Lisa Siregar – For most people, the easiest way to protest the government is to join a street rally. For two Jakarta communities, however, protesting can also be a relaxing affair.

On Sunday night, about 35 people from Kopi Keliling, an art community in the capital, crammed into a small coffee shop in Senopati, South Jakarta, to share tables, paper and coloring pens.

While the gathering was originally organized to celebrate the first anniversary of their traveling gallery, it was also a joint event with a group called Card to Post, which started the "Kartupos Untuk Pak Presiden" ("Postcards to Mr. President") project. Party-goers drank coffee, swapped artwork, shared cake and wrote on blank postcards.

Rahmatari "Tari" Handayani, an art student at Indonusa Esa Unggul University in West Jakarta, drew an octopus in a suit with a man's head, holding an acoustic guitar. Her caption, using a nickname of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, reads, "Pak Beyeh, when are we going to release an EP album?"

"It's heart-wrenching how he keeps releasing albums, and not working harder for this country," Tari said, bemoaning Indonesia's corruption.

Tari's classmate Meisella "Pusha" Usmi agreed with Tari but expressed her frustration differently. She drew a large Garuda with its hands holding a globe, but her rendering of the mythical bird has the head of a mouse. Her caption reads, "Garuda no longer has its bird head." "I don't think it's possible to fight corruption. It has become our culture," she said.

Pusha said the problem was not entirely Yudhoyono's fault. Instead she talked about the larger system and her belief that changes in government policies may not be effective. As Indonesia continues to develop and progress in many areas, the government is leaving the poor and needy behind. "I think we can all agree the country needs to move forward as a whole," she said.

The "Postcards to Mr. President" project was initiated by freelance writers Putri Fitri, Rizki Ramadan and Sundea. The three began the Card to Post movement in July to resurrect the joy of sending postcards. By the end of last year, they met with Raymond Malvin, one of the founders for Kopi Keliling. The four decided to team up and to send postcards to the president expressing their grievances just in time for Kopi Keliling's first anniversary. "This is a long-term project, as we plan to collect at least 1,000 postcards," Putri said.

According to Rizki, they use their own money to print postcards already addressed to Yudhoyono at the State Palace in Central Jakarta at a cost of Rp 15,000 ($1.65) for every eight postcards. That night, they handed out 50 postcards at the gathering, receiving back their first 25 postcards.

Card to Post asked Yogyakarta-based comic strip artists Budi dan Badu to draw the postcard's illustration. The comic strip juxtaposes school students in remote areas who must risk their lives crossing a decrepit bridge to go to school and Yudhoyono, for whose office a Rp 820 billion ($90 million) airplane was recently purchased.

The collaboration between Kopi Keliling and Card to Post is a reflection of how young Indonesians neglect other channels to voice their thoughts. Putri and Rizki talk about how the social cost of rallies on the street outweighs any positive results. Instead, street rallies make the traffic jams worse and the government rarely pays attention. They think a different approach is needed.

"A postcard is personal. It's like kids who want to tell their father something," Putri said. Putri, Rizki and Dea think their "Postcard to Mr. President" project is a chance for non-activists to be critical.

"As part of this nation, we do feel concerned," Putri said. For people in the art community, it is difficult to speak their minds, according to Raymond.

"They can draw very well, but they dread public speaking," he said. "For some people, to draw is to express themselves, and it's just perfect that we are collaborating with Card to Post for this event."

Prasajadi, a member of Kopi Keliling, said he had never been involved in a rally. "This should be a good project for people like us, because there could be thousands of postcards, so SBY cannot ignore us," he said.

Prasajadi said he thought the government prioritized business interests over the people at large. His postcard pictured a man who fell upside down, his hands bloodied and the caption reading, "Bro, what kind of country leaves the weak unprotected?" "I think the government doesn't see us as human," he said. "Office workers may have their health insurance, but how about those poor people who clean the streets for a living?"

For Prasajadi, Yudhoyono's biggest failure as president is his lack of prudent decision-making, which is what he hopes to portray on his postcard.

Yerikho Iyeq postcard was a demand for Yudhoyono to step down. His illustration shows a hand gesturing the victory sign and a huge caption that reads, "Twice elected president is enough!" "I'm tired of seeing no change at all," he said. "I'm upset that he didn't do anything about education and art."

Yerikho was born in North Sumatra, a province with a shortage of schools, he said. He also criticized the fact that school fees increase sharply every year. "I don't think poor people in North Sumatra can afford to go to school," he said.

Card to Post plans to work with communities in Jakarta, Bandung and Yogyakarta to get more people involved and kickstart a discussion about Yudhoyono's presidency.

Putri, Rizki and Dea believe project's success will depend in part on the number of cards that arrive at the president's doorstep and the amount of public discourse. Card to Post plans to hold an exhibition in June before finally sending at least 1,000 postcards to Yudhoyono.

Indonesian lawmakers look to get foreign NGOs 'in line'

Jakarta Globe - February 20, 2012

Ezra Sihite – Legislators deliberating a bill to regulate mass organizations said over the weekend that foreign nongovernmental organizations would also be subject to the new legislation.

Abdul Malik Haramain, the chairman of the House of Representatives' special subcommittee on the bill, said on Saturday that there were around 150 foreign NGOs operating in the country despite never formally registering with the government.

"That's why the amendments that we're drawing up for the 1985 Law on Mass Organizations must get these groups in line," he said. He added it was important to prevent "the leak of information out of the country," but said the mechanism to regulate the groups was still being discussed.

Tri Pranadji, an adviser to the home affairs minister and a consulting expert on the bill, said plans to regulate foreign organizations in the country had long been in the pipeline but had been put off time after time. "We've always wanted to do this, but we were concerned about coming off as repressive," he said.

The bill was initially aimed at limiting the activities of hard-line Islamic organizations, many of which employ violent and often criminal tactics. However, the change in focus to foreign NGOs has revived a controversial campaign by the House and hard-liners to crack down on the foreign groups.

Greenpeace in particular has come under much scrutiny. It was ordered to vacate its office in Kemang, South Jakarta, because the area was designated as a residential zone. However, several other office and commercial buildings in the same area have been allowed to operate as usual.

In October, John Sauven, the Greenpeace UK director, was turned back at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport by immigration officials despite having a valid visa. The government said his presence posed a threat of "instability and disorder" to the country but did not elaborate.

Days later, Andy Tait, a Greenpeace forest campaigner, was deported. Supporters of the organization speculated that the NGO was targeted because of its campaigns against palm oil companies accused of destroying the environment.

The call to scrutinize foreign groups came in April when House Speaker Marzuki Alie questioned the presence in the legislature's offices of the United Nations Development Program, which he erroneously labeled an NGO.

The controversial Intelligence Law, passed last year, also puts foreign NGOs in the spotlight by giving the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) power to oversee foreigners and foreign institutions planning to visit, work, study or open an office in the country. Activists are currently mounting a judicial review to have the law repealed.

More street vendors, less poverty: Minister

Jakarta Post - February 17, 2012

Jakarta – The government says it wants to help more people join the ranks of the nation's 90 million street vendors in order to promote public welfare and economic development.

"The level of poverty has been reduced by up to 8 percent due to the existence of street vendors," Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Syarifudin Hasan Syarifuddin said on Friday.

"Street vendors have an economic potential that should be facilitated and developed," Syarifudin said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

The minister he wanted to form a partnership with street vendors that would reduce their antagonistic relationship with public order officers, who often crack down on unauthorized vendors.

"They will be trained and organized and we will also provide a place for them to do business," Syarief said. (iwa)

West Papua

Papuan politicians named suspects for reign of terror by supporters

Jakarta Globe - February 21, 2012

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – Two district head candidates in Puncak Papua were named suspects on Monday by the Papua Police for allegedly inciting a political feud that has killed at least 30 people.

Supporters of Elvis Tabuni, the speaker of the Puncak Papua legislative council, and Simon Alom, who led the transitional administration when the district was established, have engaged in clashes since July over an election dispute.

Thirteen people were killed in the first clash, while the others died in the sporadic outbreaks of violence that have followed.

"Based on the testimony of the victims, these two political figures are behind the series of brawls in Puncak," Papua Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw said.

Elvis and Simon, he added, will be charged under the Criminal Code for inciting criminal acts.

The electoral dispute began after both candidates said they had received the backing of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra). Elvis registered for the election with a letter of recommendation from the local Gerindra branch, while Simon had a letter from the party's central board in Jakarta.

"From our investigation, the two suspects instructed their supporters to attack each other," Paulus said. "The two suspects also left [the district] while the conflict was still raging, leaving their supporters at war with each other."

Paulus said that after the two politicians fled to safety, their supporters lacked leaders and the chaotic fighting descended into a virtual tribal war. Police have been questioning Elvis and Simon since Friday.

Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Wachyono said the police had initially tried to mediate between the two sides, reserving legal actions as a last resort. "The police have asked both sides to settle their differences and stop the conflict," he said, adding that the violence has "crippled" the district.

"All of the teachers have left," he said. "All of the public officials fled to safety, and traders have also taken their businesses elsewhere in fear of their lives."

Kalion H., a member of Puncak Papua's legislative council, said that naming both political figures suspects would only serve to exacerbate the conflict.

Hundreds of supporters from both sides have been protesting outside Papua Police headquarters in Jayapura since the men were questioned on Friday.

According to Wachyono, the police are trying to prevent future clashes by dispatching riot police and Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officers to the district.

But the isolation of the district, which is located in the remote highlands of Papua and accessible only by plane, has made it difficult to send reinforcements. Siti Zuhro, a regional autonomy expert from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), blamed the violence on a lack of supervision from the central government and the General Elections Commission (KPU), given that Puncak Papua is a newly established administrative region.

In another Papuan district, Tolikara, 11 people have been killed and 201 others injured in poll-related violence that has gripped the district since last month. The election there involves Golkar-backed incumbent John Tabo and the Democratic Party's Usman Wanimbo.

The conflict began when Tabo rejected the new members of the elections committee, who were inaugurated on Jan. 4. He questioned their neutrality and demanded the selection of new members.

Police said Tabo mobilized his supporters to stage rallies, prompting Usman's backers to organize counter-rallies.

Army intelligence officer takes over Papua command

Jakarta Post - February 21, 2012

Nethy Dharma Somba and Dicky Christanto, Papua, Jakarta – Maj. Gen. Erwin Syafitri, the former deputy chief of the Army's Strategic Intelligence Agency, assumed command of the Cendrawasih Military Command in Papua on Tuesday.

Erwin, a native of Cimahi, West Java, was assigned to posts in Papua between 1982 and 1991. "I've spent half of my career here," he said on Tuesday.

Mufti Makarim, the executive director of Institute for Defense and Security Studies (IDSPS) said Erwin's appointment might reflect more than a regular personnel rotation.

"A region like Papua, which is often full of surprises, should be protected by a military commander with a capacity for intelligence [work] in order to be able to detect any potential conflict later on," Mufti told The Jakarta Post.

There have been several conflicts – some fatal – between local residents, the National Police and the Army in the last year. Erwin replaces Maj. Gen. Erfi Triassunu, who is set to become a staff expert for the Army Chief of Staff.

Papua students reject UP4B

Jakarta Post - February 20, 2012

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar, South Sulawesi – Students from Papua and West Papua studying in Makassar, South Sulawesi, have protested the central government's decision to create the Special Unit of Development Acceleration in Papua and West Papua (UP4B), saying the institution would not solve problems, but would instead create new ones.

The students said UP4B would end up like the special autonomy program granted to both provinces by providing opportunities for corruption to a small group of people rather than solving problems faced by Papuans.

Students grouped in the Students Solidarity Forum for Papuan People in Makassar staged a rally on Monday in front of the Western Papua Liberation Theater Monument in Makassar. The students demanded a tri-partite dialogue between the central government, Amnesty International and the Papuan people to solve problems in Papua.

"UP4B will fail, just like special autonomy, because it will not solve Papuan problems," said rally leader Tarsius Pimsokom. "Papuan problems are not just welfare or money. Therefore, we reject it."

The students said there was cultural bleeding in Papua caused by central government policies. (nvn)

Government denies plans for mandatory male circumcision in Papua

IRIN - February 20, 2012

Jayapura – Authorities in Indonesia's remote Papua province say they have no plans to make male circumcision mandatory, despite media reports to the contrary.

"The government does not want to make male circumcision compulsory," Constant Karma, secretary of the Provincial Commission and head of the Provincial AIDS Commission, told IRIN in the provincial capital of Jayapura. "However, the government is promoting medical male circumcision as part of its reproductive health strategy, which includes HIV."

Only about 5 percent of ethnic Papuans in the region – comprised of Papua and West Papua provinces – are circumcised, against 70 percent of non- Papuans.

According to Indonesia's National AIDS Commission, HIV prevalence in Papua stands at 2.4 percent among 15-49 year-olds, against 0.2 percent in the rest of the country, where male circumcision is commonly practiced.

Karma's comments came a week after local media reports cited Jayapura administration officials reporting plans to require all male residents to undergo mandatory circumcision as part of their efforts to curb transmission rates.

"Therefore, the obligatory circumcision will be regulated in 2012 to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in Papua," Edison Muabuay, a Jayapura administration official, was quoted as saying on Feb. 12.

And while Muabuay declined to provide specific details of how such a plan might be enforced, he noted that the Health Department and Regional Public Hospital of Yowar in Jayapura had already been ordered to provide the necessary instruments and supplies for the program.

Opposition

But making male circumcision mandatory in this predominately Christian area in the far west of the country once colonized by the Dutch would prove controversial.

Most native Papuans associate male circumcision with Islam, the majority religion of most Indonesians. At the same time, some church officials continue to question its importance in curbing the spread of HIV.

"I don't believe male circumcision significantly reduces the risk of HIV," said Pastor Sadrak Simbiak, a prominent protestant minister in Manokwari, the provincial capital of West Papua province. "Instead, people should focus on abstinence and being faithful to their partners."

But according to Karma, efforts to promote male circumcision are making headway. "Male circumcision is not just for Muslim people and people in Papua are slowly accepting this," he said, noting that before the arrival of the Dutch, male circumcision was part of the indigenous culture.

"People now want to be circumcised, particularly in urban areas; however, the challenge now is ensuring that it can be undertaken safely," he said.

Of Papua's eight hospitals, only three are equipped to carry out the procedure, while about 80 percent of the province's 2.3 million indigenous people live in rural areas. Most Papuans continue to receive their primary healthcare in community health centers (Puskesmas) where such services are not available.

Major challenge

According to a 2006 Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance of Papua, HIV prevalence among Papua's male population is 2.9 percent, while prevalence among the female population was 1.9 percent.

The highest prevalence was found in hard-to-access lowlands areas, at 3.2 percent, followed by highlands areas at 2.9 percent. The lowest HIV prevalence was found in easily accessible lowlands, at 1.8 percent.

Significantly, HIV prevalence among ethnic Papuans in Papua is almost twice as high as prevalence among non-ethnic Papuans, at 2.8 percent, compared with 1.5 percent.

Moreover, prevalence among residents who had multiple partners and were circumcised was 1 percent, while among those who were not circumcised it was significantly higher at 5.6 percent, the report said.

According to the World Health Organization male circumcision performed by trained professionals in a sterile environment can reduce the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV in men by some 60 percent.

Thousands of Papuans demand referendum

Tempo - February 20, 2012

Jayapura – Thousands of Papuans who are members of the National Committee occupied the building of West Papua People's Assembly in Kotaraja Papua, Jayapura, Monday, February 20, 2012.

Protesters demanding a referendum and ask for the revocation Unit to Accelerate Development of Papua and West Papua. "We don't want UP4B, we don't want autonomy, we want a referendum," said Mako Tabuni, a spokesman for the National Committee, Monday, February 20, 2012.

He said that independence for Papua is fixed price. Special autonomy stipulated in Law No. 21 of 2001 has failed to improve the life of the people of Papua. "Autonomy failed. The unit also will not work. That's just sweets politics of Jakarta to Papua, "he said.

Thousands of demonstrators walk from Kotaraja Waena, the Papuan People's Assembly building. They carried banners reading "Referendum". The demonstrated also shouted "Papua" and was greeted with shouts of "Merdeka". "Indonesia has failed. Today we prove that the Papuans want independence in their own land, "said Alfius, a protester.

Tempo's observation, at least two trucks of policemen were escorting the peaceful rally. As a result of this demonstration, the main road Sentani, Jayapura standstill. A number of shops and petrol stations closed. "Yes, afraid that if anything happens, so we closed," said Marni, a shop owner.

Arriving at the building MRP, the masses marched around the office using the motor assembly. However, no one of MRP members came out to meet the protesters.

Until this news was revealed, demonstrators are still flooding the courtyard of the MRP. "Be safe, not anarchists, we send hundred personnel for security of the protesters," said Police Chief City of Jayapura, Alfred Sr. Comr Papare.

Amnesty tells SBY action, not talk, needed on Papua abuses

Jakarta Globe - February 19, 2012

After President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono acknowledged that security forces have committed human rights violations in Papua, Amnesty International on Friday called on him to go further – not merely discussing the abuses, but taking action to end them.

Rights groups, including Amnesty, have long condemned the use of violence by Indonesian security forces in Papua, including a crackdown in October on unarmed participants at the Third Papuan People's Congress in Abepura that killed at least three people and injured 90.

Eight police officers were let off with written warnings for disciplinary infractions, though rights groups, including the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas Ham), accused the police and military of using excessive force.

"In turning his words into action, the President should ensure that all investigations into human rights violations by security forces are conducted in a thorough, independent and impartial manner," Amnesty said in a statement.

"This should include the investigation and prosecution of past human rights violations," the rights group added. "Suspects should be prosecuted in proceedings which meet international standards of fairness and victims should be granted reparations."

In a meeting on Wednesday with diplomats at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Yudhoyono acknowledged that both police and military personnel have committed rights violations, saying the cases would be legally processed and the perpetrators punished.

He said soldiers suspected of rights violations would be tried in military courts. However, activists say these courts are rarely impartial and have called for civilian court trials instead.

In January last year, a military court in Papua sentenced three soldiers to between eight and 10 months in prison after they tortured two civilians. The torture was documented in a video that circulated on the video-sharing Web site YouTube, sparking massive international outcry.

"Amnesty International believes that the lack of independent and impartial monitoring of the human rights situation in Papua contributes to the climate of impunity there," the group said in the statement on Friday. "The Indonesian authorities should allow international observers, nongovernmental organizations and journalists unrestricted and ongoing access to the provinces of Papua and West Papua."

Indonesia imposes strict visa regulations on foreign visitors to Papua and tight restrictions on foreign journalists looking to report from the region.

A Jakarta-based rights group, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), on Friday also called on the president to act on the 2009 recommendation of the House of Representatives to form an ad hoc human rights tribunal and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

"So far, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has seemed to lack confidence in pursuing these recommendations and taking political steps to resolve cases that have not been prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office," Kontras said in a statement on Friday.

Kontras said the Presidential Advisory Council (Wantimpres) should ensure the government kept its promise to resolve cases of rights violations. It added that Yudhoyono, with support from the majority of factions in the House, should not worry about the political consequences of doing so.

"Wantimpres can absorb the hopes and aspiration of the public by expediting the resolution of these cases," Kontras said.

Six dead, 85 hurt as Papua poll clashes continue

Jakarta Globe - February 18, 2012

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – The death toll from violent clashes between supporters of rival political candidates in Papua's Tolikara district now stands at six while the number of injured is nearing triple figures.

The contest for district head, initially scheduled for Friday, was postponed indefinitely on Thursday amid continuing violence.

"Supporters from both sides are still engaging in fights, and they are still seen in parts of [district capital] Kaburaga ready to fight," Papua Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw said.

In Jakarta, National Police headquarters confirmed six men died and at least 85 people were injured during the clashes, which began earlier this week in Kaburaga.

Paulus said that so far the police had only found one body because the others had been cremated. "We have information that in accordance with the local customs, the bodies of other victims have been burned," he said.

The election involves Golkar-backed incumbent John Tabo and his running mate Edi Suyanto, and the Democratic Party's Usman Wanimbo and running mate Amos Jikwa.

Paulus said he had asked both tickets to withdraw their candidacies so security in the capital could be restored and the election rescheduled. "Although we have many police and troops guarding the city, we can't prevent the clashes as long as the candidates don't cooperate," he said.

The police bolstered its forces in Tolikara on Friday, with 65 officers from Jayapura, adding to what was already a hundreds-strong contingent.

The chaos, Paulus said, meant the police had not been able to identify who was responsible for the killings. "The supporters are still with their own groups. We can't separate the perpetrators the others," he said.

The police said the conflict began when Tabo, the current district head, rejected the new members of the elections committee, who were inaugurated on Jan. 4. Tabo's camp has questioned the neutrality of the committee and demanded that new members be selected.

In response to the perceived injustice, the police said, Tabo mobilized his supporters to stage rallies, prompting Usman's backers to organize counter-rallies. That precipitated a series of brawls that have taken place since January. Last month, one clash resulted in the death of a teenage boy, Yusuf Yikwa.

Papua of late has seen a spate of politically charged violence, particularly in the newly established district of Puncak Papua, where at least 30 people have died in a feud that has lasted nearly seven months.

Supporters of Elvis Tabuni, the speaker of the Puncak Papua legislative council, and backers of Simon Alom, who led the transitional administration during the establishment of the district, have been engaging in an ongoing fight since July over an election dispute.

Siti Zuhro, a regional autonomy expert from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), has said the central government and the General Elections Commission (KPU) need to do a better job of ensuring that elections in Papua can be carried out peacefully, as the region has a history of tribal violence.

This was especially necessary, she said, in new administrative regions such as Puncak Papua. Regional elections are prone to disputes and clashes, she said, and could cause widespread conflicts if the KPU fails to assert itself independently.

Papuan separatists' trial seen as a PR loss for Indonesia

Radio New Zealand International - February 17, 2012

A leading researcher on West Papua says the trial of five Papuan leaders for treason has hallmarks of being another public relations disaster for Indonesia.

The five were arrested last October at the Third Papuan People's Congress where they raised the outlawed Papuan 'Morning Star' flag and declared independence.

Earlier this week, the panel of judges rejected a bid by the defendants' legal team to have the case dismissed on the grounds that the five men are entitled to freedom of expression under Indonesian law.

Jim Elmslie of Sydney University's West Papua Project says security forces are pressuring the judges to deliver harsh sentences.

"But the previous case where people were sentenced to long terms purely for non-violent political actions like raising a flag, they've been taken up by people all over the world. And it doesn't make Indonesia look good to have political prisoners who are merely expressing their political convictions."

The trial continues today with witnesses for the prosecution to be heard, most of whom are members of the police force involved in the deadly crackdown on October's peaceful gathering.

Alarm raised on HIV 'epidemic' in Papua

Jakarta Post - February 17, 2012

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The incidence of HIV/AIDS in Papua has become a general epidemic stage that requires immediate action to prevent the further spread of the disease into the wider community, according to the province's public health chief.

"The prevalence is already 2.4 percent, meaning that the virus no longer only infects high-risk groups, but has become widespread in the community," Papua Health Agency chief Joseph Rinta said in Jayapura earlier this week.

There have been 10,785 cases of HIV/AIDS recorded in Papua, although officials said the actual number of infections was closer to 24,000.

Most of those infected were in their productive age between 20 and 40 years. More than 116 babies were reported with HIV infections passed on by their infected mothers.

While distribution of free antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to people living with HIV/AIDS has reduced the rate of new HIV/AIDS infections, difficulties in adhering to the complex regimen required by the drugs meant that only 20 percent of patients were taking their medication correctly, he said.

Joseph said that proper ARV consumption could reduce the incidence of HIV infection through sexual intercourse by up to 98 percent. In Papua, 93 percent of new HIV cases result from sexual intercourse.

He attributed the problem to people's limited understanding of ARV medications and staffing problems at NGOs and the central government.

To ensure that more people living with HIV/AIDS adhered to their medication regimens, the provincial administration allocated money to buy 15 CD4 machines.

The machines are immune detection devices and will be distributed to hospitals in select regencies and municipalities in the region.

So far the administration only has two of the machines, which have been used to monitor the immune systems of people currently living with HIV/AIDS.

The government also plans to approach the family members of people living with HIV/AIDS to ensure they help their relatives adhere to medication schedules.

Robert Sihombing of the Jayapura Support Group, an NGO offering supervision of people with HIV/AIDS, agreed that a lack of understanding of ARV medication regimens could be attributed in part to poor supervision from counselors.

