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Indonesia News Digest 9 – March 1-8, 2008

News & issues

Demos, actions, protests... Aceh West Papua Human rights/law Labour issues Environment/natural disasters Women & gender Health & education War on corruption Islam/religion Elections/political parties Economy & investment Book/film reviews

 News & issues

Five people die of malnutrition in NTT

Jakarta Post - March 8, 2008

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – At least five people, including three aged under five, died recently from malnutrition in Rote Ndao, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), following government "financial difficulties".

Head of the Rote Ndao health office Jonathan Lenggu said the victims suffered from complications such as diarrhea, tuberculosis and high fever that led to their deaths.

"Malnourished people are quite prone to diseases such as diarrhea, TB and dengue because they have low immunity," he said Thursday.

Lenggu said three of the victims died this week and two last week, but gave no other details.

Head of health issues at the provincial government, Maxi Taopan, said the five dead had been suffering from malnutrition for a long time, but the local government had not been able to respond immediately because of a "financial problem".

"After the central government ended financial assistance in 2007, malnutrition has become uncontrollable. Still, the province has proposed an allocation of Rp 56 billion to address the issue," he said.

He called on the coordinating minister for people's welfare to visit the regency to assess poverty and malnutrition.

"If the government accepts our request, we will use the funds to supply food to poor families and revitalize women's and children's health posts in rural areas across the province," he said.

Up to 90,000 of the 497,577 children aged under five in the province are suffering from malnutrition, and 12,400 have had complications, according to the provincial government's 2008 data.

Taopan said the highest number of malnutrition sufferers with clinical disorders was found in North Timor Tengah, with 81 patients being treated in clinics and hospitals, followed by 27 in West Sumba and 13 in Rote Ndao.

"The highest frequency is in South Timor Tengah with 12,971 sufferers, followed by more than 8,400 in Sikka, 8,300 in Manggarai, 7,200 in North Timor Tengah and 6,800 in Kupang," he said.

Five Indonesians on 'Forbes' rich list

Jakarta Post - March 8, 2008

Agustina Wayansari, Jakarta – Five Indonesian businessmen, including pulp and paper tycoon Sukanto Tanoto, are among the 1,125 wealthiest people in the world, according to Forbes magazine.

The 58-year-old Sukanto Tanoto, owner of the Raja Garuda Mas (RGM) group, was ranked 284th on the list with estimated assets of some US$3.8 billion, the magazine reported in its Wednesday issue.

RGM and its subsidiaries operate in a range of industries, including pulp and paper, palm oil plantations and construction. RGM subsidiary Asian Agri is currently being probed by the tax office for alleged tax evasion.

Also on the Forbes list are the owners of tobacco company PT Djarum, Michael Hartono and Budi Hartono. Their fortunes were estimated at $2 billion each.

Other Indonesians to make the list were palm oil producer Wilmar International Holding owner Martua Sitorus at 652nd with $1.9 billion, and Peter Sondakh, the owner of Rajawali Group, with $1.2 billion at 962nd.

Forbes named Berkshire Hathaway Inc. chairman Warren Buffet as the wealthiest person in the world, toppling Microsoft Corp. co- founder Bill Gates, who had topped the list for the past 13 years.

Buffet reportedly owned total assets of some $62 billion as of February, mostly from his share of Berkshire Holding, which has a market value of $215 billion. According to Bloomberg, Buffet's wealth increased about $10 billion from last year.

With total assets of $58 billion, Gates fell to third on the Forbes list, after Mexican telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim, who has an estimated net worth of $60 billion.

This year's list includes 1,125 people with a total net worth of $4.4 trillion. There are 211 Asians on this year's list, from 160 the previous year. India had 53 people make the list, including four in the top 10, China had 42, Hong Kong 26, Japan 27 and Indonesia had five.

Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal ranked fourth with a total net worth of $45 billion, followed by petrochemical entrepreneur Mukesh Ambani with $43 billion and his estranged brother, Anil Ambani, with some $42 billion.

Another Indian businessman, K.P Sigh, who is in the property business, was eighth with an estimated wealth of around $30 billion.

Forbes also saw more younger billionaires this year, with 50 members below the age of 40, 68 percent of them self-made.

Social networking site Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, 23, is considered the youngest self-made billionaire ever with a total fortune of $1.5 billion, putting him 785th on the list.

With carts in tow, street scavengers brace for crackdown

Agence France Presse - March 2, 2008

Presi Mandari, Jakarta – By day Indonesia's scavengers pile rubbish into their carts and by night they creep inside them to sleep on the streets, ever fearful of capture by public order officials whose patrols are escalating.

A new law in the Indonesian capital, which came into effect last month, imposes tougher penalties on the swelling army of homeless who sift through the detritus of the rich to earn enough to feed their families.

Jakarta's unwanted are so far oblivious to the new crackdown, but they have long played cat-and-mouse with roaming officials.

Buyung, who works the streets with his wife and two-year-old in tow, used to work as a food vendor but went broke about five years ago. His story is typical of Indonesia's burgeoning homeless.

"There's no other job for me but to be a scavenger," the 32-year-old migrant from Sumatra says while taking a break in a park, his wife lying on a filthy mat unfolded from the cart as their toddler plays barefoot.

"What I earn today is only enough to buy food. There's nothing left for renting a room," he says, adding this means the cart serves as home as well.

His wife and daughter sleep in the wood-and-tin contraption he bought for 300,000 rupiah (about 30 dollars) a few years ago. He lies on a mat just outside – unless it rains, in which case they all huddle together.

Buyung earns about two dollars a day. Plastic cups sell for up to 6,000 rupiah per kilogram (2.2 pounds); cardboard nets him 1,000 rupiah for a similar weight, while paper fetches just 500 rupiah. "Our cart is our life, as my family depends on it 100 percent," he says.

To Jakarta's bureaucrats, Buyung and his fellow scavengers are a blight on the capital, which already struggles with chronic snarled traffic, choking pollution and flash flooding after monsoon rains.

A spike in their numbers has forced harsher action against them, says Endang Murni, head of the administration's public order division. She says she cannot estimate how many scavengers there are. The homeless, including the families in carts, "are mushrooming as people live in economically far tougher times now," Murni said.

Her office has quadrupled its number of public order agents – from 1,500 to 6,000 – since 2005 in a bid to snare the itinerants. Nearly 16,000 people were snared on the streets in 2007 and forced to pay a fine of 50,000 rupiah or head to jail for a month.

Practically all paid the penalty and headed straight back to the streets, Murni says. But the latest law imposes a penalty of up to 20 million rupiah, or up to 60 days in jail. "We need to give them sanctions that are a deterrent. This is so important for the city's comfort, and public order," she says.

Ibu Tati, a 54-year-old who has been scavenging for more than 20 years, has not heard of the new drive but recalls the humiliation of being captured in the past.

"My cart was demolished in front of me and I was brought to a dormitory designated for street people," Tati says. Training homes aimed at teaching the scavengers new skills are often offered as an alternative to fines or jail.

Tati says she was kept in one for a month before authorities moved her to the city of Cirebon, in West Java, to work in the gardens of a government office.

But she fled back to Jakarta as soon as she could, preferring her freedom as a scavenger and seeing the capital as her home. "It was difficult for me that time to restart my life, as I lost my most crucial possession," she says, referring to her cart.

Nowadays Tati focuses on rubbish from office buildings during the week, and at weekends keeps an eye out for parties. "I love a party. If any house has a party, I just wait there outside until the party is over to pick up the garbage."

Buyung and his family have also been caught in the past. "My daughter was only nine months old when public order officials took away our cart and all our belongings stocked inside," he says, adding that he too did not know of the administration's latest drive to get him off the streets.

Though he would rather not be collecting rubbish, Buyung defends his trade. "Nobody wants to lead this kind of life," he says. "But it's far better than being a loser like a beggar. It's more shameful – they don't have any pride or make an effort in life."

 Demos, actions, protests...

Bad weather won't be enough to deter protesters today

Detik.com - March 8, 2008

Djoko Tjiptono, Jakarta – Cloudy weather and the threat of rain will not be enough to deter protesters, with at least four protest actions planned for capital city today.

Data from the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre (TMC) for Saturday March 8 indicates that the first action will be held by the Women's Participation Institute (LPP) at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta at 8am.

At 10am another protest will be held at the State Palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara, also in Central Jakarta, which is being organised by the Association of Independent Trade Unions (GSBI).

The third action by the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) will take place at 11am. Protesters will be demonstrating at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, the offices of the Ministry of Women's Empowerment, Republic Radio Indonesia and the State Palace.

A forth protest action will also take palace this evening at 8am in the Proclamation Monument area of Central Jakarta where a peaceful action will be held by PAPRI. (djo/djo)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Nine protest actions to rock Jakarta in lead up to long-holiday

Tempo Interactive - March 6, 2008

Fery Firmansyah, Jakarta – In the lead up to the extended long- weekend holiday, Jakarta will be rocked by nine protest actions on Thursday March 6. Road users are advised to be careful or better still to avoid stretches of road being used for actions it they don't wish to be caught in traffic.

According to information from the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Center, three demonstrations will take place starting at 9am involving around 100-200 people.

The first of these will be held by employees of the PT. Angkasa Pura state-owned airport operator who will be demanding welfare improvements in front of the Department of Labour offices and the Ministry for State-Owned Enterprises.

Around the same time the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) will hold a demonstration at the Department of Maritime and Fishery Affairs on Jl. M. Ridwan Rais. They will be demanding that the government provide protection to Indonesian fishers.

Also at 9am, supporters of the South Sulawesi candidate governor and deputy governor Amir Syam-Mansyur Ramli meanwhile will be demanding that the Supreme Court not interfere in the gubernatorial elections.

At 10am, a protest by the Student and Youth Environment Concern Front (FMPPL) will take pace at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta demanding that the government revoke the operating licence of PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper.

At around the same time, some 200 former residents of the navy's Satrudal barracks in Tangerang will hold a protest action in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta. They will be demanding that the government halt the forced eviction of the Satrudal barrack occupants.

Just as vibrant as the other actions, around 100 protesters from Indonesian Sailors Union (KPI) plan to go to the Iranian Embassy in the Central Jakarta neighborhood of Menteng to demand the release of Mansour Osanto (the president of the Iranian Bus Workers Uion) and other trade union activists being detained by the government.

Also at the Iranian Embassy, the Indonesian Revolutionary Party (PRI) will hold an action supporting Resolution 1803 on uranium development in Iran.

Two protest actions will take place at 2pm. At the Supreme Court, an action will be held by around 100 protesters from the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) and the Social Advocacy Team Against Anti-Human Rights Bylaws (TAMAPP-HAM). At the State Palace meanwhile, 50 students from the Trisakti University will be organising an action.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Protesters call for women workers and farmers to organise

Tempo Interactive - March 6, 2008

Erick P. Hardi, Bandung – Scores of students and workers from the National Student Front (FMN) demonstrated in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung today to commemorate International Women's Day which falls on Saturday March 8.

