News & issues

Indonesian businessman plans to drop money from airplane

Associated Press - May 30, 2008

Jakarta – If you're short of cash and don't mindrunning in tropical humidity and smog for a few bucks, read on.

An Indonesian businessman plans to throw 100 million rupiah (US$10,600) out of an airplane over the capital this Sunday as a publicity stunt to promote his new book.

"I want to create a rain of money in Jakarta," author and motivational speaker Tung Desem Waringin said. "It's a little bit crazy, but it's marketing."

Police spokesman Col. I Ketut Untung said authorities may not allow the plan to go forward because it could draw huge crowds and cause chaos. Tens of millions of Indonesians live on less than US$1 a day and food and aid giveaways always draw large numbers.

The 42-year-old Tung said instead of opting for regular advertising for his book, he came up with an idea that "will make people happy."

Indonesian police reports outline terror links

Associated Press - May 30, 2008

Chris Brummitt, Jakarta – After months on the run, two alleged leaders in a Southeast Asian militant group were holed up in a cheap Malaysian hotel, ready to fly to the Middle East to link up with other Islamic extremists, possibly in Iraq.

The pair had bribed Indonesian immigration officials to smooth their way out of the airport in Jakarta, where they started their journey. An Algerian gave them fake passports, airline tickets and militant contacts in Syria.

But they never made it farther than Kuala Lumpur. It is unclear what led police in the Malaysian capital to their room early this year, but "befuddled by sleep" they did not resist arrest.

The foiled flight of Abu Husna and Agus Purwantoro, who were sent back to Indonesia in late March, is just part of the story outlined in police investigation reports obtained by The Associated Press.

The documents detail how the regional terror group Jemaah Islamiyah has maintained the ability and desire to forge international links despite a crackdown that most experts believed left it severely weakened and isolated, with hundreds of its members behind bars.

The papers also provide rare details on the inner workings of the network, showing how Husna and Purwantoro were able to travel around Indonesia, using passwords to meet up with other wanted men at mosques, bus stations and cheap restaurants before fleeing the country.

Members and associates of Jemaah Islamiyah are blamed for a string of suicide bombings in Southeast Asia that have together killed more than 240 people, most of them Western tourists, as well as a number of failed terror plots. The group had ties with al-Qaida and other foreign extremists before 2002, but most experts have thought the links had been broken since then.

"If there is a North African in Jakarta assisting the Jemaah Islamiyah network, then that is not a good thing," Sidney Jones, a leading authority on Southeast Asian militants, said about the Algerian sympathizer that the captured pair identified as "Jafar."

According to the police documents' accounts of their interrogations, Jafar allegedly met with Husna and Purwantoro in both Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. "It suggests an international network with a base in Jakarta and raises all sorts of questions about who else might be here," Jones said.

The investigation reports – one each for Purwantoro and Husna – were given to the AP by an official close to the police probe. The person agreed to turn over the reports only if not identified, fearing he could be fired for releasing the papers. Together, the documents run 48 pages.

Police say the men were arrested in Malaysia in January on their way to Syria to "link up with radical groups." Malaysian authorities have not revealed what led them to the men, but Indonesian police suggested the pair were caught in an operation targeting illegal migrants.

Indonesia's anti-terror squad, trained and financed by the US, had been hunting Husna, 48, since early last year, when arrested suspects said he attended a meeting with Jemaah Islamiyah elders to discuss the outcome of several attacks on the eastern island of Sulawesi between 2004 and 2006, including the beheadings of three Christian school girls.

According to the police reports, Husna admits to being a senior member of Jemaah Islamiyah and attending the meeting, meaning police may be able to charge him with conspiracy to commit terrorism or related offenses.

Jones and other experts had speculated Husna was an interim leader of the extremist network, but the reports show him taking orders from other militants, suggesting there are higher-ranking members of the group still on the run.

Most officials assume the group has just a handful of active members left at large.

Purwantoro, a 38-year-old doctor, is alleged by police to have led Jemaah Islamiyah operations on Sulawesi. The reports say he admits organizing militant training camps on the island and helping perpetrators of bombings, shootings and other attacks  including the beheadings of the schoolgirls  flee.

Both men admit traveling in 1999 to the southern Philippines, where they learned how to make bombs at training camps run by Jemaah Islamiyah, the reports say. Muslim insurgents have been active in that part of the Philippines for years.

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has been praised for its successful campaign against terrorism. The last major attack was in 2005, when suicide bombers targeted three restaurants on the resort island of Bali, killing 20 people.

But the apparent ease with which Husna and Purwantoro were able to leave the country highlights major weaknesses in its anti- terror defenses at a time when governments across Southeast Asia are trying to tighten their borders.

Both men said they used a middleman, known as a "calo," to channel money to officials at immigration offices in Jakarta to obtain passports with little scrutiny. They did not have to provide the full range of supporting documents, and those they did submit were fake, according to the reports.

They also employed a calo at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport so they could be whisked through passport control, the reports say.

"We went toward the immigration checkpoint, but before we arrived there, the calo directed us to an individual who would accompany us through the checkpoint... so we could go through to the departure hall with no problems," Purwantoro told investigators. He did not elaborate.

Calos are common in Indonesian government departments that provide public services for a fee. At airports, some travelers employ them to ensure they do not have to stand in lines, or to pay immigration officials to ignore penalties for overstaying visas or other violations.

Immigration department spokesman Dahlan Pasaribu said he was unable to comment on specific cases, but insisted corruption at passport offices and border points was being eradicated. "Short cuts are no longer allowed. It is an order from the top," he said.

Once in Malaysia, Husna and Purwantoro met again with Jafar and another Jemaah Islamiyah operative, this time at a KFC restaurant. The pair received new fake passports, airline tickets to Syria and the cell phone number of a contact there, the reports say.

Police have revealed no details about the men's plans in the Middle East or the identity of Jafar. Jones, the analyst, said the Algerian may be a member of al-Qaida, but stressed it was too early to know.

Syria's location has led to speculation by former militants and analysts that the two men may have been heading to Iraq. US officials have long charged that Syrian authorities allow their country to be used as a staging ground by militants who sneak into Iraq to join insurgents. Syria denies that.

Nasir Abbas, a former Jemaah Islamiyah commander in Sulawesi who knew Purwantoro well, said he thought it likely the men were traveling to Iraq because they believed Indonesia was no longer a suitable venue for jihad, or holy war.

"They see Iraq as a more clear-cut case for jihad than Indonesia," said Abbas, who now works closely with police. "Even if they get arrested on the way, they believe that every step they take to that goal gets them reward in heaven."

Riau officials under fire for 'wasteful' Cairo trip

Jakarta Post - May 24, 2008

Rizal Harahap, Pekanbaru – Five legislators in Riau province have come under fire for attending a seminar in Egypt organized by Indonesian students there.

The seven-day trip, running from May 22 until May 29, has cost the province Rp 250 million (US$28,000). Critics say it comes at a time when many in the country are facing hardship due to rising food prices and the impending fuel price hike.

The group is led by legislature deputy speaker Syofyan Hamzah and includes Syafrizal D from the United Development Party (PPP), Syaiful Anwar from the Golkar Party, Rizal Akbar from the New Alliance Party (PPIB) and James Pasaribu from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Ali Yusri, dean of Riau University's School of Social and Political Sciences, said by making the trip, the people's representatives were showing a blatant disregard for the problems facing their constituents, especially since they were invited by only a group of Riau students.

"This is wasteful, whatever the reasons are. They shouldn't have gone on the trip," Ali told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

"Besides, the moment is not right since the seminar has absolutely no relevance to their duties as legislators. The trip will not contribute anything to the people who are now left confused in the current situation."

He said the money spent on the trip would have been better used to devise much-needed policies, such as issuing a policy to protect indigenous tribes or an ordinance requiring companies operating in Riau to prioritize the local workforce when recruiting.

"Such policies are far more pressing. The legislators should have taken into consideration the actual needs of the people," he said.

However, Djuharman Arifin, another legislature deputy speaker, said the trip should not be questioned because it had been authorized by the speaker and the Home Ministry. He said the trip was a worthwhile exercise to "enrich the perspectives" of the councilors.

"People shouldn't link the trip to Egypt with the increase in fuel prices because the trip was planned long before this. Given the chance, I would also accept an invitation from overseas because there are many things we can learn from such trips," he said.

His comments were in complete contrast to comments he made last October on a proposed overseas trip for 55 councilors. At that time, he voiced vehement opposition to the comparative study visit.

Riau legislative secretary Nazief Soesila Dharma said funds for such trips had been allocated in the 2008 provincial budget, and were granted in the guise of capacity enhancement services for the Riau legislature, with a maximum amount of Rp 3 billion.

"In accordance with Home Ministry decree No. 21/2007, the overseas visit by the councilors is legitimate as long as there is a request or invitation from the assigned country. They were invited to visit Egypt, and in the near future a number of councilors will also take up an invitation to visit Warsaw," he said.

Nazief denied accusations the trip to Egypt was a waste of taxpayer money. "They will not use all the money themselves. They agreed to allocate Rp 20 million for the Riau students' library in Cairo," he said.

Fuel price hikes

Unas students, parents continue vigil at police HQ

Jakarta Post - May 31, 2008

Jakarta – The Jakarta Police's internal affairs division released 72 police officers under investigation for the violent clashes at the National University (Unas) last week, but continued questioning six others, police said Friday.

"The division hasn't confirmed yet if the six officers were involved in the violence or in breach of standard procedure. They are still being examined," said police spokesman Sr. Comr. Ketut Untung Yoga Ana.

Students clashed with police at a demonstration at the Unas campus on Jl. Sawo Manila, South Jakarta, last week. Thirty-one Unas students were arrested for unruly conduct.

In response, students held more demonstrations, demanding the release of their contemporaries, while the parents of those arrested reported the case to the National Commission on Human Rights and the Legal Aid Institute.

Dozens of parents and Unas students spent another night on the street across from the South Jakarta Police office Thursday, demanding the police release the detainees.

Some slept in small white tents, on which they had written "Release our children", while others slept on mats.

"I want my son to be released soon because he has to finish his studies this year. If the police detain him any longer, he will miss his graduation and we will have to pay more in university fees," said Joko Kusnaedi, father of one of the detained students.

Joko and his wife, along with other parents, left the location early in the morning after spending the night, to shower and eat, before returning at 10 a.m.

Also at the camp was Vera, 25, who said she believed her younger brother, Muhammad Anwar, was just defending himself during the rioting and not guilty of any offense.

"My brother looked messy and depressed when I visited him on Thursday. It's my responsibility to get him released, because I've always been his guardian ever since our parents passed away," she told The Jakarta Post.

On Friday, members of House Commission III, which oversees human rights, visited the parents and the detained students.

"All the students will be released under certain conditions by Monday at the latest," lawmaker Trimedya Panjaitan was quoted by Detik.com as telling hundreds of students who staged a protest in front of the police station. He made the announcement after meeting with South Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Chairul Anwar.

Later on Friday, students at Atma Jaya University burned tires outside their campus on Jl. Jendral Sudirman in Central Jakarta.

Their actions forced traffic police to divert hundreds of vehicles to the fast lane and created a severe traffic jam, police said. (ind)

Ad against fuel price rise sparks heated public debate

Jakarta Post - May 31, 2008

Jakarta – Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng and former armed forces chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto locked horns in a public debate here Friday over an advertisement opposing the recent fuel price increase.

The ad, which appeared on television and in newspapers, endorses Wiranto, who has staunchly criticized the government's decision to raise fuel prices. It also explicitly reminded President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that he had promised not to increase fuel prices.

"Wiranto's advertisement is inaccurate. I have checked all of our archives but did not find any documents showing the President made this promise," Andi told a regular discussion at the House of Representatives' press room.

He admitted that during the inauguration of the new Navy chief last November, Yudhoyono was asked by journalists whether he would raise fuel prices in response to soaring international oil prices.

Andi said the President's exact answer to this question at the time was: "There is no such option. We will try to find another efficacious solution. We will try to find a solution that will not disturb our economy. If it (the global oil price) remains like this or increases, of course we will take some further measures."

Andi said Wiranto's ad had ignored the common code of ethics when quoting somebody. "What the ad says was not the President's direct quote," Andi said.

But Wiranto, who has announced his candidacy for the 2009 presidential election, insisted he used valid sources for his advertisement. "I downloaded a news article directly from the government's official website," he said.

He said the article was changed by the website administrator two days later. "So who is being unethical here?"

Wiranto said he released the ad to bridge the communication gap between the government and the public.

"This advertisement was a sort of protest. This is even better because it does not harm anybody. I will not stop advertising," Wiranto said.

Other speakers in the discussion were prominent political communications expert Effendy Ghazali, chairman of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faction at the House, Mahfudz Siddiq, and head of the House's special committee on the presidential election bill, Ferry Mursyidan Baldan.

Effendy said an attack campaign, such as that using an ad, was good for democracy as long as it used valid data because it would force candidates to be more detailed about their programs and achievements.

Mahfudz said politicians were yet to show maturity in campaigning during the reform era. "Candidates use their campaigns either as a catwalk or as a boxing ring," he said. He said the public needed political campaigns in which candidates set out clearly their plans for a better Indonesia.

Ferry said the 2009 elections would see more debates between presidential candidates. "The debates will be facilitated by the General Elections Commission (KPU) and funded by the state budget."

He said the KPU would also introduce the presidential candidates to the public through the mass media and that their media advertisements would be limited in both duration and space.

The House special committee started deliberating the presidential election bill last Monday and is scheduled to pass it by August. (alf)

Workers and students descend on Palace over fuel price hikes

Detik.com - May 29, 2008

Didi Syafirdi, Jakarta – Beep...! Beep....! The sound of vehicles beeping at each other reverberated along Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta. It was total gridlock from the Horse Statue to the State Palace as hundreds of workers and students prepared to descend upon the State Palace.

According to Detik's observations on Thursday May 29 at around 3pm, some 300 demonstrators from the National Liberation Front (FPN), the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) and the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (KASBI) had gathered on the road in front of the Radio Republic Indonesia (RRI) building.

The flags of the respective organisations and posters were also brought to the rally with messages such as "Thwart the fuel price hike", "BLT [Direct Cash Assistance] = Subsidised Instant Death" and "SBY-JK [President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Vice President Jusuf Kalla] the anti-people political elite".

The protesters remained in place for around half-an-hour with traffic going north in the direction of Harmoni coming to a complete standstill. Then at around 3.30 pm one of the demonstrators shouted, "Come on comrades, let's go to the palace, we'll break down the barbed wire fence". Greeted by cheers from the other demonstrators they began crossing the road to the National Monument (Monas) with police closing off a section of road on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat and Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara.

Around 200 police then formed a line holding a white tether from the traffic lights on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat near the offices of the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare preventing the protesters from getting too near the palace. The police blockade resulted in traffic coming in to Jl. Thamrin having to turn around and return in the direction of Harmoni.

When the protesters started to besiege Monas the police line also shifted to follow the demonstrators and the traffic from the Horse Statue heading towards Harmoni gradually began to flow smoothly.

When police refused to let the protesters approach the palace saying it violated the law an argument erupted between Yoyok from the ABM and Central Jakarta deputy police Chief Assistant Superintendent Heru Wibowo. Yoyok insisted that the protesters be allowed to demonstrate in front of the palace while Wibowo threatened to arrest the rally martials if they forced the issue.

"We are taking action not because there are political elite [behind the protest], hence we are being obstructed. We must try to reach the palace, the people must be courageous", shouted Yoyok.

Following the demonstration at the State Palace, the protesters disbanded and marched back to the Horse Statue, again creating a traffic jam on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat and Jl. Thamrin, before going their separated ways.

On June 1, the FPM said it is planning similar actions but with even larger numbers. Before leaving FPM coordinator Anwar Sastro Ma'ruf said that they would be conducting the actions in a peaceful manner. "So don't let there be repressive acts by security personnel", he said.

[Abridged translation by James Balowski compiled from three reports in Detik.com on May 29.]

PDI-P politician Permadi turned away from fuel price protest

myRMnews - May 29, 2008

Sugihono, Jakarta – Apparently with the firm intention of supporting an action opposing the recent fuel price increases at the State Palace in Central Jakarta, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Permadi was instead turned away by protesters.

The incident occurred as hundreds of students and workers from the National Liberation Front (FPN) arrived in front of the State Palace on the afternoon of Thursday May 29 to protest against the price hikes.

Upon seeing Permadi approach the crowd of students and workers, a student speaking through a megaphone from on top of the command vehicle began shouting at Permadi calling him a liar. "Overthrow the political elite, power to the people", the other demonstrators sung in unison.

Seeing the behaviour of the protesters, Permadi was crestfallen and eventually moved away from the demonstration.

