I don't want to mention exactly which area they are in," he said. "But for sure there are six areas that we suspect." He said suicide bombers were being recruited and trained in the area.

Volunteers were being offered payment for their families of about $35,000 to blow themselves up. "It's only 250 million rupiah for being recruited as a carrier and perpetrator of bombings," Inspector General Chaerul told the Media Indonesia newspaper.

The chief of Brebes police Bambang Purwanto confirmed police suspected six areas in the heavy jungles along Java's volcanic spine. "It's true. We suspect that mountain area because it is isolated and connects central Java to Kuningan [near Cirebon] in west Java," he said.

Police on Wednesday said they had captured four men believed to have carried out the embassy bombing, including the field co- ordinator of the attack, named Rois. Also arrested during a wave of raids on November 5 were three other men: Hasan, Apuy and Sogir -- a master bomb maker. All were wearing suicide bomb belts.

But the mastermind and chief achitect of several bombings carried out by the al-Qaeda linked Jemaah Islamiah network, Malaysian Azahari Husin, slipped through police dragnets when he went unrecognised by traffic officers on three occasions. Rumours were swirling in Jakarta that Azahari had also been captured, but authorities were keeping his arrest quiet to capture JI suicide bomb recruiter Noordin Top.

Police had managed to stop Rois and his three colleagues from blowing themselves up by using a local bus driver to lure them into the open, where their arms were pinned by teams of four anti-terror squad officers.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the discovery of several bombs packed into luggage bags and backpacks highlighted that JI was still a threat, despite being decimated by a wave of arrests after Bali.

"We don't have any specific information about places that might be targeted involving Australian or other nationalities," he told the Nine Network.

"But this is a point we have made on many occasions that the Jemaah Islamiah operation does target Western targets, they're a particularly focused on Americans, but they do single out Western targets."

Mr Downer confirmed Azahari had been stopped by police but he successfully offered the officer a bribe to escape. "The story goes that what he did was he bribed a traffic policeman who stopped him," he told radio 5DN.

"Now, Indonesia has 270,000 police, an enormous number of police in a country of 210 million people; so, you know, that's not to excuse what's happened, but it's to say that these things can happen."

Mr Downer praised the work of the Indonesian police after the Bali bombings, Marriott Hotel bombing and the embassy attack. "They've really broken up the Jemaah Islamiah network but they still haven't got everybody," he said.

Politics/political parties

Nahdlatul Ulama set for showdown

Laksamana.Net - November 28, 2004

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) patriarch and former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid has made it clear that he is extremely displeased with NU executive chairman Hasyim Muzadi and senior leaders are talking about forming a "rival" NU if Muzadi wins a further five-year term at its congress.

Over 1,000 NU leaders will attend the 31st congress or "muktamar" of the world's largest Muslim organization in Boyolali, Central Java, over the November 28-December 2 period.

Wahid has been telling reporters for weeks that the NU must be saved from "practical politics" and undergo a comprehensive overhaul after five years under Muzadi.

He is planning to lead the rejuvenation of the organization himself and is running for the position of Rais 'Aam' or head of the NU senior advisory board. The clinically blind cleric and scholar formerly served as head of the "Syuriah" board charged with authority over "law-making" or doctrinal affairs prior to becoming president in late 1999. He was forced from office in 2001 and replaced by his then deputy Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Muzadi's decision to run as Megawati's vice presidential candidate in this year's elections was a bitter pill for the venerable Wahid to swallow -- and an unacceptable adventure in "practical politics" as the expression goes. Muzadi was officially relieved of his duties prior to the first-round election in July.

"Everything has become totally bogged down over the past five years," Wahid told journalists in Central Java on Friday (26/11/04).

He is not alone in thinking that the NU should remain a purely social-cultural organization but Muzadi's widespread support within the organization remains evident and many of the NU's 40 million strong flock voted for him at the polls after Wahid was disqualified from running for president due to health considerations.

After Megawati's reelection hopes were dashed at the September 20 run off, Muzadi began mobilizing support for his reelection as NU executive chairman.

Wahid said earlier this week that his preferred candidate for the position is Mustafa Bisri, a respected senior NU leader well known for his aversion to "practical politics". But Bisri himself told the Koran Tempo daily on Thursday that he did not have his eye on the top job and that any statements to that effect were a means to "force" him into the game.

The "misunderstanding" may have been cleared up on Friday, when Wahid visited Bisri at his home in Rembang, Central Java. Bisri concurred that the NU required a major overhaul and should concentrate on the development of its neglected social, cultural, economic empowerment and education programs. He did not, however, comment on whether he would run against Muzadi for the chairmanship, reported the tempointeraktif website.

If Muzadi should win a second term despite opposition from Wahid and against a strong contender in Bisri, senior NU leaders or kyai have urged the formation of a "rival NU" to challenge the Muzadi camp. They endorsed the move at a meeting in Surabaya, the provincial capital of East Java, on Tuesday this week.

"If the NU splinters, he [Muzadi] will go down in history as the man responsible," said NU Syuriah board member Masdar Farid Mas'udi on Thursday when the controversy hit a crescendo.

Wahid told reporters in Rembang that the kyai were prepared for the break up of the organization because they were determined to save it from "practical politics".

Muzadi denies rift

Muzadi himself claimed on Saturday that there is no conflict between himself and Wahid -- just a difference of opinion. However, such "differences of opinion" on matters of NU policy and vision for the future were not sufficiently serious to warrant any sort of meeting with the former president, Muzadi said.

"We could meet at any time. There's no need to plan a meeting. We have met many times at the NU headquarters and there have been no problems," he told journalists in Solo, Central Java.

The statesmanlike Muzadi also expressed an opinion voiced by numerous other observers in recent days -- that such controversies have marked NU congresses from the very earliest days of the organization, which was established in 1926. "As I remember, ever since the 27th muktamar, when I first became a committee member, it's always been like this," he confided to reporters.

Not unprecedented...

Observers have eyed the apparent "rift" between Wahid and Muzadi with substantial interest but little concern for the future of the organization. Wahid is well known and even loved for his sometimes erratic political maneuverings and the organization established by his grandfather Wahid Hasyim, among others, has weathered numerous storms in the past.

In 1996, for example, a faction headed by Abu Hasan hostile to Wahid's leadership held an extraordinary congress and declared themselves the rightful keepers of the NU fold. They were backed in their endeavor by former dictator Suharto.

The establishment of the National Awakening Party (PKB) after Suharto's fall in 1998 as the political arm of the NU has also failed to ensure the stability of the NU.

PKB chairman Matori Abdul Jalil enraged Wahid by attending the July 2001 special session of the People's Consultative Assembly that ousted him. The party later stripped Jalil of his party chairmanship at a hastily convened congress.

Jalil rejected the decision, claimed that he remained the PKB leader and caused no end of trouble contesting the legal rights to the party's property, logos and very existence. He received substantial financial support from parties intent on disgracing Wahid and became a lame duck defense minister in Megawati's military-backed government until ill health forced him from politics in 2003.

NU youth concerned

NU youth leaders and members, meanwhile, may be new to the game but are nevertheless actively urging their peers to refrain from perpetuating the twin miseries of "money politics" and "practical politics". A group of NU youth leaders announced earlier in the week that they had set up a "crisis center" ahead of the congress in response to worrying developments at the elite level.

Crisis center spokesman Luthfi Rohman told reporters on Thursday that they were concerned about vote buying and other forms of financial improprieties as competition for top positions in the organization intensifies. Rohman said they had no hard evidence of corruption but noted that a number of regency and municipal branch offices had received substantial amounts of money in recent weeks to fund renovations of NU offices and for other unspecified expenses.

He also said that it was well-known that "money politics" had been rife during the previous muktamar congress and that the NU was lagging behind other mass organizations in terms of releasing information on its funding sources and expenses. The crisis center activists were also concerned by the increasingly elitist nature of the NU, reported Tempo Interaktif.

Rohman said the NU leadership had become alienated from the mass of NU followers, most of whom live in underserviced and poor villages, and no longer understood their trials and tribulations.

He criticized the NU's lack of action towards the thousands of Indonesians working overseas -- most of who come from NU strongholds in East and Central Java -- particularly when they face oppression and exploitation.

Separately, head of the NU Youth Organization (KMNU) Naeni Amanulloh said they would hold their own "muktamar" not far from the hall where the NU elite is planning to meet. The activists plan to remind their peers that the NU should not fall victim to petty political bickering.

"The NU's history is one of struggle for the nation and the development of society. The NU elite of the past was like that. But now conditions have done an about face. Attention to the nation and society have been more than a little neglected because the NU elite have gone into practical politics," she said.

Event organization Kuat Hermawan Santosa said they had invited a range of NU and other leaders to partake in their open discussions on NU history, its social mission and the pressing issues facing the ummat or congregation. "The arena of the muktamar is already too politicized to produce discussions on these things," he told the Detik.com news website.

While Wahid himself is revered and loved by the vast majority of NU followers, many are growing weary of his outbursts on the evils of "practical politics" and the liberties he takes with the NU and its political party.

Wahid indicated on Friday in Rembang that, despite his abhorrence for the brand of practical politics exhibited by Muzadi, he would not distance himself from the PKB if elected to a position of leadership within the NU. "I will never stand down. Being in charge of the PKB doesn't require a position within the structure. And that is also true in the case [of the NU]," he said.

Handout row overshadows NU's national congress

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2004

Blontank Poer, Surakarta -- Days before the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) begins a national congress, many would-be participants complained on Wednesday that they had not received official invitations from the steering committee.

Some also grumbled that thy had not received handouts for the discussions, warning that a lack of handouts might mislead participants as regards the issues to be discussed at the congress.

A source, who declined to be named, told The Jakarta Post that many leading NU figures had not received invitations to the congress, including Yusuf Hasyim, a son of Hasyim Asyari, one of the founders of the NU, the country's largest Muslim organization.

Jazuli, the syuriah (lawmaking body) head of the Klaten, Central Java, branch of the NU, confirmed that the congress's steering committee had yet to send out handouts prepared by the NU executive board.

"Without handouts on the issues to be discussed during the congress, participants will face difficulties in following what is going on. This is a problem given that they are supposed to represent the views of NU members in their respective areas at the event," he told The Post.

Handouts for an NU congress are usually distributed months before the congress starts so that the leaderships of NU branches at provincial and regental/municipal levels may discuss it the issues in advance.

However, the head of the Surakarta NU branch, Mubin Shoimuri, did not consider the steering committee's failure to distribute handouts to participants before the congress to be a problem.

"They will be distributed when the participants register to attend the congress," he said.

Steering committee chairman Adnan said that the issues to be discussed during the congress had been publicized during a working meeting attended by all NU branches recently.

Some of the major religious issues to be discussed by the congress are the use of DNA to prove parentage and the Islamic legal basis for the use of bank deposit interest for the payment of wakaf (charitable donations).

Adnan, who is also the head of NU branch in Central Java, said that the religious issues were more important than other issues to be discussed by the congress.

Said Aqil Siradj, who heads the NU executive board's team charged with preparing the handouts for the congress, said that the handouts have been distributed to all NU branches across the country.

Apart from the DNA and wakaf issues, the team would also discuss issues connected with gambling and prostitution, Said explained. "The problems of gambling and prostitution have reached alarming proportions and need to be dealt with," he said.

Jazuli said that the congress needed to spend more time discussing social issues, in addition to the usual religious issues. "Most NU members are farmers and workers. The congress will not benefit its members if it fails to address their problems," he said.

The NU congress will be held in Surakarta from November 28 to December 2. Some 5,000 participants from NU branches across the country and abroad, as well as observers, are expected to attend the congress. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is slated to open the event.

Gus Dur threatens to split NU if Hasyim wins

Jakarta Post - November 26, 2004

Indra Harsaputra and Muhammad Nafik, Surabaya/Jakarta -- Rivalry is heating up inside Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) ahead of its national congress to elect a new leader, which observers say could lead to a split in the country's largest Muslim organization.

Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, who once chaired NU for 15 years until 1999, threatened on Thursday to set up a splinter group of the organization should incumbent NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi win his reelection bid in the congress to be held from November 28 to December 2.

"If Hasyim is reelected, I will prepare [the establishment of] a rival NU faction as ordered by a number of senior ulemas," Gus Dur said after opening a seminar in Surabaya, East Java.

He and Hasyim have long been at odds, most recently over Hasyim's support for former president Megawati Soekarnoputri when Hasyim agreed to stand as her running mate in the July and September elections.

Gus Dur and his loyalists have accused Hasyim of breaching khittah -- NU's commitment made in 1984 to stay out of politics.

He said the plan to set up a rival NU faction was supported by some 25 ulemas from Java, West Nusa Tenggara and South Kalimantan during a meeting held on November 23 in Surabaya.

It was one of five options aimed at blocking Hasyim from contesting the upcoming five-day leadership congress in Surakarta, Central Java.

The other options included asking Hasyim not to seek nomination for reelection and backing Gus Dur's nomination for chairman of the NU's syuriah lawmaking body.

An elected syuriah leader is authorized to reject a candidate for the chair of the NU central executive board (tanfidziyah) that Hasyim now leads.

If Hasyim goes ahead with his nomination bid, the ulema who attended the recent Surabaya meeting would send a special team to ask prominent cleric and poet KH Mustofa Bisri to challenge the incumbent in the congress.

The last option was to return the leadership of the NU central board to the descendants of NU founder KH Hasyim Asy'ari -- Gus Dur's grandfather.

Among the ulema present at the November 23 meeting were KH Mas Subadar, KH Abdurrahman Chudlori, Anas Arsyad, KH Ubaidillah Faqih, KH Yahya Masduqi, KH Warsun, KH Muhaiminan Gunardo, KH Sholeh Khozim and KH Kholilurrohman.

Speaking in Jakarta on Thursday, Hasyim said he had yet to decide whether to contest the congress or not. "I will announce my decision during a special session at the congress," he said.

It was likely that Hasyim would cancel his reelection bid if the upcoming congress voted for Gus Dur as the new syuriah head or deputy.

However, Hasyim has dismissed Gus Dur's threat to set up a rival NU camp. "I don't believe that a rival NU will exist because it will be very difficult to make this happen," he said.

Similarly, NU deputy chairman Masdar Farid Mas'udi said he doubted Gus Dur's threat was serious. "I think neither Gus Dur nor Hasyim want to see the NU in disarray," Masdar said.

Hasyim's backer, Ali Maschan Moesa, who is East Java's NU chairman, criticized Gus Dur for making such a threat. "If Gus Dur recognizes democratic mechanisms, he should not have supported the idea of establishing a splinter NU faction," he told The Jakarta Post.

Ali said it would be difficult for Gus Dur and his loyalists to pressure Hasyim to bow out of the race to head the congress for a second five-year term as Hasyim had the support of many provincial and regional branches.

Nahdlatul Ulama stuck between ego and ambition

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2004

Blontank Poer, Surakarta -- Ahead of the 31st Congress of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), which will be held at the Donohudan Haj Dormitory, Surakarta, the focus of its members is on the heightened rivalry between supporters and opponents of incumbent chairman Hasyim Muzadi, who is seeking reelection for a second five-year term.

Dissatisfaction with Hasyim stems from his controversial decision to side with Megawati Soekarnoputri as her running mate in the presidential election. Many alleged that he ran for the vice presidency even though the NU's larger-than-life patron, Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, was himself running for president.

The die-hard supporters of Gus Dur insist that it was because of Hasyim that the Islamic scholar and former president failed to secure a place in the runoff.

Hasyim's move in the presidential election flew in the face of the National Awakening Party (PKB), which is recognized as the political wing of NU.

"NU members have always nurtured great political enthusiasm. Since the time when the NU Party came into being in the 1950s, and later evolved into the United Development Party, NU members have always performed with political distinction," Kyai Masdar Farid Mas'udi told The Jakarta Post.

To Gus Dur's and PKB's distaste, Hasyim -- head of the Al Hikam Islamic Boarding School in Malang, East Java -- has succeeded in mobilizing significant NU support for the coming congress.

The choice of Donohudan Haj Dormitory as the venue of the congress is also believed to be another irregularity of the NU central board under Hasyim.

"Usually, a congress is held at an Islamic boarding school to ensure that, as an organization of ulema, NU will not be divorced from its members," said Jazuli, a senior religious teacher from the NU Klaten chapter.

Not surprisingly, Gus Dur is being nominated as a Rais Aam, which heads the NU supervisory council, to counter Hasyim.

Gus Dur has mentioned several potential candidates to replace Hasyim as executive chairman, among them former religious affairs minister Tolchah Hasan, Manarul Hidayat, Cecep Syarifuddin and Masdar F Mas'udi. One common trait between the four is that none seem to harbor strong ambitions for power to rival Gus Dur.

The "return" of Gus Dur into the political fore of the NU could very well weaken its organizational solidarity further.

"Many people have intentionally encouraged Gus Dur to get on the NU board. The inclusion of Gus Dur would mean relinquishing his [official] involvement in the PKB. This will only stir things up more," said Jazuli.

The decision of NU clerics to set up the PKB and then separate it institutionally from the organization will also be put to the test at the congress. Gus Dur's wish to include more non-NU and non-Muslim members on the PKB board could incite a negative reaction from the congress, and conservative clerics are expected to maintain that the PKB is the political vehicle of the NU.

It will be a dilemma indeed. On the one hand, only Gus Dur can be expected to block the reelection of Hasyim as NU executive chairman; on the other hand, his return -- designed solely to block Hasyim -- will open the doors to certain political opportunists either in the PKB or NU itself.

Given this condition, the NU is now in a highly precarious situation. The only key person expected to be able to end the internal conflict is the current Rais Aam, A. Sahal Mahfudz.

Many believe that this respected cleric, who hails from Pati, Central Java, could play a decisive factor in whether Hasyim launches an all-out assault for the chairmanship.

Even though the succession issue is likely to dominate headlines, a small group of NU youth members is pushing the congress to focus on concrete programs that can be pursued by the new executive board.

"The welfare of the members are often neglected," remarked Luthfi Rahman, one of the organizers of the congress. "Many of our schools have had to suspend operations because issues like education are ignored."

NU to begin congress amid bickering

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2004

Blontank Poer and Slamet Susanto, Surakarta/Yogyakarta -- The debate on involvement in politics seems likely to dominate the upcoming 39th congress of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's biggest Muslim group, to be opened in the Central Java town of Surakarta by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Sunday.

To some extent, the race for the chairmanship and chief patron posts during the congress will be a rerun of the rivalry between elite groups within the organization during the presidential election in July and the runoff election in September.

For many months now, the 40 million members of the organization have been split between NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi, who represents "structural" leaders, and Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid who, despite his absence from the election, orchestrated a move against Hasyim along with informal but influential clerics.

One thorny issue for the around 5,000 participants expected at the congress centers on how NU executives can be involved in politics without dragging the institution into their power struggles.

Despite its decision in 1984 to go back to its roots as a sociocultural organization, some NU leaders, including Gus Dur and Hasyim, have long been attracted to politics.

Gus Dur took the presidency in 1999 at the expense of Megawati Soekarnoputri, while Hasyim contested this year's presidential election as President Megawati's running mate.

NU deputy chairman Masdar F. Mas'udi said the NU was originally a religious organization. "NU does not practice politics through political parties. Its politics are always aimed at improving public welfare and protecting the process of nation-building," he said.

The organization turned to politics in 1945 when it joined Masyumi, a leading Muslim-based party. Later in 1952, it broke away from Masyumi and declared itself an independent political party. As a political party, the NU finished third in the country's first ever general election in 1955. Under the New Order regime, the NU was forced to merge with other Islam-based parties to form the United Development Party (PPP) in 1970.

At a landmark congress in 1984, the NU stepped back from politics, although five years later in Yogyakarta, it decided that involvement in politics was tolerable but should not affect the organization's solidarity. Following the fall of the New Order, the NU facilitated the establishment of the National Awakening Party (PKB).

During its congress in 1999, the NU called on its followers to vote for the PKB. This decision drew criticism from some NU followers, which led to the establishment of other parties by NU figures. The PKB finished fourth in the 1999 election, the first reasonably democratic one since 1955.

Under Hasyim, the NU adopted a new approach on how the organization should respond should its leaders wish to contest elections. Hasyim agreed to step aside temporarily, while another NU executive running in the presidential election, Solahuddin Wahid, opted to relinquish his post.

Race for Golkar's top post crucial for President

Straits Times - November 27, 2004

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta -- The race is on for control of Golkar, Indonesia's largest political party.

The party will hold a national congress next month to select a new chairman in what could prove crucial for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's plans to rein in a hostile Parliament.

If the meeting produces a leader sympathetic to his administration, it will pave the way for the former general to push through policies without the encumbrances of a legislature dominated by the Golkar juggernaut and its allies.

The problems he is facing with legislators in his first month in office will be a harbinger of things to come if the party nominates a chairman opposed to him.

That could be the stark reality given that the current Golkar leader and his chief nemesis, Mr Akbar Tandjung, is leading the pack for the post.

Mr Akbar has been crisscrossing the vast archipelago in recent weeks to lobby Golkar branches for support. "I am going to fight to keep my position," he told The Straits Times. "This is a party that I worked hard to build. So, I will not give up my position so easily."

Sources say he has US$10 million (S$16.5 million) in his war chest to disburse during the battle, largely from the funds given to him by former president Megawati Sukarnoputri to secure Golkar's support for her re-election.

His critics charge that he has little chance of regaining the powerful position, given that the ground is moving against him.

He might have won some reprieve by getting his candidate Agung Laksono nominated as parliamentary speaker last month. But for some, it is nothing but a gloss to an otherwise tarnished image of a politician who has suffered on three fronts in the past eight months.

The setbacks: losing out in the Golkar presidential nomination, failing to get the party's candidate, Mr Wiranto, past the first round in the election and having little effect on shoring up support for Ms Megawati when he backed her.

The seasoned politician, however, is an astute player who has a few more tricks up his sleeve. Given his control of the party machinery, he has pushed through rules and procedures in recent months that will have a big bearing on next month's meeting.

One of them prevents serving Cabinet ministers from taking part in the race. That effectively rules out several of the heavyweight competitors who are eyeing the post. They include Vice-President Jusuf Kalla and chief economics minister Abu Rizal Bakrie.

But the palace might attempt to influence the outcome of the congress by backing a proxy to challenge Mr Akbar. There are two others vying for the job -- former military commander Wiranto and business tycoon Surya Paloh.

Mr Surya would be appealing to Dr Yudhoyono, given their close links. But observers argue that he does not command sufficient grassroots support to launch a major challenge.

Mr Wiranto is also being courted by the President. The former general might have support from party branches, but he lacks funds. He spent a large amount for his presidential bid, leaving him now desperately short of funds.