Other challenges, he said, included the popularity of easier "alternative" treatments, such as consuming red fruit, which have made some loathe to follow the ARV scheme. Others have refused to take ARV medications, saying they were afraid of side effects that often brought about other conditions, such as skin problems.

Sihombing called on the government to keep improving the ability of counselors and to broaden their experience by handling and supervising people with HIV/AIDS who are already consuming ARV medication.

Freeport says Indonesia is reviewing Grasberg mining contract

Bloomberg - February 17, 2012

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., the largest publicly traded copper producer, will cooperate with the Indonesian government as it reviews the company's contract to operate the Grasberg mine.

"We believe our contract is fair to all parties and results in substantial contributions to the government," Phoenix-based Freeport said in an e- mailed statement yesterday. "We will work cooperatively with the government to complete this review and to seek extension of the contract beyond 2021."

Grasberg, which accounted for 19 percent of the company's revenue last year, contains the world's largest recoverable copper reserve, according to Freeport. Production was cut in 2011 because of a three-month strike that ended in December.

Freeport said today its so-called contract of work can only be modified by mutual agreement between the government and the company. It also said the government established an evaluation team in January to review "all contracts." Eric Kinneberg, a Freeport spokesman, declined to comment further.

The Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said yesterday the company's local unit, PT Freeport Indonesia, agreed to renegotiate the contract of work.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik and Freeport Indonesia President Director Rozik B. Soetjipto met in Jakarta yesterday to discuss the contract renegotiation, the Ministry said in an e-mailed statement.

Newmont Mining, the world's second-largest gold producer by sales, operates the Batu Hijau mine in Indonesia under a 1986 contract of work. Omar Jabara, a spokesman for Greenwood, Colorado-based Newmont, didn't immediately return calls seeking comment. Barrick Gold Corp. is the world's largest gold producer.

Military to assist police in securing PT Freeport concession area

Antara News - February 16, 2012

Timika, Papua – The military in Papua will give maximum assistance to the local police in maintaining security in the concession area of mining company PT Freeport Indonesia in Timika district, its commander, Maj Gen Erfi Triassunu, said.

Erfi made the statement after attending a coordination meeting with the management of PT Freeport Indonesia in response to Papua Police Chief Inspector General Bigman Lumban Tobing's formal request for military support to secure PT Freeport Indonesia's concession area.

"We will give maximum support according to our capability. There will be additional safeguards. However, the police's request is still being processed because all our security activities must be reported to the Army Headquarters in Jakarta," the commander said,

He said the military would assist the police because PT Freeport Indonesia was an economic object of national significance.

The involvement of the army in securing Freeport was expected to enhance the security system in the company's mining area where a series of fatal shooting incidents perpetrated by armed group members had happened in the recent past, he said.

"The measures we will take will remain within the existing rules. The police must remain the responsible party in security affairs because Papua is in a civil order status," he said.

He said the military would also be involved in maintaining security in Mulia, Puncak Jaya district which was also often hit by the shooting terrors by the armed gangs.

Under provisions of Law No. 34/2004 on the military, the army is also given authority to perform the task of military operations in addition to war (OMSP) in order to cope with separatists, Erfi said. "We will maintain security together with the police in close coordination," he added.

Aceh

In Aceh, a final warning to turn in illegal arms

Jakarta Globe - February 20, 2012

Nurdin Hasan, Banda Aceh – Police in Aceh are issuing increasingly strident demands for a reluctant public to relinquish the estimated thousand-odd firearms still held illegally after the province's civil war ended in 2005.

The declaration of a weeklong amnesty permitting the public to hand over illegally held weapons and explosives without suffering legal sanctions had netted a paltry three firearms by Monday, the day before it was due to expire.

During a similar initiative last year, the public handed over a total of 43 locally made firearms, dozens of active grenades and more than 7,000 bullets.

Aceh Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Gustav Leo said if people holding weapons illegally failed to take advantage of the amnesty, they would fall foul of a special operation to track down and prosecute those in violation of the law.

The police will cooperate with the military on a joint search operation called Kilat Rencong 2012, Gustav said. Kilat means "lightning" and rencong is the name for Aceh's distinctive traditional kris-like dagger.

"This law enforcement operation is designed to provide a sense of security to the Aceh public, because the presence of illegal firearms has been very disturbing," he said.

In addition to vehicle searches, police officers will enter homes to look for weapons as part of the operation, the spokesman said.

"The police will go from house to house where they suspect people are still hiding firearms," he said. "The searches will be conducted according to standard police operating procedures, so they should not cause alarm among homeowners. We will only conduct searches where we have valid information that weapons may be present."

After almost three decades of civil war and human rights abuses by both government forces and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), many ordinary Acehnese are still afraid of the military and the police. Gustav was at pains to repeat that people should not worry.

"Citizens who don't have illegal weapons need not fear us because we will conduct this operation with the utmost professionalism," he said. "Anyone who has a weapon and resists handing it over will be dealt with according to legal procedures."

The military and police plan to focus their search on six districts that were major GAM strongholds before the 2005 peace agreement. They are Aceh Besar, Pidie, Bireuen, North Aceh, East Aceh and Lhokseumawe.

Aceh has seen a series of armed attacks seemingly related to upcoming elections in the province, in which the governor, four mayors and 13 district heads will be chosen on April 9. None of the shootings, in which nine people have died since December, have been solved.

Former GAM combatants to establish new local party

Jakarta Post - February 17, 2012

Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – The dispute between factions of former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members may escalate following a coordination meeting held by ex-guerrilla leaders to form a political counterweight to Aceh Party (PA), a local party founded by former combatants after a peace agreement was signed in Helsinki in 2005.

Incumbent Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusif gathered 12 of the 17 ex-GAM commanders and about 500 former fighters from across Aceh at the meeting at the Hermes Palace Hotel in Banda Aceh on Thursday.

The meeting was meant to garner support from GAM commanders for Tengku Agam or Irwandi Yusuf, and to discuss the possibility of establishing another local party, aimed at accommodating the political aspirations of former GAM members who are not included in the Aceh Party.

On Jan. 29, 2012, the Aceh Transition Committee (KPA), which bands together former GAM members to support the gubernatorial candidacy of Zaini Abdulah and running mate Muzakir Manaf, held a consolidation meeting to discuss strategies for the upcoming regional election.

Thursday's meeting apparently intended to counter the KPA's January meeting, and to display widespread support for Irwandi.

"We invite all former GAM combatants, who are no longer affiliated to any organization, after being fired by the Aceh Party and the KPA, to discuss steps to be taken to settle the political chaos in Aceh," said Sofyan Dawood, the former GAM guerrilla commander from Pasee region.

According to Sofyan, the decision to fire the former GAM combatants from the KPA has forced them to consider establishing a new local party as a form of resistance to domination of the Aceh Party by their colleagues.

"I have to emphasize that we who are present here used to be the real fighters in the field to defend Aceh, while those in the Aceh Party are newcomers who appeared only after a peace agreement was signed," Sofyan said.

As the rift within the Aceh Party has grown, a number of former GAM combatants have been dismissed from their positions within the party for their support of Irwandi's candidacy.

"They were fired as traitors simply because they backed me up," Irwandi said.

Irwandi further said that the Thursday meeting was also intended to head off any electoral violence and maintain the fragile peace already existing in Aceh.

Media & press freedom

Journalists suspect foul play in 'accidental' death of reporter in Aceh

Jakarta Globe - February 16, 2012

Nurdin Hasan, Banda Aceh – The Aceh Journalists Association believes that one of its members has been murdered despite the initial police investigation suggesting that he died in a traffic accident

Darma Sahlan, 43, a reporter for the weekly Monitor magazine, was found dead in a ditch in the village of Lawe Dua in Southeast Aceh district on Feb. 5.

Muhammad A.H., chairman of the association known as the PWA, said his office had conducted its own investigation into Darma's death and concluded that he could not have died from a motorcycle crash, as police said earlier.

"We interviewed people whose homes are just three meters from the location where Darma's body was discovered. The locals we interviewed were still awake [when the accident supposedly occurred] and they said they didn't hear anything resembling a crash," the chairman said on Wednesday.

The PWA also interviewed Darma's family, who said that Darma had wounds on his face and neck. His family also said they saw bruises they believed originated from a blunt object.

"There is a strong indication that the victim was attacked and killed somewhere else and his body dumped in the ditch," the chairman said, adding that there appeared to be no damage to Darma's motorbike.

Despite earlier suggesting the traffic accident was to blame, Southeast Aceh Police chief of criminal investigations First Insp. Muhammad Firdaus said police had not been able to confirm Darma's cause of death. He added that police were struggling due to the absence of witnesses who saw what actually happened to Darma.

"We cannot confirm if it was an accident or murder. All possibilities are be investigated," the police officer said. "This case is our main priority, but we cannot come to any conclusion any time soon. We are still analyzing and evaluating all of our findings."

The PWA chairman said that a few days before his body was found, Darma wrote about allegations of embezzlement said to involve the district's branch of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI).

In his article, Darma wrote that the local PMI had not conducted any real activities despite receiving substantial funds from district coffers.

"About three days before the incident, Darma contacted a local activist via telephone and in his conversation the activist said, 'Please help me if the case goes to court,'?" he said.

The chairman of the Banda Aceh chapter of the Independent Journalist Alliance (AJI), Mukhtaruddin Yacob, urged police to be transparent in investigating Darma's death.

Political parties & elections

Parties play 'politics of hostage' ahead of 2014

Jakarta Post - February 20, 2012

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – With many politicians implicated in corruption scandals, political parties are using the issue to pressurize rivals in order to secure their political agendas ahead of the 2014 general election.

Analysts believe that intensifying media reports on politicians' alleged involvement in corruption have driven political parties to consolidate for their own political benefit.

"Basically, there is no corruption at the House of Representatives only involving one political party. It is common for politicians to use corruption cases to blackmail each other, threatening to disclose their wrongdoings. This kind of dirty strategy is rampant ahead of elections, both at local and national levels," Uchok Sky Khadafi from the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) said on Sunday.

Political experience plays a crucial role in accomplishing this kind of strategy, he added. "Seasoned politicians and experienced political parties know better how to escape legal charges or lobby politically to protect troubled members," he said.

The 10-year-old Democratic Party, which is dominated by new politicians, has been deemed "politically too young." This, according to observers, has led to numerous graft cases implicating its members.

At least five high-level Democratic Party members have been charged with corruption. Alleged corruption in the case of the Rp 191 billion (US$21.2 million) SEA Games athlete village project in Palembang, South Sumatra, has seen former lawmaker Muhammad Nazaruddin and legislator Angelina Sondakh being charged.

Many other party members, including party chairman Anas Urbaningrum, have also been implicated. This has resulted in turmoil and infighting among party members.

Numerous surveys showed that the party's popularity had significantly dropped, particularly due to alleged corruption.

Legislator I Wayan Koster of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has also been implicated in the case, but remains off the hook.

The PDI-P has many political trades to offer. For example, the party can negotiate the ongoing inquiry into the Bank Century bailout, which had greatly influenced public opinion over President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his Democratic Party, Uchsok said.

Political intrigue was also suggested when the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named 29-year-old National Mandate Party (PAN) lawmaker Wa Ode Nurhayati a suspect for her role in illicit brokerage at the House's Budgetary Committee.

Wa Ode's arrest was believed to be a result of moves by politicians who were uncomfortable with her speaking on national television about rampant illicit brokerage at the budgetary committee.

"Wa Ode has repeatedly threatened to uncover all of the illicit practices at the committee, but she has not named any lawmakers until today. It may have been part of her or PAN's strategy to secure certain political interests," Uchok said.

Uchok predicted the issue could also be used as a political bargaining chip to ask other parties to approve PAN's proposals in certain political discussions at the House.

Despite the fact that PAN is a member of the government coalition, it supports the opposition camp, the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) and the Great Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra), when it comes to the parliamentary threshold of 3 percent currently deliberated at the House.

The proposal is much lower than the 4 and 5 percent proposed by the Democratic Party and the Golkar Party respectively.

PAN politicians have also yet to make clear their stance on the proposal to seek explanations from the government on its policy to end prison term reductions for graft convicts.

This move, which was initiated by legislators from the Golkar Party and the PDI-P, could end up being a major blow for the government if more parties join in, according to observers.

PAN executive Wahyuni Refi acknowledged that it was difficult to completely separate law enforcement from politics. "This fact has helped turn this country's political condition into a much less conducive one ahead of the 2014 election," she said.

Political analyst from the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) Burhanuddin Muhtadi said the so-called "politics of being held hostage" would continue to intensify until 2014.

"Law enforcement in certain cases has triggered political maneuvers. Political parties have been held hostages by certain legal cases," he said.

"The President and his Democratic Party have been troubled by the Bank Century bailout case, Golkar by the Lapindo mudflow, and PAN with Wa Ode case and the alleged grafts surrounding the procurement of an electric- powered train from Japan. Every party has other parties' cards marked," Burhanuddin added.

When it comes to winning votes in the upcoming 2014 election, a political party tends to utilize any means of political bargaining to benefit from the fall of popularity of other political parties, be it fellow government coalition members or those in opposition, he said.

PPP to focus on improving image

Jakarta Post - February 20, 2012

Jakarta – Ahead of the United Development Party's (PPP) national meeting, party chairman Suryadharma Ali has called on cadres to improve the party's image to win the hearts of the people.

The Islamist PPP is set to organize a national meeting at the Lirboyo boarding school in Kediri, East Java, between Feb. 21-23.

"Party cadres are being asked to build a positive image to help the party recruit new members ahead of the 2014 election. We are targeting the recruitment of 12 million new members," said Muhammad Arwani Thomafi, a PPP leader, on Sunday.

Suryadharma also asked party cadres to work harder and hand in hand to make the party solid, Antara reported.

At the party's meeting in Bandung in July last year, PPP leaders agreed to make the party the home of all Indonesian Muslims. So far, the PPP competes with other Islamic oriented political parties to win people's support.

Suryadharma recently made a blunder by terming the Shia community heretical. His statement is likely to affect the PPP's vote gains in the 2014 election. Suryadharma, who is the Religious Affairs Minister, also irritated the Ahmadiyah community by calling for the disbandment of the sect.

PPP welcomes Islamic parties, except PKS, PAN

Jakarta Post - February 19, 2012

Jakarta – United Development Party chairman Suryadharma Ali invited all Islamic parties to join his party, excluding, however, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and National Mandate Party (PAN) in his invitation.

"PKS and PAN are not Islamic parties," Suryadharma told reporters after the PPP's 39th anniversary celebration at the Istora Senayan in Central Jakarta on Sunday.

He declined to explain why he deemed PKS and PAN as not being Islamic parties, despite the fact that both PKS and PAN are fundamentally known as being very closely affiliated with Islam.

In his remarks, Suryadharma, who also serves as Indonesia's minister of religious affairs, highlighted the importance of Islamic people joining hands with PPP in becoming a "house for all Indonesian Muslim people."

"Muslims are the majority in Indonesia. However, the political power of Muslims has become a minority. What has gone wrong? For that reason, the PPP opens its doors to all Islamic parties, whatever their school of thought, to join the party," he said.

"The PPP was established by ulemas to build a civil and democratic society. The party also encourages religious life with respect to religious tolerance [to other groups]," Suryadharma said as quoted by tempo.co on Sunday.

Late last month Suryadharma became the subject of criticism after he called the Shiite branch of Islam heretical because in his view it deviated from mainstream Islamic teachings.

Suryadharma had previously made similar statements about the Islamic Ahmadiyah sect, which he also called heretical, and urged its followers to return to the "true teachings of Islam". Many feared that his statements as a top official in charge of the religious affairs could provoke violence against minority groups.

Nationalist, Muslim parties to join forces

Jakarta Post - February 18, 2012

Andreas D. Arditya – Two groups – one representing a coalition of nationalist political parties, the other comprised of Muslim parties – are discussing the formation of a larger coalition ahead of the gubernatorial election in July.

Representatives of the nationalist group, Panitia Bersama (Panbers), sat down on Friday afternoon with counterparts from Silaturahmi Partai Politik (Silat), the group of Muslim-based parties.

Panbers, short for "Joint Committee", consists of representatives of the Golkar Party with seven seats on the Jakarta City Council, the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) with 6 seats and the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) and Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), each with four seats.

Silat, short for "Friendly Meeting Party", consists of representatives of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) with 18 seats on the council, the United Development Party (PPP) with 7 seats, the National Mandate Party (PAN) with 4 seats, the National Awakening Party (PKB) with one seat and three other parties without council seats.

Gerindra Jakarta branch chairman Muhammad Taufik said that the meeting was the first of several scheduled for coming weeks. "What we're doing today is just taking the initial steps toward more substantial talks between the parties," Taufik said.

The main goal of the planned coalition, according to Taufik, was to support a single candidate in the gubernatorial race. "We will eventually talk about that, but first we need to make sure that we have a win-win agreement between us," Taufik said.

Selamat Nurdin, the PKS's Jakarta chairman, said that plans for the coalition were initiated locally. "Our respective central boards did not order us to join forces. In fact, we want to show them that regional politicians know what's best for Jakarta," Selamat said.

Meanwhile, Lulung Lunggana, the PPP's local branch chairman, said that the planned coalition was not responding to the threat posed by independent candidates, which he described as unimportant. "We will have a total of 51 council seats between us. The independent candidates have nothing on us," Lulung said.

Candidate registration for people nominated by political parties will be run from March 13 to 19. Party-based applicants must have the support of political parties that garnered more than 15 percent of the vote in 2009 legislative election or that had more than 15 seats on the council.

Those registering as independent candidates face different requirements. Independent aspirants must gather the signatures and copies of the ID cards of 4 percent of Jakarta's population, or 407,340 people, to register as candidates.

The Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD) is currently verifying a list of 1 million names on the applications submitted by two independent campaigns: economist Faisal Basri and entrepreneur Biem Benjamin and Maj. Gen. (ret.) Hendardji Soepandji and politician Ahmad Riza Patria.

Separately, Jakarta's Supervisory Elections Committee (Panwaslu) chairman Ramdansyah said that the committee had received reports of fraud and other violations allegedly perpetrated by the would-be independent campaigns in garnering support. "I am calling on the public to file reports to the Panwaslu," he said.

KPUD has set the date for this year's gubernatorial elections, the capital's second direct election, for July 11. Unlike other regions, the capital city requires candidates to secure more than 50 percent of the vote to win.

Dems drag others into the morass

Jakarta Post - February 18, 2012

The plot thickens in the saga of the leadership of the Democratic Party with an aide to party chairman Anas Urbaningrum claiming that two major political parties contributed funds to help Anas win the party chairmanship in 2010.

Democratic Party lawmaker Umar Arsal, who led Anas' campaign team for the chairmanship race for the Sulawesi region, said that Anas did not get funding for the contest from government-sponsored projects but from legitimate sources including contributions from members of the Golkar Party and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

He said that it was easy for Anas to gather support from other politicians simply because of Anas' tremendous charm and popularity. Umar rejected graft defendant Nazaruddin's claim that "money politics cast a shadow on Anas' campaign" as complete nonsense.

Nazaruddin, who is currently on trial for accepting bribes and masterminding a plan to rig a Southeast Asian (SEA) Games facility construction tender, has claimed that the illicit money he allegedly obtained also went into Anas' pocket and was later used to fund his campaign for the party leadership in 2010. The construction project was commissioned by the Youth and Sports Ministry.

Yulianis, a witness against Nazaruddin who recently testified before the Jakarta Corruption Court, said she was ordered by Nazaruddin to deliver around US$2 million and Rp 30 billion ($3.33 billion) from Permai Group, which was allegedly used by Nazaruddin as a proxy to win the SEA Games bid, to Bandung during the 2010 national congress to elect a new party chairman.

Yulianis said that instead of telling her that the money would be used to secure Anas' win, Nazaruddin's staff only told her that the cash was to pay for logistics at the congress.

Golkar Party senior politician Priyo Budi Santoso denied Umar's statement. "It is impossible for us to get involved in another party's chairmanship election. It is unethical," he said. "The three candidates in that race [Anas, House Speaker Marzuki Alie and Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng] are all friends of ours," Priyo said.

PKS deputy secretary-general Mahfudz Siddiq said that Umar's statement was outrageous and made little sense. "I'd say it is an attempt to quash suggestions that the money came from the state budget and [government] projects, which are now starting to gain credibility," he said. "Our party has no interest in other parties' congresses [or chairmanships]."

He said it would be better if Umar proved his allegation."Do not just drop names and accuse other parties," he said.

Senior Democratic Party lawmaker Max Sopacua also slammed Umar. "President Yudhoyono has reminded us that the Democratic Party congress must not be tainted by money politics," he said. Max also called on Golkar and PKS to issue clarifications.

Just recently, the President was visibly angered by the decision of lawmaker Mohammad Jafar Hafsah, the Democratic Party's leader in the House, to move lawmaker Angelina Sondakh from Commission X overseeing education to Commission III overseeing the law.

Angelina was recently named a suspect in the same SEA Games bribery scandal by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) body. Jafar eventually backed down, keeping Angelina on Commission X, while denying that the proposed transfer was aimed at applying pressure on the KPK.

Contacted separately, Nazaruddin himself denied Umar's statement. "As far as I know, there was no other benefactor [neither Golkar nor PKS]," he said during a break from his graft trial on Friday.

SBY stews while party simmers

Jakarta Post - February 17, 2012

Bagus BT Saragih and Agnes Winarti, Jakarta/Denpasar – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been infuriated by the widening rifts in the leadership of the Democratic Party that he founded more than a decade ago.

Previously deemed too lenient in tolerating "rebellious" moves by other parties in his ruling coalition, Yudhoyono appears effectively impotent when faced with quelling dissent inside his own party.

He was visibly angered by the recent decision of lawmaker Mohammad Jafar Hafsah, the Democratic Party's leader in the House, to move lawmaker Angelina "Angie" Sondakh from Commission X overseeing education to Commission III overseeing law.

The move was seen as a rank-and-file thumbing of the Democratic Party's collective nose at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for naming Angelina a graft suspect.

The KPK, meanwhile, rejected Angelina's committee assignment. "I won't come to any Commission III meeting if Angelina is there," KPK chairman Abraham Samad said.

Separately, Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng, also party patron board secretary, said that Angelina's move had drawn Yudhoyono's ire.

"Pak Yudhoyono was really furious when he heard about the rotation. He considered the rotation not to be a smart move. It's unwise to place someone with legal troubles like Angelina on a commission that oversees legal matters," Andi said in Denpasar, Bali.

Although Andi said that Yudhoyono had ordered party chairman Anas Urbaningrum to reject the posting, the party's senior politicians had already started to play the blame game.

"The [transfer] idea was solely Jafar's," senior Democratic Party lawmaker Ruhut "Poltak" Sitompul said. Fellow politician Sutan Bhatoegana agreed. "Jafar was the puppet master."

Jafar eventually backed down, keeping Angelina on Commission X, while denying that the proposed transfer was aimed at applying pressure on the KPK. Angelina's name, however, still appeared on a Commission III attendance list on Thursday.

Observers attribute the party's squabbles to lingering animosity following the fierce battles waged during the election for the party's top position during its national congress in Bandung, West Java, in 2010.

Angelina, Jafar and Commission III chairman Benny Kabur Harman were loyal backers of Anas, who triumphed over two much older candidates in the race, Andi and House Speaker Marzuki Alie.

The rivalries were reignited after the KPK launched a probe on the corruption scandal surrounding the construction of the Rp 191.7 billion (US$21.08 million) athletes' village for the 2011 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Palembang, South Sumatra.

Angie has been named a suspect in the case, while former Democratic Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin is currently standing trial for his alleged role in the scandal.

Supporters of Marzuki and of Andi, who gained the support of Yudhoyono's family in the 2010 contest, were angry after Nazaruddin testified that he spent billions of rupiah from the state budget to buy votes for Anas.

On Monday, Yudhoyono said that he was angry upon learning that Anas had appeared to be "protecting" Nazaruddin during a hearing of the party's ethics council a few days after the graft case was made public. Yudhoyono's statement prompted speculation that he was uncomfortable with Anas' leadership of the party.

Yudhoyono has repeatedly made efforts to prevent the party's internal squabbles from going public, calling on party members not to issue contradictory statements in the media.

Separately, Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) analyst Burhanuddin Muhtadi attributed the troubles in the Democratic Party to the poor communication skills of the party's senior members.