The protesters appealed to women workers and farmers to rise up and organise and to struggle to obtain their social, economic and political rights that have been denied them up until now. They also demanded that the government enact reasonable wage policies for workers, land reform for the ordinary people and increase subsidies for healthcare.

"We also demand that the government reduce the price of basic commodities right now", said action coordinator Dewi at the West Java governor's office at the Sate Building complex on Thursday March 6.

According to Dewi, more than 50 percent of women in Indonesia are poor farmers and workers who are still exploited by the pressures of feudal social systems. The majority of women workers only receive two thirds of the wage paid to male workers.

Dewi said that this concrete discrimination is reinforced by Ministry of Labour Regulation 4/1998, which states that women shall not receive healthcare benefits if their husband already receives an allowance. "Indonesian women are still relegated as second-class citizens politically and subordinated culturally", she said.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Watch out for traffic jams, eight protests to rock Jakarta today

Detik.com - March 5, 2008

Ramadhian Fadillah, Jakarta – Eight protest actions will rock Jakarta today, Wednesday March 5. So be on the lookout for traffic jams near points such as Jl. Gatot Subroto.

As announced by the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre (TMC), at 9am the South Sulawesi Concern Forum (FPSS) will be demonstrating at the national police headquarters on Jl. Trunojoyo in South Jakarta. Later they plan to continue the action at the Supreme Court building on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara in Central Jakarta.

A protest action will also take pace at the Anti-Corruption State Court on Jl. HR Rasuna Said in South Jakarta at 9am. Half an hour later at 9.30am, the Bank Indonesia People's Coalition of Concern (KRPBI) will descend upon the House of Representatives Building on Jl. Gatot Subroto.

At 10am, activists from the group Falun Gong will inundate the Chinese Embassy in the Mega Kuningan area of South Jakarta. Also at 10am, the National Family Planning Coordination Agency on Jl. Permata Hijau in East Jakarta will be rocked by a protest by Legal Aid Institute for Health (LBH Kesehatan) and the Housewives Concern Institute (LPI).

Protester from the Student Association for Humanity and Justice (HUMANIKA) will descend upon the Attorney General's Office at 11am. The Indonesian Assistant Teachers Forum (FGBI) meanwhile, will be holding an action at the education department offices on Jl. Gatot Subroto at 1am.

The last action for the day will be held at the Department of Labour and Transmigration at 2pm, also on Jl. Gatot Subroto. Protesters from the State-Owned Enterprises Trade Union Federation (FSP-BUMN) will be voicing their demands. (rdf/aba)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Four demonstrations to enliven activities in the capital today

Detik.com - March 4, 2008

Ramdhan Muhaimin, Jakarta – Four protest actions will enliven activities in the capital today, Tuesday March 4. Based on information from the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Center, demonstrations will be taking place at four different points in the city at almost the same time.

The first protest will take place in front of the State-owned Enterprises (BUMN) building and the House of Representatives at 9am. The action is being organised by the BUMN Federated Trade Union (FSP-BUMN).

The next demonstration will be held at the Department of Labour and Transmigration building on Jl. Gatot Subroto at approximately the same time. The protest is being organised by the PT. Angkasa Pura I Trade Union.

Also at around 9am, a protest will take place in front of the Corruption Eradication Commission, which is being organised by a group of people from the Maluku Anti-Corruption Student Alliance (AMMAK).

Half-an-hour later, at precisely 10.30 am, the Muslim Social Alliance for Justice (AMMK) will hold a peaceful action in front of the State Palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara in Central Jakarta. (rmd/rmd)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

 Aceh

Despite treaty, ex-GAM rebels still in jail

Jakarta Post - March 5, 2008

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Three years after the Aceh peace agreement, many former rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) are still serving their jail sentences in prisons in Sumatra and Java. Following the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the government and GAM in Helsinki on Aug. 15, 2005, the government gave total amnesty to 1,488 Acehnese political prisoners and remissions to 366 others serving their jail sentences in prisons in the province.

According to data from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in Banda Aceh, at least eight political prisoners are still serving their sentences in Tanjung Gusta Prison in Medan, North Sumatra, Cipinang Prison in Jakarta and Sukamiskin Prison in Bandung, West Java.

"Contrary to the peace agreement, many political prisoners have not been freed yet," Kontras Aceh coordinator Asiah Uzia said here on Tuesday.

Some of the imprisoned former rebels include Teungku Ismuhadi, Irwan bin Ilias and Ibrahim Hasan, who were given life sentences. Ismuhadi was found guilty for his involvement in the bombing of the Jakarta Stock Exchange building on Sept. 13, 2000.

Chapter 3 of the MOU stipulates criminal and political prisoners detained during the prolonged conflict should be freed without reservation immediately or 15 days after the signing of the peace agreement.

The peace treaty, facilitated by Finland's former president, ended the 29-year bloody conflict which claimed more than 2,000 lives from 1976.

Chairman of the Forum for Ex-Acehnese Political Prisoners Teungku Iswadi questioned the government's handling of the peace agreement, saying the political prisoners should be released immediately because the government had no reason to keep them incarcerated.

"We demand all criminal and political prisoners be freed in compliance with the peace agreement and to maintain peace in the once-restive province," he said.

He believes the government should move the political prisoners to Aceh so the Acehnese government can deal with their amnesty.

The Acehnese government set up a 15-member team on Dec. 4, 2007, to provide advocacy for its political prisoners, however it has been ineffective.

"I was appointed as secretary of the advocacy team but we have never met," said Syarifuddin Gani.

Four die in attack on former GAM office

Jakarta Post - March 3, 2008 Nani

Afrida, Banda Aceh – Hundreds of people set fire to the offices of former separatist rebels in Central Aceh on Saturday, killing four people and throwing one person down a 35-meter well.

Around 1:30 a.m. the crowd attacked the Aceh Transitional Commission's office in the remote Atu Lintang area, 30 kilometers from the regency's capital, Takengon, a village head said.

Muhri, who heads the Meurah Pupok village, said around 300 people "attacked and burned down the Commission's office where a number of former GAM (Free Aceh Movement) rebels were staying".

Many residents stayed indoors over the weekend while others came to watch the remains of the fire.

Adj. Sr. Comr. Kawendar dismissed speculations about the motive of the attack. Central Aceh has seen deadly clashes among rebels and local armed civilians, many of whom are descendants of Javanese migrants.

"We are still investigating the motive behind the attack," Kawendar told Reuters.

He said four people died in the blaze and confirmed one person was thrown into a 35-meter well. Another person was seriously wounded and was being treated in hospital.

Seven police officers on the site could not stop the attack and it took several hours for back-up to arrive, the police official said. There had been no arrests so far, Reuters reported.

Former GAM leaders asked the public to remain calm and said they were confident the police would resolve the case.

A landmark agreement between the government and GAM led to the end of decades of armed conflict and then elections in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province.

Many issues remain unresolved, including the distribution of compensation for former members of both GAM and of several militia groups.

 West Papua

Komnas HAM holds talks with Biak communities about satellite

Cenderawasih Pos - March 6, 2008

Biak – After having meetings with the DPRP, the MRP and the Papuan provisional government, a team from Komnas HAM visited Biak Numfor to seek opinions from local people about views for and against the satellite launch project.

Many issues were discussed at the meeting which lasted five hours. The issues discussed were the plan to establish a launching pad for satellites [by Russia] in Biak and other matters such as local symbols. [The report contained nothing more about the latter question.]

The community leaders said there was a lack of transparency about the satellite launching project because they have not been told anything about the pros and cons of the project. The community leaders asked the Komnas HAM team to convey their concerns to President Yudhoyono. They mentioned this because they felt that they had not been involved and had received no detailed information.

"We need to know the benefits and disadvantages of the project, and the extent to which it will have an impact on the local people," said Apolos Sroyer, secretary of the Biak Traditional Council. He conveyed a number of questions in connection with this matter.

In response, the Komnas HAM promised to raise this matter in Jakarta. They said that they had got the impression from their meetings with the MRP, the DPRP and the provincial authorities there was no openness about the project.

[Slightly abridged translation by TAPOL.]

Detained Papuan students set free

Jakarta Post - March 5, 2008

Jayapura – Two Papuan students detained after a pro-Papuan independence demonstration were released after paying bail to the local police.

Zakaria Horota, chairman of the National Front of Papuan Students (FNMPP), said here Tuesday that Marthen Manggaprow and Frangky Inekep were released with a letter of summons.

Marthen and Frangky were arrested during a student demonstration the police said was illegal because it had no permission from local security authorities. The students were demanding a referendum to decide the province's future.

Zakaria said the FNMPP accepted the letter and that seven executive board members would come to answer police questions on the demonstration. He said the student organization informed the police before the demonstration was held and the students did not conduct a long march.

He called on the Uninted Nations to include the so-called West Papua issue on its agenda for deliberation.

New law to end Papua legal dispute

Jakarta Post - March 5, 2008

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – The government will issue an emergency government regulation within the next two months to justify the formation of West Papua province, which has been a source of tension between Jakarta and Papua for the last five years.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Tuesday the regulation, or Perpu, would provide a legal basis for West Papua province and resolve all problems related to the establishment of the new province, which was declared illegitimate by the Constitutional Court in 2003.

"The Perpu will acknowledge West Papua and synchronize it with the Papua province under the existing 2001 law on special autonomy for Papua," Yudhoyono said after meeting with Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu, West Papua Governor Abraham Atururi and representatives from the Papua legislature and the Papua People's Council.

The President said the new regulation would bring clarity to the legal status of West Papua as a separate province in the country's easternmost territory, which is rich in natural resources but among the poorest regions of the country. "We just need to create legal certainty so that the development of the two provinces will run well," Yudhoyono said.

Yudhoyono, last August, issued a presidential instruction to accelerate development in Papua and West Papua provinces. The instruction calls on the central government to spend Rp 22 trillion, mainly on infrastructure.

The President said the government approved a recommendation from the Papua administrations to establish a coordinating board to monitor and evaluate the use of state money channeled by the government to the Papua provinces.

Yudhoyono said he would issue a presidential decree on this matter. "West Papua will receive an appropriate portion of the government money," the President said.

Currently the Papua administration controls the special autonomy funds allocated for both provinces.

Regarding the possible formation of new provinces and regions in Papua, the President said he would consult with the House of Representatives and Regional Representatives Council.

"We are very cautious about regional divisions. We have seen that the establishment of new provinces or regions has indeed caused setbacks because natural resources have been exploited instead of being used to improve people's welfare," Yudhoyono said.

In a meeting led by Vice President Jusuf Kalla in mid-February in Jayapura, the governors, mayors and regents of Papua and West Papua provinces agreed to propose an emergency government regulation to break the impasse over West Papua.

Papuan protesters demand referendum

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2008

Jayapura, Papua – Papuan members of the West Papua National Authority gathered Monday to demand the government hold a referendum, claiming that special autonomy has failed to raise the welfare of local people.

The group said a referendum is needed because any dialogue between the Papuan people and the government always ended in deadlock.