In a speech one of the workers said that the action is not being used for the benefit of anyone, either from the political elite or any of the political parties. "For us (workers) it is already clear, the parties have been proven not to side with ordinary people and workers", they asserted.

Permadi claimed that his presence at the rally was not to represent the party but was in a personal capacity. "I personally join in supporting worker and student actions opposing the fuel price hikes", he said. (dry)

Notes:

There have been a number of reports in the Indonesian media recently in which political figures such as former economic minister Rizal Ramli and retired Indonesian military chief General Wiranto from the Indonesian Awakening Committee have been accused of using student demonstrations against the fuel price hikes for their own ends. Ramli himself has taken part in a number of protest actions and spoke at a rally organised by groups affiliated with the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in Jakarta on May 20.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Workers, students and housewives protest fuel price hikes

Metro TV News - May 29, 2008

Jakarta – Around 500 workers, children and housewives protested at the offices of the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare in Jakarta on Thursday May 29 against the recent fuel price hikes.

The protesters, who came from the National Liberation Front (FPN), started the action by gathering at the Grogol bus terminal in West Jakarta then moving off towards the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta. They then marched back to the Welfare Ministers office and then on the State Palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara in Central Jakarta.

In addition to opposing the fuel price hikes and the high price of basic commodities, they also called for cuts to government officials' wages and the nationalisation of the oil and gas industry under the control of the people.

After demonstrating at the Vice Presidential Palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan they then protested in front of the State Palace. Security for the Palace had been tightened by a joint contingent of personnel from the Cental Jakarta district police and the Gambir sectoral police.

Later they were joined by some 500 demonstrators who had earlier protested at the University of Indonesia campus in Salemba. They also made similar demands as well as calling for public transport to be subsidised.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Police avoid clashes at UKI rally

Jakarta Post - May 28, 2008

Jakarta – City police chose a persuasive approach to deal with protests following clashes between police officers and university students last week, a police spokesperson said Tuesday. Reports from two universities in East and South Jakarta on Tuesday showed no major clashes between the two parties.

At East Jakarta's Indonesian Christian University (UKI), dozens of students blocked roads and burned tires, causing traffic congestion in the area.

"Their actions also caused hazards for road users; they threw stones at police officers," city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Ketut Untung Yoga Ana said on Tuesday.

"But we did not want a repeat of what happened before (at National University), so we tried using a different approach to manage the demonstrations – using persuasion. We approached the rector," he said.

A meeting was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon between Jakarta's university rectors, the city police and city administration to discuss student protests, he said.

UKI rector Bernard SM. Hutabarat went down to the street at 9.30 a.m., telling students to return to the campus immediately and threatening to close the campus gates if they continued the road blockade. But some 50 students continued their peaceful protest until 5.30 p.m.

Meanwhile, around 50 students from various institutions gathered at 3 p.m. in front of Moestopo Beragama University on Jl. Hang Lekir Raya in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. They burned tires, causing long traffic jams along the road heading toward Senayan.

First. Brig. Irfan Fajar said traffic had eased by around 5:30 p.m., after police extinguished the fire and helped the city sanitation agency remove the burned tires from the road. The demonstration continued until late into the night.

Separately, some 300 students staged a protest in front of South Jakarta police precinct and city police headquarters, demanding the release of 31 students who were arrested during a clash with police at National University in South Jakarta on Saturday morning.

M. Ridha Saleh, vice chairperson for internal affairs at the National Commission on Human Rights, said the commission would accommodate complaints from family members of the detained students.

"They came to our office this morning, accompanied by their lawyers. They demanded easier access to visit their children... and asked police to pay for their children's medical bills.(ind)

Protests and public transport strikes to colour Jakarta today

Tempo Interactive - May 28, 2008

TMC/Ibnu R., Jakarta – Protest actions and public transport strikes will colour various parts of the capital today, Wednesday May 28. Aside from taking up the theme of anti-corruption, there will also be a demonstration by thousands of people supporting direct cash assistance and a student protest action later tonight opposing the recent fuel price hikes.

Starting at 6am, city public transport drivers plying the M-11, M-09 and M24 routes will hold strike actions in Joglo, Meruya and Slipi-Palmerah in West Java. They will be demanding that public transport fares be increased in line with the retail price of premium petrol.

At 10am, the North Maluku Non-Government Organisation Forum (Koalisi LSM Malut) and the Independent Candidates Defence Forum (FPCI) will be holding protest actions at four locations – the General Elections Commission (KPU) offices on Jl. Imam Bonjol in Central Jakarta, the Department of Home Affairs, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) offices on Jl. HR Rasuna Said and the Attorney General's Office on Jl. Sisingamaraja in South Jakarta. The actions, which will involve around 100 people, will be calling on the KPU to accommodate independent candidates in the upcoming Southeast Maluku election of regional heads.

At 11am, the Banten Anti-Corruption Social Network (JAMBAK) will also be demonstrating at the KPK offices. Around 200 people will be calling on the KPK to investigate an alleged corruption case in the Banten regency of Pandeglang.

Between 1-6pm, the Indonesian Assistant Teachers Communication Forum (FKGBI) will be holding a protest action demanding that they be appointed as state civil servants. The protest, which will be held at the Jakarta Regional House of Representatives building on Jl. Kebon Sirih in Central Jakarta, is expected to involve around 500 assistance teachers across Jakarta.

Also starting at 1pm, a group called the United People-Poor People's Alliance (GRM-PR) will demonstrate at the Department of Home Affairs and the State Palace in Central Jakarta. Around 2,500 people will gather first at the Istiqlal Mosque then protest in support of the government's direct cash assistance to compensate the poor for the recent fuel price hikes.

The Green Student Network (JMH) will also hold a protest action at the KPK and the Attorney General's Office. Around 150 people will be calling on the commission to investigate an alleged gratuities case involving visiting privileges for certain prisoners provided by officials from the Directorate General for Correctional Institutions.

Later in the evening between 7-10pm, the Greater Jakarta Student Council (DM-Jabodetabek) will hold a protest action at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout demanding that the recent fuel price hikes be annulled.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Foreign intelligence agencies using student protests for own ends

Detik.com - May 28, 2008

Anwar Khumaini, Jakarta – Student demonstrations against the recent fuel price increases are moving towards anarchic acts involving frequent clashes with police. There are indications that foreign intelligence agencies are using the protests for their own ends.

"It is not an impossibility that these student demonstrations are being taken advantage of by foreign intelligence", said intelligence observer AC Manullang during a discussion with Detik.com on Wednesday May 28.

The recent demonstrations, said Manullang, are being organised well beforehand. The actors behind these protest actions are taking advantage of important moments such as International Labour Day, Education Day and the momentum behind the anti-fuel price hike demonstrations. "So this has been planned long before hand", he said.

According to Manullang, Indonesian intelligence agencies had in fact already anticipated the possible involvement of foreign intelligence. Despite this however, he admitted that our intelligence is unable to do a great deal.

"So, regardless of the actions taken by police even if they follow procedures, they are deemed as repressive acts. It is here that it can be said that the demonstrations are not genuine", said the former director of the State Intelligence Coordinating Body (Bakin).

The irony of this continued Manullang is that Indonesian police have already been infiltrated by foreign intelligence agencies so they can be easily provoked to create anarchic incidents.

In order that these protest action do not continue to be anarchic, Manullang is asking President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to order security forces to upgrade efforts to safeguard security. (anw/gah)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Students launch hunger strike to oppose fuel price hike

Jakarta Post - May 27, 2008

Jakarta – Students in Semarang and Makassar began a hunger strike Monday to protest the government's recent fuel price increases.

The strikers, from the Islamic University Students Association, said they would call off the strike if the government revised its fuel policy, which they blamed for driving more people into poverty.

With their mouths symbolically taped shut, the strikers marched on the governor's office in Semarang, Central Java, carrying banners with slogans condemning the price increases.

Governor Ali Mufiz met with the demonstrators but refused to give in to their demands, saying the price hike was inevitable and a difficult decision for the government to make in light of soaring world oil prices.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi, hunger strikers staged a protest at state-run Hasanuddin University. They accused the government of pushing more people into poverty. They said the government should be held responsible for the fuel policy's domino effects, including the soaring prices of basic commodities.

In Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, public transportation came to a complete halt as bus drivers rallied at the governor's office to voice opposition to the fuel price rises. Thousands of workers and students had to walk to their workplaces and campuses.

"We will not go back to work unless the government meets our demands and revokes the decision to raise fuel prices, or gives us fairer new fares," said Simon Taneo, a minivan driver who plies the Kupang-Oepura route.

The municipal administration raised public transportation fares from Rp 2,000 to Rp 2,500 for adults, and from Rp 1,000 to Rp 1,250 for students. However, drivers say this is not enough.

"If the old fuel prices are not restored then we demand the fares be raised to Rp 3,000 for adults and Rp 2,000 for students," Simon said.

Kupang Deputy Mayor Daniel Adoe said the drivers should understand and accept the new tariffs because it was a consequence everyone had to bear as a result of the government's decision.

In Surabaya, East Java, hundreds of public transportation drivers marched on the provincial legislature, demanding the government review public transportation fares there.

They forced other drivers still operating to join them by forcing passengers out of buses and taxis. "Stop the car. Don't you understand were are on strike for better conditions?" they shouted to other drivers.

Hundreds of riot police were deployed in anticipation of the protests turning violent.

"We are not here to riot but to show the government its decision has hurt the people very badly," a protester said.

Unas students take their protest to the House

Jakarta Post - May 27, 2008

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – The National University (Unas) has welcomed lawmakers' support for the release of students who have been in police custody since a clash between police and student protesters at the campus on Saturday.

About 20 Unas students visited the House of Representatives' Commission III overseeing legal affairs on Monday. "We have come here to voice our three demands," said Ali Nugroho of Unas' student representative body.

"We urge the police to release our friends who were arrested on Saturday. We strongly condemn the police actions, which must be prosecuted. We demand compensation for Unas assets that were damaged and rehabilitation of the university's reputation," he said.

"If these demands are not met, we will mobilize in greater forces."

On Saturday morning, police arrested at least 140 protesters after the two sides began pelting bottles and rocks at each other at the Unas campus in Pejaten, South Jakarta.

Students and alumni had gathered from Friday night to protest against the government's decision to increase fuel prices. According to students, the police forced their way onto campus and assaulted the protesters, including women, before arresting them.

Police said they had made the arrests after the protesters turned violent and in response to complaints from local residents the protest was interfering with dawn prayers.

Police initially arrested at least 140 students, but detained only 31 for further investigation over the clash and for alleged drug use.

In response to the Unas students' demands, Commission III is considering setting up a fact-finding team.

"We will gather more information, including from the police and from our own on-site inspections. We hope to reach a decision about this team in two or three days," head of Commission III Trimedya Panjaitan said.

Unas rector Umar Basalin also met House Speaker Agung Laksono on Monday. He said suspected outsiders had provoked the students' actions.

"Our investigation found some of the people detained by the police were not our students," he said. He said police had overreacted in the incident, but he also urged them to immediately investigate two grenades found on campus.

Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo said he regretted the protest, but added the police action was to protect other citizens, who were disturbed by the protest. "It is one of the roles of the police to take action against outlaws; there is no police-free area in the country when it comes to criminal acts," he said.

Bambang said his ministry had contacted other rectors in anticipation of other similar incidents. "I told them on the phone that rallies were okay but asked them please not to do things that might disrupt public order or violate regulations, and please not to commit any crimes," he said.

Bambang acknowledged he had not contacted Unas. "The director general for higher education has since contacted Unas' deputy rector in regard to the incident. In the end it is Unas' rector who must be take responsibility for what happened at his campus," he said. (alf)

Policemen probed after campus chaos

Jakarta Post - May 27, 2008

Jakarta – City police have begun investigations into police officers involved in a clash with student protesters at National University (Unas) at Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.

"The internal affairs and security division called on the officers this morning," said police spokesperson Snr. Comr. Ketut Untung Yoga Ana on Monday.

He said he did not have the data for the number of police questioned. Head of the internal affairs and security division Sr. Comr. Syaiful Bachri refused to talk to reporters when he was contacted on his mobile phone.

Ketut said the police were continuing to investigate the Unas case and expected coordination and cooperation from the campus.

"We cannot carry out the investigation inside the campus now as we're still waiting for the rector's permission. After that, we may also deploy some precinct police officers to handle the inspection," he said.

On Saturday morning, police arrested around 150 people, mostly Unas students, after both sides threw bottles and stones at each other on campus. Four officers and 14 students were badly injured after violence broke out.

The students had gathered Friday evening to protest against the government's decision to increase fuel prices.

On Sunday, the police tested students for drugs and named 55 of them drug users, three dealers and 31 as having committed violent acts. They released the remainder.

The National Commission on Human Rights established a special team to investigate the case. On Monday afternoon, around 30 college students of the Indonesian Christian University staged a demonstration on Jl. Mayjen Sutoyo, East Jakarta. They also burned rubber tires, which affected traffic flow from Cililitan to Kebon Nanas in East Jakarta, stopping vehicles from passing.

The peace protest turned violent and the congestion on the street worsened when the students began throwing stones at the police officers. The students rushed back to their campus when police attempted to control the demonstration.

Operational division head Sr. Comr Budi Winarso said he deployed more personnel to help the East Jakarta precinct police handle the demonstration. (ind)

Bus drivers in Jakarta strike for higher fares

Jakarta Post - May 27, 2008

Jakarta – Hundreds of public minivan drivers in Jakarta staged a strike Monday, demanding an official fare increase in the wake of fuel price rises, leaving many commuters and students stranded.

One striking driver, Cecep Wahyudin, told The Jakarta Post they wanted the administration officially to raise fares.

"It's frustrating having to quarrel with passengers just to get an extra Rp 500 over the current fare," he said. "So, until the fare rises are made official... we will continue the strike."

Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said the central and local governments would soon issue decrees on new transportation fares. "If there are official decrees, any illegal decrees will no longer be valid," said Jusman, referring to decrees issued by public transportation owners to raise fares.

There are more than 400 public minivans serving the Tanah Abang- Kebayoran Lama route and 300 serving the Tanah Abang-Meruya route in Jakarta. Drivers are demanding fare increases for their routes of Rp 500 to Rp 1,000.

Cecep, who has been driving the Tanah Abang-Kebayoran Lama route for eight years, said 40 percent of passengers were willing to pay higher fares without being asked. "Before the fuel price hike, I earned just Rp 30,000 to Rp 50,000 a day. Now, it is more like Rp 25,000," Cecep said.

Those public transportation drivers not taking part in Monday's strike were charging passengers an additional Rp 500 to Rp 2,000 despite no official announcement on the issue.

Air-conditioned buses traveling between Bekasi and Jakarta have increased fares from Rp 5,500 to Rp 6,500, while non-air- conditioned buses are charging Rp 5,000, up from Rp 4,000. Public minivans in Bekasi have raised fares by Rp 500.

A teacher and Bekasi resident, Lina, said, "Even before the minivan driver asks, I don't mind paying him the extra charge. I realize we passengers are not the only ones affected by the fuel price hike; the drivers too are affected."

The secretary of the Jakarta chapter of the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda), TR Panjaitan, said before the fuel price increases were announced that if the government raised prices by 30 percent, transportation fares were likely to go up by 20 percent.

"This is just a rough estimate. We will set up a special team to determine the fares right after the government announces the new fuel prices," Panjaitan said.

He said fuel prices were just one of 156 factors in calculating fares. "Fuel only accounts for 5 percent of the total fare," he said.

Meanwhile, many motorcycle taxi, or ojek, drivers were seen by the Post benefiting from Monday's transportation strike, looking for passengers along Jl. Palmerah Utara in West Jakarta, which is usually jammed with public minivans. (ind)

Fuel protests won't affect SBY popularity, say observers

Jakarta Post - May 27, 2008

Abdul Khalik and Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – The quick disbursement of cash aid to lower income families has tempered protests after the government raised fuel prices, helping President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono avoid political fallout from the controversial decision, observers say.

They said groups opposed to the price increases, including political parties, non-governmental organizations and students, have failed to consolidate due to divergent interests and motives, undercutting the fight against the fuel price rises.

Indra J. Pilliang of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said here Monday the government should be given credit for its quick disbursement of cash assistance to the poor.

"The efficient implementation of the direct cash aid program has stopped oppositional moves from accumulating into widespread protests," he told The Jakarta Post.

After weeks of uncertainty, the government raised fuel prices by an average of 28.7 percent last Friday to help salvage the state budget, which has been strained by soaring crude oil prices.