Given the personal ambitions of the candidates, the most likely scenario is for the opposition to split at the Golkar congress. This plays well into the hands of Mr Akbar, who has all along been relying on a game plan to divide the forces lined up against him.

Party insiders reveal that the 58-year-old politician is keen on meeting Dr Yudhoyono for reconciliation talks. That is an attractive proposition for the palace, especially if it can diffuse tensions in parliament.

But will the President take the bait? His tetchy relationship with Mr Akbar might prove to be a stumbling block. He has suffered at the hands of the Golkar leader in the past, especially in the 2001 vice-presidential race. Back then, he was promised backing from the party. But at the eleventh hour, Mr Akbar withdrew his support for the former general and entered the race himself.

A senior presidential aide told The Straits Times: "We want to cut a deal, but the problem is holding Akbar to his word. He might want our support for the congress and after winning the chairmanship, turn the dagger against bapak."

The jury is still out on whether Mr Akbar can retain the chairmanship. But whatever the outcome, it will have a major bearing on the Yudhoyono presidency.

Government/civil service

President Susilo proving a stickler for punctuality

Jakarta Post - November 22, 2004

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta -- Punctuality is one thing that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has enforced during his first month in office, unlike his predecessors.

After having a career in the military, Susilo is demanding that Cabinet members, presidential staff and even journalists covering his activities be punctual.

The swearing-in of Cabinet members at the State Palace on October 21 demonstrated Susilo's discipline when it comes to time when a number of House of Representatives legislators were denied entry to the venue only because they arrived a few minutes late.

In the second week as President, Cabinet ministers had their turn. Susilo chastised five ministers when they arrived late for a Cabinet meeting at his office.

During a plenary Cabinet meeting on November 8, Susilo told the ministers that he expected them to be punctual, and asserted that they should have taken into account the amount of time it would take to reach the palace.

"If you arrive late on two more occasions, don't bother coming to any more Cabinet meetings," the President greeted the unpunctual ministers when they entered the meeting room.

A protocol staff member told The Jakarta Post last week that the ministers, who hold economic portfolios, told the President that traffic congestion had prevented them from arriving on time.

Two Cabinet members dealing with security affairs missed the commemoration of Heroes Day at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery on November 11, which was presided over by Susilo. The incident would have gone unnoticed had TV reporters not been stopped from covering the event by presidential guards because they had arrived two minutes late.

One of the reporters tried to offer an excuse, but to no avail. "We cannot let you in, even generals are outside as they also came late," a presidential guard told the woman journalist.

Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng said punctuality was one of the President's concerns, not because he had a military background but because he expected everybody to appreciate the value of time.

"He can't tolerate people who are late, for whatever reason," Andi said. He added that the Susilo's punctuality policy also applied to journalists, even though they do not work for the President and are not subject to his appraisal.

However, the President's zero tolerance for unpunctuality does not necessarily always apply to him. Susilo was late on Wednesday for an 8 p.m. scheduled speech to present his one-month progress report. The speech, which commenced at 8:40 p.m., was broadcast live by some television and radio stations.

The morning after, his speech to announce the extension of the state of civil emergency in Aceh was postponed for 20 minutes due to his late arrival. "I am sorry, I am not getting enough sleep," the President said before beginning his speech. "Neither are we, sir," a choir of journalists answered back.

While waiting anxiously for the speech, one of the journalists cracked a joke: "We should have locked him out, just as he does to other people."

Absentee officials may face sanctions

Jakarta Post - November 23, 2004

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta -- The city's civil servants straggled back into the office on Monday, the first day back to work after the long Idul Fitri holiday.

Of about 6,000 civil servants at City Hall only about 250 attended an Idul Fitri gathering that was held at 8 a.m. There are about 12,000 civil servants in all of Jakarta and their official working hours are from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.

At City Hall, more civil servants began to trickle in at about 9:30 a.m. They greeted their colleagues and swapped stories about their holidays. Very few of the civil servants seemed to be at their desks working.

Governor Sutiyoso vowed to impose stern sanctions on civil servants who failed to arrive at the office on time after the Idul Fitri holiday. These promised sanctions range from delayed raises to the suspension of promotions.

"Sanctions will be handed down to civil servants who fail to follow regulations, such as anyone who was absence without leave today," Sutiyoso said on the sidelines of the Idul Fitri gathering.

The governor canceled his scheduled inspection of city offices to attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Network of 21 Major Cities at the Borobudur Hotel in Central Jakarta.

Instead, a joint team from the City Audit Agency and the City Human Resources Agency carried out the inspection.

Audit agency head Firman Hutajulu said 874 out of 12,362 civil servants were absent on Monday. "There were 190 civil servants absent without leave, 112 called in sick, 291 are on leave, 79 were granted a day off for personal reasons, 135 are attending training courses and 257 others are out of town on official business."

Referring to a circular issued by the Office of the State Minister for Administrative Reform in 2003, Firman said those civil servants who were absent without leave could face disciplinary sanctions, including the suspension of periodical raises for up to a year and a delay in promotions.

"For those civil servants who were also absent without leave last year, they could face salary reductions or a demotion by one rank," he said. He emphasized that the administration believed these tough sanctions were appropriate in light of the fact that the administration had already given civil servants about 10 days off for the holiday.

Civil servant test leak probed

Jakarta Post - November 23, 2004

Medan -- The local administration is investigating a rumor that materials for civil servant recruitment tests had been sold to applicants.

Each copy of the exam was sold for a maximum Rp 10 million (US$1,063), said North Sumatra Secretary Muchyan Tambuse.

The rumor of the leaked exam surfaced two days before the civil servant entrance exam for North Sumatra was to be held on November 24.

A total of 165,556 people have filed application materials and are ready to take the test, of whom only 7,324 will be accepted as civil servants at the regental, municipal and provincial levels. The test will go on as planned, despite the alleged leakage.

Domestic problems greet Susilo

Jakarta Post - November 24, 2004

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta -- Upon arriving back from his first long overseas trip on Tuesday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono immediately addressed a number of domestic issues, ranging from security problems in Aceh to the recent violent protest over a dump in Jonggol, Bogor, West Java.

The President summoned Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Cabinet members to Halim Perdanakusuma airport as soon as he arrived to brief him on developments at home while he was attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Santiago.

"I see there are [four] issues that I need to give immediate responses to, which is why I asked for immediate reports upon my arrival," the President told a press conference at the airport.

The domestic issues in question were the investigation into the death from arsenic poisoning of human rights activist Munir, the investigation into the pileup on the Jagorawi toll road that killed six people before the presidential motorcade passed last week, public protests against the opening of a waste processing site in Bojong, and his planned visit to Aceh within the coming two days.

It is somewhat unusual for an Indonesian president to call a press conference specifically to address domestic issues upon arriving home from an overseas trip. Former presidents normally held such press conferences before flying back to Jakarta.

The media conference raised questions over communications between the President and his ministers at home. A powerful earthquake that killed over 30 people in Alor, East Nusa Tenggara, also took place while he was away.

"Regarding Munir's death, the Indonesian government promises to keep the investigation transparent and accountable. Those who are guilty will face sanctions," the President said. He did not respond to demands from rights activists, which have been supported by the House of Representatives, for the establishment of an independent team to probe Munir's death.

Susilo said his plan to visit Aceh was part of the government's efforts to seek a peaceful solution to the continuing conflict in the natural resource-rich province. He added that the extension of the state of civil emergency there was only part of an overall solution.

"I will hold talks with the Acehnese to convince them that we are preparing for a peaceful solution for the province," he said. Susilo announced the extension of the civil emergency in the province just before he left the country for the APEC summit last week.

Departing from his normal custom, the President did not give journalists an opportunity to ask questions after the press conference.

Civil servants play hooky despite longer holiday

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2004

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta -- The absentee rate in government offices after the Idul Fitri holiday slightly rose compared to last year, despite the fact that civil servants were granted more time off.

The office of the State Minister of Administrative Reform found that 87.45 percent of state employees checked in at their offices on Monday this week, the first day of work after an extended Idul Fitri holiday. In total, the civil servants enjoyed an eight-day vacation.

The office collected the data from 15 ministerial offices, 19 government agencies, three government institutions in Jakarta, Bengkulu and Jambi and 16 city administrations across the country.

Last year, 89.09 percent of civil servants turned up on the first working day after Idul Fitri, after they were given an extra three days off.

State Minister of Administrative Reform Taufik Effendi said more civil servants failed to return to work on schedule this year compared to last year because more government employees took additional time off, called in sick or were on official trips.

"The number of employees who were absent without leave this year was slightly lower compared to last year. In this sense, the situation is improving," Taufik claimed during a press conference.

His office found that 2.67 percent of government employees were absent without leave after the extended holiday, compared to last year's 2.84 percent. "I think it's really not a bad number," Taufik said.

In a bid to encourage more domestic tourism after the Bali terror attacks scared off international tourists in 2002, the government asked civil servants to take leave en masse during Idul Fitri and Christmas to enable them to celebrate the holidays with their extended families.

The decision is also aimed at bringing down the absentee rate after Idul Fitri, which in the past, adversely affected public services. "Absenteeism after holidays has become a bad habit among civil servants, and we hope the rate will decrease over time," Taufik said.

There are around 3.6 million civil servants who work for the bureaucracy nationwide.

Taufik said the policy of giving extra time off would be maintained next year, but civil servants would not be allowed to take any extra leave or schedule official trips during or after the holiday season.

Reality bites for Yudhoyono

Straits Times - November 25, 2004

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta -- Santiago was a world away for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in more ways than one.

At the recently concluded Apec summit there, he was feted by fellow leaders who welcomed his moderate Muslim credentials and assurances of sound economic policies. Here was a man they could do business with, they thought, seeing in the former general a refreshing change from his predecessors -- the uncommunicative Megawati Sukarnoputri and the erratic Abdurrahman Wahid.

But things are a lot different back home in Jakarta. After being buoyed by the euphoria of winning a resounding popular mandate in the country's first direct leadership ballot, Dr Yudhoyono is coming down to earth and finding the landing painful. He is learning that there is no escaping crude partisan politics, something that is likely to shadow him for the rest of his five- year term.

The attacks come in all forms. There is the "SMS war". Text messages are being circulated via cell phones alleging that Dr Yudhoyono is to blame for an accident at a toll highway that killed six. But police investigations reveal that the accident occurred when patrol officers stopped traffic to allow the presidential entourage to pass. A speeding bus rammed into the queue minutes after the President passed.

In Parliament, it is open season on the President. Members of the country's two largest parties, Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle, have launched vitriolic attacks accusing him of being weak. They say he caved in to pressure from the Muslim parties and Vice-President Jusuf Kalla in forming his Cabinet.

Opposition parties have also ambushed him in two areas where the potential for harm is greater. The first concerns the election of chairmen for the 11 commissions and five other auxiliary bodies in the legislature. Golkar and its allies in the Nationhood Coalition, which together command close to 60 per cent of the 550 seats in Parliament, cornered most of these positions. This forced the minority People's Coalition, which Dr Yudhoyono is aligned to and which wanted proportional representation, to boycott the proceedings.

Round One in the battle appears to have gone to Dr Yudhoyono's rivals despite talk from his camp that negotiations are on for a yearly rotation of the commission heads.

The second issue is even thornier and has yet to be resolved: The appointment of the armed forces commander. The outgoing government presented him with a fait accompli by issuing a letter to Parliament to appoint current army chief Ryamizard Ryacudu as the new military leader. This was a particularly stinging slap for the President as it denied him room to choose his own military chief. Not surprisingly, Dr Yudhoyono revoked the appointment letter, causing another storm of protest.

The standoff persists. Current Indonesian Armed Forces commander Endriartono Sutarto holds on to the post as the President and Parliament slug it out behind the scenes.

These two issues are a harbinger of things to come for the Yudhoyono administration. Parliament and the executive will be engaged in a protracted power struggle. And it will be an unpredictable contest given the MPs' penchant for switching alliances depending on the issues of the day and how that will affect their self-interest.

Golkar, despite winning the top post in Parliament, will not be able to sway everything in its direction. But neither will the President and his supporters.

The danger for Dr Yudhoyono is that the battle in Parliament will stall his programmes for change -- and that will cost him the support of the people who had such high hopes in him as he fought his way to the presidential palace.

But while the daggers are out for him at home, he is winning plaudits abroad. He is the face of change in Indonesia -- and importantly represents the first real challenge to the old oligarchy.

Winning convincingly in a direct election has lent him a political legitimacy that no other Indonesian leader had ever enjoyed before. His moderate Islamic credentials and Western education appeal to an international audience that fears that the world's most populous Muslim nation could go the path of fundamentalist Iran.

At the sidelines of the Apec summit, he received assurances from US President George W. Bush that Washington would work to normalise military relations with Jakarta. The ties were strained after the US imposed an arms embargo following the Timor Leste imbroglio in 1999.

Japan promised billions of dollars worth of investments, with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi pushing for "a new economic partnership".

And China might have beaten everyone else in the race to cultivating good relations with Dr Yudhoyono. It sent a high- level trade delegation to meet him at his residence in Bogor last month, even before he was sworn in as President.

How soon will domestic problems begin to cast their shadows over the sunny reception in Santiago? It is early days yet, but it is already clear that Dr Yudhoyono will have a restive Parliament to contend with.

Corruption/collusion/nepotism

KPK members yet to receive salaries

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2004

Jakarta -- The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman and his four deputies have been working without proper salaries since they took office in December 2003.

KPK chairman Taufiequrachman Ruki told members of the House of Representatives Commission III on legal and domestic affairs here on Wednesday that the government had been paying the antigraft body executives in an irregular manner, as there was not yet a set salary procedure as stipulated in a regulation governing the matter.

Ruki said his office had submitted the draft regulation on the KPK's organizational structure and salaries on March 15, but then president Megawati Soekarnoputri failed to authorize it, and the current president still had not.

Top legislator tried over graft charges

Jakarta Post - November 26, 2004

Bandung/Padang/Samarinda -- After a year of delays, a former West Java councillor went on trial in Bandung on Thursday for corruption.

If convicted, Kurdi Mukri, former deputy speaker of the West Java provincial council and currently a legislator at the House of Representatives, could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Prosecutor Happy Hadiastuti told the court on Thursday the high- profile corruption case began when Kurdi, a member of the United Development Party (PPP), and several other West Java council leaders proposed to the local administration that the 100 West Java councillors for the 1999-2004 term be given money to buy parcels of land.

The proposal asked for Rp 250 million for each councillor. The proposal called the money a "token of gratitude" after the councillors successfully monitored the disbursement of the West Java provincial budget between 2001 and 2002, saving the province Rp 200 billion.

After the provincial government approved the money, the council leaders disbursed the funds in three stages between 2001 and 2002. The total amount disbursed was Rp 33.4 billion, including taxes and interest.

Before being disbursed, the money was kept in a bank account belonging to Kurdi and another account belonging to Eka Santosa, the former speaker of the West Java provincial council.

Following a public outcry, Kurdi returned Rp 7.5 billion to the state in 2003. Prosecutors who opened an investigation into the case following the public outcry found irregularities in the approval and disbursement of the money.

Prosecutors said Kurdi accumulated Rp 171 million in interest by keeping the money in his bank account. They also said the disbursement of the funds violated procedures because the money was not allocated in the budget for the welfare of the councillors.

Prosecutors accused Kurdin of enriching himself and causing losses to the state, which is a violation of the corruption law. The law carries a minimum sentence of one year in jail and a maximum sentence of life.

Kurdi was quick to criticize the indictment, which he said was not fair. He said other councillors who received the money should also be tried.

Kurdi is one of three former councillors who have been charged in the case, which surfaced in 2003. Two other former councillors -- Suyaman and Suparno, who are also former deputy speakers of the council -- are currently being questioned as suspects by the West Java Prosecutor's Office. Separately in Padang, the capital of West Sumatra, former Padang mayor Zuiyen Rais went on trial on Thursday for allegedly embezzling Rp 8.4 billion from Padang's 2001 and 2002 budgets.

In Samarinda, the capital of East Kalimantan, the provincial prosecutor's office questioned on Thursday former East Kalimantan provincial council speaker Soekardi Jarwo Putro over a Rp 85 billion graft case.

Regional/communal conflicts

Police seize weapons in raids

Jakarta Post - November 22, 2004

Jakarta -- The Central Sulawesi Police seized more than 500 weapons including homemade firearms in two days of raids over the weekend following a bombing in the restive regency of Poso on November 13 that killed six people.

Provincial police chief Brig. Gen. Aryanto Sutadi led over 500 officers in the raids, which covered 13 villages in Donggala regency, the scene of recent clashes.

Aryanto said the raids would be expanded to cover other areas, including Poso.

"The raids were shock therapy for locals. Next time we will arrest anyone in possession of weapons and charge them under Law No. 12/1951 on state of emergency," he said.

Anyone found violating the law can receive a maximum punishment of death.

The operation over the weekend was not without its challenges. Residents of Jono-Oge and Maranatha villages protested the police's failure to show them search warrants.

"This operation is for the benefit of all of you who want to see this conflict end," Aryanto told villagers in Jono-Oge. "We are here to help you realize the peace you all want." Jono-Oge has been the site of a series of clashes over the last few years, with the latest incident occurring last month.

In Maranatha village, where sectarian violence erupted earlier this year, a group of youths put up a roadblock to try and stop the raid.

"The police cannot take our machetes because we use them to work on our farms," one youth said.

Only after Aryanto promised to replace the machetes with more suitable farming tools did the villagers remove the roadblock.

The raids follow a deadly bombing on a public minivan near the Pasar Sentral market in Poso.

Police arrested two men suspected of involvement in the attack, but released them after one day due to a lack of evidence.

Two weeks before the bombing, Poso residents were shocked by the beheading of a village chief and the shooting death of a bus driver.

Sporadic violence has plagued Poso and neighboring regencies since a peace deal was signed in December 2001 by groups involved in two years of sectarian clashes in Poso.

Local & community issues

Seven shot at protest against new dump

Jakarta Post - November 23, 2004

Bogor/Jakarta -- A protest over a waste treatment plant turned violent on Monday as police opened fire on residents of Bojong village in Klapanunggal district, Bogor, wounding seven.

Police fired live rounds into the crowd after protesters allegedly attempted to set the plant on fire. Reinforcement officers arrived at about 3 p.m. and arrested 33 residents for provoking the violence.

Officers continued to pour into the area late on Monday to search for additional suspects.

Four Bojong residents, accompanied by non-governmental organization activists, met with National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung late on Monday to protest the police's actions.

"My husband was arrested while he was sitting on the porch with me. He is innocent," said Ini, whose husband Ta'ing was in police custody as of Monday night. She said armed officers burst into her house and the homes of her neighbors searching for suspects. "They broke down the doors and kicked holes in them." Rachland Nashidik of the Indonesian Human Rights Watch demanded that the officers be pulled out of Bojong.

Haris Azhar from the Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence said the police were searching homes in the area without warrants.

Both activists characterized the police's actions as a gross violation of residents' rights. "The police should have calmed the situation, but apparently they are biased in the matter," Harris said.

The clash began when about 2,000 residents were protesting against a planned trial of the Bojong waste treatment plant. The protest turned ugly when residents allegedly attempted to burn down the plant.

"We demand that the plant be closed immediately because it can make us sick. It would be better to build a red-light district here than to flood us with garbage," said one resident, Mi'ah, 48, who has been protesting against the plant since last year.

Ten Bogor Police officers and 10 members of the police's elite Mobile Brigade were guarding the plant and its employees at the time of the protest. They used tear gas and opened fire when the protesters attempted to attack the plant.

The officers and plant staff were eventually forced to flee through the rear of the plant.

Bogor Police chief Sr. Comr. Bambang Wasgito said the shootings did not follow procedure and that he would form a special team to investigate the incident. "The Mobile Brigade officers fired their rifles. Their presence at the plant had nothing to do with us. The company hired them without coordinating with us," he said.

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said the protesters should be punished for vandalizing the waste treatment facility, which when operational is expected to absorb one-third of the 6,000 tons of garbage the capital produces each day.

Bojong residents denied access to wounded relatives

Jakarta Post - November 24, 2004

Bogor/Bandung/Jakarta -- Dozens of mostly women residents of Bojong village, Klapanunggal district, Bogor, West Java, had to undergo a long journey on Tuesday before being allowed to visit their husbands and brothers hospitalized with gunshot wounds after Monday's clash with the police over the opening of a waste processing facility.

National Commission on Human Rights member M.M. Billah received complaints from the women on how they were denied access to the Sukanto Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, and reports on family members who were still missing. Accompanied by Billah, the residents were finally allowed to see their relatives in the hospital.

Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) deputy director Rida Saleh, who accompanied the women, said that the National Police had also given its permission on Tuesday afternoon for the families to visit the victims in the hospital.

"After a visit and a body count, it has become clear that six victims were shot, not seven as we previously thought." Another victim was reportedly receiving treatment in the hospital for cuts.

The clash was the result of the residents' vehement opposition to the waste treatment plant, which is operated by PT Wira Guna Sejahtera and is designed to process waste from Jakarta and Bogor, which the residents believe will give rise to health problems and damage the environment.

The plant was supposed to use environmentally friendly bale press technology. However, the machinery turned out not to be suitable as it can only process non-organic waste. So, the operator converted the facility into an incinerator.

The residents' protest during the tryout of the plant on Monday turned ugly after they tried to burn down the facility. The police opened fire using live rounds, wounding six protesters as a result. They then beat and detained 33 others. The wounded and detained protesters have been named suspects for inciting the clash.

Human rights activists immediately demanded talks with the National Police on Monday night, slamming the violence and claiming it was a gross violation of human rights.

One resident, Ontin, reported to the rights commission that her husband, Dudung, had gone missing after the disturbances.

The residents said that most of the village's young men had decided to leave home out of fear that the police would arbitrarily arrest them as suspects. They also reported that their relatives who had been detained in the Bogor police station had been badly beaten and that at first they were not allowed to see them.

State Minister for the Environment, Rachmat Witoelar, blamed the Jakarta and Bogor administrations for their failure to disseminate information to the residents beforehand. This corroborated a statement by the West Java governor, Danny Setiawan, who said that he had never received the environmental impact analysis for the facility, which is located in a residential area.

West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Edi Darnadi said he would facilitate a meeting between all those involved to find an amicable solution to the problem, and that he had sent internal affairs officers to question the police personnel who had been involved in the incident.