The demand was made at a rally in front of the Abepura post office in Jayapura, attended by at least 50 members of the group, led by Markus Yenu.

Zakarias Horota, spokesman for the protesters, said that since Papua was integrated into Indonesia 37 years ago, Papuans had not enjoyed the same equality, peace and welfare as other Indonesians.

"Seven years since the introduction of special autonomy, the Papuan people are being cheated. There is no progress at all. The autonomy has been enjoyed mostly by officials of the central and provincial administrations," Horota said.

A referendum is needed because it is time for Papuans to decide their own future, he said.

Students rally across Papua calling for self determination

Radio New Zealand International - March 3, 2008

A series of demonstrations calling for a referendum on Papuan self-determination have been taking place today in several main towns of Indonesia's Papua region.

However at least two of the rallies in Jayapura, Manokwari, Serui and Sarong, have reportedly been restricted by police who have deemed any demonstrations without a permit illegal.

The West Papua National Authority, which represents Papua's influential student movement, has organised these rallies and says they have been peaceful events.

A spokesman for the Authority, Jack Wainggai, says the rallies are voicing Papuans' desire for a peaceful solution to the violence and poverty they live with.

He says they are they are protesting against Special Autonomy law because it has has failed to bring any improvement to Papuans' lives since implementation in 2001.

"We want to say to the international public, national public and local public that West Papua needs a referendum, not Special Autonomy. The best solution is a referendum for West Papua abecause Special Autonomy is not good for us."

Ex-Papua fighters urge OPM flag crackdown

Jakarta Post - March 3, 2008

Adpara, Jayapura – An association of former Papuan fighters urged greater government efforts to publicize a regulation that prohibits regions from using secessionist flags.

The Former Papua Liberalization Fighters Big Family (KKBPPIB) said most Papuans were unaware of the existence of Government Regulation No. 77/2007, which bans the use of secessionist flags, including the Crescent Star flag of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM).

"The regulation should be made known to the public at large and the provincial government should get its own flag which is completely different from the OPM flag," KKBPPIB secretary Mesak Womsiwor said here Friday after a meeting between Papuan community figures and the chief of the Cenderawasih Military Command, Maj. Gen. Haryanto Soetanto.

He criticized local administrations for allowing the flying of the secessionist flag during cultural festivals and other events. "The OPM flag is not a cultural symbol of the province but a symbol of the struggle for Papua's separation from Indonesia," he said.

Haryanto said it was the job of the central and local governments to introduce the regulation to people, adding the military would provide whatever support it could.

Papua People's Assembly opposes plans for new province

Radio New Zealand International - March 2, 2008

The Papua People's Assembly, the MRP, says it's pursuing dialogue with Jakarta in an effort to stop the proposed formation of a new province in its region.

Residents of Papua's Pegunungan Bintang regency have been voicing their opposition to the proposal which is being driven by five local regents. Five regents formed a mediating team who have met both the Papua legislative Council and the MRP over the idea.

But the MRP chairman Agus Alua Alue says Papuans believe there is no benefit to the idea of further splitting their region. He says that's why the MRP is fighting the regents' bid to separate.

"Because if we don't do this, then that province will be outside Special Autonomy, just a general province like all the other provinces in Indonesia and (there'll be) no special concern, no special attention, no special programme for the indigenous people there, the Papuan people there. Therefore we took the initiative because there are no laws to set up this new province."

 Human rights/law

Human rights body finds rights abuse in Riau land dispute

Jakarta Post - March 8, 2008

Rizal Harahap, Pekanbaru – The National Commission of Human Rights has found human rights abuses in the prolonged land dispute between the Sakai tribe and forestry company PT Arara Abadi in Riau, Sumatra.

Chairman of the commission's fact-finding team, Jhony Simanjuntak, said the Sakai people had lost their right to live peacefully and safely because of the company's continual intimidation.

He said the company deployed security personnel and trained dogs to drive away farmers working on the disputed land and to intimidate children traveling to and from school.

The team, which visited the land early this week, found dual ownership of certain enclaves had triggered the dispute. The Sakai people have lived in the 10 villages and have farmed the surrounding areas in Bengkalis and Siak since 1830. They were granted official ownership of the land in 1940 by the Sultan of Siak. PT Arara Abadi obtained the forest concession in 1996.

"When the company came in, it did not know the Sakai people were living and farming in the enclaves, which has caused a dispute," said Jhony at a press conference at the Governor's Office here Thursday.

According to the fact-finding team, the Sakai tribe should be recognized as the land's rightful owners under the 1999 Forestry Law. However, the tribe has not sought legal protection because of the complicated bureaucratic process involved. The law guarantees the Sakai people's right to the land but approval from the government is also required.

"Government approval has proven difficult to obtain because the criteria it sets is unrealistic," said Jhony.

"The conflict has become complicated because many farmers have claimed plots of land which were also included in the forest concession. Land claims have led to the arrest of many farmers and, in this case, Arara has no authority to make arrests. Instead, it should maintain its assets, including the land in the forest concession," he said.

The rights body carried out the preliminary inquiry after residents of 10 villages in the two regencies submitted a complaint over Arara's violence and intimidation. Farmers and security personnel have been involved in clashes, claiming lives from both sides.

"My team recommends the government review the forest concession given to Arara by resetting its borders to help settle the dispute immediately. If the borderlines are not reset, the conflict will continue and spread to other areas," Jhony warned.

He also criticized the provincial government, which he said had turned a blind eye to the prolonged conflict.

Arara spokesman Nurul Huda denied security personnel were trying to intimidate local people, saying the company was merely maintaining its concession area in accordance with the Forestry Law.

Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban said Arara should return the land which the people occupied before 1996, "as long as they have their own legacy over the land."

Arara also denied it had burned down its forest to make way for a palm oil plantation.

Various non-government organizations accused the company of land clearing after afire in its forest concession burned thousands of hectares. Arara says it has no palm oil plants in the province.

Ex-BIN chief misses first questioning on shootings

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2008

Jakarta – Former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief A. M. Hendropriyono missed his first questioning session by the National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) over his alleged involvement in human rights violations in Talangsari, Lampung.

"Hendropriyono could not make it because, based on the information we have, he is in the United States," Komnas HAM commissioner Yoseph Adi Prasetyo was quoted as saying by Antara.

He said the former Lampung Garuda Hitam Military Resort Commander also claimed he had not received a summons from Komnas HAM.

The commission said it had sent its first summons Sunday to Hendropriyono's residence at Jl. Pesanggrahan, South Jakarta, and it was received the same day at 5:10 p.m. by his housekeeper Rina.

Kabul Supriyadhie, one of Komnas HAM's investigators for the Talangsari case, said Hendropriyono's knowledge of the Talangsari event was crucial for the investigation. "His answers are of the utmost importance to this case, so we hope he can come as soon as possible," he said.

On Feb. 8, 1989, military troops stormed Talangsari village to destroy a Muslim militant group led by Anwar Warsidi that was based in Cihideung, one of the four hamlets in the village.

According to an official statement, 27 people, including Warsidi, were killed in the military attack. Villagers, however, say more than 300 people died, including those who were not part of the militant group.

Hendropriyono's absence saddened at least two victims of the Talangsari incident.

Muhammad Sunaji, a 55-year-old former principal of a religious school eight kilometers from Talangsari, came to Komnas HAM to learn more about what had happened to three of his students who went to Talangsari during the incident and have not been seen since.

"I heard that Hendropriyono would appear today and now they say he isn't coming. I have come all the way from Lampung to learn the truth about the children," he said.

Another victim, 31-year-old Edi Arsadat, also hoped to hear the truth revealed. "I saw a madrasa (Islamic school) locked from outside and the military burned the school down with everyone inside, but no one believed me. I need to know what happened," he said, adding he was only 12 when he saw the killings.

Usman Hamid from the Commission for Missing People and Victims of Violence (Kontras), who came with the victims, said he was confident the government would resolve the case.

"Komnas HAM has more support on this case than it did years ago. Some commissioners have said that the Army is ready to cooperate with the investigations, so this time we should see some results," he said.

Kontras reported that 88 people went missing in the incident. It said 164 were arrested and held captive following the incident with 48 of them unfairly tried in court. The report also said that all 164 captives have died.

Komnas HAM plans to summon other former and current officials linked to the Talangsari incident, including former vice president Try Sutrisno and former commander of the Army's Special Forces Gen. Wismoyo Arismunandar. (anw)

 Labour issues

Unions agree to support final draft on severance pay

Jakarta Post - March 6, 2008

Novia D. Rulistia, Jakarta – Labor unions have agreed to support the final draft of a new severance pay regulation, in the hope that employers will stop evading the termination-of-work payment altogether.

"To ensure we are given our rights, we will support the draft, but there should be a guarantee that workers will get a minimum of 3 percent from our monthly salary as severance pay," Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union (KSBSI) president Rekson Silaban said at a workshop on the final draft of the regulation Wednesday.

The three percent of the monthly salary should be paid to appointed insurance companies so that the companies will have enough funds to pay the severance payment.

The draft also stipulates the minimum amount of severance pay is five times the non-taxable income (PTKP).

However, he said companies that already paid more than the minimum amount should not reduce their employees' severance pay after the regulation is introduced.

The regulation is expected to replace provisions in the current labor laws, which demand a maximum severance pay equivalent to nine times of the PTKP, a condition which has led to many employers neglecting severance payment altogether.

Indonesian Employers Association's industrial relations and advocacy head, Hasanuddin Rachman, told The Jakarta Post that although some workers had agreed to receive the minimum of 3 percent, employers still objected to the draft as they needed to pay more compensation than was required by other laws.

"It's a burden for us, and we want the draft to be annulled," he said, adding that there had been several companies which had allocated funds of up to 13 percent.

Director general of the industrial relations empowerment and social insurance at the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry, Myra M Hanartani, said the regulation would not burden companies' cash flows if they managed the fund separately from their operational costs.

"So when employers have to fire their workers, they will not refuse to hand out severance pay using a shortage of available funds as an excuse," she said. She expected the draft to be endorsed next year.

The existing labor law is at the top of the government's investment climate reform agenda, which aims to improve Indonesia's global competitiveness. However, analysts predict the deliberation is likely to resume after the 2009 election, saying it would be "political suicide" to push the process forward to this year.

 Environment/natural disasters

Central Java calls for nuclear power plant postponement

Jakarta Post - March 6, 2008

Suherdjoko, Semarang – Central Java Governor Ali Mufiz has urged the central government to postpone a plan for the construction of a nuclear power plant near Mount Muria at Balong village in Kembang district, Jepara regency.

"The Central Java provincial administration's stance has not changed in that it's committed to the public interest. If the plan for the construction of the nuclear plant causes unrest among the public, I suggest that it be postponed," Ali said in Semarang on Monday.

Thousands of people have turned out to a number of recent protests against the government's plan to build two nuclear reactors with a production capacity of 4,000 megawatts by 2016.

