Malang/Jakarta – President Joko Widodo's plan to visit Papua for Christmas has been labeled the "worst Christmas present" by a group of students protesting about the shooting of five young civilians in the province earlier this month.

Joko is facing mounting calls from Papuans to abandon his plan to celebrate Christmas in the troubled eastern province, after security forces opened fire on about 800 peaceful demonstrators, including women and children, in the town of Enarotali in Paniai district earlier this month.

Five protesters were killed and at least 17 others – including elementary school students – were injured, according to a report from Human Rights Watch.

But Joko is sticking steadfast to his plan, despite calls from prominent Papuan church leaders to stay in Jakarta due to his muted response to one the worst acts of state violence in years.

Yustus Yekusamon, a coordinator of Friday's protest in Malang, East Java, said the group "rejected" Joko's planned visit. "This is the worst Christmas present from Jokowi's regime," Yustus told tempo.co, referring to Joko by his nickname.

Yustus, who was joined by about 30 other students, said military actions in Papua had lead to the deaths of many Papuans. The group demanded Indonesia withdraw military and police forces from the region.

There have been prolonged tensions between Papuan civilians and security forces in the restive province since Indonesia annexed Papua in 1969. Indonesia has a strong and increasing military presence Papua and West Papua to counter a long-simmering independence movement. Christmas is 'haram'

Meanwhile, Joko's plan to celebrate Christmas has also come under fire from hard-line Muslim group the Islamic Defenders Front, or FPI. The group, which is known for violent rallies and raids on commercial establishments, says the president should not congratulate Christians at Christmas.

"It's haram for Muslims to congratulate those celebrating Christmas. And President Jokowi is not an exception," Misbahul Anam, chairman of the FPI Consultative Assembly, told Tempo.co on Friday.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/protesters-demand-joko-cancel-papua-christmas-celebration/

Jokowi heading to Papua for Christmas

Jakarta Post - December 19, 2014

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is slated to go to Papua to celebrate Christmas this year and also plans to meet local residents to hear their aspirations on various issues.

Jokowi is pressing ahead with his plan to attend the festivities in the province, despite calls from a number of church leaders in Papua for Jokowi to cancel his plan, as an expression of disappointment over the government's slow response to the recent shooting incident in Enarotali, Paniai, in which five civilians were killed.

Jokowi held a meeting with National Christmas Celebration organizing committee head Yohana Susana Yembise, who is also the women's empowerment and child protection minister, as well as other officials at the Presidential Palace on Thursday to discuss preparations for the event.

Jokowi is scheduled to arrive in Jayapura on Dec. 27 and will give a speech to open the Christmas celebration in Papua Bangkit Square at Sentani Airport, Jayapura regency, Papua.

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno said local police and military personnel would ensure security during the event, while Yohana said Jayapura was a safe place, far from where the Paniai incident had occurred. She added that rejections to Jokowi's visit "came merely from a small group of people".

"Other than the celebration, [Jokowi] wants to sit with the Papuan people and discuss what they want Jokowi to do for their welfare," said Yohana on Thursday.

Yohana was in Papua early this week to monitor the Christmas event preparation in Papua Bangkit Square.

National Police chief Gen. Sutarman added that sending a message to the Papuan people that the province was safe was required to ensure better development there.

Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto revealed that Jokowi would also do blusukan (impromptu visits) to hear the voices of local residents during his two-night trip to the province.

The planned areas for blusukan are being finalized, as is the question of whether the President will visit conflict-prone areas in the province. "The President is willing to go to the areas where people need to be heard," Andi said.

On Thursday night, human rights activists held a solidarity event for the Paniai incident at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, citing the absence of a state response to the incident, which occurred when police opened fire on protesters in Enarotali, Paniai, on Dec. 8.

Andi said Jokowi and the government had refrained from hasty assessments or statements pending an ongoing investigation by a joint team led by Tedjo's office.

"The President asked [us] to investigate the case thoroughly. He also wanted to make a public statement [after] there is clarity about what really occurred there and what needs to be addressed," Andi said, adding that Jokowi was also willing to hear any findings from independent investigation teams, including those led by the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) and a Papuan synod.

Andi expected clearer developments to be reported to the President next week, and that Jokowi could then address the matter, reducing the possibility of the violence recurring.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/19/jokowi-heading-papua-christmas.html

Malang students protest President Widodo's Papua Christmas visit

VIVA News - December 19, 2014

Mohammad Arief Hidayat, D.A. Pitaloka, Malang – As many as 30 Papuan students from the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) in the East Java city of Malang held a protest action in front of the Malang Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) on Friday December 19.

The protesters were opposing a planned visit to Papua by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to celebrate Christmas on December 27. This opposition follows the brutal actions by the military in Paniai regency on December 8 that resulted in the fatal shooting of civilians.

"We resolutely rejected Jokowi's visit to the land of Papua. This (the December 8 riot) was the Jokowi regime's worst Christmas gift", said action coordinator Yustus Yekusamon.

The students called on President Widodo to give the Papuan people the freedom to determine their own future. They also called for the withdrawal of the Indonesian military and police from Papua.

The demands were conveyed following the tragic and brutal actions by the military in Paniai that killed eight people and injured 13 others. "Many military actions have resulted in deaths. This is a reminder of the theft of our rights to be free to determine our own future", he said.

During the action they cited several human rights violations by the military since 1961 such as the murder of Papua national figure Arnold Clemens in 1984 and Thomas Wanggai in 1996.

Indeed Papua Presidium Council chairperson Theys Hiyo Eluay, was also murdered in 2001. There was also the shooting of West Papua National Committee (KNPB) military commissariat coordinator Hubertus Mabel in 2012. The group also opposed transmigration to Papua.

The action by the students was held to commemorate the Trikora that was declared by founding President Sukarno at the North Yogyakarta Square on December 19, 1961. This was despite the fact, they said, that Papua established the State of West Papua on December 1, 1961. Sukarno viewed the new country as a [Dutch] puppet state.

The protesters also demanded an end to all exploitation of natural resources in Papua such as the Freeport-McMoRan gold and copper mine and the Tangguh liquefied natural gas field in Bintuni and Santa Fe in Sorong. The students said that the exploitation of these natural resources was a crime against the Papuan people.

During the action the protesters sang the song Bintang Kejora (Morning Star). Several students also brought bags with pictures of the Morning Star flag on them. The action was monitored by police and Indonesian military officers who watched over the action until it was finished. (ase)

Notes

Trikora – After the Dutch announced the formation of a Nieuw Guinea Raad on April 1961, with the intention of creating an independent Papuan state, Indonesia's founding President Sukarno declared military confrontation in his Tri Komando Rakjat (TRIKORA, Triple Commands of the People) speech in Yogyakarta on December 19, 1961.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "Mahasiswa Papua Demo Tolak Kedatangan Jokowi".]

Source: http://nasional.news.viva.co.id/news/read/570353-mahasiswa-papua-demo-tolak-kedatangan-jokowi

Students in Yogyakarta oppose sending military reinforcements to Papua

Tribune News - December 19, 2014

Yogya – Papua students from the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta held a protest action to commemorate Trikora at the zero kilometre point intersection in front of the central post office on the afternoon of Friday December 19.

The action disrupted the flow of traffic in the area. Earlier, the protesters held a long march from Jl. Kusumanegara to the zero kilometre point.

Currently they are giving speeches and have formed a circle in the centre of the intersection. "Withdraw TNI [Indonesian military] from the Land of Papua! Investigate the human rights violations that have occurred in Papua", said one of the speakers.

The protesters also brought a variety of banners with messages such as, "Reject the integration of Papua through the 1969 Pepera" and "Reject the deployment of the TNI to Papua".

Notes

1. Trikora – After the Dutch announced the formation of a Nieuw Guinea Raad on April 1961, with the intention of creating an independent Papuan state, Indonesia's founding President Sukarno declared military confrontation in his Tri Komando Rakjat (TRIKORA, Triple Commands of the People) speech in Yogyakarta on December 19, 1961.

2. Pepera – The so-called "Act of Free Choice", the 1969 UN sponsored referendum that saw 1,025 hand-picked delegates vote in favor of West Papua's integration with Indonesia.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "Mahasiswa Papua di Yogja Tolak Pengiriman TNI".]

Source: http://www.tribunnews.com/regional/2014/12/19/mahasiswa-papua-di-yogja-tolak-pengiriman-tni

Persistent Islamisation in Papua

Cross Map - December 18, 2014

Christian children in Indonesia's most easterly province are bearing the brunt of a multi-faceted Islamisation programme that is changing the character of the formerly Christian-majority region.

Papuan children are being trafficked to Islamic boarding schools in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, forming part of a growing trend of Islamisation in this politically-disputed region. Government-sponsored transmigration has also diluted the indigenous Christian population so that census figures now reveal they no longer constitute a majority

Impoverished children are enticed away from their families with the promise of a good education, impossible to refuse. Unaware that the educational institutions in which they are placed focus mainly on learning from the Quran, children (possibly thousands) have left Papua over the past decade or so, according to reports.

But these re-educated children are not the only tactic adopted to Islamise the region that the Indonesian military occupied in 1963. Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population in the world, although the Papua province was mainly Christian until recent years. Through the government's long-term transmigration programme, millions of Indonesians have moved from Islamic regions of the country, such as Java and South Sulawesi to reside in Papua, finding employment in the lucrative oil, metal and forestry industries there.