"The party's poor communications management and weak damage control have helped the public to realize that the divisions among factions exist and are now getting worse," Burhanuddin said.

SBY's weakened grip on the Democratic Party

Yudhoyono, as head of the party's ethics council, ordered Nazaruddin's dismissal on May 23, 2011. Anas, as party chairman, sacked Nazaruddin two months later.
Yudhoyono called on party members to stop making contradictory statements in May 2011. Outspoken party members, such as Ruhut Sitompul and Sutan Bhoetagana, have continued to make controversial statements.
Yudhoyono wanted the House of Representatives to cancel a controversial plan to construct a Rp 1.3 trillion office tower in April 2011. Democratic Party lawmakers insisted on supporting the plan.

SBY irate over plan to transfer Angelina

Jakarta Post - February 16, 2012

Jakarta – Democratic Party chief patron Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was reportedly "greatly angered" by a plan formulated by his party's board to assign troubled cadre Angelina Sondakh to the House of Representatives' law commission from the budget commission amid legal woes Angelina is facing as a suspect in a bribery case centering on the development of the 2011 SEA Games athlete's village in Palembang.

"SBY was very angry upon hearing the information yesterday that Angelina will be transferred to the Commission III [overseeing legal affairs]," said the Democratic Party secretary Andi Mallarangeng on the sidelines of the general assembly of the ASEAN Law Association in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Thursday. Andi referred to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Andi added that Yudhoyono had instructed the party's chairman Anas Urbaningrum and the head of the party faction in the House, Jafar Hafsah, to cancel Angelina's transfer. "It is improper that Angelina, who is currently facing a legal suit, be assigned to the law commission," said Andi, who is also the youth and sports minister.

Angelina, whose name was already on the list of the Democratic Party lawmakers attending a hearing in the law commission, failed to show up at the commission's meeting.

Democratic Party faction secretary Saan Mustopa confirmed that his faction had cancelled Angelina's transfer to the law commission. "Angelina will remain assigned to the sports commission," Saan said.

The Corruption Eradication Commission has declared Angelina a suspect early this month for her alleged key role in rigging the SEA Games tender. (fzm/dmr)

Independent candidates require 1.3 million supporters

Jakarta Post - February 15, 2012

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – Independent candidates looking to join the West Java gubernatorial election race are required to gather written support from at least 1.3 million eligible voters.

West Java General Elections Commission (KPUD) head Ferry Kurnia Rizkainsyah said that based on the regulation, independents must obtain a minimum 3 percent support from a total of around 43 million people. The poll will be held next year.

The regulation also requires that support come from the residents from half the number of regencies and mayoralties. The province is made up of 26 regencies and mayoralties.

"It may seem difficult, but we will make sure that the KPUD carry out preparations for the administrative and factual verification of candidates who apply through the independent channel," Ferry told The Jakarta Post in Bandung on Tuesday.

Ferry said that although difficult, the door for independents must be left open for the sake of democracy and to uphold the law, despite the fact that some circles were pessimistic about independent candidates passing verification, given the huge support they required.

He acknowledged that he had received a notification letter from an independent candidate pair who would run in the election.

The gubernatorial election funds for the KPUD have yet to be disbursed prior to a gubernatorial decree on the proposed budget. The number of eligible voters is estimated to reach 33.5 million people, with a cost of more than Rp 700 billion (US$82 million). However, the provincial administration has only approved Rp 665 billion, derived from the 2012 provincial budget.

Democracy Information Study Forum (LSID) head Dedi Barnadi said that the huge level of support required by candidates would restrict independent hopefuls.

"It's very difficult to collect 1.3 million copies of identity cards. In Jakarta alone, a candidate pair carry around 500,000 ID copies on two trucks. How many truck loads of ID cards must the KPUD verify?" asked Dedi.

He said that based on a survey conducted by his group and the West Java Survey Institute (LSJ) in January 2012, incumbent Governor Ahmad Heryawan and Vice Governor Yusuf Macan Effendi would face stiff competition from other candidates. The survey, conducted from Jan. 18 to 23, involved 410 respondents above the age of 17 from 26 regencies and mayoralties, and showed the five most popular candidates.

Group calls for reform of party financing

Jakarta Post - February 15, 2012

Sita W. Dewi, Jakarta – A coalition of NGO activists, experts and lawmakers has called for a reform in the political party financing system.

The coalition, the Society for Election and Democracy (Perludem) proposed that the government adopt its proposal for the amendment of the 2008 law on general elections.

"The future of democracy is at risk because of the growing public distrust of political parties. One of the most serious problems affecting the parties is their financing system," Perludem chairman Didik Supriyanto said.

Didik said that the existing financing system allowed parties to practice corruption when raising funds. He also said that the way parties raised money could allow donors to impose their agenda.

Didik said that now political parties were becoming reliant on party leaders and individual donations, as well as contributions from lawmakers or government officials as their sources of funding.

"The internal dynamics within political parties are becoming more and more elitist and resembling an oligarchy," Didik said.

In its policy proposal, the coalition called for an amendment of the Election Law that would oblige political parties to report their book- keeping, including initial campaign funds, the amount of budget spent, as well as lists of donors. The reports must be audited by a public accounting firm and published online.

"We also suggest that the amended law gives an ample amount of time for political parties to complete their book-keeping. For example, the existing law gives political parties only seven days to submit their campaign financial reports to the Jakarta General Elections Commission. It will be reasonable to give them 21 days given the problems of human resources and geography," Perludem executive director Titi Anggraini said.

Titi said that the group was now discussing whether to raise government earmarks for political parties, "We have yet to conclude whether [the measure] is needed or how much the ideal figures are. But we all agree that money from the state budget can't cover most of what parties need," she said. Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Ganjar Pranowo called for an increase in the budget allocated for political parties. He also called on the government to set up clear-cut rules of the game.

"Political parties will be forced to file reports on how the budgets were used, which later will be audited by the BPK [Supreme Audit Agency]," he said.

"No one can guarantee that a particular system can curb corruption, but if we don't set the rules, they will keep raising money from illegal sources like they do now," Ganjar said.

Labour & migrant workers

Indonesia's maids mark another year in legal limbo

Jakarta Globe - February 16, 2012

Anita Rachman – As they commemorated their day on Wednesday, Indonesian domestic workers said they only wanted two things: for the domestic workers protection bill to be deliberated this year and the government to ratify the International Labor Organization Domestic Workers Convention.

Hundreds of domestic workers marched on Wednesday, which was National Domestic Workers Day, in the streets of Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan, Semarang and Yogyakarta to vocalize these demands.

Domestic workers have long been fighting for those two actions that they say are needed to protect the estimated 10.7 million maids around the country, more than the six million migrant workers abroad who receive more attention.

A study by the National Network for Domestic Workers Advocacy (Jala PRT) in 10 cities showed that maids suffered from poor treatment, received low pay and few days off and were generally overworked, often working more than 16 hours a day.

In Jakarta, Jala PRT chairwoman Lita Anggraini, along with dozens of domestic workers, rallied in front of the Presidential Palace.

"Our demands are the deliberation of the domestic workers protection bill and ratification of Convention 189," Lita said, referring to the new International Labor Organization's Domestic Workers Convention of 2011.

The workers scored a win in December when, after days of protesting in front of the legislature, which involved Lita chaining herself to the House of Representatives' gate, lawmakers agreed to include the bill in the National Legislation Program (Prolegnas).

Now, the next step is monitoring the drafting and deliberation of the bill. Amnesty International said in a statement on Wednesday that "the draft law does not meet international law and standards, in particular with regard to child domestic workers, hours of work, wages,and dispute resolution."

The group argued that lawmakers should ensure the final draft complies with international law and standards and explicitly contain provisions pertaining to the specific needs of women.

"Such provisions must include ensuring sexual and reproductive rights for domestic workers, in particular during and after pregnancy." Amnesty International stated.

Being included in the 2012 Prolegnas also does not guarantee that the bill will be passed this year, as the House is known to complete less than half of its target number of laws each year.

Amnesty said that failure to pass the bill into law meant that in Indonesia, domestic workers were not legally recognized as workers and did not enjoy the same protection and safeguards as other workers did. Due to the lack of protection, they often experience economic exploitation and physical, psychological and sexual violence on a regular basis. Amnesty also urged the House to ratify the convention as soon as possible.

Rieke Diah Pitaloka, a member of House Commission IX overseeing labor, said the legislature was working on the bill and ensuring it would carry the same principles as Convention 189. Nevertheless, Rieke said it was better for the government to ratify the convention first before the House pushed the bill.

"Because even the president himself said that the convention could be taken as an umbrella for other legal regulations, such as the law and other regulations," she said. Rieke said that the commission had formed a working committee and was working on the draft of the bill.

Program wants working children back in school

Jakarta Globe - February 15, 2012

Ismira Lutfia – Indonesia is aiming to reduce the number of child workers by 10,000 this year, an official said on Tuesday.

Muji Handaya, the director general for manpower guidance and supervision at the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry, said that 10,730 child workers from 21 provinces and 84 districts and municipalities were expected to participate in a month-long program designed to get them back into to school.

"This program is aimed at reducing the number of child workers from very poor households, by pulling them off of their work and providing them with outreach programs in temporary safe houses for about a month and then returning them to the education world," Muji said.

Muji said last year the ministry removed 3,360 child workers from their workplaces and directed 90 percent of them to accessible education. Between 2008 and 2011, the program assisted 11,213 children in returning to school, he said.

A 2010 survey on national child labor reported that of the four million children who are working, 1.7 million are in work that harms their well- being, safety and capacity to benefit from normal schooling.

Lawmaker Okky Asokawati, said that one of the worst jobs for child workers is as a domestic helper because the conditions are not open to scrutiny.

Okky, who is a member of House of Representatives Commission IX, which oversees labor issues, said the International Labor Organization specifically mentions household helpers as one of the worst employment situations for children.

Data from the National Network for Domestic Workers Advocacy (Jala PRT) showed that in 2009, the number of minors working as household helpers in the country numbered at least 202,235 or 12 percent of the total number of child workers.

Muji said that the National Education Ministry is providing scholarships to help child workers return to school. Almost five million scholarships are available at the elementary and junior high levels and over 700,000 are available to vocational and senior high school students.

There are also 30,000 for high school graduates seeking for university entry.

Jakarta's new minimum wages fail to satisfy labor union

Jakarta Globe - February 15, 2012

Bayu Marhaenjati & Dofa Fasila – The Jakarta administration may have approved the highest sectoral minimum wages ever, but hundreds of workers rallied with the Jakarta Labor Forum to push for more on Tuesday.

"We want [the] gubernatorial decree... on sectoral minimum wages to be revoked. We want it to be revoked or revised because we consider the wage as far from adequate," Herry Hendrawan, deputy secretary general of the Metal, Electronic and Machinery Workers Union (FSPLEM), told the demonstration at City Hall.

The decree, signed on Thursday but effective retroactively from Jan. 1, stipulates that the minimum wage in certain sectors be set between 6 percent and 30 percent higher than the standard minimum wage (UMP), Rp 1.52 million ($169) per month.

But Herry said the wage increase in neighboring Bekasi ranged from 20 percent to 30 percent. "This [rate in Jakarta] is much lower compared to Bekasi, even though Jakarta and Bekasi have the same industrial and sectoral growth rate while some Jakarta-based companies have branches in Bekasi," he said.

He went on to say that Governor Fauzi Bowo should have set a higher sectoral wage level. "There is a gap, it's quite wide and we think it's unrealistic. We hope the governor will consider it," he said.

Baris Silitonga, the protest coordinator, said the governor and Jakarta's labor agency head should step down if they insisted on setting the sectoral minimum wage level below industry production growth of 30 percent, because the laborers who contributed to the growth were being denied their rights.

"The governor and his men are not pro-labor," he said, adding that a much larger demonstration would soon take place.

The protestors ended their demonstration after Jakarta Manpower and Transmigration Agency head Deded Sukandar agreed to meet their representatives.

The wage hike in Bekasi came after thousands of workers from about 300 companies blocked the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road for several hours on Jan. 27. They were protesting a court ruling that favored the lawsuit filed by the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) against the wage increase.

Under the Jakarta decree, the highest sectoral wage, set at 30 percent above the UMP, will apply to the insurance, banking, and telecommunications sectors. The lowest sectoral wage, at 6 percent higher than UMP, will be in the tourism sector.

Deded said on Monday that the insurance, banking and telecommunications sectors contributed the most to the city's economy and therefore deserved to receive the highest increase in minimum monthly wages.

The second-highest sectoral wage, 13 percent higher than the UMP, applies to workers in the metal, electronics and machinery sector and those in the automotive sector.

Workers in the chemical, energy and mining sectors will see their minimum wages set at 11 percent higher than the standard minimum wage. The minimum wage in the food and drink sector will be 10 percent higher than UMP. It will be 8 percent higher in the pharmaceutical and health sector and 7 percent in the textile, garment and leather sector.

In the construction and public works sector, the minimum wage is set for a daily rate of between Rp 93,510 and Rp 143,221, depending on the workers' skills.

Deded said those wages only applied to workers with less than one year of service. For those with more working experience, the wage should be negotiated with their companies' management.

Giant iron for 'National Housemaids' Day'

Jakarta Post - February 15, 2012

Dozens of housemaids staged a protest at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, demanding the government to pass a bill on the profession.

The protesters also brought giant effigies of an iron and a duster.

Written across the iron was: "Iron - housemaids' working tool, not a tool to torture housemaids."

The protesters, members of the National Advocacy Network of Housemaids (JALA), had joined forces with the Action Committee of Housemaids to observe what they called "National Housemaids' Day".

The National Housemaids' Day was initiated in 2007 to commemorate the death of Sunarsih, a 14-year-old housemaid tortured and killed by her employer in Surabaya, East Java, on Feb. 14, 2001.

"The process to legalize the bill started in 2004, but not once has the bill ever been discussed," said Lita Anggraeni, JALA's coordinator, as quoted by Antara.

She said that housemaids, both domestic and migrant, were more prone to human rights violations. Today was the sixth observance of National Housemaids' Day. (tas)

Environment & natural disasters

Bleak forecast for the future of East Kalimantan orangutans

Jakarta Globe - February 20, 2012

Tunggadewa Mattangkilang, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan – Orangutans in Kutai National Park in East Kalimantan face a bleak future unless urgent measures are taken to stop wildlife poaching and illegal logging in the ostensibly protected area, park officials warned on Monday.

Asep Sugiatna, the head of the national park, said the main threat to the orangutans there came from poachers who often killed the endangered apes while hunting deer.

He also said they were being killed off by workers at the various logging concessions and palm oil plantations operating on the peripheries of the park, who viewed the animals as pests.

"It's these two problems that pose the greatest threat to the continued existence of the orangutans in the park," Asep said.

Park officials estimate there are around 2,000 orangutans inhabiting Kutai National Park. However, Asep said his office only had 20 forest rangers to patrol the 198,600-hectare park.

"It's nowhere near enough," he said. "Just 20 people to guard nearly 2,000 square kilometers of forest? That's why we need to work with the local people. It helps in terms of monitoring and protecting the forest."

The park straddles the districts of East Kutai and Kutai Kartanegara, where at least two palm oil companies have been accused of slaughtering dozens of orangutans and other primates deemed to be pests.

Earlier this month, authorities uncovered more grisly evidence of this kind of practice when they found an orangutan corpse in the East Kutai area of the park.

The body had two gunshot wounds to the head, while the arms had multiple slashes believed to have been caused by a machete.

Dr. Yaya Rayadin, an orangutan researcher at Mulawarman University in Samarinda, the provincial capital, said the recent spate of killings indicated a failure on the part of the authorities to enforce the protection of the species and the sanctity of the national park.

"The authorities are fearful of saving orangutans whose habitat overlaps with logging, mining and palm oil concessions," he said. "If this keeps up, pretty soon the orangutan population here will diminish."

Forest clearing blamed on local government

Jakarta Post - February 16, 2012

Chloe Booker, Jakarta – Local government officials may have accepted bribes from logging, mining and companies in exchange for permission to clear forests, a top official has said.

The Forestry Ministry's director general of forestry business development, Iman Santoso, said bad governance had undermined efforts to halt Indonesia's deforestation.

"It's possible it happens with bribery and permits, because as we know, if there is mismanagement in our natural forest it must be from be bad governance," said Iman.

Experts have also acknowledged the problems of bad governance. Earlier last year, the London School of Economics and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology released a study titled "The Political Economy of Deforestation in the Forests" which linked increased illegal logging with heightened tension in the run-up to local elections.

The results were obtained from satellite images, which tracked annual changes in forest cover from 2001 to 2008 and showed that local politicians had used money obtained from companies to fund their campaigns.

Indonesian and European Union Forest Law Enforcement official Andy Roby said local officials could issue temporary licenses, which meant companies could clear land without proper environmental impact assessments and without the ministry finding out until the forest had been cleared.

"The Forest Ministry in Jakarta is continuously in a tense relationship with the local government and there's a sense that industry here has lost control of what's going on in the forest," he said. "The ministry can't stop forest clearance and conversion," he said.

Iman said that tackling illegal logging was difficult as it was under the authority of local government. "We in the central government only receive information from the concession holders and also local observers, and then we go to the field and see what's happening and make the necessary legal enforcement," he said.

Forest clearing has led to land disputes in many regions of Indonesia, most recently in Bima, Mesuji and Riau where violent clashes took place between locals, companies and police.

Earlier this month, police fired rubber bullets into a crowd of protesters in Riau, who claimed that palm oil company PT Mazuma Agro Indonesia (MAI) had taken their land.

The North Sumatra government issued a permit to MAI to develop a 5,800 hectare site, in which the community of Batang Kumuh lives. A court ruled in favor of Batang Kumuh last year, but MAI appealed to the Supreme Court and continued to work on the land.

This situation is common in Indonesia as many communities inhabit land without titles. Companies can apply for permits to develop their land from local governments without the communities' knowledge.

However, Iman said he had been in discussion with the local government of Riau, with the latter agreeing that it did not want to disturb the investment climate in Indonesia while resolving the issue.

He also said that not all of the protesters needed the land, but rather some were part of a political movement aimed at land reform.

Andy said there were two ways the central government could tackle the problem. First, by better regulation of local government and improved transparency, and second, by stopping exports of products without an environmental impact assessment, as was now done in the timber industry.

"I think regents need to be held more accountable for what goes on (and) the central government should do more," he said.

Health & education

Indonesia activists push probe of dropped tobacco clause

Jakarta Globe - February 20, 2012

Rangga Prakoso – Tobacco control activists are continuing their long- running campaign against legislators accused of dropping a key clause from the 2009 Health Bill, demanding that a halted police probe into the matter be revived.

Ki Agus Ahmad, a lawyer for the Coalition Against Corruption of the Anti- Tobacco Clause (Kakar), said the group had filed a motion with the South Jakarta District Court on Monday that sought to invalidate the police's order to drop the investigation.

"We're demanding that the National Police's general crimes unit resume its investigation into why the clause was dropped and submit the case to the Attorney General's Office for prosecution," he told reporters outside the courthouse.

The controversy stems from the revelation, shortly after the passage of the amended health law in 2009, that a clause classifying tobacco as an addictive substance had been omitted from the final draft.

Critics contended that it had been done at the behest of the country's powerful tobacco lobby, and the House of Representatives took quick action to reinstate the clause. Kakar, led by Hakim Sorimuda Pohan, a former lawmaker who helped draft the amended bill, then reported Ribka Tjiptaning, the chairwoman of the House's health oversight commission, to the police for the omission.

The case against her was dropped in October 2010, with police saying the omission did not constitute a crime.

Agus said the police's interpretation of the case was flawed, arguing that under the Criminal Code, Ribka and two other legislators responsible for the final draft, Aisyah Salekan and Maryani Baramuli, could be charged with document fraud and forging a signature. The crimes carry a maximum prison sentence of seven years.

"The fact that the omitted clause was reinstated doesn't preclude us from pursuing criminal charges against these legislators, who must be held to account for their actions," Agus said.

Testifying at Monday's hearing, Adj. Sr. Comr. Yusmar Latief, a representative from the police's general crimes unit, said the decision to drop the case was based on a recommendation from renowned criminal law expert Chairul Huda that the omission of the clause was not a crime.

He also acknowledged that among the evidence gathered before the case was dropped was handwritten notes signed by Ribka, Aisyah and Maryani, which said "Change: Article 113, Clause 2 to be dropped."

He said that while this curtailed version of the bill was passed by the House, the actual draft that was sent to the Health Ministry and the State Secretariat for the president's signature retained the dropped clause.

"We confirmed that the bill signed by the president contained the clause in question, so our reasoning was that there had been no crime committed by the three legislators," Yusmar said.

Children & domestic violence

Jakarta police deny stalling sex abuse case

Jakarta Globe - February 18, 2012

The Jakarta Police on Friday denied stalling in bringing to court several cases of alleged sexual assault by a renowned traditional healer. The alleged offenses took place about eight years ago but were only recently reported.

Eleven men, who were youths at the time of the alleged assaults, claimed that the healer, Habib H., told his patients he needed to touch their genitals to remove evil spirits.

"It's not that we're taking a long time, but our investigation techniques require time," said Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto. "I think in fact we haven't had enough time yet.

"We have to be careful – this is a sensitive matter," he added. "We have to gather evidence in which perceptions match."

Police to question cleric over sex abuse

Jakarta Post - February 18, 2012

Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – The Jakarta Police will summon Hasan bin Ja'afar Assegaf, a influential cleric who is accused of sexually abusing some his boy students.

"We must watch our every step carefully. Right now, we have questioned 11 victims and plan to examine their psychological state and determine the validity of their reports," Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

He said that once the police felt that they had solid evidence, they would summon Hasan for questioning. "If he is indeed the perpetrator then he will face hard time. Thus, give us room to complete the preliminary examinations first," he said.

The victims filed reports to the Jakarta Police last December. Besides filing a report to the police, the victims also filed reports to the Indonesian Children Protection Commission. Following the report, the KPAI summoned Hasan Assegaf on Feb. 13 but he didn't show up.

The case began when Hasan sent a letter to his fellow religious teacher because she had not allowed her students to join in Hasan's group. Instead of answering the letter, the other teacher told the public that Hasan had sexually abused his students.

Notorious cleric absent from commission

Jakarta Post - February 18, 2012

Jakarta – A notorious cleric, identified as Habib H, who has been reported for alleged sexual abuse, failed to answer the National Child Protection Commission's (KPAI) summons to explain the allegations on Friday.

"He couldn't come because he is still in Bogor," KPAI deputy chairman Asrorun Ni'am Sholeh said in Jakarta.

Habib H sent a relative, Gondho Yudistiro, to represent him instead. Gondho quoted Habib H as asking to postpone the meeting until next week.

"We will reschedule the meeting to Monday or Tuesday next week," Ni'am said. Nia'am suggested that the victims be handled by a psychiatrist.

Habib H is known to have close ties with Rizieq Shihab, chief patron of hard-line group the Islam Defenders Front (FPI).

Habib H was reported by the families of alleged victims in December last year. The police have questioned the victims and Habib H. However, the police have yet to name a suspect in the case. (lfr/cor)

Refugees & asylum seekers

Soldiers face jail and dismissal for alleged role in people smuggling

Jakarta Post - February 15, 2012

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Surabaya, East Java – Five soldiers are facing imprisonment of between five and 15 years and dismissal from the military over their alleged involvement in the smuggling of immigrants that led to the deaths of many in a shipwreck.

The five soldiers are Chief Warrant Officer Sosiali, Chief Sergeant Choirul Anama and Chief Corporal Kariadi, Second Sergeant Cornelis Nama and Second Sergeant Ilmun Abdul Said.

According to the Military Region V/Brawijaya's Military Police (Pomdam) Commander Col. Budi Purwono, the five are charged under Articles 120 (1) of Law No. 6/2011 on Immigration and Articles 103 and 126 of the Military Criminal Code.

"The Military Criminal Code relates to their alleged abuse of authority as TNI [Indonesian Military] members and disobedience of orders. The articles carry a maximum penalty of five years," Budi told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

The case emerged after the Pomdam received a letter from the Tulungagung military office on Dec. 22, 2011 regarding the alleged involvement of its three members in the smuggling of immigrants from the Middle East to Australia. The boat that carried the approximately 250 immigrants sank in Trenggalek waters, East Java, on Dec. 17 last year. Of the passengers 84 were confirmed dead, 49 survived while the rest were declared missing.