National Atomic Energy Agency (Batan) officials visited Jepara last year to explain that Indonesia is facing a power shortage. They estimated electricity demand in Java and Madura alone would reach about 29 gigawatts by 2016 before reaching 59 gigawatts by 2026.

The proposed nuclear power plant in Muria is expected to supply about 2 percent of the total demand throughout Indonesia by 2025, the officials said.

Ali said the Batan officials did not inform him about last year's visit. "But when there is problem with the plan, they meet me.

"I don't want to see any activities here that cause unrest among the people. We want quality lives in Central Java," the governor said.

Ali expressed concern the unwelcome project would affect economic and social activities in the province, and that Batan was not responding to the Central Java administration's concerns.

A heated debate erupted during a meeting between research and technology minister Kusmayanto Kadiman, nuclear experts, scholars and local ulema in September last year. Batan representatives insisted the construction would have to go ahead because of the power shortage, while the ulema strongly opposed it, citing potential dangers from the plant. At the meeting the ulema cited several nuclear power plant failures worldwide, including Three Mile Island in the US (1979), Chernobyl (1986), Tokai Mura in Japan (1999), Britain (2000), Sweden (2006) and Japan (2007).

At the end of the meeting the ulema issued an edict that building a nuclear plant at Mount Muria was "haram" (not allowed under Islamic law) as it was considered to endanger rather than benefit local people.

At the most recent protest on Feb. 28, as many as 3,000 protesters including local villagers, students and environmental activists sealed off the local office of Batan.

Walhi raising 'rent' money for forests

Jakarta Post - March 6, 2008

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – In a bid to prevent open-pit mining in protected forests, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) is fund-raising to "rent" forests so that major mining companies cannot.

The move is a response to the 2008 government regulation on non- taxable income, which allows open-pit mining in protected forests. The regulation stipulates that open-pit mining operators in protected forests only need to pay between Rp 2.25 million and Rp 3 million per hectare per year as compensation to the government.

On Monday, Walhi handed over Rp 1.6 million (US$176) collected from the public to the Finance Ministry. Walhi forest campaigner Rully Syumanda said the forum had also received positive responses from the international community, including the United States, Norway and Britain.

"They are now waiting for our instructions on how to transfer the money," he said here Wednesday.

Walhi, who has called for donations on its website (www.walhi.or.id), has also received a massive response from ordinary Indonesians, Rully said.

"We just received a call from a community in a Depok bus terminal who wants to transfer money. They have also expressed their concern about the policy," Rully said.

Former environmental minister Nabiel Makarim welcomed the move by donating Rp 50,000. Rully said Nabiel's donation could be used to rent about 166 square meters of protected forest per year.

"Please, use this money to rent the protected forest. I also don't want the land to be used for open-pit mining," Nabiel said. "Such a policy will only allow businesses to destroy the forests. We need to reject it soon."

Nabiel, now heads the research and development agency of the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

The head of muslim group Muhammadiyah, Din Syamsuddin, and singer Franky Sahilatua each promised to donate Rp 30 million to be used to rent 10 hectares of protected forest for two years.

The government is facing increasing opposition from green activists after issuing the regulation, but has insisted it will go ahead with the plan, using the fees to "regenerate" the country's ailing forests.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Forestry Minister MS Kaban previously said only 13 open-pit mining companies would be eligible to operate in forests, after they secured the permits from Megawati Soekarnoputri's government.

But a week later, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro told mining investors that open-pit mining companies could soon apply to operate in protected forests.

Forest watchdog Greenomics Indonesia condemned the statement, saying the government had publically lied about the regulation.

"We don't know why the government is looking for so many ways to allow open-pit mining in protected forests," Greenomics executive director Elfian Effendi said.

He said the mining sector would contribute only 0.17 percent of the Rp 1.5 trillion of the 2008 state budget, far lower than the ecological cost of Rp 70 trillion per year from the policy.

Elfian said the government had many reasons to stop open-pit mining in protected areas, as has been done by other forestry nations.

"The government of Costa Rica has prohibited open-pit mining in protected forests since August 2002," he said, adding that Ecuador and Argentina have also banned open-pit mining in protected forests since August 2007.

"It is a global trend. President Susilo can follow it," he said.

Vested interests rule as SBY condones forest plundering

Jakarta Post - March 6, 2008

Rendi Akhmad Witular, Jakarta – The "only" courageous move taken by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during his 3.5 years in office was his recent policy to broadly accommodate corporate greed, camouflaging itself as a policy of protection for the country's forests.

The recent issue of Government Regulation No. 2/2008, which governs the types of state income from non-tax revenue in the use of forest areas for non-forestry related businesses, has provided a glimpse of the real faces of the devils among the President's men.

The decree, signed Feb. 4, provides a broad license for companies to exploit protected forests as long as they are willing to pay annual rental fees ranging from Rp 1.2 million (US$125) to Rp 3 million per hectare.

Yudhoyono has defended the decree as being merely a follow-up to previous decrees that endorsed 13 mining firms to operate in protected forests, as well as to encourage the mining firms to immediately contribute to state revenue.

By this time his argument is clear – the 13 firms are the primary target of the decree, no less, no more.

However, the decree has not actually been specifically designed for the 13 mining firms, because there are no clauses specifically referring to any arrangement for the firms, with instead just general mentions of the entire mining sector.

The decree will open up access to the forest for the exploitation of oil and gas, the building of electricity transmission towers and the construction of turnpikes.

With all these serious inconsistencies, one may assume Yudhoyono has deceived the public to protect the interests of businesspeople and people close to him.

Should this turn out to be true, it would lead to a serious political and legal imbroglio for the President, especially as he gears up to run for a second term next year.

Another assumption is that the President's disputatious argument may result from his lack of understanding of the decree's contents, getting only a one-sided version of the story whispered into his ear by aides who may have a personal interest in the decree.

High-ranking officials at the Forestry Ministry said unlike previous decrees, which involved various stakeholders including environmentalists, the recent decree was treated confidentially and was drafted hastily.

Agencies primarily involved in drafting the decree included the Forestry Ministry's planning agency and the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry's directorate general for mining.

Officials reported coming under intense pressure during the drafting of the decree, especially from vested interests related to mining and energy companies, tollway moguls and independent power-generation companies.

On the other side, as chairman of the Star and Crescent Party (PBB), Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban wants to bring in as many supporters as possible because his party failed to meet the minimum electoral threshold in the last elections. PBB had to change its name and also had to re-register with the Justice and Human Rights Ministry.

Given his political position, Kaban is unlikely to stand up to much pressure, especially when it comes from his ministerial colleagues and superiors.

In Yudhoyono's Cabinet, coincidentally, Vice President Jusuf Kalla has a family business engaged in the construction of tollways and power generation, while the coordinating minister for people's welfare has a family business in the mining and energy sector, as well as telecommunications.

Illegal logging has remained common throughout the country, despite numerous laws and regulations enacted to enforce the sustainable management of our forest resources, and this recent decree seems to undermine whatever progress has been made in this area.

There also are questions about the urgency of the decree, considering the 13 mining companies already granted forest concessions have not demanded the government immediately allow them to operate.

The government is also not cash-strapped and in need of immediately filling its coffers with any available revenue.

Despite the country's lack of infrastructure for supervising forests, the enactment of the decree will only exacerbate illegal logging, especially with the government providing legal leeway for the crime to occur.

The decree will only profit vested interests, not the general public.

More protected forests up for grabs

Jakarta Post - March 3, 2008

Ika Krismantari, Jakarta – Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro told hundreds of mining investors on Friday they would soon be able to apply to operate in productive as well as protected forests.

Purnomo cited a newly issued forestry regulation and said, "Under the new government regulation, we will allow you to mine in productive and protected forests, subject to you giving us compensation".

At present, there are 13 mining companies operating in protected forests. The companies were granted an exception by the government in 2004 via a presidential decree, despite the fact their operations would violate a forestry regulation completely banning all mining activities in protected forest areas.

The exemption was allowed despite intense public opposition that said the mining operations jeopardized the nation's already depleted forests.

Those 13 companies include PT Aneka Tambang (Antam), PT Inco, PT Freeport McMoran Indonesia, PT Nusa Halmahera, PT Nataran Mining and PT Indominco Mandiri. Beyond the 13, Purnomo said there would soon be another presidential decree indicating other mining firms could join the group.

Mining companies allowed to operate would be required to pay at most Rp 3 million per hectare per year for operating in a protected forest.

"We need a presidential decree to include all mining firms (not just the 13)," Purnomo said. "They should pay compensation if they want to mine in protected and productive forestry."

Simon Sembiring, the ministry's director general for coal, mineral and geothermal, confirmed the presidential decree would soon be introduced.

But he said before the issuance of the decree, the government would coordinate with the Forestry Ministry and various research agencies to ensure a level of sustainability in the firms' mining operations.

"We will be very selective, however, all mining companies can submit their request for permits and we will decide which ones are selected," Simon said.

He said the 13 firms currently operating in protected forests had been selected from 150 submitted proposals. He said the selection process applied only for applications to mine in protected forests and not in productive forests.

The Indonesian Mining Association (IMA) said the plan was a good arrangement and would improve the country's investments in the mining sector.

"What we need is certainty," IMA chairman Arif S. Siregar said. "He hope that with this, things will be clearer and the energy and mineral resources ministry can finally resolve its endless dispute with the forestry ministry," he said.

Information on environment blocked by government: Study

Jakarta Post - March 3, 2008

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – The government and private firms both continue to block public access to information about environmental problems and this tends to exacerbates ecological disasters in the country, a study finds.

The study found that limited public access to information on the environment made people less prepared to cope with the impacts of man-made disaster.

"One factor behind ecological disasters is lack of public participation in making decisions on environmental projects, said Rino Subagyo, executive director of the Indonesia Center for Environment Law (ICEL), told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

And the public isn't able to participate in decision making, he said, because "they have a very limited access for the information".

The study, a joint effort by ICEL and the office of the State Minister for the Environment, was carried out in Riau, West Kalimantan, East Java, Central Sulawesi and North Sulawesi from April 2007 to January 2008.

"The mud flow case in Sidoarjo (East Java), leaving thousands of people homeless, (represents the consequences of) limited public access to information about the drilling activities of PT Lapindo Brantas Inc.," according to the study.

The study reported mud flow victims' claims to have been kept in the dark on the mineral exploration activities of Lapindo – controlled in part by the family of welfare chief minister Aburizal Bakrie – beginning with the early licensing processes when the company was required to provide certain information to people living in the vicinity of the planned drilling.

"People weren't able to reject the exploration project. There was no way they could give input to either the government or Lapindo about (potential) preventive measures," said Rino.

"To make it worse, even after the mud flow hit them, access to information remained limited. The residents had to seek information from the media."

The study also found access to information about air quality limited in the surveyed provinces. "Information on air quality is very important for the public and the government to determine efforts to improve it. But data displayed for the public in those provinces, including Riau, doesn't represent actual conditions since air monitoring stations are placed in different areas."

