Zaky Pawas, Medan – Ten armed gunmen stormed the Hamparan Perak Police Precinct in Medan, North Sumatra, early on Wednesday morning, killing three police officers.

Hamparan Perak was one area raided by the elite Detachment 88 (Densus 88) antiterror police unit over the weekend.

North Sumatra Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Baharudin Djafar told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday that 10 men riding six motorbikes arrived at the police station in Deli Serdang around 1 a.m. "The men immediately opened fire and killed an officer at the front desk and two more inside," Baharudin said.

The victims were identified as Chief Brig. Riswandi, Adjutant First Insp. Sinulingga and Adjutant First Insp. Deto Sutejo.

North Sumatra Police Chief Insp. Gen. Oegroseno said that one of the victims, Riswandi, was shot six times, including once to the head. "Another was shot 9 times and the other 4 times," he said.

The assailants also threw two Molotov cocktail bombs at a patrol car. "We can tell that the attack was well planned and the perpetrators were trained with guns," Oegroseno said. "The Mobile Brigade [Brimob] is after them," he said, referring to the armed police unit.

Oegroseno said he had immediately reported the attack to the National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri.

Councilors mull virginity as criteria for enrollment

Jakarta Post - September 22, 2010

Jon Afrizal, Jambi – A Jambi provincial legislator has floated a potentially controversial idea requiring female students enrolling into state schools to undergo virginity tests, with failure meaning exclusion from studies.

"The idea is simple. Parents are obviously afraid of their daughters being deflowered before the time comes, so before they continue their studies, they can undergo the virginity test and automatically protect their dignity," said Jambi legislative councilor Bambang Bayu Suseno.

Bambang apparently seemed serious on the matter. He said he was prepared to invite various parties to discuss the issue. He said the idea would be put forward in a local provincial draft law by the legislature's Commission IV.

"We could hold a discussion if need be. Everyone can express their views. The issue can draw controversies, but signify good goals, for the sake of our children's morality," he said.

His idea, he said, stemmed from his belief that married students can be prohibited from attending public schools. "Why are girls who lose their virginity allowed to go to public school," he said, adding that he was further studying its legal basis.

Jambi legislative council's Commission IV head Aswan Zahari indirectly expressed his support, but refused to talk further about it. "It needs to be discussed," said Aswan briefly.

According to Bambang, interaction among youth in Jambi is a cause for concern, because parents are facing further difficulties due to the proximity between the sexes which could lead to sexual exploitation. This condition has made all parents with daughters more worried.

"As in my case, all my children are girls," Bambang said. He deemed that parental and school supervision on youth interaction was weak, so there was no other choice but to hand over supervision completely to the child. Hence, the idea of drafting the virginity test draft bylaw.

The implementation of the virginity test will bring awareness to every girl to automatically protect her virginity, Bambang said.

"She could not be easily influenced, coaxed and surrender herself to her boyfriend or other parties seeking advantage from teenage girls."

"Because, if she is later tested, and it turns out that she is no longer a virgin, she knows the consequences that she could not continue her studies," he said.

Jambi chapter Indonesian Ulema Council head Sulaiman Abdullah warmly welcomed the idea. He said the morality of youths must be protected. The virginity test during school enrollment could be implemented and the bylaw drafted, so long as it didn't breach existing laws, he said.

However, Jambi provincial secretary spokesman Sudirman expressed his opposition to the idea, saying it would likely breach basic human rights and violate the education law.

"Every citizen has the right to education as this is mandated in law. So, everyone, virgin or not, has the right to go to school," said Sudirman.

Despite that, Sudirman understands discussion on the draft bylaw may continue as it is the prerogative of the councilors to discuss it. "However, it should be further studied, despite the good intentions," he said.

Indonesian lawyers brawl in five-star hotel in Jakarta

Jakarta Globe - September 22, 2010

Nivell Rayda, Jakarta – Hundreds of lawyers began fighting among themselves on Wednesday in the latest twist to the long-simmering dispute between two of Indonesia's most prominent bar associations.

Supreme Court Chairman Harifin Tumpa was scheduled on Wednesday to swear in advocates from the Indonesian Bar Association (Peradi), which is formally recognized by the court as the only authorized lawyers guild, at the Grand Melia Hotel in South Jakarta.

At 9 a.m., however, hundreds of lawyers from the rival Indonesian Advocates Congress (KAI), which is not recognized, barged into the hotel before the proceeding took place and demanded the Supreme Court also swear in its members.

The KAI members were blockaded by security officials in front of the hotel lobby, before the guards were outnumbered and overwhelmed.

"At this point, we told the participants of the inauguration to exit the ballroom and we locked the ballroom doors to avoid further scuffles," Peradi secretary general Hasanudin Nasution said.

The lawyers then demanded to enter the ballroom as several senior lawyers from KAI, including Tommy Sihotang and KAI president Indra Sahnun Lubis, also seeking to meet Harifin and Peradi chairman Otto Hasibuan.

"We were deeply hurt when we saw the announcement [of the inauguration] in Kompas [daily newspaper] this morning," Indra said. "This is discrimination and we suspect that the court is conspiring with Peradi to prolong Peradi's monopoly. This is a disgrace."

Dozens of police officers soon arrived at the scene, including South Jakarta police chief Sr. Comr. Gatot Eddy Pramono, and tried to calm both sides. "I ask the Peradi chairman and the KAI president to have peaceful talks with me about this matter," the officer said amidst the chaos.

Hasanudin said that Peradi opted to call off the inauguration and told Supreme Court chairman Harifin not to come to the hotel.

The Supreme Court this year issued a circular barring KAI lawyers from representing clients in court. The court requires all lawyers with a KAI certificate to still pass a Peradi examination before being allowed to practice.

The circular sparked protests from KAI. In July, around 100 KAI lawyers rallied and vandalized the Supreme Court building. The protesters threw a huge flowerpot at the court's security guards before scuffling with police officers deployed to control the mob.

The two rival groups previously held a series of negotiations under the mediation of the Supreme Court, aimed at establishing a single bar association accommodating lawyers from both groups by 2012.

Indra said that the Supreme Court's circular and Wednesday's planned inauguration violated the agreement.

Peradi was set up in 2005 as a combination of eight existing bar associations. The move fulfilled provisions of a law in 2003 that required the establishment of a single non-governmental advocate organization to test and certify Indonesia's lawyers.

The Constitutional Court in 2006 upheld Peradi's status as the official organization to issue certifications for the country's lawyers.

But in July 2007, a number of prominent lawyers set up the KAI, saying that Peradi was legally flawed since it was formed at the outset by only a few individuals instead of a congress of advocates.

President orders Telkom bosses to get off their backsides

Jakarta Globe - September 17, 2010

Jakarta – An angry President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered his officials to roast the management of state-owned Telekomunikasi Selular Indonesia after he experienced technical difficulties with teleconference service during a public relations exercise.

Yudhoyono, at a Idul Fitri police post in Cikampek, West Java, was discussing traffic flows with Central Java Police Chief Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang with the media in tow when Edward's image froze on the screen.

"It was okay before, why is it like that now?" the president asked. "Are there any Telkomsel officials here?"

Yudhoyono then asked a Telkomsel official whether the company's president director ever checked on such network failures.

When the unfortunate official replied "No," Yudhoyono ordered Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam to send a message to the president directors of Telkomsel, Indonesia's leading cellular provider, and its parent company, Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom), to ensure that all systems within their control functioned properly.

"Please tell them, 'don't just sit behind their desks. Make sure that the systems function. Now,'" the president said. (Antara/JG)

Actions, demos, protests...

Cross-religious solidarity action for freedom of religion

Jatim News - September 19, 2010

Misti P., Mojokerto (beritajatim.com) – Around 50 people from the alliance National Humanity and Anti-Violence Solidarity Concern (SPKKAK) will hold joint prayers in front of the Mojokerto municipal government offices on Sunday September 19.

The event, which will be accompanied with the lighting of 1 thousand candles, is an expression of solidarity over the recent stabbing of a Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) elder.

Alliance spokesperson Hari Cahyono said that the action is being held as a form of solidarity and respect for religious freedom. "We will start at 7pm, with a joint prayer and speeches with a number of demands", he said.

Aside from the call to respect the freedom of religious, belief and worship in accordance with one's respective faith, they will also be demanding government programs that side with the ordinary people.

"Because government programs such as free education and healthcare are programs entrusted [for the people]. In addition to this we will also be rejecting planned increases to the basic electricity rate, LPG gas and cuts to fuel subsidies", said Cahyono.

"In addition to lighting 1 thousand candles there will also be poetry readings, speeches and [the event] will be closed with a joint prayer. In the speeches, we will be calling on the public to unite shoulder to shoulder to fight for democracy", he explained.

At least 12 different cross-religious organisations make up the alliance including the Mojokerto Local Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGIS), the Indonesian Cultural Board (MBI), Santo Yusuf Catholic Church (GKSY), the Indonesian Labour Movement Union-Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI-PPBI), the Indonesian Cultural Society Union (Sebumi), the Indonesian Muslim Youth Local Branch Office (PC-PMI), the Working People's Association (HRP), the Mojokerto Christian Youth (Mudiska), the Mojokerto city Nahdlatul Ulama Branch Office (PC-NU), Mojokerto Social Concern (MMP), the Political Union of the Poor (PPRM) and Free Women (Perempuan Mahardika). [tin/but]

[Translated by James Balowski.]

1000 candles for HKBP tragedy in Bekasi

Tempo Interactive - September 19, 2010

Mojokerto, East Java – Scores of young people from a variety of organisations held a peaceful action on Jl. Gajah Mada, directly in front of the Mojokerto municipal government office complex in East Java on Sunday evening September 19.

The action involved the lighting of 1 thousand candles, accompanied by prayers, which were then followed by speeches from the representatives of the respective organisations. The protesters called for an investigation into the stabbing of a church elder and the attack on a Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) congregation in Bekasi last week.

"The government must fully investigate the case. If it is not prepared to then the government is anti-democratic", said action coordinator Toyik.

The one hour action, which began at 7pm, was joined by representatives from the Indonesian Islamic Students Movement (PMII), Indonesian Christian Youths (Mudki), labour organisations, the Islamic mass organisation Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), church groups, reverends and Muslim preachers.

Following the action, Simon Filantropha from the East Java Regional Communion of Churches (PGW) advisory board stated his concern over the case. Filantropha believes the incident is criminal case that requires firm legal action. The government he said, must protect the right to worship for all religious communities and act against those who perpetrate violence. "The perpetrators of the violence must be punished," he said.

The peaceful action was marred by a minor incident when police interrupted a speech by one of the participants because it was deemed not to be in accordance with the local district police permit. According to the permit, the peaceful action would be held with the lighting of 1 thousand candles with the aim being an action in solidarity with a recent attack on the HKBP congregation.

"But in fact there was a speech that veered off [this theme], and was not in accordance with the permit", said one police officer. During the speech, the speaker accused the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Boediono of being anti-democratic and against the poor.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Protesters take to the streets to demand government revoke decree

Jakarta Post - September 17, 2010

Jakarta – Hundreds of people joined two rallies in Jakarta on Thursday demanding the government revoke the 2006 Joint Ministerial Decree on Places of Worship as it resulted many interfaith conflicts.

"This decree has provided a justification to prohibit Indonesians from worshipping, with the majority being allowed to decide whether minorities can be granted licenses for their houses of worship," Marinus Yosafat, the head of the South Jakarta branch of the Association of Catholic Students of the Republic of Indonesia (PMKRI), told The Jakarta Post during a demonstration in front of National Police headquarters in South Jakarta.

The protest drew around 200 people, including activists from the Setara Institute, the Indonesian Human Rights and Legal Aid Association, the Christian Youth Movement of Indonesia, and the Association of Indonesian Muslim Students.

Marinus said the decree fanned the flames of many interfaith conflicts in Indonesia, saying it stipulated that any new house of worship had to have the support of at least 90 members of the congregation and 60 local residents of different faiths.

On Thursday night, 400 members of the Forum for Religious Freedom and Solidarity joined the "thousand candle" rally voicing the same demands at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta.

Members of the forum – which included activists from human rights and pluralism groups such as the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), the Bhinneka Tunggal Ika National Alliance Forum (ANBTI) and the Policy Research and Advocacy (Elsam), public figures, and religious leaders – also waved Indonesian flags.

The daughter of former president Abdurrahman Wahid, Inayah Wahid, and legislator Budiman Sudjatmiko gave speeches on religious freedom. They argued that the decree – signed by the Religious Affairs Ministry and the Home Ministry – made it difficult for religious minorities to establish houses of worship, violating their constitutional rights.

The rallies were triggered by attacks on HKBP Pondok Timur Indah church elders Hasian Lumbantoruan Sihombing and Rev. Luspida Simandjuntak in Ciketing, Bekasi, on Sunday – the culmination of a long-smoldering conflict between the church and local Muslims.

Police arrested 10 suspects in the attack, including the head of the Bekasi branch of the hard-line Islam Defenders Front, Murharli Barda.

An attorney for the suspects, Shalih Manggara Sitompul, said he would try to bail them out. "Three of them are minors and their arrest only worsens the situation," he said, claiming two of the suspects suffered injuries during their attack.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said the suspects were vouching for each other. "We will question them further," Boy said, adding that the suspects insisted the church conducted religious activities without a license and that their attack on the congregation as they met on the street was spontaneous.

Commenting to the Post on criticism that the Bekasi Police chief was negligent in handling the incident, National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Marwoto Soeto blamed the HKBP congregation for providing unclear and incomplete information about the attack.

Marwoto added that the police were overwhelmed by such incidents. "On duty, officers are often confused. We don't want to take sides," he said. (ipa/not)

West Papua

Ex-minster slams heavy-handed tactics in Papua

Jakarta Globe - September 21, 2010

Ismira Lutfia & Camelia Pasandaran, Jakarta – The government is being far too harsh in its handling of the low-level insurgency in Papua, a former minister says.

Security forces in the country's easternmost province, particularly the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus), have long been accused by human rights groups of gross rights violations when it comes to cracking down on suspected separatists.

Rizal Ramli, a former coordinating minister for the economy, said on Tuesday that this heavy-handed approach avoided addressing the real root of the problem.

"The government lacks a humane approach to the issue, while the Papuans want them to show more empathy," he said at a seminar at Jakarta's Indonesian Christian University (UKI). "We shouldn't resort to fierce action unless tackling an armed rebellion."

The seminar was part of a series of events to mark the UN's World Peace Day.

Rizal said the heart of the problem was the unfair exploitation of Papua's natural resources, which largely left indigenous Papuans out of the loop.

"Papua has the biggest reserves of natural resources in the country, and those are what we'll have to fall back on once the resources in Sumatra are exhausted," he said.

Rizal also criticized the local administrations in Papua for failing to make good use of their regional budgets. Since 2006 Papua has received the biggest budget allocation of all 33 provinces nationwide. "Only 30 percent of the budget has reached the people, while the rest is spent by bureaucrats and regional heads," Rizal said.

Meanwhile, Agung Laksono, the coordinating minister for people's welfare, said on Monday that the government would accelerate development in the province through welfare programs.

He added that the ministers under his watch also would evaluate the programs they implemented in response to a 2004 presidential decree on development in Papua.

"We'll come up with solutions based on a welfare approach, especially in resolving basic problems in agriculture, education, health care and human resources," Agung he said.

The minister added that the government planned to build integrated residential areas featuring all basic amenities in a bid to improve the standard of living among Papuans.

Agung also said that while its large budget had "brought many positive things" to Papua, the sheer size of the province meant that not everyone had benefited from them.

"Nonetheless, those initiatives received positive feedback, and we'll continue them in order to boost development in Papua," he said.

"That includes building infrastructure to connect remote places to the grid. This will mean working with other ministries, so it won't be necessary to increase the budget."

Agung added that he and the two other coordinating ministers – Hatta Rajasa, who oversees economic affairs, and Djoko Suyanto, who oversees political, legal and security affairs – would visit Papua at the end of September to inspect programs rolled out under the presidential decree.

Kontras assails police version of Manokwari deaths

Jakarta Globe - September 20, 2010

Nivell Rayda & Banjir Ambarita, Jakarta – Human rights groups in West Papua are calling on the national rights commission to investigate last Wednesday's shooting deaths of two civilians by police.

The incident in the provincial capital, Manokwari, was sparked by a traffic accident in which a motorist hit a pedestrian and then fled the scene to the supposed safety of the headquarters of the police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob).

A mob at the scene of the accident had allegedly threatened the motorist. Police said the mob followed the unidentified driver back to the police station and hurled rocks at officers after police refused to hand over the motorist, prompting officers to fire into the crowd, killing two men and injuring a woman.

However, rights groups including the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) have offered a different take on the events.

"After the accident, residents set up roadblocks to catch the motorist," Johannes Harri Maturbongs, chairman of Kontras's Papua office, said on Monday.

"One officer was displeased [with the roadblocks] and told the others. Police then opened fire to disperse the residents and began shooting indiscriminately into the crowd."

Johannes called for a rights investigation into the police's conduct during the incident. Kontras and the Papua Legal Aid Foundation have also asked the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to launch a probe into the incident.

National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Marwoto Soeto said although seven Brimob officers were being questioned over the shooting, "our preliminary findings indicated that the men were acting based on procedure."

Marwoto also said there were no plans yet to question the victims or other witnesses.

Meanwhile, Manokwari Police Chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Bambang Ricky said the protesters had sparked the violence by attacking two Brimob officers.

"When our officers tried to calm down [the crowd], they were attacked," he said. "Brigadier Amir was struck by residents in the head, while Brigadier Ismail was shot in the leg with an arrow."

Bambang said Brimob officers had conducted raids to locate the members of the mob who assaulted the officers, and it was during those raids that residents refused to disperse and police opened fire.

One protester, Naftalia Kuan, was reportedly shot in the leg, but witnesses said he was also bleeding from the ear. He was taken to Manokwari General Hospital, where he died shortly after.

Residents later carried his body to Manokwari Police headquarters to demand an explanation for the shooting.

A woman, identified as Antomina Kuan, was also shot and remains in critical condition. The body of another protester, Septi Kuan, was only discovered the following morning.

Papua prisoner calls for pressure to halt abuses by Indonesia

Radio New Zealand International - September 20, 2010

A Papuan political prisoner in Jayapura's Abepura prison says ongoing international pressure is essential to force Indonesia to address human rights abuses.

Filep Karma, who is serving a 15-year jail term for treason after he raised the outlawed Papuan Morning Star flag in 2004, says international awareness of his plight has already helped improve the prison's treatment of his health condition.

Mr Karma has finally received critical prostate surgery a year after he first made requests for urgent treatment which prison authorities repeatedly denied. He says public campaigns highlighting abuses at Abepura have helped bring change at the notorious prison.

"Because every time we report everything to people in the world, it makes shame for the Indonesian government. They changed the head of the prison. That's why now, they will try to do best for the people."

Papuan political prisoner says Jakarta fears his release

Radio New Zealand International - September 20, 2010

A Papuan political prisoner in Jayapura's Abepura prison says Indonesia's government is afraid of what he might do if he's released.

Filep Karma, who is serving a fifteen-year jail term for treason after he raised a Papuan nationalist flag in 2004, says international pressure on Jakarta over human rights abuses in Papua must be maintained.

Mr Karma says international awareness of rights' abuses at Abepura has already helped to force a change in the prison's management.

But he is not surprised that a public campaign urging Indonesia's President to release all political prisoners appears unsuccessful.

"I know very well that Indonesia's government didn't like to release me and other political prisoners because they think if we're already released, we can campaign people to struggle for our [West Papuan] independence."

Filep Karma has finally received critical prostate surgery a year after he first made requests for urgent treatment which prison authorities repeatedly denied.

Two dead in Manokwari riot

Jakarta Post - September 17, 2010

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Two people are dead after a traffic accident triggered a riot on Wednesday at a police station in Manokwari, West Papua.

The victims were identified as Naftali Kwan and Septinus Kwan. Naftali was reported to have died from gunshot wound to the leg and Septinus from bruises and injuries.

Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Wachyono said the riot began after a hit- and-run accident on Wednesday on Jl. Esau Sesa in front of the Manokwari Mobile Brigade Unit (Brimob) headquarters.

Witnesses said a woman broke her leg after she was allegedly hit by a motorcyclist while crossing the street with her husband and child. The unidentified rider ran into the police compound and was chased by enraged residents, some of whom were armed.

Brimob officers tried to calm the situation, which quickly spiraled into violence, according to reports.

One Brimob officer, Brig. Armin, and a second person identified as Ismail were targeted by the mob. Armin was hit by an arrow on his leg while Ismail was stabbed in his neck.

The situation worsened after gunshots were fired. Naftali Kwan fell to the ground after he was shot in the leg and died on the way to hospital from blood loss.

Residents found the bruised body of Septinus Kwan in a ravine near Brimob headquarters on Thursday morning. The body's discovery triggered an angry response from residents, forcing the police to block the roads leading to Rendani Airport, temporarily suspending operations.

"Activity returned to normal at the airport after the local police chief calmed the mob," Wachyono said.

Visibly enraged protesters carried the bodies from the victims' homes to the Manokwari regent's office.

Hundreds of people brandishing weapons said that the police must be held responsible for the deaths and demanded that Rp 30 billion (US$3.33 million) in compensation be paid to the victims' families.

Manokwari Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Bambang Ricky tried to calm the protestors and promised to pay for the funerals of Naftali and Septinus.

The bodies were returned to Rendani village by the early afternoon, where local government officials paid their respects, including Bambang, Manokwari Regent Dominggus Mandacan and regency Regional Representatives Council Speaker Yosias Saroy.

The situation was said to have returned normal as of Thursday evening.

The incident Wednesday took place less than a month after eight people were killed when police in Buol, Central Sulawesi used force to stop rioters from attacking a precinct.

The riot was sparked by the death of Kasmir Timumun while in police custody. Kasmir had been detained after a traffic accident involving a police officer.

Six people were killed on the scene, two died in hospital and 22 were injured after police officers fired live bullets into the crowd.

The police allege Kasmir committed suicide, but others say the motorcycle taxi driver died after he was tortured by the police.

Police question seven personnel in Manokwari clash

Jakarta Post - September 17, 2010

Jakarta – Papua Police are questioning seven Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel in relation with a clash between police and local residents in in the West Papua capital of Manokwari on Wednesday night that killed two people.

"We are questioning Brimob personnel, we are yet to question residents," National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Marwoto Soeto said Friday.

The clash erupted in front of the Brimob headquarters on Jl. Esau Sesa because of a misunderstanding between police officers and local residents.

The incident was allegedly triggered by a traffic accident that occurred near the Brimob office. When three plain clothed Brimob officers tried to help the victim, a crowd of residents gathered and demanded that the officers take responsibility for the accident.

Palm oil plantation project rejected

Jakarta Post - September 17, 2010

Markus Makur, Timika – The Timika church in Mimika, Papua, has voiced its opposition of the province's planned oil palm plantation project, arguing that it would damage the environment and lead to a shortage of sago, the staple food of the Papuan Kamoro indigenous people.