Background

• 2003 June 15, The construction of Bojong dump starts
• June 20, First residents' protest, hundreds rally at City Hall
• July 30, Second protest, 400 residents rally at City Hall
• December 5, Four residents arrested for trying to attack police who come to guard the dump site
• December 22, The Bogor regency gave green light to use the area as a dump site
• December 24, Three residents injured as they clashed with the police when trying to stop trucks carrying building materials for the plant's construction
• 2004 January 2, The Jakarta administration gears up for first dump operation
• January 3, The Bogor regency and the Jakarta administrations sign MoU over the operation of the dump site
• January 4, The Bantar Gebang dump was closed as Bekasi regency reject Jakarta's plea for extension
• February 6, First planned trial meet with pierce opposition
• March 3, Residents blockade the access for two trucks carrying garbage to the plant
• March 16, Delay trial to after April 5 election
• August 6, Delay trial to August 15 due to strong residents' opposition
• October 4, Another planned trial ended in violence when thousands of residents vandalized the plant and felled trees to block access to dump
• November 1, Another trial delay
• November 20, The Jakarta and Bogor administration were forced to call off another planned trial in the face of fierce protests by residents and police warnings
• November 23, Six residents were shot and 33 others were arrested in the protest-turned riot against the latest planned trial of the dump. Residents reportedly burned plant building and nine cars.

Inquiry into Jakarta shooting

Agence France Presse - November 24, 2004

Jakarta -- Indonesia's police chief yesterday ordered a rare probe into his men's violent handling of a protest near Jakarta in which at least five people were wounded by shotguns and 33 arrests made.

General Da'i Bachtiar told reporters the inquiry would identify whether police used excessive force to crush Monday's protest in the village of Bojong against a new waste-processing plant after a public outcry over the incident. "There must be an investigation of our own personnel. Were conditions that bad to warrant such actions?" he said.

Violent handling of public protests in Indonesia often prompts complaints of police brutality, but most claims are swept under the carpet and attempts to prosecute officers rarely result in heavy punitive action.

Rights activists said Monday's police action underlined the need for a watchdog to curb the excesses of law enforcers. "Shooting by the police should really be a last resort. There should be actions to determine whether such shootings were warranted," said Mr Ifdhal Kasim, the executive director of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy.

An independent National Commission for the Police was ordered to be created under a new law passed last year, but has yet to materialise.

Five people missing after Bojong protest

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2004

Bogor/Bandung/Jakarta -- Five residents of Bojong village, Klapanunggal district, West Java, are still missing after a violent protest on Monday against the planned trial of a waste processing facility.

The Bogor Council recommended on Wednesday the temporary closure of the disputed plant.

Residents identified four of the missing villagers as Sanan, Naim, Hariyanto and Adang. They said all four were taken away by the police after the protest on Monday.

"We have checked at the Bogor Police office and local hospitals but we have been unable to locate the missing residents," said Samsul Bachri of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute.

One resident, Ontin, earlier notified the National Commission on Human Rights that her husband Dudung was missing.

The protest on Monday turned violent when police opened fire on residents, wounding six. A group of 21 non-governmental organizations monitoring the case said police were still searching for additional suspects and had detained two more residents.

"The police released 18 of 37 people arrested for allegedly provoking the violence after we negotiated with them. Nineteen others, including two teenagers, are still being held," said activist Maruli Saragih.

In a marathon session attended by Bogor deputy regent Albert Pribadi and Bogor Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Muhammad Raufik, the Bogor Council recommended the closure of the plant "while we evaluate it with representatives of plant operator PT Wira Guna Sejahtera and the Jakarta administration", council speaker Rachmat Yasin said.

West Java Governor Danny Setiawan said he and Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso had agreed to attempt to convince Bojong residents into accepting a one-month trial for the plant.

The residents believe the facility, designed to process waste from Jakarta and Bogor, will cause health problems and damage the environment.

Sutiyoso defends disputed dump

Laksamana.Net - November 25, 2004

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso has vowed to press ahead with the development of a new waste processing plant in Bojong village, despite mounting opposition from residents and local legislators after police opened fire on protesters at the site.

"The Bojong waste processing plant will continue to become the place with the highest technology for waste processing, unless someone offers me a higher form of technology, but no other technology has been offered," he was quoted as saying Thursday (25/11/04) by detikcom online news portal.

Locals in Bogor regency think otherwise, fearing the facility will cause health problems and damage the environment.

The plant was supposed to package all waste into compressed bales, but its machinery can only process non-organic waste, so the operator has reportedly decided to convert the facility into an incinerator.

A protest by about 2,000 locals at the facility on Monday turned violent when some of them attempted to set fire to the plant. Some also used to sticks and rocks to smash buildings and vehicles.

The 20 police guards hired by the plant's operator were greatly outnumbered and responded with tear gas before opening fire into the crowd. At least five people were shot and wounded, while 37 were beaten and detained.

Reports on Thursday said 18 of the detainees had been released and 19 were still being held, while another five villagers had gone missing after the incident.

National Police chief General Dai Bachtiar has ordered an inquiry into whether police used excessive force to crush the protest, while Bogor legislative assembly has recommended the temporary closure of the plant.

Sutiyoso responded angrily to the recommendation, warning that foreign investors would flee Indonesia if authorities in Jakarta give in to the actions of "anarchists".

He claimed the anarchic action has already prompted private investors from Canada and South Korea to think twice about committing to waste processing projects in the capital.

Responding to allegations the plant will damage the environment, Sutiyoso said he would close down the plant if it poses such dangers.

"But why not test it first? There has to be a test. As governor I dare not say that [there is or isn't environmental damage] because I'm not an expert. The experts are welcome to observe it. I'm willing to close the waste processing facility there is environmental damage," he said.

He added the facility could not yet be tested because it was damaged by the anarchists, who had also damaged Indonesia's investment climate.

Sutiyoso was speaking to reporters after a meeting with Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who he said also endorsed the continuation of the project. "I have just spoken with the vice president and he ordered that the Bojong waste processing facility continue."

The governor is accustomed to using brutality to push through unpopular projects. According to the Urban Poor Consortium, about 50,000 people have been evicted from their homes in Jakarta over the past three years as part of Sutiyoso's development strategies. Many of the evictions resulted in bloodshed when security authorities attacked impoverished locals who refused to leave their simple homes.

Police to grill Bogor Police chief over clash

Jakarta Post - November 26, 2004

Jakarta/Bogor -- The National Police will summon Bogor Police chief Sr. Comr. Bambang Wasgito for questioning, following the bloody incident at Jakarta's waste treatment plant in Bojong village, Bogor regency, on Monday.

The statement was issued by National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar on the sidelines of Thursday's hearing with the House of Representatives' Commission III overseeing security affairs.

Da'i admitted police efforts to stop the violent protest had gone awry, with six protesters wounded after officers fired live ammunition into the crowd. "That is why we will make a thorough investigation of the incident," Da'i said.

Television news footage clearly showed police, who were guarding the plant during the incident, opening fire to disperse the crowd after some of them tried to set the buildings on fire.

Villagers had repeatedly protested the presence of the waste treatment facility operated by PT Wira Guna Sejahtera, saying the plant would damage the environment and cause health problems.

Legislator Trimedya Panjaitan said Bambang and Bojong Police subprecinct chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Muhammad Taufik should be held responsible for the incident.

He quoted residents who said that two weeks prior to the clash, two trucks packed with officers from the police elite Mobile Brigade unit were seen patrolling the plant.

"Why did the police deploy the Mobile Brigade there? Has the company specifically asked for security help from the unit?" he said.

Police have arrested 37 villagers but already released 18 of them. Five others are still unaccounted for after they were taken away by officers.

A crowd of mostly women from Bojong village visited Bojong Police station on Thursday to meet family members being detained there.

"I had thought my husband had gone missing. I've just found out from an NGO (non-governmental organization) that he has been detained here. I'm afraid he will be beaten up by the officers," said Sulastri, the wife of Gunawan, who is in police custody. During the visit, the women called for police to release the villagers.

While the residents strongly oppose the dump, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso has said support for the project went as high as Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who wanted the facility to begin operations as soon as possible.

"The Vice President has instructed us to go ahead with the plant," he said, without explaining Kalla's reasons for his support. His statement, however, was at odds with the view of State Minister of the Environment Rachmat Witoelar, who told the House's Commission VII overseeing energy, mineral resources and the environment that the plant violated Bogor city's planning laws.

"[Bogor] Bylaw No. 27/1998 stipulates the waste processing plant should be located in Nambo village. Why did the local administration issue the permit to construct the facility in Bojong village instead?" he said. The bylaw also states Bojong is designated a residential area.

During the hearing, the commission urged the minister's office to intervene the case. "Since there is a violation in the construction of the plant, the minister's office must get involved," chairman Agusman Effendy said. He also urged the Bogor administration to temporarily close the plant until the dispute was solved.

Six policemen deny involvement in Bojong violence

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2004

Theresia Sufa and Damar Harsanto, Bogor/Jakarta -- Six low-ranked police officers have denied involvement in Monday's violent protest by locals opposing the presence of Bojong waste treatment facility in Klapanunggal, Bogor regency, West Java.

The officers -- Second Insp. Parlaungan Simatupang and Second Brig. Ahmad Walyuhri of Cileungsi Police, and Second Brig. Asep Saepul, Second Brig. Agus Gunawan, Second Brig. Sutopo and Second Brig. Roh Mustapa Dewa Samudra of Bogor Police riot squad -- presented their statements to a police ethics committee hearing on Friday.

However, the committee has yet to interrogate middle- and high- ranked officers, including Bogor Police chief Sr. Comr. Bambang Wasgito and Bojong Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Muhammad Taufik, even though National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar had promised that the police would summon Bambang for questioning.

The six officers denied that they had been involved in beating and kicking protesters although television footage and newspaper reports showed the opposite.

"If we appeared to grab the protesters' hair, beat or kick them, it was because they attempted to flee the scene when we tried to arrest them," one of the officers said in the hearing, presided over by Adj. Sr. Comr. Rastra Gunawan. Dozens of uniformed policemen and policewomen also attended the hearing to show support for their colleagues.

Another officer admitted that they had to use violence in self- defense against protesters, who they claimed had carried machetes and other sharp weapons. "Despite their denials, we consider that the video footage and news reports of the incident are sufficient to bring those officers to this examination, referring to Article 4 (a) of Government Regulation No. 2/2003 on disciplinary regulations for Indonesian Police," Rastra said.

This article stipulates that police officers are obliged to give their utmost to protect, secure and serve the public. If it is proven that the officers violated discipline, they could face a maximum sentence of 21 days in police custody, and discharge from the force.

The incident started when thousands of villagers, supported by several non-governmental organizations, staged a rally on Monday to protest the planned trial of a waste treatment facility by operator PT Wira Guna Sejahtera. The rally turned violent after police officers guarding the plant clashed with protesters who had vandalized the office and cars at the plant.

Legislators have questioned the deployment of the Police Mobile Brigade to secure the plant.

Meanwhile, the Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta) have called on Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso to apologize to the locals over the bloody incident, claiming that his administration should also bear responsibility.

"The trial of the Bojong plant was done because the Jakarta administration repeatedly pressed the plant management to start operating it," Fakta's chairman Azas Tigor Nainggolan said. He added the plant must be closed down since it violates Bogor regency's master plan.

Tigor referred to a letter issued by former state minister of the environment Nabiel Makarim on December 4, 2003, which requested the Bogor regency administration to relocate the plant to Nambo village in accordance with the master plan.

Earlier on Thursday, the House of Representatives asked State Minister of the Environment Rachmat Witoelar to intervene in the case on the basis of the alleged violation.

Bogor regency council as well as the West Java provincial council recommended on Friday that the plant be closed as it could spark further social unrest.

Bojong residents demand release of 17 colleges

Detik.com - November 24, 2004

Nala Edwin, Jakarta -- Around 20 Bojong residents from the Bogor regency demonstrated at the Jakarta national police headquarters demanding the release of 17 colleges who were arrested in relation to a recent clash at the Bojong Integrate Rubbish Dump.

The majority of the demonstrators were Bojong housewives who were accompanied by non-government organisation activists from the Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), the Indonesian Legal Aid Association (PBHI), Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) and the Information Centre for Action and Reformation Network (Pijar). The group was received by the head of the public relations division Inspector General Paiman.

"Up until today, 18 people have been released by the Bogor police. But 17 others are still being detained", said Alin from Walhi during a break in the demonstration on Wednesday November 24.

The 17 resident who are still being detained by police are Dede Suparman, Adang Hermawan, Anton Jasaputra, Nenin, Ejar, Nazarudin, Djadja, Taing, Johar, Galuh, Ace, Ata bin Nading, Rohim Sumita, Mirja, Atang, Aming and Dayat Supriyadi.

"Up until yesterday sweepings and arrests were still being conducted by police. One of the residents who was arrested was named Dado", said Alin.

During the demonstration the residents demanded that Sutiyoso, the governor of Jakarta resign, the payment of compensation and money for medication for the residents who were shot and are being treated, the rehabilitation of the good names of those who were arrested and an investigation into the violations committed by security forces and police.

A number of posters were spread out with demands such as "Reject the Bojong Integrated Rubbish Dump", "Investigate the violence in Bojong" and "Sack the Bogor local and regional police heads".

Paiman promised the demonstrators that they would take stern action against security personnel who committed the violence against Bojong residents. "We will continue conducting the investigation into police officers who committed acts of violence outside of the proper guidelines. We will also continue to conduct the investigation into the people who carried out the riot, set fire to [property] and threatened the safety of other persons", said Paiman.(aan)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Human rights/law

Munir's wife, rights activists defy threats

Jakarta Post - November 22, 2004

Jakarta -- The wife and colleagues of human rights activist Munir who died of arsenic poisoning aboard a plane flight in September vowed on Sunday not to be silenced by intimidation and to continue voicing their demands for justice.

Munir's wife, Suciwati, spoke after receiving a death threat mailed to her house in Bekasi, West Java. A brown box filled with a severed chicken head, legs and intestines came with a typed message saying 'Do not connect the TNI to Munir's death. Want to end up like this!' TNI is the acronym for the Indonesian Military, which Munir was critical of.

Suciwati said she and her late husband were used to receiving threats. "When my husband was still alive, we used to live with terror. We never told the public about it because we didn't want to give the threats importance," Suciwati said.

The package had been reported to the police who arrived at the family's residence four hours after the mail arrived.

Suciwati, however, said the threat would not drive her to speculation as to who killed her husband. "The murder could be anyone," she said.

Rusdi Marpaung from human rights watch Imparsial, which Munir cofounded, and Catholic priest Sandyawan Sumardi accompanied Suciwati during her statement.

The threat came as rights groups demanded a thorough investigation into Munir's suspicious death on a Garuda flight en route to Amsterdam. The Netherlands Forensic Institute said an autopsy performed on Munir had found he died from excessive levels of arsenic in his body.

Rusdi said Munir's family in Malang, East Java, had also received a disturbing letter two days after he died. "The message was 'congratulating' the family for Munir's death as the writer branded Munir a traitor and wished that the spirits of the country's heroes would pardon him," Rusdi said.

Imparsial director Rachland Nashidik said he and fellow rights activists would not jump to the immediate conclusion the threats came from elements the military.

"We just want the police to properly investigate the case and refrain themselves from speculation," he said. The threats, he said, confirmed suspicions that Munir's death was politically motivated and involved professionals.

Garuda Indonesia head of corporate communications Pudjobroto said on Saturday the airline would support the police investigation and facilitate the interrogation of the GA-974 air crew who were on duty when Munir died.

Widow vows not to be intimidated

Australian Associated Press - November 22, 2004

The widow of a murdered Indonesian rights activist has vowed not to be silenced by death threats, including a dismembered chicken sent to her with a warning to stop blaming the military for her husband's death.

Suciwati, whose human rights champion husband Munir was allegedly poisoned with arsenic during a flight to the Netherlands two months ago, said she was used to intimidation.

"When my husband was still alive, we used to live with terror," she told journalists. We never told the public about it because we didn't want to give the threats importance."

Munir, 38, a leading critic of Indonesia's military credited with leading the push for democratic reforms, collapsed and died on a flight to Amsterdam on September 7. His death was originally blamed on a heart attack.

But an autopsy completed by the Dutch Forensic Institute reportedly found he died as a result of a fatal dose of arsenic. Human rights activists have refused to point the finger at the still-powerful military, but warned Munir had many enemies.

Over the weekend, Suciwati was sent a box filled with a severed chicken head, legs and intestines, along with a typed message warning, "Do not connect the TNI [military] to Munir's death. Want to end up like this!" Munir's family in Malang, East Java, also received a letter two days after he died, activists said.

"The writer branded Munir a traitor and wished that the spirits of the country's heroes would pardon him," Rusdi Marpaung from human rights watchdog Imparsial told the Jakarta Post.

Suciwati refused to say who she thought killed her husband. "The murder could be anyone," she said.

An Indonesian police investigation team sent to the Netherlands last week appears to have hit a stumbling block with Dutch authorities refusing to hand over the original autopsy report. The Dutch government said it would hand over the document only if the investigating team produced a formal request from the Indonesian government.

Activist's wife receives death threat

Associated Press - November 22, 2004

Jakarta -- The wife of an Indonesian human rights activist who was fatally poisoned was sent a dismembered chicken, media reports said yesterday. It came with a death threat, warning her not to publicly blame the military for her husband's death.

Indonesia's most prominent rights activist, Mr Munir, died on September 7 on board a flight to Amsterdam. Dutch investigators later found out that he died from arsenic poisoning.

Mr Munir, 38, frequently publicised alleged rights abuses by the country's powerful security forces. Police are investigating the death, but have yet to name any suspects.

Koran Tempo daily reported that Mr Munir's wife, Ms Suciawati, received a dead chicken in the mail on Saturday with a note that said: "Beware. Do not link the Indonesian military with Munir's death. Do you want to end up like this?" A military spokesman was not available for comment. Ms Suciawati has called for Mr Munir's death to be investigated, but has not accused the military of being behind it.

Her husband was a vocal supporter of efforts to investigate the disappearance of dozens of activists during the 32-year reign of former dictator Suharto.

House reluctant to back Munir death probe

Jakarta Post - November 23, 2004

M. Taufiqurrahman and Tony Hotland, Jakarta -- The House of Representatives (DPR) appeared reluctant on Monday to lend their support for a thorough probe into the death of human rights campaigner Munir, who died of acute arsenic poisoning.

Responding to demands from human rights groups and family members for the establishment of an independent investigation team under the auspices of the President, the House Commission III on Law, Human Rights and Security only pledged that it would discuss the proposal in a plenary meeting.

"Without doubt we fully support the investigation into Munir's death, however a formal endorsement on the establishment an investigating commission can only be given by a House plenary meeting," commission chairman Agustin Teras Narang said, concluding a meeting between the commission members and human right's activists. Munir's widow, Suciwati, also attended the meeting.

Teras said the commission also agreed to establish a 7-strong team to collect information relating to Munir's untimely death that will serve as preliminary analysis to be presented at the plenary meeting. "However, the team will be different from the one we previously formed," he told reporters after the meeting.

Scores of rights activists including lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis, senior advocate Adnan Buyung Nasution, member of the National Commission on Human Rights M.M. Billah, director of human rights watch (Imparsial) Rachland Nashidik, Bambang Widjojanto and Smita Notosusanto met with the commission to renew their calls for the speedy inquiry into the mysteries surrounding Munir's death.

They also demanded the establishment of an independent investigating team under the direct supervision of the President to help the work of the existing team set up by the National Police and the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

On behalf of Munir's widow, the group also called on the police to hand over a copy of the autopsy report. It is not clear why police have not given Suciwati a copy of the report.

Munir died aboard a Garuda Indonesia flight a few hours before landing at Schipol airport in Amsterdam on September 7. The autopsy report showed an excessive level of arsenic in his blood.

Meanwhile, the police gave an assurance on Monday that the formal request from the Indonesian government required to obtain a copy of Munir's original autopsy report from the Dutch government, would be made available on Tuesday. Police said Indonesian law required an original copy of the autopsy report if the case was to be investigated.

"What happened [regarding the autopsy report] was just a little confusion because of the different administrative systems of the two countries. A formal request from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and the Attorney General's Office is needed since investigators and forensic departments in the Netherlands are put under these two institutions," National Police detectives chief Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung said.

The police team, which left for the Netherlands last Thursday said that they could not start their probe as they failed to produce such a formal request.

Suyitno, however, said the team had in fact been given a formal request from the National Police prior to their departure, and was given in the company of the Indonesian envoy.

"[The Netherlands] should honor our [governmental] system and should not sweat over administrative preconditions. I think our Ambassador there should be considered as the government's representative," he said.

House supports investigation into Munir's death

Jakarta Post - November 24, 2004

M. Taufiqurrahman and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta -- Amid calls for a speedy investigation into the death of rights campaigner Munir, the House of Representatives has agreed to support the establishment of a special investigative team.

The House agreed during a plenary meeting on Tuesday to press the government to establish an independent team, under the President's supervision, to assist an investigative team formed by the National Police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The House also called on the government to hand over a copy of Munir's autopsy report to his family. "The House will also set up a team comprising members from Commission I and III to help resolve the case," the chairman of House Commission III on law, human rights and security, Agustin Teras Narang, said to a chorus of applause from House members.

During a meeting between the two commissions later in the day it was decided that the special team would consists of 15 members representing every major faction in the House.

The House's support for a full-fledged investigation into Munir's death came only a day after human rights activists and Munir's widow Suciwati met with Commission III to demand a thorough investigation of Munir's death.

Munir died of arsenic poisoning aboard a Garuda Indonesia flight a few hours before landing at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam on September 7. He was 39.

The House's swift endorsement of the establishment of the team was something of a surprise given that Commission III appeared reluctant to back such a team during a meeting with the activists.

Commission III members Lukman Hakim Saefuddin of the United Development Party (PPP) and Nursjahbani Katjasungkana of the National Awakening Party (PKB) worried before the plenary meeting on Tuesday there was little chance Munir's case would be raised during the session because House leaders needed more information about the issue. "If the plenary meeting is silent on Munir's cause, I will raise the issue myself," Lukman said.

Teras read out the results of Monday's meeting between Commission III and the rights activists after interruptions by Ahmad Saputra of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and Lukman.

Amid the intense pressure to solve Munir's death, his widow and colleagues have been exposed to bullying and threats. In the latest incident, the office of human rights watchdog Imparsial in Menteng, Central Jakarta, received a threat similar to one received by Munir's widow. A box containing a severed chicken head with a note reading "Do not connect the TNI to Munir's death. Do you want to end up like this" was received by an employee of the rights group on Tuesday morning.

Imparsial director Rachland Nashidik said that since the threats mentioned the Indonesian Military, the TNI had to speak out on the issue. "If they are not involved, then say so publicly. The TNI chief also must give the police team investigating the case all the access it requires," Rachland said.

Commenting on Imparsial's demands, TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said "it is common for the military to become a scapegoat in any sort of threats". The TNI chief, however, pledged that the military would provide any information to the police, stressing that the military was not involved in Munir's death.