The study found public participations in decision making related to environmental projects remained weak. For example, many private companies fail to fully account for the public interest during the pre-development environmental impact analysis (Amdal) process, according to the study.

Rino said the government and project developers had obligations to give people information about environmental decision making in Indonesia.

The 1992 Rio Declaration on Earth – to which 170 countries including Indonesian adhere – obligates signatories to provide such access. "The government has issued a number of (access to information) laws and policies.... But they lack specificity," Rino said, referring to, among others, a 1999 environmental management law and a 2007 law on disaster management.

 Women & gender

Violence against women on the rise

Jakarta Post - March 8, 2008

Jakarta – Violence against women has steadily increased after nearly a decade of political reform, with state institutions both in central and regional governments among the main perpetrators through their discriminatory regulations, the National Commission for Women's Protection says.

Violence has risen despite the government having enacted 10 laws and signed three regional treaties, joined by 16 regional ordinances, to eliminate all forms of violence against women.

In a report on the state of women's protection, issued in conjunction with International Women's Day today (Saturday), the commission highlights 27 regional bylaws it says discriminate against women, either through the criminalization of women or seeking to control women's bodies.

"For example, there's a regulation that forbids women from going out at night or others that determine how women should dress," commissioner Arimbi Heroepoetri said Friday. She said that under these regulations women could easily be labeled, and punished, as "immoral" women simply because they went home late at night or wore tight clothes.

Tangerang municipality last year issued an ordinance banning women from going outside of their homes after 10 p.m. A housewife who was sentenced under the ordinance tried unsuccessfully last year to seek a judicial review of the ordinance with the Supreme Court.

"State institutions at the national level have proven to be unable to keep the harmony between the Constitution and regional ordinances," the commission report says.

Home Minister Mardiyanto has said the central government has no intention to review the local ordinances, which many say were inspired by sharia, or Islamic law.

Arimbi said the enforcement of the discriminatory regulations indicated the economy was no longer the dominant factor in violence against women.

The only bright spot in the situation of women and the law came in 2004, with the enforcement of Law No. 23 on the eradication of domestic violence. According to Arimbi, there has been a significant increase in the number of cases of domestic violence reported thanks to the law, which categorizes all acts of violence against women as criminal.

"Women are becoming more aware that violence against women is no longer a taboo topic but a public issue," she said, adding that public campaigns about the law had helped immensely.

She said the sharpest increase in the number of reported cases of domestic violence occurred in 2005, with 16,615 reported cases, or almost four times the 4,310 cases reported in 2004. "This was mainly caused by the issuance of the law," she said.

Vice chairwoman of the commission, Ninik Rahayu, said, however, that awareness among women alone was not enough. "It is a shame that many judges are still reluctant to accept domestic violence as a basis for divorce. Judges usually blame the divorce on quarreling between wives and husbands," she said.

She said many judges refused to allow professionals, such as psychologists and social workers, to accompany women during the legal process. "The judges usually only allow lawyers to accompany them," she said.

She said allowing psychologists or other counselors to accompany victims of domestic violence was important in order to give them a sense of security, especially when they have to face the people who violated them either sexually or physically. (ewd)

More women putting in late hours, commuting at night

Jakarta Post - March 8, 2008

Tifa Asrianti, Jakarta – The clock reads 10:15 p.m. as Evi, a shop attendant at a perfume store, walks out of Plaza Senayan in South Jakarta. The 30-year-old woman is not alone, as hundreds of other female employees exit behind her.

"We change shifts every week, with one week on the morning shift and one week on the night shift. Coming home at these hours is a regular thing," Evi said.

More women than ever are joining Jakarta's workforce. The city's statistics agency says the number of female workers rose by 269,000 between August 2006 and August 2007. The overall workforce rose by about 311,000, to 3.84 million, during this period, so women accounted for an overwhelming majority of that increase.

With more women in the workforce, more female employees are commuting late at night, a phenomenon that used to almost exclusively involve men.

Evi said she always went home by bus because it was the cheapest form of transportation. She said the buses always lined up in front of the shopping center at night, waiting for workers rushing home.

"I think they (bus drivers) know we need them to get home because we can't afford taxis, which are too expensive," said Evi.

Anti and Nana, who both work at Plaza Indonesia, also take public transportation home. "My husband is often busy with his job, so I usually take buses, a motorcycle taxi (ojek) or sometimes a taxi. But my brother-in-law is picking me up today because I am working a double shift. I guess he felt bad seeing me go home this late," said Nana, a resident of Blok A, South Jakarta, who is three months pregnant.

Anti, who lives in Slipi, West Jakarta, said she had to go home alone because none of her colleagues lived in the same area. Some of these women face additional difficulties traveling home at night.

Tangerang, for example, has a bylaw that prohibits women from being on the streets after dark. The stated aim of the bylaw is to curb prostitution. Women workers who live in Tangerang have to take extra care if they don't want to be detained and accused of prostitution.

Evi, who lives in Tangerang municipality, always travels with colleagues if she has to work at night. She said she had yet to have any trouble from public order officials despite traveling at night.

"It depends on how you present yourself. I go straight home after working hours. I quickly hop on the bus, sit next to the bus driver and never talk to strangers," she said, adding that if the bus had a lot of male passengers, she waited for the next bus. She said this strategy also protected her from harassment or assault on her way home after the night shift.

Anti and Nana said they had developed similar strategies. The 18-year-old Anti said men sometimes tried to tease her, but she ignored them. Nana added that women would get respect if they respected themselves. "If we don't wear skimpy clothes and are well-behaved, people will not trouble us," she said.

While Evi, Anti and Nana must go home on their own, another night-shift worker, Novi, 20, said her husband, Yanih, was able to pick her up every night.

The 28-year-old Yanih waits in front of the shopping center, along with dozens of other men there to pick up their wives, sisters or friends, after the stores close at 10 p.m.

"She doesn't have any trouble going home because our house is nearby. She has never experienced any harassment. But I still pick up my wife because I care about her," said Yanih, a resident of Palmerah.

Some of the women said their families did not want them working at night, but financial need and the desire for independence overrode these concerns.

Anti, who only started working two months ago, said her parents opposed her decision to get a job when they learned she would have to work at night. "They finally gave in after I told them how much I wanted to have a job," she said.

Novi said her desire to work convinced her husband to allow her to leave their only child with her parents. "I like having a job. It makes me feel useful because I can help my husband to make ends meet," Novi said.

Nana, who has been working for 14 years, said she could not imagine being a stay-at-home mom because she liked having new experiences every day. "I like trying new recipes during my spare time. Being a working women means I can bake cakes or try new recipes without having to ask my husband for money," she said.

Companies neglect female workers' rights: Activists

Jakarta Post - March 8, 2008

Tifa Asrianti, Jakarta – Despite rises in the number of female workers, legal protection of their rights remains weak, female activists say.

Ari Sunarijati, director of the women and children bureau at the Indonesian Labor Federation-Reform, said many businessmen only employed single females.

"The single status means that female workers can't have maternity or child allowances, while married male workers have those allowances," Ari told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Rita Olivia Tambunan, executive secretary of Trade Union Rights Center, said female workers received fewer social benefits compared to their male counterparts.

Rita cited a report by the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ITUC) that showed female workers received lower salaries than male workers. "The gap in salary between female and male workers ranges from 12 to 60 percent," she said.

Rita said some companies forbade menstruation leave and, even if the companies consented, the workers experienced the embarrassment of having to show their sanitary napkins.

"In service sectors, young female workers are forced to sign an agreement to remain unmarried and have no children over a certain period. Also, pregnancy tests during recruitment processes are common," she said.

She added that most companies preferred employing single women to married women to avoid the legal responsibility of maternity benefits.

Ari said companies should also provide expecting workers with enough medicine before and after the pregnancy period."When mothers are healthy, so are the babies. This will help build a healthy next generation. It's not humanity, it's their basic right," she said.

Ari said most female workers were not aware of their basic rights and the labor communities often neglected them as members.

"Female workers usually don't sit on the committees of labor unions. Sometimes female workers who are members are not included in meetings with the industrial owners. As a result, their rights are neglected," Ari said.

Rita said labor unions should apply the same policy as political parties. "There should be a 30 percent quota for female workers in the labor unions' commissioners," she said.

Indonesian women still face many challenges

Jakarta Post - March 6, 2008

A. Junaidi, Jakarta – Indonesian women still face substantial challenges in regard to access to education, protection from domestic violence and increasing fundamentalism in society, which has lead to laws restricting women, observers and activists say.

Commenting on International Women's Day, which falls on March 8, Sulistyowati Irianto, chairperson of the Women's Studies Center of the University of Indonesia, said the main challenges that Indonesian women faced related to legal problems.

"Limited knowledge of the legal rights of women and the absence of women in the regulation-drafting process have led to such discriminatory laws," Sulistyowati, who is also a lecturer of law at the university, said last week.

She said a recent study, which was sponsored by the World Bank and conducted in hundreds of villages across the country, revealed that empowering women could prevent many violations, including practices of corruption.

She said women were not involved in the deliberation of bylaws in certain regencies and cities, such as in Tangerang, Banten, Cianjur, West Java and Padang.

Many activists blame sharia (Islamic law) for inspiring the creation of discriminatory bylaws, which, among other things, instructs women how to dress and bans them from going out after dark.

A few months ago, a female worker who was waiting for a public transportation van in Tangerang was arrested by public order officers who accused her of being a prostitute. She was arrested for "hanging around the streets after dark", which is prohibited by one of the regency's bylaws.

The arrest triggered a national debate over whether regencies should be allowed to create their own such bylaws, which many female activists deem a violation of the State Constitution that protects human rights.

Separately, Musdah Mulia, a professor at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, said many people wrongly interpreted verses from the Koran and hadith (the deeds of Prophet Muhammad), including teachings relating to women.

"I'm not anti-sharia. But most people do not understand sharia," Musdah, who is also a leader in the country's largest Islamic organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, said in a discussion on "Women and Democracy" held in Jakarta recently.

She said sharia should protect all human beings – including women – instead of limiting them, which could be seen in the current bylaws of some regencies and cities.

"We should be making bylaws that increase women's education levels and protect our migrant workers, who are mostly women," said Musdah, who has written many books on Islam and women's rights.

She said the deliberation of the bylaws was more political than religiously fundamental since many of the initiators were actually secular politicians, including from the Golkar Party, the political machine of former president Soeharto.

Separately, Yoyoh Yusroh, a legislator of the Prosperous Justice Party, urged people to not view the bylaws as restricting women's public activities, but as protecting them.

"Many women still want to be at home at night," Yoyoh, a member of the House of Representatives, said. She said the low level of education among women and the high rate of domestic violence were the real challenges Indonesian women faced.

According to a survey conducted by the National Commission on Violence Against Women, the total number of reported cases of violence against women in 2006 reached 22,512, up from the 20,391 cases reported in 2005 and the 14,020 cases in 2004. In 2003, 7,787 cases were recorded.

Gadis Arivia of the University of Indonesia said the application of sharia could violate the rights of women of other faiths, adding it was not in line with the essence of democracy.