Timika bishop Mgr. John Philiph Saklil said the establishment of an oil palm plantation was feared to make the area prone to flooding as the project would begin with clear-felling the forest, including sago plants.

"It's better for the provincial administration to develop local plants like sago," Saklil told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

He added that developing sago would pose no threat to the environment. Instead, he said, it is good for the forest and swamps and has more economic potential than oil palm.

"I'm questioning whose needs are being answered by the oil palm project? If the answer is the locals' need to earn money, they can manage the forest to earn money," he said.

Saklil assured that the church had analyzed and learned from cases of oil palm projects in Indonesia.

"If the provincial administration insists on going forward with the project, what will happen in Mimika is damage to the environment and a food crisis as fish and sago disappear. This will not happen if they develop sago plantations instead," he said.

The church, according to Saklil, also calculated that if a hectare of Mimika tropical rain forest produced 50 cubic meters of hardwood timber with a sale price of around Rp 150 million, the 3,000 hectares of Mimika forest could provide a yield in the billions of rupiah if it was planted with the trees.

"The church has sent a letter asking the governor to stop the project and so has the Papua Peace and Justice secretariat, but the project has not been stopped," Saklil said.

Papua State University rector Yan Pieter Karafir, said he also disagreed with the government project, saying there was sufficient evidence linking oil palm plantations with widespread environmental destruction.

"Research shows that oil palms do not suit Papua. The plantation will damage the structure of the soil, turning it into dry, infertile land," Yan said.

Yan added that sago would better suit Papua. Quoting research conducted by a Japanese company, he said sago could produce ethanol and that a company had already expressed interest in investing in Papua to develop sago crops for ethanol.

"In Sorong, sago forests have been become sago plantations. Sago is a superior commodity for Papuans," he said.

Sago plants, according to Yan, covers some 90 percent of the province's area. Sago has been promoted to become an international trade commodity. "Oil palm is not traditional Papuan food, sago is," Yan said.

Soldiers patrol Papua town after deadly police shooting

Jakarta Globe - September 16, 2010

Banjir Ambarita, Jakarta – The military deployed soldiers across Manokwari, West Papua, on Thursday as thousands of residents stayed on the streets to protest the killing of two men by police a day earlier. A woman was also severely injured in the shooting that followed a dispute over a traffic accident.

Lt. Col. Edward Sitorus, the district military commander in Manokwari, said soldiers had been deployed around vital installations and at locations where crowds had been gathering.

"Our soldiers are helping the police secure Manokwari, particularly the heart of the city, crowded areas and vital installations, as requested by the Manokwari Police," Edward said.

"This has nothing to do with the demand by residents that all Brimob [the National Police's Mobile Brigade] officers be pulled out of Manokwari," he said. "We have not taken over security of the city. We are just assisting the police."

Adj. Sr. Comr. Bambang Ricky, chief of the Manokwari Police, said officers had been forced to fire their weapons in self-defense on Wednesday when dozens of residents became violent after a motorist fled the scene of an accident on Jalan Esau Sesa and headed for the Brimob headquarters in Manokwari.

He said that mobs armed with knives and spears blocked roads and threw stones at Brimob officers who arrived at the scene of the accident to try and control the angry crowds.

The rioters used their weapons to wound two Brimob officers, Bambang said. "The crowds had become violent. They had bows and arrows, axes and blocks of wood," he said.

"When our Brimob officers tried to calm them down, they were attacked. Brig. Amir was struck in the head by residents, while Brig. Ismail was shot in the leg with an arrow."

Bambang said that other Brimob officers, upon learning of the violence, proceeded to conduct a number of raids to locate those responsible for wounding their fellow officers.

"While they were conducting the raids, they fired [their weapons], but the crowds [didn't disperse] and continued to riot," he said.

"So police opened fire again. A resident named Naftalia Kuan was shot in the leg. In all, I cannot specify how many shots were fired into the crowds."

Residents confirmed that Naftalia had been shot in the leg, but they said his head was also bloody and blood was oozing from his ear. He was taken to Manokwari General Hospital, but died there.

Residents later brought the body of Naftalia to Manokwari Police headquarters to demand an explanation.

A woman, identified as Antomina Kuan, also suffered a gunshot wound and remains in critical condition at the hospital. The body of another protester, Septi Kuan, was only found on Thursday morning.

Earlier this month, officers killed seven people in Buol, Central Sulawesi, after residents attacked a police station. They were angered by the death of a local man who was being held by police for traffic violations. At least 32 officers have been questioned over the violence in Buol on Sept. 2.

During the riot, which left a total of up to 34 people injured, enraged villagers threw Molotov cocktails and stones at the police station, wounding 19 officers. Police then fired into the crowd.

Bambang, the Manokwari Police chief, said that seven Brimob officers were being questioned as part of an internal investigation into the violence. "Among them are those who conducted raids and opened fire on the crowds on September 15," Bambang said.

"So far we believe that our officers followed procedure. They were attempting to take control of the situation and fired warning shots. Those shots were ignored by the mob. Then, they opened fire to [stop the rioters]," he said.

"I am sure what they did was in accordance with procedure. But an investigation needs to be conducted to legally clarify matters," Bambang added.

Indonesia police kill two in Papua road riot

Agence France Presse - September 16, 2010

Timika, Indonesia – Indonesian police opened fire and killed two men and injured a woman as a dispute over a traffic accident spun out of control in the restive province of West Papua, officials said on Thursday.

Police were forced to use lethal force in self-defense when dozens of angry residents became violent after a motorist fled the scene of an accident in the city of Manokwari, provincial police spokesman Wachyono told AFP.

The mob, armed with knives and spears, blocked roads and threw stones at police who arrived at the scene late Wednesday, he said.

"Our members opened fire at the angry residents. They did it automatically in self-defense against people who brought knives, spears and wooden sticks," Wachyono said.

"I believe they felt their lives were threatened. If they hadn't opened fire they would have been hit by the residents," he added, rejecting allegations the police used excessive force.

Papuan tribal representative Dominikus Sorabut, from the Papuan Customary Council, said heavily armed Mobile Brigade (Brimob) police acted out of revenge after the mob pelted them with stones.

"The policeman who was hit by stones ran back to his station and came back with a troupe and acted blindly by shooting people," he said.

Indonesia's police are notorious for poor discipline, corruption and torture. They are also widely accused of serious human rights abuses against indigenous Melanesians in Papua, where a low-level insurgency has simmered for decades.

Earlier this month police killed six people in Central Sulawesi province after locals rose up against them in anger at the death in custody of a local man who had been arrested for traffic infringements.

Police had to be pulled out of the town of Buol for their own safety as furious residents roamed the streets looking for them.

Human rights & law

Australia urged to break silence on Munir case

Radio Australia - September 21, 2010

This month marks the sixth anniversary of the alleged murder of one of Indonesia's most prominent human rights activists, Munir Said Thalib. The European Parliament has taken the opportunity to highlight the unresolved case by again inviting Munir's wife to meet its members. And Australia is being urged to raise the issue with Indonesia. Despite evidence that members of Indonesia's intelligence agency were behind the murder, none have been convicted. Presenter: Karon Snowdon

Speakers: Rusdi Marpuang, director, human rights monitoring group, Imparsial; Dr Clinton Fernandes, senior lecturer, Australian Defence Force Academy, and speaker at the inaugural Munir Thalib Memorial lecture, Sydney

Snowdon: Munir Thalib died from arsenic poisoning on a Garuda airline flight to Amsterdam in September 2004. The one person convicted of the murder was released two years into a 14 year jail sentence and the conviction was overturned by the supreme court.

Munir's wife, Suciwati, and supporters say senior members of Indonesia's intelligence agency ordered the killing in revenge for Munir's exposure of their human rights abuses during the Suharto regime. Rusdi Marpuang, a director of the human rights monitoring group, Imparsial, says the campaign will continue until the masterminds are brought to justice.

Rusdi: Suciwati tried to remind people, especially the international community to push this case over and over because the president said the Munir case is a test of our history.

Snowdon: Do you think president Yudhoyono maintains that position, that he's still committed to seeing justice done in this case?

Rusdi: I think it's very shameful for president Yudhoyono because until now there's been no action.

Snowdon: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered an independent investigation which in 2005 implicated the intelligence agency's former chief, retired general Hendropriyono, and a former deputy head, Muchdi Purwopranjono, in Munir's murder. Muchdi was tried and acquitted in 2008 in a trial that Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights called 'seriously flawed'.

In response, 450 members of the European Parliament signed a declaration calling on the Indonesian authorities to solve the case – but it was to no avail. Dr Clinton Fernandes, a senior lecturer in strategic studies at the Australian Defence Force Academy, says there should be ongoing international pressure for justice.

Fernandes: Justice has not been done. The Indonesian legal system is subject to very powerful distortion by generals. And I'd like to see those actually responsible brought to justice.

Snowdon: There's more lobbying in the European Union. That hasn't brought many results so far. Why continue to pursue that angle and what hope is there this time?

Fernandes: The struggle for justice for Munir's killers is a bit like the struggle to overturn the dictator Suharto. It took a long time, 32 years in that case. But the issue kept being placed on the agenda by people who would never go away and who kept talking about it. The same as the independence of East Timor. The same as the people who were the masterminds of the murder of Munir, it's a matter of never letting people forget who they are. And when the tide does turn diplomatically, they will in fact be brought to justice.

Snowdon: Is there anything that Australia can contribute in this area?

Fernandes: Yes, Australia can raise the matter, not only with Indonesia directly, but in appropriate international fora. Australia can take a stronger line when it comes to human rights, not just pay lip service to it. We have the murder of five Australian based journalists in Balibo in East Timor which the government has done very little about. We don't seem to be talking very strongly to the Indonesian authorities about the Munir murder either.

Snowdon: The Australian government might not see its role as getting involved in an individual case in the Indonesian justice system.

Fernandes: One of the people who was actually responsible for the murder of Munir was trained in Australia. In fact, there was a plaque that he gave the school of military intelligence in 1971. And very senior Indonesian officers have had very close links with Australia. So, having trained these people, who have then gone on to commit horrendous crimes, surely, we now have the obligation to raise the matter of their crimes.

Snowdon: You seem to be saying the Indonesian legal system is very selective?

Fernandes: The Indonesian justice system is very selective but Australia's silence in this matter means that those campaigning for justice and democracy in Indonesia have no external allies at all.

Jailed Islamic militants accuse police of torture, neglect

Jakarta Globe - September 19, 2010

Farouk Arnaz & Nurfika Osman, Porong, East Java – Fresh allegations of torture have been made against the police's counterterrorism unit, this time by Islamic hard-liners jailed for the deadly religious strife in Poso and Ambon.

The allegations against Detachment 88 (Densus 88), which has long been criticized for its questionable treatment of terror suspects, were renewed earlier this month following the death in custody of a political prisoner who was serving 12 years for helping hoist the banned South Maluku Republic (RMS) flag during a 2007 visit by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Ambon, Maluku.

The prisoner's family and rights activists said he was severely beaten while in custody and denied medical treatment despite his failing health and need for dialysis.

Densus 88 has since been accused of torture by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, while the Australian government, which helps fund the unit, said it was "concerned" about the allegations.

In a recent interview with the Jakarta Globe, militant Islamists said their plight had gone unheeded by the West because they were not Christian.

"If the victim is an infidel, including an RMS activist seeking to separate Ambon from Indonesia and create a Christian republic in Maluku, Australia will always show its concern," said Nasrudin "Harun" Mochtar, one of the prisoners. "So why do they keep silent when it happens to us? Don't they know that Densus 88 tortures us too?"

Harun is serving nine years at Porong Penitentiary in East Java for his role in the bloody sectarian violence in Ambon in 1999, and in Poso, Central Sulawesi, which flared up between 1998 and 2001. Both conflicts pitted the Muslims against the majority Christians, and left more than 1,000 people dead.

Harun claimed he had been shot three times in the leg and denied access to a lawyer. "I was later pistol-whipped, electrocuted and stabbed with a bayonet, but nobody cared," he said. "Maybe it's legitimate to torture people like me, for whom there is no justice."

Asep Jaja, another of the Ambon militants, also said he was tortured by Densus 88. "They'd hit us in the head with a gun to make us confess to anything," he said.

"I still get headaches because of that. There's lots of stories here about how the Ambon mujahideen [Islamic warriors] have been tortured by Densus 88." According to Fatur Armen, another prisoner, Australia had only recently addressed the torture allegations because, he said, "they support the RMS."

"But when mujahideen are tortured or killed, they don't say anything," he said.

Suhaib, another of the Ambon militants and recently transferred to Jakarta, said he had been shot five times in both legs.

Indria Fernida, deputy chairwoman of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence, said the Islamists' claims about Australia could be true. "They fund Densus 88 because they have an interest in fighting [Islamic] terrorists," she said.

However, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Marwoto Soeto called the militants' claims "baseless," and added: "Our officers never commit torture."

Rights group blasts Indonesian police over heist suspect killings

Deutsch Presse Agentur - September 20, 2010

Jakarta – An Indonesian human rights group Monday criticized the country's anti-terror police for allegedly killing three people suspected of involvement in a deadly heist on Sumatra island.

Members of the Detachment 88 anti-terror unit, funded and trained by the United States and Australia, gunned down the three suspects during an operation in North Sumatra's Tanjung Balai area on Sunday and arrested 15 others in a separate location.

"We question whether the police did the right thing by killing the suspects," said Usman Hamid, chairman of Kontras, a leading human rights group. "Their action violated the rights of suspects," he said.

Police said the raids were part of an investigation into a robbery at an Indonesian branch of Malaysian bank CIMB last month in which a policeman was killed and two security guards wounded. The thieves made off with around 40,000 dollars in cash.

The involvement of Detachment 88 led some media to speculate that terror activities may have been involved.

National police spokesman Iskandar Hasan did said "We have not yet found a link to other things," such as terrorism, but that the possible link was "part of the investigation into the robbery."

The head of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency, Ansyaad Mbai, said militants had in the past been involved in robbery to raise funds for attacks. "We must not rule out that the robbery was linked to terrorism," he was quoted as saying by Detik.com news website.

Police have already come under fire for increased use of lethal force in dealing with terrorist suspects.

Indonesia has been hit by a series of attacks blamed on Islamic militants since 2000, notably in 2002 when 202 people were killed by bombings in Bali.

Police, activists in conflict over Maluku torture claims

Jakarta Globe - September 16, 2010

Nurfika Osman, Jakarta – A team from the National Police headquarters arrived in Ambon, Maluku, on Thursday to look into torture allegations against its counterterrorism unit, as rights groups prepared to release findings from their own probe.

The antiterror unit, Densus 88, was accused by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International of torturing detainees, following the death on Monday of a political prisoner.

Yusuf Sipakoly, 52, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for treason, after he helped unfurl the banned South Maluku Republic (RMS) flag during a visit by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Ambon in 2007.

Yusuf's family and rights activists said he was severely beaten while in custody and was not allowed to receive medical treatment despite his failing health and need for dialysis.

However, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Marwoto Soeto denied these charges. "There was never any torture. And our team went [to Maluku] to prove that the allegations are false," Marwoto told the Jakarta Globe on Thursday.

"Only the [nongovernmental organizations] are making the claims," he said. "How can they say Densus 88 tortured prisoners if they did not witness it themselves?"

Amnesty said in a statement that the maltreatment of Yusuf in jail "violated Indonesia's obligations under international human rights law."

"The denial of medical care for [Yusuf] also violates the guarantee of the right to health in Article 28H (1) of the Indonesian Constitution," the London-based group said.

Meanwhile, the Australian government, which along with the United States provides Densus 88 with millions of dollars' worth of equipment and other assistance yearly, has expressed concern over the issue but says any investigation must be carried out by Indonesia.

Separately, the Jakarta-based Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said it was preparing to release findings from its own investigation, including a list of police officers suspected of torturing prisoners. Haris Azhar, deputy chairman of Kontras, said their initial findings confirm the torture claims.

"Our team on the ground carried out a thorough investigation, particularly among detainees being held for subversion in relation to Yudhoyono's visit to Ambon," he told the Globe on Thursday.

"We can't publicly announce the names of the suspected perpetrators," he said. "However, we can say that they include [officers] from Densus 88 and from the Maluku Police."

Haris says political prisoners "undergo a drastic change in their health condition" from the time of their arrest and that many often end up hospitalized. "Everything gets worse. They are denied access to legal assistance or to their families. The prisoners are isolated."

He said Kontras tried getting the Maluku Police to confirm the torture allegations, to no avail. "They only said that the cases in question were handled by Densus 88, and so they don't know anything about them," he said.

Meanwhile, a lawyer from the Maluku People's Advocacy Team named two officers who had allegedly tortured detainees.

Semuel Wailaruny told the Globe on Thursday that Frans Siahaya, deputy head of the Ambon subprecinct police, and De Fretes, the commander of Densus 88 in Ambon, were among the officers who allegedly exerted violence on prisoners.

"They tortured 15 people in Ambon's Nania [Prison] and six at Saparua Penitentiary," he said. "De Fretes was the one [who] signed the letter authorizing the torture," he added.

Semuel also said one of the prisoners, Yonias Siahaya, was left paralyzed after he was severely beaten by members of the counterterrorism squad. "He was blindfolded while the Densus 88 officers beat him," he said. "Now he can't even talk."

The officers reportedly covered up what they did by telling Yonias's family that he had been incapacitated by lung disease. "The victim never had a history of lung disease [in] his life," the lawyer said.

Freedom of expression & press

Police rule out foul play in journalist deaths

Jakarta Post - September 22, 2010

Khairul Saleh and Nethy Darma Somba, Palembang/Jayapura – Investigations into the recent deaths of two journalists in separate locations have revealed no signs of foul play as many had alleged previously.

In Papua, Merauke Police chief Djoko Prihadi announced that Merauke TV journalist Ardiansyah Matrais, 31, whose body was found floating in a river near a charcoal warehouse on July 31, had committed suicide.

"The Makassar forensic laboratory test showed this. We found liquid in the victim's lungs, suggesting that he drowned," Djoko said.

He added that Ardiansyah had died by throwing himself into the river. Testimonies from several witnesses supported the analysis, he said, although no one had seen Ardiansyah jump into the river directly. Police also found no trace of violence on the victim's body.

Ardiansyah was reported to have suffered stress and depression because of personal problems. Earlier reports alleged he had been murdered since he had received threats sent to his cell phone prior to his death. The threats were linked to his coverage of local elections.

The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) has stated it accepts the police account of the death, but said it would continue with its own investigations.

"We have not conducted our own investigations yet. If we find different results we will present them to the police for a follow-up," AJI Jayapura office secretary Cunding Levi said.

In Palembang, police arrested Stefi, 20, who allegedly murdered Sriwijaya Pos journalist Arsep Pajario, 41, but no indications of a political motive have been found in the case as previously alleged by the National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

South Sumatra Police public relations chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sabaruddin Ginting said the suspect, whom the victim had known for only a month, had strangled Arsep to death.

"Stefi is named as suspect because all evidence and witnesses strongly lead to this one person," Ginting told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Since the body of Arsep was found on Friday, South Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Hasyim Irianto had set up a special joint team comprising personnel from Palembang and South Sumatra Police to investigate the case, he said.

The result of an autopsy confirmed that the victim died because of lack of oxygen. It also revealed signs of strangulation.

An intensive questioning of the suspect on Monday further confirmed the cause of death. The suspect also admitted to have taken the victim's cell phone after killing him. "The suspect deliberately put a can of insecticide near the victim's left hand make it look like he killed himself," Ginting said.

Stefi was taken to the site where Arsep had been found dead to reconstruct the crime. Stefi admitted to have killed Arsep because "he felt frustrated at being forced to do whatever the victim told him to do". Stefi said he "could not bear the victim's bad words any longer."

"You have help here, enjoying good food, receiving phone credit. Why can't you just do what I tell you to?" Ginting said quoting Stefi's statement of abuse Arsep had allegedly yelled at him. Stefi, Ginting said, had strangled Arsep from behind.

Lengthy questioning sessions at the police headquarters on Monday had led suspect to be so depressed and down that he yelled Arsep's name repeatedly, Ginting said.

Politics & political parties

Parties play down rumors of reshuffle

Jakarta Post - September 22, 2010

Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – Political parties in the ruling coalition on Tuesday played down speculation fueled by Democratic Party politicians on a possible Cabinet shake-up, calling it mere "opinions".

United Development Party (PPP) legislator M. Romahurmuzy said he doubted President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would reshuffle his Cabinet anytime soon.

"The rumor was spread because there are a number of politicians from the Democratic Party hoping to head certain ministries by taking the advantage of the President's expected annual evaluation of his Cabinet," he said.

He argued the President would not opt for the move because a Cabinet restructuring would be too risky for the Yudhoyono administration. "The reshuffle will create political instability and polemics in the coalition," he said.

"Yudhoyono surely doesn't want any new problems emerging in the second year of his administration, especially after the Bank Century scandal shook the first year of his second term as President," Romahurmuzy said.

On Tuesday, Democratic Party executive Achnasul Qosasi hinted that five ministers would be subject to a performance evaluation and possible reshuffle later this year.

The five ministers named were Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh, Communications and Information Technology Minister Tifaul Sembiring, Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar and Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto.

Freddy and Darwin are from the Democratic Party, Tifaul is from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), Partrialis is from the National Mandate Party (PAN) and Djoko is a career technocrat. "Whether these five are reshuffled, however, would depend entirely on the President," Achnasul said.

Freddy was allegedly embroiled in a romantic affair and Darwin was hurt by allegations of sex tapes this year, and a possible reshuffle in the two ministries is rumored to be related to the alleged scandals.

PAN secretary-general Taufik Kurniawan shrugged off speculations of a reshuffle, saying Patrialis had worked effectively and contributed fully at his ministry. He said he hoped the President's evaluation of his Cabinet would not always result in a reshuffle, as one year was not a sufficient period in which to assess the overall performance of a minister.

"We hope the President will make a wise and shrewd decision when evaluating his ministers. However, a Cabinet reshuffle remains the prerogative of the President, and we respect that," Taufik said.

PKS deputy secretary-general Mahfudz Siddiq said his party would not make any political moves in response to the speculation because the President had not announced any plans to rearrange his Cabinet.

"Previously, the President had promised that should there be any reshuffle plan, he would convey this matter to the leaders of political parties. We're holding him to that promise," Mahfudz said. (tsy)

Labour & migrant workers

Indonesians vent anger over maid abuse in Malaysia

Agence France Presse - September 22, 2010

Jakarta – About 500 angry Indonesians staged a motorbike protest outside the Malaysian ambassador's residence in Jakarta on Wednesday to condemn the abuse of Indonesian maids by Malaysian employers.

Incensed by the latest case of rape and torture of an Indonesian domestic worker in Malaysia, protesters besieged Ambassador Syed Munshe Afdzaruddin's house and demanded he leave Indonesia within two days.

They also threatened to roam through a nearby shopping mall and order any Malaysian they find to go back to their country.