Starting Saturday, the price of Premium gasoline rose to Rp 6,000 (65 US cents) a liter from Rp 4,500, a liter of diesel went from Rp 4,300 to Rp 5,500 and kerosene from Rp 2,000 to Rp 2,500.

To help offset the impact on the poor, the government is providing cash transfers of Rp 100,000 per month and 15 kilograms of subsidized rice to 19.1 million low-income families through the end of 2008.

Lawmaker Harry Azhar Azis of the Golkar Party agreed the fuel price increases would not hurt President Yudhoyono's popularity ahead of the 2009 elections due to the success of the cash aid program.

"In fact, it is highly possible that cash assistance will boost Yudhoyono's chance of reelection, as people will feel that they received money in a time of need from Yudhoyono, and will be thankful despite the fuel prices increases," he said.

Addressing participants of the Indonesian Regional Investment Forum in Jakarta on Monday, Yudhoyono said raising fuel prices was a difficult decision that could have political repercussions.

"But this is not a popularity contest, not when it comes to saving our economy and protecting our people. Leadership is not about taking the easy option. It is about making necessary decisions, no matter how difficult they are," he said. Both Indra and Harry said Yudhoyono has also been helped by the deep divisions between opposition groups in the House of Representatives and among students across the country.

"The protests have been very sporadic and divided. There is no genuine move, as every protest is used by others to blame the government. Students have been hesitant for fear they will be used by certain groups to undermine Yudhoyono," Indra said.

Chairman of the Indonesian Students Executive Council, Budiyanto, said student groups were divided over how to respond to the fuel price policy. He said some students wanted to seek support from lawmakers at the regional level, while others wanted to confront Yudhoyono directly at the Presidential Palace.

Lawmaker Ganjar Pranowo, however, warned Yudhoyono not to raise domestic fuel prices further, as global oil prices hit $132.7 a barrel on Monday. "What if global oil prices reach $142 per barrel this year? Will the government again raise domestic fuel prices? I think the answer is we have to increase our oil production," he said.

Team formed to investigate Unas case

Jakarta Post - May 26, 2008

Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights is setting up a special team to investigate a clash between police officers and student protesters at National University (Unas) in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, on Saturday.

Vice chairperson of the commission, M. Ridha Saleh, said the team would look into possible abuses committed by officers against protesters.

"Our preliminary investigation suggests the officers attacked the protesters. We also found some indications of violence, torture and destruction," he said Sunday.

Ridha said whatever occurred, the police as an institution should be held responsible, not individual officers.

On Saturday morning, police arrested at least 140 protesters after the two sides began pelting bottles and rocks at each other at the university campus.

The protesters, students and alumni, had gathered Friday night to protest the government's decision to increase fuel prices.

According to students, the police charged in and beat protesters, including women, before arresting them.

Police said they made the arrests after the protesters turned violent, and in response to complaints from residents that the protest was interfering with dawn prayers.

Police initially arrested at least 140 students, but detained only 31 for further investigation over the clash, as well as drug use.

Hermawanto from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute said even if the police were provoked, officers could not chase down and assault protesters. "I totally agree with the commission's idea to set up an investigative unit," he said.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Abu Bakar Nataprawira said police would not try and prevent the commission from looking into the incident. "It is their right and authority. The police will not and, actually, cannot prohibit them from establishing the team," he told The Jakarta Post.

He said the police would set up their own team to look into Saturday's events. The police team, he said, would provide any assistance needed by the commission. "The police will not hide anything from the public," he said. (uwi)

100 arrested in Indonesia over fuel hike protest: police

Agence France Presse - May 24, 2008

Jakarta – Police arrested more than 100 protesters in the Indonesian capital Saturday after some burnt tyres and threw molotov cocktails during a rally over fuel price rises, police said.

Indonesia hiked the cost of fuel by nearly 30 percent from Saturday in response to soaring global oil prices, and a ballooning subsidy bill, leaving hard-pressed households facing even more economic woes.

"More than 100 people have been detained for questioning," a police officer identified only as Ari told AFP.

He said that hundreds of students staged the rally early Saturday in front of the National University in South Jakarta over the price rise decision. "Protesters have thrown small fuel bombs (molotov) towards the police and burned tyres on the streets," he said.

Police also arrested about 26 protesters who rallied outside the presidential palace at midnight on Friday, when the price rise came into effect, Detikcom News Website reported. A police officer said protesters had no permit to stage a rally there.

In Bandung city in West Java, 1,000 protesters from hardline Muslim group Hizbut Tahrir held a protest Saturday morning to condemn the government's move on prices, local ElShinta radio reported.

Many ordinary Indonesians say higher fuel prices combined with the recent surge in the cost of food will put an intolerable strain on family budgets.

The price hike sparked protests across the sprawling archipelago of 234 million people when it was flagged earlier this month by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The government defended the decision on Friday, saying in a statement that even with the hike, fuel was still subsidised and "lower than in poor countries such as East Timor."

100 students arrested after bottle battle

Jakarta Post - May 24, 2008

Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta, Semarang, Kupang – More than 100 people were arrested Saturday during protests at National University (Unas) in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.

Hundreds of Unas students and alumni had gathered to protest the government's fuel price rises.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Adang Firman confirmed the arrests. "We have arrested a total of 140 people," he said in a press conference at the South Jakarta Police headquarters Saturday.

The police said they had made the arrests because the protesters had resorted to violence.

City Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Ketut Untung Yoga Ana said the police had received complaints from residents because the protest lasted until dawn prayers.

The police took action after students began throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at around 5 a.m.

Rosiana, a former student of Unas' school of social and political studies, said the gathering inside the campus had started with about 20 students and alumni at 9 p.m. on Friday. The other students joined them after that.

"We then burned tires and blocked the road (Jl. Sawo Manila in Pejaten) to signify our protest," Rosiana said. "There was a lot of chaos between 11 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. when more than 200 protesters continued to demonstrate."

She said hundreds of police officers entered the campus after throwing back the bottles and stones thrown by the protesters from inside. The police also beat protesters until they bled, including women and those who had already surrendered, before arresting more than 150 people, she said.

She said her team, along with the Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute and the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, planned to provide legal defense for those arrested. Her team will also gather support from a 12-university alliance for subsequent protests.

In Semarang, dozens of University of Diponegoro students rallied Saturday against the fuel price increase.

In Kupang, hundreds of minivan drivers who cover the route between Kupang and Noelbaki held a strike Saturday morning. The strike meant some passengers had to walk about 12 kilometers to reach the bus terminal outside town to take alternative public transport.

Public transport on other routes continued to operate Saturday, but fares were increased arbitrarily. (ind)

[Suherdjoko contributed from Semarang and Yemris Fointuna from Kupang.]

Angry protests as Indonesia hikes fuel prices

Agence France Presse - May 24, 2008

Presi Mandari, Jakarta – Angry students hurled molotov cocktails at police after Indonesia hiked the cost of gasoline by 33 (sic) percent Saturday to rein in subsidies that are exploding along with world oil prices.

More than 100 protesters were arrested as students burned tyres and threw homemade fire-bombs outside the National University in Jakarta in response to the midnight price hike, police said.

Other rallies broke out in the second city of Surabaya, where students commandeered a fuel truck from state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina, and in Bandung where hundreds of hardline Muslims marched through the streets.

The price hike took effect at midnight in response to soaring global oil prices and a ballooning subsidy bill that is straining the budget and sucking state funds away from basic services and infrastructure.

Long queues formed at petrol stations ahead of the announcement Friday and 26 demonstrators were arrested at a protest at the presidential palace overnight.

Millions of Indonesians live on less than two dollars a day and protesters say higher fuel prices combined with the recent surge in the cost of food will put an intolerable strain on family budgets.

Indonesian motorists are now paying 33.3 percent more to fill their tanks with premium gasoline at 6,000 rupiah (65 cents) a litre, while diesel fuel for transportation has leapt 27.9 percent to 5,500 rupiah.

"We will fight against this abuse of power by the government. It's unacceptable," protest organiser Wardah Hafidz, of the Urban Poor Consortium, told AFP.

"The fuel hike will be followed by rises in the price of basic food, education and transport fares, meaning more people won't have money to educate or feed their children. This country will collapse."

Vice President Jusuf Kalla defended the police, at least four of whom were injured in the protests.

"Police have to be firm against any anarchic protests. Protesters that block the roads must be arrested. Democracy doesn't allow any road-blocking," he was quoted as saying by Detikcom online news service.

The price hike has sparked protests across the sprawling archipelago of 234 million people since it was flagged earlier this month by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The president had promised not to raise fuel costs until after elections next year, but with oil prices smashing records above 130 dollars a barrel this week the government felt it had no choice but slash subsidies.

Analysts welcomed the rises and said other Asian counties would have to follow suit or watch their budgets break under the weight of massive fuel subsidies.

"I think this move is positive for Indonesia in terms of its fiscal position," Royal Bank of Scotland economist Euben Paracuelles said in Singapore on Friday. "It looks like that's where most governments are heading right now."

Taiwan's new government has decided to end a freeze on domestic gasoline prices from June, while Malaysia is reportedly looking at making wealthy consumers pay more for fuel under a new two- tier subsidy system.

Even regional giant India is reeling from the oil price onslaught, with the petroleum secretary admitting Friday that a fuel price hike was "inevitable" to bail out state oil firms selling at hugely discounted rates.

To soften the blow, Jakarta is offering direct cash transfers to the poor amounting to 14.1 trillion rupiah (1.5 billion dollars).

The government was at pains to point out that even with the price hike Indonesians still enjoyed some of the cheapest fuel in the world.

But Vice President Kalla said the government was not afraid to adjust prices even higher in Southeast Asia's biggest economy if the oil markets continued to climb.

The last fuel price rise in Indonesia was a whopping 126 percent in 2005, sparking mass demonstrations but no long-term unrest.

Indonesia targets poor with cash amid fuel protests

Reuters - May 24, 2008

Telly Nathalia, Jakarta – Indonesia's government jacked up fuel prices on Saturday, sparking protests, but some $1.5 billion of cash handouts intended to cushion the blow for poor families could turn out to be a savvy move, politically and economically.

With parliamentary and presidential elections due next year, the issue of fuel subsidies has proved a tricky one for the government because of the risk of widespread social unrest if fuel and food prices rise sharply.

Soaring global oil prices have forced Indonesia to spend billions of dollars on fuel subsidies, which the government said mainly benefit the wealthy rather than the poor – and at the expense of spending on health, education, and infrastructure.

A cash handout scheme, which came into effect on Saturday in several big cities, is intended to pass on some of the savings on fuel subsidies to about 19 million poor families, to help offset the rise in fuel and food prices. "It will cushion the poor," said Fauzi Ichsan, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank.

Political parties that criticize the cash handouts risk appearing anti-poor in a country where millions live on less than $2 a day, some analysts said. Indonesia is not alone in being forced into a corner by record crude oil prices. Taiwan said it was abolishing price controls on petrol and diesel, while India and Malaysia are also poised to take action.

Malaysia's top committee on inflation will review the country's mounting fuel subsidies at a meeting on May 27, state Bernama news agency said on Saturday, quoting Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak. But strong demand from China, which is resisting lifting retail prices, means that global oil prices are likely to remain high.

Basic needs

While the Indonesian government had signaled its plan to raise fuel prices for several weeks in response to soaring global oil prices, many ordinary Indonesians are struggling to cope with the steady rise in the cost of basic goods.

It's not just higher fuel prices that are a worry for Indonesia's fast-growing population of motorbike and car owners. The cost of soybeans, wheat, cooking oil, and other daily necessities has soared, hurting many poor and middle-income households.

Inflation hit a 19-month high of 8.96 percent in April, and the fuel price hike is expected to push it above 12 percent this year. Earlier this month, the central bank raised its key interest rate to 8.25 percent, the first increase since December 2005, and further tightening is likely, which could slow economic growth.

"All basic needs are expensive. We are not able to protest against it, and even if we were to protest, the price will still increase," said Saeni, 63, as she and her husband collected 300,000 rupiah ($32), or three months' worth of cash handouts, at a post office in Jakarta on Saturday. "A hundred thousand rupiah is meaningless. Even for eating, it will not be enough."

Indonesians have been out on the streets in recent weeks in protest at the plans to raise fuel prices, which even after the average 28.7 percent increase are still among the lowest in Asia.

Several protests took place on Saturday, in Jakarta and other parts of the country. About 100 students in Surabaya, Indonesia's second-biggest city, clashed with police and at least four students were wounded, Metro TV reported.

A senior police official said about 175 people were arrested in Jakarta on Friday night after the government's announcement prompted protests.

Long queues had formed at petrol stations on Friday as motorists tried to fill up ahead of the announcement, and local media have reported several instances of fuel hoarding and smuggling in recent weeks.

Police officers guarded post offices, as well as petrol stations on Saturday, to maintain calm.

Wawang, 38, a motorbike taxi driver in Jakarta, said that the rise would directly affect his ability to make a living.

"The increasing of fuel prices is difficult for us as motorbike- taxi drivers because if we raise our price, then our customers maybe will not use our services and change to use buses, for example. But if we don't increase the price, we are going to get less income." (Writing by Sara Webb; Editing by Bill Tarrant)

Fuel up 28.7% as aid plans begin

Jakarta Post - May 24, 2008

Aditya Suharmoko and Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – After weeks of uncertainty, the government on Friday raised subsidized fuel prices by an average of 28.7 percent to help salvage the state budget, which has been severely strained by high-flying crude oil prices.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro told a press conference that per-liter Premium gasoline was being increased from Rp 4,500 (48 US cents) to Rp 6,000, diesel from Rp 4,300 to Rp 5,500 and kerosene from Rp 2,000 to Rp 2,500.

"The government needed to adjust the fuel prices considering the rise in global oil prices," said Purnomo, referring to oil prices that are currently hovering at $130 per barrel.

Also attending the briefing were Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Industry Minister Fahmi Idris, State Minister for National Development Planning Paskah Suzetta, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie, Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal, Social Affairs Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah, Home Affairs Minister Mardiyanto and Communications and Information Minister Muhammad Nuh.

The last fuel price increases took place in October 2005.

To help mitigate the move's impact on the poor, the government is providing cash transfers of Rp 100,000 per month until the end of 2008 and 15 kilograms of cheap rice to poor households, Aburizal said. According to the Central Statistics Agency, the country has 19.1 million poor households nationwide.

The cash transfer aid can be obtained beginning May 24 from post offices, Bachtiar said. He said people were advised not be rushed in obtaining the money as "the money can be obtained until the end of the year".

Aburizal also said the government would provide a one-time payment of Rp 150,000 to low-ranking civil servants, honorary workers and military and police officers, to be disbursed in July. In addition, up to Rp 14 trillion has been allocated to help people in rural areas maintain their small businesses.

Earlier in the day, governors said they supported the fuel price increases and were ready to help monitor the distribution of the direct cash aid in their provinces. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the governors held a meeting before the fuel policy's announcement.

Under the cash program, each household has to secure a card to be eligible for the disbursement. "For Jakarta, we are ready to ensure that the cash program reaches the designated people safely," Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo said after the meeting.

BPS chairman Rusman Heriawan said the fuel price increases would add 0.5 percent to May inflation. "Calculating the low inflation in May 2007 and last month's year-on-year inflation of 8.96 percent, inflation in May will likely reach above 10 percent," said Rusman.

Police attack on university campus a 'slaughter': Witness

Detik.com - May 24, 2008

Irwan Nugroho, Jakarta – The police attack on the University of Indonesia campus this morning has left those who witnessed it dumb founded after they watched hundreds of police officers surround some 50 or so students, who were then beaten, stripped naked and forced into trucks.

The incident started at around 5am when police tried to break up a demonstration by some 300 students on the university campus in the Pejaten area of South Jakarta. When police began beating and kicking the students, they fled in disarray with police in pursuit. Some were able to escape buy jumping over the campus fence while others were able to hide in buildings.

Fifty or so of the students however were not so lucky. Cornered by police with no chance to escape they stood their ground by sitting down on the ground.

"They held the sit down action so that police would stop the attack. But instead police formed a circle and as a mob beat us with truncheons and their shields", said Baron, who succeed in escaping by jumping the fence from behind which he witnessed the incident."It was a slaughter!", he added.

Baron's testimony was supported by a university security officer called Iwan who witnessed the attack from a forth floor toilet in a nearby building. "They were trampled on. Basically the police were totally sadistic", recalled Iwan. "The student's shirts were ripped off. They (the students) screamed for mercy", he said.

Following the`slaughter', along with some 100 other students, they were taken away in trucks to the South Jakarta district police headquarters. At 9am, the campus grounds was still littered with clothing, keys, motorcycle helmets, trousers and wallets. Drops of blood were visible in and around the vicinity.