Papua is rich in oil, copper and gold, but poverty and undernourishment plague the region, with 32% of the population living below the poverty line, compared with the national average of 12.5%. The illiteracy rate for women is high, at 64%. The indigenous Melanesian population is mostly Christian, and live in remote and inaccessible parts of the province. By contrast, most of the businesses are Islamic and almost all government officials, including the police and army, are also Muslim.

Government medical care is largely neglected, with no government doctors in Wamena or Sorong, even though Sorong is the region's second largest city. Instead, large numbers of the local population are converting to Islam because of the food and medical care offered by Islamic charities. The provision of aid, jobs, schooling, food and housing has encouraged many local Papuans to convert to Islam. Islam's tolerance of polygamy has also made the religion attractive to Papuans. Although polygamy is widely practised in Papuan culture, Papuan churches strongly advocate against it.

The growing Islamic influence has become particularly noticeable in the last few years. The loudspeakers of mosques are in action almost every hour throughout the day and night, instead of just calling Muslims to prayer five times a day. A recent visitor to Sorong described how the mosques took turns to broadcast, so that there was barely a few minutes of silence in 24 hours.

Missionaries who work in the area have witnessed a remarkable spread of Islam in recent years. A Barnabas Aid partner reports that there is little or no missionary or NGO activity in Raja Ampat, West Papua, and the local church is struggling.

The 2010 census showed that Papuans now form a minority, at 49% of the total Papua population. Unofficial estimates claim that Muslim migrants now constitute up to 60% of the population, with the mainly Christian indigenous Papuans now making up only 40% of the total population. Papua province comprises of Papua and West Papua and make up the western part of the island of New Guinea, formally annexed to Indonesia in 1969. Previously known as Irian Barat and then Irian Jaya, Papua province was split into West Irian Jaya and Papua in 2003, and West Irian Jaya became West Papua in 2007.

Ever since the Dutch colonial rulers ceded the territory to Indonesia, there has been strong opposition to Indonesian rule and many Papuans want independence. Some reports say that up to 500,000 Papuans have been killed in their struggle for self-determination, and many have joined the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM). West Papua is the most heavily militarised region in the country.

Although indigenous Papuans have Melanesian roots, sharing many cultural and ethnic aspects of the indigenous peoples of Papua New Guinea, the eastern half of the island, the two halves of the island had different colonial rulers and this, analysts say, together with other factors has set the Indonesian Papuans apart from their ancient neighbours.

[Originally posted at Barnabas Aid.]

Source: http://www.crossmap.com/news/persistent-islamisation-in-papua-14912

Military plans for Papua a worry

Radio New Zealand International - December 18, 2014

The head of the newly formed United Liberation Movement for West Papua says the nature of Indonesia's deployment of security forces to the Papua region indicates it s a war zone.

Octo Mote says current killings and human rights abuses in Papua region indicate that Indonesia still takes a hardline militaristic approach to daily issues there.

Indonesia s new president, Widodo, is facing criticism for various national defence appointments of former or current generals with links to atrocities. Mr Mote says the allocation of so many generals to command positions in Papua is out of proportion to its small population.

"This is the island where you get the most of Indonesian generals will be based. Because two major generals for the commander of the armed forces and police; and then two other brigadier generals for chief of staff police and military; and then you have a brigadier general who leads the battalions."

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/262053/military-plans-for-papua-a-worry

Papua powerless against Jakarta

Radio New Zealand International - December 18, 2014

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua secretary-general says the Governors of West Papua and Papua provinces have no political power when it comes to facing Indonesia's government.

Octo Mote says the two governors' political impotence continues to be evident in the face of moves by figures in Jakarta to create new regencies and provinces out of the existing Papua region.

"Publicly the Papua provincial governor Lucas Enembe is opposing this – publicly in media so many times. But still Jakarta even now is thinking of revoking the special autonomy packages in order for them to force the creation of these new provinces."

Octo Mote says Jakarta is still not consulting enough with Papuans about its plans for their homeland. He says Indonesian plans to create new provinces are further divide-and-rule tactics for Papua.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/262110/papua-powerless-against-jakarta

Human rights chair has 'deep concerns' about police abuses in Papua

ABC Radio Australia - December 18, 2014

The chair of the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights has blamed police abuses in Papua province on the failure of the force to "adapt" to a democratic Indonesia.

Dr Hafid Abbas said he is "deeply concerned" by reports of police using excessive force in the troubled province, which has a long history of violent civil unrest, and he has raised his concerns with new president, Joko Widodo.

Five people died from gunshot wounds after a clash on December 8 between security forces and protestors in the Papuan town of Enarotali. Police and military personnel fired live ammunition at about 800 demonstrators, including women and children, according to Human Rights Watch.

Meanwhile, a report this week by Kontras, an Indonesian rights NGO, found that 27 of the 67 human rights violations reported in Papua this year were committed by police.

"That's my deep concern – the excessive force by the police," Dr Abbas told the ABC's Pacific Beat program.

"The police [spent] 30 years under [former president and dictator] Suharto, 32 years under the military system. The separation of military and police was made just over a decade ago, so it's in transition.

"The mindset of the police has not comprehensively moved from the old system, the old paradigm, the old habits to the new one. Indonesia now is a new Indonesia. We have democratised our system. We transformed our system from an authoritarian regime to democracy. The police have not yet fully recovered and have not fully adapted to the new Indonesia."

Province faced decade-long insurgency

Under Suharto's rule from 1965 to 1998, the country's armed forces committed numerous human rights abuses in the provinces of Aceh and Papua, as well as in East Timor.

A separatist insurgency has been waged for decades in Papua, Indonesia's eastern-most island and home to one of the world's biggest copper mines.

President Widodo, who visited Papua during his election campaign, has pledged to deliver more equitable growth to the province, where most people live in poverty.

"We cannot create security without development, because people need hospitals, people need electricity, need water, need transportation," Dr Abbas said. He said he shared his concerns with the president before the violence last week.

"We discussed the need to reform the police and I had the very strong impression from the new president, the new administration, there's quite a strong commitment," Dr Abbas said.

"There should not be any violence. There should be appropriate justice. We need to solve the existing human rights and the past human rights cases in Papua."

President Widodo plans to visit the province next week to celebrate Christmas with the Papuan people, according to the Jakarta Post, despite calls from local church leaders for him to cancel because of the recent violence.

Source: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2014-12-18/human-rights-chair-has-deep-concerns-about-police-abuses-in-indonesias-papua-province/1400125

Papua rights group says shooting shows impunity

Radio New Zealand International - December 17, 2014

A New Zealand human rights activist says there is blanket impunity for Indonesia's police and no one in a position of responsibility has ever been held to account for abuses in West Papua.

Maire Leadbeater was at a rally in Auckland today, responding to the shooting death of five school students in Papua on December the 8th.

She says they were participating in a peaceful demonstration following an alleged act of police brutality the previous day in Papua. Ms Leadbeater says the students were dressed in school uniform and were peaceful.

"They were doing nothing more than simply dancing a traditional dance. Quite a large group, you know there was quite a lot of feeling and anger in the group but it was very peaceful. So they were gathering to protest at what they saw as police brutality and the police reponse to that was more brutality and in fact shocking killings."

Maire Leadbeater says President Widodo must tackle the problem or there will be no progress in Papua.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/262043/papua-rights-group-says-shooting-shows-impunity

Komnas HAM to review Munir's murder case

Jakarta Post - December 16, 2014

Hasyim Widhiarto, Jakarta – Following the public outcry over the recent release of Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, the convicted murderer of prominent rights campaigner Munir Said Thalib, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has set up its own legal team to assess whether the assassination can be classified as crime against humanity.

The team, which comprises Komnas HAM commissioner Roichatul Aswidah, Solidarity Action Committee for Munir (KASUM) chairman Choirul Anam, lawyer Lamria Siagian and a member of the now-defunct fact-finding team for the Munir case, Hendardi, was established on Dec. 12 and will work for up to three months to assess the case by, among other things, reviewing court documents and collecting information from witnesses and other relevant sources.

"Should the team be able to prove that the murder met all the criteria for a crime against humanity, then it will recommend Komnas HAM to carry out a pro-justicia investigation into the case," Hendardi said on Monday in a press conference.

The 2000 law on human rights court classifies gross human rights violations into two forms: genocide and crimes against humanity, which it defines as a systematic and widespread attack on civilians that includes annihilation, apartheid, ethnicity, forced disappearances, forced prostitution, limitations on physical freedom, murder, rape, slavery, torture and widespread abuse based on ideology.

Roichatul said the team, for instance, would focus on probing whether Munir's assassination had been facilitated by "certain state institutions and using state resources. The settlement of the [Munir] case will be important to prevent it from happening again to human rights defenders in the country," she said.

Munir, who was a prominent human rights campaigner, was killed on Sept. 7, 2004 during a flight to the Netherlands. He died from arsenic poisoning.

Pollycarpus, a former pilot with state-flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, was sentenced in December 2005 to 14 years in prison by judges at the Central Jakarta District Court for putting arsenic in Munir's tea at Singapore's Changi airport, where Munir was en route to Amsterdam.

The Supreme Court increased Pollycarpus' sentence to 20 years in 2008 after he failed to win a case review. In 2013, it was cut to 14 years.

Despite Pollycarpus' sentence, the architect behind the murder has remained at large following the controversial acquittal of former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy chief Muchdi Purwopranjono, who was once charged with masterminding Munir's murder.