"We want the Malaysian ambassador to leave Indonesia in two days. If he doesn't, we'll remove all the things in his house," said Mustar Bonaventura, of nationalist youth group Bendera, which organized the rally.

"Malaysia has really gone too far. Again they're torturing and raping our domestic workers. We've lost our patience. They've degraded Indonesia and its citizens."

Protesters shouted "Malaysians are insolent," sang the Indonesian anthem and carried banners with messages like "Crush Malaysia."

Organizers said they would move to the Malaysian embassy later Wednesday to continue their demonstration, and target Malaysian shoppers.

"We'll tell the Malaysian shoppers in Senayan City mall to stop shopping in Indonesia and get out. But we'll tell them nicely because we're not like those Malaysians who are torturers and rapists," Bonaventura said.

Spats regularly erupt between Indonesia and Malaysia over an array of issues, particularly Malaysia's treatment of the some two million Indonesians who work there.

Malaysia earlier Wednesday condemned the abuse of Indonesian maids after a 26-year-old woman was raped and scalded with an iron by her employers. The couple accused of abusing the woman have been arrested.

In June last year Indonesia barred domestic workers going to Malaysia after a series of incidents of shocking mistreatment, but the move has had little practical effect.

Malaysia and Indonesia have been working to establish official working conditions for maids, but negotiations are making slow progress due to disagreement over a proposed minimum wage.

Ban on workers in place, but abuses continue

Jakarta Globe - September 20, 2010

Camelia Pasandaran & Ismira Lutfia, Jakarta – The government has reiterated that a moratorium on sending domestic workers to Malaysia is still in force, following reports of another worker abuse case.

"We are warning the public once more that working in Malaysia is still banned until the MoU [with Malaysia on migrant workers] is clarified," said Muhaimin Iskandar, the manpower and transmigration minister.

A 26-year-old Indonesian from East Java, identified only as WF, who went to Malaysia illegally in February, is being treated at Penang General Hospital after allegedly being tortured and raped by her employers.

Malaysian police have arrested her employers – a 41-year-old contractor and his 36-year-old wife. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called WF on Sunday and promised she would receive any necessary assistance.

Muhaimin said WF left Indonesia during the moratorium and her documents showed that she was supposed to be working in Singapore, not Malaysia. Despite WF's illegal status, Muhaimin said the government and the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia would provide her legal assistance.

"The Malaysian police are committed to investigating the case and we will wait for the legal process," he said, adding that officials were ready to support the investigation. He added that a special team had been assigned to monitor WF's recovery in the hospital.

WF has accused her male employer of sexually abusing her since May, and his wife of beating her, said Widyarka Ryananta, an Indonesian Embassy official who spoke with her on Sunday.

She was also allegedly beaten with a belt, and her back scalded with boiling water and her breasts with a hot iron, he said.

Muchamad Cholily, chairman of the East Java chapter of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union, criticized the government for not doing enough to stop thousands of Indonesian workers from entering Malaysia illegally.

"There are roughly 5,000 illegal workers entering Malaysia every month," he said. Muchamad blamed the situation on a lack of controls at border crossings and embarkation points. He claimed that authorities were deliberately ignoring the situation in an attempt to reduce unemployment at home.

"While the moratorium is still in effect, the government has never offered any alternative destinations for migrant workers to seek employment abroad. I think this is why job seekers are still opting to go to Malaysia despite the ban," he said.

Indonesia banned domestic workers from going to Malaysia last year amid an outcry over a series of worker abuse cases involving Malaysian employers. The two countries are still negotiating an agreement that is hope to provide greater protections for some 230,000 Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia.

Indonesian activists said WF's case should serve as a wake-up call for Malaysia and Indonesia to expedite the signing of the deal.

Muhaimin said on Monday that the government would fast-track the negotiations. "It will be evaluated in one month," he said.

[Additional reporting from AFP.]

Environment & natural disasters

La Nina, heavy rains hurt production of commodities

Jakarta Globe - September 20, 2010

Jakarta – Unusually heavy rainfall brought on by the La Nina weather phenomenon have hammered Indonesia in recent months, leading to a pronounced drop in resource extraction and agricultural output.

The unusually wet weather has resulted in projections of slumping export volumes of tin, coal, coffee, palm oil and other commodities.

The Trade Ministry said on Monday that tin shipments from Indonesia, the world's largest exporter of the metal, may drop 19 percent this year, adding to signs of a trade slump that has helped make tin this year's best performing base-metal by price.

Exports could plunge to about 80,000 metric tons in 2010, down from 99,287 tons in 2009, said Alberth Tubogu, export director for mining and industry products at the Trade Ministry.

His prediction is in line with an August forecast from the Energy Ministry for a 20 percent decline in output.

According to the Trade Ministry, tin shipments from Indonesia in the first seven months of this year fell 12 percent from a year earlier to 52,133 tons.

Alberth said "unpredictable weather" has affected tin production in Bangka-Belitung Islands, the province that accounts for most of the nation's production.

"Some producers may use their inventory to increase sales now that the price is gaining, but I doubt it will help much," Alberth said.

"I spoke with exporters last week and they said they don't have a lot of tin stockpiles – especially the small smelters – after heavy rain reduced ore supplies."

Macquarie Group warned this month that global tin supply may lag behind usage "through next year at least," bolstering prices.

Accordingly, tin futures on the London Metal Exchange have rallied to their highest price since July 2008, driven by the fall in supplies from Indonesia, lower stockpiles and rising demand.

Tin, used as packaging and solder, has advanced about 40 percent in London this year, beating second-placed nickel's 27 percent jump.

The contract, which reached a record $25,500 a ton in May 2008, peaked at $23,800 on Sept. 17 and traded at $23,702 at 4:29 p.m. in Singapore on Monday after gaining 0.4 percent.

Meanwhile, Rachim Kartabrata, executive secretary of the Indonesian Coffee Exporters Association (AEKI), told the Jakarta Globe last week that coffee exports this year would drop by about 15 percent, from 400,000 tons to 340,000 tons.

Rachim said prolonged rain in South Sumatra, a center of coffee production, was partly to blame, as were lower levels of stock left over from last year.

Suharto Honggokusumo, executive director of the Indonesian Rubber Producers Association (Gapkindo), told the Globe that the heavy rain had limited the production of rubber tappers.

But he said export levels would hold steady thanks to a 24 percent surge in exports during the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said last month that the country was experiencing its most extreme weather on record, including unusually heavy rain linked to La Nina. La Nina is expected to persist through early 2011.

The Agriculture Ministry said the extreme weather had affected agricultural output, especially in Java, of melons, mangoes and mushrooms.

The Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI) and the Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (Gapki) said last month that rain had hit their commodities.

The APBI said national output was likely to miss its target, while Gapki said output could fall 10 percent this year. (Reuters, JG)

Corruption could jeopardise indonesia's climate change deals

Reuters - September 17, 2010

Sunanda Creagh, Jakarta – Billions of dollars Indonesia stands to earn every year in climate change deals could be at risk if it fails to stamp out corruption in its forestry sector, long notorious for graft and focus of an ongoing investigation.

Norway is preparing to pay the first $30 million of $1 billion it agreed to give Indonesia in return for a commitment to preserve valuable forests, part of a UN scheme in which rich nations will pay developing countries not to chop down trees.

"Our emission reduction potential from forestry and peatland is about 1.5 gigatonnes by 2030. So if the price of emissions reductions is around $10 per tonne in 2030, then our potential revenue is $15 billion per annum by 2030," said Agus Purnomo, head of Indonesia's National Council on Climate Change.

But considerable obstacles stand in the way. Indonesia's lucrative palm oil, plantations and mining sectors say the moratorium on land conversion will hinder expansion and profits. And the forestry sector has a legacy of mismanagement and graft.

"It's a source of unlimited corruption," said Chandra M. Hamzah, deputy chairman at the KPK anti-graft agency set up by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to combat corruption.

An Ernst and Young audit found that in just 4 years between 1993/94 and 1997/98, Indonesia's reforestation fund lost $5.25 billion through systematic financial mismanagement and fraud.

Anti-graft officials are concerned that the vast sums on offer under the UN scheme could lead to further corruption and theft.

Adding to concerns, a forestry official who helped negotiate the Norway deal and represented Indonesia at global climate talks in 2009 is a suspect in a multi-million dollar corruption case.

Adnan Topan Husodo, deputy coordinator of the NGO Indonesia Corruption Watch, said that while all corruption suspects are innocent until proven guilty, a graft suspect should not have been part of the team that negotiated the deal with Norway.

"The credibility of the team involved in the agreement is at stake," he said. "This is huge money we are talking about." That's one reason top reformers in the government say they are putting in safeguards to ensure that Norway's funding isn't misused.

Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, who heads of the president's delivery unit and oversees implementation of the deal, said the money would be kept separate from the government budget.

The KPK has spent two years investigating allegations that forestry officials, lawmakers, and businessmen at a firm called PT Masaro Radiokom conspired to ensure the firm won a lucrative radio procurement project. The KPK estimated this led to state losses of at least 70 billion rupiah ($7.75 million).

Wandojo Siswanto, one of Indonesia's top negotiators at last year's climate talks in Copenhagen and a member of the team that negotiated with Norway, was named a suspect in September 2009, but has continued to work as a senior Forestry Department official. He an architect of Indonesia's laws on the UN scheme, Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD).

The KPK allege that Siswanto, who was in charge of the radio procurement project, received a bribe of about $10,000 from Anggoro Widjojo, a director of PT Masaro Radiokom, to ensure that the project was included in the department's budget that year.

It says Siswanto awarded the contract directly to Masaro, instead of putting it to public tender as required by law. A traval ban was imposed on him last year after Copenhagen.

Siswanto told Reuters he was innocent. He said that he found the $10,000 in question on his table, and then called Widjojo to ask who the money was for, and what it was for.

"It was just put on my table. I was not brave enough to make a report to the KPK at that time," he said, adding that he held onto the money for about four months, then gave it to the KPK.

"I never asked for that kind of money," Siswanto said, adding that he didn't think it was a bribe because it was given after the budget had already been arranged. "The money didn't make me do something."

Siswanto said his staff advised him to award the contract to Masaro without putting it to public tender. "I was advised by my committee that it was conducted every year this way," he said. "I need to prove I was just a victim of the situation."

As part of the same investigation, the KPK last year raided the office of the department's secretary general, Boen Purnama, where they found $20,000 in cash, allegedly also from Widjojo.

Purnama told Reuters he did not want to comment on the allegations. He has not so far been named a suspect by the KPK.

The KPK told Reuters there was no evidence to suggest forestry officials would try to steal any of the Norwegian money, but added Norwegian government officials had asked the KPK to play an oversight role to ensure the funds were used properly.

In a statement e-mailed to Reuters, the Norwegian International Climate and Forest Initiative, part of the Norwegian environment ministry, said the $1 billion climate deal was designed in such as way as to reduce the risk of corruption: "It is an unfortunate fact that there are significant governance challenges, including issues of fiduciary management, in most tropical forest countries," the statement said. " Clearly, dealing with these challenges is a priority."

Health & education

Missing Indonesian tobacco clause mystery gets even hazier

Jakarta Globe - September 22, 2010

Dessy Sagita & Farouk Arnaz, Jakarta – Antitobacco activists said on Wednesday that the National Police were lying about three legislators who have been accused of deliberately omitting a clause addressing the dangers of tobacco from the 2009 health bill.

Hakim Sorimuda Pohan, a former Democratic lawmaker and member of Commission IX overseeing health affairs, who now works with the Coalition Against Corruption of the Anti-Tobacco Clause (Kakar), said on Monday that the National Police had told him the three legislators had been named suspect. On Monday, however, Brig. Gen. Saut Usman Nasution, director of transnational crimes at the National Police, denied Hakim's charge, saying the claim was "absolutely wrong."

The three lawmakers in question are Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) member Ribka Tjiptaning Proletariati, chairwoman of House Commission IX, and former Golkar Party legislators Mariani Baramuli and Asiah Salekan.

The health bill was passed by the House of Representatives in September 2009, but was later found to be missing a previously-included clause that identified tobacco as an addictive substance.

While the House committee deliberating the bill played off the omission as a "technical error," critics allege the clause was deliberately struck off to appease the powerful tobacco lobby.

Kakar lawyer David Tobing countered the claims of the police, telling a press conference: "Throughout this legal process, we have regularly received notification letters from the national police's detective unit updating us about the case. Since Aug. 24, the letters have clearly mentioned the three women as suspects."

Tobing showed journalists the letters from the National Police, which indeed mentioned Ribka, Mariani, and Asiah as suspects.

National Police Chief of Detectives Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi, however, rejected the allegations, and said Kakar did not understand how the National Police handled cases.

"If they said that they received a letter from us stating that legislators had been named as suspects, then it could be a typo. I have to check it first," he said, adding that he wanted to see a copy of the letter. "I have never lied to the public. We are professional," he maintained.

He also said that there was no indication that officials from the Ministry of Health were responsible for cutting the clause from the health bill. "Our focus now is on the DPR secretary general. We will summon them in the near future," he said.

Saut had said on Tuesday that two Health Ministry officials were undergoing questioning over the alleged deliberate omission of the clause. The two officials brought in for questioning were Faiq, the ministry's secretary general, and Budi Sampurno, a senior official.

Tulus Abadi, the managing director of the Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI) and a member of Kakar, said that the police's inconsistencies were causing public confusion.

"There might be some political pressure that is causing the police to deny that the three women have been named suspects, because all three of them came from major political parties. But the police should not do that," he said.

David also said that the House Ethics Council should temporarily suspend Ribka from her position as the chairwoman of Commission IX. He also said that she should be detained in police custody.

"I know that it is very unlikely Ribka will try to run away or destroy the evidence, but there is no guarantee that she will not repeat her misconduct, considering she's still holding the strategic position as the chairwoman of the commission," he said.

New twist in case of vanishing tobacco clause

Jakarta Globe - September 20, 2010

Dessy Sagita, Farouk Arnaz & Armando Siahaan – Three legislators are suspected of having deliberately omitted a key clause addressing the dangers of tobacco in the health bill, a former lawmaker has said, although police deny the claim.

On Monday, Hakim Sorimuda Pohan, a former Commission IX member from the Democratic Party who now works with the Coalition Against Corruption of the Anti-Tobacco Clause (Kakar), said he had received notification from the National Police that three legislators involved in the case had been named suspects.

"The police wouldn't name someone a suspect unless they had enough evidence, so they must have questioned many witnesses and conducted a thorough examination before they made the decision," he said.

"There's still a long way to go before we can resolve the case, but at least the police are on the right track and making progress."

However, a senior police officer on Monday denied this. Brig. Gen. Saut Usman Nasution, director of transnational crimes at the National Police, even went as far as to say the claim was "absolutely wrong."

"I'm sure you know we need presidential approval before naming a legislator a suspect," he said. "We're still investigating the case and haven't even sent any such request to the president."

The health bill was passed by the House of Representatives in September 2009 but was later found to be missing a clause that was previously included that identified tobacco as an addictive substance.

While the House committee deliberating the bill played off the omission as a "technical error," critics allege the clause was deliberately struck off to appease the powerful tobacco lobby.

The committee's chairwoman, Ribka Tjiptaning, from the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), was later reported to the police by Kakar. Golkar Party legislators Mariani Baramuli and Asiah Salekan were also reported by Kakar in relation to the case.

All three women were serving on House Commission IX, which oversees health affairs, at the time the bill was passed.

Saut cautioned against speculation in the case. "I don't know why [Kakar] keeps making these wild claims about this case, but the fact is that the police are handling the case, not them," he said.

Separately, Trimedya Panjaitan, a PDI-P legislator and head of the party's legal unit, also denied the claims, saying the party had never received notification Ribka had been named a suspect.

Ribka has denied omitting the clause from the bill, but concedes she was opposed to it because it could threaten the livelihood of tobacco farmers. Mariani has also denied the accusation, calling it "ridiculous and unfounded."

Poverty leaves three children paralyzed

Antara News - September 17, 2010

Menduk, Bangka Belitung – Three children from a small Indonesian village have been left paralyzed because their parents could not afford basic medical care for relatively minor sicknesses.

State news agency Antara identified the children as Nurul Anisa, 9, Zainal Jannah, 7, and Faturrahman, 4, from Menduk village, Bangka district, Bangka Belitung.

Fatimah, the mother of Nurul, said she that because the family was poor, they could not afford the cost of medication and medical treatment when her daughter came down with a fever.

"I took my daughter to Sungailiat general hospital when she suffered from a high fever but I could not afford her medication. This... forced me to take care of her at home," Fatimah said.

She said that her daughter's condition only deteriorated and she finally became paralyzed.

"I have taken her to the public hospital several times but she has not recovered. This condition made me decide to take care of her at home. I also do not have money," she said.

Juaidi, another villager, said his children, Zainal and Faturrahman, also ended up paralyzed because he could not send them to hospital when they came down with fevers.

This father of six said that as he had not money, he had to take care of his ailing children with traditional medicine.

He said doctors recommended that he take his children to Jakarta for treatment but "I do not have money." Juaidi said he hoped donors could help his children so they still had the will to live.

Graft & corruption

Lawyers for Gayus say money trail ignored, again

Jakarta Globe - September 21, 2010

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Even though Gayus Tambunan is facing trial for the second time this year, attempts to unravel the truth as to how this former mid-ranking tax official amassed Rp 28 billion ($3.1 million) in his bank accounts appear set to fall flat yet again.

Gayus's defense team warned at his trial this week that his cooperation with police during their investigation into the funds would be rendered useless if prosecutors limited the indictment to minor tax infringement and bribing law enforcers, essentially overlooking where the money actually came from.

The defense, led by veteran lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution, slammed the attempt to reduce the case to mere tax evasion and bribery as "a public lie."

"The case should have served as an extraordinary entry point to uncover and combat corruption involving the tax office, police, prosecutors and the courts," Adnan told the South Jakarta District Court on Monday.

He asked the court to delay the trial until prosecutors came up with a complete case that accounted for the Rp 28 billion.

Adnan's comments reflect worries that Gayus's second trial will follow in much the same manner as his first, when prosecutors recommended just one year in jail for Gayus for embezzling Rp 375 million from a South Korean businessman, glossing over the source of the rest of the funds.

The Tangerang District Court acquitted Gayus of the watered-down embezzlement charge in March, in spite of a report by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) that had flagged the money in his accounts as highly suspicious.

The scandal was only brought to light when the former National Police chief of detectives, Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, alleged that some of his colleagues in the force had received bribes from Gayus.

The revelation triggered a series of high-profile arrests, including that of the chief of the Tangerang district court, two police officers, lawyers, suspected case brokers, Gayus himself and even his former superiors at the tax office.

And yet criminal charges still prove elusive for prosecutors involved in Gayus's trial and two police generals who are widely believed to have been at the center of Susno's accusation.

"The indictment does not mention the source of the funds, the alleged crime concerning the frozen funds or the people who channeled the money to the defendant," Adnan said.

"The indictment, to our surprise, mainly concerns another case of state losses allegedly as a result of miscalculations by the defendant in handling the paperwork of Surya Alam Tunggal, valued at only Rp 570.95 million, which is miniscule compared to the Rp 28 billion found in his bank accounts."

Meanwhile, Emerson Yuntho, deputy chairman of Indonesia Corruption Watch, on Tuesday also expressed concerns about the Gayus case. "I can confidently say that the current trial will be a boring sequel of the first," he said.

"In the [Tangerang] court, the Rp 28 billion was covered up so that it could be distributed among law enforcers handling the case. The accounts were unfrozen shortly after prosecutors dropped money-laundering charges against Gayus. And now in the South Jakarta court, the accounts haven't even rated a mention in an attempt to protect high-ranking police officers and prosecutors from prosecution."

Adnan said Gayus had told investigators he bribed police officers with $700,000 to avoid arrest and to stop them from seizing his home and probing his bank accounts. He also said Gayus claimed he paid off police to lift the freeze on his Rp 28 billion.

During testimony against several other defendants in separate trials, Gayus has also said he bribed Tangerang court chief Muhtadi Asnun with $40,000 to secure his acquittal in March.

Government slammed for 'mudik' vehicle use, gift baskets

Jakarta Post - September 21, 2010

Jakarta – The actions of several regional heads during the Idul Fitri flew in the face of the nation's fight against corruption, Transparency International Indonesia (TII) said in a report released Monday.

According to the report, 22 regional heads authorized civil servants to use state property, specifically official vehicles, to mudik, the tradition to return to one's hometown during Idul Fitri.

TII spokesman Ilham Saenong, said some regional leaders had allowed subordinates to give and receive gift parcels, a practice forbidden by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) before the start of Idul Fitri.

"Regional administrations and their officials are still committing violations [by] making use of state facilities and receiving gift parcels. This is contradictory to the government's commitment in eradicating corruption," Ilham said.

He was also critical of West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan's controversial decision to spend Rp 1.2 billion (US$133,200) from the provincial budget on Idul Fitri greeting cards.

The powerless struggle with corrupt officers

Jakarta Post - September 18, 2010

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – Even the homeless, beggars and other unfortunates categorized as people with "social problems" can become sources of extra income for law enforcement officers who instigate raids in the name of public order.

According to vagrants that have been raided several times, some Public Order officers did not hesitate to ask for money in exchange for a quick release.

"The officers do not usually set the amount. It depends on what we have when we are raided. It can Rp 50,000 [US$5.5] or Rp 100,000," Wasmin, 39, told The Jakarta Post recently.

Wasmin is a "permanent" resident of Juanda train station in Central Jakarta, where she has stayed for the past 20 years after her parents were evicted from their house in an alley close to the nearby Pasar Baru shopping area. She works as a jockey for car owners using the restricted three-in-one thoroughfares in the city.

Sometimes the officers search people's pockets to find money or cell phones, Wasmin said.

This type of extortion is even more effective because of the underlying threat of being taken off the streets and transported to social institutions, such as the one in Kedoya, West Jakarta, or others in Bekasi or Tangerang.

One homeless man, M. Amiron, 60, said he had been raided several times, and Public Order officers usually asked how much money he had (in exchange for his release). Once Amiron was defenseless because he had no money, and was taken to a nursing home in Radio Dalam, South Jakarta.

Asked to comment on the cases, Jakarta Public Order Agency chief Effendi Anas denied that his personnel were involved in such practices, saying that the raids were conducted by the Social Affairs Agency. "We conduct the raids using the social agency's vehicles and put [those being raided] in social institutions," he said.

Wasmin said many of her friends could not stand staying in the social institutions, adding that even though they were given food regularly, they were cut off from all opportunities to make money. "It is troublesome when we have no money at all."

Wati, a 20-year-old mother of two, said that some of her friends had been sent to social institutions where they received training in various skills, such as sewing and cooking.

"After that they were given tools to support their skills and start their own businesses. But many of us cannot stand staying there because we cannot work," she said.

Both Wati and Wasmin acknowledged that it was easy to get out of the institution, as long as they had complete documents and identification. Unfortunately, even though they were born and grew up in Jakarta, they do not have such documents.