The five soldiers' status as suspects was announced by Military Region V/Brawijaya Commander Maj. Gen. Murdjito.

He said that there was a strong possibility that the five would be dismissed from the military, considering the heavy sentences that their charges might carry.

"If the court convicts and sentences them to over three months' imprisonment, then administrative sanctions and dismissals can be applied," said Murdjito, adding that the case also proved the TNI's seriousness in internally cleaning the institution of criminal elements.

The five are currently being detained at the Pomdam detention center, waiting for their dossiers to be handed over to the military prosecutors for trial before military tribunals.

Three of the suspects, Sosiali, Choirul Anam and Kariadi, will be dealt with prior to the other two suspects.

Another suspect in the case is Budi Santoso, a civil servant assigned to the Tulungagung District Military Command (Kodim), whose case has been handed over to the East Java Police.

Budi is among five civilian suspects in the case, with the other four being boat owners Bambang Sugianto and Nuriyanto and boat crew members Ronald Mesak and Sudirman.

They are charged under Article 303 of Law No 17/2008 on Sailing and Article 120 of Law 6/2011 on Immigration. They face maximum sentences of five years' imprisonment each.

Indonesia has become a stopover for immigrants, generally coming from Middle East, on their way to seek asylum in Australia.

The tragedy in December was the latest in a string of sea accidents that have claimed the lives of many immigrants.

Graft & corruption

Law enforcers must look into PPATK reports: Lawmakers

Jakarta Globe - February 20, 2012

Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Ezra Sihite – The leadership of the House of Representatives said on Monday that suspicions of irregular transactions stemming from reports by the anti-money laundering agency should be followed up.

Deputy House Speaker Taufik Kurniawan said law enforcers should immediately look into the reports submitted by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK).

"The irregular ones need more information on the details, even more so as there are indications of lawbreaking," the National Mandate Party (PAN) lawmaker said.

He called on House Commission III, which oversees legal affairs and received the PPATK reports, to follow them up by relaying the suspicious accounts and transactions described to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the police.

"We are asking that House Commission III make this into a lesson. After receiving detailed information from PPATK, they should be committed to transparency and there should not be the image of a laissez-faire attitude and that society is being ignored," he said.

House Speaker Marzuki Alie of the Democratic Party also called for an further investigation into the suspicious accounts and transactions. "Please, open them in line with your authorities," he said.

Speaking at a Commission III hearing on Monday, the PPATK said there were more than 1,800 people who since 2003 had been detected as having suspiciously large bank accounts. They included 707 accounts held by civil servants, 89 by police, 12 by prosecutors, 17 by judges, one by a KPK official and 65 by lawmakers.

Commission III deputy chairman Nasir Jamil of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said the PPATK should provide more details on the suspected accounts owned by police and military officers.

Commission III member Bambang Soesatyo of the Golkar Party asked that PPATK name those law enforcers suspected of possessing suspect accounts. "We are asking PPATK to give their identities to the [House]," Bambang said,

Answering a query from Commission III member Eva Kusuma Sundari of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), PPATK chairman Muhammad Yusuf said that while the reports of the large accounts held by police officers had been submitted to the National Police headquarters, those involving military officers had yet to be handed over. "Under the law, it is unclear who we should report it to. That is the problem," he said.

Yusuf said most of the accounts in question were discovered by the PPATK while 412 of them were pursued at the request of investigators from the KPK or the prosecutors' office.

Government to require top civil servants to report wealth to KPK

Jakarta Post - February 20, 2012

Jakarta – Administrative Reforms Ministry is drafting a policy to require all civil servants to register their wealth statements with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and their respective institutions as part of the government's bid to uphold transparency and fight corruption.

"This [deliberation] process is still underway," Administrative Reforms Minister Azwar Abubakar was quoted by tempo.co in South Jakarta on Sunday.

Azwar said that his ministry was deliberating the policy with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and other ministries over the technicalities of the wealth reports.

According to Azwar, his ministry found it difficult to monitor bank accounts belonging to civil servants, as the regulation currently in place only requires top echelons of civil servants, especially those working at finance ministry, to report their wealth to the KPK.

Earlier this year, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) announced many findings, including suspicious "fat" bank accounts belonging to low-ranking civil servants in the country.

It found 50 percent of young civil servants were allegedly involved in corrupt activities, including 10 individuals who possessed personal bank accounts containing hundreds of billions of rupiah. Moreover, in its yearly report, the suspicious accounts belonged not only to civil servants but also to some law enforcement officials.

Azwar hoped that the new policy would discourage the civil servants from being involved in corrupt practices, as the government would closely monitor their wealth. He added that under the new ruling, civil servants should not only report their bank accounts, but also their properties, insurance premiums and jewelry. (dmr)

KPK says it has Angelina-Rosalina Blackberry conversation recording

Jakarta Globe - February 18, 2012

SP/Robertus Wardi – The antigraft agency has kept a recording of an incriminating BlackBerry Messenger conversation between Democratic Party lawmaker Angelina Sondakh and corruption convict Mindo Rosalina Manulang, and has threatened to disclose it.

"You cannot erase the news regarding the tapping. We will prove it, believe me," Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said during an antigraft workshop on Thursday.

When testifying as a witness in the athletes' village bid-rigging trial of former Democratic treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin, Angelina denied she had engaged in a BBM conversation with Rosalina. She claimed that she did not have a BlackBerry at the time and therefore the conversation with Rosalina asking for money for Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum could never have occurred.

Bambang said Angelina had the legal right to dispute the claim because any witness or defendant is entitled to deny accusations leveled against them. But he added that there was a significant weight of evidence and witness testimony undermining her denial.

He said that when she made the denial in court on Wednesday, Angelina was testifying as a witness, not a suspect. As a suspect, she would receive special attention from the KPK and be given an opportunity to explain her position to the antigraft body. "Just wait for it. The [KPK] chairman will explain everything," Bambang said.

Nazaruddin's lawyer, Hotman Paris Hutapea, said he found it strange that information on BlackBerry conversations between Angelina and Rosalina had disappeared from a KPK record of interview (BAP).

"It's strange that the first BlackBerry conversation was included in the BAP, but not the second one," he said. "The [conversations] that contained requests for 'Malang apples' and 'lubricant' were from different periods. The funds were handed over in two installments and they were recorded in the conversations on Angie's two different [BlackBerry accounts]."

He questioned why KPK investigators did not ask her about the second account or whether it was deleted. "This indicates that the previous KPK people did not intend to touch Angie. The 'big boss' and the 'big chief' cited by Rosa are close to the previous KPK leaders," he said.

Forgetful alleged 'big chief' Mahyuddin says prawns, not payoffs discussed

Jakarta Globe - February 18, 2012

Novianti Setuningsih – Lawmaker Mahyuddin N.S. says prawns and not money was the topic of a discussion at the Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry last year between himself, graft suspects Angelina Sondakh, Muhammad Nazaruddin and Wafid Muharram, and the minister, Andi Mallarangeng.

Mahyuddin, chairman of House of Representatives Commission X, which oversees sports, said the only thing he could remember about the meeting was what they ate.

"Angie was sitting next to me and she had just given birth. As a doctor myself, I reminded her not to eat too many prawns," he said while testifying at Nazaruddin's trial on Friday.

Nazaruddin, a former treasurer of the Democratic Party, is on trial at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court for receiving Rp 4.3 billion ($477,000) to rig the tender for the construction of an athletes' village for last year's Southeast Asian Games.

Nazaruddin earlier claimed that plans to rig the tender were formulated during the meeting at the ministry, with all sides agreeing to overlook any irregularities in exchange for kickbacks.

But Mahyuddin, also a Democrat, told the court that he couldn't remember what was discussed at the meeting because it was not important.

He did remember that the meeting was staged at lunch time. "We ate, so we didn't talk much. We ate a lot," he said. "Nazar also ate a lot. After we ate, we all went home."

Throughout Friday's court session, Mahyuddin repeatedly answered "I can't remember" and "I have no recollection of that," frustrating both the prosecution and Nazaruddin's lawyer.

"You are a professor at Sriwijaya University. Of course you have to be committed to the truth. I would like to remind you that you are under oath," prosecutor Yuli Kristiana said.

Mahyuddin responded by submitting a letter from his doctors to the panel of judges. "I would like to present a letter that I have a cognitive disorder; that is why I keep on forgetting," he said, adding that he also once had a stroke.

But Mahyuddin appeared certain when the court asked him whether he received kickbacks from the Rp 191 billion project.

"No, your honor. I have already explained to the media that I didn't receive anything," he said. Mahyuddin also denied that he is the "big chief."

Previously, Nazaruddin's employee and co-suspect in the case, Mindo Rosalina Manulang, said the "big chief" mentioned in a BlackBerry Messenger conversation she had with Angelina in June 2010 was Mahyuddin.

In the conversation, Angelina said that the "big chief" wanted "Malang apples," believed to be a cover term for money.

Three people, including Rosalina and Wafid, have been found guilty for their roles in the case.

Earlier this month, Angelina was named a suspect for receiving a Rp 2 billion "fee" linked to the project.

A number of other lawmakers and politicians have been linked to the case. These include I Wayan Koster, a House Budget Committee member from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum and House Budget Committee deputy chairman Mirwan Amir, who is also a Democrat.

KPK will boycott Angelina's presence

Jakarta Globe - February 16, 2012

Ezra Sihite – In a sign of more strained ties between lawmakers and antigraft investigators, Corruption Eradication Commission chairman Abraham Samad said he would not attend hearings with the commission overseeing legal affairs if graft suspect Angelina Sondakh was present.

The ruling Democratic Party controversially moved Angelina to House of Representatives Commission III on Tuesday in what Jafar Hafsah, the head of the Democratic faction at the House, called a "normal rotation."

The antigraft organization known as the KPK last week named Angelina, the deputy secretary general of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, a suspect in the graft case involving former party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin.

Despite Angelina's status, the party did not remove her from the House or suspend her from the party's post. The KPK has also not detained the former Indonesian beauty queen. "Make no mistake, I won't come to any hearing [with Commission III] if Angelina is there," Abraham said.

He said he did not understand why the Democrats would move her to the commission, which works closely with the KPK. "I just don't know what they are thinking," Abraham said.

Other factions in the House criticized the Democrats' move and lauded Abraham for condemning it. "Abraham's stance has reaffirmed the KPK's professionalism and neutrality," said Ahmad Basarah, deputy secretary general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Commission III member Nasir Jamil of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said he felt ashamed that the graft suspect was included in the commission. "It will give a false image that the commission is full of those who have problems with the law," he said.

Responding to the uproar, Democrat Sutan Bathoegana proposed that Angelina be placed at Commission VIII, which oversees social and religious affairs instead.

But anticorruption activists slammed that as well, saying the Democrats were ignorant of the public's sense of justice, saying that Angelina was not fit to sit on any commission and should be removed from the House.

Angelina has been accused by Nazaruddin of asking for money in connection to the construction of the athletes' village in Palembang for last year's Southeast Asian Games.

Another key witness, Mindo Rosalina Manulang, who used to work in one of Nazaruddin's companies, testified in court that Angelina had requested that money be given to members of the House Budget Committee.

Rosalina said Angelina had accepted a Rp 2 billion ($224,000) "fee" linked to the project.

Angelina is expected to be charged under at least three articles of the 1999 Law on Corruption Eradication.

Anas, Nazaruddin face new corruption allegations

Jakarta Globe - February 15, 2012

Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Ezra Sihite, Novianti Setuningsih & Rizky Amelia – Fresh graft accusations against Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum and the party's former treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin have exposed the scale of the duo's alleged involvement in scandals at various levels.

On Tuesday, Nazaruddin staff member Mindo Rosalina Manulang mentioned Anas's name during an interrogation by the Attorney General's Office into the case of excessive markups in the purchase of laboratory equipment for the Jakarta State University (UNJ).

Rosalina has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison in a scandal related to the construction of the athletes' village for last year's Southeast Asian Games. Nazaruddin is a defendant in the case while Anas has been accused by several witnesses of receiving money in the scandal but has not been named as a suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Rosalina is now a witness in the UNJ scandal.

"Rosa[lina] told the prosecutors that she received orders from A.U. [Anas] and Nazaruddin. A.U. was said to have the power to arrange the procurement," her lawyer, Ahmad Rifai, said.

The 2010 UNJ procurement case has caused Rp 5 billion ($555,000) in state losses, with the AGO having named two UNJ lecturers as suspects in the scandal.

In 2010, UNJ planned to procure equipment for its laboratory, worth Rp 17 billion. Two firms, Marell Mandiri and Anugerah Nusantara, won the tender. The latter is a subsidiary of Nazaruddin's Permai Group, where Rosalina is a staff member.

Permai Group is the company that won the tender for the construction of the SEA Games buildings. Several of the company's officials have said that Anas had a significant position in the company. The university's subsequent checks found that the equipment wasn't up to standard and the prices were too high.

Earlier, the KPK said that Nazaruddin was implicated in more than 30 scandals, including markups in the purchase of furniture for Sriwijaya University, the University of Jakarta, Jenderal Soedirman University, Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University and the University of Malang. "Anas is in control, including within the Permai Group," Ahmad said.

Anas, however, has denied all the accusations, saying he had nothing to do with the Permai Group.

Rosalina has been questioned in a number of other cases, including those related to the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry and Religious Affairs Ministry.

A number of Democratic Party officials defended Anas, saying the accusations were aimed at damaging the party ahead of 2014 elections. A party senior official, Nurhayati Assegaf, specifically pointed to accusations that Anas had bribed party members to vote for him during the 2010 chairman election at the congress in Bandung.

"External parties have been trying to ruin the party's image with this money politics accusation," she said. "The Bandung election was the most transparent selection of party chairman so far."

[Additional reporting from Suara Pembaruan.]

Hard-line & vigilante groups

FPI should yield to communities' wishes

Jakarta Globe Editorial - February 21, 2012

Indonesian mainstream society has begun to push back against radical groups that have sought to force their agenda on the country. These groups have ridden roughshod over the nation's laws and its tradition of religious and ethnic harmony.

In the latest rejection of the presence of the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), a forum is opposing any plan of the FPI to set a presence in Balikpapan. Echoing a similar protest in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan a few weeks ago, a group of organizations in Balikpapan has called on the local administration to refuse demands by the hard-line organization to set up a representative office there.

In addition, the group has demanded the disbandment of the FPI across Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo island.

In a democratic society, citizens and the community have a right to determine their area's makeup and its social character.

The group in Balikpapan stressed that the rejection had nothing to do with religion, but at the same time it added that events that had transpired in the rest of the country showed that the FPI posed a threat to harmonious living among the various ethnic, racial and religious groups in society.

It is true that the 1945 Constitution guarantees the freedom to organize, but at the same time it also requires that the freedom to worship be respected.

The wishes of the people of Kalimantan should be respected and their rights protected. If they reject groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front, which has a history of violence and persecution of minorities, authorities should acquiesce to their wishes.

The government has so far argued that like any other organization in the country, the FPI has the right to exist. However, the maintenance of social harmony and protection of minorities is the duty of the government. If any group breaks the law and violates the constitution, it must be firmly dealt with. Violence cannot and should not be tolerated in our society.

The government should follow the example and courage of the people of Kalimantan and deal firmly with radical groups across the country before they destroy the fabric of our nation. The people have spoken and they should now be heard.

Indonesia's Islamic Defenders Front unwelcome in East Kalimantan

Jakarta Globe - February 21, 2012

Tunggadewa Mattangkilang – Anti-Islamic Defenders Front sentiment in Indonesia continued on Monday as residents in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, made it clear the hard-line group wasn't wanted in their city.

Following similar protests in Central Kalimantan and Jakarta, groups gathered under the Balikpapan City Kalimantan Society Forum said the FPI, as the hard-liners are known, were not welcome. The forum also demanded that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono disband the FPI.

"They often conduct raids, which is against the law, as if the state did not have law enforcers," said forum head Bayer Gabriel, addressing a rally in front of the City Hall. "We call on the president to disband the FPI and we reject their presence in Kalimantan."

The group read out a statement addressed to Balikapapan Mayor Rizal Effendi and the head of the East Kalimantan Legislative Council, Andi Burhanudin Solong. It said the FPI was a threat to the ethnic, religious and racial harmony in the community. He said the FPI was involved in violent activities that were against the law, and its presence in the city and province would only sow discord.

The FPI has long operated in Jakarta, raiding nightclubs seemingly with no fear of the police.

But an upsurge of anti-FPI sentiment has followed in incident on Feb. 11 in Palangkaraya, the capital of Central Kalimantan, when a group of Dayak tribesmen gathered at the airport to protest the arrival of FPI leaders who were flying in to open a branch office there. The plane was forced to land in neighboring South Kalimantan.

Officials there, including from the police and the military, and community and religious leaders issued statements supporting the banning of the FPI from Central Kalimantan. A similar anti-FPI protest took place in Jakarta last week.

Bayer said they did not oppose the group on religious grounds, but were concerned that it would undermine the pluralism of Kalimantan society, where it is not uncommon for members of the same family to come from different religions.

"We ask the police not to be afraid to take action against anarchic mass organizations. We only want peace in Borneo," he said. He called on city authorities not to issue permit for the FPI to register in the city.

The head of Balikpapan's national unity and political affairs office, Syaiful Bachri, said the FPI had not yet attempted to register with the city authorities. "Their past behavior will of course be part of our decision-making process," he said. "But as long as it does not go against the Constitution and Pancasila, they can register."

The Constitution provides equal footing for all six of the state-recognized religions. The state's Pancasila philosophy recognizes the value of plurality.

Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi has said the FPI is one violation away from having its license suspended. He said the ministry had issued a second warning letter when members of the group pelted the ministry with rocks last month in protest of the alleged decision to annul local bylaws banning alcohol sales.

Under the 1985 Law on Mass Organizations, the ministry monitors all civil organizations in the country and has the authority to disband any group that causes losses to the state. The FPI has been accused of using violent tactics to enforce its views of Shariah law.

Last month, an FPI leader in South Sulawesi was sentenced to five months in prison for the destruction of private property during a series of FPI- sanctioned raids on food stalls and restaurants operating during the fasting month of Ramadan. But cases of FPI members being brought to justice are rare.

Anti-FPI movement only just starting, its members say

Jakarta Globe - February 20, 2012

The group calling for an end to the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front said on Sunday that it was preparing a series of programs to further its cause.

Shinte Galeshka, a member of the Movement for an FPI-Free Indonesia, said the programs would include a petition, online campaigns, setting up a complaint hotline and discussions. "We're also considering the possibility of taking to the streets again," she said, referring to the group's peaceful protest last week in Central Jakarta.

Bhagavad Sambadha, the movement coordinator, said it was also possible the cause could spread to other areas of the country. "I believe all Indonesians are sick of violence," he said.

While the FPI has slammed the movement as a "Western-funded plot," the fallout has seen the government issue the hard-liners a warning letter for their violent acts and prompted legislators to consider smoothing the process through which problematic groups can be disbanded.

Who authorized FPI to act on behalf of Islam?: OIC

Jakarta Post - February 20, 2012

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – When asked for comments on rampant violence by the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) secretary general Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu questioned the group's decision to label themselves as an Islamic community.

"From where did they get the license to do such things? When somebody says 'I am doing this in the name of Islam,' we have to question who gave them the license to speak on behalf of Islam," Ihsanoglu told reporters at the Presidential Office on Monday.

He reiterated that Islam has a standard for the Holy Koran and sunnah (traditions of the Prophet Muhammad). "Of course interpretation of the Holy Koran and the sunnah should only be by the authorities and it should be in context," Ihsanoglu went on.

Ihsanogul spoke to the press after he, along with other OIC officials including members of the newly established Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), met with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the latter's office.

Members of the IPHRC are holding their first meeting at the Aryaduta Hotel in Jakarta until Friday.

Calls for government to boost policing to deter groups using violence

Jakarta Post - February 20, 2012

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Several mass organization (Ormas) leaders have called on the government to boost law enforcement to deter organizations from employing violence, adding that disbanding organizations was not a solution.

Law enforcement would also prevent the potential anarchy that followed any disbandment of organizations, they said.

"Restricting [the presence of] mass organizations will be a human rights violation. It breaches the right to assemble," said Saleh Daulay, chairman of Muhammadiyah's youth-wing organization. Saleh was speaking at a seminar on Saturday discussing the Mass Organization bill.

He added that poor law enforcement had opened the door to violent groups such as the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), to impose its power on others.

"It seems today that the FPI has greater power than law enforcers, even than the President. The FPI would not have such courage to freely conduct violent acts had law enforcers used the Criminal Code (KUHP) to punish those comitting violence," Saleh added.

The violent measures frequently practiced by the FPI, Saleh said, should not be used by lawmakers as a pretext to repress mass organizations across the country.

The deliberation of the Mass Organization bill has attracted public attention following the rejection by Central Kalimantan residents, mostly from the Dayak tribe, of the FPI plan to open a chapter in the province. Local residents staged a demonstration at Tjilik Riwut Airport on Feb. 11 to prevent FPI leaders from coming to the city of Palangkaraya.

Following the incidence, the East Java chapter of Banser and GP Ansor, the youth wing of Indonesia's largest Islamic group, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), urged the government to suspend or disband all mass organizations that use violence. The FPI is widely known for its use of violence in pushing its ideas.

FPI legal staff member Hasbi Ibrohim said disbanding mass organizations such as the FPI in order to curb anarchy would not resolve the core problem, which according to Hasbi was poverty.

"We can easily make a new organization if we are disbanded by the government. Moreover, the FPI would not bother do what it has been doing had law enforcers, the police particular, fulfilled their responsibilities. They fail to uphold justice by protecting corruptors who participate in nurturing poverty in Indonesia," Hasbi said, adding that the FPI would focus on combating corruption from now on.

A member of the House of Representatives' special committee on the bill, Abdul Malik Haramain of the National Awakening Party (PKB), promised that the House would guide the deliberation of the bill to avoid lawmakers and government officials using it as a tool to repress mass organizations in the country.

"We will ensure that the revision of the bill provides an opportunity for the public to report violent groups to the Home Ministry," he said.

He assured that the deliberation of the bill was not meant for anarchic groups such as the FPI, but for the managing of foreign-funded organizations operating in Indonesia.

"There are more than 160 foreign-funded organizations in the country, of which less than 100 are registered. We must do something about them," he said.

Tri Pranadji, an expert from the Home Ministry, assured that the revision of the 1985 Law on Mass Organization was meant to re-organize foreign organizations operating in Indonesia, as well as foreign-funded ones, as the ministry had found that some of them were involved in money laundering.

"We have found indications leading to involvement of foreign funded organizations in irregularities, such as money laundering. However, there has yet to be any proof of this, but we are nearly there," he said, refusing to disclose any further details.

"The revision of the bill must instead disband foreign-funded organizations because they are a threat to the unity and security of the country. Some of these foreign-funded organizations even have offices at several ministries. This is dangerous because they might see important data [about Indonesia] and transfer it to their respected countries," Saleh said.

Anti-FPI movement to take the fight online

Jakarta Post - February 20, 2012

Jakarta – Civil rights activists grouped under the banner "Indonesia- without-the-FPI" said on Sunday that they would attempt to deter further acceleration of the FPI movement.

The Islam Defenders Front (FPI) is widely known for its use of violence in pushing its ideas to the public.

"As the [anti-FPI] movement was born on the Internet, we will continue our campaign online. It will be done through Twitter, through blogging and other social media tools," movement volunteer Shinte Galeshka told The Jakarta Post.

The group created their blog over the weekend and it can be accessed through indonesiatanpafpi.wordpress.com. The group posted its first writing on Sunday, detailing its history and its mission, among other things.

The group has also created a Twitter account @indtanpafpi, which has been active since Feb. 19. In the first week since its inception, the account has found 700 followers.

The movement first made national headlines last week after they staged a rally around the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Feb. 14, demanding the government disband the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI).

The protest took a violent turn when one of its coordinators, identified as Bhagavad Sambada, was attacked by a man later identified as J. J then grabbed one of the protester's banners and trampled on it, inciting anger among many protesters. Along with three other men, J was then arrested by the police and was charged under Criminal Code Article 170 on forceful attack with the intent to inflict harm. All four men were later identified as FPI sympathizers.