Additional 40 arrested

At around mid-day the South Jakarta district police arrested an additional 40 students from the National University who were suspected of being involved in the demonstration overnight.

"For now we have secured a total of 140 people", said district police chief Inspector General Adang Firman in a joint press on Saturday May 24. As of 12noon, the 140 were undergoing intensive questioning by officials at the district police headquarters.

[Abridged translation by James Balowski from two reports in Detik.com on May 24.]

26 arrested at early morning protest against fuel price hikes

Detik.com - May 24, 2008

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – As soon as the price of fuel was officially increased at 12 midnight, 26 people from the People's Struggle Front (FPR) held a protest action in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta. Police immediately moved in and rounded up the demonstrators and all 26 were taken to the Metro Jaya regional police headquarters.

"We brought them to the regional police [headquarters] for questioning. We will release them tomorrow morning, because they were not anarchic", said Central Jakarta police chief Senior Commissioner Heru Winarko in Jakarta on Saturday May 24.

Prior to being place in a police truck, the protesters were allowed to convey their demands for around 45 minutes."We then broke the demonstration up because they did not have a permit and were demonstrating at night", added Winarko.

In a press release, the FPR said that even though their actions was peaceful police responded excessively by arresting them. They added that prior to the demonstration an FPR member was also arrested at a picket in the Salemba area of Central Jakarta. (aba/aba)

[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski.]

Aceh

Government to approve 12 Aceh parties

Jakarta Post - May 26, 2008

Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – After a prolonged verification process, the government is set to approve 12 local parties to be registered with the Justice and Human Rights Ministry.

Local justice and human rights official Rajali Ubit said the 12 would be recognized once the administrative and legal requirements (set by the 2006 Aceh administration law) had been completed.

The parties were identified as the Darussalam Party, the Acehnese People Party (PRA), the United Acehnese Muslim Party (PPMA), the Aceh Party, the Gabthat Party, the Women's Caring Alliance Party (PARA), the Acehnese Meudaulat Party, the Local Aceh Party (PLA), the Sovereign Atjeh Party, the Peaceful, Prosperous Aceh Party (PAAS), the United Atjeh Party (PBA) and the SIRA Party.

The government's legal acceptance of local parties is one of several conditions in the 2006 law allowing them to contend the 2009 legislative and presidential elections.

Two parties failing the verification were the United Archipelagic Veranda Party (PSPNS) and the Acehnese Ummah Nahdatul Party (PNUA), because neither had branches in all regencies and municipalities in the province.

"After checking on the parties' paraphernalia, statutes and chapters, and their functionaries in regencies and municipalities, all 12 met the legal and administrative requirements in the 2008 political party law," Rajali said.

He thanked the former rebels for their readiness to comply with the Indonesian law in renaming GAM (Free Aceh Movement) the Aceh Party, with its revised flag and party symbols.

"The changes were made to comply with the Indonesian political system, and the peace agreement signed by the government and GAM in Helsinki on Aug. 15, 2005," he said.

Under the legal and administrative requirements, local parties are not allowed to have similar political paraphernalia such as symbols and flags.

Rajali said a government-backed team had verified the parties' organizations, functionaries and and their branches and units in regencies, subdistricts and rural areas.

Antara news agency recently reported that the verification process, which was postponed because of a funding shortage, had been conducted after the Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency provided Rp 540 million. The verification was originally scheduled to be completed in January.

West Papua

Papua: A war with no enemy

Al Jazeera - May 29, 2008

Step Vaessen, Papua – While much of Indonesia has moved on to become a vibrant democracy, the province of Papua in the far east of the archipelago has been left behind.

Suharto, Indonesia's former strongman president, stepped down 10 years ago, but the legacy of his often harsh rule continues to be felt here.

In June last year, Meage, a resident of the small town of Wamena in the highlands of Papua, was locked up in the house of a local military officer after being accused of stealing the equivalent of $30. "They pulled out my nails and started to burn my body with a candle. My genitals and tongue were severely burned," he says.

These claims have never been officially investigated, but are nevertheless fuelling many Papuan's desire for independence.

Human rights activists like Theo Hesegem have been pressing authorities to have the soldiers arrested, although so far to no avail. "We have no weapons," he says. "If the military continues to use violence against us it is clear that we don't want to be part of Indonesia."

According to some estimates there are more than 10,000 Indonesian soldiers stationed in what is officially an autonomous province. They were originally deployed to the region to counter a low level insurgency by the Free Papua Movement (OPM), which waged a campaign for independence in the 1960s and 70s.

Despite being rich in resources, Papua remains Indonesia's poorest province

Resource rich

The OPM have long since put down their arms, but dreams of independence live on among the Papuan people.

Papua only became part of Indonesia in 1969 after the former Dutch colony – under supervision of the United Nations – organised a referendum that is widely seen as a sham.

In 2001, in an effort to convince Papuans to stay a part of Indonesia, the government in Jakarta promised extensive self rule for the resource-rich province.

Profits from the region's abundant gold, copper and timber reserves used to end up in Jakarta, but under the new deal Papuans were promised a greater slice of the pie. Seven years later few Papuans have seen any improvement.

On paper, more money has been sent from the central government but most of it has vanished in bureaucratic channels or has been stolen by local officials.

Barnabas Suebu, Papua's first directly elected governor, has promised to clean up the system, saying he wants to make sure that the money does indeed reach the province's two million inhabitants. But, he says, it is a process that will take time – "at least another five to ten years". Only then will Papuans start to feel the benefit.

In the meantime many Papuans have lost their patience. Autonomy, they say, has failed them – money alone is not enough; they also need to see justice.

Welfare

Suebu, the Papuan governor, says the soldiers must change their approach. "There is no war going on here, so the military should use a more persuasive approach improving the welfare of the people," he told Al Jazeera.

But in the Baliem Valley in the central highlands of Papua, welfare has a very abstract meaning. Just two years ago, 55 people in the remote Yohukimo district died of starvation.

We could only reach the area by foot after a major landslide cut off the only road. Here life continues as it has done for centuries – women working their potato fields, men still wearing the traditional 'koteka', penis sheath. Until just 60 years ago the people in the Baliem Valley had had no contact with the outside world.

Husit Wetipo, the local tribal chief, who lives in a typical traditional Papuan hut called a "honay", told us he has lost all hope. "We know a lot of money is coming in but we don't receive anything," he says. "The government treats us as mad people because we are still not wearing any clothes."

Wetipo dreams of a free Papua and a better life for his people. Indonesia meanwhile continues to pursue its hearts and minds policy – and so far, it seems, they are winning neither.

PNG blocks West Papua's Melanesian Spearhead Group bid

Radio New Zealand International - May 28, 2008

Ratu Epeli Nailatikau – The push by Vanuatu to have West Papuans granted observer status at the Melanesian Spearhead Group is being blocked by Papua New Guinea.

Speaking at the MSG Foreign Ministers' meeting in Port Vila, PNG's Foreign Minister Sam Abal says his country will not allow Indonesia's Papua region to be an MSG matter.

Vanuatu's government has sponsored the issue as a discussion item on this year's MSG agenda and is understood to have won the support of Solomon Islands, Fiji and New Caledonia's FLNKS delegates for granting observer status to West Papuans.

But while the final decision will be made by MSG leaders later in the week, Mr Abal indicated that PNG won't have the West Papuans in the group.

"The issue of Papua for PNG, that is an issue we don't consider as an issue that should be brought into the MSG. It's something that is an internal issue that has a lot of ramifications, implications on it. So we would wish that it should not figure as part of the MSG discussion."

Meanwhile, the Ministers were saying little about the situation in Fiji which has been a key focus of the MSG review of political and security developments in their region.

Fiji's interim Prime Minister is in Port Vila for the MSG leaders summit and the other members of the group are expected to try and gauge his commitment to his promise to have Fiji elections held by next March.

In the meantime, Fiji's interim Foreign Minister Ratu Epeli Nailatikau has briefed his MSG counterparts on the progress his country is making towards returning to democracy.

"And the presentation on Fiji was on what we've done so far. We updated them on that report and what has taken place in Auckland and after Auckland I addressed the meeting on that."

Human rights/law

Fight for human rights 'must go on'

Jakarta Post - May 28, 2008

Jakarta – Indonesian people must continue to speak up against human rights violations committed by their government and other citizens, a rights seminar has concluded.

Executive director of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (Elsam), Agung Putri Astrid Kartika, said here Tuesday the country was facing huge challenges in resolving past human rights crimes.

Examples include the incidents in Tanjung Priok, Jakarta, in 1984 and in Talang Sari, Lampung, in 1989, and the May riots in Jakarta in 1998. "The challenges are related to the historic manipulation of human rights crimes by the ruling parties and a widespread national aversion to uncovering the truth," she said.

"To overcome such challenges, we have to work hand in hand to keep on campaigning on the issue (human rights violations), not only to the government but also to other Indonesian people who do not know about it yet."

Agung Putri said one way to ensure the fight continued was for the government to form a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Elsam has been lobbying for the establishment of such a commission since 2006.

"We have proposed it once and have not succeeded yet. However, we keep on bringing it up because the idea of establishing the commission is to prevent any violations against human rights resulting from any regulation," she said, adding Elsam's proposal had received support from various quarters, including the governor of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

Agung Putri said the function of the commission would be to reveal any human rights violations made by authorities by investigating state officers, instruments, systems and budgets.

"The goal of the investigations would be to revise regulations that could lead to violations, and to make the state admit its mistakes," she said.

Commenting on the proposal, Karlina Supelli, lecturer at the Driyarkara School of Philosophy, agreed greater efforts were needed.

"The country needs to make a continuous effort to resolve crimes against humanity. The commission might be a good way to remind everyone about the issue, as long as it promotes peace and caring," said Karlina, who is also a human rights activist for the Voice of Concerned Mothers.

Elsam also urged the government to start protecting Indonesian citizens' social, economic and cultural rights. The aim of such protection is to ensure citizens are not denied their rights to a decent living, education and development, human rights campaigner Atnike Nova Sigiro said.

"To gain that protection, the first step is for Indonesia to acknowledge such rights as part of citizens' rights." (nkn)

Push to uncover Indonesia's hidden killing fields

Agence France Presse - May 28, 2008

Sruwen Boyolali, Indonesia – In the bloody history of the 20th century, the killing fields scattered through the lush greenery of Indonesia's islands are a rarely mentioned footnote.

In clumps of one or two or even a dozen, unmarked graves containing between 500,000 and two million suspected communists killed in purges between 1965 and 1966 were an unspoken feature of the landscape during general Suharto's 32-year rule.

But with the tenth anniversary of Suharto's 1998 fall this month, activists are finally pushing for investigations into one of the last century's biggest killings, which changed the course of the Cold War and formed the backdrop to the strongman's rise.

On a clattering rural road on Java island, 60-year-old farmer Achmad Nashori recalled how he helped dispose of the bodies.

At his feet was the spot where, more than 40 years ago, he said he was summoned around dawn by local authorities to help bury five communist sympathisers who had been shot dead the night before. With seven other villagers, he dragged the bodies into a pre-prepared grave and covered them in earth.

"There were those whose heads had been shot off, split open, the insides of people's guts had been shot out. There were those who had been shot in the back of the neck, the side of the head, the back and the waist," Nashori said.

Down the road, in anonymous clumps, more graves are believed to hold dozens of victims.

For now, the graves remain undisturbed. Human rights group Kontras is travelling the country talking to witnesses and identifying massacre sites. Indonesia's official human rights body Komnas HAM has also started its own investigation. But those looking into the case say they are running into resistance from the country's elite, where few are keen to revisit the killings.

The violence of 1965-66 had its roots in the tense Cold War politics that marked the final years of the reign of Indonesia's charismatic first president Sukarno, who had fostered the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) as a political force to balance the power of mass religious organisations and pro-Western generals.

But this delicate balance collapsed on 30 September, 1965, with an abortive coup – which was swiftly blamed on the PKI. An obscure general called Suharto took control of the ensuing crackdown while soldiers and "youth groups" trawled the country, rounding up and executing suspected communists.

"All the local people were ordered to bring hoes to bury to bodies," Nashori recalled of the killings near his village.

Nashori said the killings in his area were carried out by soldiers and members of Ansor, the youth wing of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest Muslim organisation.

NU today is a major force in Indonesia, boasting over 30 million members. Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's second-largest Muslim organisation, was also involved, historians say, as were a whole range of organisations that now make up Indonesia's political and religious mainstream.

"These groups were itching to do it following the coup of the 30th of September," said Greg Fealy, an Indonesia expert at the Australian National University. "Once they had the green light from the military, away they went."

Anti-communist propaganda became a mainstay of Suharto's New Order regime, although the killings themselves were a taboo subject.

"Even though it didn't talk openly about the killings, (the regime) knew that everyone knew about the killings and it used this for its own purposes," Fealy said. In the world at large too, the killings went largely unnoticed.

In the grip of the Cold War, many Western governments greeted the swift suppression of the PKI – which was rivalled in size only by the communist parties in the Soviet Union and China – with relief.

Many in Indonesia, particularly among the elite, strongly oppose efforts to exhume graves and bring the 1965-66 case to court. Komnas HAM has been the target of multiple protests by religious and nationalist groups.

"The New Order's propaganda was extremely strong for 32 years, and up until now we also see that the people in the government are an extension of those in power in the New Order, both in terms of people and institutions," said Yati Andriyani, a campaigner with Kontras.

Nur Kholis, the head of Komnas HAM's investigation into the killings, said human rights cases were always difficult to push in Indonesia.

"If reconciliation can be reached through legal processes, a court, that's great. But if that can't be done, these efforts can also push the reconciliation process by political means," Nur Kholis said. "Actually, I'm not too confident about bringing this case to court, but I should try."

Activists slam Saudi court, Indonesian government

Jakarta Post - May 24, 2008

Lilian Budianto, Jakarta – Local women's rights activists have taken up the outcry raised by New York-based Human Rights Watch, following a Saudi Arabian court's acquittal of two people accused of torturing their Indonesian maid.

The activists also blamed the Indonesian government for not providing adequate protection for migrant workers. Nour Miyati, the worker at the center of the controversy, was allegedly tortured by her employers and suffered injuries which forced her to have her fingers and toes amputated.

Miyati, from Sumbawa in West Nusa Tenggara province, was treated in 2005 for gangrene, malnutrition and other injuries. The court ordered her employers to pay her US$670 in compensation.

Anis Hidayah, director of the group Migrant Care, said the acquittal and fine were an insult to both the victim and Indonesia.

"It is unfair that the employers who have rendered Miyati disabled were only ordered to pay $670. This sum of money is nothing compared to the abuse they subjected Miyati to," she said.

She said the acquittal showed Indonesia had poor bargaining power on the international stage. She said the circumstances would be much more different if a similar case occurred with migrant workers from the Philippines, which provides better protection for its migrant workers.

"I have to admit our political diplomacy is so weak we cannot even defend a citizen who has obviously been tortured by her employers," she said.

Miyati's employers denied the allegations of torturing her to the extent she had to have her fingers and toes amputated. They did, however, admit to having caused injuries to her face, but said her fingers and toes were amputated as a result of other medical problems, as stated in a medical report from the hospital where Miyati was treated.

At the start of the trial, Miyati had no legal representative and was not accompanied by any representative from the Indonesian Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

Judges later pressed charges of false allegations against Miyati and sentenced her to 79 lashes, but these charges were dropped. The case proceeded with the initial charges, and Miyati was represented by a lawyer appointed by the Indonesian government.

Kamala Chandrakirana, chairwoman for the National Commission on Women, said the government should demand an explanation for the acquittal from the Saudi Arabian government. "We have kept silent for too long," she said.

Kamala said Miyati's case was not the first such incident of abuse. She said many Indonesian migrant workers have met with severe abuse, and even when they file complaints against their employers, some are imprisoned in what she called a miscarriage of justice.

"The government must take special measures to protect migrant workers, because they are the most prone to mistreatment," she said.

Minister presses for investigation into reports of May 1998 rapes

Jakarta Post - May 24, 2008

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – A state minister on Friday delivered documents on the alleged May 1998 mass rape of mostly ethnic Chinese women to the Attorney General's Office (AGO).

State Minister for Women's Empowerment Meutia Farida Swasono handed over the documents to Attorney General Hendarman Supandji.

The minister's deputy for women's protection Subagyo told The Jakarta Post the documents contained results of research by psychology professor and women's activist Saparinah Sadli.

The research, sponsored by the National Commission on Violence Against Women, found that between May 13 and July 13, 1998, at least 152 women in Greater Jakarta were attacked.

Of this number, 103 were raped (one died), 26 were raped and beaten (nine died), nine were raped and burned alive (all died) and 14 experienced other physical and sexual abuses (one died). Most of these victims were Chinese-Indonesians between the ages of five and 55.