Women activists start anti-violence campaign

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2004

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta -- The suspicious death of rights campaigner Munir and threats against his widow, Suciwati, have inspired her along with dozens of women's groups to declare war against all forms of violence.

Suciwati, a mother of two, Tuti Koto, a mother of pro-democratic activist Yani Afri, who has gone missing since 1998, and Sumarsih, a mother of student activist Wawan, who was killed by security troops during a rally against then-president B.J. Habibie in 1998, will start on Thursday a 16-day campaign to raise public support for an end to violence against women.

The three women will share their experiences in defending their right to a peaceful life.

The campaign, called Activism Against Gender Violence, has been prepared by the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) in cooperation with 303 women's organizations grouped in the Women's Crisis Center (WWC).

"We have decideed to start this 16-day-long campaign for a good reason. First, we want to dedicate the event to our fellow activist Munir for his commitment to fighting for women's rights," Komnas Perempuan chair Kamala Chandrakirana said on Wednesday.

The world would commemorate the International Day of Eradicating Violence Against Women on Thursday.

Kamala said the lengthy campaign would also spotlight important dates to come, including World HIV Day on December 1, World Antislavery Day on December 2 and World Disabled Day on December 3. The Day of Zero Tolerance Toward Violence Against Women also falls on December 6 and World Human Rights Day starts later on December 10.

"Violence against women must be stopped and the state is obliged to provide advocacy and rehabilitation programs for victimized women," Kamala said.

Through the campaign, the women's groups will remind the public that violence against women was equivalent to human rights abuses. Violence happened not only in conflict-prone areas, but also in peaceful ones and was often perpetrated by relatives or those known to the victim, Kamala said.

Events will run simultaneously in Makassar and Bone (South Sulawesi), Maumere (East Nusa Tenggara), Mataram (West Nusa Tenggara), Samarinda (East Kalimantan), Jombang (East Java), Padang (West Sumatra), Batam (Riau), Semarang (Central Java), Bandung (West Java) and in major towns in Papua and Maluku.

During the campaign, the commission would distribute books to women living in conflict regions. A series of forums and film screenings about women and violence would also take place.

Commission data shows reported violence against women has increased in recent years. In 2003, the number of cases increased to nearly 6,000 from about 5,163 in 2002. In 2001, there were about 3,000 cases reported. The violence came in many forms, from intimidation and other psychological torture to rape and murder, Kamala said.

Susilo backs probe into Munir's death

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2004

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta -- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has agreed to establish an independent team to investigate rights campaigner Munir's death and that rights' activists design the duties and structure of the team.

Susilo told Munir's widow on Wednesday that the government would support the independent investigation all the way. "The President met us and expressed his deepest condolences, he also promised to set up an [independent] investigation team," Suciwati said after the meeting with Susilo.

During the one-hour meeting, Suciwati was accompanied by noted lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis, Imparsial director Rachlan Nashidiq and Kontras secretary-general Moufti Makarim.

Munir, the founder of both Imparsial and Kontras, died on a flight from Jakarta to Amsterdam, the Netherlands on September 7. An autopsy by a Dutch forensic team showed high levels of arsenic in Munir's stomach, blood and urine, suggesting that the rights activist had been poisoned.

Kontras and Imparsial suggested earlier that Munir had been murdered by powerful institutions, but declined to name anyone.

Munir was a fearless fighter against human rights abuses perpetuated by the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police.

Upon arrival from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Santiago on Tuesday evening, Susilo said Munir's case would be among his main priorities in his first 100 days in office.

Rachlan said they would submit the draft on the team's duties and structure as well as names of people that could be included in the team to the President's office in the next two days.

"We want the team to be directly under the President and we will submit the concept in the next two days. This will be a pro- justicia team as we do not want any action outside the law," he said after the meeting.

The independent team, Rachlan said, would complement the police's own investigation. Some names touted as team members include former People's Consultative Assembly speaker Amien Rais, Muhammadiyah chairman Syafii Maarif, lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis, National Commission for Human Rights chairman Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara and officials at the Attorney General's Office.

Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said the government had asked for full cooperation from the Dutch government, especially in obtaining the reports of the forensic examination. "Our investigators who are now in Holland have not been able to obtain the reports and it is crucial that we get full cooperation to obtain the certified reports," Dino said.

Team to probe Munir's death proposed

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2004

Tony Hotland, Jakarta -- Activists and close friends of noted rights campaigner Munir submitted on Friday, to the government, candidates for an independent team, who would assist the police in investigating his mysterious death.

The Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) nominated 14 people, comprising lawyers, legal experts, rights activists, police, members of the House of Representatives, and prosecutors. Among the proposed candidates are Muhammadiyah chairman Syafii Maarif, rights campaigner Asmara Nababan, lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis, legal experts Bambang Widjojanto and Hendardi, and chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara.

"The candidates were selected based on their expertise, integrity and credibility. Their main mandate is to monitor and evaluate the investigation being conducted by the police," Imparsial director Rachlan Nashidiq told The Jakarta Post.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono agreed on Wednesday to establish an independent team to probe Munir's death, leaving the design and the structure of the team to rights activists. The team will work alongside the police's team, which is currently in the Netherlands to obtain the original copy of the results of the autopsy on Munir.

According to the draft, the team will report to the President and complete its work within three months after embarking on its mission. Its working period can be extended for another three months.

The draft says the team is authorized to convey opinions to the police, summon and question people connected to the case when necessary, and recommend to the President policies to prevent political assassinations in the future.

"I submitted the draft to the President's spokesman, Andi Mallarangeng, who said he would immediately hand it over to the President," said Rachlan.

Imparsial, said Rachlan, would refrain from intervening in the team's work, which the team would fully control.

Munir, the founder of both Imparsial and Kontras, died aboard a Garuda Indonesia flight heading to the Netherlands on Sept. 7. An autopsy conducted by a Dutch team showed high levels of arsenic in his body, raising speculation that he had died of poisoning.

Also on Friday, the Dutch parliament said it would hold an emergency debate next Tuesday over Munir's death.

"Mr. Munir was a human rights activist, and such people should get international protection," Farah Karimi from the Groenlinks Party told AFP, adding that Dutch Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner and Foreign Minister Bernard Bot would also take part in the debate.

Meanwhile, the police are scheduled to quiz 10 more witnesses on Saturday, including a number of Garuda Indonesia crew members.

"We have questioned 13 people so far, including some of Munir's relatives and Garuda crew members. Tomorrow [today] we plan to question 10 more people who were around Munir that day," National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung said.

He added that the government had sent Director General of American and European Affairs with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Arizal Effendi, to the Netherlands to join the six- member police team.

Legal Aid Institute issues warning for rights activists

Detik.com - November 25, 2004

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta -- So that there is no repeat of the Munir case, the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) is distributing a circular containing a warning to all human rights activists to be careful in carrying out their work.

This was revealed by the director of LBH Jakarta, Uli Parulian, at the LBH offices on Jalan Diponegoro in Jakarta on Thursday November 25.

The leaflet contains 10 points of advice for human rights activists including not to consume food or drink who's origins are unknown, avoiding packaged food and drink which has been damaged, not accepting gifts of food and drink from anyone, always informing work mates when and where they are going to eat and drink, checking on the reason and purpose of unknown persons who enter a personal work space and to avoid receiving clients in personal work spaces.

"The leaflet is not a scare campaign but a direct preventative measure particularly because our work is risky and we are presently handling some big cases, for example the Bojong case(1), said Parulian. "We also frequently receive threats by phone, anonymous letters, have tires punctured and are threatened with weapons", said Parulian.

Will the circular be distributed to other NGOs? "Since Munir's death LBH has been communicating with and reminding other NGOs and will be distributing the circular soon, said Parulian.(aan)

Notes:

1. On November 21 police fired on residents of Bojong Village in the Klapanunggal district of Bogor who had been protesting against a waste treatment plant. Seven people were wounded and 33 others arrested for allegedly provoking the riot.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

NGOs concerned about nomination to chair UN rights body

Kompas - November 24, 2004

Jakarta -- Non-government organisations (NGOs) are concerned about Indonesia's nomination to chair the United Nations Human Rights Commission because it will actually silence the human rights movement in Indonesia itself. In order to hold this prestigious position Indonesia must first demonstrate a strong commitment to upholding human rights at home.

This was raised by the coordinator of Indonesia's NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy, Rafendi Djamin, the chairperson of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association, Hendardi, and a member of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Mukti Makarim in Jakarta on Tuesday November 23.

The three NGOs believe that if Indonesian does not improve its domestic human rights record then holding the position of head of the UN Human Rights Commission will damage Indonesia's image in the eyes of the international community. This occurred when Libya held the position while in reality the human rights violations which were occurring in Libya had already become a point of contention within the international community.

According to Djamin, the government of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must demonstrate its commitment to upholding human rights in Indonesia and take international responsibility in the area of human rights, particularly if it is to chair the UN Human Rights Commission. There are key four points which must be dealt with by the Indonesian government.

Firstly, investigating and solving the murder of human rights campaigner Munir, both to solve the case as there are indications that it was a premeditated murder perpetrated against the movement to uphold human rights in Indonesia as a whole and to demonstrate Indonesia's international commitment to ratify the UN declaration on the protection of human rights defenders before January 17 next year when Indonesia would be appointed as the commission's chair.

Secondly, to progressively solve a number of human rights violations by ending the culture of impunity which exists at the moment, particularly in cases of gross human rights violations such as East Timor, Tanjung Priok and the cases in West Papua and Aceh. In particular it must take a position that is mature and open with regard to criticisms by the international human rights community with regard to the outcome of the East Timor ad hoc human rights court and to seek a mutual solution to break this chain of impunity.

Thirdly, immediately revoke the extension of the civil emergency in Aceh after a one month evaluation because emergency operations have invariably result in human rights violations. Doing this will provide evidence that human rights are a priority in Indonesia which will carry an important message if Indonesia is to head the respected international body.

Fourthly, demonstrate the Indonesian state's commitment and responsibility to upholding human rights internationally, especially through the human rights mechanisms of the UN. "To date Indonesia's accountability in upholding human rights has been minimal. We note that the government has been five years late in reporting on efforts to eliminate discrimination in Indonesia, the government has been two years late in reporting on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and the government is yet to respond to the 2004 report by UN's Special Rapporteur on Torture", said Makarim. (VIN)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

TNI chief: Don't politicise the Munir case

Detik.com - November 24, 2004

Suwarjono, Jakarta -- TNI (armed forces) chief Endriartono Sutarto is asking that the death of human rights activist Munir not be turned into a political issue. Munir's case is a criminal one and must be resolved legally.

"Don't let it be blown with endless speculations to the point that the legal case itself cannot be resolved. Essentially, if it was a criminal act which caused the death of the late Munir and it is turned into something else it will not resolve the basic issue", said Sutarto.

This was conveyed by Sutarto during a break in the opening of the Indo Defence 2004 Expo and Forum at the Jakarta International Expo grounds in Jakarta on Wednesday November 24.

Sutarto gave the example of the Timika case(1) as an experience which needs to be a reference in resolving the Munir case. The Timika case said Sutarto, which was purely a criminal act of murder was then directed towards the involvement of the TNI as an institution.

"If we don't act quickly it is certain that it will be used later to corner the TNI. By taking [the appropriate] legal steps, a legal resolution, the case will be resolved", he said.

Meanwhile the head of the TNI's information center, Major-General Sjafrie Syamsoeddin, denied that any TNI officers were involved in the threats against Munir's family. "I hold the conviction that TNI officers have a sense of morality. And the morality of the TNI would not extend to doing this", he said.

What is important at the moment explained Syamsoeddin, is to go forward with the legal investigation into Munir's death. The TNI he said, fully supports such an investigation.

"Don't enter into a polemic over the threats which are being taken up at the moment because right now [the case] is being turned towards issues which are not accountable, slander and counter slander", said Syamsoeddin. (iy)

Notes:

1. In August 2003 two American school teachers and an Indonesian national were killed in an ambush in Timika, West Papua. It was widely believed that the military was behind the attack although an investigation by the FBI which human rights groups called a "white-wash" later exonerated the military instead blaming rouge elements of the Free Papua Movement.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Imparsial also sent package of rotten chicken

Detik.com - November 23, 2004

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta -- Threats in the form of a package containing a rotting chicken carcass which were sent to the wife of Munir were also been sent to the offices of Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) on Jalan Diponegoro at around 1.15pm on Tuesday November 23.

According to information from Imparsial's executive secretary, Pungky Indarwati, when the package was opened it emitted a foul smell so it was immediately placed in the grounds outside. Along with scores of journalists, the package was then opened and inspected more closely, and of course everyone held their noses because of the smell.

The package, a box measuring 20x20 centimeters, was wrapped in brown paper and filled with white Styrofoam. Inside the Styrofoam was the head, claws and intestines of a chicken, as was received last week by the wife of the late Munir, Suciwati.

Inside the Styrofoam there was a sheet of paper from a computer printout which read "Beware don't connect the TNI [armed forces] with Munir's death, want to end up like this?!". The name and address of the sender was Zulrizal Umar, Jalan Semeru X No 45, Bogor and it was directed to Suciwati.

As has already been reported, the contents of the package and the threat is exactly the same as one received last week by Suciwati at her residence in Bekasi, West Java. The package was also sent via PT Pos Indonesia. Police say the sender's name is fictive although they have yet to determine who is sending the threats.

As of going to press the package was sill sitting outside the Imparsial offices, the institute established by the late Munir. (nrl)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Munir's murder a form of state violence: Billah

Tempo Interactive - November 22, 2004

Indra Darmawan, Jakarta -- Leading non-government organisation (NGO) figures are urging the government to form an independent team to investigate Munir's murder. This was revealed at a consultative meeting of the People's Representative Assembly (DPR) Commission on Legal and Human Rights Affairs with NGO leaders at the third floor of the parliament's Nusantara II Building in Jakarta on the afternoon of Monday November 22.

During the meeting, leading human rights advocate Todung Mulya Lubis said that he had already written a letter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono asking him to guarantee that Munir's case would be fully investigated. That is to form an independent investigation team made up of public figures which is truly credible and trustworthy. "This is our appeal, that [the truth behind] Munir's tragic death can be uncovered", he said.

The NGO activists are questioning developments in the investigation being conducted by police. They are asking the police to inform Munir's family as well as the public about developments in the case. They have been trying to meet with the chief director, the pilot and Garuda air hostess to investigate the case. Lubis admitted however that it was not easy.

Civil rights lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution took the opportunity to say that he is extremely disappointed over the case. "I protest and [I] am deeply disappointed with the department of foreign affairs", he said. He said he had repeatedly tried to phone Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda to ask about the issue but the phone is never picked up. Nasution believes this is evidence that the changes and transparency which the new government has been carrying on about are just empty words. "It's all bullshit", he said.

MM Billah from the National Human Rights Commission meanwhile said that Munir's murder is a form of political violence by the state or at the very least a section of the state. According to Billah this has occurred again and again and if the DPR's Commission on Legal and Human Rights Affairs does not act it will be taken as sanctioning continued political assignations in Indonesia.

The NGO leaders also urged the commission to pressure the government to form an independent investigation team. In addition to Lubis and Nasution, also present at the meeting was the chairperson of the Indonesian Legal Aid Association (PBHI), Hendardi, Smitha Notosusanto from the Centre for Electoral Reform (Cetro), Ikrar Nusa Bakti from the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) and Munir's wife, Suciwati.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Focus on Jakarta

Pasar Jaya suspends plan to demolish Tanah Abang market

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2004

Jakarta -- City-run market operator PD Pasar Jaya finally bowed to pressure from traders and city councillors by suspending the demolition of the Tanah Abang textile market in Central Jakarta.

"There will be no activity here until the council's team of inquiry finishes its job," said PD Pasar Jaya's Tanah Abang market area manager Tasori, when he met on Friday with councillors of Commission B for economic affairs and Commission D for development affairs.

The inquiry team comprises 27 councillors, and was set up to investigate possible irregularities in the appointment of a private company to rebuild the market's blocks B, C, D and E.

Commission D chairman Sayogo Hendrosubroto, said, during the visit, that the team would appoint an independent institution to give a second opinion, after a study carried out by the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) recommended the market's demolition, due to the deteriorating condition of the four buildings.

Sayogo said the inquiry team, of which he is a member, needed around two months to complete its investigation.

PD Pasar Jaya president director Prabowo Soenirman said earlier that the company would go ahead with the demolition of the market in January. He claimed he did not need the council's approval to rebuild the market.

But Tasori said that the suspension had been approved by PD Pasar Jaya's board of directors.

The market operator had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with developer PT Sari Kebon Keruk Permai to rebuild the market.

Tanah Abang traders also protested the fencing off of Jl. Kebon Jati next to the market, following the relocation of 1,247 vendors from the road to Kebon Jati market, on the eve of the Idul Fitri, November 13.

They said the fencing with zinc sheets had decreased their sales, as buyers thought the market had closed down.

PD Pasar Jaya plans to build temporary kiosks on the road to accommodate some 3,000 traders, who currently operate in the four blocks. The relevant agencies have issued permits for the construction of the temporary kiosks.

On Friday, workers were seen making preparations to construct the temporary kiosks and a bridge connecting block F of Tanah Abang market and Kebon Jati market. They had removed lane dividers from the road and begun constructing the foundations of the bridge.

News & issues

Bridge may collapse due to excessive urination

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2004

Muhammad Uzair, Palembang -- The Palembang Transportation Office will soon reroute heavy vehicles from Ampera bridge to the Musi II bridge in the near future because a section of the Ampera bridge continues to slope at an angle and cause an inordinate amount of resonance during heavy traffic.

Head of the city's transportation office, Syaidina Ali said on Thursday that his office would soon redirect the traffic of cargo vehicles weighing more than one ton from the Ampera bridge.

He added that the irregular slant of the bridge had been confirmed by Professor Annas Ali, a highway and bridge expert at the public works office who conducted research on the bridge recently.

One of the reasons for the apparent structural deterioration was due to the frequency of people urinating on one of the steel pillars of the bridge, causing it weaken due to the corrosive forces of human urine. "Try standing on the Ampera bridge. If the traffic passing on the bridge is heavy, you can feel it moving quite a bit," said Syaidina.

The 1,177-meter long and 22-meter wide bridge is one of the most vital bridges in Palembang connecting the upper and the lower part of the city. Besides being one of the main modes for commuting, the bridge is also one of the city's famous landmarks and a tourist attraction.

Head of the highway and bridge department at the Palembang Public Works Office, Azmi Lakoni, said that the office had not yet done research on the condition of the bridge.

"The office has not yet done thorough tests on the slant of the bridge, but we are concerned that one of its main support piers has been weakened by urine, as it is a popular spot for locals to relieve themselves," he said.

He explained that urine had high acidic levels and thus corroded the steel on the bottom of one of the two main piers, which could lead to a collapse of the bridge eventually.

Another problem that was pointed out was that people had stolen pieces of the bridge. In 1998, when the country was simultaneously in a state of euphoria and confusion sparked by the reformasi movement, thieves were known to have dismantled some parts of the bridge. They climbed the tower and cut off several parts.

The Ampera bridge, built in April, 1962, after being approved by former president Sukarno. Funds for the construction came from the Japanese war reparations to Indonesia. The bridge was inaugurated in 1965 and was initially named the Bung Karno bridge.

However, following the political upheaval in 1966, when anti- Sukarno protests were strong, the name of the bridge was changed to Ampera (Amanat Penderitaan Rakyat or the Mandate of People's Pain). The Ampera bridge was renovated once, in 1981, at a cost of Rp 850 million following concerns that there were flaws in the original construction that cause it to collapse.

Anton the 'poorest' Cabinet minister

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2004

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta -- With Rp 389 million (US$43,000) in assets, Minister of Agriculture Anton Apriyantono is the "poorest" of 11 Cabinet members whose wealth has been verified by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Aburizal Bakrie has Rp 1.1 trillion in assets, making him the wealthiest of the 11 ministers verified by the KPK.

Anton's wealth includes a house and several plots of land in Bogor with a total value of Rp 224 million, household utensils, a car and savings of Rp 42 million. "I bought my house in the 1980s. It is a BTN house," he said, referring to a house in an inexpensive housing complex.

Anton had been a lecturer at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) for over 20 years until being appointed agriculture minister by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last October.

Anton, who earned his PhD from the United Kingdom's Reading University, said he bought several plots of land from farmers. "As an IPB lecturer, I often interacted with farmers. They offered me the land when they needed money. I let them use the lands to grow crops, but I do sometimes visit them," he said during a press conference at the KPK office in Jakarta on Friday.

Anton is known for his modest lifestyle. He has refused to use the Volvo car provided for all Cabinet ministers, saying Volvo is too luxurious for his taste.

Health minister Siti Fadilah Supari has Rp 4.4 billion and $28,500 in assets, while State Minister for Public Housing M. Yusuf Asy'ari has Rp 13.2 billion.

Siti, who owns properties valued at Rp 3.7 billion, three cars valued at a total of Rp 330 million, jewelry valued at Rp 150 million and bank deposits of Rp 469 million and $28,500, said she was not rich.

"I am a heart specialist. I work for nearly 24 hours a day. Among my colleagues, I am not considered rich," she said at the same press conference.

The KPK also announced on Friday the wealth of State Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Adhyaksa Dault (Rp 12.6 billion), Minister of Finance Jusuf Anwar (Rp 3.2 billion and $805,000), Minister of Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman (Rp 3.8 billion) and Minister of Trade Marie Elka Pangestu (Rp 14 billion and $111,000).

As many as 34 of the 37 members of Susilo's Cabinet have submitted their wealth reports to the KPK as of Friday. However, the commission has only verified 11 of the reports.

Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono and Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Freddy Numberi have said they will turn in their wealth reports by the end of this month.

There was no word from Minister of Industry Andung Nitimihardja on why he failed to meet the November 21 deadline set by President Susilo to submit the reports.

KPK deputy chairman Sjahruddin Rasul said his commission had reported to the President the developments with the ministers' wealth reports. "We will file another report with the President next month. The President will impose sanctions if the ministers fail to meet a December 20 deadline," he said.

Environment

US mining giant criticized in Indonesia

Associated Press - November 28, 2004

Michael Casey, Buyat Bay -- Mention Newmont Mining Corp. in this impoverished seaside community, and villagers angrily recount how pollution from its gold mine has killed the fish and sickened residents with headaches, nausea and tremors.

But local leaders praise Denver-based Newmont for providing hundreds of jobs and buildings schools and clinics. Complaining villagers, they say, are just looking for a quick payout.

The world's largest gold miner is again at the center of a controversy over the environmental impact of its operations. Newmont stands accused of dumping 5.5 million tons of mercury- and arsenic-laced waste into Buyat Bay from 1996 until the mine ceased operations August 31.