"None of the district or sub district heads acknowledge our existence. As you can see, we live in this station," said Wasmin.

Her earnings as a three-in-one jockey are not nearly enough for her to rent a house, she said. "The cheapest house rentals in Jakarta are around Rp 350,000 a month, while I don't have fixed income to secure the rent, not to mention food for me and my children" Wasmin said.

She added that her income as a three-in-one jockey all depended on generosity of car owners. "I usually only get around Rp 8,000, but sometimes if I am lucky a car owner will pay Rp 25,000 for a ride, but I have to spend at least Rp 2,000 for transport back home."

Activists question if KPK candidates will handle the pressure

Jakarta Globe - September 17, 2010

Nurfika Osman, Jakarta – Antigraft activists on Friday said that while the two candidates to lead the Corruption Eradication Commission had solid credentials, they would still be challenged to withstand political pressure and cooperate with law enforcement.

"Both of them have enough knowledge and experience in the field; the question is whether they will be able to handle pressure," said Ibrahim Fahmi Badoh, head of Indonesia Corruption Watch's political corruption division.

He was referring to Judicial Commission Chairman Busyro Muqoddas and rights and antigraft activist Bambang Widjojanto, both of whom are vying for the chairmanship of the antigraft commission, known as the KPK.

Busyro, speaking at the presidential palace on Wednesday, said that the KPK could not work alone and needed cooperation from law enforcement.

Ibrahim agreed, saying that the biggest challenge facing the KPK was strengthening relations with the National Police, the Attorney General's Office, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and the State Finance and Development Comptroller (BPKP).

"In the ideal system, every one of these institutions should work together," he said. "Unfortunately, they often work by themselves."

The KPK's tensions with the National Police and the AGO were highlighted last year after two deputy KPK chairmen were charged with extortion and abuse.

Wiretapped conversations played by the Constitutional Court indicated the involvement of prosecutors and police officials in what appeared to be fabricated charges, and the case remains unsolved.

Boyamin Saiman, chairman of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI), also emphasized the importance of cooperation between the agencies.

"[The KPK] should be able to work with the National Police and the AGO very effectively," Boyamin told the Globe. "The key is that they should support each other. They should not try to bring each other down."

Bonyamin, though, remained optimistic about the KPK. "We will have new National Police, AGO and KPK chiefs – it's a sign that we can have a better system for fighting corruption. We also need the civil society and press to help us," he said.

Ibrahim also stressed that the next leader must maintain the integrity of the KPK. "Integrity, for the commission, is of the greatest importance," he said. "Otherwise, people will not trust the commission anymore."

But he had a warning for the candidates. "Pressure will come from politicians and the government. [The candidates] need to show consistency in fighting corruption," he said.

Ibrahim expressed concern that, despite their qualifications, the candidates may not be able to handle the pressure. "They have not been tested with real pressure from the political world. We have seen that good figures, the previous chairmen, have failed to fight the pressure," he said.

Ibrahim also supported a plan pitched by Bambang calling for systematic legal changes to enhance the authorities of the KPK.

Bambang has said that while a 1999 law nominally allows the KPK to access and investigate wealth reports filed by state officials, another law governing the KPK made it impossible for the commission to actually use the reports for investigative purposes.

Currently, Bambang says, the KPK does not have the authority to act against suspected rogue officials.

Still on trail of Boediono, Mulyani in Century case

Jakarta Globe - September 16, 2010

Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Armando Siahaan, Jakarta – An outspoken Golkar legislator has once again called for a criminal probe into Vice President Boediono and former Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati over their roles in the controversial Bank Century bailout.

Mulyani and Boediono, the central bank governor at the time, authorized a Rp 6.7 trillion ($743.7 million) bailout of the bank in November 2008.

In March this year, the House of Representatives voted to adopt a resolution stating that the bailout was unwarranted, prompting the police, the Attorney General's Office and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to initiate criminal probes.

A small group of legislators, foremost among them Golkar's Bambang Soesatyo, also threatened to open impeachment proceedings against Boediono.

On Thursday, Bambang, a member of the House special committee monitoring the legal investigations into the bailout, said the police should immediately summon Boediono and Mulyani for questioning. "They must be investigated over allegations of illegal banking operations and money- laundering," he said.

He added that "evidence of money laundering" had been unearthed during last year's House inquiry into the bailout, as well as by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).

"The decision to bail out Century was full of manipulation," Bambang said. "There were also indications the central bank governor made it seem as though Century's collapse would have posed a threat to the banking system."

The KPK has already questioned both Mulyani and Boediono, and said in an interim report in June that it had found no indications of corruption in the decision to bail out Century.

Bambang said he was urging the police to look into Boediono and Mulyani because the KPK had failed to do so. "The police must investigate because the KPK lacks the courage," he said.

"We must have some investigation in this case. I believe none of the law enforcement agencies is willing to investigate because officials are afraid of losing their jobs, because the case is linked to those in power and to a certain political party to whom the money was allegedly channeled."

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his Democratic Party were criticized after the bailout for accepting campaign donations from several major donors who stood to lose their deposits had Century not been bailed out.

Pramono Anung, House deputy speaker from the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said the KPK had been "very slow" in investigating the case.

KPK not solely to blame for unsolved Century case: Chief justice

Jakarta Globe - September 16, 2010

Armando Siahaan, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) should not be the only agency pressured into resolving the long-running Bank Century scandal, a chief justice said on Wednesday.

"The Bank Century case cannot be linked solely to the KPK, as if they're the only ones handling the case," Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mahfud MD said.

He said other agencies like the National Police and the Attorney General's Office should also be held accountable in cracking a case stemming from the Rp 6.7 trillion ($744 million) bailout scandal in 2008.

Mahfud said the KPK was an independent institution that could not be dictated upon by any party, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. "I know that the president is not intervening here," he said.

The chief justice said pressuring law enforcers was acceptable, but the public should not solely blame the KPK, due to the complex nature of the case. "There is the matter of banking crime and money-laundering. Corruption is not the only issue in the scandal," he said.

Bank Century officials were accused of issuing fraudulent loans and misusing clients' money, almost causing the bank's collapse and prompting the government to issue bailout money, which was more than the figure initially agreed in the House of Representatives.

Mahfud's comment came after Golkar Party members questioned the KPK's commitment in dealing with the scandal.

Aburizal Bakrie, the party's chairman, and former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, a senior Golkar member, said the antigraft commission had prioritized a bribery case instead of Bank Century.

The KPK accused 26 former and current House members – 10 of them from the Golkar Party – of accepting bribes in connection with the appointment of a senior central bank executive in 2004.

Bibit Samad Riyanto, deputy chairman of the KPK, had earlier said the 26 allegedly received up to Rp 1.45 billion ($160,000) each to vote for economist Miranda Goeltom as Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor during a House selection process.

"We only want the KPK to clarify its decision, on why it prefers to name suspects in one case, and not in another," said Idrus Marham, secretary general of the Golkar Party.

Bambang Soesatyo, another Golkar lawmaker, said the government had attempted to end investigations into the case. Bambang also said the government's move to bail out the troubled lender was illegal.

A House monitoring team is currently waiting to conduct a joint hearing with law enforcement agencies and examine the available evidence in the Bank Century case.

The KPK, National Police and Attorney General's Office had said they failed to find irregularities in the bailout, even though the House voted in March that the policy had violated the law.

In July, the monitoring team threatened to slash the budget of these agencies if they failed to produce results in line with the lawmakers' stance that the bailout was in violation of the law.

The monitoring team also questioned whether these agencies were working based on its recommendations.

The House session was initially scheduled for Aug. 28, but was delayed because National Police Chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri was sick and requested to postpone the hearing.

Mahfudz Siddiq, a lawmaker from the Prosperous Justice Party and a coordinator of the monitoring team, said a meeting with law enforcement agencies was expected to take place toward the end of this month.

[Additional reporting from Antara.]

War on terror

Antiterrorism unit blasted for deaths and 'arrogance'

Jakarta Post - September 22, 2010

Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – The police antiterrorism squad Detachment 88 has come under fire for its methods, with critics calling the elite body arrogant and careless with regard to human rights.

During a recent raid in North Sumatra, Detachment 88 reportedly acted on its own without coordinating with North Sumatra Police and forced their way into the local military airbase to the chagrin of the Air Force.

The number of terrorist suspects killed in Detachment 88 raids has also drawn the attention of human rights watchdogs, who questioned the special body's judgment in killing suspects.

In the last year, the squad arrested 84 and killed another 21 suspects linked to a terrorist training camp in Aceh, The Associated Press reported in June. The National Police failed to identify some of those killed, leading to questions on whether they were all actually terrorists.

Criminologists said Detachment 88 should be given ample room to act when dealing with terrorist suspects given the seriousness of the threat they posed to society. However, there is now debate on how much room they should be given.

"We need to be sure the squad is on the right track in its battle against terrorists," Haris Azhar, deputy coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

However, he added, the problem often lay in the will to monitor the squad. He said his observations had shown that even high-ranking police officers preferred to turn a blind eye towards the squad's actions.

Insp. Gen. Ansyaad Mbai, the head of the newly established Antiterrorism National Agency (BNPT), denied allegations that there was insufficient internal monitoring.

"We have our own way of evaluating each operation conducted by the squad, including asking for the team to take responsibility for each decision taken during operations," he said.

Adrianus Meliala from the University of Indonesia said a final evaluation after an operation was mandatory. "But the public hasn't been granted access to the results of the evaluation," he said.

On Sunday night, Detachment 88 raided locations in Tanjung Balai and Deli Serdang, both in North Sumatra. They shot dead three suspected robbers and arrested 15 others. Police said the armed robbery suspects, who allegedly held up a branch of the CIMB Niaga Bank in Medan last month, had links to al-Qaeda, Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), JI's Indonesian affiliate, Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT).

JAT, led by Surakarta firebrand cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, is suspected of providing support to a terrorist training camp in Aceh.

North Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Oegroseno was reportedly irked by the squad's actions, which were undertaken without his knowledge in his jurisdiction.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Iskandar Hasan said Tuesday that Detachment 88's action was coordinated by the National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri, but not made known to Oegroseno. He said the plan was confidential to avoid intelligence leaks.

"I hope [Oegroseno] does not take this personally. I heard he was upset yesterday, but this was coordinated with the National Police chief," Iskandar said.

He also conveyed the unit's apologies to the Air Force following a letter of protest sent by the commander of North Sumatra's Polonia Airbase, Col. Taufik Hidayat, who said Detachment 88 trespassed on the airbase. "We apologize for the mistake and promise to improve future coordination with other institutions," he said.

Indonesia Police Watch criticized the squad, calling it "arrogant". "They think they're the top police squad in this country," IPW's Neta S. Pane was quoted as saying by news portal detik.com. Neta said Detachment 88's conduct could jeopardize relations between the Indonesian Military and the National Police.

The squad was recently in the spotlight for alleged human rights violations. International watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report in June, saying members of Detachment 88 worked with prison guards and police to torture political prisoners in Maluku. The National Police denied the allegation.

No remorse from embassy bombers

Jakarta Globe - September 16, 2010

Farouk Arnaz, Jakarta – Six years after the Australian Embassy bombing in Jakarta, the two militants on death row for the attack say they have no remorse and they are ready to die as "mujahideens."

Iwan "Rois" Dharmawan Muntho and Achmad Hasan were among six people jailed for helping to plan the Sept. 9, 2004, bombing that killed nine people and wounded 150.

In an exclusive interview with the Jakarta Globe at their prison on Nusakambangan Island in Central Java, Rois and Hasan said that the Koran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad legitimized the attack.

"Why should we apologize if we believe that we did right in waging jihad [holy war] against the infidels?" Rois said. "Why must we show any remorse?"

He said it was "legitimate to attack Australian interests worldwide" because of Canberra's close ties to Washington and its "targeting of Muslims."

The embassy bombing was carried out by suicide bomber Heri Golun, and was widely believed to have been masterminded by Malaysian terror suspects Noordin Top and Azahari Husin, who had links with regional terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah. Noordin and Azahari were later killed in separate antiterror raids in Indonesia.

Rois said that even though he had been found guilty, "in the eyes of Allah I am victorious, and I will go to heaven when I am executed. I am not worried at all."

Rois said he believed he would be rewarded in the afterlife, and would not seek a judicial review of his sentence or clemency.

"If they choose to execute me today, I will be ready, God willing," he said. "If I were to seek clemency or file an appeal, that would be the same as apologizing to the government. I am not guilty, so why should I apologize?"

However, Rois previously appealed his conviction to the Supreme Court, but the appeal was rejected in 2005. During the appeal process, he claimed he was not involved in the bombing.

His last chances to avoid the firing squad are either to seek a presidential clemency or a judicial review of the Supreme Court's verdict – effectively appealing the previous appeal.

Hasan also said that he was ready to die and would not appeal his sentence. "Appeal and clemency aren't in my dictionary," he said. "God willing, I will die as a mujahideen."

Rois and Hasan were transferred to the high-security Nusakambangan Penitentiary in May after police said they uncovered a plot to attack Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta, where the two were being held, to free prisoners there.

The two were also found to be using cellphones while at Cipinang, in direct violation of prison regulations. Rois later said he had 11 mobile phones in his cell.

However, he denied accusations that he had used cellphones to issue orders to other militants, including those from a training camp in Aceh who police believe were planning Mumbai-style attacks on key targets, including the president.

While Rois said he had "close ties" with some Aceh militants, he denied ever being involved in training them.

Counterterrorism squad Densus 88 now its own police unit

Jakarta Globe - September 16, 2010

Nivell Rayda, Jakarta – Terrorism and legal analysts on Wednesday hailed the National Police's move to separate the elite counterterrorism squad Densus 88 from the detectives unit, saying it would boost the unit's effectiveness in fighting extremism.

As part of an internal restructuring process, the National Police on Wednesday officially turned Densus 88 into a dedicated department within the force, directly responsible to the National Police chief.

"This would make counterterrorism effort more effective," terrorism expert Noor Huda Ismail told the Jakarta Globe.

"Before, officers from three different departments were involved in Densus 88. The officers conducting raids are from different divisions from those conducting surveillance, making communication difficult and often resulting in unsuccessful operations."

Ismail highlighted the killing of terrorism suspect Dulmatin, who is believed to have participated in a series of bomb attacks in the country.

"The surveillance team had already identified him and had been on his tail for weeks before there was a raid. The surveillance team even reported that he was cornered and the raid team could have easily captured him alive but instead they shot him," he said.

"Dulmatin is much more useful alive because he could provide a lot of valuable information on the Southeast Asia Al Qaeda terror network."

Indonesia Police Watch chairman Neta S Pane said that the separation meant the counterterrorism squad would enjoy greater funding to fight terrorists.

"Densus 88 received a lot of financial support from other countries. If it remains under the detectives unit we wouldn't know if the entire fund and equipment aid was channeled to the unit, funneled to other divisions or pocketed by rogue officials," Neta told the Globe.

"There is no guarantee that the money will not be illegally pocketed. But at least by making Densus a dedicated department there should be more transparency and accountability of the spending."

Ismail added that by making Densus 88 a separate department, communication would improve with other law enforcement agencies, particularly the newly established National Anti-Terrorism Agency (BNPT).

Human rights groups have criticized the formation of the BNPT saying that the agency paved the way for more involvement from the military, largely criticized for its past records of human rights violations.

Ismail said the military may in some cases be needed in counter-terrorism. "The military has more experience in jungle warfare and should have been involved in operations like that against the Aceh training camp," the expert said.

Ismail was referring to a police crackdown in February of a suspected terrorism camp in Aceh. It took police three days, despite deploying at least 300 officers, before they finally took control of the camp, and another month before the majority of the 50 people involved in the camp were arrested. At least three officers were killed in the operation.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Marwoto Soeto said the squad would remain under a one-star general, despite earlier speculation that it would be headed by a two-star general. Densus 88 is currently headed by Brig. Gen. Tito Karnavian.

The National Police also changed its internal structure for other divisions. Some divisions were merged, like Interpol affairs, which now comes under the International Relations Division.

Freedom of religion & worship

In West Java, churches confront obstacles from every direction

Jakarta Globe - September 21, 2010

Ulma Haryanto, Jakarta – How difficult is it to build a church in West Java? On Tuesday, church representatives explained just how frustrating the process could be, pointing out how obstacles put up by local administrations were compounded by pressure from mass organizations.

Risely Augustina, a member of the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) Pangkalan Jati Gandul, said that in 1997, the congregation applied for a permit to build a church in Bogor. But now, Pangkalan Jati Gandul falls under the jurisdiction of Depok, which has complicated things.

"In 1998, the permit was issued and we slowly started building. Out of the blue, at the end of March 2009, the Depok mayor issued a decree retracting the permit," Risely said.

"The decree cited objections from local residents grouped under the Cinere Muslim Solidarity Forum. The church was located in a housing complex, but the people who objected to the church came from outside."

Risely was speaking at a seminar at the Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy, at which representatives of four other churches explained how they too continued to face persecution and obstacles.

The other churches represented were the Church of Saint Mary in Purwakarta, the GKI Yasmin Church of Bogor, the HKBP Filadelfia in Bekasi and the HKBP Pondok Timur Indah.

Risely's church took its case to the State Administrative Court in both Bandung and Jakarta. Both courts ruled in favor of the HKBP Pangkalan Jati Gandul. The Depok administration appealed the rulings to the Supreme Court in July, but the appeal was thrown out.

Meanwhile, the Church of Saint Mary said it received a building permit in June 2009, but that it was retracted by the Purwakarta district head four months later.

"The statement mentioned insufficient signatures and objections from residents as the reasons for the retraction," Liona Supriatna, the lead legal counsel for the church, told the Jakarta Globe.

He said the church had collected 93 signatures from local households – more than the required 60 – and that the remote location of the church itself meant that it would not bother any residents. "We went through the correct legal procedures," he said.

"The church itself was located in an industrial district, two kilometers away from the nearest residential area and cut off by the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road."

The congregation is currently awaiting a decision from the State Administrative High Court. "At the court hearing, it was found that the people objecting to the church were not even local residents," Liona said, adding that the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) was behind the opposition.

Bonar Tigor Naipospos, deputy chairman of the Setara Institute, blamed the growing opposition on "small, mobile, puritan religious groups."

The Setara Institute recorded 28 violations of religious freedom in Indonesia between January and July this year, mostly against Christian groups but also some against members of the Ahmadiyah Islamic sect.

Residents accuse hard-liners of breaking peace

Jakarta Post - September 22, 2010

Jakarta – Denying claims by hard-line groups, many residents from the Pondok Timur Indah housing complex in Bekasi, West Java, say they do not object to the religious activities conducted by the HKBP Protestant Church in the area.

"For dozens of years we have never had any problems with the congregation," Ery, a Muslim who has lived in the area for about 20 years, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

She said the busy housing complex started to lose its peaceful atmosphere last year when dozens of men in traditional Muslim attire began protesting near the church located on Jl. Puyuh Raya on Sundays, demanding its closure.

"They were clad in long, white robes. Some wore turbans. I don't know where they came from. They just showed up out of the blue," said the 49-year-old woman, who runs a food stall in her yard.

Claiming to represent local Muslim residents, hard-line groups called for the closure of the HKBP church – established in the area a year after Pondok Timur Indah opened in 1989 – saying it did not have a permit to conduct religious activities.

Earlier this year, the Bekasi administration sealed off the Jl. Puyuh Raya site, which had been used for Sunday service since 2005. The congregation, however, refused to move, so in July, the building was again sealed off.

After moving to an empty field three kilometers away on Jl. Asem Raya in mid-August, the congregation has been the target of repeated attacks by mobs of hard-liners calling themselves the Islamic Community Forum (FUI).

The harassment came to a peak on Sept. 12 when two HKBP church officials were assaulted on their way to a Sunday service in the field. Police have named 10 suspects, including the former leader of the local branch of the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI), in the incident.

Utik, who lived in a house a few meters away from the sealed-off church for almost 15 years, said, "Even though I was born a Muslim, it has always been fine for me to have people of different faiths around me as I believe that choosing a religion is each person's right."

However, she said, not all Muslims were like her as some could not accept that they lived in a country with many cultures and faiths.

The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) said at least 11 churches and Christian institutions in Greater Jakarta were either destroyed or sealed off between January and August this year. "How can we fight these hard-line groups? The administration holds the key to solving such problems," Utik told the Post.

Sukemi, who lives near the church construction site on Jl. Asem Raya, said she did not object to a church in her neighborhood, as long as the congregation had permission to conduct services in the area.

"We were told the church broke the law because it did not have any permit," she added. "My neighbors feel sorry for me. They wonder why it is so hard for me to practise my faith," Christina, a member of the HKBP congregation, said. (rch)

Golkar wants to initiate bill on houses of worship

Jakarta Post - September 21, 2010

Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – The Golkar Party says the House of Representatives must initiate a bill on houses of worship and pass it into law to replace the controversial ministerial decree on the matter.

"We need it to be a law, because under the current 2004 Law and Regulation Law, we do not recognize ministerial decrees as a valid legal instruments," Golkar's Melchias Markus Melkeng said during a plenary session at the House in Senayan, South Jakarta, on Tuesday.

Melchias' colleague, Anton Sihombing, said that around 60 Golkar legislators had also signed the petition to push the revision of the ministerial decree.

The decree has been under public scrutiny following the recent stabbing attack against members of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP) church in Ciketing, Bekasi.

Minister for religion says no to calls to revise decree

Jakarta Globe - September 20, 2010

Camelia Pasandaran & Eras Poke, Jakarta – The minister of religious affairs on Monday said there were no plans to revise the joint Ministerial Decree on Houses of Worship despite a chorus of criticism from rights activists and lawmakers against the regulation.

Suryadharma Ali dismissed calls to amend the decree, which have been mounting since an attack on two leaders of a congregation from the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) Pondok Timur Indah in Bekasi on Sept. 12, in which one church elder was stabbed.

Tensions have been raised in Bekasi for the past few months with some hard-line Muslim groups opposing the building of a church in the Pondok Timur Indah area because it lacks the proper permits.

"This regulation is needed to maintain harmony," Suryadharma said. "If this regulation didn't exist, people would be free to do whatever they wanted."

The decree, issued by both the ministries of religious affairs and home affairs, requires the approval of at least 60 households in the immediate vicinity of new houses of worship before they are granted permits to build or conduct services.

Suryadharma said securing the approval of 60 households was not too much to ask for.

"In the past, the requirement included securing approvals from up to 300 to 400 households. So if every household in that lot included at least three people, that would mean 1,200 approvals. This is just 60 households," he said.

The decree, however, has been slammed by rights groups for making it nearly impossible for minority faiths to build houses of worship in Muslim- majority areas.

In recent months, the regulation has been cited to justify a spate of attacks against Christians in the Greater Jakarta area by hard-line Muslim groups who say the congregations have no permits to hold religious services.

Some state officials, however, have expressed support for revising the decree. Constitutional Court Chief Mahfud MD has said he backs revising – but not abolishing – the regulation, arguing it should adapt to changing social conditions.