The rapes allegedly took place following widespread anger directed at the country's citizens of Chinese ethnicity, who were accused of being more affluent than other ethnic groups.

"Professor Sadli and her team conducted this research to prove the rape of women of Chinese ethnicity did indeed occur during the May riots," Subagyo said.

He said the research data was collected from 25 respondents consisting of two rape victims, 12 victims' companions and 11 informants. The ministerial office received the research report from the University of Indonesia professor and the women's commission last week.

Sabagyo said the state ministry "has done its job as the vanguard of women's protection. It is now the AGO's duty to follow up on our report".

The alleged rapes have historically received little attention, in part due to lack of evidence and other difficulties in confirming whether the rapes did occur.

The ministry said the interviewed victims had chosen to remain silent to protect their reputations and to avoid further traumatic experiences. Activists managed only to collect testimonies from third parties and victims using pseudonymous.

AGO spokesman BD Nainggolan told the Post the AGO would study the documents from the minister, but added that state prosecutors had no authority to follow up on such cases.

"If it concerns rape... it falls under the police's authority. If it was a human rights violation, then it is the authority of the National Commission on Human Rights," he said. "What we can do perhaps is to give our legal perspective to the police and the commission."

Subagyo said the ministry also planned to submit the research documents to the National Police chief and the Indonesian Military chief.

Hymn for Munir a reminder of unresolved human rights crime

Jakarta Post - May 24, 2008

Jakarta – From a soto (traditional soup) vendor to a lawyer, people from different walks of life have remembered the late human rights activist Munir through the enduring medium of music.

Album untuk Munir (Album for Munir) contains 10 compositions, which were selected in a song competition held by the Solidarity Action Committee for Munir in cooperation with radio news channel 68H (KBR68H) and Jakarta's Green Radio 89.2 FM between October 2007 and January 2008.

The album was launched Friday, although the songs have been aired since the middle of the month.

The album would help remind the public of the incomplete investigation into Munir's murder, head of promotions at KBR68H Eko Sulistyanto said.

The rights campaigner died from poisoning aboard a Garuda flight from Jakarta to the Netherlands in September 2004. A Garuda pilot was convicted of the assassination, but a government-sanctioned fact-finding team found indications that state intelligence officials were involved in the case.

"The album is a good way for the public to get to know Munir better," Edi said.

Of the 10 songs, "Pahlawan Sejati" (True Hero) by Doddy B. Sujatmiko, "Untukmu" (For You) by Nur Iman and "Selamat Jalan Pahlawan Hak Asasi Manusia" (So Long Human Rights Hero) by Neps Band were voted the favorite tracks by KBR68H listeners. The songwriters of those tracks received Rp 10 million (US$1,075), Rp 5 million and Rp 3 million, respectively.

Doddy said he dedicated his song to all true heroes in the country. "The song is not just for Munir, but also for those true heroes out there who fight for other people's rights but are treated unfairly," said Doddy, 27, an amateur musician and a Yogyakarta civil servant, who said he composed his song in only one day.

He admitted to not having known Munir personally, but hailed his commitment to human rights, justice and truth. "Pak Munir had the courage to defend human rights. That is exactly what I wanted to do through my song: to spread Munir's fighting spirit," Doddy said.

Munir's widow Suciwati expressed her gratitude at the album launch. "Music is a great way to influence people. Hopefully, the album can remind people about what happened to Munir," she said.

Other tracks include "Cahaya" (Light) by Jakarta Legal Aid Institute chairwoman Rafinawati and "Masihkah Kita Takut" (Are We Still Afraid) by soto vendor Amir Sadewo.

About 10,000 copies of the album will be distributed nationwide, at a retail price of Rp 40,000. (nkn)

Labour issues

18 thousand garment workers dismissed in Tangerang

Tempo Interactive - May 29, 2008

Joniansyah, Tangerang – More than 18 thousand employees from various companies in the Jakarta satellite city of Tangerang are now unemployed. They lost their jobs because the companies where they worked closed down.

"The number of employees being dismissed continues to rise", said Monang, the head of the Worker's Welfare and Industrial Relations Bureau at the Tangerang Labour Office when speaking with Tempo in Thursday May 29.

Based on data from the Labour Office, [in addition to this] at least 1,300 garment factory employees have lost their jobs this year. In 2007 as many as 17,335 employees were dismissed. The thousands of employees come from scores of factories in the region which have closed due to bankruptcy. "Many companies have collapsed", said Monang.

Monang said that included among the scores of companies that closed down in 2007-2008 were PT Natural Selaras, PT Dong Joe Indonesia, PT Menara Manis, PT Multi Metal, PT Kreasi Media Tama and PT Panca Swakarsa. The majority of these companies were active in the garment sector.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Unions say face harassment, poor labor law enforcement

Jakarta Post - May 28, 2008

Jakarta – Workers unions say that 10 years after Indonesia ratified the International Labor Organization (ILO) convention on freedom of association, workers continue to face discrimination.

Chairman of the Indonesian Labor Unions Campaign Committee, Andy William Sinaga, said here Tuesday about 80 percent of workers unions were still discriminated against.

"Many employers refuse to approve the establishment of unions in their companies. Some approve but they sometimes set up their own unions to counter it," Andy told a discussion held by the ILO in Jakarta.

The event was organized in conjunction with the release of the ILO's report on progress in implementing and realizing freedom of association and collective bargaining in Indonesia, 10 years after its ratification of the ILO convention on freedom of association.

The discussion was attended by union members, representatives of the Indonesian Employers Association and an official from the ministry of manpower and transmigration.

Andy and other representatives of workers unions criticized what they said was the poor enforcement of labor laws.

"We see that the implementation of labor laws, like Labor Union Act 21/2000, Manpower Act 13/2003 and Industrial Relations Disputes Settlement Act 2/2004, is still very poor. Police seem to ignore workers who report their companies," Andy said.

A member of the Indonesian Workers Union, Syukur Sapto, agreed. "Workers who are not satisfied with their companies' policies sometimes report them to the police. But, in some cases, the workers turned out to be the suspects after the companies reported them back to police for defamation. This is not fair," Syukur said.

"We hope the government can improve the law enforcement, educate the police and the people regarding labor laws," he said.

The ILO said Indonesia had made positive progress toward promoting freedom of association and collective bargaining during the last 10 years. It reported that industrial disputes and strikes continued in an environment which generally supported freedom of association.

However, it also noted reports of violations of freedom of association at workplaces, such as employers terminating union officials, arrests of union members at protests and the refusal of companies to honor terms in a collective agreement.

The ILO director for Indonesia, Alan Boulton, said further progress still needed to be made.

"Efforts should be made by the tripartite group – the government, employers and unions – to identify some of the core issues and what can be done with these issues. The government has the responsibility to ensure inspection services, mediation services and law enforcement mechanisms," Boulton said.

Head of the legal and foreign affairs bureau at the ministry of manpower, Mustafa Kemal, said labor laws were sometimes poorly enforced due to a lack of capable inspectors in regional labor agencies. (trw)

Environment/natural disasters

Police, military in wildlife trade: Conservationists

Jakarta Post - May 31, 2008

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Non-governmental organizations have accused the police and military of systematic involvement in illegal trading of endangered species in northern Sumatra.

They said that police and military officers were involved in the transportation of animals such as the Sumatran tiger and anteater found in protected forests in Riau, North Sumatra and Aceh, via Medan and on to other countries.

A. Ridho, a spokesman for the NGOs – the International Leuser Foundation, Flora Fauna International, Leuser Ecosystem Foundation, Conservation International and Sumatra Orangutan Conservation Program – said that transporting the animals was impossible without escort by security authorities.

He mentioned the arrest last week of an Army sergeant major in Tiga Binanga, Karo regency, while escorting a consignment of Sumatran tiger skins to Medan, believed to be poached from the Leuser National Park in Aceh.

"Investigating police said the tiger skins were to be supplied to a local trader in Tiga Binanga for Rp 13 million each," he said, but this was foiled by local police with help from the general public.

Ridho added that NGOs have detected the long-term involvement of security officers in the illegal trade. "But it has been very difficult to arrest them because they are powerful," he said.

He said the Sumatran tiger was found in the Leuser National Park but the population has drastically fallen. He said the seaports of Belawan and Tanjung Balai were believed to be used to take tiger skins and parts out of the country to the international market.

Fitri, a staff member of the Natural Resources Conservation Center, agreed and said there were many hidden tracks in Belawan and Tanjung Balai which could be used to bring the endangered tigers to Malaysia and Singapore.

The intensive poaching of endangered species in Sumatra is prompted by high demand in the international market, Fitri said, "And we are running short of staff to supervise the protected forests which have been their habitats."

WWF has frequently reported on the prevalent poaching of the Sumatran tiger to the annual meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, representing key wildlife protection stakeholders, but the trade has persisted due to increased demand in Southeast Asia for skins and parts.

It is thought that at least 66 Sumatran tigers have been killed in the last two years.

The tiger trade is flourishing in countries like Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos. Local laws have been established to protect the animals but are not effectively enforced, the WWF said.

Over the past 100 years, tiger numbers have dwindled. At the start of the 20th century more than 100,000 wild tigers roamed the Earth. Now with poaching decimating their numbers and extensive logging destroying their habitat, fewer than 7,500 remain. Environmentalists fear that by the end of this century, no tigers will remain in the wild.

House members say no plans for mudflow victims

Jakarta Post - May 31, 2008

Abdul Khalik and Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Members of the House of Representatives say they have no plans to push for immediate measures to help 12,000 families in Sidoarjo, East Java, who were displaced two years ago by a mudflow.

The lawmakers said Thursday a House team had been monitoring the issue and they were waiting for the team's report.

"We have no plans to hold a hearing with the team right now," Andreas Pareira of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) told The Jakarta Post.

Harry Azhar Azis of the Golkar Party was indifferent to the issue, and said his party had nothing to offer the victims to cope with the mudflow, which has inundated four villages and badly affected 11 others.

PDI-P and Golkar are the two biggest House factions, controlling a total of 244 out of 550 seats.

Amid waning political and public support, thousands of victims of the disaster marked the second anniversary of the mudflow with a mass prayer. A planned protest was canceled at the request of the police.

Those affected by the mudflow include 20 police officers who were posted in the villages. They complained of respiratory problems following prolonged exposure to high levels of methane gas emitted from the ground, as well as severely polluted air.

The Prosperous Justice Party's Wahyudin Munawir, a member of House Commission VII on mining, criticized the monitoring team for its lack of ideas on how the government should resolve the disaster.

"We're using the second anniversary of the Lapindo-caused mudflow as momentum to urge the government to be serious in helping and compensating victims fairly," he said.

"The monitoring team has absolutely nothing helpful to say, and other House members have seemingly forgotten about the tragedy already."

The National Commission on Human Rights said Wednesday the state had committed a serious human rights violation in continuing to neglect the rights of the mudflow victims.

Political expert Indra J. Pilliang, from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said he was worried the House's silence on the matter was intentional. He said it was possible the issue would only be brought to the forefront during the 2009 general election.

The government said Thursday it had urged PT Minarak Lapindo Jaya, which operated the well from which the hot mud started spewing, to expedite compensation for the victims.

Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng said the company had started distributing the second part of the compensation package.

"We will continue urging the company to pay the full compensation immediately and fairly, so that the victims' rights are upheld," he said.

As of Wednesday, the company has paid 11 families whose lands were lost to the mud the remaining 80 percent of compensation, following an initial payment of 20 percent. The company says it will take until November to complete all payments.

Andi Darussalam Tabusalla, Lapindo vice president, said his company had offered the victims new homes if they had valid documents for the homes they had lost.

Those without valid property documents were offered empty land instead. They were given the option of selling this land to developer PT Wahana Arta Raya.

Mudflow victims who accepted the compensation have been given 1,067 plots of land at the Kahuripan Nirwana village housing complex, which, like Lapindo, belongs to the Bakrie family.

[Indra Harsaputra contributed to this article from Sidoarjo.]

Massive mudflow turns into public apathy

Jakarta Post - May 29, 2008

Two years after the fact, people in the East Java regency of Sidoarjo are still trying to cope with the mudflow disaster that changed their lives. A piece of good news is that some families have received 20 percent of their compensation from Lapindo Brantas Inc., the firm that owned the mining site from which gas leaked and allegedly played a role in causing the mudflow.

However, the mudflow has since spread to surrounding areas, and newly affected residents have received no compensation from either the government or Lapindo. The Jakarta Post's Ridwan Max Sijabat, Indra Harsaputra and Wahyoe Boedhiwardana filed these reports from a recent visit to the site.

The disaster which began with the emergence of a single gas leak at a mining site on May 29, 2006, has spread beyond the four initially affected villages to eleven neighboring villages in Porong, Sidoarjo regency.

More than 10,000 families who lived in the villages of Siring, Jatirejo, Kedungbendo and Renokenongo now only have memories of their homes and farmland. All are buried under a lake of hardening mud with a surrounding embankment.

New gas leaks have appeared in the eleven surrounding villages outside the mud lake, threatening thousands of other residents. "Suddenly a leak sprouts from under a tile in the kitchen," a resident says. Up to 210 displaced families in Besuki, Jabon district, are living in huts along a section of the unused toll road, seeking justice over their abandoned assets.

No one, including the company which owned the mining site of the first gas leak, Lapindo Brantas Inc., and the government-backed Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency, knows exactly what is really happening beneath the mud.

If you stand at the disaster site along the edge of the lake and watch workers and their heavy equipment, talking with the "mud refugees" and locals, you feel the stark contrast of the scale of the disaster and the apathy surrounding it.

Those who do respond point their fingers at Lapindo, an oil and gas company controlled by the family of Aburizal Bakri, currently coordinating minister for people's welfare. The firm has been accused of shutting the mouths of relevant authorities, including local elites, with money.

The company denies such allegations and Aburizal himself supports views that the mudflow was caused by a natural disaster.

A government investigation team has yet to come up with a conclusive decision. Various experts have offered diverse views and an array of proposals to stop the continuous stream of mud.

Those who maintain the mudflow was triggered by natural causes say it had to do with a volcanic eruption related to the strong earthquake in Yogyakarta and Central Java in May 2006.

Victims and critics say the government has been too slow and has yet to show a strong political commitment to settling the problem. Besides setting up the mitigation agency, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issued a 2007 presidential regulation which held Lapindo responsible for the mudflow and its physical and social impacts.

The regulation ordered Lapindo to immediately disburse 20 percent of a compensation package to residents of the four devastated villages. The remaining 80 percent was to be paid in April of this year, one month before the contract of residents' rents expired. But so far the remaining 80 percent has not been paid and no action has been taken against Lapindo. Those in charge of the compensation say they are still crosschecking data.

Observers surmise that perhaps the government considered the regulation the only measure possible at that time – in the absence of a trial. As things stand, it is not clear, in the event of a similar case, to what extent a corporation should be held responsible. Neither is it clear just when and if the state should take over and let its citizens pay through the state budget.

Several Lapindo executives were held as suspects, but after two years there has been no progress from the police questioning.

Despite pressure from the legislature, whose own fact-finding team concluded the mudflow was a natural disaster, the government remains firm on the presidential regulation which critics considered protective of Lapindo.

The government has yet to rule on the plight of thousands of residents of the later-affected villages, who are not covered by the presidential regulation. Residents of West Siring, Mindi, Besuki and Jatirejo have been living for four months in sparing huts, joining the 2,000 inhabitants of Porong market that have received no food aid since May 1.

Lapindo says it has spent Rp 3.2 trillion to reconstruct damaged infrastructure and the environment, provide humanitarian aid to victims and also the 20 percent of total compensation. The remaining 80 percent of compensation could reach Rp 5.6 trillion.

The government has also allocated Rp 2.11 trillion from the state budget to move damaged infrastructure such as the toll road, the Porong highway and gas pipelines.

Meanwhile thousands of residents still live in hazardous, fetid surroundings.

Chronological Events

May 29, 2006: A fissure spouting hot mud emerges 200 meters from Lapindo Brantas' Banjar Panji 1 well in Siring village, Porong district in Sidoarjo regency.

June 14, 2006: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono tells Lapindo Brantas to appropriately compensate residents affected by the mudflow in Sidoarjo. The President also orders an investigation into the environmental impacts caused by the company's gas exploration activities.

June 17, 2006: Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro orders Lapindo Brantas to compensate victims.

June 20, 2006: Vice President Jusuf Kalla, in front of thousands of mudflow victims, asks Nirwan Bakrie, director of the Bakrie Group, to honor its social responsibilities to mudflow victims.