The charges have landed Newmont in legal trouble. Police investigating the alleged pollution in September detained five Newmont executives, including one American, for a month. And villagers have filed a $543 million civil lawsuit against the company.

"We can feel there is something wrong in our bodies," said Jemi Bawole, a 36-year-old villager who is part of the lawsuit. "Newmont has to be held responsible." Newmont denies the allegations that the waste it dumped was contaminated and pointed to tests by the World Health Organization and the country's Environment Ministry that show water from the bay isn't polluted. But other ministry tests do show that sediment from the bottom of the bay contained high levels of heavy metals, raising concern about the long-term impact to villagers.

The company contends that illegal miners -- thousands of whom operate openly around its mine -- caused the pollution, dumping tons of mercury into nearby rivers. Newmont says it does not use mercury in its processing.

Newmont's troubles in Indonesia are the latest in a string of accusations growing out of the company's operations on five continents. Opponents in Peru have sued Newmont over a mercury spill near its Yanacocha mine that allegedly sickened 1,100. The company says it has spent $16 million to clean up the site and is in talks to settle the lawsuit.

In Turkey, the company's Ovacik mine was shut down in August over concerns about the use of cyanide to processing the ore. Newmont is also battling environmentalists in Nevada who say its proposed Phoenix mine expansion will cause groundwater contamination -- something the company denies.

In Indonesia, civic groups filed dozens of lawsuits unsuccessfully accusing Newmont of stealing land from villagers to build a $180 million compound overlooking the bay that includes an open pit mine, a processing plant and a housing complex for 700 employees.

Environmentalists then turned their attention to the waste the company dumped into the bay, claiming it sickened 80 percent of the 300 villagers in the coastal community of Buyat Pantai. One of the poorest village in the isolated region, it has a single dirt road running through it and no electricity or running water.

"Before Newmont came, we only got colds and malaria," said Nurbaya Patenda, 27. "Now, we suffer weird diseases. Even the doctors are confused." The accusations have divided residents. Villagers were accused of faking illness and the only clinic in the area said their symptoms were due to poor hygiene and diet. Local officials also supported the company.

"Activists from outside have come into our community and provoked people into challenging Newmont to get money," said Frans Rolos, who oversees the district including the mine, on the island of Sulawesi about 1,304 miles northeast of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta.

"They've tricked these people into believing that Newmont has polluted the water," he said. "Now people won't buy our fish because they think they are poisoned." But critics have counter- attacked, accusing Newmont supporters of currying favor with the company to receive money from its $2.7 million community development program or to get assets -- including bungalows overlooking the bay -- it plans to leave behind now that mining in the area has ceased.

The controversy increased this summer after a local doctor alleged that the villagers were suffering from Minamata disease, first identified in the 1950s when more than 1,400 people died after eating mercury-tainted fish caught in Japan's Minamata Bay. Local media ran pictures of crying villagers with tennis ball- sized lumps on their necks and rumors -- widely reported but proven untrue by WHO test results -- that 30 villagers had died from the disease.

Police then called the Newmont executives in for questioning and locked them up. The five men were kept in rat-infested cells, slept on concrete slabs and were forced to share a cell block with terror suspects in the September 9 bombing of the Australian Embassy.

"I can't tell you how bizarre this is," said Newmont vice president Tom Enos. "We're being accused of causing Minamata disease, of heavy metal poisoning. All the time, we knew there was no pollution."

But the mixed test results will likely intensify the debate over whether Newmont polluted the bay and raise further questions about the process of dumping waste in the ocean.

Known as submarine tailings disposal, the method used by Newmont is not allowed in the United States or Canada because it would violate clean water standards. It has also divided the mining industry with the world's largest mining group, BHP Billiton Ltd., saying earlier this year it would not use the method because "the circumstances in which the technology could be considered acceptable are rare." Newmont says the method is safe and defends using it at the company's two mines in Indonesia because they are prone to earthquakes which would make land-based disposal dangerous.

But P. Raja Siregar of Friends of the Earth Indonesia, countered that "dumping tons of mine waste into the ocean, such is done by Newmont, is irresponsible, outdated, and unsustainable." The controversy could spill over to Newmont's other larger, gold mine on the island of Sumbawa, where villagers earlier held demonstrations over demands for jobs and compensation for lost land.

The Sumbawa mine is expected to dispose of about a half billion tons of tailings in the ocean over the next decade and environmentalists have accused it of pollution. But Newmont said the to government investigated the complaints 18 months ago and dismissed them.

While earlier WHO and environment ministry results showed that levels of heavy metals in the water, fish and Buyat Bay villagers' bodies are within safe standards, other ministry findings showed arsenic in the sediment near Newmont's waste site was 100 times higher than in other parts of the bay, which is about two-thirds of a mile across. Mercury in seabed organisms like worms was 10 times higher at the waste site than in other parts of the bay, the study found.

Newmont says the results show the mine waste has not reached the food chain. But police -- who say their own results show the bay is polluted -- have refused to drop their investigation into Newmont and banned the five executives from leaving the country. Environmentalist have seized on the sediment results to call the prosecution of Newmont executives for pollution and the government to move the villagers. They have also demanded the government ban the disposal of mine waste at sea.

Government urged to chop down logging 'Mafia'

Jakarta Post - November 24, 2004

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta -- Activists here told the government on Tuesday that illegal logging was the work of domestic organized crime syndicates -- including security officials -- and that everybody involved must be investigated and prosecuted to stop the forest destruction.

The Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) and Greenomics Indonesia said the presence of a domestic "mafia", involving law enforcers, negated any attempt to bring the masterminds to justice.

They gave an example of the case of the Mongolian-flagged Bravery Falcon freighter, which was caught red-handed transporting some 19,000 cubic meter of logs from Papua in December 2003.

The case was eventually heard at the North Jakarta District Court with prosecutors seeking a 4+-year prison sentence and a Rp 50 million fine for the Vietnamese captain, but none of his backers. The verdict is expected on Wednesday. Elfian Effendy of Greenomics Indonesia said that case was evidence of a syndicate in the country, with the likely involvement of dozens of officials.

"The Bravery Falcon is a very large ship. It would be impossible for it to transport so many tons of logs, some measuring two meters in diameter, freely through Indonesian waters without the presence of a domestic mafia," he said.

Elfian said the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who vowed to combat illegal logging, must not only seize the logs and prosecute the captain transporting them, but should go after the real backers.

"It is not enough [to prosecute just the boat captain], that is just a show trial. The most important thing is to uncover the involvement of domestic mafia and punish them," he said.

Teten Masduki, the coordinator of ICW, said that the government had never prosecuted high-ranking officials, be they police, military personnel or bureaucrats -- for their alleged involvement in such crimes.

He said that if the government was serious in its attempt to stop illegal logging, it must closely watch the forests as well as the roads and waterways, where the logs are transported abroad. "It is impossible for the local administration officials to be unaware of the tree-cutting in their forests. It is also impossible that the police are unaware that these logs are being taken from forests to ports," he explained.

Recently, a low-ranking police officer accused of illegal logging in Papua turned himself in to the National Police headquarters after years on the run. Investigators said that they would try to find out from him if there was involvement of higher-ranking officials in the case.

Riau Islands to resume sand export

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2004

Fadli, Batam -- Riau Islands provincial government is planning to lobby Minister of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu to allow local businessmen to resume exporting sand from the sea, a top government official said on Wednesday. The provincial government would also soon draft a bylaw that regulates the business.

"Riau Islands has vast sea sand resources and that potential shall be explored for the benefit of our community. If the business is revived, it can enhance provincial revenue and offer prosperity to all," said Riau Islands Governor ad interim Ismeth Abdullah.

The plan was made a year after the central government banned exporting sand in the Riau Islands and Riau provinces. The policy, which was launched in January last year, was aimed at prohibiting sea sand exploration and exports from those two provinces to the neighboring country of Singapore, which needed the sand to reclaim land.

The activities have been blamed for damaging the environment in the provinces. Several islets there are under serious threat of disappearing due to erosion as protective sand barriers are removed. The sand mining will also threaten coral reefs and marine ecosystem.

There is also concern that there will be a possibility that the sea border between the two countries will cut further into what is now Indonesian territory if the islets between the two countries disappear.

The last concern was that Singapore used Riau's sand to expand the extent of its territory through its coastal reclamation.

Responding to those fears, especially the environmental one, the governor said that the fears would be addressed in the bylaw. To avoid environmental damage, for example, the bylaw will spell out details on, among others, which areas are eligible for sea sand exploration. The bylaw will also rule on revenue sharing between the provincial and central government.

A local businessman praised the new plan by the provincial government. Businessman Achmad Dedi said that he had already obtained a license from the Riau Islands government in 2002 to explore sand from the sea in an area in the province, but the license was suddenly revoked following the central government's decision a year later that banned the business.

There are hundreds of license holders in the province, so that if the ban is lifted, sand exporting would thrive in the province, said Dedi.

However, the plan was opposed by local councillor, who said that the business had damaged the environment.

M. Nabil, a provincial councillor from the National Mandate Party (PAN), said that there was evidence that the exploration had damaged the environment, which could be found in Karimun regency.

"The color of sea in the regency has turned from blue to brown, due to extensive sea sand mining over the past few decades," said Nabil.

The sea sand mining in the province began in 1976, but the discovery of technology over the past few years had made sand mining more extensive. The extensive mining was also attributed to aggressive land reclamation by Singapore companies. Singapore paid only US$1.5 per cubic meter.

"Sand mining business is not the only solution. The government can enhance provincial revenue from many other ways," said Nabil.

Government concludes Buyat Bay polluted

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2004

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tony Hotland, Jakarta -- After long and exhaustive tests carried out by a number of local and international teams, the government concluded on Wednesday that Buyat Bay, North Sulawesi, was indeed polluted and vowed to hold the polluters responsible for the environmental crime.

Speaking after a meeting with Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab said the bay contained high levels of metals and chemicals, and the government would file a law suit with the appropriate court.

"The recent verification of the government team's test results has confirmed that the bay is contaminated with arsenic, but we will leave it to the courts to determine the level of pollution and who are responsible," Alwi told a press conference.

Also attending the conference were State Minister of Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman and State Minister of the Environment Rachmat Witoelar.

A joint team of government officials, activists and police had concluded earlier through laboratory tests that the bay was indeed polluted with excessive levels of arsenic and mercury.

The people of Buyat have blamed the pollution on PT Newmont Minahasa Raya, which is the only mining firm operating in the area and which has been dumping its tailings into the bay since 1996.

The team's test results were taken to the research and technology office to be verified, and were confirmed to be accurate in indicating that the bay was polluted.

The verified results show similarities to tests carried out independently by the police.

Newmont has persistently refuted the allegation, saying that the bay was not contaminated and that the metal levels were within safety standards.

Rachmat said the government would pursue legal recourse against the mining firm if evidence arose that pointed to the firm's involvement in the pollution.

"I suppose the levels of arsenic and mercury are not that much higher than the standard, but the people there are suffering ailments because of the pollution," he said.

He added that the government would charge those responsible for the crime under Law No. 23/1997 on environmental management.

Violations of the law, especially those that cause death, are subject to a maximum 15-year sentence and a maximum Rp 750 million (US$84,270) fine. The law also allows the confiscation of any profit gained by the guilty party through the violations.

Also on Wednesday, lawmakers from the House of Representatives Commission VIII for environmental, science and technology affairs said the government should take into account the roles of previous administrations that should have monitored Newmont's operations and their environmental impact.

The legislators, who held a hearing with the joint team to review its test results, said the police should question ministers and officials who had a role in granting the company permission to operate and in monitoring the company's management of tailings.

The police have detained six Newmont executives and recently submitted their case files to the North Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office.

Contacted separately, Newmont lawyer Luhut M. Pangaribuan said the firm would respect and act in accordance with the legal procedures taken against them.

"It's a problem of two different opinions, which brings us to the question of the methodology used. We stick to our statement that the metals in the bay's water and fish are within the safety levels and are therefore fit for consumption," Luhut said.

He deplored the refusal of police to listen to facts and statements from experts put forth by Newmont, and said the police were being subjective and fanatic about their own pollution claim.

Government shares blame in Buyat Bay case: Alwi

Jakarta Post - November 26, 2004

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tony Hotland, Jakarta -- The government may also be blamed for the pollution of Buyat Bay in North Sulawesi, Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare Alwi Shihab said on Thursday, one day after he vowed to punish PT Newmont Minahasa Raya for arsenic contamination in the area.

Alwi said the government had approved Newmont's annual reports submitted as part of the requirements to have its operating license extended.

"Maybe there were things that the government could have done to stop the pollution but didn't do. It is possible that we share the blame," Alwi said before a meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at his office on Thursday.

Alwi announced on Wednesday that Newmont, which disposed of its tailings in Buyat Bay from 1996 to September 30, 2004, had contaminated the bay with arsenic and that people living in the area would be relocated.

The minister said on Thursday the government would not point the finger at Newmont and would allow the ongoing legal process to determine who was to blame for the pollution.

"What we can say is that we have credible test results that confirm the level of pollution in the area. But let the court decide who is guilty for this," Alwi said.

He said further action would be taken by the Office of the State Minister for the Environment to follow up on the case.

"The test results will be included in the ongoing police investigation and the environment ministry will decide further actions," said Alwi, referring to tests by a joint team that concluded the bay was contaminated with arsenic. While acknowledging elevated levels of arsenic and mercury in its tailings sediment, Newmont, which wrapped up its operations in the area on September 30, has maintained that it adhered to government regulations and provisions of its environmental impact analysis in disposing of the tailings.

It also said that both the arsenic and mercury "are in a stable form that does not affect the water, as shown by several years of monitoring".

The joint team that conducted the tests also discovered alleged license breaches during Newmont's operation, including those relating to toxic waste management, and violations of waste disposal permission relating to the ocean disposal of mine waste.

House of Representatives Commission VII overseeing energy, natural resources and the environment voiced its support on Thursday for the government bringing Newmont to court over the case.

During a hearing with State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar, commission members said they supported the government's plan to bring criminal and civil charges against the mining firm, including bringing the case to an international court of arbitration.

"We fully endorse the enforcement of Law No. 23/1997 [on the environment] and for the holding of those who committed this crime responsible for their actions," commission chairman Agusman Effendy said.

Rachmat said his office would cooperate with the police to strengthen the government's case against Newmont.

Earlier this week, police submitted for the second time the case files of six Newmont executives to the North Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office.

Agusman said the government must review and monitor closely and honestly all of Newmont's operations in the country to prevent similar problems reoccurring in the future.

Newmont has two other operations in Indonesia -- PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara in Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, and PT Newmont Horas Nauli in South Tapanuli, North Sumatra.

Health & education

Women 'ever more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS'

Jakarta Post - November 24, 2004

Sari P. Setiogi, Jakarta -- The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) warned Indonesia on Tuesday that the virus was spreading rapidly among women and girls in the country.

The chair of the UN Theme Group on HIV/AIDS, Alan Boulton, said during the launch of AIDS Epidemic Update 2004 here that compared with five years ago, women and girls represented an increasing proportion of people living with HIV/AIDS.

"Research suggests that the main patterns for HIV transmission relate to the commercial sex industry and injecting drug use," said Boulton.

The research found that condom use here ranged from irregular to rare. This means that men who are married or in steady relationships who engage in sex outside of the relationship not only are at risk of contracting HIV, but also of passing it on to their wives and partners.

According to a senior consultant at the National AIDS Commission, Nafsiah Mboi, from July to September 2004, of 5,701 cases of HIV/AIDS reported in Indonesia some 21 percent involved women. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the country is between 90,000 and 135,000, according to UNAIDS.

In its latest epidemic report, UNAIDS said the fight against AIDS was at a critical stage in Asia after a sharp rise in infections driven by the booming sex industry had left more than eight million people in the region living with HIV.

Over one million people in Asia were infected with the virus over the past two years alone. The report said HIV rates also were rising sharply in Indonesia and other Asian countries like Nepal, Vietnam and China due to dramatic infection increases among injecting drug users.

"One in two injecting drug users in Jakarta now test positive for HIV, while in cities such as Pontianak [in West Kalimantan] more than 70 percent of drug injectors are being found to be HIV- positive," the report said.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab said in a meeting that followed the launch of the report that many women living with HIV in Indonesia were unaware they had been infected with the virus. "Biologically and socially, women and girls are weaker than men and boys. Many of them are infected not because of their own lifestyle, but from their partners or someone else. A lot of them are ordinary, loyal wives," said the minister.

Boulton said the existing AIDS responses did not help women. "Services that can protect women against HIV must be expanded." Another speaker at the meeting, State Minister for Women's Empowerment Meutia Farida Hatta Swasono, said the promotion of the Abstinence, Be faithful or use a Condom (ABC) principle was not enough to reduce infection rates. "Premarital sex among girls has become more prevalent and they are doing it without any knowledge or access to HIV infection prevention," said the minister.

Meutia also said many young girls were forced into marriage in to support their families. "In many cases, they [the women and the girls] are not in a position to make decisions or protect themselves," she said.

Armed forces/defense

Yudhoyono to have final say on TNI chief

Jakarta Post - November 24, 2004

Jakarta -- The saga over the replacement of the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief is apparently nearing its concluding stages, as a plenary meeting of the House of Representatives has agreed to give the final say on the issue to the President.

The plenary meeting, attended by all House factions, agreed that the recommendation -- which was drawn up by Commission I on defense -- be submitted to the House's Consultative Body for finalization.

"Because the House failed to give its endorsement within the given time, we recommended that the House give the President the authority to name the new TNI chief from the available candidates," Commission I chairman Theo L. Sambuaga told the plenary meeting.

The recommendation, however, would have to be deliberated further at the House's consultative body for follow-up. The consultative body would then decide if the recommendation should be relayed to the President for implementation. However, if the consultative body opted to bring the recommendation to another plenary meeting, it would very likely win approval after a vote.

Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, who had been named by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri to replace TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, who resigned from his post, failed to turn up at a selection hearing because of a restraint order from the President. The law regulating the TNI stipulates that the appointment and removal of the TNI chief requires the approval of the House.

The House's decision was reached, however, without the scuffles that have become a regular feature of the legislature.

Members of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party faction at first did not want the plenary meeting to discuss the recommendation produced by Commission I, saying that they were never asked to participate in its deliberation.

Members of Nationhood Coalition responded by saying that all factions had taken part in the deliberation. "The House secretariat general always invites all members to all meetings, so it's up to them if they choose not to show up," Permadi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said.

The squabble brought the plenary meeting to a halt but resumed an hour later.

Arms expo held as concern over military abuses persist

Agence France Presse - November 24, 2004

A major defence industry showcase has opened in Indonesia, moving the country closer to the high-tech weapons it wants to fight militants and crush rebels but doing little to ease concerns of those who want it held to account for past military abuses.

The four-day expo comes as Jakarta is struggling to overhaul its military under a US embargo imposed in response to abuses by Indonesia's armed forces in insurgency-hit Papua and Aceh and during East Timor's 1999 independence vote.

Although it has begun to restore military ties, Washington says Jakarta has yet to atone for atrocities, particularly after the release and acquittal of security personnel and officials convicted over the East Timor violence.

Indonesia is keen to open new supply channels for its military as it pursues an offensive against rebels in the western province of Aceh and efforts to combat Islamic militants blamed for a series of bombings.

New Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono said earlier this week the exhibition was not directly aimed at replenishing the country's armouries but would help forge contacts for future deals.

During former president Megawati Sukarnoputri's administration, Indonesia had purchased Russian Sukhoi jets and helicopters and Korean submarines.

The expo, to be opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, features fighter jets, boats, vehicles and guns made by 250 leading firms from 28 countries, including leading arms-makers from Germany, Poland, Russia and South Korea.

Alongside prominent names Siemens, Korea Aerospace Industries, Daewoo Precision Industries and Singapore Technologies Kinetics, Indonesia's own defence manufacturers are fielding a formidable array of hardware.

On display is an Indonesian navy boat named after Nasi island, an area that came under attack last year in the offensive against separatists in Aceh, where human rights groups accuse the military of torturing captives and killing civilians.

Activists say the arms expo will do little to remove stains from Jakarta's human rights record and could even help revive military dominance in a country that, until recently, bowed to the demands of its armed forces.

"I am not convinced that the exhibition will help to repair Indonesia's image as a country that has terrible human rights records," said Bonar Tigor Naipospos of the Solidamor human rights advocacy group.

He told AFP the military, which has had its financial wings clipped by recent legislation, would use the exhibition to show the government that its equipment was obsolete and in need of replacement by routes other than the United States.

Despite satisfying the US attorney general that rebels rather than its soldiers were behind a 2003 ambush in Papua which left two American teachers dead -- a version disputed by rights groups -- Indonesia has yet to convince Washington it is fully back on- side.

In October former US ambassador for Indonesia Ralph Boyce said Jakarta had "missed its opportunity" to restore military ties by failing to make its soldiers accountable for the violence in East Timor that left 1,400 people dead. Of 18 people, mostly military and police officers, sentenced by an Indonesian tribunal investigating the bloodshed, all have had their convictions overturned or been freed on appeal.

Human rights groups say the tribunal was a sham set up to deflect calls for an international inquiry into the carnage during which whole towns were razed to the ground as the country voted overwhelmingly to separate from Indonesia.

In Jakarta's latest snub to international demands, the defence minister on Monday said his country had no intention of bowing to pressure for further trials. "I have stressed that that is a matter of the internal judicial court of Indonesia and Indonesia will not heed calls that are based on their [United States] own regulations," Sudarsono said.

Indonesia seeks self-reliance in arms

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2004

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta -- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has raised a call for the country to become self- reliant in supplying its defense forces with arms, munitions and equipment through close collaboration among the armed forces, academics and industry.

He said scientists and entrepreneurs who were involved in the cooperation would be expected to be innovative in developing a national military arms industry.

"By working together with scientists and the business community, we could reach a certain level of independence through a transfer of technology," Susilo said on Wednesday in his opening speech to mark the first Indonesian defense expo.

Building a national arms industry has been considered crucial, as Indonesia's traditional arms supplier, the United States, has imposed a military embargo since 1999 in response to the East Timor tragedy.

Director General of Defense Strategy Maj. Gen. Sudrajat at the Ministry of Defense said 70 percent of the country's military equipment were imported from the US The embargo has thus made it difficult for Indonesia to upgrade its defense capabilities.

The country has been looking for alternative arms suppliers over the past few years, particularly among eastern European countries and their well-established military arms industries, which offer a comprehensive range of combat equipment.

"Eastern European countries have offered us various forms of cooperation. They are also ready to accommodate our needs for a transfer of technology, more so than the US," Sudrajat said.

Susilo also promised to improve the quality of the country's defense system and heavy equipment, but underlined this would be pursued within budgetary limitations.