Bhagavad said on Sunday that the movement had spread to other cities across Indonesia. He cited the anti-violence protest held in Surabaya on Friday, where dozens of local residents staged a demonstration in front of the Surabaya Zoo to reject acts of violence in the name of religion.

"The snowball has rolled and it is getting bigger. The movement will be more widespread and will be unstoppable," said Bhagavad.

Women's rights activist Mariana Amirudin, who also serves as the movement's spokesperson, said that the campaign against violent groups must be conducted peacefully. "We want to raise everyone's awareness that violence is unjustifiable under any circumstances. We don't want to hurt anyone. All protests must not resort to violence," Mariana said.

In addition, Shinte said that all Jakartans must stand up and reject acts of vigilantism that have been shown by mass organizations. "End the silence. End the ignorance. Every time we do not say anything, it is the same as condoning what these vigilantes are doing. If the police are deemed ineffective in solving problems, the public must put them under pressure instead of taking justice into their own hands," he added.

The FPI is a notorious hard-line group known for its violent crackdowns on nightclubs and massage parlors, which it deems as "sinful places."

The Palangkaraya people in Central Kalimantan recently rejected the opening of FPI chapter in the city by staging a protest at Tjilik Riwut Airport. They rejected the scheduled-arrival of four FPI leaders who expected to inaugurate the branch's executive board. (mim)

'IndonesiaTanpaFPI' continues to fight violence

Jakarta Post - February 19, 2012

A. Junaidi, Jakarta – Civil rights activists grouped under 'IndonesiaTanpaFPI' (Indonesia without FPI) will continue its campaign against violent groups, urging law enforcers to take stern against the groups.

Speaking in a press conference at Jakarta Legal Aid building on Sunday, the activists' spokesperson Mariana Amirudin said the campaigns againts the violent groups should be conducted peacefully. "We don't want to dissolve FPI, but want to end violence," Mariana said.

FPI or Islam Defender Front is a group which often committed violence during their actions. More than one hundred activists staged a rally on Feb. 14 at Hotel Indonesia traffic circle to reject FPI and violence.

Three men, later identified as FPI, grabbed a banner and beat one of the activists. "We asked police to probe the beating against our friend," Mariana said.

FPI acts beyond law enforcers: Muhammadiyah

Jakarta Post - February 18, 2012

Jakarta – Muhammadiyah Youth chairman Saleh Daulay said that in its actions the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) had acted beyond law enforcers, especially the police.

"The FPI seems to have more power than law enforcers," Saleh said, as quoted by tribunnews.com on Saturday during a discussion about a proposed bill on mass organization.

Saleh was commenting on the statement made by the FPI's legal and propagation division staff Hasbi Ibrahim, who said the FPI took action because of their perception of sluggishness on the behalf of the police in upholding law, particularly concerning night clubs and other places of vice.

Saleh went on to say that repressive action shown by the FPI had given Islam a bad name, and the FPI's way was not a reflection of Islam as a religion that promotes peace.

"Amar ma'ruf nahi munkar (promoting good deeds and preventing bad deeds) should be implemented by showing a good example, but the FPI instead shows deeds that disturb public order," said Saleh. (iwa)

East Java Ansor and Banser urge government to disband violent organizations

Jakarta Post - February 18, 2012

Jakarta – The East Java chapter of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)'s youth wings GP Ansor and Banser urged the government to suspend or even disband all mass organizations that often use violence.

"We urge government to disband mass organizations that often use violence, including the Islam Defenders Front (FPI)," East Java Ansor's deputy chairman of the legal, human rights and manpower division Hendro Tri Subiyantoro said Saturday in Surabaya as quoted by tempo.co.

The organization also urged the government to disband all organizations that rejected the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia and did not acknowledge Pancasila as the state's guiding principles.

Hendro said the East Java branch of Ansor was ready to be at the frontline of efforts to disband such organizations.

"East Java Ansor and Banser will use peaceful methods. Even if those organizations use violence to refuse, Ansor and Banser will not step back. It is like what people say, 'you get what you give'," Hendro said.

To help prevent the development of violent organizations in East Java, he said he had asked all branches of Ansor and Banser in the province to reject the establishment of organizations that promote violence in their regions.

He also instructed the branches to protect their mosques and musholla (small mosque) from Islamic radical teachings. (iwa)

Three Islamic Defenders Front members named for vandalism

Jakarta Globe - February 18, 2012

Bayu Marhaenjati – Jakarta Police named three members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) as suspects on Friday for vandalizing the Home Affairs Ministry during a demonstration last month against a plan to revise an alcohol sales bylaw.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said the suspects from the group known as FPI had not been detained but are required to report to police twice a week.

"They are not detained because they are cooperative. They are only required to report. The investigation still continues because the dossiers need to be completed and we are almost ready to submit them to the prosecutor's office," he said.

The three suspects, identified as M.S.Y., 27; F., 45; and M.S., 30, are charged with violating articles of the Criminal Code relating to destruction of property and vandalism. Aside from questioning the suspects, police have also seized several pieces of evidence, including stones and iron bars.

"The evidence that we seized includes the remainder of the building's signage that was vandalized by the protestors, there were 28 letters. We have a broken spotlight, stones, iron bars and a video recording," Rikwanto said.

Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi said on Wednesday that the hard-line group had been given a warning, its second, because of the incident. If the group is given a third warning, it would see its license suspended.

FPI's Jakarta branch chairman, Habib Salim bin Umar Alatas, admitted that the three suspects were FPI members and said they should be processed according to the law, even if it meant they were found guilty.

"FPI is not an institution immune to the law. We respect regulations and the state laws. We never run away from the legal process. So, if our members broke the law, go ahead and process them accordingly. We support the legal process," he said.

Asked about mounting calls in recent days for the disbandment of the organization, Salim said he is unconcerned.

"We're not bothered. We don't give it a thought.... Before we make our move, we are asked by the public to clean places where people commit sins," he told reporters at the Jakarta Police office on Friday.

"The FPI does not just go there. We send letters to the subdistrict, neighborhood heads, mayors, governors, police district office head, police head of precincts, regional police heads and even to the police headquarters to notify them.

"If you call it anarchy, there are many political parties in the regions that burn their posts, district heads' houses and more. How come there are no calls to disband them? What's going on?" he asked.

He added that he often reminded his members during Koran recitals how to act according to the law.

"When the FPI holds recitals, speakers like Rizieq [Shihab, an FPI leader], myself and others often inform them of what they would face, based on the law or religion, if they vandalize, attack or steal. We explain everything, so that no one violates the government's regulations," he said.

In a meeting with Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali on Friday, Rizieq said members of his organization had abandoned violence. "Violence is no longer our method. We have abandoned it," he was quoted as saying by state news agency Antara.

The National Police said they had recorded a total of 34 cases of violence involving the FPI in various parts of the country in 2010 and 2011.

Hundreds come out to protest against demands to ban FPI

Jakarta Post - February 17, 2012

Kusumasari Ayuningtyas, Surakarta – While protests demanding the disbandment of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) have been flaring in other cities, about 200 other people claiming to be members of various Muslim organizations requested to opposite at a rally in Surakarta, Central Java, on Thursday afternoon.

Declaring to be grouped under the Surakarta Muslim Paramilitary Troop (LUIS), which the FPI is a member of, they held the rally in front of the Surakarta Police headquarters to reject demands for the disbandment of the FPI voiced at other protests.

They could not enter the headquarters due to a security barricade. Some protesters were allowed to go inside to talk to the police.

"We just asked the police to pass our message on to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono through the National Police chief," said Khoirul Suparjo, the chairman of the FPI's Surakarta branch.

Khoirul, who was among the representatives allowed inside, said that the protesters wanted the President to continue allowing them to unite and gather as a group of Indonesian citizens.

Khoirul denied that the protest was deliberately conducted to coincide with the President's official visit to the greater Surakarta region. "It is just a coincidence," he said.

The President arrived in Surakarta on Thursday morning, and continued onto Sragen regency to visit a pre-historic human being held in a museum in Sangiran.

He was accompanied by 11 ministers and Central Java Governor Bibit Waluyo. He reportedly spent the previous night in Surakarta and attended a morning harvest ceremony in Sragen.

Separately, Surakarta Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Ahmad Luthfi told reporters that FPI members spoke to police during the meeting and handed over a letter addressed to the National Police chief.

"There was nothing special about the meeting. They just wanted to express a few things conveyed through the letter," Ahmad said, adding that he would pass the letter to his superior, to be given to the National Police chief.

Dems behind anti-FPI rally: FPI spokesman

Jakarta Post - February 17, 2012

Jakarta – Islam Defenders Front (FPI) spokesman Munarman has pointed the finger at the Democratic Party as being behind the recent anti-FPI rally in Jakarta, saying that it tried to divert public attention from corruption cases implicating the party's politicians.

"Who attended the event? [It was attended by] one of the members of Democratic Party, Ulil Abshar Abdalla. He's the one who initiated the rally. He tried to divert the public's attention from national issues," Munarman said on Friday as quoted by kompas.com.

Munarman accused the Democratic Party of taking revenge after the FPI conducted several rallies in front of the house of party chairman Anas Urbaningrum in East Jakarta, related to a corruption case that he has been implicated in.

Democratic Party lawmaker Sutan Bhatoegana denied the allegation. "It has nothing to do with diverting public attention. Munarman should not bring about the Democratic Party in this issue. Ulil did not participate on behalf of the party, let's just mind our own business," Sutan said. (nad)

FPI commits to leaving violence behind

Jakarta Post - February 17, 2012

Jakarta – The Islam Defenders Front (FPI), a hardliner group that has been under the spotlight recently as its violent image has begun to receive pushback from other community groups, has committed to changing its ways.

The group's leader Rizieq Shihab said during his visit to the Religious Affairs Ministry on Friday that FPI would fight for justice and corruption eradication from now on.

"The incident at the Home Ministry and various others incidents are no longer the group's hallmark. FPI has left that paradigm," he said as quoted by Antara news agency.

FPI members were involved in vandalizing the Home Ministry office in Jakarta during its protest last month, prompting the ministry to issue its final warning before suspending the group.

As its grasp on public sympathies has begun to slip, various community groups have begun standing up to the FPI, including most notably a protest initiated by the Dayak ethnic group at Tjilik Riwut Airport last week to block FPI leaders' arrival.

Commenting on the rejection, Shihab said he came to the province to preach and reveal a corruption case in the province.(iwa)

Officials advise against FPI presence in Central Kalimantan

Jakarta Globe - February 17, 2012

Ezra Sihite & Hangga Brata – Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi asked the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front not to rush to open branches in Central Kalimantan following protests from Dayak tribesmen against the group's presence there.

"They should talk to local officials so that there will be no conflicts," Gamawan said.

Earlier, a leader from the religious group known as FPI, Muhsin Ahmad Alatas, said the organization would proceed with opening branches in the province despite the outcry.

In Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, police said they had received many requests to reject the FPI in the province. "There are 20 groups that have demanded that we ban FPI in the province. We just want to be sensitive to what the people want us to do.

So we advise FPI not to open branches here," Central Kalimantan Police chief Brig. Gen. Daminanus Jacky said. He said the FPI has a right to be present in Central Kalimantan, but the province's residents have an equal right to reject them.

On Saturday, Dayak tribesmen protested at Tjilik Riwut airport in Palangkaraya, hoping to stop FPI members from landing to attend the opening ceremony of an FPI branch office there.

The protest halted operations at the airport for more than two hours. Airport officials eventually redirected the plane, which was carrying several FPI dignitaries, to an alternate location.

Many have lauded the Dayak's weekend stand against the FPI, with some saying it should spur other groups to speak out against religious intolerance.

On Thursday, however, some radical Islamic organizations in Solo staged a counter-rally, rejecting calls to disband the FPI, and blasting Central Kalimantan Governor Agustin Teras Narang and provincial police for supporting the FPI's rejection.

"We need FPI to prevent the nation from sinning," said Edy Lukito, one of the demonstrators. "Calls to disband FPI have been voiced by secular groups wanting to destroy the youth."

[Additional reporting from Antara.]

Pressure grows on Indonesia's violent extremist groups

Jakarta Globe - February 16, 2012

Ezra Sihite – Pressure is mounting on the government to disband mass organizations known to have used violent tactics to achieve their goals, following a series of attacks by those groups' members.

National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) chief Budi Susilo Soepandji urged police to act against organizations in violation of the law, including those disrupting public order, while calling on the Ministry of Home Affairs to disband such organizations.

"Lemhannas supports the government to give punishment to organizations violating laws and destroying public buildings," he said.

The government has never disbanded any mass organizations, despite some groups' brazen violent acts.

Just last month, the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) pelted rocks at the Home Affairs Ministry's Central Jakarta office in protest of the minister's decision to review local bylaws banning alcohol sales. Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi said on Wednesday that the FPI is one violation away from having its license suspended.

The ministry, Gamawan said, issued a second letter of warning to the group after its members attacked his office. On Thursday, he reiterated the short leash that his ministry was giving to the organization.

He also complained that it was too easy for people to form a mass organization. His office's data put the number of mass organizations at more than 64,000, excluding unregistered groups. "It's like making an egg martabak," he said.

According to Gamawan, his office can disband an organization if it channels aid abroad without permit, receives aid from overseas, develops ideological tenets incompatible with the state's Pancasila philosophy, or causes public disorder.

Civil society group Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (Imparsial) demanded that the government check the internal regulations of each organization to see if they encourage the use of violence to achieve their goals.

"The home affairs minister should evaluate if they agree on using violence. If they do so, then they should be disbanded," Imparsial executive director Poengky Indarti said.

She pointed to FPI as an example of an organization involved in several instances of violence across the country. On Tuesday, some 300 people staged a rally at Jakarta's Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, demanding that the FPI be disbanded.

Gamawan said despite mounting calls for the FPI's dissolution, his ministry needed to follow procedures stipulated by law.

Tuesday's rally, organized by a group calling itself "FPI-Free Indonesia," was marred by scuffles after several people struck demonstrators and tried to steal anti-FPI banners. Organizers of the rally said that they had been inspired by Dayak tribesmen in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, who on Saturday forced the FPI to abandon plans to open a local branch.

Meanwhile, National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo said the police did not have the authority to disband any organization.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said in the last two months there were 11 clashes involving mass organizations, including the FPI. "The police will take action against anybody violating the law," he said, adding that violence involving mass organizations had increased recently.

Indonesians speak out against vigilante group, the Islamic Defenders Front

Global Post - February 16, 2012

Sara Schonhardt, Jakarta, Indonesia – Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, is often held up as a shining example of how democracy can gel with moderate Islam.

But the freedoms that have given the country its reputation, and that many Indonesians enjoy, have also allowed for the hardline Islamic Defenders Front, a vigilante group known for raiding bars and nightclubs, to flourish over the last decade.

The group's tactics – which are often violent – have bothered many citizens since its founding in 1998. They say they are concerned the group, known locally as the FPI, could tarnish the country's image after years of heavy-handedness and intimidation. But rarely have Indonesians taken a public stand against it. Until now, that is.

In more recent times, the FPI has expanded to target religious minorities. The group has forced the closure of churches in West Java and was allegedly at the center of a brutal mob attack on a minority Islamic sect, the Ahmadiyah, that ended in the fatal beating of three of its members in February 2011.

The shift in tactics and increased focus on religious minorities has spurred a smattering of citizens to finally speak their mind. On Tuesday, scores of civil society activists and celebrities rallied in central Jakarta, shouting "Indonesia is more peaceful without the FPI".

The rally was small – and it was cancelled shortly after it started due to security concerns – but it marks one of the first public demonstrations against hardline Islamists in a country generally reputed for its high level of tolerance and pluralism.

Timed to coincide with Valentine's Day – another vice hardliners denounce – the protest came on the back of another over the weekend in which an indigenous Dayak tribe in Palangkaraya, the provincial capital of Central Kalimantan, prevented FPI leaders from landing at the airport to attend the opening ceremony of the group's new branch office.

Agustine Lampe, a Dayak who participated in Tuesday's protest, and whose family still lives in Palangkaraya, said people there dislike the FPI because of their use of violence, intimidation and attempts to sow sectarian discord.

"We don't want anyone to ruin our brotherhood," Lampe said, referring to the lack of social tension in her community. "We stay together in harmony, this is our philosophy."

The lack of a strong support base for the FPI in Central Kalimantan, home to the largest Ahmadiyah community in the region, may have added fire to Feb. 11's protest, but some analysts say it's a different matter in Jakarta, where the FPI is much stronger.

"That's made people hesitant to organize demonstrations," said Ian Wilson, Indonesia cultural politics expert at Australia's Murdock University.

Because there have been so few public demonstrations against the FPI, Wilson says that even a small show of opposition could have some effect.

"At the very least it can provoke another public debate about the place of these groups, because there are elements within some political parties who would like to take action against the FPI, but politically it's a very difficult thing to do," he said.

Some activists speculate that the government has failed to curb the FPI's thug-like activities because of its long-standing, somewhat cozy relationship with police. The FPI began in 1998 as a disparate mix of militia and gangs mobilized by the military and the police to counter the student-led reform movement that helped bring down long-running dictator Suharto, who resigned that year amid widespread protests.

The freedoms ushered in after Suharto's downfall gave birth to a vibrant media and civil society, and allowed for the formation of groups that were able to speak and act with little restriction after decades of oppression.

But leaders of the protest on Tuesday say the FPI and other hardline Islamists have abused those freedoms by using violence with impunity, and they say they've had enough of the government's failure to punish them for their abuses.

"We see how the state hasn't put too much concern on violence conducted by the FPI and similar organizations," said Tunggal Pawestri, a spokeswoman for the Movement for an FPI-Free Indonesia, the group that organized Tuesday's rally.

Inspired by the Dayak protest, Tunggal and several other activists started sending messages via Twitter and Facebook about the need to harness widespread anger and distaste for the FPI.

"We want to bring confidence to all of civil society that we can voice our objection to these kinds of organizations; we can refuse if they want to do violence in our neighborhood," Tunggal said. "We really need to break the silence."

The majority of Indonesia's 240 million people practice a moderate form of Islam, and the FPI and other hardline Islamist groups are on the fringe.

But Wilson says they've been skillful at manipulating social and economic tensions to their benefit. "That gives them a higher profile and makes them appear more significant than they are," he said.

In response to news of the protest, a spokesman for the FPI told the English-language Jakarta Global that the protesters were mere Western stooges. In the hours before the rally, rumors circulated among the FPI and its supporters that the demonstrators were planning to attack the home of the group's leader, Habib Rizieq Syihab.

To ensure security, a heavy police presence was on hand as the rally got started. But after only an hour of speeches and chants, the police cancelled the event over fears that hardliners were on their way to the scene.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has remained mostly muted about the FPI and its antics. But on Monday he delivered a televised address in which he touched the on protest in Central Kalimantan.

"We will take wise and correct measures to prevent repeated acts of violence in this country – violence on behalf of region, violence on behalf of ethnicity, violence on behalf of anything – because we uphold public order and peace," he said.

He also said he had spoken with the governor in Central Kalimantan about the protesters' actions and was holding discussions on how to prevent repeated acts of violence with the ministers of Home Affairs and Justice and Human Rights as well as the national police chief.

Tunggal said Yudhoyono's response was characteristically vague. "If we listen to yesterday's speech, still [the president] did not provide us with a clear answer on how to solve these issues," she said.

Despite fears of continued intimidation from the FPI, Tunggal said people needed to express their disappointment with the lack of government action because without the push from citizens she feared the country's leadership will continue to do nothing.

"They've managed to get away with consistently breaking the law, terrorizing people, being given much greater or exerting much greater influence than they should," Wilson said.

"If the government isn't going to do anything, than the people need to be prepared to show they're willing to make some kind of stand."

FPI plans anti-SBY rally in Surakarta

Jakarta Post - February 16, 2012

Surakarta – Responding to a wave of anti-FPI (Islam Defenders Front) rallies, including in Central Kalimantan and Jakarta, the FPI said it would hold a counter-rally in Surakarta, Central Java, on Thursday as a response to the scheduled visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the city.

"Today, the FPI and its Solo laskar [warriors] will stage a rally to defy SBY's visit in Surakarta," FPI spokesman Munarman said in a statement, as quoted by tempo.co.

The rally goers, carrying a banner that read, "FPI Elegan-SBY Arogan" (Elegant FPI-Arrogant SBY), will gather at Baitusalam Tipes mosque after the midday prayer.

According to Munarman, the rally was meant to uphold Izzul Islam Wal Muslimin or the glory of Islam and its believers.

Earlier on Tuesday, the President told the FPI to find time for introspection following the anti-FPI rally in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan. "Our brothers in the FPI should ask themselves why other organizations are allowed to be established there while they are rejected?" Yudhoyono said.

Yudhoyono is scheduled to officiate the ASEAN Law Association general assembly in Nusa Dua, Bali, in the morning and depart for Surakarta and Sragen, Central Java, to attend rice harvesting events there later in the day.

FPI sympathizer charged with sudden attack

Jakarta Post - February 16, 2012

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – The Jakarta Police said on Wednesday that they had detained four men involved in Tuesday afternoon's protest at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, where protesters demanded the disbandment of the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI).

"Only one of them, 48-year-old J, has been named a suspect in the case," police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto told reporters.

The police said that all the four detainees were FPI sympathizers, as a lawyer from the notorious organization had visited the police headquarters to assist them with the legal process.

Tuesday's protest took a violent turn when one of its coordinators, identified as Bhagavad Sambada, was suddenly attacked by a then- unidentified man. The attacker then grabbed one of the protest banners and trampled on it, inciting the anger of many of the protesters.

Six men were taken into custody later in the evening, including Bhagavad and another protester identified as Bandi. Bhagavad and Bandi were released on Tuesday night after the police finished questioning them.

Rikwanto said that video recordings of the incident made by local television stations clearly proved that J had attacked Bhagavad.

Police questioning of J found that he attacked Bhagavad upon seeing one of the protest banners bearing the words "A Valentine Gift for Habib Rizieq". J has been charged under Article 170 of the Criminal Code on forceful attack with the intent to inflict harm. He may face seven years in prison if found guilty.

The other three detainees were identified as 24-year-old A, 23-year-old B, and 44-year-old S. "They were detained on the grounds of Bhagavad's statements during questioning that they had also attacked him," said Rikwanto.

Women's rights activist Tunggal Prawesti, who served as the spokesperson of Tuesday's rally, told The Jakarta Post that the protesters would oversee the ongoing legal process to ensure that justice would be served. Rikwanto said that the police had received numerous public complaints regarding violent incidents involving members of mass organizations, including the FPI.

"However, we don't have the authority to disband them. We can only state the facts. There have been numerous complaints of these organizations. It's up to the Home Ministry to do something based on these facts," he said.

Separately, Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi said that the ministry would not hesitate to freeze mass organizations such as the FPI if they kept disrupting public safety.

According to him, his ministry had sent the FPI two warning letters, the latest of which was sent after the group vandalized the ministry's office in Central Jakarta last month.

Meanwhile, the FPI said that the state had no reason to freeze the organization. "There is nothing to evaluate [in terms of the FPI's existence]. The pressure [to disband the FPI] makes no sense," senior FPI member Habib Muhsin Ahmad Alatas said, as quoted by kompas.com. (mim)

We are here to stay, say FPI

Jakarta Post - February 16, 2012

Jakarta – In the face of many calls to freeze the activities of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), the hard-line group remained firm that they were here to stay.

Al-Habib Mushin Ahmad Alattas, the FPI's campaign and inter faith relations chief, said that calls to disband the group were irrational. "We don't have to evaluate anything, because all the calls to disband us are nonsense. They don't have any right to dissolve us," he said as quoted by kompas.com on Wednesday.

Alattas was one of the 17 people grouped under the Islamic Umat Forum who complained to House of Representatives' Commission III overseeing legal affairs and laws, human rights and security about the recent rejection of four FPI senior leaders by residents of Central Kalimantan.

Around 800 protesters, mostly from the Dayak ethnic group, staged a rally on Feb. 11 at Tjilik Riwut Airport in Palangkaraya to block the FPI leaders' arrival. The rally inspired 100 people, uniting under the banner of "Indonesia-without-the-FPI", to stage a rally in Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon, demanding the government disband the FPI.

Furthermore, Alattas refuted Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi's statement that the FPI had received two warning letters from the ministry. Alattas claimed that his group had never received any warnings from the ministry or any other parties.