In 2009, Muchdi was acquitted by the South Jakarta District Court due to lack of evidence and because key witnesses who had initially made statements against him recanted their accounts.

The link between Muchdi and Pollycarpus was revealed following evidence presented at Muchdi's trial, showing that the two men had made more than 40 calls to each other. Some of the calls were made on a private number, while the remainder were made from BIN telephone numbers.

A government-sanctioned fact-finding team also reported that Muchdi- Pollycarpus telephone conversations, highlighting that Pollycarpus had on several occasions rung a BIN telephone number, using direct inward dialing (DID), which could only be accessed with the permission of the owner, Muchdi.

Last month, Pollycarpus was released on parole signed by Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly after the former accumulating a large number of sentence-remissions during his imprisonment. The decision was quickly lambasted by human rights campaigners who have been seeking justice for Munir and other unresolved human rights abuses in the country.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/16/komnas-ham-review-munir-s-murder-case.html

Problems grow in Papua for Jokowi

Asia Sentinel - December 15, 2014

Warren Doull – The recent massacre in Paniai, Papua has moved Indonesia further away from a 'Papua Solution.' Five protesters were killed when a combined force of Indonesian police and military opened fire on unarmed demonstrators on Dec. 8.

There are fears that the Jokowi government is emulating the same approach to the military that his party chief, former president Megawati, adopted in 2001-2004. In any case, Jokowi faces a series of dangerous scenarios, with a military that in the past was not above murdering its detractors.

The Megawati approach involves treating military hardliners like spoiled children because they can create huge problems if a civilian president tries to assert authority over them. But giving the military a free reign also has its share of problems.

First, to wipe this latest massacre from the national consciousness will require further dehumanizing of Papuans by the national media. Also, to wipe this latest massacre from the international agenda will require further lies by security forces about rogue elements and commitment to human rights. And these efforts will do nothing to alleviate conflict in Papua.

Giving a free reign to the military will almost certainly lead to heightened conflict in Papua. This heightened conflict may actually be what military hardliners desire, as Papua offers commanders opportunities for private fund-raising and fast-tracked promotion. New Defense Minister Ryacudu plans to add a second territorial command unit in Papua, a step which will further alienate Papuans. Heightened conflict may be good for the military but it is not good for Indonesia.

The new Jokowi government needs to walk a tightrope between the whimsical approaches by former presidents Habibie and Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) that led the military to undermine them from 1999 to 2001, and the "free reign" approach by Megawati that exacerbated problems in Aceh and Papua from 2001 to 2004.

Habibie's presidency was undermined by the military's attempts to intimidate voters ahead of the East Timor referendum in 1999, and by the military's subsequent campaign of arson, murder and looting carried out in front of the world's media. This military backlash occurred even though Habibie had gained agreement from key generals like Wiranto and Feisal Tanjung in the days before he offered a referendum. Jokowi will need to remember that a yes from the military doesn't always mean a yes.

Indonesia's second president, Gus Dur, was impeached by Indonesia's parliament in 2001. This crisis grew from Gus Dur's increasingly divisive leadership style and from the World Bank's decision, after he ignored their policy advice, to delay and downsize loans that could have reinvigorated Indonesia's ailing economy.

However, the crisis also grew from the military's efforts to undermine their new president. Their anger was fed by Wahid's decisions to apologize for Indonesian atrocities in East Timor, dismiss the powerful General Wiranto from his cabinet, allow Papuans to change the name of their province from Irian Jaya to "Papua Barat" (West Papua), and to promote reformist General Agus Wirahadikusuma to head the military's elite Strategic Reserves, the KOSTRAD. Wirahadikusuma angered hardliners by advocating a withdrawal of the military from politics and by quickly finding a KOSTRAD-controlled account where Rp189 billion (then equivalent to US$22 million) had gone missing.

The military took numerous steps to undermine the democratically elected Gus Dur. When the President dismissed General Wiranto from his Cabinet, a Wiranto ally, Lieutenant General Djaja Suparman publicly complained that "this step could hurt the heart of the [military] and provoke them to "do something" about it". Subsequently, in May 2000, boatloads of Laskar jihad forces totaling some 3,000 fighters were allowed to sail from Surabaya to Ambon against Gus Dur's express orders. Upon reaching Ambon, they were apparently armed by the local military command so they could escalate the conflict.

By August 2000, the military had successfully ousted Agus Wirahadikusuma from the senior military position that Gus Dur had given him just four months earlier. By mid- 2001, Vice President Megawati had all but abandoned Gus Dur and was moving closer to military hard-liners. With Gus Dur's impeachment looming, the reform movement lost momentum. On July 3 2001, a key reformist, newly appointed High Court Judge Baharuddin Lopa, died in mysterious circumstances while overseas. Then a few weeks after Gus Dur was impeached, the 49-year old Wirahadikusuma died in his home in equally mysterious circumstances. The military did not deem his death suspicious enough to warrant an autopsy.

Out of fear or gratitude, Megawati appointed hardliners Endriartono Sutarto and Ryamizard Ryacandu to lead the military, hardliner Hendropriyono to lead Indonesia's intelligence services and numerous other retired generals to Cabinet positions. If the constellation of Megawati, Ryacandu and Hendropriyono in late 2001 sounds familiar, it's because this same constellation now plays an integral role as advisers to President Jokowi.

Given the way she came to power in 2001, Megawati was in no position to assert authority over the military, even if she had wanted to. She did maintain a moderately pro-reform general from the Gus Dur cabinet, Susilo Bambang Yudoyono, but the key role of Defence Minister went to a civilian politician, Matori Abdul Djali, who did not even have power within his own political party, PKS. She did also sign off on a Special Autonomy package for Aceh and Papua in August 2001, but this package had already been designed and passed through parliament during Gus Dur's presidency.

The rise of Ryacandu and Hendropriyono brought an end to military reform and an end to meaningful dialogue in Papua and Aceh. In November 2001, Papuan independence statesman Theys Eluays was assassinated. The seven Kopassus (special forces) soldiers later convicted of strangling the unarmed 64-year old politician to death were praised as national heroes by Ryacudu.

In February 2002, military hardliners established a new Territorial Military Command in Aceh. Between April 2001 and mid-2002, the number of police in Aceh was reduced by about 8,000, but the number of military personnel was increased by about 9,000. Though peace talks were conducted throughout 2002, the conflict raged unabated in Aceh. In August 2002, when cabinet member Yudoyono announced that dialogue was continuing, Army Chief of Staff Ryacudu retorted, "Dialogue for a thousand years hasn't brought results" and "Fundamentally, there is no dialogue."

In May 2003, the military were given a presidential decree to impose martial law in Aceh, including vetting the movement of journalists. Unfortunately, as the civilian body count in Aceh went up, so too did Acehnese support for the independence movement. Does this sound like Papua during the Jokowi Presidency?

Approaching the end of Megawati's presidency, her intelligence agency had grown tired of pro-democracy activists. The best known pro-democracy activist of the period, Munir, was assassinated in September 2004. Hendropriyono admitted in 2014 that his agency had carried out the murder, though neither Hendropriyono nor his deputy were ever charged. Megawati's Defense Minister at the time, the civilian Matori Abdul Djali, may have been able to shed some light on the Munir assassination or other hardliner tactics in the Magawati era, but Matori himself was murdered in 2007.

President Jokowi can also learn lessons from the Aceh peace breakthrough of 2005. it was a civilian team, led by Yusuf Kalla, who ultimately negotiated peace. Kalla back then was Yudhoyono's, just as he is vice president to Jokowi today. Indonesia's military may have helped pressure Aceh's independence movement to accept autonomy rather than independence.

However, peace was only achieved after SBY, as president removed hardliner General Ryacudu from his influential position as Army Chief of Staff (the 2nd most powerful position in the military).

Jokowi is no doubt aware that Muslim hardliners could undermine his presidency, especially if they are animated by Jokowi's political rival, Prabowo. They could wage anything from a public vilification campaign to violent disturbances. With sufficient financial and military backing, they could even create another "Ambon-style" conflict.

Given what happened to former presidents Habibie and Gus Dur, Jokowi needs allies in the military. His presidency may indeed need Hendropriyono, who proved capable of keeping a lid on religious-based terrorism in the post- 9/11 era. And it may also need Ryacudu, whose links within the military can help detect any factional plotting at an early stage. Jokowi certainly needs the support of Hendropriyono's and Ryacudu's ally Megawati, whose PDIP party is the main basis of Jokowi's support in parliament.

Jokowi has enough of a battle ahead dealing with an uncooperative parliament. The last thing he'll want is to also face an uncooperative military. But if Ryacudu's generals in Papua cannot prevent their troops from killing unarmed civilians, Jokowi may consider asserting more pressure for military discipline, or to allow freer access to foreign journalists so their presence acts as pressure for military discipline.

Following the massacre of civilians in Paniai District, respected peace activist Pastor Neles Tebay requested a civilian-controlled investigation. He explained that Papuans had lost faith in the neutrality of police and military, especially in investigations where their own people were the suspects.

This request really applies to the whole peace process. Ultimately, it will be a civilian team, possibly led by Kalla, that makes the compromises necessary to achieve peace. There are many models available. Look at the relationship of Washington DC to Puerto Rico and American Samoa, the relationship of Kuala Lumpur to Sabah and Sarawak, the relationship of Beijing to Hong Kong or the relationship of Port Moresby to Bougainville Island. If these countries could find a compromise, and if Jakarta could find a compromise with the Acehnese, surely Jakarta can also find a compromise with the Papuans.