"A law should be attuned to the times and consider the changes and developments that take place in the society," he said.

Several lawmakers have also said the decree should be revised, and have even supported calls to draft a new law to support religious harmony.

In addition to securing the approval of 60 households, the decree also states that new houses of worship need recommendations from the local offices of the Religious Affairs Ministry and Interreligious Communication Forum (FKUB).

But Hendardi, who chairs the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, has accused the FKUB of regularly "filtering out" permit applications instead of protecting the rights of religious groups.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people from the East Nusa Tenggara People's Solidarity and Transparency Forum (Somasi) rallied outside the provincial council building in Kupang to protest against the attacks on the HKBP in Bekasi and the ban on its members from worshiping in a vacant lot.

The demonstrators, who included officials from the provincial branch of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), also protested against recent attacks on members of Ahmadiyah, a minority Islamic sect, which Suryadharma has repeatedly called for a ban on, claiming that its followers had "violated regulations" and were "not Muslims."

Speaking with the East Nusa Tenggara Council speaker, Agustinus Medah, Somasi said the attacks against the HKBP and Ahmadiyah were evidence the state was failing to protect the constitutional right to worship.

"The president should have acted firmly," said Winston Rondo, a representative of Somasi. "He should do so now and protect his people from violence. He is instead more interested in raising his public image."

Pluralistic neighborhoods set example by sharing space

Jakarta Post - September 21, 2010

Jakarta – While in some parts of Bekasi and Bogor relations between Christian congregations and majority-Muslim neighborhoods have soured over vetoed plans to build churches, the interfaith interplay is fine in several other parts of the city.

Residents of Klender, East Jakarta, and Cikoko, South Jakarta, for instance, have been living in harmony for decades.

In crowded area of Klender, four small churches, including a Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP) church, are surrounded by several mosques, mushollas (smaller mosques) and an Islamic school.

"If our neighbors need space for their activities, we can accommodate them at our building and church front yard, free of charge," local Catholic priest Dedo da Gomez told The Jakarta Post recently.

Dedo, who was speaking with some of his neighbors when the Post visited his St. Joachim Catholic church, said the church had been conducting its religious activities in the majority-Muslim neighborhood for more than 25 years without any disturbances whatsoever.

Dedo said this could be regarded as tolerance between people of different faiths.

"Our Muslim neighbors even help us provide parking spaces and security during Christmas and Easter celebrations," church caretaker Joseph Triyogowayono said.

"We have never received any complaints from our neighbors, even though the narrow streets are always packed with cars belonging to the congregation during big celebrations," Joseph said.

Most streets in the neighborhood are only wide enough for one car to pass one at a time. "The four churches have had support from the local community. If there are religious conflicts in the future, you can be sure that outsiders provoked the residents of this peace-loving neighborhood," Dedo said.

One Muslim resident, Pardi, 57, said respecting other believers was part of the everyday life of the neighborhood.

"We have worked side by side to build a peaceful place by maintaining good relations with each other. For example, from time to time we work together to clean up our neighborhood," said Pardi, the owner of a motorcycle wash shop who grew up in the neighborhood.

He admitted that the good relations between residents of different religions were "fragile" and susceptible to provocation.

Another Muslim resident, Doni Beswara, 37, originally from Jambi, expressed his disbelief at the recent turn of events in Bogor and Bekasi, West Java, where the local community had opposed plans to build churches.

"As Muslims, we have lived in harmony for many years with the nearby HKBP church," he said, referring to last week's attack and stabbing of two HKBP church leaders in Bekasi.

Interfaith tension has also increased in Bogor since, citing complaints from local residents, the city administration revoked a building permit for a church two years after it was issued. On Sunday, the administration sealed off the site.

However, peaceful coexistence can be seen in other neighborhoods too, such as that on Jl. Cikoko Barat in South Jakarta.

The small Simalungun Protestant Church (GKPS) congregation has been running its activities in the majority-Muslim neighborhood for more than 10 years. "We have built up a good relationship with our neighbors. We always try to involve our neighbors in our social activities," church caretaker Momon said.

"Every year during Idul Fitri we work with mosque managements to distribute food to poor members of the community." (rch)

Local governments verbally lashed for hindering pluralism

Jakarta Post - September 20, 2010

Theresia Sufa, Bekasi, Bogor – Before the dust has even settled in two congregations' battles to build churches in Bogor and Bekasi, the cities' authorities are being pointed out as more of a hindrance than a help in the struggle for the right to worship.

Fifteen congregation members from the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) at Taman Yasmin housing complex in Bogor, West Java, have guarded their church construction site since Saturday out of fear the Bogor administration would again seal off the site.

"And, it happened. Public Order Agency officers and those from the police and military came and locked the site," said GKI Taman Yasmin spokesman Bona Sigalingging.

Secretary-general of Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) Rev. Gomar Gultom said the administration had violated the law by sealing off the church. "Based on the country's Constitution, the government should protect its citizens' right to freely choose their religion," Gomar said.

Bambang Gunawan, secretary of the Bogor administration, said his institution had offered a relocation plan for the church. "We just want them to leave this area," he said.

Church minister Rev. Ujang Tanusaputra said the administration did not need to find a new place for the church because "we have the permit needed to build this place and have paid for the construction with our own funds."

On Sunday, the church congregation held their service on the sidewalk in front of the unfinished site.

The city administration revoked the church building permit on Feb. 14, 2008, two years after it was issued, citing protests from local residents against the church as the reason. The Bandung Administrative Court later overturned the decision in favor of the church.

The church construction continued in January this year, but in February, Bogor Mayor Diani Budiarto who is backed by the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), revoked the building permit again after residents protested.

Meanwhile, in Bekasi, some officials came to see the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan church (HKBP) congregations to pass on a decree from Bekasi Mayor Mochtar Mohammad, a politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

The decree rules that the congregations must not perform service at the unfinished site in Ciketing, instead suggesting a temporary move to a building on Jl. Chairil Anwar, East Bekasi for two years.

The administration has provided two options for new church locations on Jl. H. Mandor and on Jl. Strada.

HKBP lawyer Sahara Pangaribuan said they would discuss the options with the congregation. Sahara said the church demanded the administration not discriminate against them.

On Sunday, the congregation performed their service on Jl. Puyuh Raya, Mustika Jaya, Bekasi, under heavy guard from hundreds of Public Order officers and police following an attack to two church leaders last week.

Recent religious violence and tension has prompted people to organize an online petition demanding religious freedom, which has now gained almost 13,000 signatures.

Aside from the petition, around 200 people from the Religious Freedom Solidarity Forum marched in front of the State Palace on Sunday to condemn the violence against HKBP leaders.

Indonesian lawmakers want religious decree rewrite

Jakarta Globe - September 19, 2010

Armando Siahaan, Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Ulma Haryanto, Jakarta – Some of the country's lawmakers have joined the chorus of criticism against the 2006 joint ministerial decree on houses of worship, suggesting that it should be replaced with a new law.

The decree, issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, obliges a congregation to ensure approval from at least 60 households in the immediate vicinity of a planned new site. That stipulation, however, has been lambasted by rights groups as making it next to impossible for congregations of minority faiths to build houses of worship in the Muslim-majority country.

Recently, the decree has been cited to justify a spate of attacks against Christian congregations in the Jakarta suburbs by hard-line Islamic groups, who say the congregations have no permits to hold religious services.

The latest attack, against the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) of Pondok Timur Indah, Bekasi, saw a church elder stabbed and the reverend beaten on the head with a stick, while they were on their way to Sunday services on Sept. 12.

On Thursday, Pramono Anung, a deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, called for new legislation to shore up the decree's lack of protection for minority faiths.

"Maybe it's time we had a law on religious harmony, so that the issue is no longer compacted in the joint ministerial decree," said Pramono, from the opposition Indonesian Democratic party of Struggle (PDI-P). "The decree has been proven to cause conflicts between religious groups."

Separately, Bima Arya Sugiharto, a legislator with the Islamic-based National Mandate Party (PAN), said the country was without laws which explicitly detail government protection for freedom of worship. All of the existing regulations, he said, left this freedom up to "a consensus among religious believers."

"The debate now must not just be about whether the government should annul the decree, but also whether we should leave freedom of worship to a consensus or clearly state in law that it must be protected by the government," he said.

"PAN believes that Indonesia's diversity must be strengthened with clear legislation. Freedom of worship must have a sound legal foundation."

Rahadi Zakaria, a PDI-P legislator who serves on House Commission II, overseeing domestic affairs, agreed that a new law would provide the legal standing for the constitutionally mandated freedom of worship.

"This whole time we've been referring to rules such as the joint decree, which are not recognized by our Constitution," he said. "It lacks the power that a law would carry."

Zulkarnaen Djabar, a Golkar Party legislator on House Commission VIII, overseeing religious affairs, said a religious harmony law could "strengthen the spirit of unity in the country."

He said Golkar had long been a proponent of such a law. "As a country, we should see diversity not as a threat, but as a power that could help Indonesia face its various challenges," Zulkarnaen said.

Previously, Bonar Tigor Naipospos, the deputy chairman of the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, had questioned the legitimacy of the joint ministerial decree. "The requirement of 60 signatures is unnecessary because the freedom to worship must to be guaranteed by the state," he said.

Meanwhile, Jazuli Juwaeni, from the Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), said cases of religious discrimination against Muslims was just as widespread, although not as well-publicized.

"In provinces where the majority of residents aren't Muslim, it's not easy for Muslims to get a permit to build a mosque," said Jazuli. "Most Muslims in those areas don't make a problem out of it."

[Additional reporting from Antara.]

Christians pray in shuttered church in Indonesia

Associated Press - September 19, 2010

Niniek Karmini, Jakarta – Dozens of Christians held prayers inside their boarded-up church near Indonesia's capital Sunday, saying they had as much right as anyone to worship in the world's most populous Muslim country.

They were surrounded by hundreds of police and unarmed security guards. Using bullhorns, local officials reminded members of the Batak Christian Protestant Church they were banned from the site following an attack on two church leaders by suspected Islamic hard-liners.

"We just want to carry out our obligations as Christians, but authorities are treating us like terrorists," said Advent Tambunan, a member of the congregation in the industrial city of Bekasi. "There's no justice for us in this country."

Indonesia, a secular country of 237 million people, has more Muslims than any other in the world. Though the country has a long history of religious tolerance, a small extremist fringe has become more vocal – and violent – in recent years.

Ten people were arrested after last week's attacks, which left one churchgoer hospitalized with a stab wound. Among them was the local leader of the hard-line Islamic Defender's Front, which has led calls for the Christians to leave.

In recent months, the hard-liners have thrown shoes and water bottles at the church members, interrupted sermons with chants of "Infidels!" and dumped piles of feces on the land.

Local officials had seven empty buses on standby outside the Batak Christian's shuttered church Sunday, ready to transport them to an alternate site of worship provided by the government.

But members of the congregation, numbering about 100, refused to budge. After lengthy negotiations, they were allowed to carry out Sunday services, with the agreement that they would talk later this week about ways to help defuse religious tensions in the neighborhood.

Ministerial decree on houses of worship used for extortion

Jakarta Post - September 18, 2010

Jakarta – The controversial joint ministerial regulation on houses of worship is not only manipulated by hard-liners but also misused by authorities to extort money, says a church leader.

Chairman of the Bekasi Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI Bekasi) Soaduon Napitupulu said "everyone wants their share. The interfaith forum members, the city administration officials, not to mention thugs, and even some members of the community," he told The Jakarta Post Friday.

Interfaith Communication Forum (FKUB) is formed under the 2006 Joint Ministerial Decree on Places of Worship, which stipulates that a new house of worship must obtain a recommendation letter from the provincial religious affairs office and the FKUB before gaining final approval from the local administration.

How much illegal money could be spent to obtain permit for a church building in the Greater Jakarta?

"I'd say hundreds of million rupiah. From small baksheesh just like security money to huge amounts of swag," Soaduon said, adding that a man once asked a church official for a new car in exchange for a church building permit. He explained that these racketeers had an armory of excuses to halt licensing processes.

Jeirry Sumampow from the national PGI said the FKUB had abused their power. "FKUBs actually have money as they are funded by local governments," he said. Jeirry said that, even worse, the bad guys were often the church representatives at the forums.

However, John O. Marthen from Bekasi municipality FKUB representing Christians denied the accusation, saying that extortion never occurred.

"There's no such extortion and we never halt any processes. Our office has recommended 14 churches, a lot in comparison to other FKUBs including Bogor or Cirebon [in West Java] that have only produced three recommendations since their establishment," he said.

Hasnul Pasaribu who represents Muslims in the forum also emphasized there was no such bribery nor extortion. "Normally, it takes two months [to process the permit], but sometimes it takes longer time since so many documents have to be verified," he said.

Rev. Erwin Marbun from HKBP Getsemanie in Bekasi said his church had paid the forum Rp 2.5 million to assist them relocating to a new site in 2008. "But we never got the land," he said.

Hendrik Sirait from the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) said he had come across a case of extortion committed by a local community figure against HKBP Parung Panjang in Bogor regency in their struggle to get a permit.

"Someone sent a text message to the church in 2009 asking them to pay Rp 500 million to continue their worship," said Hendrik, who advocated HKBP Parung Panjang, adding that the church never paid the amount. Bogor public order agency closed the church in July 2009, citing that it was unlicensed. (ipa)

Religious activities 'guaranteed by Constitution'

Jakarta Post - September 18, 2010

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – The constitutional protection of freedom to worship guaranteed by the state is behind the court's verdict in favor of the churches, says a court official.

"All the judges agreed that the right to perform religious activities are guaranteed not only by the Indonesian Constitution but also by the UN Charter," vice chairman of the Bandung State Administrative Court (PTUN) Disiplin F. Manao said here on Friday.

He was referring to the court's Sept. 2 verdict, in which the judges ruled against Bekasi administration's refusal to permit the building of a church by a congregation of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP).

The judges asked the regent not to confuse building licenses with the right to worship as the refusal was deemed an outright ban of the religion in the area.

"Let's look at the establishment of houses of worship through people's spirit of tolerance. Don't mix it up, as it could obstruct the freedom of religion," Disiplin said.

The judges, he said, based their decisions on, among others, Articles 28 and 29 of the amended 1945 Constitution on the freedom of religion and practices of worship.

In reference to the building license case, the judges said the Bekasi mayor's decision had disturbed the joint ministerial decree between the Religious Affairs Ministry and the Home Ministry on guidance for head of regional administrations to maintain harmony among people of different faiths, empowerment of interfaith forums and the establishment of houses of worship.

"Since all the requirements to build a church had been met, there was no reason to cancel [the permit]," Disiplin said.

It was the third such case the court has dealt with, the other two being the cancellation of licenses to build churches in Depok municipality and Purwakarta regency. "The three all went in favor of the plaintiffs," said Disiplin.

The previous two cases were filed by the Ephorus HKBP congregation's Bonar Napitupulu from Tarutung, North Sumatra, on behalf of the management of HKBP church management in Cinere, Depok, and Purwakarta.

In Depok, the case surrounded the mayor's decision to cancel the issuance of a license to build a church and multi-purpose building while in Purwakarta, the management of Katolik Kristus Raja church in Kota Bukit Indah, Bungursari, Purwakarta, challenged the decree.

Disiplin said the case against Depok's mayor had been further strengthened by the central PTUN in Jakarta on July 2010 in which Mayor Nurmahmudi Ismail was ordered to do as charged and issue a building license for the church.

Disiplin assured that neutrality was there because all the judges assigned to try the cases happened to be Muslims.

Religion minister told to quit over Ahmadiyah

Jakarta Post - September 18, 2010

Jakarta – Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali has come under fire for planning to disband the Ahmadiyah sect, which he singles out as "misguided".

"Minister Suryadharma Ali has to quit the Cabinet," said Fadjroel Rahman, an activist of Coalition of Anti-corruption Societies (Kompak).

Fadjroel called on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to replace Suryadharma if he reshuffles his Cabinet as some have suggested.

The minister, Fadjroel said, has no authority to meddle in the citizens' faith. Instead, he continued, the government should protect citizens' rights to embrace the religion of their choice.

Suryadharma is among mainstream Muslims who see Ahmadiyah as a misguided sect that must be banned. Critics say banning Ahmadiyah would amount to trampling on human rights.

Yenny Wahid, the politician daughter of the late president Abdurrahman Wahid, also denounced the minister's statement made on Sept. 7.

"Banning Ahmadiyah would be very wrong," she said at a rally organized in Jakarta by the Forum for Religious Freedom. She added his statement had been exploited by extremists to attack Ahmadis.

She said nobody had the right to impose one's belief on others the way the hard-liners do on followers of Ahmadiyah.

Nineteen 'local' religions request for recognition

Jakarta Post - September 19, 2010

Jakarta – Said Aqil Siradj, the chief of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, said Sunday that 19 "local" religions across the country have requested the government for recognition in addition to the six sanctioned religions; Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism.

"It is about time for the state to take action – as part of its social contract. The state must be wise in handling the matter," he said Sunday as quoted by kompas.com.

NU supports pluralism, including in religious activities. However, the government must ensure its people believe in one god, added Said.

Christians in Indonesia defy police, past attacks

Associated Press - September 18, 2010

Niniek Karmini, Jakarta – A group of Christian worshippers said they would defy police and the threat of attack to hold Sunday prayers outside their now-boarded-up church near Indonesia's capital.

Religious tensions that had been growing for months in the industrial city of Bekasi came to a head last week when unidentified assailants stabbed a member of the Batak Christian Church in the stomach and hit its preacher on the head with a wooden plank. Neither injury was life-threatening.

Police arrested 10 suspects including the local leader of the hard-line Islamic Defender's Front, which has for months warned the Christians against holding prayers in the staunchly Muslim neighborhood.

The Islamic Defender's Front pressured local authorities early this year to shutter the Batak church, arguing the permit was granted without the required approval of residents.

But dozens of church members have gathered in the vacant lot in front of the church each Sunday for months. Police said Saturday that to prevent more violence they would deploy 600 officers to block services on Sunday.

Bekasi Police Chief Col. Imam Sugianto warned them against returning Sunday, saying "if they don't listen, we will take them ourselves to a temporary place for worship offered by the government."

Travis Siagian, a member of the congregation, called it unfair to block their services. "We're going back – not because we want to provoke anyone. We just want to enjoy the same rights to worship as any other religion in this country," Siagian said.

Indonesia, a secular country of 237 million people, has more Muslims than any other in the world. Though it has a long history of religious tolerance, a small extremist fringe has become more vocal – and violent – in recent years.

Church relocation 'not a solution'

Jakarta Post - September 17, 2010

Jakarta – The Bekasi administrations of the recently attacked HKBP church is not an effective remedy as other beleaguered congregations in Greater Jakarta continue to face problems despite similar "solutions", Christians say.

Five years ago the Bekasi administration "lied when they told us they would provide with us a building." Rev. Hutajulu, a minister from the Indonesian Evangelical Christian Church (Gekindo), said Thursday.

The church was burned down in 2005 by hard-line groups claiming to represent local Muslim residents who demanded its closure, saying it lacked a permit.

"The administration then promised us a free place at the Bekasi Social Agency building but the agency asked us to pay Rp 4 million [US$440] every time we conduct Sunday service," Hutajulu told The Jakarta Post.

She said that as her 150-strong congregation refused to pay and therefore move, the Sunday service was disrupted by mobs. After twice paying to use the agency building, the congregation decided to hold services in each other's houses. Since late 2005, they have held religious activities in a shop house close to the Jatimulya bus terminal.

"We have repeatedly applied for a permit for our new church at the shop house, but the administration turned them down," she said.

On Wednesday, the Bekasi administration took a similar approach of promising space for the HKBP Pondok Timur Indah church, which has come under attack by people who claimed to represent area residents, The congregation has been conducting services in the area for 20 years.

The persecution peaked last Sunday with an attack that wounded church leaders who were on their way with other members of the congregation to the church construction site in Ciketing village.

The administration offered the congregation two sites in the city to hold religious services: a 2,500-square-meter lot owned by the administration and a privately owned 2,000-square-meter lot.

Five years ago, the Bekasi authorities also promised to accommodate the HKBP Getsemanie church, which was forced to move from a housing complex in Jatimulya following attacks by hard-liners.

"The Bekasi mayor and the Bekasi Police chief promised us an empty plot of land in the Grand Wisata housing complex in East Bekasi. We accepted the offer, but until now, they continue to renege on their promise," Rev. Erwin Marbun from HKBP Getsemanie told the Post.

"We paid the local interfaith forum [FKUB] Rp 2.5 million to assist us in 2008, but we never got the land," he said. The congregation currently rents a building on Jl. Kalimalang in East Jakarta and pays a security fee of more than Rp 1 million each time it holds a religious service.

Since moving to the building, Marbun said, they had never experienced any disruptions, but the congregation continued to conduct its activities in a climate of fear as the church still had difficulties obtaining a permit to use the building as a house of worship.

A Catholic church with a 5,300-strong congregation in Parung, Bogor, has also been forced to celebrate mass under tents since 2007 when local Muslim leaders objected to the church's construction. "We can only pray that God won't send us rain during our religious activities," church leader Alexander told the Post.

The church repeatedly applied for a permit, but have always been turned down. Alexander said he hoped his church would get its permit this year as the congregation had built a good relationship with locals.

"With the rising tension due to the [HKBP Pondok Timur Indah] incident, I'm afraid that our three-year effort to gain the trust of locals will turn ugly," he said. (rch)

Lawmaker rebukes religious minister

Jakarta Globe - September 16, 2010

Armando Siahaan, Jakarta – The deputy speaker of the House of Representatives has roundly criticized Religious Minister Suryadharma Ali, joining human rights watchdogs in saying the man in charge of ensuring religious freedom actually did more to inhibit it.

The deputy speaker, Pramono Agung, of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), suggested on Thursday that recent statements by Suryadharma, including his advocacy for banning the Ahmadiyah sect, showed that members of political parties should not be appointed to the position he holds.

Suryadharma is the chairman of the United Development Party (PPP), the second-largest Islamic party in the country.

Pramono said some of Suryadharma's decisions on religious issues had been heavily influenced by his political background.

"A religious affairs minister should be one who protects all religious groups. Not just his group or his religion," Pramono said. Suryadharma "is unable to take unbiased action."

Pramono's statement comes amid a string of attacks on religious minorities across the country, including against the Ahmadiyah minority Muslim sect and churchgoers of the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) of Pondok Timur Indah.

Pramono said a religious affairs minister without political affiliations would likely pursue more prudent policies. "Let's hope that the current situation will serve as a lesson in the future, for any cabinet," Pramono said.

Romy Romahurmuzy, the PPP's House factional secretary, disagreed with Pramono. "The recommendation is irrelevant. The dynamics of religion would take place regardless of whether or not the minister came from a political party," Romy said.

He pointed out that the religious affairs minister had always been from a political party in the past.

But many human rights watchdogs took Pramono's side. Bonar Tigor Naipospos, the deputy chairman for the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, said: "It is very obvious that Suryadharma often uses his position for political interests to gain support."