He also blamed all of the violent acts conducted by FPI members on unnamed provocateurs who wanted to destroy the group's image. "Many of our members have already been jailed for that, so why would you bring that up again?" (asa)

Indonesia gives Islamic Defenders Front its final warning

Jakarta Globe - February 16, 2012

Arientha Primanita – Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi said on Wednesday that the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front is one violation away from having its license suspended.

The ministry, Gamawan said, issued a second letter of warning when members of the group, known as the FPI, pelted rocks at the ministry's office last month, in protest at the minister's decision to annul local bylaws banning alcohol sales. "We have issued a second warning, which is an ultimatum. If they continue their actions, we will suspend them," he said.

According to the 1985 Law on Mass Organization, the ministry monitors all civil organizations in the country and has the authority to disband a particular group that causes losses to the state.

The minister did not say what incident prompted the ministry to issue the first warning against the FPI or when. The FPI has been accused of using violent tactics to enforce their views on Shariah laws.

Last month, an FPI leader in South Sulawesi was sentenced to five months in prison for the destruction of private property during a series of FPI- sanctioned raids on food stalls and restaurants operating during the fasting month of Ramadan. But human rights activists say that cases where FPI members are brought to justice are rare.

On Tuesday, some 300 people staged a rally at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Jakarta demanding the FPI disband.

Gamawan said that despite mounting calls for the FPI to disband, his ministry needs to follow procedures stipulated by the law.

Tuesday's peaceful rally in Jakarta, organized by a group that called itself "FPI-Free Indonesia," was marred by scuffles after several people hit some rally participants and tried to steal anti-FPI banners.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said that four people had been questioned by police. One of them, identified as J., 48, had been charged under with assault under the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

"The suspect has not been arrested because we are still investigating his role," Rikwanto said. Three other people, identified as A., 24; B., 23; and F., 44 are considered witnesses.

Rikwanto said that the four were sympathizers of the FPI but not members. "We can say that they are sympathizers because they are defended by a lawyer named Solihin," he said, saying the lawyer is known for handling FPI-related legal matters.

Organizers of Tuesday's rally said they had been inspired by Dayak tribesmen in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, who on Saturday took actions that prompted the FPI to abandon plans to open a local branch.

In response to the Palangkaraya incident, the FPI filed a police complaint against five men, including the governor and police chief, for unpleasant behavior, deprivation of freedom and destruction by a mob.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said on Wednesday that although the FPI had filed the report to the National Police, the case would be transferred to police in Central Kalimantan, whose chief is among those reported by the FPI.

[Additional reporting by Farouk Arnaz, Bayu Marhaenjati and Zaky Pawas.]

Artist's mockery of violence gets real

Jakarta Post - February 16, 2012

Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – Artist Bramantyo Prijosusilo's planned street performance that criticizes rampant violence was forcefully aborted after he himself experienced it for real.

Entitled Membanting Macan Kerah (Slamming Fighting Tigers), the performance was to have been staged solely by Bramantyo on Wednesday outside the headquarters of Indonesian Mujahideen Council (MMI), a hard-line Muslim organization founded by terrorist convict Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, in Yogyakarta.

Bramantyo arrived at the headquarters at 9 a.m. local time on a horse cart. But before he could begin the performance, he was dragged away by MMI members.

Some reportedly beat Bramantyo as they tried to bring him into the building before the Bantul Police, which had gone to the site prior to the scheduled performance, freed the artist and took him to a police station in a truck.

In a statement, Bramantyo, whose hand was injured in the incident, said that the performance would consist of greeting people, poetry reading, the slamming of an earthenware jug and saying goodbye. "If necessary, I will open a dialogue for 30 minutes at the most. If not, it will only take five minutes to perform," he said in the statement.

He said that he chose the MMI headquarters because the location was easily accessible and visually attractive. This was considered good for documentation purposes that he would later use in an installation.

MMI secretary M. Shabbarin Syakur said that his organization refused to have the performance there because Bramantyo had issued a statement considered to be insulting to Islam. He denied suggestions that his organization was keen to resort to violence. He said that the MMI was always open to dialogue.

Shabbarin said that his organization did not intend to hurt Bramantyo. "We tried to take him into the headquarters to secure him," he said.

He also said that the MMI has previously filed a report to local police regarding Bramantyo's alleged insult against Islam and asked that he be arrested and his performance banned. "Bramantyo owes an apology to the MMI and the Muslim community," he said.

In the previous statement, Bramantyo accused the MMI of undermining the authority of the Indonesian state and leaders, as well as the cultural authority of Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. He also said the MMI had staged a rebellion against authorities.

MMI chairman Irfan S. Awwas said that his organization could tolerate negative stigmatization directed at the MMI, but not at Islam.

Bramantyo, still at the Bantul Police station late on Wednesday, said he would not sue the MMI over the attack. "I am thankful to them because they have played their role very well," Bramantyo said.

Artist attacked during peaceful protest against religious violence

Jakarta Globe - February 15, 2012

Anita Rachman – An Indonesian artist is the latest person to fall victim to hard-line religious organizations after he was attacked during a peaceful protest outside the headquarters of Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia's office in Yogyakarta on Wednesday.

Bramantyo Prijosusilo, an East Java-based artist and journalist who has published a number of opinion pieces in the Jakarta Globe, was attacked by dozens of MMI members and supporters during a perfomance piece titled 'Membanting Macan Kerah'.

Bramantyo told the Globe the performance was intended to inspire people to fight against radicalism, anarchy, intimidation and violence.

He said his glasses were broken in the attack but his injuries were not serious. The MMI – once headed by convicted terrorist Abu Bakar Bashir before he was ousted in a power struggle – has filed blasphemy charges against the artist and called on him to apologize. "Of course I won't apologize," he said.

Bramantyo is currently being held at the Bantul Police station while police process the charges.

No love shown to the FPI

Jakarta Post - February 15, 2012

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – A group uniting under the banner of "Indonesia-without-the-FPI" staged a rally around the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Tuesday afternoon, demanding the government disband the hard-line group Islam Defenders Front (FPI).

Traffic was held up in all directions for more than an hour, as 250 police officers protecting the protest had trouble with crowd control.

"We do not represent any organization. We are merely ordinary citizens who have had enough with all the violent and repressive acts carried out by the FPI in the name of Islam," rally spokesperson Vivi Widyawati told reporters.

The FPI is a hard-line group notorious for its violent crackdowns on nightclubs and massage parlors, which it deems "sinful places".

Vivi said that the rally was held in response to a similar protest held in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, on Saturday, when hundreds of protesters, mostly from the Dayak tribe, staged a demonstration at the Tjilik Riwut Airport to block the arrival of four senior FPI leaders intending to inaugurate a local branch. "We fully support the Dayak tribe's decision. If they can drive FPI out of Palangkaraya, so can we," Vivi said.

Despite repeated calls on the government to disband the FPI, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has brushed off allegations that the government was reluctant to take action against vigilante groups.

During an interview with journalists at the State Palace on Monday, which was aired live by several national TV stations, a reporter asked why the President seemed to be indecisive when it came to matters related to the FPI, such as calls for their disbandment.

The President, who referred to the FPI as "our brothers", only said that legal action should be taken against anyone, be they FPI or others, who used violence. This has been Yudhoyono's standard answer and many analysts regard it as a sign of indecisiveness or a reluctance to take on sensitive issues.

"Concerning the incident in Palangkaraya, our brothers in the FPI should ask themselves why other organizations are allowed to be established there while they are rejected?" Yudhoyono said.

"Any organization can hold activities wherever they want in Indonesia, as long as they do not violate the law. Officials and law enforcers in Central Kalimantan must be prudent. Saturday's incident might have been provoked by certain parties," the President said.

Protesters started to arrive at the traffic circle at about 3.30 p.m. The demonstration itself began at 4 p.m. and went on for around an hour, before protesters dispersed.

Banners bearing strongly worded messages urging the FPI's disbandment were held up by the protesters. "Condemn violence in the name of religion. Indonesia without the FPI!" said one of the banners. "The state must not kneel before cloaked hoodlums," said another.

A more tongue-in-cheek banner read "A Valentine's gift for Habib Rizieq," referring to FPI leader Habib Rizieq Shihab. One of the protesters brought a smaller version of this message and a pink stuffed toy pig.

Well-known film and stage actress Jajang C. Noer, noted director Hanung Bramantyo, and activist Alissa Wahid, the daughter of former president Abdurrahman Wahid, were among the protesters.

"Islam does not need defending. God does not need defending. What Indonesia needs right now is peace. Stop the violence and stop judging others without reason," Jajang said.

Meanwhile, Hanung demanded that those who called themselves intellects and moderates stood up for themselves. "Show these violent organizations who are the real majority," he said.

According to Hanung, the FPI is only a minority among Indonesian Muslims. "Don't let the FPI act as if they're the majority. The silent majority must make their voice heard."

The protest took a violent turn when one of its coordinators, identified as Bhagavad Sambada, was attacked by an unidentified man. The attacker then grabbed one of the protest banners and trampled on it, inciting the anger of many of the protesters.

The attacker was heard saying "Valentine is haram! Valentine is haram!" before attacking Bhagavad. Haram is an Islamic term meaning "forbidden" and is used to refer to anything that is considered unlawful or prohibited by God.

Six men were taken into custody following the chaotic incident, including Bhagavad and another protester identified as Bandi. The other four were unidentified. Bhagavad was released later in the evening, while the other five were detained by the Jakarta Police for questioning.

"We do not know who the other four are. They were not part of the protest," said Tunggal Prawesti, another spokesperson for the rally.

The police were unavailable for comment. Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto did not respond to calls or text messages from The Jakarta Post. (mim)

What FPI has done lately

Jan. 12, 2012: Demonstrators, including many FPI members, ransacked the Home Ministry office to protest Minister Gamawan Fauzi's clarification of nine bylaws on alcoholic beverages, which they assumed were revoked.

Nov. 14, 2011: Vigilante groups in Bekasi, which included FPI members, entered an Ahmadiyah mosque in Jatibening and called on members of the group to halt Friday prayers.

Aug. 20, 2011: Hundreds of FPI members demonstrated in front of the SCTV television station over its plan to broadcast "?" the movie on the night of Idul Fitri. SCTV bowed to the protest.

Aug. 1, 2011: FPI took to the streets in Bandung to demonstrate against the consumption of alcohol. They seized at least 50 jerry cans of traditional alcoholic brew, tuak.

May 4, 2011: FPI held a memorial to pay tribute to Osama bin Laden, who was killed in a US intelligence operation in Pakistan. They prayers were led by patron Habib Rizieq Shihab.

Feb. 10, 2011: FPI warned that it would overthrow SBY if he dared to disband any mass organization, including the FPI.

'FPI-free' rally marked by fears over protection

Jakarta Globe - February 15, 2012

Anita Rachman – A peaceful rally at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Jakarta meant to protest violent tactics used by some religious groups was marred by scuffles and uncertain police protection in the face of possible confrontation.

About 15 minutes into the rally, which began at 4 p.m., police herded the estimated 150 protestors off the traffic circle to the front of Plaza Indonesia.

Organizers of the rally, a group that called itself "FPI-Free Indonesia," announced that police had told them members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) might be on their way to the site.

Ririn Sefani, one of the spokeswomen for the event – inspired by the actions of the Dayak tribesmen in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, on Saturday – said police had told her, "If something happens [after the FPI arrives], it will not be our responsibility."

Still, the majority of protesters, who included a number of celebrities, did not budge. Shortly thereafter, a number of men began to yank at the banners and posters, shouting "Disband this event! Disband!"

The crowd reacted immediately to prevent the interference, and police intervened in the melee to drag the interlopers away. "There were several people we have had to escort to our post," Jakarta Police officer M. Nababan said at the scene. Witnesses said four people were taken from the site.

Nababan said he suspected the men were FPI spies or agents provocateur intending to stir up trouble. "I have reminded the [protesters] to please be peaceful, but today everything could easily heat up," he said. "What if it explodes? Who will save the protesters?"

Sr. Comr. Rikwanto, a Jakarta Police spokesman, said the protesters were only asked to move so they did not disrupt the flow of traffic in the busy street.

Ahmad Sobri Lubis, secretary general of the FPI, denied the hard-line group planned to interfere in the protest but said some sympathizers were present. "They said they wanted to go to check out the rally," he said.

He insisted that the group at the traffic circle could not claim to represent all Indonesians. "How could they claim it was the Indonesian people when there were only 60 people with them?" he claimed. "The rest were police officers, street vendors and journalists."

Tunggal Pawestri, one of the protest's spokeswomen, said the group was ready to hold another rally in the near future.

Alissa Wahid, a daughter of late President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, said if Indonesia wanted to stay on the map, people had to unite against violence. "We want all the people to unite, reject any kind of violence, not only by the FPI," she said.

Dimas Hary, another protester, said he was disappointed that the police had refused to do their job in the event of an FPI attack.

"Happy Valentine, Rizieq"

Jakarta Post - February 15, 2012

Jakarta – A rainbow group of protesters carrying the same tagline of "Indonesia-without-the-FPI," rallied at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Tuesday afternoon, demanding the government take stern measures on the hard-line group Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), known for its notoriety in easy resort to violence against minority groups.

"Happy Valentine, Rizieq!" one of the protesters, Helga Worotitjan said, addressing Rizieq Shihab, the leader of the FPI. "We are not demanding for FPI disbandment, we are just against their violence act," said Tunggal, another protester during the protest.

She felt that FPI's violence act had gone too far. She also regretted that Indonesian government took no action in dealing with the hardliners' violence. "It seems like they have immunity" she added.

Tunggal was also afraid that more hard-liners would imitate FPI's violent approach because the authorities never imposed legal sanction on them.

After singing national anthem "Indonesia Raya" as an opening for the demonstration, the participants then yelled "Indonesial is more peaceful without the FPI. No violence."

The protest took a violent twist when one of its coordinators, Bhagavad Sambada, was attacked by an unidentified man. The assailant grabbed one of the protest banners and trampled on it, infuriated many protesters. Six men were taken into custody following the scuffle.

Police also arrested two more people who allegedly brought weapons when the demonstration nearly ended at 06.00 p.m. "They don't belong to the protesting group," said Ari Nughraha, a participant of the demonstration who witnessed the arrest was quoted by Antara.

The movement which was promoted via social media like Twitter and Broadcast Blackberry Messenger managed to gather around 100 participants. Among the participants are some prominent figures like movie director Hanung Bramantyo, actress Jajang C. Noer and writer Ayu Utami. (riz/dmr)

Religious hard-liners protest against Valentine's Day in Indonesia

Jakarta Globe - February 15, 2012

Vento Saudale – There was very little love in the air on Valentine's Day as residents and officials in various parts of Indonesia held rallies and raids protesting what they called the "pernicious influence" of the age-old tradition.

In Bogor, hundreds of people claiming to be Muslim university students marched to the Tugu Kujang monument in the city center to denounce Valentine's Day for "ruining the young generation of Muslims."

"The reality on the ground shows just how badly in decline the morals of the young generation today are, when they use the pretext of Valentine's Day as an excuse for engaging in sex," said Sandi Noviandi, the protest coordinator.

He cited a study by the National AIDS Prevention Commission (KPAN) that said 65 percent of senior and junior high school girls were not virgins as proof of the impact of "foreign traditions."

"It's very clear that Valentine's Day is nothing more than an infidel celebration. It's a foreign tradition that is against Islamic teachings and should therefore be forbidden for Muslims to celebrate," Sandi said.

In Bandung, around 100 women from pan-Islamic hard-liner group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia rallied outside the governor's office to shout down Valentine's Day as a "pernicious influence" and a "gateway to premarital sex."

Siti Nafidah, the head of the HTI's provincial women's chapter, said the threat of youths engaging in premarital sex as part of the Valentine's Day spirit was "right before our eyes." "There's even a convenience store giving away condoms with purchases of chocolate," she said.

She said this could eventually lead to a host of social evils, from unplanned pregnancies and abortions, to the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

In Padang Panjang, West Sumatra, the hostility was even more tangible as the public order agency (Satpol PP) carried out raids at hotels and boarding houses to catch couples having sex.

"We'll intensify our patrols throughout the afternoon and evening as we try to interrupt the acts of any youths who have been poisoned by the Western lifestyle," said Sukma, the Satpol PP chief.

"No place in this city will be allowed to host any kind of Valentine's party. We'll break up any attempts to do so." He added that Valentine's Day was a foreign concept incompatible with Islamic culture.

In staunchly Islamic Aceh province, where Shariah law reigns, the authorities tried to supplant Valentine's Day celebrations with Islamic teachings.

Illiza Sa'aduddin Djamal, the Banda Aceh deputy mayor, led an event at a state senior high school to mark Maulid, or the birthday of the prophet Muhammad. The actual Maulid fell last Saturday. "You don't have to celebrate Valentine's or exchange gifts or wear pink," Illiza said. "All you need to do is remember that that's not part of our culture or our religion."

The Banda Aceh Satpol PP said it was also on the prowl for young couples out together in public places.

[Additional reporting from Antara.]

Indonesian lawmakers consider calls to disband FPI

Jakarta Globe - February 15, 2012

Ezra Sihite & Arientha Primanita – In the wake of calls to disband the Islamic Defenders Front, a lawmaker on Tuesday called for a review of all mass organizations that disrupt the public.

"The evaluation should not be limited to the FPI," said lawmaker Abdul Malik Haramain, referring to the hard-line organization. Haramain is the chairman of the House of Representatives special committee deliberating amendments to the 1985 Law on Mass Organizations.

After a group of Dayak tribesmen rejected FPI plans to open a branch in Kalimantan on Saturday, a group of Jakartans formed an "FPI-Free Indonesia" movement and organized a protest on Tuesday.

Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi also said he is considering disbanding the FPI for violent acts, which allegedly include vandalizing an office of his ministry.

But Haramain, from the Islam-based National Awakening Party (PKB), said it is not easy to disband an organization. "The draft revisions on the Mass Organizations Law suggests that freezing or disbanding organizations can only be done based on a court ruling," he said.

Haramain said that the Home Affairs Ministry can decide whether to slap a sanction on an organizations, and that it can also ask the court to disband it. "That's how the mechanism works; the Home Affairs Ministry acts as the prosecutor," he said. "The idea is to evaluate first and not immediately disband it."

Gamawan said he had talked to legislators about the plan to revise the 1985 law and hoped they would cut the lengthy process to disband organizations.

"The process to freeze or disband an anarchic mass organization should be shortened," he said. "Right now the process is too lengthy, as it starts with a soft warning and [moves to a] strong warning, then a freeze on the organization's activities and finally disbandment. "But it doesn't stop there because they can still appeal to the Supreme Court," he added.

Mass organizations must register with the government, but the system is highly fragmented. Most register with the Home Affairs Ministry, while others register with the ministries for justice and human rights, religious affairs and foreign affairs. Still others are unregistered. "It's very messy," Gamawan said. "So with the amendment to the law, we hope to simplify and tighten up the procedures."

He said the FPI has engaged in violent acts at least twice, at the National Monument and at the Home Affairs Ministry. "We are currently reviewing the acts and will take action once we find strong supporting evidence," he said. He added that the ministry reported the attack on its office to the Jakarta Police.

"I have sent the video and have formally filed a report," he said. "Now it's in the hands of the police to follow up, because the people involved in it [the attack] can be seen clearly in the video, like who broke the windows, who climbed the gates and more."

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said no suspects had been named yet and no witnesses from the FPI have been summoned for questioning.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday called on mass organizations to adhere to the law. "Organizations in Indonesia are allowed to operate on the basis of freedom of speech and freedom of action," he said."Any organization that violates the laws must face due legal process, with no exceptions."

[Additional reporting from Suara Pembaruan & Antara.]

Freedom of religion & worship

E-KTP program makes allowances for citizens outside six official religions

Suara Pembaruan - February 21, 2012

Robertus Wardi – The government plans to allow people who do not identify with any of the six official religions to leave the religion column on their identity cards blank, the Home Affairs Ministry says.

The change is meant to put the country's pluralistic founding principles into practice by offering a solution for people who have often felt marginalized by government policy due to their minority religious affiliations.

"Believers in local religions, for instance, don't have to fill out the religion column on their identity cards if they don't want to. Just leave it empty," Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi said after opening a meeting on electronic identity cards, or e-KTP, in Jakarta on Monday.

Gamawan said he would invite related officials, including Minister of Religious Affairs Suryadharma Ali, to finalize the proposal. The plan, however, will be discussed further with the Ministry of Religious Affairs before being floated to the public.

It is a move that will likely create controversy as militant religious groups mushroom across the archipelago.

The Constitution guarantees Indonesians freedom of religion. However, the government only recognizes six official religions: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism.

The existing law requires that every Indonesian citizen hold an identity card identifying them as one of these six religions. The country also does not recognize agnosticism or atheism.

The government's program to issue an e-KTP to all citizens has been dogged by problems since it was first scheduled to begin in August last year. Delays in getting fingerprinting and retinal scanners to urban ward offices in 197 initial districts and municipalities delayed the launch by several weeks.

The deadline to register all residents of the capital for the cards within the first 100 days of the launch came and went, forcing the Jakarta administration to request a deadline extension to April this year.

Other districts and cities, which had been given until the end of 2011 to register their residents, also had their deadline extended to April.

Gamawan, meanwhile, has delayed the deadline once more. "The old IDs can only be used up to Dec. 31," the minister said. "All citizens must use the e-KTP by January 1, 2013."

Mob hits mosque in latest attack on Ahmadiyah

Jakarta Globe - February 18, 2012

Yuli Krisna & Ulma Haryanto, Cianjur, West Java – A mob of about 50 people attacked and vandalized a mosque on Friday that was being used by the beleaguered Ahmadiyah sect.

West Java Police Chief Martinus Sitompul said the attackers, residents of neighboring Cisaar village, wrecked the roof, broke the windows and generally ransacked the mosque, leaving it in shambles. The attacker, he said, were angry that the Indonesia Ahmadiyah Congregation (JAI) was still using Arrohim Mosque in Cipeuyeum village.

"The people already warned the mosque caretakers about [Ahmadiyah] using it and there was a joint agreement that they could not use the mosque," Martinus said. "But they continued to conduct their activities and Friday prayers there."

Local police are now guarding the crime scene and investigating the incident, he added.

JAI spokesman Firdaus Mubarik said it wasn't the first time something like this had happened in the village. "The mosque in Cipeuyeum was the target of a similar attack last year when its books and carpets were burned by neighboring residents," he said.

Just like last year, Firdaus said, the police knew about the attack before it occurred yet did nothing to prevent it from taking place. "The police warned our congregation on Thursday not to use the mosque for Friday prayers, which means that they knew about it," he said.

Chep Hermawan, chairman of the Islamist Reformist Movement (Garis), which is known to try to persuade Ahmadiyah members to abandon their beliefs for mainstream Islam, said he regretted the violence and denied his group's involvement. "We weren't aware of it, let alone involved in it," he said

Chep speculated that someone was trying to take advantage of the growing calls for the disbandment of the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front (FPI). "This could be intended to taint the FPI's name and the image of Muslim people," he said.

After last year's brutal attack on a group of Ahmadiyah in Cikeusik, Banten, which left six people dead, the Ahmadiyah community in Cianjur voiced fears they would be next.

But Firdaus said he did not believe Friday's attack would lead to a string of bigger incidents. "The momentum is not there. Last year the campaigns against us were massive, from [Religious Affairs Minister] Suryadharma Ali to hard-line organizations actively campaigning for us to be disbanded in different places," he said.

Friday's attack came just days after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that religious harmony was being protected in Indonesia and that Ahmadis were free to worship as they saw fit, as long as they did not offend other Muslims.

Ismail Hasani, a researcher at the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, agreed that while the incident demonstrated the government's continued failure to protect the religious rights of Ahmadis, it probably wouldn't lead to something worse. "The political situation right now is against hard-line organizations," he said.

Embattled Indonesian church heads to Constitutional Court

Jakarta Globe - February 16, 2012

Agus Triyono – Disappointed with the president's vague pledges to "resolve" the plight of GKI Yasmin church, the nation's main Christian organizations have taken the matter to the Constitutional Court.

Andreas Yewangoe, chairman of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI), said on Wednesday that there was deep frustration in the Christian community over the state's failure to make the Bogor administration comply with a Supreme Court order to unseal the church and allow the congregation to worship in peace.

"Last December we reported this matter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the hope that he would admonish the mayor and force him to carry out the ruling, but all we've received are promises," he said at the Constitutional Court.