[The author, a pseudonym, has lived and worked extensively in Indonesia and Timor Leste, including for the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor in 2002.]

Source: http://www.asiasentinel.com/politics/problems-grow-papua-jokowi/

Aceh

10 years on, where did all the tsunami debris go?

Associated Press - December 21, 2014

Fakhrurradzie Gade and Niniek Karmini, Banda Aceh, Indonesia – Cars. Fishing boats. Houses. Entire villages. The 2004 tsunami left Banda Aceh with mountains of debris up to 6 kilometers (4 miles) inland.

Driving in the remade communities today, it's easy to wonder where it all went. Some of it is still there – recycled into road materials, buildings and furniture. Some of it was burned, creating new environmental hazards. And most of it was simply washed out to sea.

Ten years after that gigantic wave engulfed this city of 4 million on the day after Christmas, Banda Aceh has been almost totally restored. The tangled mountains of rubbish are gone, and it's hard to imagine the destruction that once choked rivers, blocked streets and ripped up trees by the roots.

The endless heaps of twisted metal, splintered wood and broken concrete have all disappeared except for some scattered reminders for tourists and local residents. A drive along the coast highlights a stunning coastline with new houses perched near the beach. Lush mangroves have been planted to help withstand future tsunamis, fishermen are back at sea and farmers are again working their rice paddies.

Still, authorities are concerned about the health and environmental risks posed by debris contaminated by oil, asbestos and medical waste sitting on the seafloor off the coast and in 32 unregulated dump sites around the city.

"Unsafe disposal of waste will cause further environmental damage in the long term," said Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, who headed the Aceh and Nias Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency, which led the massive clean-up effort and was dissolved in 2009 after the job was judged finished.

Banda Aceh, located on the northern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island, was the hardest hit city by the disaster, which devastated hundreds of communities in more than a dozen countries around the Indian Ocean.

The tsunami left an estimated 10 million cubic meters (13 million cubic yards) of debris here, most of it washed into the ocean, Mangkusubroto said. If all that was squeezed into a 1-hectare (2 1/2 acre) field, it would create a tower of trash 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) tall.

Cleaning up the wrecked city was a mammoth, often overwhelming, task. For weeks, the streets were strewn with rubble, and rescue workers retrieved dead bodies from under houses and in ponds, said Abdul Mutalib Ahmad, who worked at Banda Aceh's only landfill and witnessed the tsunami from atop a three-story building.

"Debris was everywhere," he said. "We thought we were facing severe public health problem with the massive amount of waste."

At first, many survivors simply burned wood and other garbage. But authorities discouraged them from doing that because it polluted the air and could expose them to harmful toxins that might lead to respiratory problems. Some trash was covered with oil or chemicals, making it extremely flammable and hazardous, and in at least one case, a fire spread uncontrollably over a large area.

As key roads were cleared, trucks began carting tons of debris to the landfill every day for at least a year, Ahmad said. But some waste inevitably got dumped at random sites around the city. They still contain leaky oil drums and asbestos-laced housing materials.

Hazardous waste that was found among the rubble was buried in a separate marked area inside the city's landfill, according to Tomi Soetjipto, the Indonesia spokesman for the UN Development Program, which oversaw much of the clean-up. And nearly 50 tons of expired medications – some of it donated after the tsunami – sit in a warehouse awaiting safe disposal.

Three months after the tsunami, the UNDP started a $40.5 million recycling program that employed 400,000 temporary workers to pluck wood and stone from the rubble and use the materials to rebuild roads and houses as well as to make furniture. The recycled waste was used to reconstruct 100 kilometers (62 miles) of roads and manufacture 12,000 pieces of wooden furniture, Mangkusubroto said.

The UNDP's Tsunami Recovery Waste Management Project cleared about 1 million cubic meters (1.3 million cubic yards) of debris from the city, enough to fill 400 Olympic swimming pools. It also trained about 1,300 government workers in overseeing the program.

Some 67,000 metric tons of other recyclable materials such as glass, plastic and cardboard were diverted from landfills and sold in local markets.

Indonesian authorities say the clean-up was possible only with the help of the international community. "Finally, the mounting tsunami rubbish was cleared. For such a huge job like that, the world didn't leave us alone to face it," Mangkusubroto said.

[Karmini reported from Jakarta. Associated Press writer Margie Mason contributed to this report from Banda Aceh.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/21/10-years-where-did-all-tsunami-debris-go.html

A decade after tsunami, scars linger in Indonesia's Aceh

Jakarta Globe - December 19, 2014

Sebastian Strangio – Dec. 26, 2004 began much like any other Sunday. Dilla Damayanti was sitting in her parents' living room having breakfast when the tremors hit: first an insistent shaking, then a pause, then a sudden violent seizure. The family quickly took refuge at a nearby mosque. "It was very quick," she said. "Suddenly, water was coming, very fast."

Dilla was just 5 years old when the Indian Ocean tsunami slammed into her small village near the coast of Indonesia's Aceh province. She and her family survived the waves, but from her refuge on the mosque's second floor she saw something she would never forget – her young school friend, a girl named Nadia, washed away in the deluge.

"She was shouting, help, help, but there was nothing we could do," recalled Dilla, now a high school student. "That's why I cannot forget. I thank God that I survived."

Ten years ago this month, an earthquake 160 kilometers off the coast of Sumatra island triggered waves which killed an estimated 230,000 people, devastated coastal communities in 11 countries, and added a terrifying new term to local peoples' vocabulary.

Among the worst-hit regions was Aceh, an Indonesian province on the northern tip of Sumatra. As massive waves – some as high as 30 meters – surged inland, around 130,000 people were killed and more than half a million displaced.

One thing many residents of Aceh recall about the tsunami is the booming sound of the approaching water. Rahmadullah, 31, remembered "a sound like a cyclone." Mohammad Saleh, a 54-year-old primary school principal, said the noise "was just like a bomb," as the waters swept aside concrete buildings like so many cardboard boxes.

The capital city Banda Aceh was all but wiped off the map. In Ulee Lheue, the tsunami's "ground zero," just 10 percent of the area's pre-disaster population of 6,000 survived. "When I arrived here all people were still collecting the dead bodies," said Amrullah, an aid worker who arrived in Banda Aceh six days after the tsunami at the head of a disaster response team organized by the NGO Plan International.

The international response to the disaster was overwhelming. In total, around $7 billion was pledged to rebuild homes and restore infrastructure in tsunami-affected areas.

The tsunami also prompted a rethink of Indonesia's disaster management procedures. In the aftermath of the calamity, the government centralized the procedures, placing them under the direct authority of the president. Laws were passed making it mandatory for new homes, buildings and schools to include disaster mitigation plans. In 2011, the UN recognized these efforts by designating then-Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as a "Global Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction."

The lesson was especially well learned in Banda Aceh. Everywhere around town, signs point out tsunami evacuation routes and in some places warning sirens have been installed. The Aceh Tsunami Museum – housed in a building shaped like the prow of a ship – not only commemorates the disaster, but also serves as an emergency shelter should a tsunami ever hit the city again.

Mohammed Saleh, the principal of Lamnga Primary School in Aceh Besar district, said that each year his teachers take part in disaster training conducted by the government and the Indonesian Red Cross. The school also holds annual disaster drills to teach students what to do in the event of another mega-quake. "Now if there's something, we know what to do," he said.

Today, a decade after it was nearly claimed by the ocean, Banda Aceh hums with activity. Young people ride their motorbikes down streets rebuilt with international aid money. In the center of town, restaurants and coffee shops – even the odd shopping mall – are crowded and open late.

Bukhari Daud, 55, the former governor of Aceh Besar district, said that in the aftermath of the tsunami, "Banda Aceh was a different place." Today, "the reconstruction has not only been successful in replacing what was destroyed, but also putting [in] more development... if you had not seen Banda Aceh before, you would not know what has changed." While the sudden influx of foreign aid money brought the usual share of corruption and local rent-seeking – "there were tidbits here and there," Daud admitted – the overall reconstruction effort was a success.

In fact, the only outward signs that a tsunami took place at all are the boats left stranded in strange places by the waves – on the top of a building in Banda Aceh, on the beach outside town – and the dozens of memorials dotted along the coast, commemorating those lost in the disaster.

However, the hidden wounds may take longer to heal. Exact figures on mental health are hard to come by, but the World Health Organization estimates that up to 20 percent of a population may suffer stress-related disorders in the aftermath of a calamity like the Indian Ocean tsunami. Added to that is the impact of the civil war between the Indonesian military and rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which killed 15,000 people over nearly three decades of see-sawing conflict.

While the devastation of the tsunami spurred efforts to end the conflict – the two sides went on to sign a peace agreement in August 2005 – the legacies of conflict have been harder to address than the region's physical infrastructure. Amrullah of Plan International said that at the time the tsunami hit, people affected by the war were already suffering from a variety of mental health problems. While the roadblocks and checkpoints of the civil war years are now gone, he added, "psychologically [they're] not".

The people of Aceh "got trauma from the military, then they were hit with the tsunami. We cannot measure the magnitude."

But for all the problems still facing the region, ten years of reconstruction have dulled the grief, repaired shattered infrastructure and at least given people a fresh start.