July 8, 2006: Energy Minister Purnomo says compensation will not come from oil and gas sector mitigation fund. Rather, all costs will be covered by Lapindo Brantas.

Sept. 8, 2006: The government forms the Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency, tasked with dealing with the mudflow, such as plugging the fissure and handling social issues caused by the mudflow.

Oct. 15, 2006: The area within a two-kilometer radius of the fissure is designated off-limits by the Indonesian Geological Association.

Aug. 21, 2007: A House plenary session questions the supervisory team following its assessment. The House considers formally questioning the government over its handling of the mudflow. The supervisory team is given three months to complete its work.

Sept. 15, 2007: The government forms the Sidoarjo Mudflow Settlement supervisory task force to run for a period of 75 days.

Feb. 10, 2008: An embankment collapses and sparks a gas pipeline fire in Jatirejo village.

May 28, 2008: Mud discharge from the fissure intensifies and emits toxic and flammable gases, including methane.

- From various sources

Two years on, Indonesia mud volcano still flowing

Reuters - May 29, 2008

Heri Retnowati, Porong – Two years after a mud volcano started erupting on Indonesia's Java island, thousands of people who lost their homes are still living in squalid makeshift shelters with no signs the flow of sludge is about to stop soon.

On May 29, 2006, hot noxious grey mud began spewing from a gas exploration site in the industrial district of Sidoardjo in East Java, forming what is now known as the Lusi mud volcano.

The mud has now displaced more than 50,000 people and submerged homes, factories and schools and is now flowing at a rate of more than 100,000 cubic-meters a day.

"We don't sleep well at night. We hardly have anything to eat," said Widariana, one of more than 2,000 people who have lived in a market converted into shelters for the displaced.

Some scientists say the mudflow, near the country's second biggest city, Surabaya, was caused by a gas drilling operation by PT Lapindo Brantas.

Lapindo disputes that the disaster, which started two days after a huge earthquake in Central Java, was caused by drilling.

PT Energi Mega Persada indirectly controls Lapindo, which holds a 50 percent stake in the Brantas block from where the mud came. PT Medco Energi International Tbk holds a 32 percent stake and Australia-based Santos Ltd the rest.

The government has ordered Lapindo to pay 3.8 trillion rupiah in compensation to the victims and to cover the damage.

Lapindo has agreed to compensate the victims in two stages and has so far disbursed 20 percent of the compensation cash, with the rest to be paid this month.

"Dozens of us are begging on the streets of Porong. Four groups take turns begging day and night," said Sunarto, who led a group of displaced people from one village buried by the mud.

"Who else must feed displaced people if not Lapindo, because the mud is caused by Lapindo's negligence?" he added.

Lapindo has stopped giving food rations to the displaced since the start of this month, saying that displaced residents should accept the compensation being offered. "They can't live there forever. They should immediately submit documents and accept the compensation," said company spokeswoman Yuniwati Teryana.

Victims have refused to move away from the area, saying they want cash compensation at one go to build their own houses.

Collapsing volcano

New research by a team from Durham University UK and the Bandung Institute of Technology in Indonesia found the mud volcano is collapsing and could subside to depths of over 140 meters.

Such sudden collapses could be the beginning of a caldera, a large basin-shaped volcanic depression, Durham University said.

"This could continue to have a significant environmental impact on the surrounding area for years to come," said research co- author Richard Davies in a statement from Durham.

A spokesman for a government team tasked with handling the disaster, Ahmad Zulkarnaen, said flammable gas had begun coming out from the ground in residential areas not affected by the mud.

The government has tried several schemes to halt the flow, including dropping giant concrete balls into the crater, but the mud continues to spurt.

The situation has also become a bigger embarrassment for the government since PT Energi Mega Persada Tbk is owned by the Bakrie Group, controlled by the family of chief social welfare minister, Aburizal Bakrie.

The Bakrie family last year topped the Forbes' list for the wealthy in Indonesia.

"Why can't Aburizal Bakrie just set aside a little of his wealth for the people of Porong for the sake of his family's good name," said Bambang Kuswiyanto, one of displaced victims.

[Writing by Ahmad Pathoni; Editing by Sugita Katyal and Bill Tarrant.]

Victims pray for help after two years of Indonesia's mud volcano

Agence France Presse - May 29, 2008

Porong – Indonesians displaced by the world's worst mud volcano disaster prayed for help and compensation Thursday beside the sea of sludge that swallowed their homes exactly two years ago.

Around 1,000 people from the affected area of Sidoarjo district of east Java gathered beside the stinking slime for a solemn prayer service, seeking deliverance from further eruptions as well as help to rebuild their lives.

The 2006 eruption killed 13 people, displaced some 36,000 and inundated 12 villages. New research says there are signs the entire area, of 640 hectares (1,580 acres) of Javanese countryside, is sinking and forming a huge crater.

"We prayed so that no other disaster befalls us. We also pray that all the problems we are facing from the mud flow will soon be overcome and settled," displaced resident Sasmito told AFP after the commemoration service. A court has ruled the eruption was a natural disaster but residents, researchers and human rights groups blame exploratory drilling for gas in the area by a company belonging to the country's richest man.

The volcano, dubbed "Lusi," began spurting its methane-filled sludge over the densely populated farming area from a crater that suddenly appeared alongside the drilling well operated by Lapindo Brantas.

The oil and gas company, which is owned by the family of billionaire welfare minister Aburizal Bakrie, has blamed the spectacular mudflow on an earlier earthquake.

The government has ordered the company to pay compensation to residents of only four villages which were in the immediate path of the mudflow, leaving residents of other affected settlements without redress.

And of those entitled to compensation, most have only received 20 percent of the money Lapindo has promised to pay.

"The government only needs to have the political will and the political courage to push the company to pay compensation," said Chalid Muhammad of the Movement to Promote Justice for the Lapindo Victims.

The company took out a half-page advertisement in The Jakarta Post daily on Thursday to underline its "social commitment" to the area, and reiterated that it was not responsible for the enormous mess.

"The fact is most experts believe this is a natural phenomenon," the company said, citing three Indonesian geologists.

A study by Durham University experts last year found the eruption was "almost certainly" caused by work on the exploratory gas borehole.

The national human rights watchdog on Wednesday said its own investigation had concluded that the disaster amounted to a "serious human rights violation" and called on the government to punish those responsible.

So far no one has been charged with any crime in relation to the disaster.

Meanwhile the methane-filled mud is continuing to ooze from the earth at a rate of about 60 Olympic swimming pools a day and all schemes to stop it – including dropping huge concrete balls down the hole – have failed.

"We feel the government is being toothless against Lapindo. But people are not stupid – everyone knows about the relationship between Lapindo, Bakrie and the president," The Jakarta Post said in an editorial.

"But let them play their game, the people will eventually choose," it added, referring to general and presidential elections next year.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last year ordered Lapindo to pay 3.8 trillion rupiah (420.7 million dollars) for compensation and mud containment efforts.

The government has also decided to allot 700 billion rupiah (77 million dollars) in state funds to the relief and rebuilding effort, although it is unclear how much of that money has been dispersed.

Study finds Indonesia 'mud volcano' collapsing

Agence France Presse - May 28, 2008

Jakarta – An Indonesian "mud volcano" that has oozed sludge for two years is collapsing under its own weight, worsening an environmental disaster that has displaced thousands, a study said Wednesday.

Sudden collapses of up to three metres (9.8 feet) have been recorded at the centre of the volcano in East Java, the study by Durham University and the Bandung Institute of Technology found.

"Such sudden collapses could be the beginning of a caldera – a large basin-shaped volcanic depression," the institute said in a statement, adding that the caldera could be as much as 146 metres deep.

"(Scientists) propose the subsidence is due to the weight of mud and collapse of rock strata due to the excavation of mud from beneath the surface," it said.

The volcano in Sidoarjo district has been spewing around 60 Olympic swimming pools of mud a day since erupting to life in May 2006 from a gas drilling hole, owned by oil and gas company Lapindo Brantas.

Drilling by Lapindo, owned by the family of billionaire welfare minister Aburizal Bakrie, has been blamed for causing the mud flow, but the company claims an earthquake in the city of Yogyakarta was to blame.

Twelve villages have been affected by the spreading mud and at least 36,000 people have been forced to flee their homes.

The mud volcano, known as "Lusi", has already been an environmental and economic disaster for local people, and study authors say things will get worse as the mud continues to flow and the centre collapses.

"Sidoarjo is a populated region and is collapsing as a result of the birth and growth of Lusi. This could continue to have a significant environmental impact on the surrounding area for years to come," study co-author Richard Davies said.

War on corruption

Graft cash found in Indonesian customs office: reports

Agence France Presse - May 31, 2008

Jakarta – Indonesian anti-corruption officers discovered thousands of dollars in bribe money at a customs and excise office in Jakarta in a midnight raid, reports said Saturday.

During the raid "more than 300 million rupiah (32,000 dollars) was found," Mohammad Jasin, deputy of the Corruption Eradication Commission, told state news agency Antara. He said the cash was in envelopes attached to import documents at the North Jakarta Tanjung Priok port customs office.

Jasin said it appeared that importers had given the cash bribes to officials "so their documents could be processed without any problems." He added that the government had spent some 4.3 trillion rupiah to reform bureaucracy in the office, including a systems upgrade and salary raises.

Jasin said 20 customs officer were taken in for questioning after Friday's raid, including a man who attempted to hide the illegal cash. The man was "caught trying to hide money in his socks," Jasin told detik.com news website.

He added that the man and another officer were arrested for corruption and could face legal sanctions and be fired from their jobs. The other 18 officers have not yet been charged.

Supreme Court under scrutiny

Jakarta Post - May 24, 2008

Jakarta – Indonesian Corruption Watch has urged the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate alleged graft within the Supreme Court after the court refused to state publicly how appellants' administrative fees were managed.

ICW legal investigator Febri Diansyah said Friday there were indications the Supreme Court had misused administrative fees.

"The court lacks transparency in fee management. People have the right to know where their money goes," Febri said.

"The court has also refused to be audited by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), in violation of the Public Finance Management Law. The court is a state institution so, if it charges fees, the money belongs to the state and the court should publicly declare it in its financial report."

The Supreme Court charges administrative fees for people who want to appeal cases.

Under Supreme Court Decree No. 3/2002, an individual appellant in a civil case must pay Rp 500,000 (US$53). Under Supreme Court Decree No. 8/2002, case reviews attract an administrative fee of Rp 2.5 million.

ICW found the court had collected a total of Rp 31.1 billion in administrative fees between the beginning of 2007 and March 2008, or about Rp 2 billion per month.

"So, where did all the money go? The court should explain this. The KPK should investigate this further because it is about ordinary people's money," Febri said.

Last year, the Supreme Court refused to allow the BPK to audit a 2005-2006 annual administrative management report, saying the money was not considered state revenue.

The BPK said the Supreme Court had violated the Public Finance Management Law. The breach carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in jail and a Rp 500 million fine.

Supreme Court secretary Sareh Wiyono said the court had used all the administrative fees to cover expenses incurred during the trial process, such as photocopying or filing documents.

"So it's not true that we have stolen the money," Sareh told The Jakarta Post. "The Supreme Court doesn't report on fee management because fees are not non-tax state revenue."

He said the government was drafting a regulation on administrative fees. "The government is discussing whether administrative fees will be considered non-tax revenue or not. If they are, we will be responsible for reporting fee management to the public," Sareh said.

He added the Supreme Court would allow the BPK to audit fee management once the regulation took effect. "The chief justice and the agency head have made an agreement about the audit," he said. (trw)

Islam/religion

Ahmadiyah women are 'denied rights'

Jakarta Post - May 24, 2008

Jakarta – Women and children from Jamaah Ahmadiyah families have been suffering not only repeated attacks but also discrimination and human rights abuses from Muslims outside the "deviant" Islamic sect, says a report.

The report, released Thursday by the National Commission on Violence against Women, was based on the commission's observations of Ahmadiyah followers nationwide between January 2005 and February 2008.

It shows Ahmadiyah women, currently living in refugee camps in Lingsar district in West Lombok regency and Praya district in Central Lombok regency, have been denied their right to freedom from gender-based violence, such as mockery, threats and sexual harassment.

Any Ahmadiyah woman married to a non-Ahmadiyah man has been forced to annul her marriage, denying the freedom to start a family, the report says.

Local people claimed marriages between Ahmadiyah women and non- Ahmadiyah men were religiously unlawful and that any child resulting from a marriage would be considered illegitimate.

Ahmadiyah women are also unable to make money because local people refuse to buy goods from them. When Ahmadiyah women offer fruit, vegetables or clothing in traditional markets, most local people avoid them and call them haram (forbidden).

The Ahmadiyah women's rights to health and reproduction have also been affected because they had been traumatized by the attacks, which had led to eating disorders and miscarriages, the report says.

"Besides the trauma, the lack of income has forced most pregnant women in the refugee camps to skip their routine pregnancy checks, which has led to miscarriages. They don't have enough money to see a gynecologist," Euis Siti Aisah, 30, an Ahmadiyah woman, said.

The report says Ahmadiyah children have lost their rights to freedom from discrimination and to education. Euis said Ahmadiyah children were facing difficulties in accessing education.

"For example, before going to school they are not allowed to take a bath in public bathrooms as they are considered haram. In schools, they are seated separately from other students. They also receive different class reports, which specifically identify their religion as Ahmadiyah," she said.

In response to the report, the women's commission has urged the government to immediately revoke all regulations that would justify discrimination against Ahmadiyah followers, especially women and children.

"The commission is aware of 23 regulations that can be interpreted as justification for people to commit violence against women, children and other followers of Ahmadiyah. Eight of the regulations take effect nationwide, while the rest are effective locally," said Arimbi Heroepoetri, who heads the commission's monitoring division.

Based on the report, Maria Ulfah Anshor, chairwoman of the women's wing of Nahdlatul Ulama, concluded the violence against Ahmadiyah followers, especially women and children, was politically motivated.

"It would be wise for the government to hold a dialogue and invite all relevant parties to discuss solutions to the problem," she said. (nkn)

Armed forces/defense

Policy to put TNI out of business is on the way

Jakarta Post - May 29, 2008

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – A policy to guide the government in taking over military businesses will be completed by September, according to the national team responsible for the report.

Team chairman Erry Ryana Hardjapamekas said his group had received strong support in tackling its tasks. "I am confident we can complete the job in four months because we are receiving support from Indonesian Military (TNI) leaders and the Defense Ministry as well as from the Finance Ministry," he said after a discussion on military businesses here Tuesday.

Erry said the Finance Ministry had agreed to increase the defense budget once the government took over the military enterprises. The TNI currently manages 1,520 business units, 1,071 cooperatives and 25 foundations across the country.

Experts said many of the businesses had collapsed after years of mismanagement.

Erry said his team would recruit dozens of university students to help speed up the mapping of military businesses. "We plan to involve about 70 students from the National Administration Institute. We will also invite international auditors to verify our findings," he said.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono set up the team to transfer military businesses in April, four years after the House of Representatives passed the military law. The 2004 law requires the Indonesian military to withdraw from business by 2009.

The team is tasked with identifying military businesses, formulating policies to transfer them to the state and issuing recommendations for the President. The President will then set up another team to implement the transfer the military enterprises.

Erry said his team would verify data on legal businesses only. "We will not touch illegal businesses run by a group or personnel from the military," he said.

The military has long complained about the low defense budget and poor conditions for soldiers.

Experts have said the military's role in business could create conflicts of interest and undermine the professionalism of soldiers, whose main task is to protect the country. They have called on the government to ban all military businesses and to increase the defense budget and improve soldiers' conditions.

Jaleswari Pramodawardani of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) said military businesses contributed less than 1.3 percent of the TNI budget.

She said Indonesia needed to emulate moves by China, which took serious steps to get its soldiers out of business by improving their conditions and increasing the defense budget. "Since the new management system, China has become the country with the second largest defense budget after the United States," she said.

Speaking at a two-day symposium on defense affairs here Wednesday, Centre for Strategic and International Studies senior researcher Kusnanto Anggoro said the Defense Ministry has been implementing "slow-paced reform".

To speed up the process, he said, the ministry and the TNI should restructure their systems to pave the way for progressive development and to reduce the number of personnel for efficiency.

"First, the ministry should start employing civilians rather than military-based personnel. Most civilians offer progressive and creative solutions," he said. "Furthermore, the ministry and the TNI should reduce their personnel to achieve budget efficiency. The budget can later be used for performance improvement."