"Democracy should protect the interests of all people, including those from minority groups. Politically, women could be categorized as a minority," Gadis, a lecturer at the university's school of philosophy, said in the discussion at the Jurnal Perempuan office in South Jakarta.

She viewed the current political system as a "procedural" democracy, meaning all the decisions were decided democratically by the majority without considering the minorities, including women.

With the current bylaws, Gadis said, many women felt that democracy did not benefit them. "But for me, it's still the best system. The problem is how to develop democracy in Indonesia so that is more substantial, more participatory."

 Health & education

Without quality education, the country will change fundamentally

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2008

Debnath Guharoy, Consultant – If knowledge is power, then Indonesia has a long way to go. This is not to cast aspersions on the country, but to highlight an opportunity for investors. When all the facts are considered, it makes a lot more sense to invest in a school than in another shopping mall.

Of all Indonesians over the age of 14, only 5 percent have any education beyond high school. Of the remaining 95 percent, only a third have finished high school. Surprisingly, 80 percent of people are of the view that school graduates are adequately equipped to contribute to Indonesian society.

Only 22 percent think that the education provided at "senior high school" and "university" levels is of poor quality. Half the population believes that graduates are well-rounded as well, with satisfactory levels of morality and ethics.

These views, taken from a special survey recently conducted across the country, do not vary significantly by age, gender or geography.

In total, 2,051 respondents aged 14 years and older were interviewed for the survey, conducted in tandem with Roy Morgan Single Source, the country's largest syndicated survey. The opinions expressed here are my own.

If popular perception were indeed reality, then all would appear to be well on the education front. But to anyone fortunate enough to have received a quality education, that perception should pose a problem.

Without exposure to anything better, without the ability to make any comparisons, anyone of modest means is instinctively grateful for whatever he or she receives. In most developing countries, this is the paradigm that the ruling elite uses to exploit the less fortunate.

Without empowerment, inequality continues to persist without much protest, year after year. Yet it should be obvious that economic power can only be built with a well-equipped workforce, in turn creating consumers with real spending power.

In other words, this is a problem that represents a major opportunity. Not everybody needs a university degree, but everybody does need a particular skill to make a livelihood, to contribute to society, to help build the nation.

But there are few schools in Indonesia that teach the essential trades that would empower youth from even the most humble of homes to build a future. Unfortunately, it takes more than a small business owner to start a school of any significant size. At the grassroots level, the vacuum is being filled with funds from overseas facilitating schools providing free education, many with a religious rather than a secular curriculum.

With little ado, the government recently accepted the view that laws influenced by sharia already implemented in some 50 municipalities are not unconstitutional. Instead of shockwaves rippling across the country, in lieu of howls of protest, there seems to be only a sense of quiet despair among the secular sections of Indonesian society.

The media has failed to draw enough attention to a fundamental change that will slowly change the very character of Indonesia.

Emboldened by these first 50, mayors across the archipelago will institute their own versions of sharia law, born from little more than ignorance and bigotry.

Yet anybody with even a cursory knowledge of Islamic tradition knows that the faith was born with the recognition of other religions, cultures and practices.

Education is the primary defense against intolerance. In its absence, it took a dictator to enshrine and protect Indonesia's secular constitution, years ago. Today, a government with a popular mandate and high approval rating is allowing that secular character to be whittled away.

The world is watching, not just the nervous minorities. The business community also has remained silent. If institutions such as the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), the Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX) and the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) cannot see what is coming, they are hiding their heads in the sand. If they don't raise their voices, they aren't doing their jobs.

It may not be fashionable, and perhaps there are no insider deals to be made, but unless the business community gets involved in education, it will have itself to blame. On the other hand, the opportunity is large enough for the government to encourage a coalition of forces, supported by appropriate incentives.

Entrepreneurs, state-owned banks and provincial governments working together can build trade schools across the country, empowering underprivileged youth coming out of schools. There are businesses hiring untrained staff today that would benefit from alumni placements tomorrow. Privately owned universities have sprung up, but there is visibly room for more.

More importantly perhaps, it is the millions of school graduates who need a helping hand.

Again, no charity is required: just good business sense on the part of all concerned. That could include successful trade schools and polytechnics from around the world, looking at investment opportunities.

After all, the future of a stable Asia could well be at stake, starting right here in Indonesia.

[The writer can be contacted at Debnath.Guharoy@roymorgan.com.]

Schools protest over alms collection

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2008

Purwokerto, Central Java – Teachers from hundreds of junior high schools in Banyumas protested on Monday to the regency's alms charity agency over the "compulsory" collection of alms from school students.

The protesters claim that compulsory alms collection places a burden on students. The teachers expressed concern the unpopular measure was imposed by the charity agency in cooperation with officials from the local education office.

"We strongly protest against such 'compulsory' alms collection because in certain cases it goes against religious teaching," said Sumaryo, a teacher from state junior high school SMPN9.

Under the agency's plan, each student is obliged to pay Rp 1,000 (10 US cents). "Our school received 20 bundles of the alms coupons to be distributed to students," Sumaryo said.

Students, guards clash over rector decision

Jakarta Post - March 3, 2008

Adpara, Manado – Students of Sam Ratulangi University in Manado, North Sulawesi, recently became involved in a physical clash with security personnel during a protest against the government's decision to hold a repeat election for rector. No casualties were reported in the clash.

The students accuse current rector Lucky W. Sondakh of being engineering the decision in an attempt to extend his term. They demanded Sondakh resign immediately to maintain peace on the campus.

Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo reportedly sent a letter to the university asking it to repeat the election, because the one held in October, 2007, was considered invalid.

That October election arrived at the names of three candidates to be submitted to the minister for selection as Sondakh's replacement. The three candidates were Donald Rumokoy, Ellen Kumaat and Sarah Warow.

Chairman of the election team, Julius Pontoh, called on the outgoing rector to remain alert in handling the situation, to ensure educational activities at the campus were not disrupted.

Budget slash may double school fees

Jakarta Post - March 3, 2008

Adpara, Jakarta – School expenses in Jakarta could double from last year due to budget cuts for school operational funds, an official said.

Head of the Jakarta Middle and Upper Education Agency, Margani M. Mustar, said Thursday the City Council had slashed Rp 69 billion (US$7.58 million) from the budget and reallocated it toward scholarships for low-income students.

Margani said each student had to pay for all operational expenses and facilities at their school, which should cover electricity bills and the purchase of chalk.

Speaking at a seminar on affordable education in Jakarta, Margani said the administration had proposed Rp 60 billion this year for school operations, an increase from Rp 45 billion in 2007.

"I support the scholarships program, but it should not cut the administration's ability to pay for school operational expenses," he told Tempointeraktif.com.

The subsidy last year allowed students in city schools to pay 60 percent of school operational expenses, while students on the outskirts of the capital paid between 30 and 35 percent of expenses.

 War on corruption

Prevention 'crucial' to combat corruption

Jakarta Post - March 6, 2008

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – Prevention is the key to combating Indonesia's widespread corruption, as eradication efforts rely too heavily on repressive measures, law experts say.

Romli Atmasasmita, professor of law at Padjadjaran University in Bandung, told a seminar that despite more than 50 years of using repressive measures to fight corruption, law enforcers have succeeded in uncovering graft in lower state institutions only, proving those measures ineffective.

He said four revisions to the national corruption law and its "most complete definition of corruption compared with any other country in the world" had resulted in almost nothing.

"There's no use in persisting in repressive actions when corruption in upper levels remains unaffected," he said at Wednesday's "Finding Solutions against Corruption through Preventive Measures to Support Sustainable National Development" seminar, organized by the State Ministry for Administrative Reforms.

Romli said Indonesia was required to include preventive measures in its corruption eradication system under the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which it ratified.

He recommended there be a specific law setting out the preventive measures and a special agency to execute them, adding law enforcement efforts should target not only public but also private institutions.

Deputy chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Moch. Jasin, said preventive measures against corruption have been in place in Indonesia since 1999, when the government established the Public Servants Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN), which was replaced by the KPK.

The preventive measures, however, were poorly implemented because of inadequate human resources and financial management support, Jasin said.

"Repressive and preventive measures must complement each other. So when prevention doesn't work, repressive measures are there to teach the perpetrators a lesson," he said.

Another seminar speaker, Subrata, president director of state publisher Perum Percetakan Negara, said preventive measures against corruption included wealth reporting, determining and reporting the status of grants, and including corruption in school curricula.

Bambang Widjojanto from the Partnership for Governance Reform said preventive measures were crucial in the fight against corruption because repressive activities were expensive and it was difficult to recoup corruption money.

Citing data from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and the Finance Ministry, Bambang said there were many potential graft cases in the country, with 6,113 "hidden" bank accounts holding about Rp 5 trillion (US$550 million).

In the first half of 2006, the BPK reported finding 17,142 possible instances of misappropriation in various currencies, worth Rp 101.76 trillion, $43.36 million, 2.36 million euros ($3.59 million) and 7 million yen ($67,879).

However, only 6,197 of these – worth Rp 18.63 trillion, $6.85 million, 1.46 million euros and 7 million yen – were followed up.

Many judges reluctant to report wealth

Jakarta Post - March 6, 2008

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – Compared to the executive and legislative branches of power, the judiciary is less cooperative when it comes to reporting wealth, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) says.

KPK deputy chairman Moch. Jasin said while most officials in other state institutions had reported their wealth, only 10,462 or 66 percent of 15,771 judges had so far complied with the requirement to declare their assets.

"Asking for wealth reports from officials in the judiciary institution remains difficult," Jasin said.

He said officials from executive and legislative institutions, as well as from state enterprises, were more cooperative in reporting their wealth.

About 86 percent of executive officials, 96 percent of legislative officials and 92 percent of state enterprise executives have submitted their wealth reports to the KPK.

The KPK has required 91,184 state officials to declare their wealth this year, with 85 percent of them complying with the order.

"However, this is not always a good indication of the corruption eradication in the country, as many officials having excessive wealth are no longer ashamed of showing their wealth," said Jasin.

The number of state officials reporting their wealth has increased each year, KPK deputy chief of corruption prevention Haryono Usman told a media conference to announce state officials' wealth reports.

In 2005, 70 percent of state officials reported their wealth. In 2006, the number increased to 86 percent. By 2007 it has gone up to 97 percent.

Present in the press conference were minister of communication and information Mohammad Nuh and former minister of state-owned enterprises M. Sugiharto. The KPK announced the wealth of both the public figures.

According to the KPK, as of July 9, 2007, Nuh's fortune was worth Rp 1.88 billion (US$200,000), with an additional $6000. Sugiharto reported his wealth amounted to Rp 23.53 billion plus $300,963. But at the completion of his service last year, Sugiharto's assets fell by Rp 10 billion.

The mandatory wealth report for state officials is part of corruption eradication measures.

State officials have two months to report their wealth after their inauguration and three months after they have relinquished their posts.