Before the tsunami, life in Lamboro Nijid, a village on the outskirts of Banda Aceh, was tough. Due to the war, movement was restricted. Curfews were common. Local people were frequently taken in for questioning about their supposed links to GAM rebels, and sometimes tortured for information.

"When there was conflict the worst affected were the ordinary people," said Rahmadullah, a resident of the village. Then, one day came the roaring waters to wash it all away.

"After, we could speak freely," he said of Dec. 26, 2004. "What happened that day? We got freedom." This story is a publication of ucanews.com and is edited for style by the Jakarta Globe. Sebastian Strangio is a special correspondent for ucanews.com.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/decade-tsunami-scars-linger-indonesias-aceh/

Human rights & justice

'Look of Silence' to be screened nationwide

Jakarta Globe - December 17, 2014

Jakarta – The national human rights agency has reaffirmed its support for the screening of "Senyap," or "The Look of Silence," throughout Indonesia, stating that this was a part of human rights education and national reconciliation in the nation.

"'The Look of Silence' is one of many films that portray the severe human rights violations from the victims' perspective [amidst the political turmoil in 1965-1966]," the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) said in a letter that was published on the screening committee's Facebook account on Monday.

"This movie screening is a national program so we hope every related stakeholders support it as the program itself is a part of our human rights improvement.

"Also, we have cooperated with Final Cut for Real to run the 'Program Indonesia Menonton Senyap' in every organization across the country since Dec. 10," Komnas HAM stated.

The movie screening committee said that "Senyap" had been screened by 467 chains in 62 cities from Aceh to the easternmost region of Papua. The organization estimates an audience of more than 8,000 people had seen the film.

"So far, Senyap's movie screening has been running really smoothly. We hope that it's going to be the same in the future as the Komnas HAM has fully supported this program," the committee wrote.

"In addition, Komnas HAM's letter has been sent to several institutions such as the National Police, the chief of the Indonesian Armed Forces [TNI] and the chief of the National Intelligence Agency and also to regional chiefs to inform them that the movie screening is part of a Komnas HAM program."

"The letter also asks for the support of security institutions and regional government," the committee said.

"The Look of Silence" is a sequel to "Jagal" or "The Act of Killing," directed by award-winning American film director Joshua Oppenheimer.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/features/look-of-silence-to-be-screened-nationwide/

Government encouraged to reveal docs on 1965 mass killings

Jakarta Post - December 15, 2014

Hasyim Widhiarto, Jakarta – Experts and activists have urged the Indonesian government to disclose documents related to the nationwide mass-killing incidents that took place from 1965 to 1966 to provide the fair and accurate information needed to achieve national reconciliation.

The revelation of the secret state documents, according to historian JJ Rizal, would help the public build interpretations of the incidents as alternatives to the one-sided one endorsed by the government over the past four decades.

"Most information regarding the 1965/1966 mass killings came from the Indonesian Military [TNI]. It was full of propaganda and could be misleading," Rizal told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

"By letting the public know what really happened during the period, the government will not only help the public learn about the nation's past mistakes, but also encourage those involved in the incidents, including victims, perpetrators and their family members, to discuss reconciliation."

Raja Juli Antoni, the executive director of the public policy think tank, The Indonesian Institute, said that although the authenticity of the information could be subject to another debate, the details kept in the government's secret documentation must be publicly revealed to serve as comparative data to help clear "one of the dark moments in the Indonesian history".

"The public, especially the young generation, have a right to know what caused the mass killings," he said. "Without knowing how it happened, a similar incident could happen in the future without anyone seeing it coming."

In the months after the killings of some Army officers in a coup attempt on the eve of Sept. 30, 1965, security forces and militias hunted down and killed thousands of people suspected of being communists. An estimated 500,000 to 1 million people became the victims of extra-judicial killings, with thousands more being imprisoned, or forced into exile.

In 2012, after more than three years of investigation, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) completed a 850-page report detailing the types of criminal acts, including murder, annihilation, slavery, forced disappearances, the restriction of physical freedom, torture and rape, that were committed by officials from the Operational Command for the Restoration of Security and Order (Kopkamtib), then the country's highest security authority, after the failed coup d'etat.

Learning from its investigation, which involved more than 300 witnesses, Komnas HAM declared the purge a gross violation of human rights, blaming former president Soeharto and other Kopkamtib officials as the most responsible parties for systematically organizing the anti-communist purge. Komnas HAM also recommended the establishment of a Commission for Truth and Reconciliation (KKR).

A former Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman, Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, when serving as the fourth president, had apologized for the involvement of NU members in the mass killings.

The legal settlement for the case, however, has remained in the dark as the government has been reluctant to take progressive initiatives, like following up the Komnas HAM report, which had been handed over to the Attorney General's Office (AGO). A senior government official even said that the purge was justified as it was aimed at saving the country.

On Wednesday, US Senator Tom Udall introduced a "Sense of the Senate Resolution" condemning the 1965/1966 mass killings in Indonesia and calling on US authorities to declassify related documents held in US files.

"The US government can play a key role in helping the Indonesian government shine a light on the atrocities of 1965/1966," Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phelim Kine recently said, applauding the US Senate resolution.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Henry Yosodiningrat said that the government had paved a way to address the 1965 tragedy, citing the release of political prisoners during Gus Dur's leadership as an example. He added that the government would also need lawmakers' support to settle past human rights abuses.

"If the government and the House of Representatives later reach an agreement to establish an ad hoc human rights court, that would be fine. But, as of now, it is better for the government to deal with other important problems, like poverty and poor health facilities," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/15/govt-encouraged-reveal-docs-1965-mass-killings.html

Police most frequent perpetrators of violence: Kontras

Jakarta Post - December 15, 2014

Nani Afrida, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) released its year-end report, announcing that the majority of human rights violations in 2014 were committed by police officers.

Kontras deputy coordinator Chrisbiantoro told reporters that police were the dominant actors in violations throughout the year, particularly in cases related to natural resources, or in conflict zones like Papua.

"Police did many repressive acts on people and they always supported businessmen and state authorities instead of ordinary people," Chrisbiantoro told a press conference on Sunday.

Kontras noted 77 of the cases were related to land disputes. "One example was a dispute between residents and a cement factory in Karawang, West Java. Police used violence and intimidation against local people who were always the landowners," he said.

Kontras revealed there were 67 cases of violations that occurred in Papua in 2014, a large number of which were perpetrated by police officers. "We found out as many as 27 cases [in Papua] were involving police members," Chrisbiantoro said, adding that other perpetrators were military, civilian, or from unidentified groups.

Police officers were also the most frequent perpetrators of torture. There were 200 cases of torture in 2014, 142 of which were done by police, while 27 and 31 cases were done by military and prison guards respectively. Police committed the torture while their victims were under detention.

There were 22 kinds of torture, based on Kontras' data. Some of them were beatings, shootings, intimidation, electric shocks and some torture using tools like sharp objects and ropes.

Most of the torture cases involved beatings (95 cases), electric shocks (12 cases), intimidation (12 cases) and tight bindings (11 cases). The commission also revealed that there were four cases in which inmates died in the prison.

In 2013, UN member states asked Indonesia to amend the Criminal Code to include torture as a crime as stipulated in the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment, which Indonesia has ratified. Torture was a crucial issue that Indonesia had to address, as recommended by UN special rapporteur Manfred Nowak, who visited the country in 2007.

It was reported that as many as 200 police officers were fired every year after they committed several violations against people during law enforcement efforts.

Indonesian National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafly Amar said last week that the police had promised to gather reports from the public as an effort to improve the institution's service in the future. "We regretted the attitude of our personnel," Boy said.

Kontras coordinator Haris Azhar expressed his concern about the issue of human rights under President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. He said he believed that the new government might abandon human rights issues and focus on other issues like the country's development.

"The government will only use the human rights agenda if the case suits its interest or does not risk its image," Haris said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/15/police-most-frequent-perpetrators-violence-kontras.html

Sexual & domestic violence

Amid 'vague' indictment, court presses ahead with JIS case

Jakarta Post - December 17, 2014

Indra Budiari, Jakarta – The South Jakarta District Court declared on Tuesday that the trial in a child abuse case implicating two teachers of Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) must continue after it rejected the teachers' defense statement.

The panel of judges, chaired by Nur Aslam Bustaman, acknowledged the prosecutors' indictment had failed to mention the specific date of the criminal action, but considered that the defense statement delivered by both teachers and their lawyers could not be accepted.

"We do not agree with the lawyers and defendants' objection that the indictment is vague because the victims are only 6-to-8-year-old children who struggled to remember the accurate time of the crime," Nur said.

JIS teaching staff Canadian Neil Bantleman and Indonesian Ferdinant Tjiong are standing trial, accused of sexually abusing children. The prosecutors charged them under Article 82 of the Child Protection Law with a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

The teachers' lawyer demanded the judges declare the case void by law as the indictment only said the incidents allegedly took place between January 2013 and March 2014.

During Tuesday's hearing, Nur said the prosecutors had submitted a complete indictment that showed legitimate evidence of the defendants' alleged role and added the lawyers should not try to drive the judges' opinion.

"The defense statement should be made based on the KUHAP [the Criminal Law Procedures Code]. Do not try to drive judges' opinion in an ongoing trial," she said.

She added that with the rejection of the defense statement, the trial would be continued with the examination of case material and the prosecutors and lawyers would be allowed to put their witnesses on the stand.