Kusnanto said about 90,000 of the Army's 150,000 personnel were idle and of no use. "If the reforms are accelerated, I think we could have an ideal military in the next 30 years," he said. (nkn)

TNI territorial function to stay despite reform: Sjafrie

Jakarta Post - May 26, 2008

The reform movement, which began 10 years ago, stipulated the need for the Indonesian Military (TNI) to give up its sociopolitical role and focus on defense. A lot has been done in the past decade to help achieve military and defense reform, although there has been plenty of criticism that change has occurred too slowly. Defense Ministry secretary-general Lt. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin talked to The Jakarta Post's Dwi Atmanta about the issue.

Question: Does the military benefit from reform?

Answer: Reform is making a change from an authoritarian system to democracy, which requires the TNI to establish a new paradigm. We maintain that reform cannot be interpreted as a revolution, but as a rational series of changes, by which we remove the bad things and repair the damage. Reform is not a total overhaul, but the implementation of gradual and systematic changes.

The benefit of reform is it allows the TNI to look at itself and think about the future. Introspection has led to the understanding that no assignments can be executed without legality and legitimacy. The TNI can no longer do as it pleases.

Reform has provided us with ample time to improve ourselves and the intellectual agility of our officers. More importantly, reform should enable the TNI to contribute to the development of a civil society and democratization, without having to compromise our character. Many have accused us of preserving the status quo when we defend our character. We are not.

Thinking about the future requires us to improve our professionalism so as to regain public trust. Under the authoritarian regime our weaknesses were overlooked, but now our shortcomings are on display. An officer who has no competence and fails to develop himself will have no competitive edge and will become a laughing stock.

The TNI has always talked about gradual reform. When will it be complete?

Reform must not be restricted to a certain time frame because an organization is dynamic. If a time limit is set, everybody will fall asleep when the goal is reached. Reform means changes which that do not take place drastically or are not revolutionary. Reform is an evolution.

A military organization is dynamic and has to adapt to any developments. It's better called a revolution of military affairs, which refers to how the military adapts to the changing world. What we are doing is implementing rational changes, which are more productive.

What kind of civil society does the TNI hope to build?

Once the TNI and the state were one and the same. We cannot just blame certain people, because the Constitution led to that state of affairs. The TNI played a duel role because there were legal grounds for that. The TNI was involved in decision making because it was part of the government.

Civil society must change the situation itself. In the past, the TNI single-handedly resolved national problems, but now it's just a contributor to developing a civil society by devoting time and energy to developing its professionalism as a national defense force. The TNI can no longer be identified as part of the government, because that's what the law says.

What about civilian supremacy?

That's already part of the past. It's not appropriate today to talk about civilian supremacy. Civilians and the military work together to build a civil society. We are civilians who happen to work in the military. Both civilians and those in military service are citizens.

Differentiating between civilians and the military will only lead to a dichotomy, which is narrow-minded and out of step with the spirit of nationalism and statesmanship. There should be no such militarism in Indonesia in the first place. The TNI has been against militarism ever since we were in the academy.

In the global era, debating the civilian-military dichotomy is a waste of time. All countries that think globally do not consider the issue, because civilians and the military contribute equally to development. In the beginning, people separated the military from civilians because they were in the process of finding an ideal format. But we have grown more mature. It's not appropriate to talk about civilian supremacy.

TNI reform suggests a phase-out of the TNI territorial function, but that doesn't seem to be working. Why?

We must understand that the territorial function is not only the responsibility of the TNI, but also of the government. In the past the TNI seemed to monopolize the function because it was part of the government. As an organization, the TNI conducts territorial duties, but it's just a small part of the whole territorial function which falls under the government, in this case the civilian authority. The Public Works Ministry, for example, actually carries out territorial tasks, which means it's responsible for maintaining infrastructure that supports the national defense system. The territorial function involves all the state apparatus required to protect the nation from any threats.

TNI territorial commands are in the form of military deployment as a defense force. Therefore, if the function is scrapped, TNI will lose its strength. The presence of regional military commands is needed as long as they do not conduct government functions as they did in the past. When it's deemed necessary, the military can be deployed for humanitarian operations or to help regional governments.

Given our country is an archipelago, does the Navy deserve top priority?

We do not recognize a segregated defense system, but a three- pronged coordinated one. There is no one dominant force. The three are a united force that defends the state from any threats and maintains territorial integrity. Our defense doctrine is to combine military and nonmilitary forces.

Although waters make up most of our territory, that doesn't mean we have to focus on the Navy. It's true that maintaining the Navy and the Air Force requires a huge budget because they are heavy on equipment. But it must be pointed out that soldiers need arms, which justifies a fair budget allocation for the Army.

How does the legislation support TNI reform?

Military reform requires the TNI to abide by the prevailing law. The law on the TNI and the defense law say so. Its implementation can be found in the military court bill, which needs only approval now. We have agreed to bring soldiers who commit ordinary crimes before district courts. We never resist obedience to the law or human rights principles.

Foreign affairs

Australians urged to rethink Indonesia

Radio Australia - May 28, 2008

Australians are being urged to rethink the way they view Indonesia and recognise the country as a stable, pluralist democracy and not a hotbed of fundamentalist Islam.

Presenter: Sen Lam

Speaker: Doug Ramage, country representative for the Asia Foundation in Jakarta

Ramage: Well I think because the challenges that Indonesia faces today are not the challenges of a country we saw say five years ago. It's not a country which is balkanising or splitting at the seams, or in which radical views are taking over, rather it looks a lot more like Brazil, India or Mexico. In other words, large democracies grappling with fundamental development problems, namely poverty.

Lam: Yes, well your paper speaks of Indonesia being largely stable and you say is no longer balkanising. What about provinces like Aceh and Papua? They haven't exactly given up ambitions of autonomy or independence?

Ramage: Well, I think this is actually one of the most under acknowledged dimensions of Indonesia in the past five years, the degree to which through political means both crises Aceh and Papua on the eastern and western most edges of the archipelago have more or less been solved for the time being.

What I mean is that in Aceh we have the peace process which has resulted in directly elected provincial government for the first time, headed by the former separatist leaders and in Papua, direct local elections for the very first time in Indonesian history have elected provincial governors who seem genuinely popular in the eyes of the Papuan voters.

Lam: And yet the Papuan voters, those same voters accuse the TNI the Indonesian military of abuse?

Ramage: They do, and none of this means that abuses are not occurring. What it means though, is that citizens in Papua appear to see the system is legitimate. How do we know that? Papuans voted in overwhelming numbers in the last provincial elections in Papua. They were the first ever direct elections for governor. Turn out rates were if anything higher than other parts of Indonesia, and that alone indicates that its citizens believe the process is legitimate and the focus now from the Papuan Government tends to be on development. And what this has done as we say in the report it's more or less sucked the oxygen out of the independence movement in Papua.

Lam: What about the TNI itself, Indonesia's military? Does it still pose a threat to democracy in your view?

Ramage: I think that we cannot be sanguine about this question. We've seen democratic roll back all over the world and most recently in Thailand.

However, in Indonesia's case, I think we were all struck by the alacrity that the Indonesian armed forces were forced out of formal politics between 1999 and 2002. That the Indonesian military leadership no longer has a say in most issues of national life matters greatly. It's hard to game out a scenario in which they come roaring back, but we've seen again, we've seen this happen in other countries. But Indonesia as of now it's very hard to see how that could happen.

Lam: Well, as you heard in the introduction there, we have been warned not to just view Indonesia simplistically as a hot bed of Islamic fundamentalist and yet Islamic radicalism still resonates in the poorer rural regions. Is that no longer a cause of concern?

Ramage: Well, I think that radicalism resonates and remains an enormous cause of concern from purely a security perspective, but not from the perspective of radical voices or zealotry taking over the country if you will, which was the concern a number of years ago before Indonesia starting having all the direct local elections.

Because what we have seen when Indonesians have voted so often, they are been about 350 elections in the past three years. What we've seen is political parties which put forward and Islamist or Sharia based platform lose dramatically. In other words, to be an Islamist and pro-Sharia on the hustings in Indonesia is a guaranteed vote loser. So Indonesians by their ballots are showing that they want a mainstream secular nationalist kind of government. It doesn't mean that the security threat has disappeared though.

Lam: Mm. Finally Doug, do you think misconceptions about Indonesia might hamper Canberra's bilateral relationship with Jakarta?

Ramage: Well, I think the government, the bilateral relationship is actually in superb shape. It's been in good shape for sometime. The real disconnect though is more on the nation-to- nation relations, the people-to-people relations if you will in which, for example, last year a Lowy poll showed most Australians don't know that Indonesia's a democracy. So government-to- government relations are good, people-to-people relations are rather poor.

Call for policy to reflect progress in Indonesia

The Australian - May 28, 2008

Sid Maher – Australia needs to redefine its relationship with Indonesia to reflect its rise, in barely a decade, from a troubled, unstable, corruption-ridden nation to a "normal" middle-income developing democracy.

A report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute charts Indonesia's recovery from "a state of profound flux and turmoil" after the fall of the Suharto regime in the wake of the Asian financial crisis in 1998, to a stable, competitive democracy, playing a constructive role in world affairs.

Calling for an update in the way Australian policy makers approach Indonesia, the ASPI report argues that the extent of religious fundamentalism in Indonesia is overstated.

But the report by Andrew MacIntyre and Douglas Ramage finds significant challenges remain in Indonesia, particularly reform of its "notoriously" corrupt judiciary.

While progress had been made, current opinion polling shows Indonesians believe judicial reform is lagging. "One major area of impunity remains: the courts fail to uphold convictions of senior officers and officials for human rights violations," the report says.

Despite the Government embarking on a vigorous anti-corruption drive, Transparency International last year classified Indonesia as one of the most corrupt nations in the world, with problems remaining this year.

The ASPI report says while the Australian view has been to suspect Indonesians of militancy and zealotry, religious fundamentalism is overstated and there is a great degree of religious pluralism. While there has been a "conspicuous cultural flowering of Islam in Indonesia" other religions have also experienced a boom.

Public opinion showed nearly 85 per cent of Indonesians rejected a suggestion that the operation of the country should be formally based on Islam.

"While surveys also indicate that Indonesians place great faith in religious institutions and see local community religious leaders as often the most reliable sources of information about national and community life, there is no electoral, survey or other evidence to suggest that any fundamental shifts in religious trends able to significantly affect mainstream political life are under way in Indonesia," the report says.

It praises the growth of democracy in the decade since the fall of the Suharto regime and describes Indonesia as one of the world's most electorally competitive countries, with Indonesians voting in more elections and more often than in other democracies since 1998.

The report also finds the Australian-Indonesian relationship, which collapsed after East Timor voted for independence in 1999, is gradually recovering. With Australian aid topping $450 million in 2007-08, it was the largest bilateral donor to the country.

ASPI recommends funds be directed away from Papua and other eastern provinces – because of lingering suspicions over East Timor – and toward Muslim areas of high poverty in the Javanese heartland.

Economy & investment

Economy to weather fuel price hikes: IMF

Jakarta Post - May 31, 2008

Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – The economy will remain stable throughout the year with strong investment and exports set to compensate for a slight dip in private consumption despite increases in fuel prices, the International Monetary Fund says.

IMF's senior resident representative in Indonesia, Stephen Schwartz, told a discussion Thursday the economy this year would grow 6.1 percent, as "the stronger-than-expected momentum from the first quarter offsets the expected near-term impact of the recent fuel prices increase".

The forecast, made after a meeting with the government and the central bank, Bank Indonesia, is higher than the government's target of 6 percent growth, and the BI's target of less than 6.1 percent, but is unchanged from IMF's previous forecast dated October 2007.

"The outlook is positive, but it is uncertain because of the uncertain global economic outlook," Schwartz said.

Milan Zavadjil, IMF's assistant director in its Asia and Pacific department, said, "We expect (economic) growth to sort of pick up gradually, but it depends on the world's economy."

The world's economy may face a prolonged slowdown due in part to consistent rises in global oil and commodity prices, in addition to a slowing US economy hit hard by subprime credit woes.

The government last week raised subsidized fuel prices – Premium gasoline, diesel and kerosene – by an average of 28.7 percent on fears global oil prices would continue to increase fuel subsidy costs and stretch the state budget.

Zavadjil and Schwartz said the fuel price increase might slightly slow private consumption over the coming months due to a decrease in people's purchasing power, but that the economy would continue to grow as expected on consistently strong investment and exports.

Private consumption accounts for 60 percent of the economy, while investment and exports each contribute 20 percent.

In the first quarter of 2008, the economy grew 6.3 percent on robust growth in private consumption, investment and exports, as reported by the Central Statistics Agency. Investment grew 2.9 percent from in the same period last year, private consumption by 3.2 percent and exports by 7.1 percent.

However, the IMF said the government and BI must control inflationary pressures, which they cited as the year's most pressing challenge, even more so than fuel price increases. The government predicted full-year inflation would reach 11.2 percent, while BI estimated it to hit almost 12 percent.

To control inflation, Zavadjil said BI would likely raise its interest rate. "BI has signaled its intention to tighten (its rate) further as needed to bring inflation back from a declining trend."

The IMF said the financial sector had stood firm amid turmoil in the global credit market.

"Financial soundness indicators have improved, with profitability across the banking industry increasing and non-performing loans continuing to decline amid strong private sector credit growth. BI needs to look closely at how banks are managing their risks, and banks need to ensure their lending quality," Zavadjil said.

BI has said it will monitor lending growth, which is currently growing at a rate of 29 percent, higher than BI's prediction of between 22 and 24 percent for this year.

Should the government and BI manage to address the problems, the IMF predicted the economy would grow 6.3 percent in 2009, with inflation slowing to 7.5 percent.

Indonesia to pull out of OPEC: minister

Agence France Presse - May 28, 2008

Aubrey Belford, Jakarta – Indonesia will withdraw from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries after years of declining exports, the energy minister said Wednesday even as other producers cash in on soaring oil prices.

The only Southeast Asian member of the cartel has become a net oil importer and will not bother to renew its OPEC membership at the end of this year, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said.

"When I get back to the office... I will sign that we withdraw from OPEC," Yusgiantoro told a group of foreign reporters at a lunch in Jakarta.

Analysts said the withdrawal should be a wake-up call to Indonesia to boost its spending on crumbling infrastructure and accused past governments of failing to manage the country's abundant oil and gas riches.

Yusgiantoro said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had told a recent budget planning meeting that he had decided to pull the country out of OPEC, which accounts for 40 percent of the world's oil supplies.

But the minister said Indonesia, one of the smallest OPEC members, could rejoin if production increased in line with an ongoing effort to boost capacity after years of declining investment.

"If our production comes back again to a level that gives us the status of a net oil exporter then I think we can go back to OPEC," he said.

Indonesia's membership of OPEC will expire at the end of 2008 when its current paid membership of the organisation runs out, Yusgiantoro said. "We already paid the fee this year... the fee is about two million euros (3.14 million dollars)," he said.

Indonesian officials have for years been weighing up the benefits of pulling out of OPEC, which the country joined in 1961.

While other members have enjoyed windfall profits on the back of high global oil prices, Indonesia has been unable to get enough of its 4.37 billion barrels in proven reserves to the market.

As a net oil importer Indonesia would prefer lower prices but OPEC has been reluctant to boost supply to ease pressure on markets, where oil hit an all-time high above 135 dollars per barrel last week.

Parliament energy committee chairman Agusman Effendi said OPEC's failure to do more to boost supply had made Indonesia's decision to withdraw from the cartel easier.

"If OPEC had more solidarity with its members and helped those like us who are suffering from the current high prices, it would have been a different matter," he said.

He conceded the oil giants were unlikely to listen to Jakarta's complaints. "Indonesia is such a small producer, its output means nothing compared to that of most of the other members. Our pullout will mean nothing," he said.

The cost of sustaining massive fuel subsidies in the face of record oil prices forced the Indonesian government last week to hike the retail fuel price by some 30 percent.

The move has sparked widespread protests and piled pressure on the government ahead of elections next year.

Oil production in the archipelago has been in decline since 1995 with yields dropping in well-established fields, Yusgiantoro said. The government earlier this year lowered its oil sales estimate for 2008 to 927,000 barrels a day from a previous 1.034 million barrels.

Kurtubi, an oil and gas analyst at the Center for Petroleum and Economics Studies, said the decline in Indonesia's oil production was a result of failure by successive governments to promote investment and exploration.

"The withdrawal of Indonesia from OPEC is actually something very embarrassing. It only shows the failures of the government," he said.

Opinion & analysis

Editorial: Indonesia Papua

The National PNG - May 30, 2008

The Government is reportedly undertaking a far-reaching review of the nation's foreign relationships. As we have previously noted, this is not before time.

Papua New Guinea has had a foreign policy structured on the foundation of friends to all and enemies to none. That policy has served PNG well. At the same time and under various leaders, certain emphases have been tried and some have become a part of our relationships.