"Now we're hearing him talk about how he can't personally intervene because of the regional autonomy law, which meant it was the Bogor mayor's business." Andreas said the congregation felt like the president was playing a game of table tennis with them.

Mahfud M.D., the Constitutional Court chief justice, said he was similarly frustrated by the government's inability to force Bogor Mayor Diani Budiarto to comply, but added there was little his institution could do.

"In this context I'm hesitant to say anything new because everyone else – the Supreme Court, the House of Representatives, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah – have already pointed out that the ruling is final and should be obeyed," he said. NU and Muhammadiyah are the country's two biggest Islamic organizations.

Mahfud said he would nevertheless do his best to help the GKI Yasmin community get its message across to the authorities. "Obviously we will take the channels available to us to talk with the parties responsible for this matter," he said, adding that this included the president, the home affairs minister and Diani.

Joining the PGI in reporting the matter to the Constitutional Court were the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) and the Indonesian Communion of Evangelical Churches (PGLII).

Yudhoyono vowed in a nationally televised question and answer session on Monday to resolve the standoff, but gave no concrete recommendations. On Wednesday, in an address before 119 ambassadors to Indonesia, he echoed that pledge and said he was "deeply concerned" about the issue, but stressed that it was up to authorities in Bogor and West Java to find a solution.

[Additional reporting from Suara Pembaruan.]

SBY slammed for his hands-off approach in church saga

Jakarta Post - February 15, 2012

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – Critics have slammed President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for his hands-off approach to the impasse involving the Bogor city administration and the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Taman Yasmin.

During an interview with a number of journalists on Monday evening, Yudhoyono said that he could not directly interfere in the dispute between GKI Taman Yasmin and the city administration as it was beyond his authority,

"I hope the governor and mayor can completely settle the issue," Yudhoyono said when asked about his position. Yudhoyono said that under the regional autonomy law, the dispute should be handled by the local administration.

He also appeared to downplay the issue. "Such an incident has also happened in other places across the country. This issue has gone on for years," he said.

Lawmaker Eva Kusuma Sundari of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said she deeply regretted the President's statement.

"The President has used a false argument to give legitimacy to his decision for not getting involved in the dispute. He has even given the lie to his own words that he would enforce the law above everything," Eva told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

A Supreme Court ruling issued in 2010 stipulated that members of GKI Taman Yasmin had the right to practice their faith in their current location because the court guaranteed the legality of the building.

The National Ombudsman Commission has also issued a recommendation to the Bogor city and West Java provincial administrations to obey the Supreme Court ruling and guarantee the congregation's right to hold services at the church.

Bogor Mayor Diani Budiarto, however, insisted that the GKI Taman Yasmin congregation had illegally built the church because the city administration deemed its building permit invalid.

The dispute began after the city revoked the church's building permit on Feb. 14, 2008, two years after it had been issued.

Early in the dispute, the administration cited complaints from local residents about the church's construction, saying the church would become a hub for proselytizing in the Muslim-majority community.

GKI Taman Yasmin spokesperson Bona Sigalingging said Yudhoyono should have done more rather than only uttering the word "hope". "The President could issue an order to abide by the Supreme Court ruling. If he can only hope, then what's the difference between him and ordinary people," he added.

In the meeting with journalists, Yudhoyono also dismissed suggestions that the US$91.21 million procurement project to buy a Boeing Business Jet 2 as a presidential plane represented wasteful spending.

Yudhoyono said that the public might not receive full disclosure of the procurement project.

"Let me make this clear. I have attended numerous international events such as the G-20, APEC, and ASEAN summits and I witnessed that many countries leaders used presidential planes. Some even used big aircraft such as Boeing 747s. Don't you think they have smaller or propeller planes that they might only use for shorter distances?" Yudhoyono said.

"This aircraft will be ready in August 2013 so it is presidents after myself who will use the plane," he said. Yudhoyono is barred by the Constitution from running for a third term once his second term expires in 2014.

Yudhoyono also clarified a number of allegations, including one which accused some of his family members of benefitting from the government's decision to disburse Rp 6.76 trillion ($747.87 million) to the then-ailing Bank Century.

Last month, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) released the finding from its forensic audit on the Century bailout, which included a disclosure that Yudhoyono's in-law, Hartanto Edhie Wibowo, and his wife, Satya Kumala Sari, had made fictitious foreign exchange transactions worth Rp 1.1 billion.

"The rumor has been circulating that members of my wife's family were involved. My answer is yes, the persons cited by the audit were customers of the bank but it was almost two years before the bank received the bailout money. So they had nothing to do with the alleged wrongdoings surrounding the bailout," Yudhoyono said.

Soon after the event, members of the press also complained about efforts by the Presidential Press Office to stage-manage the question-and-answer session.

Journalists were asked to submit questions two weeks before the interview and during the session only certain journalists were allowed to pose questions.

Points in Yudhoyono's session with journalists

The President admitted he had met with graft defendant Muhammad Nazaruddin prior to the latter's flight to Singapore. He had been furious in the meeting because Nazaruddin, who was implicated in a major corruption case, refused to resign from his post as Democratic Party treasurer.
Corruption was the toughest challenge his administrations had ever faced, but claimed the government had made significant improvement in eradicating corruption.
He said all political parties in Aceh must be involved in the upcoming regional elections in the province to prevent violence and political tension.
He repeated claims that Indonesia had managed to survive while Western countries had suffered from economic turmoil.
He opened up the option to increase subsidized-fuel prices.
He claimed Indonesia's debt-to-GDP ratio was among the world's best, although the amount of the country's foreign debt had continued to rise. - He said he had noted that at least 26 figures had shown an interest in running in the 2014 presidential election, while his Democratic Party had yet to name its candidates.
He claimed there had been no gross human rights violations during his terms in office.
He said he was optimistic that Indonesia could maintain a 6.7 percent economic growth rate this year.

Islamic law & morality

Home affairs ministry questions alcohol ban plan

Jakarta Globe - February 19, 2012

Dessy Sagita – Calls to ban liquor sales in Indonesia may hurt the nation's tourism industry, an official at the Home Affairs Ministry said on Saturday, commenting on the draft bill proposed by the Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP).

Ministry spokesman Reydonnyzar Moenoek said there were considerations to be studied before deciding whether to back the call for a complete ban.

"We should look at the problem thoroughly. Among other things, we must consider the impact of a liquor ban on our tourism industry. Besides, Indonesia is not only inhabited by Muslims," he told the Jakarta Globe.

Reydonnyzar, better known as Donny, cited Bali as region that heavily relied on tourism, particularly foreign tourists. He said any ban would cause more trouble than benefit if it was imposed there.

He added that the 1997 presidential decree regulating the sale and distribution of liquor was more than adequate, and if it was implemented properly it would prevent uncontrolled liquor sales.

"The decree is a very detailed regulation. But we have to admit that law enforcement has not yet fully enforced measures against those who are not supposed to consume alcohol," he said.

Alcohol is classified into three categories: A (with an alcohol content of 5 percent or less), B (above 5 percent to 20 percent) and C (above 20 percent to 55 percent).

National regulations state that the sale of alcohol classified as B and C should be controlled and limited to places such as hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and duty-free shops. Alcohol classified in the A group, such as beer, can be sold anywhere.

Donny said he could understand the PPP's demand for a ban. "As an aspiration, of course, it will be seriously considered and we respect that."

The party announced its desire to propose a new draft bill on the sale of liquor at a recent seminar in Jakarta. Faith-based groups have previously demanded a complete ban on alcohol sales in Indonesia, saying that alcohol is haram, or forbidden, in Islamic teaching.

A standoff between the ministry and some Islamic groups occurred in mid- January when Minister of Home Affairs Gamawan Fauzi asked regions to revise bylaws that limit or ban the sale of alcohol. The groups, however, alleged Gamawan was siding with alcohol producers.

The PPP joined the protests and pledged to draft a bill banning alcohol in retaliation to the ministry's requests to review the regional bylaws.

Prosecutor demands alleged striptease dancers receive 18 months in prison

Antara News - February 17, 2012

Padang – State Prosecutor Zulkardiman demanded that two alleged striptease dancers, SS and NA, receive 18 months in prison on Thursday.

In the indictment read at the Padang High Court, the prosecutor said the suspects violated the law on pornography for dancing nude at Fellas Cafe and Restaurant in September 2011.

During the reading of the indictment, the two suspects, who both wore veils at trial, were not accompanied by their attorneys.

Throughout the trial, the judge also questioned several witnesses, including the Head of the Police Force of Padang, Yadrison, and the owner of Fellas Cafe and Restaurant, Hari, and a number of his staff.

The suspects claimed they were forced to take nude pictures by one of the members of the police force in the cafe before they were arrested. The owner of the restaurant said his cafe has never been a place for nude dancing.

The two suspects were arrested by police on Sept. 26, 2011 and were later freed. However, on Oct. 15, 2011 they were attested by police.

PPP proposes bill to ban the sale of alcohol

Antara News - February 16, 2012

An Islam-based political party has proposed a new draft bill to ban alcohol sales in Indonesia.

"The PPP initiated the draft bill on alcohol because we feel alcohol is not in keeping with Islamic teaching and will ruin the next generation of Indonesians," said United Development Party (PPP) chairman Suryadharma Ali, who is also the Minister of Religious Affairs.

The remarks were delivered as part of his speech at a seminar, titled "The Urgency of the Draft Bill on Alcohol: Save the Next Generation," held in Jakarta on Thursday. The event was also attended by legal expert Jimly Asshiddiqie, head of the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) Slamet Effendy Yusuf, Nahdlatul Ulama cleric Masdar F. Mas'udi and Muhammadiyah cleric Abdul Mu'ti.

Suryadharma said the bill had been drafted because the existing legal framework applying to alcohol, which is based on a 1997 presidential decree, had become invalid after presidential decrees were left out of a hierarchy of types of law set out in the 2011 Law on Regulations and Legislation.

"In that hierarchy there is no longer such a thing as a presidential decree," Suryadharma said.

Despite the minister's assertion, clause 100 of the 2011 Law on Regulations and Legislation clearly states that pre-existing presidential decrees remain valid law until overruled by a new legal product under the revised hierarchy of laws.

The 1997 decree creates three categories for alcoholic drinks: A (with an alcohol content of 5 percent or less), B (5 percent to 20 percent) and C (20 percent to 55 percent).

The law states that the sale of alcohol classified as B and C should be controlled and limited to places such as hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and duty-free shops. Alcohol classified in the A group, such as beer, can be sold anywhere.

Suryadharma said the PPP's 39-year history as an Islamic party meant it had a special interest in putting forward the draft bill. "The PPP has become home to Muslims, so the fight for this bill is very important," he said.

The minister said the recent horrific traffic accident in which a drunk driver killed nine pedestrians near Tugu Tani in Jakarta was evidence of the need for the bill.

He said a survey conducted by the police in Christian-majority North Sulawesi found that alcohol played a role in around 70 percent of crimes and 15 percent of road accidents there.

Religious vigilante groups have been known to take enforcement of alcohol restrictions into their own hands.

Cabinet & the presidency

NGOs threaten to ground SBY's new presidential plane

Jakarta Globe - February 19, 2012

Agus Triyono – The government's $91 million purchase of a new presidential jet has not flown smoothly with a coalition of NGOs, who on Sunday criticized the president and legislature for wasting the nation's money.

With approval from the House of Representatives, the government has ordered a new Boeing 737-800 business jet for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and future presidents. Yudhoyono currently uses a rented plane from flag carrier Garuda Indonesia.

Lambock Nahattands, a spokesman for the state secretary's office, said last week that the new jet arrangement would be safer and save money, since the government would no longer have to pay the rental fees.

But Gunawan, the executive chairman of the Indonesian Human Rights Committee for Social Justice, is not convinced. "What is being saved [with the presidential jet]?" he said on Sunday. "Renting from Garuda Indonesia does not cause any loss to the state because it [Garuda] is a state enterprise, so its income is state revenue."

Benny Dikty Sinaga, a lawyer for the coalition of NGOs, added that flying Garuda was more cost-effective than buying a new jet, because the government would not have to spend money on the plane's maintenance.

"If an airplane is purchased, then that automatically comes with maintenance costs," he said. "Whether it's used or not, the plane must be maintained."

The coalition on Sunday called for a meeting with the president, lawmakers, the state secretary and the finance minister to discuss the jet purchase.

Gunawan said Yudhoyono and the government had seven days to cancel the jet purchase and apologize to the public for making the deal in the first place. If they fail to meet the deadline, he said, the coalition will file a lawsuit against them with the Central Jakarta District Court.

The coalition of NGOs said the jet purchase meant more than just monetary losses for the state treasury. They said the deal also hurt state enterprises and the domestic aviation industry.

The government, they added, is financing the jet purchase through debt, pointing to the results of an audit by the state auditing agency, the BPK, on government finances in 2010.

Earlier this month, the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) also criticized the purchase, saying the jet was too lavish and an unnecessary expenditure for a country with so many millions of people mired in poverty.

Fitra accused the government of failing to make public the fact that $31 million in taxpayer money had been earmarked to outfit the jet's interior and pay for its security system.

In a nod to the plane used by the president of the United States, the new jet will be called "Indonesian Air Force One."

Lambock said the purchase made sense because future presidents would use the jet for decades. It is not scheduled to be ready for use until August 2013.

No 'culture of denial' in Indonesia: SBY to ambassadors

Jakarta Globe - February 16, 2012

Ismira Lutfia – Interreligious strife is just media hype, rights abuses in Papua don't go unpunished and the current anticorruption drive is the most aggressive in the country's history, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told foreign ambassadors on Wednesday.

In his address at the Foreign Ministry to 119 of the 128 ambassadors to Indonesia, the president echoed the same positive sentiments that he aired two days earlier in a tightly controlled, nationally televised question and answer session with journalists.

He assured the ambassadors that on the issue of interreligious conflict, "things aren't as bad as the mass media is reporting."

"In general, religious harmony and national harmony are being well- maintained," Yudhoyono said, going on to distance himself from allegations of double standards in justice. "No [violations] are going unnoticed," he said.

He said that also applied to the persecution of the Ahmadiyah Islamic sect in various regions.

Hard-line Muslims have attacked the minority community, destroyed its mosques, schools and homes, driven them out of villages and killed several Ahmadis in recent years.

In the most brutal attack, which took place last year, three Ahmadis were beaten to death by a mob of more than 1,000. Only a dozen people were convicted, all of whom received sentences of six months or less.

Yudhoyono said that in the case of the Ahmadis, they were free to worship as they saw fit, but only if it did not offend other Muslims. Given that 90 percent of the population is Muslim, he said, the state has a responsibility to step is whenever a different creed was introduced.

"It's the duty of the state to organize and arrange [the new faith] in order to avoid clashes that threaten the social structure," the president said.

On the issue of Papua, where the military have frequently been accused of human-rights violations in trying to quell a low-level separatist movement, Yudhoyono conceded there were rights abuses but insisted they were being swiftly dealt with.

"The guilty will certainly be punished. There is no impunity or culture of denial," he said. "We always follow due legal process because we want to be transparent."

After a brutal crackdown in October on a peaceful protest in Papua that left at least three unarmed civilians dead, the police officers found responsible received written warnings and other administrative sanctions.

Yudhoyono also said that since becoming president, he had changed the government's stance in dealing with the region's problems from a military- based approach to what he termed a community empowerment and development approach.

"In the future, I and the government will work seriously to resolve the problems in Papua," he said. "We will also nurture dialogue with community leaders to listen to their critiques and corrections."

The president also touted his fight against corruption as unprecedented in scale. "We are carrying out the most aggressive anticorruption campaign in Indonesian history," he said.

"In the midst of a frenetic democracy and political uproar, I'm staying focused and not getting sidetracked in running my mandate to achieve strategic development in the coming years."

The political uproar he referred to was the scandal in which his own Democratic Party was mired. The party's former treasurer, Muhammad Nazaruddin, is standing trial for bid-rigging, while a top legislator has been named a suspect in the same case. The party chairman and other officials have also been named as involved in the same scandal.

"I realize there's still a long way to go and much to do before we reach a point where we can feel comfortable [about the progress made]," Yudhoyono said.

Indonesia president says little at stage-managed 'news conference'

Jakarta Globe - February 15, 2012

Arientha Primanita – It was a rare chance, albeit rehearsed, for journalists to ask questions directly of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, but the nationally televised Q&A on Monday night still came off as stilted and emasculated.

Preparations for the event, which was initially scheduled to take place last Friday, began a week earlier when journalists assigned to the State Palace were asked to submit questions they wanted the president to answer.

All of the questions were screened by Julian Aldrin Pasha, the president's spokesman, who asked two journalists to tone down their questions and rejected a query on the controversial Bank Century bailout.

"Please use soft words and don't mention names," he said to one of the reporters. "Don't ask that question," he told another. "The president will address it directly on another occasion, but not tonight."

That the president's answers had been prepared long before journalists could pose them on Monday night was evident when Yudhoyono consulted a bundle of notes after someone asked him a question about national debt.

Stale news

But even with all the screening and preparation, observers noted, Yudhoyono's answers were tepid and lacked any insight.

Ikrar Nusa Bhakti, a political analyst from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), pointed out that when Yudhoyono spoke about the talk he had with Muhammad Nazaruddin shortly before the former Democratic Party treasurer fled the country, he revealed nothing the public did not already know.

Yudhoyono said he asked Nazaruddin to resign due to the corruption allegations against him, but that Nazaruddin, who is now on trial for bid- rigging, refused.

"It's a shame that he didn't go into detail about it, because this is a really important issue that is still unfolding," Ikrar said. "I thought that when Yudhoyono wanted to do the Q&A he was going to address some urgent points that we didn't know about, but it was all just stale news."

Critics were also not satisfied with the president's answer about mounting allegations of human rights abuses by security forces. In his seven years as president, Yudhoyono said, Indonesia has "never experienced any incident of human rights violations that could be considered serious."

That contradicts findings by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) about gross rights abuses in a deadly crackdown on a peaceful protest in Papua last year, as well as indications of violations in a host of clashes over land disputes across the country.

Resolutions, resolutions

Yudhoyono said that in the latter cases, including in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, and Mesuji, Lampung, he was fully committed to resolving all claims of rights violations. "I stress that there will be no leniency and the cases will be resolved," he said. "The government is responding swiftly to prevent future clashes."

His oft-repeated call for a resolution also cropped up in his response to the standoff over the GKI Yasmin church in Bogor that the local administration has continued to seal off in violation of a Supreme Court ruling. "I hope the regional leaders, the mayor and governor, can fully resolve this case," Yudhoyono said. "What's important is that the case is resolved so that it doesn't drag on for years."

The beleaguered church congregation has been forced to hold services, including for Christmas and Easter, on the street or in parishioners' homes since 2008 as a result of the state's illegal seizure of their property.

Yudhoyono said he was committed to ending the dispute "so that Christians, along with Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Confucians and others, can practice their faith in an orderly, calm and peaceful manner."

Sympathy for the FPI

On the issue of banning the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), the notorious hard-line organization known for its intimidation of and attacks on minority groups, the president's answer was just as noncommittal.

"Organizations in Indonesia are allowed to operate on the basis of freedom of speech and freedom of action," he said. "Any organization that violates the laws must face due legal process, with no exceptions."

The FPI has frequently raided stores selling alcoholic drinks and destroyed property as part of its self-professed moral crusade. Its members have rarely faced prosecution for these acts.

Yudhoyono defended the FPI's right to organize, saying he was concerned about a recent development in which members of the indigenous Dayak tribe in Central Kalimantan took over a local airport to block the arrival of FPI members. "Why should others be allowed to carry out their activities while our brothers in the FPI are forbidden?," he said.

He said he discussed the incident with Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi, hoping to determine whether the 1985 Law on Mass Organizations should be amended to prevent that kind of protest. He also called on regional officials to improve security conditions to avoid more "acts of provocation" such as the one against the FPI.

Iberamsjah, a political analyst from the University of Indonesia, said he was disappointed with a lack of meaningful or informative answers from the president. Given the quality of Yudhoyono's responses, Iberamsjah questioned why the president would even need to prepare for the Q&A beforehand.

He said the presence of the full cabinet at the Q&A made the event too formal, saying it could have been more down-to-earth as a gathering simply between Yudhoyono and the journalists.

"Just look at Barack Obama," Iberamsjah said. "At press conferences, he's rarely accompanied by a complete set of ministers because he has high self-confidence."

[Additional reporting by Agus Triyono.]

Legislation & parliament

Nasir quizzed over jail visit with brother Naz

Jakarta Globe - February 15, 2012

Ezra Sihite – The fallout from Muhammad Nasir's controversial late-night visit to his brother in prison continued to grow on Tuesday, with the Democratic Party lawmaker being questioned by the House of Representatives Ethics Council.

It also emerged on Tuesday that he had been transferred from the prestigious House commission that oversees legal affairs to one that handles health and manpower.

After an hour of questioning by the Ethics Council, Nasir reiterated to reporters waiting outside that his late night-visit to Muhammad Nazaruddin last Wednesday was personal. "I visited him as family," Nazarrudin's elder brother said.

The controversial stop, which was made after visiting hours and without the proper permits, has already led to the removal of four Cipinang Prison officials.

Ethics Council member Fahri Hamzah stressed that the council was in the preliminary stages of dealing with Nasir. "We are only verifying facts. We have not yet held a disciplinary hearing," Fahri said.

Ethics Council deputy chairman Siswono Yudo Husodo said that the council would also summon several other people, including Deputy Justice Minister Denny Indrayana and the head of Cipinang Prison.

According to Apung Widadi of Indonesia Corruption Watch, the visit constituted a misuse of authority.

"After we looked into this a little further, we discovered this was not the first time that Nasir had visited Nazarrudin at Cipinang Prison," Apung said. "We are going to hand over to the Ethics Council amateur video footage as proof of breaches of the House code of ethics."

Each of Nasir's visits to Cipinang were conducted outside official visiting hours, Apung said, citing visitor book entries on Dec. 25, 26 and 30 at 7:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. respectively.

There were likely other unrecorded visits, he said. "The meeting on February 8 was not noted in the visitors book. We suspect Nasir often visited Nazarrudin without leaving a record."

On Nasir's removal from Commission III, Sutan Bhatoegana, deputy head of the Democrats in the House, said he couldn't confirm if it was related to the visit, saying only that the decision was made by Jafar Hafsah, the Democratic head in the House.

Legislators complain about snacks at meetings

Jakarta Post - February 15, 2012

Bagus BT Saragih – Members of the House of Representatives are proving their supervisory worth to the public, only this time, their focus is on snacks.

Less than a month after a Rp 20 billion (US$2.21 million) renovation project sparked a public outcry, legislators drew further criticism after some complained about refreshments served at meetings.

"Some say the snacks served at meetings are not varied and are less appetizing. Others say they are unhealthy," said Refrizal, a Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) lawmaker who is also deputy chairman of the House's household affairs committee (BURT), on Tuesday.

He was commenting on the refreshments served to lawmakers at every House meeting. Every lawmaker attending a meeting is usually provided with a small box containing three to four cookies, a slice of fruit and a glass of mineral water.

"I rarely eat them because they can affect my health," House deputy speaker Pramono Anung of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said when asked about the snacks. "Imagine if you eat and then sit through the whole meeting. That is not good because it can increase your weight," he added.

Refrizal said BURT would question the House's Secretariat, which oversees procurement of the snacks. "BURT has approved significant increases in the budget allocation for refreshments, but why has the variety of snacks remained unchanged for years?" Refrizal said.

According to him, the allocation for each box of snacks was Rp 20,000 (US$2.21), higher than Rp 15,000 in 2011 and Rp 7,500 in 2010. "Some friends of mine said the snacks we have these days cost only about Rp 10,000 per box. We need to address this issue since it may involve budget mark-ups," Refrizal added.

National Mandate Party (PAN) member Teguh Juwarno said refreshments for lawmakers should contain more nutrition due to the high load of lawmakers' activities.

"I personally have no problem with the snacks. However, some legislators have come up with the idea of increasing their quality, which is not a bad suggestion," Teguh said.

"We need to hire a nutritionist to assess the quality of our snacks. This is important to prevent lawmakers from having high cholesterol and becoming overweight," he added.

The House is already under public scrutiny after the media revealed its project to renovate the budgetary committee's meeting room, totaling Rp 20 billion. The project included the procurement of German-made chairs worth Rp 20 million each. The renovation was one of six controversial projects quietly approved in 2011.