"The objection cannot be accepted and the indictment letter is valid and will be used as the trial's consideration," Nur continued.

Bantleman and Ferdinant's lawyer, Hotman Paris Hutapea, said the judges had ruled without fully considering the defendants' objection. Hotman said that it would be very hard for Bantleman and Ferdinant to defend themselves if the indictment covered a wide time frame.

Article 143 of the KUHAP stipulates an indictment must contain a thorough, clear and detailed description of the criminal action, otherwise it should be declared void by law.

"I'm aware that the children are very young, but it is the police and prosecutors' job to ensure that the children can remember the specific time. A case like this should not be brought to trial," Hotman said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/17/amid-vague-indictment-court-presses-ahead-with-jis-case.html

Labour & migrant workers

Costs to be lowered for migrant workers

Jakarta Post - December 17, 2014

Jakarta – The Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BNP2TKI) has signed a tripartite agreement with companies and migrant workers to push down costs that migrant workers are obliged to pay to secure a job as a domestic worker abroad.

"We are trying to push down the costs so that migrant workers only have to pay Rp 19.9 million [US$1,563] in their first three years [of placement] and so their net income will increase," said BNP2TKI head Nusron Wahid on Tuesday as quoted by Antara news agency.

He cited as an example migrant workers working in Taiwan who pay Rp 34.4 million to various institutions in their first three years. Components that they have to pay include fees for a private placement agency, medical insurance, residence certificate, administration and travel.

Nusron said that by lowering the costs, it would reduce the number of illegal migrant workers resorting to dangerous routes in search of a cheaper way to go abroad. "The government will pay some of the costs, such as for passports, health checks, training and accommodation," he said.

The employers that will use the migrant workers will be required to pay for air tickets and airport taxes. The agency will also lobby private placement agencies in Indonesia and destination countries so that they can apply cheaper fees for the workers.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/17/costs-be-lowered-migrant-workers.html

Fuel prices won't affect wage raise: Ahok

Jakarta Post - December 17, 2014

Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama said Tuesday that the recent fuel-price hikes were not likely to affect the current monthly minimum provincial wage that was set at Rp 2.7 million (US$209).

Ahok said that based on the research conducted by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the fuel-price hikes only contributed 1.43 percent to the inflation rate and if the provincial administration decided to raise the minimum wage based on inflation, the increase would only amount to around Rp 38,000.

Previously, workers demanded that the provincial administration make an adjustment to the provincial minimum wage as the current wage did not take into account the fuel-price hikes. They said that after the fuel-price hikes, the more proper minimum wage would be Rp 3 million.

"If inflation is only 1.43 percent how come they want Rp 3 million? If there was going to be a raise, it would only be to Rp 2.73 million, or Rp 2.75 million at the most," Ahok said at City Hall as quoted by beritajakarta.com.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/17/fuel-prices-won-t-affect-wage-raise-ahok.html

Freedom of speech & expression

Press freedom remains under threat

Jakarta Post - December 19, 2014

Ni Komang Erviani, Denpasar – Years into the Reform era, representatives from international and regional freedom of expression organizations – grouped under the International Partnership Mission (IPM) – claimed that the freedom of the Indonesian press is still under threat.

"Since its democratic transition began, there have been significant improvements in Indonesia's media environment. However, we observe that there are still several areas of concern where press freedom and the right to freedom of expression remain under threat," said Michael Karanicolas from the Center for Law and Democracy, reading the IPM statement earlier this month.

The IPM noted that violence, intimidation and threats against journalists continue to present a significant challenge to the establishment of a free and safe media environment.

"In particular, we note that many perpetrators of attacks against journalists continue to enjoy impunity for their actions," Karanicolas added.

The IPM was hosted by the NGO known as the Tifa Foundation in collaboration with the Independent Coalition for Broadcasting Democratization (KIDP) and the Independent Journalists Alliance (AJI), and also includes meetings with representatives from the government, civil society and media.

The organizations represented were Article 19, Center for Law and Democracy, Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom House, International Federation of Journalists, International Media Support, Open Society Foundations Programme on Independent Journalism and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance.

Among other pressing issues, limitations on journalists' access to Indonesia remains a key area of concern.

Restrictions on foreign journalists entering sensitive regions such as Papua and West Papua mean reporters must obtain additional permissions from an array of government offices, which are seldom granted.

"Unfortunately, the process for foreign journalist to get permit to cover in the area is not easy and there is no transparency of the process," Sumit Gaholtra from the Committee to Protect Journalists said.

Jane Worthington from International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said that all organizations involved in the mission are keen to give support to the new government under President Joko "Jokowi' Widodo's leadership. "We are optimistic that the new government has more concern over these issues," she said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/19/press-freedom-remains-under-threat.html

Academics to build campaign against attacks on 'Look of Silence' screenings

Tempo.co - December 19, 2014

Addi Mawahibun Idhom, Yogyakarta – The rector of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta, Dwikorita Karnawati, is protesting the forced cancelation of a screening of Joshua Oppenheimer's "The Look of Silence" (Senyap) that was being held by the Sintesa Student Press Institutive (LPM) at the university's School of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol) on the evening to Wednesday December 17.

Karnawati said she deplores the unresponsive stand taken by police in protecting the event from the threat of intimidation. "This damages the principle of academic free speech forums", Karnawati told journalist at the Grha Sabha Pramana signature building on December 19.

Karnawati is calling for immediate legal action to the taken over the intimidation and attack that caused the event to be halted half way through. She is of the view that the state must be present when citizen's constitutional rights are threatened. "If anyone and everyone can be so easily intimidate, what is the meaning of the state's existence", she said.

According to Karnawati the case requires attention from law enforcers because in legal terms there was nothing untoward about the event. The discussion and screening of Senyap at the UGM Faculty of Social and Political Science was intended to support student's intellectual ability in the analysis of political history. "Law enforcement will be rolled back if it continues to give in to terror, threats and intimidation", said Karnawati.

Earlier a mob of 20 or protesters shielding their faces with motorcycle helmets and masks descended on a screening of Senyap at the BG building quadrangle at UGM's School of Social and Political Sciences. As a result, the event that was to end at 10pm on Wednesday evening had to be halted two hours early.

The film was scheduled to be shown twice followed by a discussion but the protesters arrived during the first sowing. Earlier in the week, two screenings of Senyap had taken place at the School of Social and Political Sciences.

The dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Science, Erwan Agus Purwanto, added that there had been threats against the event since 1am on Wednesday. Yogyakarta regional police also advised that the event be canceled because of the threat of violence. "On Wednesday evening, aside from the protesters that entered the Fisipol, many people also assembled in the vicinity of the campus", he said.

Purwanto said that cases such as this cannot be allowed to be repeated on his campus. He claimed he would be gathering support from other campuses that have experienced similar problems such as Yogyakarta Indonesian Fine Arts Institute (ISI), the Brawijaya University in the East Java city of Malang and others. "Collectively we will gather support to confront this terror", he said.

According to Purwanto, there were no grounds for forcing the cancelation of the LPM Sintesa event because the screening of Senyap is part of the National Human Rights Commission's (Komnas HAM) agenda to educate the public about the history of past crimes against humanity. Because of this therefore, academic institutions cannot give into acts of intimidation against scholarly forums. "Clearly the event was not to spread communist ideas", said Purwanto. Purwanto is calling on the government to take immediate and firm action. Purwanto homes that State Secretary Pratikno, who is also a former UGM rector, will report the incident to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. "Three times already at the UGM events have been forcibly cancelled due to intimidation, aside from yesterday, there was the case of a discussion by [Australian academic] Max Lane and Irshad Manji several years ago, this cannot be allowed to continue", he said.

According to Purwanto, cases such as this could become a bad president for civil and academic communities in Indonesia. Every time they express different ideas, groups that oppose them are free to use intimidation in response. "We are currently thinking about ways of institutionalising a model of dialogue in managing differences among the public", said Purwanto.

UGM School of Social and Political Sciences sociologist Arie Sudjito also believes that the forced cancellation by mass organisations at several locations in Yogyakarta where screenings of Senyap were taking place, including on his campus, is excessive. He is of the view that the continued violation of citizen's rights cannot be tolerated anymore. "Violating human rights, democracy, is evidence that the state is still week and that the police are giving in to civil militia [groups]," said Sudjito.

Along with other academic colleagues, Sudjito is preparing a letter of protest to President Widodo calling on him to take a firm stand. He believes that the forced cancellation of Senyap screenings in several parts of the country are a national issue and deserve the president's attention. "This is the right moment for Jokowi to fulfill his pledge, namely to provide a state presence in political life", said Sudjito.

The Institute Research of Empowerment (IRE) researcher believes that efforts to deal with the behaviour of intolerant groups will not be difficult for the Widodo administration. "Moreover, it's a constitutional mandate", he said.

The letter of protest, according to Sudjito, will also be sent to the Yogyakarta regional police who need to be held accountable for the forced cancellation of Senyap at UGM, the Yogyakarta ISI, the Yogyakarta Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) and other places. "We intend to invite all civil society organisations to take action", he said.

The chairperson of the Human Rights Study Centre (PUSHAM) at the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII), Eko Riyadi meanwhile, noted that in some parts of the country firm actions by the police against intolerant groups is common when there is significant support from regional governments.