We refer to the look north policy and the later emphasis upon the South Pacific and our neighbours in the region.

There remains one issue that has not been reviewed for many years. That is the country's relationship with the people of Papua in Indonesia.

Since independence, PNG has pursued a policy of detachment from the demands of the Melanesian people of that province for autonomy or independence.

This was highlighted in a report in The National yesterday in which Foreign Affairs Minister Abal made it clear that "this is an issue we don't consider that should be brought into the Melanesian Spearhead Group."

MSG Foreign Ministers are meeting in Vanuatu and the host country has moved to have the Papuans granted observer status. PNG has stated categorically that it won't have the Indonesian Papuans in the group.

Having observed our relationship with Indonesia long before independence, we are of the opinion that pretending the Papua issue doesn't exist will achieve nothing for PNG and could even be counter-productive for our relations with Indonesia.

That nation pursued an aggressive policy of trans-migration in past decades that saw thousands of Muslim Indonesians transplanted into a territory where the main religious inroads had been made by Christianity.

Former Indonesian governments used what was known as West Irian to re-settle families from some of the more overcrowded parts of the world's largest Muslim nation. When PNG gained independence, it was natural for our governments to seek to maintain the closest possible relationships between our country and our Indonesian neighbours.

Our tiny population, our token defence forces and the development at that time of our country doubtless contributed to this play- safe philosophy.

At the same time, Australia, our own territorial power, was at pains to develop relations with Indonesia and had no wish to see any interruption to the status quo erupting in PNG.

Today it is much harder to justify a narrow-minded foreign policy that simply ignores the outcry from our immediate neighbours.

If PNG can entertain the possibility of independence for Bougainville, it would seem to make little sense to ignore the ethnic Melanesian majority next door in Papua.

The outcome of the Melanesian struggle for autonomy or independence in that Indonesian province may well be years away, but we predict that in the end, full or part independence will come to the province.

And if it does, PNG's relationship over the years with those fighting for a measure of freedom over the border will come under close scrutiny.

It may well be that we would be better off to at least listen to the representatives of those people at the current MSG meeting and show some humanity towards their cause.

Does our government fear some form of invasion from Indonesia? Surely not, given the cordial relationships that presently exist.

It seems to us that blocking our ears to the proven distress of the ethnic people of Papua is short-sighted and may lead eventually to a high level of confrontation across our borders.

To others in the region and presumably to Vanuatu, PNG's attitude must be paradoxical and they could be forgiven if they believed that attitude is fuelled by fear of the giant neighbour at our side.

Ironically, yesterday's paper carried an excellent report of the grief that surrounded the funeral of gifted student leader Michael Horota Tekwie, who collapsed and died ten days ago at the age of 24.

The UPNG vice-chancellor described Tekwie as "a young man of exceptional capacity and vision," and the death of the final year Law student and vice-president of the Student Representative Council at UPNG was mourned by all the university.

Ironical then that this outstanding young man Michael Horota Tekwie was a refugee from Indonesian Papua adopted by the former Sandaun Governor John Tekwie.

Forgotten people

Jakarta Post Editorial - May 29, 2008

Today is the two-year anniversary since the mudflow in Sidoarjo, East Java, began, and it's appropriate to reflect on why problems remain unresolved and the government seems toothless to pursue this case.

Two years have passed since hot mud first exploded from a gas drilling well owned by oil and gas company Lapindo Brantas. While much has been done to address the resulting problems, life remains difficult for the victims, and is even becoming harder for some.

The government has established two teams to tackle the multi- faceted disaster – to stop the mudflow, care for the victims and rebuild damaged infrastructure.

The first team, we would say, had failed in most areas. The second team, established in line with a 2007 presidential regulation, has not done much either, and the problems continue to grow.

The hot mud is still gushing uncontrollably and is submerging more villages, as thousands of victims continue to suffer and people commuting between Surabaya and the eastern part of East Java endure the traffic bottleneck in Sidoarjo.

Of all these problems, alleviating the suffering of the victims, of the people, should be the primary objective of the operation. And yet the government seems to have turned a deaf ear to their plight, especially that of the most recent victims.

The problem stems from the presidential order itself, which obliges Lapindo, the company most hated by people in the area, to compensate victims from only four villages submerged by the mud.

But since the presidential order was issued, the spreading mud has submerged several more villages – currently, a total of fifteen villages have been affected and tens of thousands of people have been displaced.

Lapindo – through its subsidiary Minarak Lapindo Jaya – understandably refuses to compensate new victims living outside the four villages mentioned in the presidential order, and the government itself has been slow to respond.

So we can now see why these new victims have been demonstrating almost every day, demanding that they also be compensated for their property losses.

Even victims from the four villages are now restless, having only received 20 percent of the money owed to them, while the remaining 80 percent hangs in the air.

Compensation is only a small part of the efforts to alleviate the plight of the victims. It only covers their lost property, not their lost livelihoods, which are worth a great deal more.

As the government and Lapindo struggle to compensate all of the victims, they seem to have forgotten to address the source of the problem: stopping the mudflow. We question why no significant efforts have been made to stop the mudflow. The most responsible parties seem to believe the mudflow is unstoppable, and have therefore given up.

We therefore welcome a civil movement by concerned citizens, led by Nahdlatul Ulama senior leader Solahuddin Wahid, the younger brother of former president Abdurrahman Wahid. The group includes former Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif and mud volcano experts from several state universities. They believe the mudflow is stoppable.

Efforts like this are commendable, but unfortunately, seem to lack support from the public and political entities in this country.

Not only are efforts to stop the mudflow waning, attempts to hold Lapindo legally responsible for the disaster are also faltering.

The East Java police have named several suspects, but their criminal investigation into this calamity has ground to a halt. Dissatisfied, some civil society groups have brought legal action against Lapindo and the government, but they have all lost their cases.

So far, Lapindo – a company controlled by the family of chief welfare minister Aburizal Bakrie – has remained legally clean. The company is now even campaigning that the mudflow in Sidoarjo is the result of an earthquake in Yogyakarta, and not its drilling activity – and the government appears to support that.

We feel the government is being toothless against Lapindo. But people are not stupid, everyone knows about the relationship between Lapindo, Bakrie and the president. The fact that the president has kept Aburizal Bakrie in his Cabinet, despite the Lapindo saga, speaks volumes.

But let them play their game, the people will eventually choose. Next year, people will decide whether they support the current president, his supporters and their political parties – or not.

Editorial: Watching Indonesia

The Australian - May 28, 2008

It's improving, but there's a long way to go. Yesterday's release of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's report Seeing Indonesia as a Normal Country is timely, coming 10 years after the overthrow of the Suharto regime and just ahead of Kevin Rudd's visit to Jakarta next month.

By mapping the progress made over the past decade, the authors lay to rest some of the alarmist reporting about Indonesia as a breeding ground for Islamic fundamentalism and a nation struggling to control multiple separatist movements. But the title of the report is misleading. Though Indonesia is in no danger of becoming a failed state, it doesn't serve anyone's policy objectives to pretend that Indonesia should be seen as "normal" – whatever "normal" means in the context of international relations.

Indonesia has made remarkable progress towards becoming a more open, democratic and economically advanced society. The stifling uniformity of Suharto's New Order has gone, but the same old elite still controls many levers of political and economic power. As the report acknowledges, Indonesia suffers from "globally chart-topping levels of corruption".

Judicial reform has been "often piecemeal and highly uneven". Bowing to political pressure, courts often fail to uphold convictions of senior officials. Human rights violators often go unpunished. Rampant corruption, the weak application of the rule of law and regulatory uncertainty have been deterrents to foreign direct investment. Though inflows have picked up, Southeast Asia's largest economy attracted only $US10.3 billion in FDI last year. By comparison, China approved $US35billion in FDI in the first four months of this year.

Half of Indonesia's population lives on less than $US2 a day, with as many Indonesians living in poverty as the rest of East Asia put together, excluding China. In a country of more than 220 million people the number of taxpayers stands at a paltry 3.3 million. Despite forecasts of economic growth reaching 7 per cent this year, Indonesia still lags well behind the other tiger economies of Asia such as Vietnam, China and India. Unemployment hovers around 10 per cent. Government spending on health and education relative to GDP is lower than in most other Asian countries.

The debate over whether Indonesia should be seen as a normal country masks more important policy issues for Australia. Our shared concerns for maintaining security and promoting economic prosperity require Australia to maintain a close and constructive relationship with all levels of the Indonesian Government. The Rudd Government's foreign policy priorities, particularly the new emphasis being given to China at the expense of our traditional allies such as Japan and India, have yet to be fully understood in the region. Engaging with Indonesia requires appreciating its complexities, sensitivities and vulnerabilities. Pretending things are normal risks misreading the inner workings of our most important neighbour.

Public equivocal about '100 Years of awakening' - Survey

Kompas - May 26, 2008

Umi Kulsum – Indonesia's 100th National Awakening day, which fell on May 20, was noisily celebrated at the Bung Karno Sports Stadium during a ceremony led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. In the president's speech he said that Indonesia is a capable nation that can change its fortunes and confront the energy and food crisis. But what about the public's views on this?

Kompas research and development (Litbang Kompas) conducted a survey on May 21-23 to find out the public's views about Indonesia's current situation.

The result was that around 82 percent of respondents said the government has been unable to overcome the food crisis. As many as 84 percent of respondents answered that the state has also been unable to overcome the energy crisis (fuel and electricity). Moreover a significant portion of respondents said that they are not convinced that Indonesia will be able to overcome these two problems within the next five years.

It's not surprising that the pubic holds views such as this. The current situation is making it progressively more difficult for the public to fulfil their basic necessities of life. Purchasing power is declining because food prices are increasing. Other expenses have jumped so their fixed income is declining in value.

This reality has turned the celebration of 100 years of National Awakening into a "thundering in the desert". The majority of respondents are of the view that business facilities, the availability of jobs and the price of basic goods are extremely poor at present. The pubic is feels that there is absolutely no guarantee that current economic situation promises improvements in their lives.

This sense of pessimism is felt by housewives, those who have yet to obtain jobs, school and university students, private sector employees, state civil servants and most of all the business community.

The energy and food crisis that has befallen this nation has in fact yet to spur the growth of a proactive spirit to generate new ideas to try to achieve a national awakening and self- sufficiency.

Although it appears that the public is beginning to be sensitive to and have a awareness of the energy crisis, it is not impossible that changes in lifestyle are more influenced by the decline in economic capacity resulting in there being no other choice except to downgrade living standards.

As many as 90.4 percent of respondents said they are already trying to economise electricity in their daily lives by turning off lights if they are not being used or when sleeping, cutting down on the use of air-conditioners and reducing the amount of time watching television.

This is also similar with regard to fuel, with 65.4 percent of respondents saying they have changed their daily lifestyles, particularly in terms of transport. For respondents that own cars, the first thing they have done is cut down on the usage of private vehicles and shifted to public transport or motorcycles. For lower-income groups meanwhile, their standard of living has also declined as they replace liquefied petroleum gas with kerosene for cooking and ride a bicycle to work.

Moreover for housewives, the high cost of fuel has forced them to reduce the amount of food they cook on daily or choose foods that are quicker to cook.

Meanwhile the spirit to resist the ailing national situation by taking proactive action to seek self-sufficiency is clearly not apparent.

The dependency on the consumer goods market has resulted in life choices being dependent on two things: the availability of goods in the market and the availability of money in the pocket. A public stand to act as agents who determine market conditions is clearly not apparent.

In overcoming the food crisis for example, the reluctance of employers and businesspeople to enter into the agricultural field is becoming more apparent as revealed by 50.3 percent of respondents in this group. They are emphatic refusing to enter into the agricultural field. The lack of enthusiasm to take part in establishing food self-sufficiency is most visible among high-school and tertiary students, private sector employees, state civil servants and those who have never worked or are currently unemployed. On average only a little under 50 percent of these groups want to enter into the agricultural field.

In reality, national awakening, which is interpreted as meaning a spirit of nationalism, has little resonance for the public.

A majority of respondents (69.5 percent) said that the Indonesian nation's sense of national solidarity is very week at the moment. Only 23.7 percent of respondents said that tolerance between different social groups, such as rich and poor and between different ethnic groups is quite strong. Meanwhile 73.1 percent said that solidarity between different social groups is week. This is not very surprising if we look at realty, that in a situation of economic depression the economically wealthy groups are still throwing money around just to have parties. Respondents believe that the most urgent issues that must be resolved at present are those related to economic problems (58.7 percent), followed by corruption, education and justice.

The economic and social crisis is of course creating a great deal of hard work for the present government, although it cannot be denied that the government's present state of absolute confusion cannot be separated from past leadership. The public however wants the present government to more explicitly side with the broader public rather then with the interests of particular groups.

Concrete decisions and real support from the government and legislative bodies to make Indonesia's national awakening a reality will continue to remain in the public spotlight. (Litbang Kompas)

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Kompas Survey - Public equivocal about Indonesia's awakening".]

Using human rights to combat palm oil's hazards

Jakarta Post - May 27, 2008

Irene Hadiprayitno, Utrecht – The palm oil industry is not only popular in the discourse of biofuels, but it is also economically lucrative.

In Indonesia alone the industry covers 17 provinces, employing about 2 million workers. The industry has generated an income amounting to Rp 7.779 million.

However, while examining the situation at the grassroots level, the effect is to the contrary, rather than improving it is victimizing.

Millions of hectares of tropical forests have been burned to make way for oil palm plantations; an annual haze is being experienced by people living in the vicinity. According to Sawit Watch, Indonesia has increased its palm estates to 7.3 million hectares and is planning to expand the area by a further 20 million hectares – an area the size of England, the Netherlands and Switzerland combined.

Moreover, the industry is also notoriously known as the cause of local conflicts. In January 2008, Sawit Watch monitored 513 conflicts between communities and companies. Some of these conflicts can be traced back to earlier land disputes. Mostly, they are over land rights, but other disputes arise over compensation, unmet promises and smallholding arrangements.

The industry has also caused displacement, homelessness and morbidity. In Aceh, 360,000 people were displaced from their homes and 70 died as a result of floods in 2006, which have been a common problem in the region since oil palm plantations arrived.

At the grassroots level, regardless of how important the palm oil is for biodiesel production, the rising price does not affect peasants' income. Their salaries remain determined by the regional minimum wage scheme. In the case of North Barito, Central Kalimantan, one of the prominent palm oil plantations, it is only Rp. 876,536, an unreasonable amount compared to the selling price of crude palm oil, which was US$1135 per metric ton on Jan. 15, 2008.

Ideally, development should imply a structural improvement to people's ability to sustain their daily livelihoods. Indeed, not only are economies to be uplifted, but the people themselves. Thus, both living standards and capabilities of those living at the grassroots should increase.

When designing a policy, a primary concern should be how to protect those affected by the consequences and, in particular, how to secure their entitlements within the execution of development policies. It is here we touch upon internationally accepted human rights standards and procedures. Human rights pertaining to each and every human being constitutes a necessity for protecting people against hazards.

When combating hazards caused by the palm oil industry, one can refer to the United Nations' Declaration on the Right to Development adopted by the General Assembly in 1986. The declaration defines the right to development as an inalienable human right by virtue. Accordingly, every human and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development so that all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized. Obviously, development is seen here as a process that encompasses economic, social, cultural and political aspects. This implies a structural uplifting of welfare and well-being, affecting not just infrastructure, but also human beings.

The declaration regards those affected by development policies as right-holders who have to be protected against losing their entitlements, a common situation in development hazards. Accordingly, the right to development requires adopting favorable measures for development beneficiaries in the development process and for development victims to seek claims for compensation from development hazards.

The Indonesian government is responsible for implementing the right to development. However, rather than eradicating the hazard, they continues to comply with other interests rather than people. There are no appropriate measures allocated to deal with homelessness, degradation of health, morbidity or social conflict.

Instead the government recently adopted a forestry law, which provides a broad license for companies to exploit protected forests as long as they are willing to pay annual rental fees ranging between Rp 1.2 million (US$125) and Rp 3 million per hectare. Notably, the law prioritizes companies over people, who are now more vulnerable to development hazards.

In the case of the palm oil industry, the Indonesian government not only denies access to compensation, but also fails to protect and respect peoples' entitlements by not taking actions to eradicate the hazards and adopting disincentive regulations.

Using human rights to combat hazards caused by the palm oil industry entails protecting people during the process and ensuring fairness in development distribution. From the peoples' perspective, this grants opportunities for legitimate claims addressing correlated obligations or duties. Thus, it stresses the opportunity to seek remedies and compensation in the case of development hazards.

[The writer is a PhD Candidate at the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights, Utrecht University, writing on the topic of the right to development.]