The KPK will verify the reports, taking advantage of public reports, lifestyle checks, wealth and income analysis and comparative analysis. (anw)

Attorney's arrest a blow for Hendarman

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2008

Jakarta – Attorney General Hendarman Supandji came close to breaking down at news one of his prosecutors handling corruption cases was charged by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) with allegedly accepting bribes.

In emotional tones, Hendarman said he had never imagined any government prosecutors would be involved in bribery. Hendarman was trying to hold back tears as he told the press of his shock and regret. "I feel like I have been betrayed by my own subordinate. What he did really hurt our institution," he said, his voice shaking.

Prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan was arrested by the KPK on Sunday for allegedly accepting US$600,000 cash from Artalita Suryani.

Hendarman said his 35 prosecutors handling the Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI) graft scandal had good track records. "There's no forgiveness... for anyone involved (in this case)," he said.

According to Hendarman, Urip violated his authority as a prosecutor by benefiting from the decision by the Attorney General's Office to close the investigation of the BLBI graft case. "I reported this case to President SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) this morning," he said.

Yudhoyono appointed Hendarman as attorney general because of his good reputation in handling graft cases. In May 2005, Hendarman led the special anti-graft team that uncovered a case involving former Bank Mandiri president director ECW Neloe.

Hendarman's team also uncovered corruption in the management of the haj pilgrimage during 2001-2005, involving former religious affairs minister Said Agil Husein al-Munawar.

Although Urip claimed the money he received was payment for gemstones, Hendarman insisted that a prosecutor is not allowed to run a business. "Running a business is against the code of ethics of prosecutors," he said. (dia)

 Islam/religion

Eroded religious freedom in international spotlight

Jakarta Post - March 6, 2008

Jakarta – A coalition of human rights groups will highlight the threat to freedom of religion in Indonesia during the ongoing United Nations Human Rights Council plenary meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

The coalition, calling itself the Human Rights Working Group, consisting of more than 35 Indonesian non-governmental organizations, said that to ensure freedom of religion in the country, the state should not adopt policies based on recommendations from mainstream religions.

"According to the international human rights perspective, there should not be any domination of religious interpretations from one certain religion," the coalition's coordinator, Rafendi Djamin, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Rafendi said that in many cases, the government seemed to agree with or issued policies based on recommendations from influential religious institutions like the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). This violates the fundamental rights of minority religious groups, he said.

"The case of the MUI's fatwa (religious decree) declaring Ahmadiyah a heretical group has caused the group members to be ill-treated, while the government seems to be OK with it," Rafendi said.

Religious Affairs Minister M. Maftuh Basyuni said last month, following the issuance of the MUI fatwa, that the government considered Ahmadiyah heretical.

The ministry issued a decree establishing a monitoring team to supervise the sect on Jan. 24. The team includes officials from the Religious Affairs Ministry, Attorney General's Office, Home Ministry and National Police.

Ahmadiyah was declared heretical for recognizing Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, its founder, as the last prophet, rather than Muhammad.

After a string of mob attacks on the group's properties, Ahmadiyah's leaders issued a statement containing "12 points of explanation", including their acknowledgment of Muhammad as the final prophet.

Rafendi said violations of freedom of religion were on the increase in Indonesia. Other cases of the destruction and closure of houses of worship by religious groups indicated the government's failure to protect the rights of its citizens to worship freely, Rafendi said.

"The government has also failed to take strict action against certain religious groups who have perpetrated violence," he said. "During the meeting, we will give recommendations to the government representatives on this issue," Rafendi said. "We hope the government will commit to working on the recommendations based on international human rights standards."

The coalition, which will send five representatives to the meeting, held March 3 to 28, will also convey their concerns about human rights defenders who they say have faced constant intimidation, and Indonesian migrant workers who lack protection. (dia)

Media should promote Islam and democracy: Discussion

Jakarta Post - March 5, 2008

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The media should not highlight Muslim hardliners who take the law into their hands in the name of religion, academics said Tuesday during a discussion organized by the German Embassy called Islam, Democracy and Media Freedom.

The two-day discussion started Tuesday and is set to include scholars, philosophers and members of the media. Tuesday's speakers included scholars who said controversial or saturated media coverage of hardline groups would tarnish the mostly democratic Muslim population in Indonesia.

The discussion Tuesday also found Islam and democracy had proven their compatibility in the republic, where they said multiculturalism was well preserved.

Speakers at the discussion said democracy in Indonesia was supported by the fact it constitutionally upheld freedom of religion. Eighty per cent of Indonesia's population is Muslim.

Franz Magnis-Suseno, a reputed scholar from the Driyarkara School of Philosophy said, "Unlike Malaysia, Muslims (here) are legally allowed to embrace a new faith". "We are seeing unprecedented relations between Muslim organizations and those of other faiths, and it shows democracy survives in a land of Muslims."

This notion was shared by Azyumardi Azra, a professor at the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, who said multi- culturalism in Indonesia was viewed as a strong virtue.

He said the difference between Islam in Indonesia and in other countries was that Muslim organizations here were civil society groups. "Unlike those in the Middle East, they contribute to the development of a civic society here that is very crucial for democracy," he said.

Azyumardi also cited the victory of nationalist parties in elections as an example of democratic Muslims here, despite the birth of various Islam-oriented parties.

"Above that, Muslims here also practice the same Islamic obligations like those in the Middle East. That's why I reject claims that say Islam in Indonesia is more peripheral compared to that in the Middle East," he said.

Hans-Ludwig Frese, a German Islam observer at Kleio Humanities in Bremen, said Muslims in Germany, who were mostly from Turkey, also played an important role in sustaining democracy in Germany. "The difference is they don't claim allegiance to a specific Muslim organization like many here do," he said.

They said because Indonesia was displaying good relations between Islam and democracy, the media here should contribute by not portraying extremism or fueling controversy.

The latest incident around the media and Islam was the publication of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad in European newspapers, inciting worldwide protests by Muslims.

"What the media need to remember is that Muslims here are committed to democracy, so don't mind the hardliners," Azyumardi said. "Thus the media should take responsibility for having promoted such radical figures."

 Elections/political parties

PKB sets target high for polls

Jakarta Post - March 8, 2008

Jakarta – The National Awakening Party (PKB) is gathering public support in its ambitious goal of winning 65 percent of the vote in the 2009 legislative elections.

"We must be optimistic about winning 65 percent of the vote in the legislative elections," PKB leader Muhaimin Iskandar told a seminar jointly organized by the Constitutional Court on Friday.

PKB's aim far exceeds that of the Golkar Party, which has set a target of securing 30 percent of the vote, up from its 2004 result which saw it top all other parties.

Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, chief patron of the PKB, told the same seminar the party would rely on its Islamic and nationalist characteristics to realize its election goal.

"They can woo many new voters during religious events," Gus Dur said. PKB collected the third highest number of votes in 2004, but finished only fifth in the number of legislative seats.

Long-debated election bill becomes law

Jakarta Post - March 4, 2008

Jakarta – Major political parties emerged the winner in the tug-of-war that preceded the House of Representatives' endorsement Monday of the election bill.

The bill secured major parties' interests after lawmakers voted to settle the dispute over the allocation of residual seats in the 2009 elections.

The bill was the second of four political draft laws required for next year's elections. The House passed the law on political parties last December and will continue to deliberate the two remaining bills, on the presidential election and the composition of legislative bodies.

Of 489 lawmakers present at Monday's plenary session, 320 voted for an option stipulating only parties with a number of residual votes equal to or more than 50 percent of the ratio between available seats and the number of votes cast could secure the residual seats. Any smaller percentage of votes would be collected at the provincial level.

Those supporting the option were the Golkar Party, National Awakening Party (PKB), Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Democratic Pioneer Star (BPD) faction and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faction.

The second option – using minimum percentage of 30 percent – received 167 votes from lawmakers from the United Development Party (PPP), National Mandate Party (PAN), Democratic Party (PD) and Prosperous Peace Party (PDS).

Lawmakers from the small Star Reform Party (PBR) were almost divided equally in their votes for the two options.

The PKB faction expressed its satisfaction with the results of the vote. "Insya Allah (God willing), we will get more seats in the next election," faction chairman Effendy Choirie said.

However, a study by the Center for Election Reform (Cetro) found the PKB would add just four more seats with this new mechanism.

"This mechanism will benefit major parties most," said Hadar N. Gumay of Cetro. He said Golkar, the largest party at the House, could add up to 32 more seats in next year's election, and the PDI-P, the second largest party, could net 16 more seats.

Mid-sized parties like the PD, PPP and PAN could lose two to seven seats. He said the PKS, which supported the winning option, could lose up to 11 seats under the mechanism.

Hadar criticized the House's decision to collect some of the residual votes at the provincial level. "This will result in some 48 legislators with unclear electoral districts," he said. He went so far as to say the mechanism would ruin Indonesia's democratic system.

The plenary session was also attended by the government's representatives, including Home Minister Mardiyanto, who surprised lawmakers by requesting a 20-minute break in the middle of reading of a message from the President.

Mardiyanto said he needed to consult with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the results of the vote.

Mardiyanto, who did not return to the podium until about an hour later, said the government accepted the House's decision. After the plenary session, Mardiyanto told reporters the consultation was not unusual.

"I just needed to consult with the President about whether any of the House's final decisions were different from the government's draft," he said. (alf)

Regional political party coalitions based on narrow pragmatism

Kompas - March 3, 2008

Surabaya – Coalitions between political parties in the direct election of regional heads in Indonesia are very fluid in character. They tend not to be based on a clear ideological platform, but formed according to narrow pragmatic interests.

This was revealed by Haryadi, a political science teacher from the Airlangga University, during a seminar prior to a leadership meeting of the East Java United Development Party (PPP) on Saturday March 1 in the provincial capital of Surabaya. The other speaker at the event was researcher Isra Ramli from the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI).

According to Haryadi, ideologies within political parties are only in the context of mobilising internal support. In external interactions however, there are almost no parties that hold to an ideological platform. This is shown by the fluid character of coalitions, for example in one place the Justice and Prosperity (PKS) party will form a coalition with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), but in another place with the Golkar Party or the Peace and Prosperity Party (PDS).

"The relations between the political parties including in the election of regional heads are only counted [in terms of] money and short-term power [gains]", he said.

Because the relationships between all of the political parties are based on narrow pragmatism, there is no connection between the outcome of regional elections and social change. Of the 320 or so regional elections that have taken place, candidates that are elected with the capacity to change the situation would become better if they were free from these strings.

Based on research by the LSI, only 29.6 percent of the population feel close to or identify with a political party. According to Ramli, there is no parallel between people's support for winning candidates in the election of regional heads and public support in the legislative elections.

"It isn't easy to change a person's thinking about an institution compared with candidate regional heads because the relationship between a person and a political party is more complex then with a particular figure", he said. (INA)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

 Economy & investment

Volatile market poses risk to privatization

Jakarta Post - March 3, 2008

Jakarta – Current global economic conditions have raised concerns whether the market will be receptive to the government's 2008 privatization plan.