The most striking example, he said, was the minister's statements to the House in late August that "the most suitable choice is to disband Ahmadiyah completely and not let them do their activities."

Pramono has called for the revision of the 2006 Joint Ministerial Decree on Houses of Worship, which mandates that at least 60 residents of a neighborhood must support a new mosque or church before it can be built there. "Maybe it is about time the House issues a law protecting religious harmony," he said. "That is, after all, guaranteed by the 1945 Constitution."

Police probing Bekasi attacks urged to look at clerics' role

Jakarta Globe - September 16, 2010

Ulma Haryanto, Jakarta – Police should not overlook the roles played by local clerics in inciting violence against a Christian congregation in Bekasi, human rights watchdogs have said.

Both the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace and Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) lauded the arrest on Wednesday of Murhali Barda, head of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) chapter in Bekasi, in connection with the attack on Sunday of two leaders from the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) Pondok Timur Indah, in which one church elder was stabbed.

However, the organizations also said police should not overlook the roles played by two other clerics – Syahri and Syahid Tajudin – who were believed to have led demonstrations against the HKBP congregation in Mustika Jaya subdistrict.

Indra Listiantara Putra, a researcher for Setara who has been monitoring the protests against the Christians in Bekasi, told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday that Syahri and Syahid had often been joined by Murhali during demonstrations.

"Members of the congregation have also filed a police complaint against these individuals for provoking residents and making inflammatory statements during their speeches against the church members' ethnicity and creed," he said.

A police complaint was filed against Syahid, who is a leader for the Islamic People's Forum (FUI) in Mustika Jaya, two months ago, accusing him of violence and desecration.

Robert Keytimu, a lawyer for the church, in July said Syahid had been reported over an incident in early June when he and his followers forcibly sealed off a house being used for church services by the HKBP congregation.

The closure followed violent demonstrations by hard-line Muslim organizations.

Meanwhile, Rimin, the village head in Ciketing, where the stabbing on Sunday took place, said local tensions had been fanned by Syahid and Syahri, both residents of the village.

"The field that was used by the congregation was actually located next to Syahri's house," he said. "He said it was an insult to have a church built next to his house."

Rimin said the HKBP's gatherings were at first only opposed by the pair. "But slowly it began to catch on with the local residents. And suddenly people outside the village started to join the demonstrations," he said.

According to Rimin, both Syahri and Syahid were contract teachers at a private school.

Separately, PBHI chairman Hendrik Sirait told the Globe on Wednesday that Syahid, Syahri and other local clerics who had participated in demonstrations against the church should be questioned by police.

According to Hendrik, Syahid was not just a member of the FUI, but also a member of the local FPI branch. He said Sunday's attack was not purely a criminal case and had been building since Syahid began intimidating the congregation.

"I am not sure if the stabbing was a spontaneous or random act. I have a strong suspicion that the entire thing was pre-planned," he said.

During the attack, unknown assailants stabbed church elder Asia Sihombing in the stomach and hit Rev. Luspida Simanjuntak in the head with a stick. The incident happened two days after Islamic holiday of Idul Fitri.

"These clerics should have known about this. If they knew and did not report it, that in itself is a crime," Hendrik said.

Mohammad Asad, a sociologist from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, said religious leaders and local clerics were often viewed as key persons in regional areas such as Ciketing.

"From my experience, influential figures in such communities would be teachers or educated figures, religious leaders and village officials. Residents look up to these people," he said.

Asad said he believed the local clerics played a significant role in preventing – or inciting – clashes in their communities. He added "irrational fears," such as apprehension about Christianization, might have been used to trigger the violence in Ciketing.

Meanwhile, Syahid defended leading the protests against the HKBP congregation, saying it had been done in compliance with the law. He also denied triggering the conflict.

Syahid's FUI Web site contains posts warning Mustika Jaya residents of Christianization in the area.

Syahid also denied involvement in Sunday's attack. "I wasn't there on Sunday, I was at the hospital visiting a relative," he said. Syahri could not be reached for comment.

Ministry may revise decree on houses of worship

Jakarta Post - September 16, 2010

Arghea Desafti Hapsari, Jakarta – The Religious Affairs Ministry said Wednesday it was open to revision of a 2006 joint ministerial decree requiring local consent on sites for houses of worship, provided religious leaders agreed.

The ministry's statement came amid calls to amend the controversial decree voiced by a political party, NGOs, a House leader and the Constitutional Court chief.

The ministry's director general of guidance to the Muslim community, Nasaruddin Umar, told The Jakarta Post that his office would welcome changing the decree should leaders of religious mass organizations want this. He was quick to add that so far, "there has yet to be such a wish".

"Religious leaders were the ones who agreed on every single word in the ministerial decree when it was first issued in 1969. Religious leaders were also the ones who clinched the deal to revise it in 2006. So if there has to be another revision now, it should come from them," he said.

Din Syamsuddin, chairman of Indonesia's second-largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah, said Tuesday a revision was necessary to stop the decree from being open to interpretation.

Critics have argued that the joint ministerial decree – signed by the Religious Affairs Ministry and the Home Ministry – has made it difficult for minority religious groups to establish houses of worship, thus posing a possible violation of their constitutional rights.

Calls to amend the decree mounted following the attack on congregation members of the HKBP church in Bekasi on Sunday. Two church leaders were injured in the incident.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called the incident "a sensitive and serious" problem. "There is no room for violence by anybody. Especially when it comes to the relationship between religious followers," he said.

Constitutional Court chief Mahfud MD recommended evaluating the content of the decree. "The country has seen rapid social mobility in recent years. It is possible that the decree no longer suits today's society," he added.

House leader Pramono Anung of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said he wanted "the elimination of everything that hindered the freedom of religion".

Appeals to amend the decree were also voiced by the United Development Party (PPP), of which Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali is the chairman.

PPP executive Lukman Hakim Saifudin said if the decree flawed, it should be revised. "A pluralistic society has to uphold tolerance for those who worship," he said.

The deputy chairman of the Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy, Bonar Tigor Naipospos, said a revised decree should not require local consent to set up houses of worship.

"When issuing a permit for a house of worship, regional administrations should refer only to their spatial planning and not to whether [the locals] consent to it," he said.

But Nasaruddin said the decree has protected the rights of minorities by requiring such local consent. "After all the requirements are met, there will be no reason for the regional administrations not to give a permit," he added.

Legislation & parliament

Shopping on tax-payer funded travels 'our right,' lawmaker says

Jakarta Globe - September 22, 2010

Armando Siahaan, Jakarta – The deputy chairman of the House of Representatives' Ethics Council says he has no problem with legislators shopping or visiting tourism sites on the government's controversial tax- payer funded overseas trips.

"[Legislators] are human too, don't treat us like robots," said Nudirman Munir of the Golkar Party.

Nudirman said that during the comparative studies – dismissed as lavish junkets by some commentators – lawmakers were entitled to take time out for other activities such as shopping. "It's at our own cost, so why not?" he said.

Nudirman said the expense of these activities was not part of the budget, but could be taken from the allowances allocated for the trip. "Which is our right," he added.

The legislator's comments came following a storm of criticism launched at lawmakers for their official trips, which are seen by watchdogs as a waste of taxpayers money in that they achieve little if anything.

Two groups of lawmakers from House commission III for law and legislation are currently on a trip to England and Canada to do a comparative study on the immigration bill. It has been reported that the legislators intend to visit five-star department store Harrods and Big Ben.

House Commission IV for horticulture recently sent delegations to the Netherlands and Norway for the horticulture bill, while House commission X for education sent delegations to Japan, South Korea and South Africa for the scout bill.

Legislators could go shopping instead of working while abroad

Jakarta Post - September 22, 2010

Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – Legislator Didi Irawadi from the Democratic Party says that some of his colleagues, who recently went to London in England for a field trip, would spend their focus on other things than doing their jobs.

"I heard some of them want to go shopping and visit Lady Diana's grave," Didi, who is a member of House Commission III on Law, told reporters at the House of Representatives in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Didi, however, said that he expected his commission colleagues would be able to bring home concrete results from their field trip despite of the fact that they could spend some of their time for amusement.

The field trip, which goes from Sept. 21 to Sept. 26, is meant for a comparison study for the immigration bill, which is being deliberated by the commission.

However, from the six-day field trip, only two days, Sept. 23 and Sept. 24, are allocated for comparison study purposes. A source, insisted to remain anonymous, however, said that there was a more detailed unofficial schedule.

The unofficial schedule says that the legislators would spend most of their days shopping at London's Harrods department store, taking pictures at the Trafalgar Square and at Lady Diana's tomb, and last but not least participating in a fashion tour by visiting Burberry and Calvin Klein boutiques, according to the source.

Commenting on the matter, Golkar Party's Bambang Soesatyo said that he was not surprised. "Honestly, most field trips only allocate around one or two hours for job purposes. Most of the time is spent to go around sightseeing," Bambang said.

House fact-finders vague on trip details

Jakarta Globe - September 21, 2010

Anita Rachman, Jakarta – So what did lawmakers learn on their study trips to South Africa and the Netherlands?

On Tuesday, one lawmaker said he had gained so much horticultural knowledge while in the Netherlands that it was simply not possible to provide a detailed description.

Golkar Party legislator Anthon Sihombing, from the House of Representatives Commission IV, which oversees agriculture, explained that he and 17 of his fellow commission members had visited Wageningen and The Hague to study Dutch flower production.

"There is so much we could adopt for our horticulture bill, it is really not possible to mention all points," he said.

"They produce 20 million stalks of flowers every day. I think we need to learn this. We also learned that research in the Netherlands is mostly done by universities. In Indonesia, many institutions handle research work, including LIPI [Indonesian Institute of Sciences]. This could lead to overlapping duties."

Anthon also lashed out at critics of the overseas trips. "Those who say that this trip was useless are simply being narrow-minded," he said.

Another delegation that flew to South Africa to learn more about their Scouts Movement, said it believed the trip would add significant substance to Indonesia's Scouts bill.

After seven days in South Africa, Democratic Party legislator Vena Melinda, from House Commission X, which oversees education, acknowledged that just three days had been "effective learning days."

Despite the short amount of time, Vena said she had picked up valuable information during her trip. "We met with the South African Scouts Association. We visited their camp and saw how the Africans and the white people trained together in the camp," she said.

"We learned a lot of things, including that scouting there was not school- based but community-based, and that they were mostly funded by nongovernmental organizations and not the government."

Vena said she participated in the trips because it was part of her job and not because of the stipends allocated from the Rp 170.3 billion ($19.1 million) budget set aside this year for lawmakers' overseas trips.

"We just accept the budget, whether it's enough or not," she said, adding that lawmakers flew economy class and "did not complain about the quality of the hotels, as long as they could get some sleep."

Vena, however, declined to discuss which hotels lawmakers stayed at in South Africa.

The Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) this week said each legislator received between Rp 20 million and Rp 25 million as a weekly allowance during their official overseas study trips. The watchdog also said legislators received an additional Rp 20 million as a "representation fee" for each trip.

Anthon, however, said the stipends were not always enough. "I spent $2,100 of my own money to support the trip, because the budget was not enough for everyone," he said. "Those who say we've been on a relaxing holiday are talking nonsense."

Legislators leave for British trip despite outcry

Jakarta Globe - September 20, 2010

Armando Siahaan, Jakarta – Despite mounting criticism, the House of Representatives' Commission III is sticking with its decision to send legislators to Britain and Canada for a comparative study on an immigration bill.

Commission chairman Benny K Harman said on Monday that the study was important to ensure the quality of the bill.

However, the Democratic Party legislator left it to the press and the media to evaluate the output from the trip. "Whether they do their jobs there, that's [the media's] job to determine," he said, urging the public to scrutinize what the legislators did after the trip.

Benny said delegation leaders would later submit a report to Commission III, which oversees legal affairs. "This will be open for the public to review," he said, adding the commission was ready to disclose any request for information relating to the trips.

"We will invite the media to learn more about the trip once they return," he said. "Even though we approved the visit, we ask the public to critique the legislators involved."

The commission will send two delegations, each including 10 legislators and three staffers, to Britain and Canada.

The group heading to London will be led by commission deputy chairman Azis Syamsuddin from Golkar. It leaves today. The other group, led by fellow deputy chairman Tjatur Sapto Edy, from the National Mandate Party (PAN), is scheduled to depart on Oct. 1.

"The commission believes that Britain and Canada have modern immigration systems," Benny said.

Legislators will study the two countries' handling of citizens' mobility, especially for foreigners married to Indonesians, the granting of permanent residency and handling of foreign workers.

A document obtained from the commission's secretariat shows the legislators arrive in London on Wednesday morning local time and spend the day meeting embassy officials and Indonesians living in London.

On Thursday, the legislators are scheduled to visit the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office, while on Friday they will visit the United Kingdom Border Agency. The trip ends on Saturday at noon.

The Kompas.com Web site said the delegation would be staying at the Marriott Hotel. Benny did not specify how much the trips would cost but said that did not matter because "if you want a good-quality legislature, it's expensive."

The Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) released a report on Sunday that showed Rp 19.5 trillion ($2.16 billion) had been allocated for official domestic and overseas trips this year.

The amount is shared between the president, the House of Representatives, ministries and other state institutions.

Fitra said Rp 170.3 billion had been allocated to the House for overseas trips, while the president got Rp 179 billion for official visits abroad.

Two House commissions recently sent delegations to five different countries at a total cost of Rp 3.7 billion.

House Commission X, overseeing education, sent its working committee on the Scouts bill to Japan, South Korea and South Africa. Meanwhile, House Commission IV, overseeing agriculture, sent a delegation working on the horticulture bill to the Netherlands and Norway.

Critics call for curbs on trips overseas

Jakarta Globe - September 17, 2010

Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Jakarta – Amid mounting criticism over lawmakers wasting money on lavish overseas trips, the National Mandate Party on Friday suggested a comprehensive review of all planned overseas trips for lawmakers and the government.

The party, known by its acronym PAN, said such reviews could be conducted by non-governmental organizations.

House PAN faction chairman Tjatur Sapto Edy suggested that lawmakers indeed need to do something about the negative image created by the trips.

The Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) called them wasteful and unnecessary. "If legislators went on trips, it was merely for leisure," Fitra said in a statement, adding that the trips were estimated to have cost taxpayers up to Rp 3.7 billion ($410,000).

Tjatur, however, said that criticism must be fair, and that NGOs should not just be attacking legislators, but the government as well.

"Overseas trips for comparative studies are also conducted by the government, and [ministers] spend much more money than the House," Tjatur said.

"These trips must be reviewed, for each one of us, to make them cost- effective. But this should also include the president's overseas trips," he added.

In July, Fitra also criticized President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for wasting too much state money on travel abroad. The president had spent more than Rp 813 billion on such trips between 2004 and 2009 – about Rp 162 billion per year.

The 2010 state budget provides Rp 179 billion for official presidential trips overseas, and Rp 181 billion has been proposed for the 2011 budget, Fitra said.

To compare, the organization said the government spends about Rp 1 trillion on health insurance for 32.53 million poor citizens this year.

Tjatur said the government and the House do need to decrease their number of overseas trips in order for state spending to be more efficient. And he suggested officials use cheaper modes of transport, such as local airlines.

He said his party also urged the House's leadership to carefully consider any plan for overseas trips by lawmakers before giving approval.

Separately, House Speaker Marzuki Alie said lawmakers need to make trips abroad for comparative study as part of their jobs. He said lawmakers need diverse input, which can only be gained through comparative study abroad.

"Like it or not, lawmakers must go abroad for comparative study to enrich their frame reference," he said.

Marzuki said that lawmakers do not spend too much on each and every trip, and that lawmakers receive a daily allowance as regulated by the Finance Ministry.

"And sometimes the amount is not enough to cover all spending during the trip," he added.

Indonesia's underperforming legislators provoke public anger

Reuters - September 17, 2010

Sunanda Creagh, Jakarta – Indonesia's legislators may be among the worst performing in Asia in terms of passing laws promptly, but nobody can accuse them of not going the extra mile when it comes to expensive research trips abroad.

They have passed only seven out of 70 bills targeted for 2010, placing them far behind their counterparts in Malaysia, with 29 approved so far this year, and Singapore which passed 22.

But 30 legislators flew off this week on two separate multi-country trips, media said – a two-week visit to South Africa, South Korea and Japan to investigate the boy scout movement, and three weeks in the Netherlands and Norway to look into horticulture.

The trips provoked fierce criticism from Indonesians growing increasingly angry at the antics of their politicians.

The Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency, known as Fitra, said the trips cost a total of 3.7 billion rupiah ($412,000), and were unnecessary because bills on scouting and horticulture were already almost complete and ready to be passed into law. It said the legislators were going on the trips "purely for leisure."

In an angry response, House of Representatives Speaker Marzuki Alie insisted foreign trips were essential to ensure pending legislation was properly researched. "Every step the House takes is always deemed wrong," he said. "This needs to be rectified." But legislators have scored plenty of own goals.

There has been a furious outcry over two other initiatives seen as particularly self-serving – a 1.6 trillion rupiah luxurious new parliament office building complete with swimming pool and fitness centre, and a proposed fund which they can use to lavish on private offices and staff in their electorates.

The general election last year marked the first time that Indonesians were allowed to vote directly for their lawmakers, instead of leaving the selection to political parties.

Many Indonesians and foreign investors had hoped this would herald a new era of accountability, result in a greater focus on passing key legislation needed to speed up civil service reform and infrastructure in Southeast Asia's biggest economy. Those hopes have, so far, been disappointed.

Tens of thousands of people have joined Facebook groups to protest against the renovation of the parliament building, built in the 1960s. On one page, Facebook user Maria Kusuma wrote: "How can this country advance and prosper when our state officials loot public money under the pretext of helping the people?"

Some politicians agree there is no need for a new building, but plenty of others fail to see the problem. "The fitness area and weights room are needed for the physical recovery of parliamentarians" and could help attract tourists, Michael Wattimena, a lawmaker from the president's Democrat Party, told an online news portal.

Such an expensive project could also potentially be open to corruption in awarding contracts, but what riles Indonesians is the fact their parliamentarians do so little work anyway.

Many run private businesses while in office and play truant during plenary sessions. TV stations often show footage of a near-empty chamber on days when parliament is sitting, with those few attendees openly snoozing or taking phone calls.

Among legislation delayed by the sluggish proceedings in parliament are a social welfare bill, a bill on intelligence and security, and an amendment to the oil and gas bill.

A poll conducted by survey firm Chartika Politika this month showed that more than half of the respondents felt parliament had failed to carry out its main function, only 22.8 percent thought it had managed the budget well, and 84 percent thought lawmakers who regularly played truant should be fired.

Construction of the new building has been delayed because of the public outcry, but one lawmaker said it was unlikely the plan would be revoked altogether. Others are now focusing on reviving plans for an "aspiration fund", which would disburse as much as $40,000 to each lawmaker for rental of an electorate office.

The scheme has been enthusiastically promoted by Golkar, the old guard political party led by tycoon Aburizal Bakrie, which said the funds would aid regional development.

Voters are not impressed by the pork barrel politics or frequent cases of corruption involving politicians.

When 26 former and current lawmakers were recently named graft suspects for allegedly taking bribes of up to 1.45 billion rupiah to vote for a former central bank governor, opposition party PDI-P complained to the Corruption Eradication Commission (or KPK), and Bakrie questioned whether the case should be a priority for the KPK, local media reported. Golkar and PDI-P members are among the suspects.

One protester, veteran actor and former soap star Pong Harjatmo, was arrested earlier this year after making his views very clear – he climbed onto the parliament's roof to spraypaint it with the words "fair, honest, firm" – a reminder to legislators of the values Indonesians want them to uphold.

House defends expensive junkets

Jakarta Post - September 16, 2010

Jakarta – House of Representatives leaders have defended a system of sending lawmakers overseas on comparative study visits, shrugging off criticism the trips are unnecessary and costly.

House Speaker Marzuki Alie told journalists Wednesday that activists and political observers should not see the junkets as "always negative". He said critics should also "acknowledge the House members' rights".

"We are talking about study visits crucial to the process of finalizing certain bills, which need to be done in a comprehensive manner. In the long run, this is going to be important for the country," Marzuki said.

About 30 legislators – 15 from House Commission X on education and tourism, and the rest from House Commission IV overseeing agriculture, were reported to have left the country on Tuesday to conduct comparative studies on scouting and horticulture.

The House Commission X contingency was to visit South Africa, South Korea and Japan for two weeks, and the group from House Commission IV were to travel to the Netherlands and Norway on a three-week trip.

The Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency, known as Fitra, said Tuesday the five trips cost a total of Rp 3.7 billion (US$410,700), with the visit to Norway being the most expensive at Rp 877 million.

Fitra also criticized the House members who insisted on conducting such trips, saying their argument that the comparative studies were important was misleading.

Fitra said the formulation of the bills on scouting and horticulture could be completed without the study tours because the special legislative staff involved in the drafting process had completed their work.

Fitra investigation coordinator Uchok Sky Khadafi told The Jakarta Post that the House should spend the state budget wisely.

"I'm questioning the effectiveness of these visits, especially as only a small number of the touring legislators are able to speak English fluently. It would be really embarrassing if they had to talk with their foreign counterparts," Uchok added.

Marzuki, who is from the Democratic Party, said Fitra should not judge the value of the trips purely on how much they cost.

"Please don't see it from that angle. The trips have been arranged according to the legislative working visits programs, which are regulated by the Finance Ministry," Marzuki said.

He said people should not make a fuss about the travel costs. "Please ask the House Secretariat about the figures. They can tell you whether the trips used all the money budgeted for them or not," Marzuki said.

Deputy Speaker Pramono Anung pointed out that many legislators had not traveled overseas and seen "the outside world".

"We have to be honest about that. But this is not about leisure. They're tasked with formulating bills, and therefore they need to understand certain problems that exist not only locally but also in other countries," Pramono said.

Pramono said he would have preferred if the group from Commission X had traveled to a more developed country, such as Canada, rather than South Africa, to study scouting because the Scout Movement was more developed there.

"The problem is that Canada did not accept [the proposal]," Pramono said. (tsy)

Jakarta & urban life

Negligent Indonesian leaders driving city into ground: Activists

Jakarta Globe - September 22, 2010

Fidelis E. Satriastanti& Arientha Primanita, Jakarta – The collapses of a road and an embankment last week are characteristic of the Jakarta administration's failure to provide basic services for its residents and set a poor example for the rest of the country, an activist says.

A 103-meter, two-lane stretch of Jalan RE Martadinata fell into the Japat River last Thursday. While the cause of the collapse is still being determined, most experts have blamed it on subsidence or soil erosion around the base of the piles.

In the same week, a 115-meter stretch of new embankment along the West Flood Canal collapsed. That incident has been blamed on soil quality.

Slamet Daryoni, the head of urban environmental education at the Indonesian Green Institute, said on Wednesday that Jakarta was "destroying itself."