Spending at the House

1. The Rp 20.3 billion (US$2.26 million) renovation of a House meeting room. The project, which would have renovated an old room into a plush meeting hall for the budget committee, sparked protests from civil society groups as it cost Rp 20.3 billion to furnish the room, with imported chairs costing Rp 9 million per unit, imported carpets and a modern sound system. An anti-bugging device worth Rp 7.8 billion was also to be procured.

2. The Rp 3 billion renovation of the parking lot

3. The Rp 2 billion refurbishment of the toilets

4. The Rp 1.59 billion procurement of fragrance devices

5. The Rp 1.3 billion production of calendars

6. The Rp 4.8 billion procurement of large LED TVs

7. The Rp 3.7 billion fingerprint scanning machine.

[Source: The Jakarta Post]

Communication & transport

Deadly Indonesian bus crashes were no accident

Jakarta Globe - February 17, 2012

Mary Anugrah Rasita – The deaths of at least 44 people in a series of accidents involving buses this year has prompted commuters, operators and analysts to call for a complete rethink of the public transportation system.

At least 11 accidents have been reported since Jan. 1 in Java alone, almost all of which involved multiple fatalities. In the deadliest incident, 14 people were killed when a driver lost control of his bus in the hilly Puncak area of Bogor and slammed into several vehicles and roadside stalls.

Although officials have responded with spot-checks on drivers and their vehicles at bus terminals across the country, not everyone is convinced that the drivers should be held solely responsible for the accidents.

"I would say the problem lies with the lack of a shift system to allow drivers to take a rest during long cross-country journeys," says Agus Mianto, a Jakarta-based security guard who often takes an intercity bus when traveling to his hometown in East Java. Nor is the issue of training a factor, say the drivers.

"All intercity bus drivers get monthly training from our companies, be it for safety assurance or to evaluate our performance," says Asep Tatang, a driver for bus line Prima Jasa.

He says plans to require more training will accomplish little. "No matter how strict they want the training to be, if the driver can't comply with the set standards, it will be a waste in the end," he says.

Breaking even

Another problem that he says needs addressing is the commission system by which drivers are paid. Concerned with the bottom line, they often overload their vehicles – sometimes with fatal consequences.

"I earn just 15 percent of the total amount in fares that I collect on each journey," Asep says. "I can't begin to explain just how disappointing it is when I get just a small number of passengers on a journey. When that happens, what do I stand to earn? You can do the math."

Packing public transportation vehicles to beyond capacity is not just a problem on intercity buses, however. Hotman Sitio, who drives one of Jakarta's notorious Metro Mini buses, says he has to pay Rp 230,000 ($25) a day to the bus's owner, so he packs his vehicle and tries to make as many trips in a day as possible to ensure he can at least break even.

"The transportation industry is deteriorating," he says. "I admit I drive recklessly every day, but that's because I need to get as many passengers as possible. If the system was changed so that drivers got a steady income instead of having to chase a target, I wouldn't drive like that any more. But I don't think that will ever happen."

Hotman says the target system also forces some drivers to ask their friends, in many cases unlicensed, to work extra shifts for them so that they can make more money.

'Wrong core concept'

For the bus owners, however, the main problems are shoddy infrastructure, a dearth of government facilities and the rising cost of vehicles.

Eka Sari Lorena Soerbakti, chairwoman of the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda), contends that if the government is really serious about getting more people to commute on public transportation, it should support the operators by improving roads and facilities such as terminals and bus stops.

"It seems like the government actually prefers that people buy their own cars instead, she says. "Therefore, I assume the core concept of public transportation here has been wrong all along."

She also equates rising bus prices to the "rape of public transportation services." "How are we supposed to revitalize our fleets in the interests of safety if the vehicle prices continue to be increased arbitrarily and we are barred from importing vehicles?" she says.

Bus owners also attribute their high operating costs to unfriendly financing terms. The annual bank interest rate for a car loan is currently around 4.5 percent, while for public transportation vehicles it is 12 percent.

The Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation (YLKI), a nongovernmental group, says the management of the transportation sector needs to be shaken up. "There must be fundamental, radical changes throughout the sector," says Tulus Abadi, the YLKI manager.

Among these changes, he says, is a switch to giving drivers fixed salaries. He also suggests privatizing the issuance of transportation licenses, which he says are often issued to anyone who can pay for them, without background checks or due diligence. "These licenses shouldn't be seen as a cash cow for regional authorities," he says.

Another practice he denounces is the levying of illegal feels on bus and truck drivers by both officials and members of the public to pass through certain areas, a practice known as pungli.

Bad management

Rudi Thehamiharja, an independent transportation analyst, agrees that the bulk of problems lie not with drivers or operators but with transportation officials.

It is the officials, he contends, who must properly enforce the transportation regulations that they have drawn up. "After all, it's the Transportation Ministry that issues permits to operators," he says.

The Transportation Ministry must also carry out a comprehensive audit of the public transportation system and be more diligent about screening operators applying for permit renewal, he says.

Amid the furor over the recent fatalities, the House of Representatives has proposed amending the 2004 Law on Roads. Saleh Husin, from House Commission V, which oversees transportation and infrastructure affairs, said management of roads was "considerably bad," but added that any amendments would have to be kept "in line with the 2009 Traffic Law."

The state's National Consumer Protection Agency (BPKN) insists that most public transportation accidents can be attributed to bad driving and vehicles that are not roadworthy.

It says bus operators must be more selective about the people they hire. A major problem it highlights is that bus drivers often exceed speed limits. Still, the BPKN concedes that the government needs to do more in terms of tightening up its system for issuing operating and driver's licenses.

Mayhem on Indonesia roads: A rundown of crashes

Jan. 1: A Maju Jaya bus from Sumedang to Jakarta plunges into a ravine in Sumedang, West Java, killing 10 people.

Jan. 6: A Restu bus hits a dump truck on the Surabaya-Porong highway in E. Java, killing one.

Jan. 9: A Rajawali bus hits a minivan in Semarang, killing five people.

Jan. 27: A Damri bus hits a woman in Bandung, killing her.

Jan. 30: Reported brake problems on a bus result in a 15-vehicle pileup on the Jagorawi highway. There were no fatalities.

Feb. 3: A Mayasari bus hits a motorcycle in Senen, Jakarta, killing the motorcycle driver.

Feb. 7: A Luragung Jaya bus collides with a container truck, killing three in Indramayu, W. Java.

Feb. 9: A Sumber Kencono bus hits a car and falls off a 30-meter-high embankment into a river in Magetan, East Java, killing two people.

Feb. 10: A Kurnia Bhakti bus from Garut to Jakarta hits several vehicles in Puncak, Bogor, killing 14.

Feb. 12: A tourist bus from Bandung to Cirebon, W. Java, crashes into several other vehicles, killing three people.

Feb. 13: A Mira bus from Surabaya to Yogyakarta hits a tree in Ngawi, East Java, killing four people.

Total fatalities: 44

[Additional reporting by JG/Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Antara.]

Only 11% Jakartans use public transportation: YLKI

Jakarta Post - February 16, 2012

Jakarta – Jakarta residents who use public transportation account for only 11 percent of the total population due to poor management and safety, said Tulus Abadi from the Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation (YLKI).

"[The proportion of Jakarta residents] using public transportation was 38 percent in 2005. But now the percentage has plunged to 11.5 percent," Tulus said on Thursday as quoted by Antara.

He added that people were still reluctant to switch to public transportation as using private cars was still more convenient thanks to heavily subsidized fuel. According to Tulus, 89 percent of subsidized fuel went to private cars.

Tulus added that rampant illegal fees had also put another burden on the public transportation sector. The Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) secretary general Harry Warganegara Harun also highlighted the illegal-fee issue.

Harry cited his association's findings that land transportation businesses shoulder as much as Rp25 trillion (US$2.7 billion) in fees per year. The figure combines those fees imposed by statutory authorities and illegal ones. Illegal fees cost transportation companies up to 25 percent of their revenue. (nad)

Armed forces & defense

Indonesian military signs $325 million Airbus deal

Agence France Presse - February 15, 2012

Singapore – Indonesia on Wednesday signed a $325 million contract with Airbus Military for nine C-295 transport planes to be used for defense, logistical and humanitarian purposes.

The first plane will be sent to the Southeast Asian nation this year, with the remainder scheduled for delivery by 2014.

"This is a proud moment for our country as well as for the Indonesian aerospace industry," said Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, at the signing of the deal at the Singapore Airshow.

"The C-295 provides the ideal capacity to respond to Indonesia's current and future military and humanitarian transport needs," he added.

The model is a medium-sized transport plane which can be configured for different operational purposes such as ground surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue operations. The planes will be used for "a variety of roles including military, logistical, humanitarian and medical evacuation missions," according to a statement.

Yusgiantoro did not rule out future purchases of the C-295, saying other branches of the armed forces were interested in the plane. "The police for instance... are also interested in this. And you know that (the) 295 version that we ordered now is for the Air Force, and probably the army is also interested," he said.

The deal includes a collaboration between state-owned aviation firm PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) and Airbus Military, with Indonesia manufacturing parts for the C-295.

The partnership will allow the Indonesian firm to "grow its aerospace business as a tier-one supplier," said PTDI Chief Executive Budi Santoso. "This will position PTDI on the global aerospace scene and allow us to enhance our skills and workforce," he added.

Indonesia's defense budget totalled $6.39 billion in 2011, ranking second in Southeast Asia behind Singapore.

Judicial & legal system

NGOs bring heat on judges for curtailing ethics code

Jakarta Globe - February 16, 2012

Agus Triyono – The Supreme Court's decision to scrap eight points from the code of ethics for judges has prompted civil society groups to file a formal complaint against the five justices who ruled in the case.

Jamil Mubarok of the Indonesian Transparency Society (MTI) said his group and others had reported the justices to the Judicial Commission (KY) because of indications they had acted unlawfully in making their decision.

"In the 2009 Law on Judicial Powers, it states a judge must recuse him or herself from hearing a case if there is a conflict of interest," he said. "It also says if the judge insists on staying on, then any ruling handed down in the case is null and void and the judge may face disciplinary action."

Jamil said that in addition to the legal complaint, his group was also filing an ethics complaint against the five justices: Paulus Effendi Lotulung, Ahmad Sukardja, Rehngena Purba, Takdir Rahmadi and Supandi.

The Supreme Court announced on Tuesday it had unilaterally discarded eight points from the code of ethics for judges that it had previously drawn up jointly with the Judicial Commission. "They don't apply anymore," the verdict posted on the court's Web site said, referring to the eight points.

A group of attorneys had filed a case review against two articles of the code: those requiring judges to have high discipline and to be professional. But the court ended up annulling eight points that included a requirement for judges not to neglect facts.

The court decided that Article 8 points 1 to 4 and Article 10 points 1 to 4 of the 2011 joint decree on the judges' codes of ethics violated the law on judicial powers. The justices agreed the joint decree had limited the independence of judges by preventing them from freely making rulings.

The Judicial Commission, which has expressed its disappointment with the decision, said on Wednesday that it would investigate the five justices for ethical and legal violations. "We want to stress that while we respect the court's decision, that doesn't mean we will stop doing our job of monitoring the judiciary," said Ibrahim, one of the commissioners.

Tama S. Langkun, an activist with Indonesia Corruption Watch, one of the groups filing the complaint, called for the justices to be investigated immediately and duly punished. The civil society coalition, he added, was considering reporting the five judges to the police for violating the article on recusal.

Speculation has emerged that the controversial scrapping came in response to the KY publicly calling for sanctions against the district court judges handling a murder case for which former anti-graft czar Antasari Azhar was convicted.

The judges allegedly neglected facts presented during the trial, and although the commission recommended they be suspended, the Supreme Court ignored it.

Supreme Court scraps Indonesian judges' code of ethics

Jakarta Globe - February 15, 2012

Agus Triyono & Made Arya Kencana – Potentially further straining tensions between the Supreme Court and the Judicial Commission, the country's top court announced on Tuesday that it had unilaterally discarded a code of ethics for judges on which it had jointly agreed with the commission.

"They don't apply anymore," the verdict posted on the court's Web site said, referring to the code of ethics.

A group of attorneys had filed a review against two articles of the code, those requiring judges to have high discipline and to be professional. But the court ended up annulling eight points that included a requirement for judges not to neglect facts.

The court decided that Article 8 points 1 to 4 and Article 10 points 1 to 4 of the 2011 joint decree on the judges' codes of ethics violated the 2010 law on judges' power and authority. The justices agreed that the joint decree had limited the independence of judges as they could not freely make rulings.

It was not immediately clear, however, what the relation was between requiring judges to have high discipline and professionalism with the possibility of impeding their independence in making rulings.

The Judicial Commission immediately expressed its deep disappointment on the verdict. "We made the code of ethics decree together. Now, they unilaterally annulled it without asking experts' opinions or related parties," commission deputy chief Imam Anshori Saleh said.

Speculation has emerged that the justices were angry after the commission publicly asked for sanctions against the judges handling a murder case implicating former graft czar Antasari Azhar. The judges allegedly neglected facts presented during the trial. The commission demanded the judges be banned from handling cases for six months.

On Monday, the court said it had rejected Antasari's demand for a case review on the grounds that the judges in his trial ignored key evidence and testimony. It was his last avenue of appeal.

Antasari, the former chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), was convicted in 2010 for ordering the murder of businessman Nasrudin Zulkarnaen and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

The rejection was also criticized by Jimly Asshiddiqie, the former Constitutional Court chief justice, who said the trial was "rotten" from the beginning.

The Judicial Commission, which paved the way for the case review with its findings of irregular conduct by the judges in the initial trial, said the ruling was not unexpected, adding that the justice who rejected its recommendation was Harifin Tumpa, the same justice who had rejected Antasari's review demand. Harifin was the Supreme Court chief justice until his retirement last week.

Relations between the court and the commission have remained tense since the latter' establishment in 2005. The Supreme Court has openly said that the commission was a threat to judges' authority, and it has sought and obtained a curb on the commission's powers.

The Constitutional Court has ruled in a case filed by the Supreme Court that the commission could only recommend that the court take actions if it suspected something was wrong with judges. In most cases, the court ignores the recommendations.

The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) slammed the decision to discard the code of ethics, saying it showed the arrogance of justices who lacked any respect for other institutions.

Justice-turned-lawyer Henry P. Panggabean and three of his colleagues had filed the review.

Police & law enforcement

Indonesia police at fault for violence against them: ICG

Jakarta Globe - February 17, 2012

Ulma Haryanto – The slew of clashes between communities and police officers and the apparent increase in public distrust in the law enforcement body are signs of a systemic problem in the National Police, according to a report released by the International Crisis Group on Thursday.

From August 2010 to January 2012, the ICG recorded some 40 mob attacks on police and police stations that were all direct responses to abuse, real or perceived, by the police.

"These incidents are emblematic of a much broader problem; the Indonesian government should stop treating them as isolated incidents," said Jim Della-Giacoma, ICG's Southeast Asia project director.

"They represent a systemic failure that will encourage further deadly violence unless the underlying causes of community hostility are addressed."

The report, titled "Indonesia: The Deadly Cost of Poor Policing," looked closely at three attacks: in Buol, Central Sulawesi, where seven men were shot dead during a mass protest against the death of a teenager in police custody; in Kampar, Riau, where a clan elder was arrested and beaten; and in Bantaeng, South Sulawesi, after one villager died from a police raid.

Aside from destroyed police facilities, the incident in Buol also led to police families fleeing for their safety, prompting a rush of requests for transfers from officers. "Even [a] year later, residents still use it as a reason to violate laws and disobey the police," the report said.

The report also notes that trivial arrests, which are often reported on by national media, frequently occur because police are rewarded for favorable crime statistics. "The more arrests they make, regardless of the severity of the crime, the better they are seen to be doing their job," it says.

The report also concludes that in such cases, police are protecting themselves and not being transparent.

"[Also they] are too quick to shoot, too often with live ammunition," the report continues, adding that accountability for suspected police wrongdoing only occurs in the face of widespread media coverage. "And even then [accountability] is usually partial and unsatisfactory," the report says.

Achmad Sukarsono, an ICG analyst, said the problems could be traced to an ill-conceived national strategy for police reform. "The National Police has always identified police reform with community policing," Achmad said.

The term "community policing" has been around since 1999, Achmad said, which was when the police were formally separated from the military. "There were pilot projects on community policing everywhere," he added.

However, he said, community policing was only formally etched into the police's directives in 2005 by then-police chief Gen. Sutanto.

According to the report, community policing was second only to enforcing justice in the priorities outlined in the 20-year grand strategy (2005- 2025). "By then, community policing had become a fashionable aid program for donors but without clear nationwide direction," the report said.

The directive defined community policing as "an equal partnership between officers and local communities in resolving and overcoming every social problem threatening public security and order."

But, as the report notes, the recent rash of attacks on police stations and personnel are clear evidence that community policing, the focal point of the police reform agenda, is not working.

Last month, Indonesia Police Watch issued a similar warning in response to the sharp increase in attacks on police offices and facilities.

IPW recorded that as many as 65 police offices and facilities were either burned or vandalized by members of the public in 2011, up from 20 such incidents in 2010. IPW chairman Neta S. Pane attributed the blame to arrogance and repressive acts by police officers on field.

In the line of fire: Two years of clashes

According to the International Crisis Group, there have been at least 40 attacks on the police since August 2010. Indonesia Police Watch said that in 2011, 48 police offices, 12 vehicles and five houses were vandalized.

Aug. 31, 2010: Seven people die in a clash between residents of Buol district in Central Sulawesi and Buol Police. The mob attack was spurred by the death of 19-year-old Kasmir Timumun in police custody. By the end of last year, 26 officers had received disciplinary punishments.

Feb. 23, 2011: Two civilians are hit by a stray bullet after a six-hour confrontation between villagers in Kampar, Riau, and police. The siege was triggered by the arrest of a trader on suspicion of illegal gambling, because he was writing numbers on a piece of paper. In fact, he was noting product prices. He was taken away after being beaten.

June 2, 2011: Three civilians are injured and a community leader dies after a police raid in Bantaeng, South Sulawesi, prompting residents to run amok. The Bantaeng district head steps in to prevent further clashes. No one is ever charged for the violence.

Nov. 24, 2011: More than 10,000 workers march in Batam to demand a wage increase. As they walk through industrial zones, they reportedly start torching police cars and smashing windows.

Dec. 26, 2011: A mob vandalizes the Lembor Police office in East Nusa Tenggara after a man died in police custody, allegedly after being tortured.

Analysis & opinion

The informal sector and women's poverty

Jakarta Post - February 17, 2012

Razali Ritonga, Jakarta – The labor protests over minimum wage demands that recently occurred in some parts of Indonesia should have been anticipated by the government.

The demonstrations revealed that the minimum wage was far from sufficient to ensure workers' survival. Even in Jakarta, the minimum wage for 2012 remains below the income of people living in poverty, especially for workers who support a family of five or more.

The minimum wage in Jakarta for 2012 is set at Rp 1,529,150 (US$170) per month, or an average of Rp 305,830 per each household member. So, if only the breadwinner of a family of five works, all family members would be categorized as poor given the government's poverty line benchmark of Rp 355,480 set in 2011.

The minimum spending to separate the poor from the non-poor for 2012 has not been calculated yet, but the figure is expected to increase from the 2011 mark.

The severity of poverty among formal workers is only part of the sad story of the labor sector in Indonesia. In fact, workers in the informal sector, whose number is double the formal sector workforce, endure even worse conditions.

The majority of workers employed in the informal sector are women. They mostly work as housemaids or helpers in family businesses.

Workers in the informal sector receive wages that are usually determined by employers or agreed upon by the employers and workers. Unfortunately, the wage amount is usually far below the minimum wage set by the provinces. In many cases the wage is eventually determined by additional factors, such as food and shelter shared with the owners.

Up to now, workers in the informal sector have never been involved in talks on minimum wages, partly because they don't have unions. As we know, the minimum wage is decided by employers, labor unions and the government.

Low wages among women working in the informal sector can put this country at risk as a huge number of people cannot afford to meet their basic needs – especially food and shelter.

It is not surprising that the quality of life for so many women in this country is considered poor, as evident in the high maternal mortality rate, which stands at 228 per 100,000 live births.

It is believed that the poor quality of life among women contributes significantly to Indonesia's low ranking on the Human Development Index (HDI) and Gender Development Index (GDI).

In 2008, for example, the value of Indonesia's GDI was 66.38, while its HDI was 71.76 (Statistics Indonesia, 2009). From those figures, it is clear that the quality of life for women is below that of the quality of life for men.

Based on the United Nations Development Program HDI report issued in 2011, Indonesia ranks 124 among 187 countries surveyed across the world. Indonesia's HDI ranking is lower than its ASEAN neighbors of Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.

The low quality of life for women could result in serious problems for the country's future generations. The child of a poor mother will generally be more vulnerable to diseases and other health problems due to poverty.

In fact, Indonesia has a high neonatum mortality rate (under one month), infant mortality (aged under one year), and child mortality (under five years of age).

Demography and Health Surveys conducted in 2007 reported that Indonesia's neonatum mortality rate was 19 per 1,000 live births, the infant mortality rate was 34 and the child mortality rate was 44.

The high child mortality rates are presumed to have something to do with women workers, especially those in the informal sector. In addition to their low income, women workers often do not have enough time to visit health centers during their pregnancy.

This phenomenon should inspire the government to establish better policies to improve wages for workers in the informal sector – particularly female workers.

There are two alternative policies that could help the government deal with such problems. First, the government could include the informal sector in the minimum wage policy.

Second, the government could promote the informal sector as part of the formal sector. For this second option, the government should ease regulations to set up formal businesses.

[The writer is director of population and labor force statistics at the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). The opinions expressed are his own.]

Nazaruddin's Pandora's box

Jakarta Post Editorial - February 16, 2012

The money laundering charges slapped on Monday by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Muhammad Nazaruddin, fondly known as Nazar, a former House member and Democratic Party treasurer, could become a breakthrough in uncovering the string of corruption related to the construction of the US$21.3 million athletes' village in the South Sumatra capital of Palembang and many other government projects.

As a money-laundering suspect, Nazaruddin, who is currently on trial on charges of corruption related to the athletes' village, is required to reveal the sources of the Rp 300 billion ($33.33 million) his companies spent on buying 485 million Garuda Indonesia shares during the national flag carrier's initial public offering early last year.

Nazaruddin cannot simply claim that the Rp 300 billion was derived from the five companies – members of his business conglomerate, the Permai Group – that made the share purchases.

He has to prove with legal documents such as audited financial reports and tax returns that the money really derived from the five companies. To put it simply, this case could open up Nazaruddin's Pandora's box.

Money-laundering suspects cannot fake documents relating to business deals, financial reports and inheritance to prove the legitimacy of their money. That is the beauty of the 2002 anti-money laundering law which was amended in 2010. The burden of proof lies squarely on the suspect or defendant.

The 2010 amendments, among other things, authorize the KPK to investigate and build up money-laundering cases if the predicate crime (the crime from which the laundered money is derived) is corruption.

Many officials previously suspected of money laundering shamelessly claimed that the money that flowed through their bank accounts was the proceeds of the business deals of their wives, husbands or family members or the sales of inherited properties. And they often simply escaped the hands of the anti-money-laundering law because police investigators did not check the suspects' claims against their annual tax returns and other business transactions.

Many corruption cases have been discarded in ordinary district courts (not in the Corruption Court) due to the inability of police or public prosecutors to produce witnesses or legal documents to support the charges. As corruption mostly involves cash transactions, finding adequate evidence is often extremely difficult.

But such acquittals would unlikely occur in money-laundering cases, especially those handled by the KPK and the Corruption Court. This graft buster, we think, is not as technically incompetent or corrupt as the police or the Attorney General's office are in investigating and prosecuting money-laundering cases.

Moreover, Nazaruddin's former financial executives Yulianis and Oktarina Furi had testified in earlier court hearings of other defendants in the athletes' village corruption case that five of Nazaruddin's business groups spent Rp 300 billion on buying Garuda shares through Mandiri Securities.

The witnesses said the money was derived from the fees (rent) the five companies received from government projects.

We believe that if the police, Attorney General's Office and the KPK are all serious in enforcing the anti-money laundering law, this legislation could serve as the nutcracker in uncovering complex white-collar crimes.

The more effective would be the anti-money laundering law because it is now supported by the 2011 law on fund transfers which makes financial transfers much more transparent.