Drajad Wibowo, a lawmaker-turned-economist, said Friday the current turmoil in the global market, triggered by the US subprime mortgage crisis, and an expected global economic slowdown meant the time was not right to sell state assets through privatization.

Global economic conditions could dampen the interests of investors, thus pushing down proceeds from privatization, which are meant to help cover the budget deficit, Drajad said.

"Now, most investors will avoid taking the risk of investing capital in a developing country like Indonesia. They would prefer to invest in the commodity market," Drajad said, adding that even if there are interested investors, they would probably ask for huge discounts.

"That's why I really hope House Commission XI will not approve the government's plan," he said, referring to the commission overseeing state financial affairs.

The government's privatization plan is still subject to the House's approval. The state-sanctioned privatization committee has decreed that 44 state firms will be privatized this year. They include PT Garuda Indonesia, PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines, PT Industri Gelas, PT Krakatau Steel, PT Dok & Perkapalan Surabaya and PT Sucofindo.

The US subprime credit crisis has created havoc in financial and equity markets worldwide, causing many investors to adopt a wait-and-see attitude. The world's economic outlook is even gloomier with many analysts predicting a recession in the US, creating fears of a global economic downturn.

Sri Adiningsih, a Gadjah Mada University economist, said the government should wait for the global market to calm down before pushing forward with its privatization program. "If not careful, the prices will go down because of the current high market volatility," she said.

While acknowledging the risk, capital market analyst Felix Sindhunata said Indonesia's economy could weather any possible external shocks and was still attractive to investors.

Felix said foreign investors were looking at Indonesia as one of their main targets. He said investors were drawn by the strong economic fundamentals of the country.

"At worst, the expected slowdown in the world's economy will hit Indonesia's exports. So, as long as Indonesia can keep up its domestic consumption, the decrease in exports can be neutralized."

As the economy continues growing, so will investor confidence in the country, Felix said. The privatization program is targeted to generate proceeds of Rp 1.5 trillion, a significant decrease from last year's target of Rp 4.7 trillion.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said during a recent hearing with the House that the main aim of privatization was not to plug the state budget deficit. "The real goal is to make those state enterprises more reliable development agents," Sri said.

Inviting ownership from the private sector would force the state firms, she said, to improve transparency, accountability, efficiency and competitiveness. (uwi)

 Book/film reviews

Book Review: Bare bones of Suharto's secrets

Asia Times - March 8, 2008

[Sukarno and the Indonesian Coup: The Untold Story by Helen- Louise Hunter. Praeger Security International (May 30, 2007). ISBN-10: 0275974383. Price US$75, 216 pages. Reviewed by Andrew Symon.]

Singapore – Indonesia's former president Suharto took many secrets with him to his final resting place on his death in late January. But none were arguably as important as the unanswered questions about his role in the attempted 1965 coup d'etat – portrayed at the time as being masterminded by the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) – and how he leveraged those events to maneuver into power, replacing the left-leaning president Sukarno.

The official version of those events, which later underpinned the legitimacy of his rule, was that Suharto saved the day for the country after six of the country's top generals were horribly murdered early in the morning of October 1 by communist plotters. Then the head of the military's Jakarta-based strategic reserve, Kostrad, and second in line to army minister and commander, Ahmad Yani, who was among those killed that fateful morning, Suharto moved quickly through the day to neutralize the supposed threat.

By uniting the military behind him, he ensured that Indonesia survived a descent into virtual anarchy when angry Indonesians, often with the assistance of the army, attacked and killed as many as 500,000 PKI members and their followers across the country. Suharto gained ever-greater legal powers, initially under a special order by Sukarno in March 1966, giving him sweeping authority, then by his eventual appointment as acting president in 1967 and finally, the year after, as full president by the supreme legislative body under Indonesia's constitution.

Thus were the tumultuous beginnings of Suharto's New Order regime, which ruled with an iron fist until 1998. One of the early foreign studies to support the story that the attack on the generals was indeed a PKI conspiracy was a 1968 US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) study entitled Indonesia – 1965: The Coup that Backfired. Now, the report has been published in revised book form as Sukarno and the Indonesian Coup: the Untold Story.

Helen-Louise Hunter, the book's author, who spent many years in the CIA as an analyst and later became a lawyer, maintains the argument of PKI involvement, but also asserts that Sukarno knew about and approved the plot. Basing the study on Indonesian army records from post-October 1 interrogations and trial reports, she says the plot's aim was to remove opposition from the anti- communist leadership so that a new socialist state could be proclaimed under president Sukarno with the PKI chairman, Aidit, as his successor.

This version of events, of course, has been questioned ever since the alleged coup attempt was foiled. A counterview, as argued by Bob Elson, professor of Southeast Asian History at the University of Queensland in Australia, and author of the currently available Suharto: a Political Biography, is that the PKI's role was limited to a handful of its top leaders who were aware of the military officers' plot and saw in the pressure-cooker political atmosphere of the time that they could gain advantage from the situation.

The PKI, at the time a legal political party with some 3 million members plus as many as 20 million more in associated organizations, had gained an influential position in Sukarno's Indonesia. But its leadership feared the army, particularly in light of rumors of a secret Council of Generals, linked to the US government and the CIA, which allegedly planned to take over government. They knew that with Sukarno's health uncertain, should he die, the army could clamp down violently on the PKI.

There were also divisions within the army, ranging from strongly pro-US generals and officers to nationalist so-called "Sukarnoists" and staunch PKI supporters. A small group of middle-level officers, disenchanted with senior staff who were seen to be living too much the good life in Jakarta, and apparently influenced by the rumors about the Council of Generals, decided pre-empt a pro-US move and take matters into their own hands.

The generals would be kidnapped and then presented to Sukarno for a dressing down and sacking – or at least demotion or move sideways. But things apparently went badly wrong with the plot when the generals were murdered. Elson told Asia Times Online that the plot was most likely an attempt to change in only a limited way the "political configuration", but it became terribly "botched up" with the murder of the generals.

"What they had planned was a lightning strike against a group of generals they had reason to believe was plotting a real coup," contends Elson. "Their strike was pre-emptive and its purposes limited."

Suharto and the army then took advantage of the situation by portraying the affair as a PKI conspiracy, fueling vengeance within the rank and file and around the country by falsely saying the generals had been tortured and badly mutilated by communist youth and women. This historical falsehood was maintained throughout the New Order, and was seared deep in the national consciousness each year in the 1990s in the movie Penumpasan G30S/PKI, which was shown on Indonesian television.

Historical gaps

Hunter's book does not thoroughly examine Suharto's move to power, nor does she focus much attention on how he subsequently presided over the mass killings of PKI members and supporters in late 1965 and early 1966; estimates of the carnage range from 90,000 to 500,000 killed.

But she does state clearly that there was no "ghastly" mutilation of the generals and she underlines that the attempted coup did result in an anti-PKI massacre that ranks "as one of the worst mass murders in the 20th century, along with the Soviet purges of the 1930s, the Nazi mass murders during the Second World War and the Maoist bloodbath of the early 1950s".

A major criticism of Hunter's book might be that she does not delve deep enough into the questions still lingering over Suharto's possible role in the initial kidnappings. Given his seniority and authority as Kostrad commander, why was he not among those generals kidnapped?

One of the coup's leaders, ex-colonel Abdul Latief, who was pardoned and released from prison only in 1999, claimed that he told Suharto that an attack on a group of senior generals was imminent and that Suharto made no move to prevent it. Latief made the claims at his trial in 1978 – 13 years after the actual event – but records of his testimony were not made public at the time. He received a death sentence that was never carried out.

Suharto consistently denied having spoken to Latief, including when the question was again raised after his fall from power in 1998. Elson believes that Latief's account was essentially accurate, though that does not mean that Suharto was necessarily part of the conspiracy.

Suharto may have discounted Latief's warning in the crisis-ridden atmosphere of the time, or because the plot was not explained in detail and as originally designed anyway it meant they would be summoned to the palace to meet Sukarno. Another plausible but unconfirmed explanation could be that Suharto recognized the gravity of the plot but chose to wait and see how events played out before positioning himself.

Yet another key unanswered question: was there ever a pro-US Council of Generals maneuvering behind the scenes? With communism on the march, the mid-1960s were a very uncertain time for US and Western interests in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Earlier in the decade, Sukarno had challenged the merger of the Borneo states of Sarawak and Sabah into Malaysia as an imperialist move and he was waging a low-level war, or Konfrontasi, with Malaya in Borneo, which was defended by British and Commonwealth soldiers.

Having already committed combat troops on a large scale to fight communism in Vietnam in March 1965, Washington was worried. Indonesia was home to the world's largest Communist Party outside of the Soviet Union and China and the US feared the left-leaning Sukarno's increasing orientation towards Beijing. Resonating with current US anti-proliferation policy, there may have also been a nuclear component.

Indonesia's interest in the civilian application of nuclear energy dated back to the mid-1950s, and in the early 1960s the country was supported in this by the US, resulting in construction of a research reactor in Bandung in West Java. Under Sukarno's increasingly nationalist rule in the early 1960s, and one increasingly oriented away from the US and West and towards communist China, the idea of Indonesia having a nuclear weapons capability was also put forward.

There were apparently fears in Washington at the time that Jakarta was seeking assistance from China for weapons development and after Beijing's first nuclear bomb test in 1964, Indonesian officials publicly spoke of their desire to build a bomb. In July 1965, Sukarno gave the idea his approval, but the pro-bomb talk notably came to an end shortly after his fall and Suharto's rise in the wake of the failed coup attempt in October 1965.

Elson argues that there undoubtedly would have been meetings among like-minded senior Indonesian officers concerned about where the country was heading. But no concrete evidence has ever surfaced that there was a coherent right-wing cabal supported by the US and CIA – unlike the situation in 1958 when there was what is now a well-documented CIA-sponsored rebellion among army officers in Sumatra and Sulawesi against Jakarta in an effort to break up the new sprawling state and bring down Sukarno.

Sukarno and others had good reason to feel that a repeat US effort to destabilize the country was possible. Comprehensive documents published by the US Department of State, Foreign Relations, 1964-1968, Indonesia; Malaysia-Singapore; Philippines, now available online indicate that the US government knew very little about what was going on at the time – much to Washington's frustration. After the October 1 botched coup, the US did try to steer the situation to its advantage, not just by supporting Suharto but also through covert assistance for the PKI's destruction.

As Hunter writes, the attempted coup of 1965 and its outcome was one of the most significant events of the 20th century, not just for Indonesia, but internationally: "The decimation of the Indonesian Communist Party... and the complete turnabout in Indonesia's international alignment – from that of communist China's close ally in growing estrangement from the rest of the world... to a new posture as friend of the West... was nothing less than an upset of the world balance of power."

Now with the strongman and his 32-year authoritarian tenure firmly in the grave, Indonesians are left to ask: At what price?

[Andrew Symon is a Singapore-based journalist and analyst who was based in Jakarta from 1992-97. He may be reached at andrew.symon@yahoo.com.sg.]


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