"Despite that, it is still held up as a reference by other cities, but we know the city has failed to protect its citizens, mainly through misguided policies and messed-up spatial planning," he said.

Such policies have led to severe environmental degradation that threatens to usher in a host of disasters, he said.

"If there's a decline in the quality of the environment, then we'll see more major disasters like Situ Gintung and Martadinata," Slamet said, referring to the Situ Gintung levee breach that killed 100 people in 2009.

He said a study by his organization showed that only 33 of the 226 lakes and reservoirs in the Greater Jakarta area were still in good condition.

Darrundono, an environmental and spatial planning expert at Jakarta's Tarumanegara University, said other threats came from climate change.

"Studies predict that because of global warming, the Jakarta coastline will have receded by 15 kilometers by 2020," he said. "In other words, you better start trading in your cars for speedboats."

Darrundono said the problems had never been so acute during the Dutch colonial era, during which time the administration dedicated 25 percent of the city's total area to green space. That figure is now 9.6 percent.

The administration has vowed that it will to push it up to 13.9 percent, although by law it must be 30 percent.

The Indonesian Green Institute says green space in the city was at a high of 28.8 percent in 1984 under then Governor Ali Sadikin, before falling drastically to just 6.2 percent in 2007, the final year of Governor Sutiyoso's 10-year term.

Darrundono said much of the lost green spaces were catchment areas for the city's 13 rivers that had been developed into housing estates, which had led to more problems. "The buildings extract the groundwater at high rates, resulting in land subsidence," he said.

The city uses 532 million cubic meters of groundwater a year, or 46 percent of known supplies, according to the Indonesian Green Institute, and it is replenished at a much slower rate. That exceeds the 40 percent limit recommended by experts and has been blamed for land subsidence of 17 to 26 centimeters a year.

"It's important that we turn these developed areas back into the catchment areas that they used to be," Darrundono said. "You can't just build houses in such areas."

Private households in Jakarta are prohibited from drawing groundwater, although many do so to avoid paying for piped water.

The administration is trying to get more people to connect to the mains supply, and has raised the rate for groundwater use by the 4,000 registered commercial and industrial users sixfold since last year in a bid to limit the amount extracted.

Collapsed road was 'yet another botched project'

Jakarta Globe - September 17, 2010

Arientha Primanita & Zaky Pawas, Jakarta – As an investigation gets under way into why a 103-meter stretch of road in North Jakarta fell into the Japat River on Thursday, experts say the incident was symptomatic of the poor urban planning that plagues the city.

While no casualties were reported when a two-lane span of the four-lane Jalan RE Martadinata collapsed, the incident did play havoc with traffic to and from Tanjung Priok Port.

Authorities have blamed the incident on soil erosion at the base of the road's supporting pylons.

On Friday, Ubaidillah, the chairman of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), blamed the incident on land subsidence that was a running theme of the heavy ecological damage inflicted on the capital.

He said poor spatial planning had contributed to land subsidence and rising sea levels along the North Jakarta coast, which in turn had led to a marked increase in tidal flooding.

"The government only pays attention to commercial projects without concern for the environment," he said, referring to the large-scale property developments in North Jakarta that many critics blame for land subsidence in the area.

Ubaidillah said that adding extra layers to roads to prevent them from flooding was ineffective. "It just burdens the road and channels the water to surrounding residential areas that are lower," he said.

He called on the government to repair the city's drainage system and build effective dikes to stem tidal floods. "The root of these problems is negligent government policies that fail to address nature's threats," he said.

Fransiskus Trisbiantara, a civil engineering expert at Trisakti University, called for regular checks on roads, particularly coastal roads.

"Monitoring is part of planning, and that's what the government is failing to do," he told the Jakarta Globe. "We don't have a culture that espouses proper planning, that considers all aspects of a project from the very start."

Meanwhile, Anwar Yamin, a researcher with the Public Works Ministry's Road and Bridge Research Center, said a team had been sent to inspect the soil at the site of the collapse.

"We'll process the data and analyze what else we need to check before deciding on what action to take," he said, adding that the team would use reflection seismology to gauge whether there was a cavity in the earth around the base of the piles.

He also said that overloading may have led to the collapse, pointing out that the road had recently had a 20-centimeter-thick layer of concrete laid over it to heighten it and prevent regular flooding from the river.

Meanwhile, state-owned construction firm Wijaya Karya has been ordered to bore for soil samples at the site.

Wijaya Karya official Rochim said core samples from two meters deep would be taken to analyze the soil's load-bearing properties. He also said that piles would be added to bolster the remaining lanes, possibly by as early as Monday.

Hermanto Dardak, the deputy minister of public works, confirmed that the remaining lanes would be reinforced with more piles. He also said the ministry would fast-track a project to rebuild the road at an estimated cost of Rp 6 billion ($670,000).

"Since this qualifies as an emergency, we'll bypass the tender process for the project, which would take too long, and directly appoint a contractor," he said.

"We haven't decided on one yet, but it'll definitely be a state-owned company that we think is capable of doing a good job."

By law, government contracts valued at more than Rp 50 million must go through a public tender, although exceptions are often permitted during emergency situations.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Police said they would call in civil engineering experts from the University of Indonesia to evaluate whether the road and the additional layer had been built according to specified standards.

Spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar declined to say whether police believed the collapse was due to criminal negligence. "It's to early to say whether it's a crime," he said on Friday. "Our initial suspicion is that this was caused by natural factors."

Bright lights of Jakarta lures destitute in hope of a better life

Jakarta Post - September 17, 2010

Ika Krismantari, Jakarta – This capital, which seems to drain the life out of so many Jakartans, is seen as a promised land by newcomers.

These new arrivals, who flock to the capital from rural areas en masse following Idul Fitri celebrations each year, have no real concept of the notorious congestion, pollution and floods that have become the excruciating daily routine for the city-dwellers.

"This city is fascinating. I can see a lot of fancy cars, the people are all good looking and wear nice clothes," said 50-year-old Sunaryo, who had traveled to Jakarta from his home in Madiun, East Java.

"Nothing much happens up in the mountains. All is quiet there, while here you can get entertainment everywhere," Sunaryo, who said he had visited the city frequently since 1998.

Working as a goat supplier, Sunaryo usually comes to Jakarta leading up to the Idul Adha to sell stock to people wanting to sacrifice the animal on the holiday.

On this occasion however, Sunaryo came to Jakarta accompanying his son, Yudi Siswanto, 30, a truck driver, who has lived in Kedoya, West Jakarta, since 1995.

"We are thinking about opening a food stall here, because this city offers a lot of opportunities," Yudi said on why he had brought his father along.

Yudi and Sunaryo are just two of thousands of newly arrived individuals hoping for a shining future in the already crowded capital.

The 2010 government census showed that Jakarta's population was higher than expected, climbing to 9.6 million people from the projected 9 million residents.

Those figures have sparked discussion over the issue of overpopulation in Jakarta – Urban analysts have predicted the city will only have the capacity of 10 million people by 2030, calling on the administration to act quickly in handling spiralling problems, including the city's unemployment rate of 11.32 percent.

The city administration has responded to the call by planning operations that will control the flow of newcomers post-holidays, when the influx reaches its peak.

Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo has warned travelers against bringing along friends and relatives when they return to the city.

The city's Population and Civil Registration Agency has planned to conduct ID card raids, under which any citizen without Jakarta ID card will be kicked out of the capital. The agency will also collect data directly from newcomers at bus and train terminals.

Despite the drum-beating, The Jakarta Post found no officers from the agency monitoring the flow of people alighting at Lebak Bulus bus terminal in South Jakarta.

Bus terminal chief Ferdinand Karel Wowor told the Post there had been no officers from the agency until three days after the holiday. "No notification and no reports so far about the number of newcomers. We only record the number of travelers and bus units," Ferdinand said.

The terminal saw 7,315 travelers aboard 451 buses pass through on Wednesday. Passenger figures are expected to peak Friday or Saturday.

With no inspection from the authority, the travelers returning with relatives and friends in town can freely enter the capital unchecked. After arriving, it is not difficult to purchase Jakarta IDs off of corrupt officials.

Among those that have benefitted from the loophole is 42-year-old Sawin, who brought his sister Engkus, 30, to Jakarta from Kuningan, West Java, to help run his business.

"I know that we are not allowed [to bring relatives] but what can I do? My sister is jobless and I need help with my business," Sawin said.

Armed forces & defense

Indonesian house has long wish list for TNI chief

Jakarta Globe - September 22, 2010

Armando Siahaan, Jakarta – The president's pick to lead the military will appear today before lawmakers expecting to hear his plans for the armed forces.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has proposed the current chief of staff of the Navy, Vice Adm. Agus Suhartono, to replace Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) Chief Gen. Djoko Santoso, who is retiring. But he must first be confirmed by the House of Representatives.

"What we're looking for is a vision and a commitment from the chief that can foster the TNI's grand agenda," said Mahfudz Siddiq, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman of House Commission I, which oversees security affairs and which is in charge of the so-called fit-and-proper test for Agus.

Mahfudz said the next TNI chief had to be able to follow through on the military's ongoing reforms. "He must be able to solve the TNI's problem with business asset ownership," he said.

Under the ongoing reforms, the military is required to shed its businesses and foundations, and will only be permitted to hold onto core military- related enterprises. In the past, the TNI's business assets were opaque and a major source of undeclared revenue.

Mahfudz said the new chief's top priority should be to improve the welfare of soldiers. "There are still soldiers living in poor conditions. This could affect their level of professionalism," he said.

He also said there was a need to restructure the military forces. "The TNI has always been a huge organization, which creates high costs," he said.

Mahfudz said that to become an effective organization, the TNI needed to be streamlined.

TB Hasanuddin, a deputy chairman of the commission from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said he wanted the next TNI chief to ensure the creation of a military court, a long-stalled part of the reform agenda

"This has not been touched at all by previous TNI chiefs, while according to the law, it should have been completed in 2009," he said.

Hasanuddin also called for better discipline within the TNI, particularly among the rank-and-file. "There are still fights between soldiers and robberies committed by TNI personnel. This needs to be fixed," he said.

The new chief, he said, must ensure soldiers maintain the highest level of professionalism. "There are still airplane accidents, or that case where a soldier died carrying explosive ingredients," he said.

Hasanuddin also said the new chief must avoid talk of giving soldiers back the right to vote. "Recently, we've seen this idea mooted, that TNI members could vote again. This is not right, the law already bars them from doing so," he said.

Police & law enforcement

Constitutional Court ruling leaves Attorney General jobless

Jakarta Globe - September 22, 2010

Jakarta – In a confusing ruling that has stumped many, Indonesia's Constitutional Court has ruled that Hendarman Supandji is now no longer the country's attorney general.

Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mahfud MD ruled on Wednesday that the attorney general's term should end along with the terms of the president and his or her cabinet.

The ruling was issued in relation to a challenge to Hendarman's authority by former Justice Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra, who was charged in June by the AGO in a graft scandal involving a business registration Web site run by the ministry while he was in charge.

Yusril has denied the allegations and responded by calling into question Hendarman's authority, claiming he was never officially sworn in as the country's top attorney.

Outside the court, Mahfud said that as of 2:25 p.m. Hendarman was no longer legally the attorney general but added that any decisions made before that time – including the decision to charge Yusril – stood.

In response to the verdict, Denny Indrayana, a presidential adviser for legal affairs, said that because Mahfud's additional comments were not stated in the ruling, it meant that Hendarman's position was therefore legal and that his term expired in 2014 along with that of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his cabinet.

Hendarman is expected to hold a news conference this evening to announce he is resigning, a decision likely to please antigraft activists.

The AGO is perceived to be one of Indonesia's most corrupt institutions, an enemy of reform and a major barrier to attracting badly needed direct foreign investment.

Graft, reform 'should be new AG top priority'

Jakarta Post - September 20, 2010

Jakarta – Needling out corruption and overseeing bureaucratic reform should be the new attorney general's top priority, observers said Sunday.

The mountain of challenges, they continued, could only be overcome if the new attorney general was hired from outside of the Attorney General's Office (AGO).

Other major challenges include the investigation into the Rp 6.7 trillion (US$716 million) Bank Century bailout, uncovering mafia-like practices among the judiciary and the framing of Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputies Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah.

Saldi Isra, a constitutional law expert, said that only a non-career prosecutor would have the courage to rid the institution of corrupt practices and implement bureaucratic reforms to improve efficiency.

"It would be very difficult for an insider to solve the problems in the AGO, especially when it comes to punishing problematic prosecutors," he said.

He cited the bribery case involving state prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan, which was not followed up by investigations into several senior AGO officials implicated in the case.

Urip was charged with accepting $660,000 in cash in 2008 from businesswoman Artalyta Suryani to halt an AGO investigation into the embezzlement of Bank Indonesia liquidity support funds (BLBI) involving her associate tycoon, Sjamsul Nursalim.

"The new attorney general should also closely monitor prosecutors in the regions, otherwise a lot of cases will go unresolved," he said.

He added that all current problems, such as judicial corruption, the investigation into major corruption cases – including the Bank Century case – and the monitoring of prosecutors in local regions, should be tackled simultaneously.

Donal Fariz from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) said top priority should be placed on institutional reform. "Up to now we've seen the AGO do everything to protect problematic prosecutors like Wisnu [Subroto] and Cirus [Sinaga]."

Wisnu was implicated in the case of Anggodo Widjojo, a businessman recently convicted for attempting to bribe KPK leaders in a bid to help his fugitive brother, Anggoro, who is wanted for his involvement in a graft case involving a government project. Cirus is also alleged to have been involved in the graft case of former tax officer Gayus Tambunan.

Donal wants prosecutors to demand hefty punishments for people charged with corruption. "The new attorney general also needs to improve the recruitment system. The AGO has so far failed to produce clean and bright prosecutors," he said.

He said an outsider would be best suited to fill the post of attorney general because he or she had yet to be involved in the corrupt system.

Last week, Attorney General Hendarman Supandji proposed eight candidates – all from within the AGO – to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. While the candidates have received strong support from prosecutors across the country, they have been fiercely rejected by NGO activists and some senior politicians.

Advocates of the recommendation say that an insider would be best to lead the AGO because he or she would already be familiar with the institution.

Donal said prosecutors' aversion to an outsider replacing Hendarman showed they were opposed to reform. He added that the AGO could take a middle road by having an attorney general from outside the institution assisted by career attorneys. (lnd)

Lawmaker sees collusion in promotion of police chief candidate

Jakarta Globe - September 19, 2010

Adi Mulya, Jakarta – One of the favorites for the post of National Police chief is set to receive the expected promotion that will make him eligible for running, in a move a legislator calls "engineered."

Insp. Gen. Imam Sudjarwo, the head of the police's Education and Training Center, will be promoted to the rank of commissioner general, a three-star post that is a requisite for all candidates for police chief, on Monday.

The current National Police chief, Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri, will retire next month.

National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Marwoto Soeto said over the weekend that Imam was one of 22 officers who would be promoted at a ceremony led by police chief Bambang. "The promotion is part of the police's internal restructuring process," he said.

Another two-star general also set for a promotion is Insp. Gen. Wahyono, the head of the police's Intelligence Directorate.

"We'll have two officers promoted from two to three-star generals, and 11 from one to two-star generals," Marwoto said. "The rest will be promoted to one-star generals from their current rank of senior commissioner."

Meanwhile, Bambang Soesatyo, a legislator with the Golkar Party, said he believed the outgoing police chief had already named Imam and Comr. Gen. Nanan Soekarna, the police's head of general monitoring, as candidates for his replacement.

"Of these, we're certain that the State Palace will nominate Imam as its only candidate to undergo a 'fit-and-proper' test at the House," said Bambang, who serves on House Commission III, overseeing legal affairs.

He added that he believed Imam's "close ties" to the president had made him the favorite. "It's obvious, because 80 percent of all promotions within the force these days are engineered."

Bambang also said Imam had inexplicably become the favorite ahead of Nanan, who for a while was widely expected to become the next police chief. "For whatever reason, and I believe it's the Palace's preference, Imam is now the leading candidate," he said. "It's all about preferences, isn't it?"

However, he also said Imam had all the capabilities to become a competent police chief, "which is why it would be a shame for the next police chief to be a tool in a power play, especially in the interests of the judicial mafia."

However, Kastorius Sinaga, an adviser to the police chief, said he had received a text message from the Palace indicating that Nanan was the preferred candidate.

Bambang, meanwhile, said the next police chief should be able to resolve the notorious case of the suspiciously large bank accounts belonging to a clutch of high-ranking police officers that antigraft activists allege points to acceptance of bribes from the judicial mafia.

Another pending case, Bambang went on, was the criminal investigation into the November 2008 Bank Century bailout.

A small group of legislators, foremost among them Golkar's Bambang, also threatened to open impeachment proceedings against Vice President Boediono, the governor of the central bank at the time.

Meanwhile, Bambang Widodo Umar, a police expert from the University of Indonesia, said the main issue facing the new police chief would be reforming the force "from a militaristic one into a civilian organization."

He also said the police's "practically nonexistent" internal supervision system needed to be bolstered. "The police need to be more transparent about their internal problems," he said.

"If the internal affairs and general monitoring divisions keep clearing officers of various allegations simply out of solidarity, that will erode public trust."

AGO's esprit de corps slammed

Jakarta Post - September 18, 2010

Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – Legislators slammed prosecutors for their resistance to having an outsider replace Attorney General Hendarman Supandji, whose tenure ends next month.

"Such an attitude does not need to be publicly displayed," said House of Representatives Speaker and Democratic Party member Marzuki Alie.

As many as 8,000 prosecutors from the Indonesian Union of Prosecutors (PJI) declared their support for Supandji, who recently said he would prefer a successor from within the institution.

Bambang Soesatyo, a Commission III lawmaker from Golkar, said the Attorney General Office's (AGO) resistance to having an outsider would reinforce the public's perception that the law enforcement agency was prone to corruption.

Hendarman, who has been a prosecutor since 1979, recently submitted the names of eight prosecutors as candidates to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Amid the AGO's claims of internal reform, suspects in the Gayus Tambunan tax evasion case mentioned the involvement of three prosecutors, Cirus Sinaga; Poltak Manulang and Fadil Regan, in case brokering.

Bambang accused Hendarman of spearheading the movement to prevent outsiders from leading the institution. "The movement must have been backed by someone powerful, and such a figure is certainly the office's highest rank," he said.

Deputy Attorney General Darmono said the move made by prosecutors was not a sign of rebellion. "It was a suggestion. A suggestion can be accepted or turned down depending on the state official holding the authority," he said.

He added that it would not be a problem if the President chose an outsider since it was within the office's prerogative to select the attorney general.

However, according to Darmono, "an insider will be qualitatively and quantitatively better" since the person does not have to adapt to the internal workings of the AGO.

Gayus Lumbuun, a Commission III lawmaker from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said that a career prosecutor would make a more suitable attorney general based on past experiences with a career and external attorneys general.

He said that a career prosecutor would face no internal resistance because he would "understand the nature of prosecutors" given had the same professional background.

The esprit de corps exhibited by the prosecutors, he said, was not necessarily harmful because unity creates cohesive teamwork.

According to Ruhut Sitompul, a Commission III lawmaker from the Democratic Party, there is a possibility the President would choose an outsider, given the candidate fulfilled the requirements of Attorney General.

"The candidate can come from outside or inside the office as long as that candidate fulfills the criteria."

Outsider names which have emerged as possible candidates for Hendarman's replacement, including Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman candidates Bambang Widjojanto and Busyro Muqoddas, lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis, Justice and Human Rights Ministry Director General for Human Rights Harkristuti Harkrisnowo, and former Constitutional Court chief Jimly Asshiddiqie. (gzl)

External Attorneys General

- Andi Ghalib, (1998-1999) - Marzuki Darusman, (1999-2001) - Baharuddin Lopa (June 2001 to July 2001) - Marsillam Simanjuntak, (July 2001-August 2001) - Abdul Rahman Saleh, (October 2004-May 2007)

[Lopa was a prosecutor until 1986. He later served various posts at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry and was a human rights commissioner in 1993-1998.]

Prosecutors slammed over AG replacement

Jakarta Globe - September 17, 2010

Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Jakarta – Golkar and Democrat party lawmakers on Friday criticized prosecutors' pleas for the president to appoint an insider as attorney general.

House Speaker Marzuki Alie, from the ruling Democratic Party, said prosecutors should not be publicly airing their desire that the attorney general come from within the department. "They could have hopes, but I think it should not be aired publicly," Marzuki said.

On Thursday, a group representing more than 8,000 prosecutors united under the Association of Indonesian Prosecutors (PJI) held a press conference in Jakarta to urge President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to choose a career prosecutor.

"We hope the president can hear our voice," association spokesman Chuck Suryosumpeno said.

On Tuesday, Attorney General Hendarman Supandji said he hoped the president would choose a career prosecutor over an outsider to replace him when his term ends next month.

He has submitted the names of eight career prosecutors as candidates – seven deputy attorneys general and one expert coordinator.

However, antigraft activists from the Indonesia Corruption Watch, the Center for Indonesian Law and Policy Studies (PSHK) and the Indonesian Society of Justice Observers all hope Hendarman's successor is an outsider.

Bambang Soesatyo, a Golkar lawmaker on the House's Commission III overseeing legal affairs, said a career prosecutor would not be much help when it came to internal reform.

"To avoid conflict of interest, the best candidate should not be a career prosecutor. An internal candidate would always have a psychological resistance to cleaning the AGO of corrupt officials," Bambang said.

He accused Hendarman of encouraging acts such as Thursday's press conference to force the president to name a career prosecutor.

Bambang said the president should take into consideration the cases of Cyrus Sinaga and Arthalita Suryani to remind himself that prosecutors were prone to abusing their authority for their own interest.

Cyrus has been implicated in the case of former tax official Gayus Tambunan, while Arthalita 'Ayin' Suryani paid prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan $660,000 in return for dropping an investigation into businessman Sjamsul Nursalim. Urip was also found guilty and sent to jail.

"Corruption and nepotism are common within the AGO. They protect at each other," Bambang said. "The president must be wise enough to consider all these facts before deciding whether the best candidates are career prosecutors or from outside."

But Marzuki said the appointment of an attorney general was solely the president's prerogative, which meant no one should object to the final decision.

He admitted that his party would support a candidate from within the department, saying such a candidate would able to act quickly to fix all errors within the office. "A career prosecutor knows already the problems within the institution, so he will best know how to handle matters," Marzuki added.

Communal violence is on the rise in West Nusa Tenggara

Jakarta Globe - September 17, 2010

Fitri R., Mataram – Poverty, compounded by the absence of proper community policing as well as a lack of trust in the law-enforcement system, is fueling a steady rise in the number of incidents of communal violence in West Nusa Tenggara, according to a village leader and an academic here.

"Public trust in legal enforcers continues to worsen," Tajir Sahroni, who heads the village of Ketare in Pujut, Central Lombok, told the Jakarta Globe. "They have no faith at all that the police, prosecutors or courts can provide justice."