He said Indonesia's vast territory and the security challenges it faced in this age of globalization, required a sophisticated defense system and advanced equipment to secure its many border areas.

"A strong military is needed to prevent any threats, and to cope with threats when they materialize," Susilo said.

The defense expo, the first to be hosted here, features around 250 participants from around the world.

The only US company in the exhibition is the San Francisco-based American Technologies Networks Cooperation, which supplies night-vision goggles and similar products.

The largest stand in the four-day expo is Russia's Rosoboronexport weapons supplier company, which facilitated last year's sale of four Sukhoi fighters to Indonesia.

Countries represented in the showcase include Canada, France, Germany, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore and South Korea.

Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono said some 6,000 visitors from the science, technology and military fields -- as well as military industrialists -- were expected to come to the expo.

"The expo could serve as a platform to initiate business contacts and the technology transfer that would contribute to the development of the country's military arms industry," Juwono said.

The expo runs from Wednesday to Saturday at Kemayoran fairground in Central Jakarta, and is open to the public on Saturday only, when entry will be restricted to those aged 18 years and above.

Army chief says new equipment urgently needed

Republika - November 25, 2004

Jakarta -- TNI [Indonesian National Military Forces] Commander Gen Endriartono Sutarto has expressed hope that the government will place a high priority on the TNI budget. Attention to this was urgently required to overcome the security problems in the country such as separatism in Nanggroe Aceh Darusslam.

He said that Indonesia needed to acquire unmanned aerial vehicles to locate the whereabouts of GAM [Free Aceh Movement] rebels. "If we had these, we could resolve the problem more effectively," he said, after the opening of the Defence Expo yesterday (24 November). Of course he wanted to see some "political will" from the government to provide sufficient funds and not just scrape through like they were at the moment.

He explained that the threats to security being faced by the country needed the best equipment and methods to eliminate them in a hurry. But in coming to a decision, consideration needed to be given to avoiding casualties in the community. The commander added that modernization of its weaponry was part of developing the professionalism of TNI. Professionalism, when not backed up by adequate weaponry, was not possible. Ironically, TNI did understand that there were limits to the funding they could get. "So sometimes, we get a bit perplexed," he said.

The TNI chief believed that it was cheaper to manufacture weapons in Indonesia's own industries than procuring them overseas. He said though that if it became more expensive to produce them domestically, then that was a problem Indonesia itself acknowledged that in principle all countries relied on each other for the procurement of military equipment.

"It would be really good if America lifted its embargo. The biggest proportion of our equipment comes from the US. But we cannot keep asking them if it means that our nationalism becomes the casualty". TNI strongly believed that the government needed to rejuvenate its military equipment. This was most important because crimes were being committed at sea and on land and they needed to be acted against. He cited that in the issue of illegal logging, the navy was unable to make a dent in it because its ships were obsolescent. "We need rejuvenation," he said.

[From BBC World Monitoring Service.]

Military ties

US, Indonesian military ties remain in the balance

Jakarta Post - November 23, 2004

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta -- A United States Senate's demand for the putting on trial of the Indonesian Military (TNI) officers deemed to be responsible for atrocities in East Timor remains a thorny issue in the efforts to restore military ties between the two countries, a minister has said.

Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono said on Monday that the US Senate also demanded the bringing to justice of servicemen believed by some US government offices to have been involved in the August 2002 ambush in Timika, Papua, which killed two American teachers, as another tough condition for the resumption of military cooperation.

"I said 'no' to the conditions. I told the United States that these cases should be handled by the Indonesian courts and should not involve demands from other countries," Juwono said.

Juwono plans to make a trip to Washington after the inauguration of President George W. Bush early next year to explain Jakarta's stance to the US government, Congress and non-governmental organizations.

"If the States' policymakers maintain their demands, well, we will have to turn to other countries and develop military relationships with them," he said.

On the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum summit in Santiago, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono voiced a promise to President Bush to continue the hunt for a rebel suspected of having killed the two Americans in Papua province.

The rebel, Antonius Wamang, is strongly suspected of being behind the killing and has been indicted by US Attorney General John Ashcroft with the ambush on a convoy of buses transporting students and teachers of a school run by US gold and copper mining firm Freeport McMoran in Papua.

The accusation emerged soon after the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) concluded its investigation at the scene. The US officials said 32-year-old Wamang, who is still at large, was a commander of the Free Papua Movement (OPM).

Another teacher, an Indonesian, was also killed in the incident, while a dozen other people, including eight US nationals, were wounded in the attack, in which more than 100 rounds were fired.

The OPM has been fighting a sporadic, low-level guerrilla war since Indonesia took over the huge mountainous and undeveloped territory from the Netherlands in 1963.

Indonesia's legal system has come under the spotlight after the ad hoc rights tribunal failed to break the cycle of impunity and provide justice for the victims of the bloodshed in East Timor in 1999. All of the senior military and police officers, as well as a civilian -- former East Timor governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares -- were either acquitted at first instance or on appeal.

Washington halted most military-to-military contacts after Indonesian troops ran riot in East Timor. The US legislators want an accounting for these and other abuses before ties can resume, but the Timika case is still seen as a major obstacle.

"I understand the position of President Bush as his country's political system forces him to listen to the voices of Senators and Congressmen, but am I right if I ask whether that country has committed rights abuses in Iraq?" Juwono asked.

Jakarta refuses to tie rights violations to US cooperation

Tempo Interactive - November 23, 2004

Dimas Adityo, Jakarta -- Indonesian government has refused to have the settlement of human rights violation in East Timor following the 1999 ballot and the murder of US citizens in Timika, Papua, in August 2002, as the main conditions in resuming military relations between Indonesia and the USA.

According to Indonesian Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono, these two cases should be taken care by Indonesian courts. "We do not accept calls from outside parties to try the cases involving Indonesia based on their regulations," Sudarsono told reporters at his office in Jakarta on Monday (22/11).

US President George Walker Bush offered Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono the opportunity of resuming US military cooperation with Indonesia, which has been halted for the last few years.

Bush made this offer during a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Santiago, Chile, on Saturday (20/11). In addition to these two conditions, Bush also said he hoped that the funding and budget of the Indonesian defense ministry and the Indonesian Military (TNI) would be more transparent.

However, Sudarsono said that Indonesia, as a sovereign country, was entitled to review all conditions proposed by the US government.

If the Indonesian government thinks it is unnecessary to fulfill all conditions proposed by the USA, Indonesia will certainly seek supply opportunities of military and defense equipment from other countries.

According to Sudarsono, the US government often proposes human rights as its condition in holding cooperation with other countries.

However, the US itself is often involved in human rights violations such those taking place in Iraq. "The US has often made worse violations than those that took place in Indonesia," Sudarsono stated.

According to plan, Sudarsono will fly to the USA and lobby the US Congress to approve the resumption of military relations with Indonesia next March or April.

Sudarsono said that he and TNI Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto have agreed to reorganize businesses within the TNI and the Ministry of Defense. However, this would require time as it is still in the transition period.

"If the Ministry of Defense and TNI headquarters (HQ) wish to be the reform pioneers in terms of the accountability of the state budget, then let's do it properly, continuously and in stages," he said.

A working committee of the Ministry of Defense and the TNI HQ is currently making an action plan to reorganize the TNI under the Ministry of Defense. The discussion shall include the secretary- general of the defense ministry and the TNI general chief of staff.

Indonesia to push for lifting of US ban on weapons sales

Associated Press - November 24, 2004

Jakarta -- Indonesia is considering buying up to 12 fighter bombers from Russia, and the nation's defense minister will go to the US next year to push for the lifting of a ban on weapon sales, officials said Wednesday.

The embargo and a resulting lack of spare parts has led to the breakdown of many of Indonesia's American-made weapons. The ban was imposed in 1999 after Indonesian troops and their proxy militias killed nearly 1,500 people in East Timor.

Jakarta has made repeated efforts to have the embargo lifted. It gained the support of the Bush administration, which sees the Indonesian armed forces as a key ally in the fight against terror, but the US Congress has rejected the move.

"I will make a trip to Washington, D.C., in March in an effort to reopen military ties with the United States," Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said on the sidelines of a military hardware expo. "If this is not fruitful, we will consider acquiring military equipment from other countries."

But the director general of strategic defense, Maj. Gen. Sudrajat, said the country was already considering buying up to 12 high-performance fighter bombers from Russia. Last year, it bought four Russian-built Sukhoi SU-27 long-range fighters. He wouldn't say when Indonesia may buy the new planes or how much the deal would be worth.

Indonesia has sought to forge ties with possible alternative weapons suppliers because of the US embargo.

Officials said the Indo Defense 2004 Expo and Forum, the biggest military expo in Indonesia since the fall of ex-dictator Suharto in 1998, gives the country an opportunity to find suppliers to replace obsolete equipment and bolster its military forces, which are battling separatist rebellions at both ends of the country.

The expo runs until November 27 and features 250 companies from 24 countries hawking fighter jets, tanks, weaponry and ammunition.

Russia cozies up to Indonesian defense industry

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2004

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta -- Russia has said it is willing to provide Indonesia all the assistance it wants in developing its weaponry systems and defense industry.

"If Indonesia can absorb the technology -- which I think is possible -- then developing a cooperation between Russia and Indonesian state aircraft maker PT DI can become a reality," Anatoly Yo Voronkov, chief expert at Sukhoi's Aviation Holding Company, told The Jakarta Post on Friday. He was referring to PT Dirgantara Indonesia.

Russia, according to Vorokov, would provide incentives for Indonesia to purchase aircraft from it, including generous conditions in the contracts. "It's okay for us to adopt a countertrade mechanism," said Vorokov, adding that rubber, tin and palm oil were among the Indonesian commodities in high demand in Russia.

Indonesia was forced to seek alternative arms suppliers following a weapons embargo imposed by the United States after the Santa Cruz massacre in East Timor in 1992. The US maintained the embargo following 1999 atrocities after East Timor voted to break away from Indonesia in a United Nations-sponsored referendum.

Indonesia has purchased four Sukhoi jet fighters from Russia and is planning to purchase more next year.

Under founding president Sukarno, the newly independent Indonesia developed a close relationship with Russia and procured some military equipment from that country, including 14 submarines, missile carriers and torpedo boats. Due to ideological differences, those close ties chilled when Soeharto took over power in 1966.

Promising that politics would not affect business ties between Indonesia and Russia, Voronkov said Indonesia's military was a potential partner in future trades. "Let's leave political matters to our governments, while we deal with defense technology," he said.

At the ongoing Indo Defense 2004 Expo and Forum, Russia has the biggest pavilion, accommodating 24 companies, including producers of Kalashnikov rifles and Sukhoi jets. The Indo Defense 2004 Expo and Forum is the biggest military expo ever held in Indonesia. It runs from November 24 to November 27 and features 250 companies from 24 countries.

Roman Nikolaev from Izhmash, which produces the Kalashnikov, said Russia's politics had never affected business matters. The company produces AK rifles, the latest version being the AK-102 to AK-104 series. Many of these weapons have been offered to Indonesian security forces, in addition to the popular Bizon 2-01 submachine gun. A submachine gun is an automatic rifle that can fire 53 bullets with one pull of the trigger.

Indonesia has developed the Army's munitions manufacturer, PT Pindad, which produces the SS-1 rifle in cooperation with neighboring Malaysia.

Jakarta to pursue military cooperation with Russia, China

Republika - November 25, 2004

Jakarta -- Indonesia has elected to enter into military cooperation with Russia and China. According to Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono, both China and Russia had offered.

"The president said that a meeting to explore technical support under military cooperation agreements with Russia and China will be convened shortly," said Juwono, after the opening of Indo Defence Expo and Forum-2004 at the Jakarta Fair Ground in Kemayoran on Wednesday (24 November).

The defence minister said that both of these countries had actively approached Indonesia with regard to entering into military cooperation.

"This is not being done by other countries. Some countries were still sounding out the possibility though". Outside of Russia and China, Indonesia has not made any agreements on military hardware with any other countries despite the large number of countries participating in the exhibition.

The option to progress military cooperation with Russia and China was being taken up for various reasons. The US was still refusing to lift its weapons embargo. The conditions set by the US, said the Defence Minister, were unacceptable to Indonesia.

However, Juwono said that Indonesia was still considering the importance of military cooperation with the US in terms of technology for the Air Force (AU) and the Navy (AL). Therefore, although the US domestic political situation was hostile, the government would continue to try and convince Washington that equipment assistance for TNI [Indonesian National Military Forces] was important. "Assistance to acquire equipment will actually save lives and strengthen human rights. If TNI is not given satisfactory equipment and hardware, there will be more human rights violations going on," he said.

Juwono assured that the human rights violations that occurred in Indonesia were not conducted using weapons obtained from the US. Ironically, some people in the international community linked US weapons to cases of human rights violations.

With academics

Meanwhile, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono [SBY] called on the Defence Department, TNI and police to cooperate with academics and the industrial sector to improve weapons technology. "I am asking the Defence Department, TNI and the police, as our strategy and policy makers, to continue to cooperate with academia and industry through their research and development centres.

With such pillars of support, we can improve our technological capacity significantly in the years to come," said the president when opening the Defence and Security Industry Exhibition, yesterday.

Besides cooperation in the military field, the president added that the Defence Department, TNI and police, could cooperate in research and development and ultimately the transfer of technology. "We certainly still need the technical support from military cooperation but I want the cooperation with these countries in years to come to also encompass research and development and later on the transfer of technology".

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stated that he was proud of the domestic defence industry because it had succeeded in improving the quality of its products. "Keep up the good work, continue to do some highly innovative research and development," he said.

The Indo Defence Expo and Forum-2004 is running from Wednesday until Saturday at the Jakarta Fair Ground in Kemayoran. The exhibition, which was opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was designed as medium for exchanging information and knowledge about current defence systems and technology.

Over 250 companies from 24 countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, South Korea, France and Canada, are participating in the Expo.

Congress takes on TNI, justice, Australia

Estafeta - Winter 2004-2005

Karen Orenstein - November 2 has come and gone. As we ponder the results, we must gear up for four more years of a Bush administration and Congress that will lean farther to the right than before the election. President Bush, along with staunch Suharto ally Paul Wolfowitz, entered office in 2001 expecting to ease and remove Congressional restrictions on assistance for the Indonesian military (TNI). Through hard work, we have held them off. But, with the 2005 Senate and House likely to be more hostile to human rights concerns, we must prepare for a concentrated administration assault against the TNI assistance ban and a steep uphill battle to secure justice for East Timor and Indonesia.

Throughout the election season, the State Department and their friends in Congress sought to expand assistance to the TNI. They were largely unsuccessful -- this was no small feat! We should take heart from this outcome.

The Senate version of the 2005 appropriations bill renewed bans on Foreign Military Financing (FMF) of weapons sales, International Military Education and Training (IMET), and export licenses for lethal equipment to Indonesia.

Strong human rights and TNI budget transparency conditions on releasing FMF remained. IMET conditionality were much weaker -- calling only for Indonesian cooperation with the FBI investigation into the ambush killings in West Papua in August 2002. ETAN continues to push for stronger restrictions. These provisions were maintained in the final version of the bill, included in the mammoth omnibus appropriations bill passed November 20.

The appropriations bill does allow for an exception to the FMF restriction. The bill would provide $6 million in FMF to the Indonesian navy for "maritime security," but only if the navy complies with strict human rights conditions. With its record, the navy will have a very tough time doing so.

The Pentagon also continues to provide counter-terrorism training to the TNI under different legislation. Yet such assistance ignores the reality that the investigation of fundamentalist terrorist attacks is a police, not a military, function in Indonesia. ETAN continues to urge Congress to extend human rights conditions to all assistance, including counter-terrorism programs.

In a report accompanying the Senate Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, the Appropriations Committee expressed its "disappointment with the acquittal of Indonesian military officers in connection with the 1999 atrocities in East Timor and the performance of the ad hoc tribunal." The Committee also raised concerns about the situation in rebellious Aceh, where an Indonesian military offensive continues.

Military reform

Continued restrictions on IMET and FMF send an important signal to the new Indonesian government that Congress believes military reform is vital to democratic progress in Indonesia, and that justice for crimes against humanity in East Timor is essential. The Bush administration will undoubtedly use newly elected Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's (SBY) reputation as a reformer to fuel their attempts to lift military restrictions. However, SBY's long military career, which includes two tours of duty in East Timor, as well as implementation of martial law in Aceh while in former President Megawati's cabinet, does not bode well for hopes of real military reform and accountability.

As election campaigning heated up in both countries, ETAN and its allies protested possible State Department plans to budget FMF for Indonesia in 2006. Congress has restricted FMF for Indonesia since 2000 because of the 1999 East Timor scorched-earth campaign. In October, led by Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Lane Evans (D-IL), and James McGovern (D-MA), 45 Representatives protested possible provision of FMF for Indonesia in 2006 as "premature, unwarranted, and unwise." The previous month, ETAN coordinated a similar letter from 70 US organizations to Secretary of State Powell. Furthermore, in August, 65 Representatives, led by Evans, Tom Tancredo (R-CO), and Smith, wrote Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, urging him to reconsider Pentagon steps towards resumption of normalized US- Indonesia military relations.

Members of Congress also continued to raise their voices for justice for the TNI's many victims. In July, an impressive 78 Representatives -- led by Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Frank Wolf (R-VA) -- urged UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to "ensure that the international community holds responsible those who committed crimes against humanity and war crimes in East Timor," including through the possibility of an international tribunal. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) also wrote to Powell expressing deep concerns about justice for East Timor. And in June, Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and 19 other Senators urged Annan to appoint a UN Special Representative to Indonesia to monitor the situations in Aceh and West Papua and make recommendations on steps the UN might undertake to end these conflicts.

Congress also maintained pressure on the Australian government to deal fairly with East Timor in boundary negotiations. The Senate Appropriations Committee encouraged "all parties to negotiate in good faith in accordance with international legal principles." During the House debate of the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement, Reps. Kennedy, McGovern and Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) urged Australia to expeditiously negotiate a permanent maritime boundary with Timor according to international law.

On November 11, 2004, 16 East Timorese groups urged the US Congress to end all assistance to the Indonesian military and to work for justice for victims of past human rights violations. The groups wrote that Congress should "provide leadership by ending all assistance to the military which so damaged our country ... Restrictions on military aid are essential to efforts to end impunity for the horrendous crimes committed in East Timor ... The more powerful and unaccountable the Indonesian military remains, the slimmer the chances for stability and democracy in Indonesia."

The next few years will pose great challenges for those concerned with human rights protections for the peoples of East Timor, Indonesia, and elsewhere. However, we have prevailed in the past over obstacles as least as difficult. After all, East Timor is free and US-TNI ties remain restricted. Many strong supporters of human rights and democracy in Indonesia and East Timor will be returning to Congress. Just like us, they need additional allies and supporters. We must continue to educate ourselves and others. This is an opportune time to meet with your newly elected and returning Representatives and Senators to clearly convey to them your concerns about US policy toward East Timor and Indonesia.

Business & investment

Indonesia committed to free trade under WTO: Minister

Jakarta Post - November 22, 2004

Endy M. Bayuni, Santiago -- Indonesia remains committed to the goals of free trade but it will also exercise its right to protect its industries and workers as far as allowed under the World Trade Organization (WTO), chief economics minister Aburizal Bakrie says.

"There is no question that free trade will have to be implemented. The opportunities presented are immense," Aburizal told a group of Indonesian reporters on Saturday.

"The Bogor Goals for free trade and investment in the Asia Pacific region remain in place," he said referring to the phrase now widely used to denote the campaign to turn the huge region into one giant free trade zone.

Aburizal is a member of the Indonesian delegation to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

This year's gathering in the Chilean capital marks 10 years since APEC leaders at their summit in the West Java town of Bogor pronounced their commitment to eliminating all forms of trade and investment barriers between the 21 member countries (or economies as APEC calls them), with a deadline of 2010 for developed countries and 2020 for developing countries.

Aburizal dismissed the claim that the severe economic crisis that Indonesia went through in 1998-99 was largely caused by the government, then under president Soeharto, moving too soon and too fast in liberalizing the economy. "The crisis was not caused by trade liberalization measures or by globalization," he said. "It [the crisis] would have happened anyway without them."

A former businessman who headed the Bakrie Group, Aburizal recognized that free trade could pose threats for the economy. "But the opportunities far outweigh the threats." In spite of reaffirming Indonesia's commitment to free trade, the minister said Indonesia would be more active in invoking the injury clause if a particular industry came under threat from unfair trading practices abroad. "This is something that we did not do enough of in the 1990s," he admitted.

The WTO allows countries to impose some tariffs to protect their industries against imports under certain conditions, including economically strategic industries that employ many people or industries that are damaged by dumping. Other countries, including those in Europe, regularly invoked the injury clause, he noted.

"We have not been smart enough to use the WTO rulings that benefit us," he said, adding that the injury clause would buy particular industries time to enable them to get back on their feet again.

Aburizal begged to differ with those in the business world who at this APEC conference expressed concerns about the growth of so many regional free trade and bilateral free trade agreements within Asia Pacific. They argue that these agreements could undermine the Bogor Goals for free trade across the region.

"On the contrary, I think these agreements will actually speed up the process toward the Bogor Goals," he said. "Obviously, there is a desire among some APEC members to accelerate the process toward free trade. If you add them up, it amounts to quite a lot, for example, in East Asia. And they have the effect of actually speeding up the process," he said.

Indonesia is also discussing free trade agreements with a number of countries, like the United States and Japan. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has already began the process of forging free trade within its 10 member countries, including Indonesia, and the group has in turn signed free trade deals with China and Japan.

APEC ministers at their meeting last week recognized the existence of these regional and bilateral free trade agreements but appealed for the establishment of good practices as guidelines on how these agreements should be concluded so that they would remain consistent with the Bogor Goals.

At this APEC meeting, many members, including Indonesia tried to steer the forum back to discussing economic issues, wary that the forum, including the summit of its leaders, had veered from its original objectives when it was created in 1989.

APEC has expanded not only in membership, but also in terms of the issues discussed so that its communiques seem to grow longer each year.

"The E in APEC stands for economics," Aburizal said. Non-economic issues are important, but APEC is not the forum for many of them, he said.

Counterterrorism, a subject high in the APEC agenda since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States, remained important for APEC, he said.

Terrorism had become a transnational threat, and there were also the issues of terrorist financing and the need for countries to act together to fight against money laundering as part of the financing of terrorist operations, he said.

But there were other non-economic issues that should not have been brought to APEC. "Let's all go back to the Bogor Goals," he suggested.

USA: Improve investment climate in Indonesia

Tempo Interactive - November 23, 2004

Santiago, Chile -- On the sidelines of the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Santiago, US President George W. Bush and the US Chamber of Commerce requested that the Indonesian government, represented by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, improve the investment climate in Indonesia.