Riyadi gave the example of the firm action taken by Metro Jaya regional police in Jakarta against the perpetrators of violence from the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) because there was legitimisation in the form of support from then Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama. "In Wonosobo [Central Java], because the regent was clean and firm, the minority Ahmadiyah and Syiah [religious groups] have been protected despite many threats", he said.

If the threats against the screening of Senyap in Yogyakarta continue, Riyadi has a unique suggestion. Organisers of screenings who feel threatened should request a permit to hold the events at the Yogyakarta regional police headquarters. "In order to counter the excuse by police who have been stating that they are incapable of providing security for the event in many places", said Riyadi.

According to Riyadi, allowing these cases of intolerance to occur in Yogyakarta is of concern. Riyadi believes that the passive stand taken by police against intolerant groups in Yogyakarta is logically difficult to accept. "If cases like this continue to occur, it's reasonable to suspect that the state is involved as an actor", he said.

[Abridged translation by James Balowski for the Indoleft news service. The original title of the article was "UGM Galang Dukungan Lawan Massa Anti- Film Senyap".]

Source: http://www.tempo.co/read/news/2014/12/19/078629729/UGM-Galang-Dukungan-Lawan-Massa-Anti-Film-Senyap/

Hard-Line Islamic group storms UGM student screening of 'Senyap'

Jakarta Globe - December 18, 2014

Ari Susanto, Yogyakarta – A screening of Joshua Oppenheimer's "The Look of Silence" documentary on Indonesia's communist purge of 1965-66 at Gadjah Mada University's School of Social and Political Sciences was interrupted by the Islamic People's Forum on Wednesday.

The group argued the film would only encourage members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) – which was banned by former president Suharto – to revive their movement.

Organizers received threatening text messages on the day of the screening but decided to stage the event as scheduled.

Members of Sintesa, a UGM press and publishing club responsible for bringing the movie to the Yogyakarta campus, had consulted the school's management and were given permission to continue the screening. The venue was moved to a classroom in anticipation of a raid.

As the first screening session came to an end at about 8:45 p.m., a mob of protestors shielding their faces with motorcycle helmets and masks rushed the campus and attempted to force attendants to leave.

Upon meeting resistance, one man, presumably the group's leader, began arguing with the students, saying the film promoted communism – a "known enemy of Islam" – and its return to Indonesia.

The university's vice dean stepped in to defuse the situation, suggesting everyone to leave after saying that the movie had already finished.

Both groups retreated, and no injuries were reported. Any additional screenings of the movie, locally known as "Senyap," have been canceled – much to the dismay and disappointment of UGM students.

"We condemn the film screening crackdown last night. It violates our right for freedom of speech as guaranteed by the constitution. It also violates academic freedom, denying students the right to freely discuss political and social issues," Sintesa leader Rani Eva Dewi said on Thursday.

Rani also expressed her disappointment with the police for doing nothing to prevent the campus raid.

The documentary has been screened multiple times since its premier to the public on Dec. 10 to commemorate Human Rights Day.

"The National Commission on Human Rights [Komnas HAM] has given its support for the film, so why did police allow such an intolerant group to violate our democratic freedom?" Rani added.

Arie Sujito, a lecturer for UGM's School of Social and Political Sciences and activist for Indonesia Movement, called Wednesday's incident an unjustifiable tragedy against democracy and vowed to file a complaint with Yogyakarta Police.

Ari Dwipayana, UGM expert on politics and government, said the raid only proved the local government, including its law enforcement, has failed to protect its people. Such a blatant show of intolerance will only mar Yogyakarta's reputation as a multicultural society, he added. "It is serious threat to academic freedom, tolerance and democracy," Adi said.

Saturday screenings of "The Look of Silence" at Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI) Yogyakarta and Indonesian Islamic University (UII) were also canceled due to threats made by anti-communist groups.

On Tuesday, a showing for the Independence Journalist Alliance (AJI) Yogyakarta was halted by police for fear of additional violent protests.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/hard-line-islamic-group-storms-ugm-student-screening-senyap/

Five months sought for housewife arrested for Facebook defamatory comments

Jakarta Post - December 18, 2014

Prosecutors demanded a panel of judges at the Bantul District Court to sentence Ervani Emy Handayani, 29, who stands accused of making defamatory comments on Facebook, to five months in jail with 10 months of probation in a hearing at the court on Thursday.

The prosecution, led by Slamet Supriyadi, argued that Ervani was guilty of intentionally spreading electronic information of a libelous and defamatory nature.

"As sophisticated as technology is, a cell phone cannot type out those defamatory comments by itself. It is obvious that the defendant committed the act intentionally," said Slamet.

He further said that Ervani had yet to delete the comments from her Facebook account since she posted them on May 30, even after she was reported to the police and declared a suspect.

However, the prosecution said there were some aspects that could mitigate Ervani's charges. "The defendant tried to apologize to the victim, who has also forgiven her," said Slamet.

Other mitigating aspects are the fact that Ervani admitted to her actions and that this is the first time she has been implicated in a legal case. Ervani was charged under articles 45 and 29 of the Electronic Information and Transaction (ITE) Law.

"[...] sentence Ervani to five months in jail with 10 months probation and order the defendant to pay Rp 1 million (US$79.9) in fines or serve an additional three months in jail," Slamet read out the sentence demand.

The prosecution's sentence demand went against the legal views presented by expert witnesses in a previous hearing. It was said that Ervani's Facebook postings, which referred to victim Dyah Sarastury as "childish", could not be imposed with a legal sanction because the postings reflected her personal opinions.

Ervani posted her comments on Facebook in reaction to her husband, Alfa Janto, allegedly getting unfairly fired from his job. "The prosecution's demand is not justifiable," Ervani's lawyer, Samsudin Nurseha, said. The next hearing led by presiding judge Sulistio M.Dwi Putro is scheduled for Dec.29. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/18/five-months-sought-housewife-arrested-facebook-defamatory-comments.html

Film screening on hold due to religious groups' threats

Jakarta Post - December 18, 2014

Bambang Muryanto and Ainur Rohmah, Yogyakarta/Semarang – The Alliance of Independent Journalists' (AJI) Yogyakarta branch has postponed the screening of Joshua Oppenheimer's Senyap (Lock of Silence) as the police could not guarantee security because of threats from certain groups.

"We are disappointed because as citizens we did not have our right to get security granted by the police. We postponed the screening for the sake of the security of the neighboring community, but did not cancel it," AJI Yogyakarta's secretary Rochimawati said on Tuesday evening.

The AJI Yogyakarta branch planned to screen a documentary on how 1965 genocide family survivors learned about the killings and the perpetrators on Tuesday at its office in a residential complex on Jl. Pakel Baru, Umbulharjo.

Chief of the Yogyakarta City Police's intelligence unit, Comr. Sigit Haryadi, who paid a visit to AJI office on Tuesday said that the screening could create conflict in the neighborhood as there was a mass organization that would disperse it.

"We are ready to secure the venue for the screening but it should not be conducted here. We want to protect all the friends here and the surrounding community," Sigit said.

He added that if AJI insisted on screening the film at the office, the police would not be responsible if legal problems emerged. He also suggested some alternative venues but none was agreed upon and so was AJI's proposal to screen the movie at the Yogyakarta city police hall.

On Tuesday evening a number of persons claiming to be intelligence officers from the Yogyakarta district military command (Kodim) and activists of the Indonesian Anti-Communist Front also visited AJI's office.

Dozens of people who already came to the office for the screening expressed disappointment over the cancelation.

Separately, coordinator of the Islamic People's Forum's (FUI) Yogyakarta branch, Muhammad Fuad, said that it was him who broadcasted on social media about the possibility of disbanding the screening to prevent the spread of communism.

"We will continue to monitor the screening of the film. If there is evidence that leads to communism we are ready to disband it," Fuad said.

Meanwhile in Semarang, Central Java, Father Budi Aloysius of the Kebon Dalem Cathedral Church expressed support for the reburials of the bodies of defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) members that were buried en masse in Plumbon village, Wonosari subdistrict, Ngaliyan district, Semarang City.

"These victims of the 1965 tragedy were killed without a trial process. They need to be reburied in a decent way," Budi told a discussion forum on the mystery surrounding Plumbon cemetery held at the Semarang City Hall on Tuesday.

He said he would encourage members of the country's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), and Semarang city administration to accelerate the reburials of the PKI members.

Plumbon cemetery is notorious as the mass graveyard of PKI members killed during the 1965 massacre. Locals have their own versions regarding the number of bodies buried in the place. The versions vary between 21 and 24.

A professor in history of the Semarang State University, Wasino, said that reburial of victims of the 1965 tragedy was not against the law as it was not aimed at spreading communism but at treating the dead in a humane manner.

He also expressed his belief that not all the bodies buried en masse in Plumbon were involved in PKI, especially with regard to the situation in 1965.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/18/film-screening-hold-due-religious-groups-threats.html

Political parties & elections

Golkar could become minor party

Jakarta Post - December 20, 2014

Jakarta – A political analyst predicts the Golkar Party, which is currently being rocked by an internal rift, risks becoming a minor party in the 2019 general elections.

Analyst Ardian Sopa of the Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) said that unless the two conflicting factions of the party could reconcile their differences, Golkar would be hampered in preparing for the next major elections.