His statement comes in the wake of an incident in Central Lombok last month, where villagers went on a rampage and burned down three houses belonging to the family of a man they blamed for the death of their village chief and one of his sons.

R Djarot, the local police chief, said in late August that Bonder villagers were seeking revenge on Lalu Gunawan, whom they said was responsible for the deaths of Mamiq Tarbiyah, 60, and his son, Lalu Fauzan, 25.

Police officers armed with water cannons were unable to stop the villagers, who were carrying all kinds of weaponry, as they stormed the houses and set them ablaze.

And on Tuesday, locals destroyed a home in the Labuan Haji village of East Lombok belonging to a man locals accused by of being a murderer and practicing "black magic."

"These seem like sporadic incidents, but they are growing," Tajir said. "There is failure on the part of the police and prosecutors in the upholding of the law. They seem unable to stem community violence."

Tajir added that some clashes have even resulted in deaths. A study by the West Nusa Tenggara Police and academics from the University of Mataram recorded 79 separate cases of community violence from February 2007 to February 2010.

Prayitno Basuki, one of the researchers from the university, said simmering tension between rival communities had continued through the years and neither the police nor the local administration were able to stop it.

He cited as an example the one between the villages of Ngali and Renda in Bima, on the island of Sumbawa.

"Ngali residents believe that their village does not get enough attention from the Bima administration, so even a small matter could erupt into a full-blown conflict," Prayitno said.

"Violence broke out in Ngali and Renda over the matter of village expansion in November last year. Two people died and scores were injured. But the local administration does not play a significant role in trying to ease tensions," he said.

Prayitno told of a local tradition known as ndempa, which is to fight with your bare hands. The tradition, he said, had initially been for entertainment purposes between the villagers of Ngali and Renda after the harvest season.

"There used to be no grudge involved in Ndempa," he said. "But recently, this tradition has led to inter-communal fighting. Ndempa is no longer the tradition [it used to be]. Homemade weapons are used."

Part of the problem, according to Tajir, was the government's failure to intervene properly.

He cited the infighting among communities of rivaling hamlets in the Central Lombok village of Ketare, which is well-known throughout the province. At least five people have died as a result of clashes between the hamlets of Bagik Dewa and Dayen Rurung, and scores have been injured.

"It is difficult now to try and resolve the dispute between these hamlets. They do not want to civilly communicate with each other," Tajir said.

"The administration never really does its best to resolve conflicts in Central Lombok. What they have done to date is facilitate peace amongst warring communities just on paper. But then the dispute continues and people are injured as a result.

"There is no effort to conduct social reconciliation or to try and resolve the core problem of the disputes – poverty," Tajir said.

He pointed out that more than 50 percent of resident living on the southern edge of Central Lombok were poor families, including the 4,400 residents from the village of Ketare.

In another incident in July, two youths burned down the Golkar Regional Representatives Council (DPD) office in Bima. Both suspects told police that they have had difficulty finding jobs.

Prayitno said the research he participated in showed much more needed to be done by local administrations. "There is the poverty and unemployment issue, but nobody really takes the initiative," he said.

West Nusa Tenggara Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Sukarman Husain said the force was well aware of the figures and the incidents of violence.

"Conflicts in our communities will not be completely eradicated, but we will work toward bringing down the numbers," he said.

Foreign affairs

US, Indonesia pledge to deepen ties

Agence France Presse - September 19, 2010

Shaun Tandon, Washington – The United States and Indonesia have pledged to expand co-operation to a global scale, saying they can play supporting roles on hot-button issues from the role of Islam to the Middle East conflict.

Holding an inaugural joint commission on ties, Washington and the world's largest Muslim-majority nation promised to keep a "scorecard" on recent agreements such as boosting student exchanges to fighting climate change.

"Indonesia is not only a great bilateral partner, it is a leader on behalf of so many of the important issues that we both are addressing," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, speaking earlier at a think tank, said the world's third and fourth most populous nations should complement each other on the international stage. "We are ready to work with the United States in fostering mutual understanding wherever there is a conflict or tension," Mr Natalegawa said at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

"Whether the problem is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula, we will always strive to be part of the solution," he said.

Indonesia does not recognise Israel, but the archipelago is religiously diverse with most Muslims moderate in their beliefs. Jakarta has long- standing ties with North Korea, sometimes serving as an intermediary with the reclusive state.

President Barack Obama's administration has put a new emphasis on South- East Asia, which it believes the previous team under George Bush neglected due to its preoccupation with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Indonesia is at the heart of the strategy. But Mr Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, has twice put off visits to the country due to domestic issues.

Likewise, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is not expected to attend this week's summit between Mr Obama and South-East Asian leaders in New York.

Indonesia recently reacted strongly to threats by a small Christian congregation in Florida to burn the Koran. Mr Yudhoyono said such a desecration threatened world peace and protesters rallied outside the US embassy. Radical pastor Terry Jones later dropped his planned burning of the Koran.

Mr Natalegawa, speaking at the joint news conference next to Mrs Clinton, voiced confidence that the two nations saw eye-to-eye on the issue.

Economy & investment

Foreign investment a big boon for many Indonesian firms

Agence France Presse - September 19, 2010

Stephen Coates, Jakarta – The mix of stability, relatively calm politics and solid economic growth is seeing investors clamor to gain a foothold in Indonesia.

Foreigners have been pouring money into Southeast Asia's emerging giant – the region's biggest economy – which was largely unaffected by the global financial crisis due to strong domestic demand and limited reliance on wobbly Western export markets.

The Jakarta Composite Index has soared threefold from its low in October 2008, hitting historic highs last week as the country's improving prospects attracted foreign capital, dealers said.

State firms Garuda Indonesia and Krakatau Steel have IPOs imminent. Both have been in the works for two years, and were postponed late in 2008 because of fears amid the global downturn. But the optimism surrounding them now is a further signal of Indonesia's rise as an attractive investment destination.

"Stable economic and political conditions in Indonesia continue to be attractive to international investors," said Gifar Indra Sakti, an analyst with Sucorinvest Central Gani.

The World Economic Forum's 2010-11 Global Competitiveness Index rankings, released this month, showed Indonesia as the third biggest mover, up 10 notches to 44th place.

A survey of business leaders from 523 companies by UK Trade and Investment and the Economist Intelligence Unit, published last week, put Indonesia fourth behind China, Vietnam and India as a destination for investment capital over the next two years.

"As (Asia's) third-fastest growing economy, with huge upside potential for our markets, Indonesia is one of those exciting growth stories and our companies are increasingly receiving wider access to financing," said Gita Wirjawan, chief of the Indonesia Coordinating Investment Board.

Foreign direct investment in the archipelago of 240 million people – the fourth most-populated country in the world – soared 53 percent year-on- year to Rp 35.6 trillion ($4 billion) in the second quarter.

But analysts said concerns about corruption and the rule of law made equities – rather than direct investments in plant and infrastructure – a more attractive entry point.

Equities are seen as the easiest way to get into the Indonesian market, with investors regularly citing legal uncertainty, chronic corruption and poor infrastructure as obstacles to direct investment in the mainly Muslim country. In a major review of Indonesia's financial stability, the International Monetary Fund warned last week that foreign investors would be cautious until more is done to fight corruption and improve the rule of law.

Around 20 local companies will have raised more than $5 billion on the share market by the end of the year if current plans come to fruition. Many say they want to pay off debt and cash up for expansion.

Fourth-ranked lender Bank Negara Indonesia is targeting 10 trillion rupiah in a December rights issue, while another state-owned bank, Mandiri, is marketing a Rp 14 trillion issue in the same month.

Indofood Sukses Makmur, the world's biggest instant noodle maker, is expecting to raise about $700 million from offering 20 percent of its subsidiary PT Indofood CBP in October. The offering is nine times oversubscribed, banks said on Friday, and will be the biggest Indonesian IPO in two years, after coal miner Adaro Energy raised $1.3 billion in 2008.

State-owned Krakatau Steel, the country's biggest steel producer, aims to list in November.

"Hopefully we can get fresh funds up to $600 million. We plan to use the funds to expand our business and modernize our machinery," said Fazwar Bujang, Krakatau's president director.

Another state-owned enterprise, flagship carrier Garuda, also plans its listing in November, aiming to raise around 300 million dollars to strengthen its capital structure and help fund six new Airbus A330-200 aircraft valued at $1.15 billion.

The airline – which was on an EU safety blacklist from 2007 to 2009 – has announced aggressive expansion, codenamed "Quantum Leap," planned to run through to 2014.

Corruption threatens indonesia's economic rise: IMF

Jakarta Globe - September 17, 2010

Stephen Coates, Jakarta – The International Monetary Fund warned on Friday that Indonesia must make fighting corruption a priority if it wants to build on its progress as one of the world's best-performing economies.

Southeast Asia's biggest economy expanded by 4.5 percent in 2009, the third fastest in the Group of 20, and is poised for accelerated growth in the years ahead, the IMF said in an annual report.

But it said foreign investors who are needed to fund Indonesia's expansion into a regional powerhouse would be cautious until more is done to fight rampant corruption and improve the rule of law.

"A decisive and successful response, as well as a decade of sound policies and structural reform, helped Indonesia recover quickly from the 2008 global crisis," the report said.

"However, lingering concerns over weak enforcement of the rule of law, transparency, and governance issues, weigh on market perceptions. Addressing these weaknesses should be a priority."

The IMF praised Indonesia's "remarkable achievements" over the past decade, as it transformed from the Suharto dictatorship into a flourishing democracy and recovered from near-bankruptcy in the 1998-1999 Asian financial crisis.

Indonesia was forced into a 43-billion-dollar bailout from the IMF in 1998, and only exited supervision by the Washington-based organization in 2003.

But the Fund said Indonesia "still faces challenges to preserve financial stability and develop its financial system", especially in areas such as supervision and the development of the non-bank sector.

"Market participants view Indonesia as a country with great potential, supported by a large consumer base and rich in natural resources," the report said.

"Yet, Indonesian securities continue to trade at a discount relative to regional peers and many wealthy Indonesian individuals still prefer to place their savings offshore.

"The financial sector lags behind comparable countries in terms of depth and contribution to the economy. This is because weaknesses in the legal and governance framework undermine investor confidence."

It said one of the consequences of the legal uncertainty was that "large corporate borrowers have the economic clout to challenge contracts."

As a result banks focused more on lending to consumers and small- and medium-scale enterprises.

FDI to rise 30% this year on back of growing domestic demand

Reuters - September 16, 2010

Jakarta – The government expects foreign direct investment to pick up more than expected to Rp 126 trillion ($14 billion) in 2010, up a third since last year.

Total investment is seen at Rp 180 trillion this year, rising to Rp 200 trillion in 2011, Gita Wirjawan, the chief of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), said on Wednesday.

The government has said it aims to make Indonesia the manufacturing hub of Southeast Asia, including in the auto sector, and it is sending Gita to lead an investment mission to South Korea this month.

Gita said Hyundai, South Korea's No. 1 carmaker, was interested in investing in Indonesia. He declined to offer a time frame but said he would meet company officials during his visit to Seoul.

"After POSCO invested here, the investment interest of South Korean companies to come here has increased. There are 10 companies including Hankook, showing their interest," Gita said.

POSCO, the world's No. 3 steelmaker, is setting up a joint venture with Indonesia's top producer Krakatau Steel, and is also looking at buying coal and iron ore mines in the country.

Indonesia is keen to attract more foreign direct investment to provide more stable capital inflows and improve its chances of obtaining an investment- grade credit rating, and its growing domestic demand is leading to increased investor interest.

Officials said earlier this year that South Korea's Hankook Tire was considering building a $1 billion factory in Indonesia.

Car sales in Indonesia are expected to hit a record high this year, and shares in top vehicle distributor Astra International hit a record high on Wednesday.

Gita said in July that FDI was forecast to reach Rp 118.4 trillion in 2010, versus last year's realized investment of Rp 94.5 trillion.

He said total investment was expected to reach Rp 550 trillion in 2014, boosted by infrastructure projects from public-private partnerships. Investors cite inadequate infrastructure, from roads to power, as a key obstacle.

Finance & banking

Bank Indonesia's savings product for the poor fails to catch on

Jakarta Globe - September 22, 2010

Dion Bisara, Jakarta – An initiative by the central bank encouraging poor Indonesians to open bank accounts has attracted little interest from the tens of millions of low-income citizens who don't have accounts already.

Hoping to bring more people into the baking system, Bank Indonesia has been pushing about 70 commercial lenders to promote a product called Tabunganku, or My Savings, which requires only a small initial deposit and charges no administrative fees.

But Adang Saputra, a senior researcher at the central bank's financial stability bureau, said on Wednesday that Tabunganku had attracted only 420,000 customers since its February introduction.

BI had been expecting at least one million accounts to be opened this year. A 2009 survey by the bank found that some 43 million Indonesians did not use banks.

The central bank blames difficult access to bank branches, a non-saving culture and a lack of aggression from lenders for the product's slow penetration.

"Many Indonesians, particularly in rural areas, live far away from bank branches. That discourage them from having a bank account," Adang said.

A 2008 BI survey found that 82 percent of rural Indonesians did not have bank accounts.

"Indonesians tend to be consumptive, buying goods like motorcycles, televisions, etc., before saving," Adang added.

According to a study conducted this year by the World Bank's Consultative Group to Assist the Poor, there are only 504.74 savings accounts for every 1,000 Indonesian adults, and only 196.86 loan accounts.

Alyson Slater, director of network and outreach for the Alliance for Financial Inclusion, said if more people used Indonesia's banking system it would inject more money into the financial system and lead to faster growth.

"Formal financial services can help the poor generate income, build assets, manage cash flow, strengthen resilience," Slater said. "Moreover, by [using] formal institutions, poor people can be more protected and [can receive] fair interest, compared to [borrowing] from loan sharks."

Slater said AFI helped developing countries come up with novel approaches for improving banking penetration.

"Brazil has been successful in enabling non-bank agents, such as shops and small retailers, to provide financial services. This approach allowed bank services to reach out to costumers in remote areas or even in the middle of the jungle," she said.

But for Indonesia, her prescription was simple: "We want banks to be more aggressive in offering Tabunganku."

Analysis & opinion

Religious freedom needs the rule of law

Jakarta Globe Editorial - September 21, 2010

The right to worship freely is clearly enshrined in our Constitution. But to our nation's chagrin, this guarantee may only exist in theory, and not yet in practice.

As the recent spate of violence against religious minorities – such as Christian congregations and the Ahmadiyah sect – has shown, the pluralism that our nation's founding fathers wisely envisioned has yet to materialize.

In a country as wide and as diverse as ours, ignoring pluralism would mean eliminating the very ties that have been able to bind us together as a nation for so long. It is the recognition of this plurality, and the need for all Indonesians to mutually respect each other's differences, that has been able to make this nation so strong.

But the latest incidents, including the assault on members of the Batak Christian Protestant Church in Bekasi, have not only sullied the tolerance this nation is known for, but also threaten to endanger our national unity and cohesion.

Many people have blamed these problems on the 2006 joint ministerial decree on the building of houses of worship, issued by the attorney general and the ministers of home affairs and religious affairs.

They say it encourages official discrimination against religious minorities and provides justification for the violence increasingly being directed against these minorities.

That is why recent statements from Djoko Suyanto, the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, have come as such a breath of fresh air.

Djoko initially said the joint ministerial decree could always be reviewed and amended, and on Tuesday he supported calls for a law on religious harmony to replace the decree.

Even more welcome was the decision reached on Tuesday by the House of Representatives and the government to immediately start drafting a law on religious harmony.

Although the House remains divided over whether the law should use the controversial joint ministerial decree as its starting point, the willingness to address the problem and try to overcome it is laudable.

We emphatically support efforts by both the government and the legislature to formulate a law that would guarantee religious harmony. The issue desperately deserves attention, because the joint ministerial decree has been found by many to be fundamentally flawed and wholly unable to provide a strong foundation for pluralism in the country.

It is not our intention to try and influence or interfere with the work of the government and the House.

But we think it is important for us to remind them that to uphold the Constitution, the laws that protect the rights of religious minorities and provide a secure environment for them must be honored.

The new law must go further than the current ones to protect the religious rights of all members of Indonesia's ever-changing society.

The Thinker: Corrupt by design

Jakarta Globe - September 21, 2010

Hendra Teja, Jakarta – Indonesia in the reform era has made significant strides in its efforts to eradicate corruption. Transparency International surveys show the country improving its Corruption Perception Index score from 2.2 in 2005 to 2.8 in 2009, enough to move from a ranking as the most corrupt country in Southeast Asia to fifth among 10 neighbors.

The gains have stimulated improvement in the nation's economy both in terms of competitiveness (as measured by the World Economic Forum) and ease of doing business (according to the World Bank's annual Doing Business report).

However, policies aimed at curbing corruption have changed significantly during the second term of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Emblematic of a more lax prosecution climate are the recent instances of granting pardons, remissions and parole for a number of officials convicted of graft. Many other offenders have received lenient sentences and milder punishments, excluding those handed down by the Anti-Corruption Court.

This situation brings to mind a 2006 USAID study that concluded many countries with anticorruption agencies still fail to deal adequately with graft for the reason that other important agents – policy makers and the courts among them – lack the commitment to root out corruption.

Several steps need to be taken to mitigate the problem. The first is to push legislators to revise the law and make it more difficult for corruption convicts to obtain pardons, remissions and parole.

The practice of light sentencing has undermined the public's sense of justice. At only four and a half years, the average prison sentence for a convicted graft offender is less than a quarter of the maximum 20-year sentence.

Moreover, the comfortable facilities for offenders often bear little semblance to usual prisons. This was evident in the case of businesswoman Artalyta Suryani.

Another irony is that other criminals get far more severe sentences – which they serve in shoddy prisons – for offenses less grave than graft, when, in fact, the negative effects of corruption are far more wide-ranging than other crimes.

Corruption obstructs people from accessing education, health care and other crucial services.

A second step we can take is to amend the Anti-Corruption Law and make it a stronger crime deterrent. Weak punishment does little to aid efforts to eradicate corruption.

Court decisions also tend to be unfair, not differentiating between small and large crimes of corruption, so that many major graft convicts receive lighter punishments than minor offenders.

This is due to the fact that the Anti-Corruption Law does not classify corruption offenses based on the amount of losses incurred by the state.

Indonesia could borrow a page from Hong Kong and Singapore, both of which have enjoyed remarkable success in their anticorruption efforts.

Both mete out heavy sentences to corruption convicts – in terms of jail terms and fines – and also implement policies that dismiss and blacklist offenders from public administration and some private businesses for several years.

Not surprisingly, Hong Kong and Singapore are two of the least corrupt countries in the world based on both Transparency International rankings and assessments by the Hong-Kong based Political Economic and Risk Consultancy.

A final solution is to develop regulations or laws that would permit the confiscation and auctioning off of all assets both of corruption convicts and their families to help recoup state losses.

All assets must be taken, regardless of whether they were amassed through corruption or not. This policy is also important to encourage a more efficient recouping of assets.

Currently, many graft convicts can launder their assets in a variety of ways, thus they choose longer jail sentences over paying back state losses – money they've erased from the record. For this reason, many officials convicted of corruption are able to maintain their stolen wealth and continue to live comfortably.

Law enforcers face an uphill battle in stopping this, forbidden as they are from confiscating and auctioning off many of the assets of graft convicts.

Corruption will continue to be a key issue for this country until the government, policy makers and law enforcers come to view it for what it is: an extraordinary crime against humanity.

Eradicating corruption requires an extraordinary effort, one that can fully dislodge itself from the current culture of compromise.

[Hendra Teja is an analyst at the Public Complaint Directorate of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).]

Poverty-stricken fields ripe for reforms

Jakarta Globe - September 16, 2010

Teddy Lesmana – Poverty remains a serious problem in Indonesia, despite the country's improved economic performance and robust economic growth in recent years.

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recently showed that 13 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, still far behind the UN Millennium Development Goal to lower the number to 8 percent by 2015.

Over half of our nation's poor are small farmers (those who own less than 0.5 hectares of land) and farm laborers in rural areas.

And their numbers are growing, even with economic growth – agricultural census data in 2003 showed the number of small farmers to be increasing by an average of 2.6 percent per year.

The same census also showed farming households increasing from 20.8 million to 25.4 million in a single decade.

Speeding up the rate of poverty reduction calls for more rural development, especially in matters of land reform.

The Indonesian government has made efforts to alleviate poverty through anti-poverty programs and credit schemes aimed at improving the lives of farmers and their families. But land access and land ownership problems remain.

This issue is particularly significant when we consider that many farmers today are losing what little land they have. 2003 data showed the land owned by the average small farmer had shrunk in total area from 0.26 hectares to 0.17 hectares in 10 years.

The gap in ownership is also wide, with 11 percent of households controlling more than 45 percent of Indonesia's total land area. The National Land Agency, said in 2009 that there were about 7.3 million hectares of unproductive land as a result of hoarding.

Many factors contribute to fragmentation and decreasing access to land ownership, including cultural pressures, economic pressures, land conversion and massive land ownership by corporations.

The combined result is that many citizens today are denied the opportunity to own land, and that many of the ones that do are seeing the size of their farmland decline.

To overcome fundamental problems associated with poverty reduction efforts, it is worthwhile to consider China's success in reducing poverty through land reform.

After the failure of collective farming, which decreased the country's agricultural production, China adopted the Household Responsibility System in 1970, providing each farming household with "use rights" to farm land.

The policy sparked rural development, as farmers were given the chance to produce surpluses. It played an important role in reducing the number of Chinese people living below the poverty line from 84 percent in 1981 to 16 percent in 2005.

There are two key factors in the policy's success. First, the state introduced a program that provided broad-based access to land for all farming households.

As a result, the percentage of farmers with no land dropped to near zero. Second, the government guaranteed land ownership rights for farmers.

With gradual changes to the legal system, Chinese farmers today can have land, sell their agricultural products freely, and transfer land ownership rights to their children.

The implementation of land reform in China was not always smooth, but several key factors contributed to its eventual success.

A political consensus supported by research designed the land-tenure systems and there was an emphasis on grassroots implementation. Pilot projects helped to work out agreements on land ownership rights.

Learning from China's experience, Indonesia can alleviate poverty through similarly comprehensive land reform programs.

To do so, first there must be advocacy for poor farmers to form independent organizations, based purely on their aspirations and needs.

Second, the government should have the political commitment to advance the interests of poor farmers.

Third, there should be state support in the form of public investment, financial assistance, and technical support.

And finally, there should be a genuinely pro-poor, development-oriented growth strategy. The state should aspire for economic growth that does not leave poor people behind.

Ultimately, the country must improve land access and strengthen rural development efforts. This cannot be postponed any longer, considering that 60 percent of the nation's poor live in rural areas. If Indonesia wants to reduce the poverty rate, it must act now.

One hopes that future measures to alleviate poverty will be less about charity and more about giving the poor what they truly need: an opportunity to make their own way, on their own land.

[Teddy Lesmana is a researcher at the Center for Economic Studies at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and a USAID Indonesia Forecast Scholar at the University of Maryland.]