In addition, the Japanese government expressed its support of the new government and stated it was prepared to increase its investments in Indonesia.

During his meeting with the US Chamber of Commerce, Yudhoyono invited investors to attend the Infrastructure Summit in Jakarta on January 17-18, 2005. Responding to this invitation, the US Chamber of Commerce requested Indonesia to improve the taxation system, security matters and law certainty in Indonesia.

"If improvements takes place, US business people will certainly invest their money in Indonesia," said presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal on Saturday night as reported by Tempo journalist Bambang Harymurti from Santiago. "President Yudhoyono said that he would improve the investment climate in Indonesia," stated Djalal.

On Saturday afternoon (20/11), President Yudhoyono held a meeting with President Bush at the Hyatt Hotel, Santiago. The Indonesian President discussed several economic matters with Bush and congratulated him on his re-election as the US President. During these talks, Yudhoyono stressed the importance of US investment in Indonesia.

Bush said he hoped that Indonesia would honor trade contracts it has with foreign parties so that investors would continue coming to Indonesia.

In addition to economic matters, Yudhoyono told Bush that Indonesian law offocials are making serious efforts to arrest Antonius Wamang, who is alleged to be the murderer of two US citizens and an Indonesian in a shooting incident in Timika, Papua.

The Indonesian President also held a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the same day. During the meeting, Koizumi stated his support to the new government led by Yudhoyono.

"The Japanese government and Japanese businesspeople will support efforts made by the new government in Indonesia," stated the Japanese foreign ministry in a press release on Sunday (21/11).

The press release also mentioned how the leaders of Japan and Indonesia have agreed to form a joint private and government sector forum of both countries in order to increase investment in Indonesia.

The subjects of investment and an increase of contra-terrorism cooperation were also the main topics in meetings between Yudhoyono and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin as well as with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Martin requested that Indonesia open up the market for Canadian beef products and also guaranteed the hygiene of Canadian livestock products. Martin and Yudhoyono also discussed the plan of PT Inco mining company to increase its investment to US$250 million in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Putin requested Yudhoyono support Russian membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

While talking during the first session of the 21 APEC leaders, the Indonesian President emphasized the importance of security cooperation among APEC member countries.

Yudhoyono added that the terror threats were real and terrorists were still active in planning their new attacks. "Therefore, cooperation in eradicating terrorism needs to be improved," he stated. (Bambang Harymurti/Metta Dharmasaputra/AFP/Xinhuanet- Koran Tempo)

Exports tipped to reach $65 billion this year

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2004

Leony Aurora, Jakarta -- Following months of steady growth, Indonesia's exports would hit a record US$65 billion worth this year, up 6.5 percent from last year, due to soaring oil prices and increasing export volumes, a government official says.

Central Statistics Agency (BPS) deputy head Rusman Heriawan said on Wednesday that revenue from exports in October amounted to slightly more than $7 billion, making the total value of exports in the first 10 months of this year near $58 billion.

"Exports this year should reach $65 billion," he said after a hearing with the House of Representatives' Commission XI on financial affairs.

Oil and gas' sales soared along the high oil prices. The bigger volumes of non-oil products being exported also boosted performance this year, he said.

Indonesia's exports rose 6.8 percent last year to $61 billion from $57 billion in 2002. Non-oil and gas products, such as electrical goods and rubber, contributed three-quarters of this figure.

Monthly exports first surpassed the $5 billion mark -- the peak level of Indonesian monthly exports during past years -- in March this year. The country's overseas sales in September jumped 41 percent to $7.15 billion from a year earlier, with oil and gas increasing 26 percent and non-oil rising 46 percent.

Rusman said that exports would continue to climb next year. "It's safe to target a 6 percent export increase in 2005," he said.

Rusman predicted that in 2005, oil prices would not be as high as this year. "Aside from oil, secondary products [non-oil and gas products] will play a big role [in boosting exports]," he said.

Indonesia needs robust exports to help accelerate economic growth to more than 6 percent annually -- an amount which would absorb the nation's high unemployment.

The economy has grown by about 4 percent per annum during the past few years, mainly driven by domestic consumption because of lagging export and investment markets.

Analysts have said the country's exports were weak due to the high costs of doing business caused by corruption and red tape.

The government has predicted the country's economy would grow at 4.8 percent this year and 5.6 percent the next. The agency said that in the first semester of 2004, Indonesia's economy grew by 4.66 percent.

Fuel price hike to have little impact on inflation: BI

Jakarta Post - November 26, 2004

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta -- A hike in domestic fuel prices next year -- if carefully planned and carried out -- will have only a limited effect on the inflation rate, Bank Indonesia has said.

"Inflation will, of course, rise when the hike is made, but it will only be temporarily and will likely not continue over the following months," central bank Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah said on Thursday.

Bank Indonesia has suggested several schemes to the government on the fuel price hike, including the percentage it should be raised, so as not to affect inflation significantly.

"We have sent our recommendations for the government to consider, and the final say also lies with them," Burhanuddin said.

Minister of Finance Yusuf Anwar said on Wednesday that the government would raise fuel prices next year to reduce fuel subsidy costs, which was increasing amid the current surge in global oil prices.

The soaring global price of oil has been a huge burden to the cash-strapped government, which was forced to raise the fuel subsidy this year to about Rp 59.3 trillion (US$6.5 billion) from an original budget of Rp 14.5 trillion.

As a result, the 2004 budget deficit is expected to widen to about 1.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), compared to the initial target of 1.3 percent of GDP. The greater deficit will prompt the government to sell more state assets and increase its tax revenue target.

A rise in fuel prices affects inflation, as it pushes production, distribution and transportation costs.

According to the World Bank, however, the long-running relationship between fuel prices and overall inflation rate suggests that a 10 percent increase in fuel prices would roughly be equivalent to 0.6 percent of overall inflation rate. Bank Indonesia has projected that inflation next year would be around 6.5 percent, about the same with the 2004 full-year inflation target.

A mild inflation environment is crucial to allow the central bank to further cut down its interest rate and make bank loans more affordable to companies seeking to finance investment plans, while easing the burden of the government in repaying its huge domestic public debts.

A surge in domestic prices could also cause social and political unrest, as it would make life more expensive for the people.

In its last auction on Wednesday, the central bank managed to lower the benchmark interest rate on a single Bank Indonesia promissory note (SBI) to 7.41 percent to 7.42 percent.

Elsewhere, Burhanuddin said a decision to retain current fuel prices and the expensive fuel subsidy could affect the country's foreign exchange reserves.

"We have to bear in mind that Indonesia is already a net importer of oil, although we still make a revenue from exporting gas," he said, adding that the government spent between $800 million and $1 billion per month just to import oil.

"This situation certainly needs to be considered fully, because if it becomes unmanageable, then it could affect macroeconomic stability," he said.

GDP grows faster at 5.03% in third quarter, says BPS

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2004

Leony Aurora , Jakarta -- The year 2004 has been a good one for Imelda Ladianto. She was accepted as a teacher by a national plus school, rented a small house, and could officially call herself independent.

"The first thing I bought was a washing machine," said the 26- year-old. "I didn't want to hand wash my laundry, it's way too impractical," she added.

Imelda pays for her precious washing machine in monthly installments of Rp 229,000 (US$25.58) for one year. "I got it on credit, otherwise I couldn't afford it," she confessed.

Cheaper credit amid low interest rates offered by banks benefits not only consumers like Imelda, but boosts domestic spending -- which contributed more than 65 percent to the country's Rp 422.9 trillion gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter of the year -- and promotes growth.

GDP in Indonesia grew faster at 5.03 percent in the third quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2003, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported on Friday.

Consumer spending continues to be a significant contributor to GDP -- the value of all goods and services produced in an economy -- as it expanded 5.09 percent from the same quarter of last year.

This year's third-quarter consumer spending figure is slightly lower than the 5.26 percent growth recorded in the second quarter and 5.71 percent in the first.

A giant leap is shown in the exports sector, which expanded almost 20 percent in the third quarter, due to soaring oil prices and increasing export volumes. The second and first quarter only recorded 0.85 percent and 3.07 percent growth respectively.

The agency has predicted that the worth of Indonesia's exports will hit $65 billion this year, up 6.5 percent from the previous year.

Government spending decreased by 2.74 percent in the third quarter of the year, compared to the third quarter of last year.

Cumulatively, in the first nine months of the year, the country's GDP expanded by 4.89 percent. Such growth exceeds the government's estimate of 4.8 percent for 2004.

Despite the steady increase demonstrated by the quarterly GDP, there is still a possibility that the target will not be reached.

"The trend shown by records from 2000 is that growth in the fourth quarter tends to slow down," said the agency's deputy chairman of economic statistics, Slamet Mukeno.

Earlier this month, the World Bank revised its forecast for Indonesia's growth in 2004 to 4.9 percent, from 4.5 percent previously, after witnessing steady growth and the declining rate of unemployment in this year's first semester, as well as a peaceful election.

The bank also increased its forecast for 2005 from 5 percent to 5.4 percent, equal to what the government has targeted.

However, it pointed out that Indonesia's investment climate remains weak as compared to regional competitors. Overseas investors have steered clear of the country due to security concerns, red tape, labor issues and the lack of legal certainty.

As of October, foreign-funded projects increased to 969 from 876 during the same period of last year, while foreign direct investment approvals fell to $8.85 billion from $9.94 billion.

The BPS recorded that investment in the third quarter grew by 13 percent compared with the same period of last year, driven by domestic investment.

In the meantime, with Idul Fitri two weeks ago and Christmas fast approaching, the country will again rely on consumption to fuel its growth in the fourth quarter.

"I'm thinking of buying a television set for myself for Christmas," said Imelda. "A 14-inch one would be nice."

Opinion & analysis

US and Indonesia must work to build ties

Jakarta Post - November 22, 2004

Ambassador Marie T. Huhtala, Washington DC -- Indonesia has experienced a dizzying series of changes since the fall of President Soeharto in 1998, representing rather amazing progress in the country's democratization. With a vast, multi-ethnic nation and little history of democracy, Indonesia has faced a steep learning curve, but the results so far have been impressive. The country has experienced not one but four peaceful transitions, and this year it successfully conducted the first- ever direct election of its President.

The US has been a strong supporter of this democratic transition. We view the stakes here as enormous, for as President Bush has stated, the success of Indonesia as a pluralistic and democratic state is essential to the peace and prosperity of the Southeast Asia region. For that reason, our President met several times with former President Megawati, both in Washington and in Indonesia. During their meeting in Bali in October 2003, President Bush hailed Indonesia as a vital partner and a friend to America.

So it's no exaggeration to say we are excited about the future of US-Indonesian relations, and we're determined to do everything we can to see our relationship live up to its full potential. We have a broad agenda, and lots of work ahead. Let me address the most important areas we will be emphasizing.

Our first priority is to encourage continued Indonesian progress on democracy and justice. Elections alone, however successful, do not in themselves constitute democracy. We envision an Indonesia that is democratic in the full sense of that term, a government that is transparent and accountable to its people, respects the rule of law, and protects the human rights of its citizens.

This is not to denigrate this year's elections -- far from it. Indonesians went to the polls three times this year, voting for a new parliament and voting in two rounds for President. And the turnout in the September 20 runoff vote was a whopping 75 percent, exceeding anything the US has experienced recently, even during our extraordinarily well attended elections earlier this month.

These polls were Indonesia's second series, after the equally successful elections of 1999. This is an impressive track record, particularly the enthusiastic participation of the Indonesian voters.

But there have been other important milestones in Indonesia's democratization. The military has lost its privileged position in the legislature, and the new parliament that was seated last month is the first in history to have no serving members of the military.

A new police force has been created, its members removed from their previous position as part of the TNI, creating a separation of powers that will encourage efficiency and accountability.

Civil society is growing rapidly, even though much remains to be done. The emergence of a relatively free press is especially important and needs to be encouraged.

Finally, the country is going through the most ambitious decentralization effort in its history, a process that makes tremendous sense given the far-flung nature of its 33 provinces, 421 districts, and over 17,000 islands.

We've been impressed by the early statements President Yudhoyono has made regarding the importance of democracy and accountability. Just recently, he spoke by video conference to the US Chambers of Commerce and told us he is driven by "the hopes of the Indonesians who entrusted me to improve their lives."

He spoke of the power of good governance and said he is establishing a team that will be judged by its performance. He said he wants to establish a system that is accountable to the people and, looking ahead, he wants to "ensure smooth elections in 2009." These are all very welcome statements. The United States has worked with the Indonesian Government in all these areas and we intend to continue doing so.

Another very important element of our policy is seeking enhanced cooperation on security issues. Indonesians know better than most the devastating effects of terrorist attacks, and we were horrified by the successive attacks in Bali and Jakarta over the last three years.

We applaud the Indonesian Government's serious response to those attacks, led at the time by then-Coordinating Minister for Security Yudhoyono. Indonesia's police and prosecutors have arrested and convicted over 80 terrorists since the Bali bombings. Indonesia has established an effective counterterrorism police force, which is working hard to bring terrorists to justice.

Nevertheless the threat of future attacks remains serious. We salute President Yudhoyono's announcements that arresting key terrorists is a priority for him, and that he would like to enhance international cooperation on terrorism. I can assure you we intend to explore such cooperation further.

We want to see an Indonesia that is open for investment and trade, and we want to see our US investors playing a prominent role in the country's economic development. When President Yudhoyono spoke to the US Chamber of Commerce, he spoke movingly of his determination to address unemployment, which he estimated at 10 percent of the population, and poverty, which he said afflicts 10 million Indonesian citizens. He said his government's goal is to reduce unemployment to 6 percent and to reduce poverty by half. We support those goals.

In addition to our assistance aimed at strengthening democratic institutions, the US is making a major effort to help Indonesia relieve poverty and embark on sound economic development. In August of this year, our Embassy signed an agreement with the government of Indonesia for a five-year program that will provide a total of $468 million for basic education, water, nutrition, and the environment.

If aid is an effective tool for economic development, investments are better because they tend to be self-perpetuating. At present, about 300 US companies have investments in Indonesia totaling over $7.5 billion, and there are an estimated 3,500 US business people there. Much of that investment is connected to Indonesia's rich natural resources, though there is some manufacturing as well.

But we have to be frank about the potential for more US investment. Many companies are reluctant to go to Indonesia because of the extremely uncertain legal system. They want respect for the sanctity of contracts, a clear and fair tax system, and most of all they want to do business in an atmosphere free of corruption.

President Yudhoyono has said that attacking corruption and establishing legal certainty are key priorities. We welcome those statements, and we hope to assist in improving the investment climate and legal system. We believe that enacting a clear investment law would be an excellent first step in that regard.

We are very interested in seeing Indonesia act as a stabilizing and responsible force in the region. Indeed, we have always viewed Indonesia as the cornerstone of regional security in Southeast Asia. In the past, Indonesia has played a significant leadership role in regional institutions like ASEAN and APEC. We look forward to seeing Jakarta reassert this prominent position in international fora and institutions.

Our two countries share the important strategic objective of a stable Southeast Asian region that is free of transnational threats, including terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, smuggling, and trafficking in persons. American interests are best served by a democratic, prosperous Indonesia that is secure within its borders and able to defend itself against transnational threats. For that reason we firmly support the territorial integrity of Indonesia.

Indonesia needs to be strong in order to be our partner in confronting the many challenges of this age. I have already mentioned the challenge of terrorism, another urgent challenge is in the realm of maritime security. The strategic sea lanes that pass through and along Indonesian territory carry roughly 30 percent of the world's sea-borne trade and are key transit routes for the US naval fleet.

Indonesia's vast archipelago is difficult to monitor. We stand ready to assist Indonesia address this important challenge in ways that we will decide on jointly, and we encourage the growing cooperation among Indonesia and its neighbors in this important field.

We also believe that as the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia has a key role to play in demonstrating the virtues of tolerance and mutual respect in a diverse, multi-ethnic polity. The ability of so many Muslims to thrive economically and pursue a democratic, just society shows the way forward for Muslim and multi-religious societies throughout the world.

We currently help support the exchange of Pesantren leaders to the United States in order to promote understanding between our two countries, and we will continue to do everything we can to promote dialogue between Indonesians and the fast-growing community of Muslims in America.

As elsewhere in the world, the United States must address the range of our interests with Indonesia in an integrated way. Many of our national interests coincide with those of Indonesia, and we will work with Jakarta wherever possible in the spirit of the true friendship we share.

Nevertheless, there are areas of disagreement, and we need to address those frankly.

Even as we champion a strong and democratic Indonesia secure within its borders, we must also support negotiated settlements to the conflicts in Aceh and Papua. We believe that in any area suffering from communal conflict there needs to be free access by humanitarian groups, human rights workers, and the media.

We also believe that to realize their democratic vision Indonesians will have to find the appropriate ways to further strengthen civilian control over the military and hold individuals accountable for abuses. Again, improving the judicial process, eliminating corruption in the judiciary, and creating professional standards will go a long way toward addressing these issues.

We also seek justice for the Americans and Indonesian murdered in Timika in 2002, an issue which continues to be viewed with urgency on our side. We appreciate the cooperation our FBI has received so far in its investigation, and we hope that the new government in Jakarta will do everything it can to bring those responsible for this atrocity to justice.

These same principles hold true with regard to accountability for the crimes against humanity committed in East Timor in 1999. We hope the Indonesian Government will cooperate fully with the UN Commission of Experts, as this seems to be the last and best hope for resolving this difficult and long-standing issue.

We are hopeful that the day will come when the US and Indonesia will be able to enjoy fully restored relations between our respective militaries. We believe that US assistance in the form of IMET and FMF would be in the interests of both countries.

Unrestricted IMET training would be especially valuable in strengthening the professionalism of Indonesian military officers with respect to transparency, human rights, and public accountability. However, before that can happen we will need to resolve several issues to meet important Administration and Congressional concerns about human rights and accountability.

Let me conclude by emphasizing how much we all look forward to working with Indonesia as it enters this exciting new chapter in its history. Although many challenges will have to be resolved, we have a better opportunity now than at any time in the past to help strengthen democracy and respect for human rights, and contribute to the stability and prosperity of an important strategic partner. The United States considers Indonesia a valued friend, and we hope to make that friendship with this the largest democracy in East Asia even stronger in the years ahead.

[This article is an excerpt of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asian Affairs Marie T. Huhtala's remarks at a conference sponsored by the US-Indonesia Society (USINDO) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, on November 17, 2004.]

Waiting for economic action

Jakarta Post Editorial - November 22, 2004

It is now already a month after the inauguration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's United Indonesia Cabinet and the market is still waiting for what has long been promoted as Susilo's first 100-day action plan to fully restore investor confidence.

In Susilo's speech on Wednesday evening to mark his first 30 days in office it was expected he would reveal the detail of this agenda. His prepared address to the nation instead was mainly aimed at warning the people against having too high expectations, arguing it would be impossible to solve all the country's problems in 100 days and that final judgments on the success of his administration would best be made at the end of his term in 2009.

No one has been so insensible as to expect Susilo's administration to resolve all the nation's problems in three months. But we at least want to see a set of concrete measures planned regarding the President's promised "shock treatments" in top priority areas of his program.

In his first week in power Susilo did make the right remarks and the right, if symbolic, moves. He conducted working visits to the Attorney General's Office and the National Police Headquarters, conveying a strong message about his determination to fight corruption as his top priority.

Susilo then made working visits to the tax and customs directorate generals, which are not only among the most corrupt public institutions, as perceived by the public, but also among the most important targets of reform if his Cabinet is to improve the country's investment climate.

In a move demonstrating his awareness of the vital importance of good coordination between monetary and fiscal management, the President also met early on with the board of governors of the central bank. The series of introductory meetings he made in the first week of his administration included, also for a strategic and symbolic reason, the leaders of the House of Representatives and the business world. However, such symbolic moves, though needed, are not enough to maintain the momentum of market confidence and the credibility of his administration.

The announcement of the so-called 100-day agenda is not an end in itself but it is nevertheless important to allow the market and investors to make further judgments on policy direction and to assess how the measures will be implemented. For only consistent and effective implementation will make the government's policies credible.

Businesspeople won't expect instant results in all areas. What they really want to see is steady progress along the right path; a consistent reform process and not a one-off event. Everything does not have to be fixed at once.

For sure, Susilo does have his stumbling blocks. Vital instruments such as amendments to the 2005 state budget, which require approval from the House of Representatives are unlikely to proceed quickly, given the adversarial relationship between the government and the majority factions in the House.

However, there are many changes to law enforcement and to the economy that do not need House approval or an additional budget.

The government can do a lot to change the taxation and customs directorate generals, the two public institutions most-maligned by business, without having to wait for the House to enact the three new bills on taxation, which are still being finalized at the State Secretariat.

Moving firmly and consistently to make tax audits more transparent and accountable, expediting the procedures for tax refunds and cutting the number of procedural steps to get merchandise cleared at air and seaports would go a long way to cutting the costs of doing business here.

This in turn would reduce business risks and transaction costs and strengthen the nation's competitiveness. This virtuous circle would continue -- bank lending would increase and new investment would get a boost.

Likewise, cutting the red tape in business licensing and other rules regulating the movement of goods between provinces or islands would be a strong boost to new investment. Just look at how a recent survey by the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank private-sector arm, ranks Indonesia among the worst places to do business because of so many regulatory burdens, policy risks and a high incidence of bureaucratic corruption.

It takes about 160 days to get a business started in Indonesia due to numerous bureaucratic procedures and regulatory requirements and sadly, most of these procedures do not help or protect anyone at all.

The government doesn't need an additional budget to remove all these constraints, nor does it require House approval. What is needed is the political determination to consistently enforce policy measures until they are strongly institutionalized in the system.

It is therefore most imperative that the 100-day action agenda should include only concrete measures that are bureaucratically, economically and politically feasible and, most importantly, can be enforced consistently.

Munir, politics and murder

Jakarta Post Editorial - November 23, 2004

The cruelest fate has befallen the sincerest of men. He spent his life absolving the glories of our blood and state. But his dauntless effort was indemnified by a poison chalice. An unrighteous end to a noble life.

We hung our head in quiet rage as news from an autopsy in the Netherlands confirmed that Munir's death on a flight bound for Amsterdam was due to excessive levels of arsenic in his bloodstream.

We are now indignant after his widow, Suciwati, received death threats reportedly warning her against connecting the death of husband to the military.

Suciwati has for years been the quiet heroine behind her husband. She was the sustaining light during the darkest hours of her husband's ordeals in voicing the plight of those who had been politically silenced.

Standing beside Munir, she was his silent partner enduring years of terror in quiet suffering in the profound belief in justice. She never captured headlines, neither did she ever seek to exploit her valiant contribution. Even in her mourning she has not been able to bury her husband in peace. The terror that Suciwati and Munir fought so hard against returns to haunt her.

How callous can the perpetrators be? We can only observe in admiration her determination not to succumb to premeditated terror. Our moral support goes out to her and our commitment to help propel a thorough investigation into Munir's death is assured.

Key to the development of this case in the next few weeks will be the attitude of government, police and military officials in responding to the autopsy report. It is too easy for high ranking officials to spew the standard line of ordering an "investigation". Similarly, we would be too naive to take the police's word on the thoroughness of their inquiry, or the summary denials of top brass that the military is not involved.

Guilt should not be presumed on any institution or high ranking individual. Unsubstantiated claims at this juncture would only obscure an already difficult case. However we also cannot allow it to evolve with strong oversight.

This is no simple case. Munir was no plain man. His struggle in the past few years was an extraordinary feat of bravery against a political leviathan. If it is established that Munir was murdered, the only conclusion can be that his death was an assassination.

Therefore police cannot treat the investigation as they would a run-of-the-mill homicide. Perpetrators with influence larger than the average suspect will likely attempt to sway proceedings. Terror and deception will abound.

Our police force does not have a good record in resolving cases with highly charged political overtones. Hence our concern that the public monitor the investigations. Just because the rhetoric of "transparency" is used by the authorities, does not make it so -- and most of the time it isn't.

Leaders of society, political parties, and even our new government often proclaim that Indonesia is entering a new era. It is the duty of these people in high positions to ensure the police probe is carried out with the same kind of thoroughness and zeal that Munir himself extended to helping victims of political kidnappings.

The government has to show that it is committed to supporting the cause of one of reformasi's true heroes. Failure to do so perpetuates the impunity of oppressive-style measures which were so prevalent prior to 1998. Personal vendettas against people like Munir cannot be allowed to thrive.

This nation has never given Munir due recognition. He did not received any medals, and his name will probably be but a footnote in our grandchildren's history books. But his contribution to the nation is no less significant than the sacrifice of our 1945 freedom fighters. Those who murdered him are not just criminals, they are traitors to the nation.

The Indonesian people have an obligation to give Munir and his family peace of mind. It is the least we can do.

Free trade and the national interests

Jakarta Post - November 24, 2004

Endy M. Bayuni, Santiago -- Is forging trade liberalization measures, at a time when the economy is still struggling to get back on its feet, really in the best interest of the nation? President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono definitely thinks so, which is why he traveled all the way to Chile last weekend -- spending 70 hours flying there and back, and less than 60 hours in its capital, Santiago -- to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

The trip and the timetable of back-to-back meetings, which he himself described as "inhuman" because it left little time to rest, was part and parcel of his economic policy to bolster exports.

The economic rationale is as follows: Indonesia needs to increase its exports to accelerate annual growth of gross domestic product to the targeted 6 percent to 7 percent and create the millions of new jobs needed to curb its massive unemployment.

In today's complex world, trade is a multilateral game: If Indonesia wants to export, it must also open its markets to foreign goods.

In the past, APEC was one of the forums through which Indonesia negotiated to ensure mutually open markets with the 20 trading partners in the grouping. Although no agreement is legally binding, APEC members are morally obliged to abide by the deals they make, especially since they are all endorsed by their heads of state.

On the other hand, trade liberalization under the World Trade Organization (WTO) -- of which Indonesia is also a member -- is binding and the APEC summits have been used effectively to push negotiations at the WTO.

Indonesia has also entered into binding free trade agreements (FTAs) within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). ASEAN, for its part, has established FTAs with its East Asian partners, Japan and China.

Indonesia cannot excuse itself easily from its free trade obligations, especially since Susilo, along with the 20 other APEC leaders, reaffirmed on Sunday at the end of the Santiago summit their commitment to the so-called Bogor Goals of setting up an Asia-Pacific free trade and investment area.

The goals, set out at the 1994 APEC summit in the West Java town of Bogor under the Soeharto administration, give a deadline of 2010 for developed countries and 2020 for developing countries.

The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 had, however, put a damper on these earlier moves to dismantle trade and investment barriers among APEC member countries.

Meanwhile, a rising anti-globalization movement arose across the world in response to the negative impacts of trade liberalization measures: increased poverty, particularly for weak and marginalized groups, and a growing gap between rich and poor countries.

To further undermine the credibility of the free trade, many countries that once championed the concept, including the United States, imposed trade barriers such as extending subsidies to protect their industries and workers in response to political pressures.

Such consequences thus beg the question as to whether Indonesia should once again embrace free trade fully, the way it did in the 1990s.

Still fresh in the minds of many people is Soeharto's famous -- and now infamous -- remarks in explanation of his initiative to launch the 1994 Bogor Declaration: "Like it or not, and ready or not, we have to join free trade in this era of economic globalization." Little could he know then that many would later hold him accountable for moving too soon and too fast in dismantling trade barriers, leaving Indonesia, like many other "Asian Tigers", vulnerable to speculative forces, especially in the financial and stock markets.

Indonesia, more than any other country in Asia, paid the heavy price of too much free trade, many anti-free trade economists and activists argue today.

Not so fast, said Aburizal Bakrie, the chief economy minister. "The financial crisis would have happened all the same, with or without Indonesia moving toward trade liberalization measures in the 1990s," the Coordinating Minister for the Economy said in Santiago. Indonesia did learn its lessons from that episode to be on a sure footing once again in embracing free trade now, he said.

Aburizal, formerly chairman of the Bakrie Group, said at the end of the day, the benefits of free trade still outweighed the risks, so Indonesia actually had only one course. Susilo went one step further: "We will move forward with globalization. In the past, we failed to take full advantage of free trade and to curtail or minimize the excesses of globalization. We're not going to make that mistake again." Indonesia can continue to embrace free trade and at the same time protect some of its industries -- and jobs too -- against imports by using the "injury clause" permitted under the WTO rulings. This is something that Indonesia had not applied enough in the past while other countries, including the US and Europe, invoked them freely in the name of protecting national interests.

Susilo has thus ordered Minister of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu to come up with a new trade strategy, one that seeks to bolster Indonesia's exports. But no export strategy -- no matter how well it is designed to tap free trade -- can change Indonesia's fortunes unless it is complemented and supported by other measures at home.

For one, Indonesian products must be competitive, and most Asian countries today inevitably benchmark their products against China, which can manufacture just about any and every product cheaply, more efficiently and of international quality standards.

This means Indonesia must eliminate the many factors that have hampered its economic recovery: corruption, legal uncertainties, market distorting subsidies, inflexible wage policy, rising labor militancy and poor economic infrastructure.

Implemented holistically -- that is, in the international and domestic spheres -- embracing free trade can be in the greater interest of the nation.

Susilo and his Cabinet must now return home from Santiago to face the daunting task of turning the dream of free trade benefits, including more jobs, increased income and greater prosperity for the people, into a reality.

Reflections on the near-term economic outlook

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2004

David Jay Green, Jakarta -- National elections and a change in government are a wonderful time for reflection and stocktaking and Indonesia's recent set is no exception. It is a useful, as well as a fun undertaking to try and identify the most important lessons of yesterday and guess the problems we'll face tomorrow. From the standpoint of the economy, one clear picture emerges: Indonesia has shown both stability and moderate growth for the past few years and most forecasts suggest more of the same.

This picture contains both good and bad news. Stability has meant that Indonesia has weathered a number of shocks over the past several years. The country has had to endure terrorist attacks in Jakarta, its financial and political capital; and also in Bali its center for tourism.

The country faced a fall-off in trade and travel due to international strife and also regional problems such as SARS and Avian Flu. The elections themselves, until fairly recently were a source of concern -- not all elections in such a large, developing country as Indonesia have gone as smoothly or as peacefully.

The robust performance with respect to these and other shocks has allowed Indonesia to put the 1997 Economic Crisis and the political upheaval of the end of the Soeharto regime firmly behind itself. Since 2001 the annual growth rate in GDP has risen from less than 4 percent to between 4.5-5 percent. This has allowed per capita income to rise and the incidence of poverty to fall. Millions of people have been made better off -- at least a little. This growth has come on the back of strong household and public sector spending.

It has not come alongside strong investment spending -- year after year, firms have failed to spend to open new plants or even to maintain old facilities. Currently, the investment-to-GDP ratio is nearly two full percentage points below its level in 2001.

Indeed, perversely this is one of the reasons the economy has been relatively stable: There have been so few investors that there has been no one to scare when shocks hit. While stability has been welcome, it has meant on average lower growth. More worrisome, potential growth is lower: Failure to invest in new plants, to buy new equipment, and to maintain existing facilities means that the economy will be limited in its ability to grow in the future. A lack of investment today, stunts growth possibilities tomorrow.

The reason for a lack of foreign investment is well known. Foreign investors, in particular, have been reluctant to risk new funds in view of the well-publicized problems in governance, in protecting their rights amid a corrupt and poorly functioning legal and judicial system. Any firm contemplating new investments is going to think of the experiences of Manulife and Prudential. Indonesian firms similarly have severely limited their new commitments over the past few years. They too worry about ensuring the safety of their investments.

The picture of a relatively stable economy with low investment has been quite clear for several years. During the election it has made for focused discussion on the need to encourage investment by improving governance. Arguably, it was the image of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the candidate more likely to attack corruption that helped give him the victory.

Ironically, it may also be the election that makes it harder to see the economy in this fashion. It would not be unusual for an election such as this, bringing in a reform-minded candidate, after a long period of little investment that sparks a mini-boom in business spending. It would not take too much for many firms to increase their capital spending -- many businesses are likely to need to spend something just to keep their production facilities going.

The Asian Development Bank's 2004 Asian Development Outlook projected only a very modest increase in investment expenditures, supporting an overall 4.8 percent rise in GDP. If that investment spending increased to 10 percent, it would boost GDP growth by more than one full percentage point. A 10 percent increase in investment spending sounds large by recent standards, but it would still put business spending 20 percent below the levels seen in 1996 and 1997, before the Economic Crisis.

I am not saying we will definitely have this pickup in business spending; many things can combine to frustrate this. (Although if it does occur, remember where you heard about it first.) We can all dream up external or internal shocks that combine to lower growth. Missteps in monetary or fiscal policy, if they occur, could also be costly.

But if the "boomlet" does come, let us be clear that it does not reflect a resolution to the many problems Indonesia has been struggling with for the last few years. An economic boomlet that stands on a cyclical upswing in investment, encouraged by a calm election and prospects for reform, will be short-lived unless these reforms actually come about. When firms have accomplished their priority spending targets, when this higher spending works its way through higher household income and expenditures, growth will again slacken.

Only when palpable changes in the investment climate emerge will there be sustainable higher levels of spending and sustainable higher growth. A boomlet will give the Government some breathing room, but the longer-term reforms will still be needed to turn a boomlet into a period of prosperity.

[David Jay Green is Country Director at the Indonesia Resident Mission in Jakarta of the Manila-based Asian Development Bank. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the ADB.]

Poisoning of an activist a test case for Susilo

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2004

Aboeprijadi Santoso, Amsterdam -- The arsenic poisoning of the Indonesian human rights champion, Munir, has aroused so much attention that he is even more "present" in death than he was in life. Yet, without the reform of state apparatuses and the will and determination of the country's leadership, the case will remain a mystery.

Munir's untimely death is a tragedy that illustrates the real divide between the state and civil society -- the legacy of the New Order's state dominance, which remains strong in some sectors and could reemerge despite post-Soeharto democratic reform. Like other Indonesian human rights fighters, Munir's activism was bound to come up against resistance, mostly from individuals or groups within state apparatuses who had been accused of rights violations.

As he was also greatly interested in the war against corruption, many elements within the same apparatuses had every reason to protect themselves. Finally, it's no coincidence that, when the autopsy report arrived in Indonesia, it was state interests rather than the citizen's rights that almost automatically prevailed.

The political assassination of Munir, therefore, has incited increasing concerns worldwide. It has become a case for civil societies to defend and strengthen themselves vis a vis the interests of some state elements.

Munir, 39, has been described as "everything a human-rights activist should be: Principled, tough, smart, funny and fearless." In the words of Sidney Jones of the International Crisis Group, "he stood up to people in power, made them angry, got threat after threat after threat, and never gave up." (Asia Times, November 16).

Born in the same year as the New Order, itself born from massive atrocities (1965), Munir's activism was bound to confront state power. He rose to prominence when Soeharto was forced to relinquish his power in 1998. He was allegedly murdered by poisoning in a year when the state is challenged by demands for civil supremacy and clean governance.

Most of the issues he was involved with were sensitive ones, from the disappearances of several antigovernment activists in 1998, to the investigation of East Timor violence in 1999. Unlike some of his senior colleagues, he was not constrained by an excessive "patriotic" spirit when dealing with problems such as those of East Timor and Aceh.

He may have been too close to the truth, worrying some. A few months before he died, he was preoccupied with investigations for the campaign to oppose the laws on the Indonesian Military (TNI) and possible corruption related to the budget for the Aceh war and military civic mission. It is believed he planned to write a dissertation on Aceh at the University of Utrecht.

His enemy, therefore, as Munir's friends at Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) hinted, should be sought within the "powerful institutions" of the state. This distrust illustrates the growing cleavage between civil society and some state elements. Unless Munir's case is successfully resolved, such a condition is not conducive for both the state and society to consolidate Indonesia's hard-won democracy.

Another issue, which may have a lesser but similar effect, is the autopsy report. Munir's case and the problem of the autopsy report exemplifies the extent to which the relationship between states is prioritized over the human fate and human rights of a citizen and his family, no matter the crimes and the suffering involved.

Bureaucratic hurdles and the diplomatic, customs and legal frameworks of the two countries involved -- Indonesia and the Netherlands -- have completely denied Munir's family the legitimate right to first-hand knowledge of the full autopsy report.

There are two problems here: the six-week delay of the report and the denial of the victim's rights. The Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI), which conducted the autopsy, had apparently been "too busy" with other things, including moving its office and laboratory. Three weeks after Munir's death, in late September, when the report was expected to be issued, the Dutch authorities said the case needed to be reexamined. But, it was not until six weeks later, early this month, that Munir's case was made a "high priority". Why -- and how -- a six-week delay should occur when the case at hand is a serious matter, is not clear.

Meanwhile, the case had been transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague, ignoring the agreement at Schiphol airport on Sept. 9 between Munir's family and the local prosecutor's office (the Parket Haarlem, whose jurisdiction includes Schiphol) that the family would be the first to receive the report via the Dutch mission in Jakarta.

Worse, when the summary of the report finally arrived at the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry on November 11, the latter allegedly leaked it to a Dutch correspondent, but failed to inform Munir's widow, Suciwati. It was not until the latter went to a lot of trouble to make inquiries at the Foreign Ministry, the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs and the National Police that she was shown -- but did not acquire -- the summary.

The decision was apparently made on the legal grounds that it was a possible crime against a non-Dutch citizen, on a non-Dutch flight, in non-Dutch territory and "it was not a universal case".

Diplomatic, bureaucratic and legal arguments have thus won over anything else in the case of this extraordinary political crime. It's a formal and minimalist argument, without a shred of empathy, that flatly ignores the victim's right.

From the point of view of the victim, the only positive element so far is a verbal pledge. Asked by Munir's family representative, Sri Rusminingtyas, at a press conference in The Hague on November 19, whether the police would hand a copy of the full Dutch autopsy report to the family if they got one, the delegation's chief, Anton Carliyan, answered affirmatively.

As bureaucratic and legal problems sadly denied Munir's family their legitimate right, it remains to be seen whether it is possible to have something that has often proven to be impossible in the past i.e. a thorough and credible investigation to find and punish the perpetrator(s) and those responsible for the crime. There lies an opportunity for the new President to make a difference.

To resolve Munir's case justly is important for the sake of human rights defenders and for Indonesia's democracy -- hence, this is a test case for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration.

[The writer is a journalist with Radio Netherlands. The views he expresses in this article are his own.]

Our hope for NU

Jakarta Post Editorial - November 26, 2004

The outcome of the four-day congress of the country's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), which is scheduled to be opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Sunday, will not only determine the future direction of the organization and the well-being of its 40-million members, but will also strongly influence the nation as a whole and the development of Islam in general.

NU has become a strong model for moderate, inclusive and pluralistic Islam, and in the midst of ongoing acts of terrorism that misuse the word Islam, people's expectations of NU are also higher. When terrorists attacked US cities on Sept. 11, 2001, and then bombed Bali one year later, the voices of NU leaders very much helped in calming people down.

Hopefully, when the NU congress meets to elect a new leadership, congress participants will always bear in mind people's high expectation of them in resolving conflicts and problems. The future of the nation is put at risk whenever they fail to make wise decisions. Pursuing short-term political interests can be a big temptation for NU elites.

Along with the other major Muslim social organization, the more progressive Muhammadiyah, NU has played a crucial role in national life from earliest times, especially during Indonesia's fight for independence. Since the country's independence in 1945 until now, these two organizations have become strong representations of Islam both domestically and internationally.

Over the past 20 years, NU has been able to transform itself from its traditional and rural roots to become a more modern organization, and this is evidenced in the rising prominence of more highly-educated people within the organization. Although even now the majority of NU members are farmers and ordinary people, they have also undergone positive development that has benefited their welfare.

The role of Abdurrahman Wahid ("Gus Dur"), the grandson of the co-founding father of NU, Hasyim Ashari, has been decisive in modernizing the organization since his election as NU chairman, 1984-1999. The organization, which has strong base in East Java and Central Java, was committed to a return to khittah (basic) as a purely social and religious organization, distancing itself from the politics of the Soeharto era.

However, when Soeharto's regime collapsed in 1998, NU was tempted to return to politics. It established the National Awakening Party (PKB) that later became the fourth largest political party in the 1999 legislative election. Many NU members, however, also joined other political parties, and this affected the unity of the organization.

The practically-blind Gus Dur was selected as president by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in 1999, and Hasyim Muzadi replaced him as chairman of NU. When the Assembly sacked Gus Dur in 2001 due to his perceived incompetence, NU could not completely distance itself from his fall. The previous president, Megawati Soekarnoputri, enticed Hasyim into becoming her running mate in the recent presidential election.

Despite their denials, it is clear now that NU finds it very difficult to distance itself from the political interests and ambitions of its organizational elites. NU's huge membership has always been a magnet for outside political forces. The organization's future may be threatened if NU can not resist temptations to engage itself in practical politics.

It can only be hoped that during this congress NU leaders will give priority the interests of the majority of NU members and to the nation, above everything else. Divergences of views and even conflicts are quite common within this organization, however they more often than not succeed in overcoming their differences.

NU, the pride of the nation, will hopefully not disappoint its grass-root supporters and also the nation. It is hoped that the congress will be conducted in the spirit of Islam and thus be a success.

The death of a human rights campaigner

Jakarta Post - November 26, 2004

Olle T'rnquist, Oslo, Norway -- Indonesia's most prominent, bravest, and innovative democracy-and human rights fighter is no more. He was the 2000 laureate for the "Right Livelihood Award", often referred to as the "Alternative Nobel Prize". Munir was a prominent human rights activist who first earned his reputation during the years of the Soeharto dictatorship, when he frequently clashed with Indonesia's entrenched interests.

At 38 and at good health the legendary activist boarded Garuda's evening flight to Amsterdam on the 6th of September, for a study visit at the University of Utrecht. While in transit in Singapore he began to feel uncomfortable. During the second leg he became seriously ill. He received the medical attention that was possible to arrange, but before landing, by dawn, he had passed away.

The news drowned in the bomb set off two days later in front of the Australian Embassy. The mystery surrounding his death was rather mixed with the grief and a feeling of powerlessness. But now this has changed into big headlines and anger, as the news spread that the autopsy undertaken by the Dutch Forensic Institute discovered lethal levels of arsenic in his body. Why these results had not been disclosed earlier remains a mystery.

By now, moreover, his wife Suciwati, with a background as trade unionist, and the couple's two children, had to wait for the autopsy results, while various Dutch authorities, diplomats, Indonesian authorities and the new president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono were first informed. The Indonesian authorities have later stated that they will carry out a criminal investigation into the poisoning. But apparently hesitation is still there.

Munir often said he had lost track of the number of death threats he had received and the number of attacks against human rights campaigns that he had been involved in. By now everything suggests that he became a victim of an assassination carried out in the same tradition of brutal violence that he had devoted his life to fight against.

The news of the assassination represents an unwelcome resurgence of the brutal tactics that many Indonesians had hoped had become a thing of the past. Munir's death is yet another indication of the amount of work that remains to be done with regard to democracy and human rights in Indonesia. The police, army, and the judiciary are part of the problem. They continuously faced Munir's sharp criticism.

The question remains whether they are willing to mobilize as much energy in the hunt for his killers, as they have on Muslim terrorists. That will be a good test of the true character of the new government as well as the international community. The recent news is that Munir's wife has received death threats, warning her against connecting her husband's assassination with the military.

Munir's work must go on. He personified the best of the New Indonesia. In the early 1990s he changed from being an armed Muslim youth activist into a spokesman for Muslim social values and universal humanitarianism. That (and a good portion of humor right in the middle of all troubles) became his guidelines in his fight for human rights and democracy.

Munirs refusal to bow to pressure earned him iconic status among other dissidents who suffered for their decision to challenge the authorities. He was an activist who moved beyond the legal aid offices in Surabaya and Jakarta, and went into the field and encouraged victims to get organized -- in order for him to be able to help them fight abuse and in order for them to make a difference together. This was the manner in which he combined the fight for human rights with workers' pledge for better conditions and farmers demands for their land.

This was the way he campaigned against the abuses by the military and militias, from Soeharto's death squads, the atrocities in East Timor and the ongoing violence in Aceh. This was his approach to efforts at truth and reconciliation regarding the long history of violation of human rights, including the massacres of leftists in 1965-1966. And this was the way in which he wanted to transform elitist urban NGOs into democratic peoples' movements -- a move he saw as the only way for which they could play a decisive role in the process of democratization.

No wonder he was fascinated by the historical evolvement of democracy in a remote place like Scandinavia. And so he was hoping for closer cooperation in that tradition. He was for example one of those who made possible a series of extensive studies by DEMOS (which Norway and Sweden funding of and which I share the responsibility for) of the problems and options of democratization, based on activist's own experiences.

The aim remains to build a new and more efficient agenda. With the assassination of Munir, a cold breath of air from the Soeharto times is again descending upon democrats in the midst of the tropical heat. At the press conference in Jakarta last week, his wife Suciwati covered her shoulders with her Norwegian cardigan. Continued support for the work for human rights and democracy in Indonesia is more important than ever.

[The writer is Professor of Political Science and Development Research University of Oslo, Norway.]