"There's no option for the two sides but to reconcile. The conflict has brought problems to both sides," Ardian said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

Golkar, the largest political party in the opposition Red-and-White Coalition, has been struggling with internal conflicts since a breakaway faction of the party appointed former deputy chairman Agung Laksono as its own party leader in a national congress earlier this month.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/20/golkar-could-become-minor-party.html

Government rejects judicial review of Perppu

Jakarta Post - December 17, 2014

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – The government is standing with the decision to issue two government regulations in lieu of law (Perppu) that will bring back a direct-election mechanism for local heads, arguing that they are in line with the Constitution.

The government also demanded the Constitutional Court reject the seven petitions challenging the two Perppu during a hearing on Tuesday.

The Constitutional Court is currently handling seven judicial review petitions challenging two Perppu issued by then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono just as the House of Representatives is planning to start deliberating the controversial regulations in January next year.

Representing the government, director of law coordination at the Law and Human Rights Ministry Wicipto Setiadi told the court that the issuance of the Perppu, which is one of many legal types of regulations in the country's legal system, had gone through the proper procedures.

Wicipto rejected the plaintiffs' arguments that said the Perppu had not met the primary requirement of being issued under "emergency conditions".

The two Perppu, Wicipto said, were needed as a response to the "emergency conditions" that resulted from the current regulations, particularly the 2014 Regional Election Law (Pilkada Law), which regulated that local heads would be elected under an indirect representative-based mechanism.

"There was indeed an emergency that needed a quick settlement at that time. We saw many objections to the Pilkada Law, which was deemed by people to be violating democratic and human rights since it annulled the citizens' right to vote," Wicipto said during Tuesday's hearing.

The president, Wicipto added, had a "subjective authority" to issue a Perppu, while its objectivity would later be decided by the House.

The seven petitions were filed by several individuals, including an election watchdog and some legal observers, a former Jakarta Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) chairman and two former members of the House, as well as a group calling itself the Forum of Legal and Constitutional Review (FKHK).

During the first hearing in mid-November, they argued that the Perppu had not met the primary requirement of being issued under "emergency conditions". However, some plaintiffs had demanded that the court scrap the Perppu as they wanted to ensure the country would use the direct local- election mechanism, while some wanted to go back to the 2014 Pilkada Law.

The court had previously reminded all plaintiffs that should the court annul the Perppu, it could create a legal vacuum since the 2014 law would not immediately take effect. The court has also yet to respond to the plaintiffs' demands to speed up the hearing before the House discusses the Perppu in January.

Justice Patrialis Akbar told Wicipto to elaborate on the government's arguments regarding the "emergency situation" during the next hearing.

"It is still unclear. Give us more explanations about the 'emergency situation'. What kind of emergency situation was it and who were the people who raised the objections to the Pilkada Law?" Patrialis asked.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/17/govt-rejects-judicial-review-perppu.html

Government weakens Golkar by leaving conflict to rumble on

Jakarta Post - December 17, 2014

Hasyim Widhiarto and Haeril Halim, Jakarta – In contrast to his very firm stance in handling the United Development Party (PPP) internal conflict, Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly has distanced himself from the Golkar Party leadership feud, perhaps in the calculated belief that such a position leaves the party in a state of political impotence.

Yasonna, a politician with the country's largest party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), has decided not to get involved in the internal affairs of his party's nearest rival and has instead asked Golkar's conflicting leaders to settle their problems through internal mechanisms.

Based on an assessment of documents submitted by the two factions last week, Yasonna announced his ministry's conclusion that the party's two recent and national congresses held separately by each faction were both legal.

"After studying all aspects, including legal, factual and related paperwork, we've concluded that there are disputes [within Golkar] in which the ministry is unable to intervene," Yasonna said in a press conference at his office on Tuesday.

Shortly after his appointment to the Cabinet in October, Yasonna declared Muhammad "Romy" Romahurmuziy, who promised to bring his party into the PDI-P-led Great Indonesia Coalition in the House of Representatives, as the legitimate chairman of the PPP.

Then party chairman Suryadharma Ali had up until that point supported the opposition Red-and-White Coalition. The Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN), however, annulled the minister's decree.

Golkar, which has 91 seats in the House, is the largest member of the Prabowo Subianto-led Red-and-White Coalition. The PDI-P controls 109 seats. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has a vested interest in persuading Golkar to join his camp, thus making it easier for him to deal with the House.

Golkar has been riven with internal divisions since a breakaway faction of the party appointed former deputy chairman Agung Laksono as party leader in a national congress held in Ancol, North Jakarta.

Aburizal Bakrie, who previously had secured reelection as leader in the party's national congress held in Bali, insists he is the only legitimate Golkar chairman, but Agung's camp has occupied the party headquarters forcing Aburizal to move elsewhere.

"With a heavy heart, we cannot make any decision on how [the disputes are settled]. It is Golkar's internal [leadership] that must resolve the disputes," minister Laoly said of his decision.

Separately, Agung said that he appreciated the government's call for reconciliation. "We will hold a meeting tomorrow [Wednesday] to form a team that will carry out negotiations with all related parties to follow up the [ministry's] decision," he said.

Aburizal however rejected the government's recommendation. "The government has conveyed the reason [behind its decision], of course we have to be ready for it," he said at his office at the Rasuna Epicentrum in South Jakarta.

Political analyst Hanta Yuda of the Jakarta-based Pol-Tracking Institute applauded the government's decision to leave party leaders to settle their own disputes without government intervention.

The government's neutral stance, according to Hanta, will also leave the opposing camps with only two feasible options; whether to reconcile with or without holding another national congress.

"Before working toward that [reconciliation], both factions, however, must be able to jointly set up an internal-dispute committee whose members are either in a neutral position or are acceptable to both parties," he said.

[Bagus BT Saragih also contributed to the report.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/17/govt-weakens-golkar-leaving-conflict-rumble.html

Surveys & opinion polls

President Jokowi best suited to lead PDI-P: Survey

Jakarta Post - December 16, 2014

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – A public opinion poll has found that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo was deemed the most credible replacement for Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.

In the survey, 26 percent of 1,220 respondents supported the idea of Jokowi becoming PDI-P's next chairman, while Megawati's daughter Puan Maharani, who is now the Coordinating Human Development and Culture minister, only won support from 18 percent of the respondents. Megawati herself only garnered support from 16 percent of the respondents, the survey found.

The survey was conducted by the Cyrus Network between Dec. 1 and Dec. 7. The respondents were from 122 villages in 33 provinces. "Of the respondents who voted for the PDI-P in the last election, Jokowi remains on top with 28 percent. Megawati came second with 23 percent, followed by Puan who only got 17 percent," Cyrus researcher Hasan Nasbi told a press conference on Monday.

Cyrus conducted the survey to assess the people's preferences for future political party leaders. Subjects of the study were the PDI-P, the Golkar Party, the Democratic Party and the Gerindra Party.

The respondents' preference for Jokowi to become the PDI-P chairman indicated the survey's general conclusion that the public wanted fresh faces to lead political parties in the country, Hasan said. "Generally, 80 percent of the respondents said they wanted political parties to be led by figures aged between 41 and 60 years old," he said.

In the cases of the Democratic Party and Gerindra, however, the charisma of the current chairmen, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Prabowo Subianto respectively, have prevented younger politicians from taking over the party leadership positions.

Former president Yudhoyono and losing presidential candidate Prabowo topped the lists of the most preferred figures to lead Democratic Party and Gerindra for the next five years.

Yudhoyono got support from 37.7 percent of respondents, while his son Edhie "Ibas" Baskoro Yudhoyono won support from 20.8 percent of the respondents. Former House of Representatives speaker Marzuki Alie came third with 14 percent.

If Yudhoyono decided to leave the party, Ibas would likely replace his father, according to the survey. He garnered support from 33.8 percent of respondents if Yudhoyono was taken out of the equation. Marzuki came in third with 22.7 percent and East Java governor Soekarwo fourth with 17.1 percent.

"Ibas was popular because of his status as the [former] president's son while Marzuki was widely known as House speaker. The popularity of the two was also augmented by the media, although not always in a positive light," Hasan said.

As for Prabowo, 49.3 percent of respondents said he deserves to be Gerindra chairman for another five years. House deputy speaker and Gerindra deputy chairman Fadli Zon came second with 13.8 percent, while party secretary- general Ahmad Muzani came third with 8.1 percent.

Fadli came in as the strongest candidate to replace Prabowo, according to the survey. He won support from by 28.3 percent of respondents, followed by lawmaker Edhi Prabowo with 13.8 percent and lawmaker Ahmad Muzani with 13.7.

As for Golkar, which has experienced a schism, two men compete for party leadership. The survey shows that, if Aburizal Bakrie was not mentioned in the survey, Agung Laksono came out as the most preferred chairman with support from 37.4 percent of respondents. If Aburizal was included in the competition, however, he was still on top with 26.4 percent of votes while Agung came second with 25.5 percent.

Jokowi has often expressed his disdain for leading a political party. "Jokowi has no interest to be PDI-P chairman," PDI-P lawmaker Eva Kusuma Sundari said. "He won't violate his own commitment."

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/16/president-jokowi-best-suited-lead-pdi-p-survey.html

Environment & natural disasters

Kalla claims controversial Lapindo bailout a win-win solution

Jakarta Post - December 20, 2014

Hans Nicholas Jong and Hasyim Widhiarto, Jakarta – After an allegation that the government's decision to take over the Bakrie family's liabilities in the Lapindo mudflow disaster in Sidoarjo, East Java, was the result of a back room political deal, the government defended its decision on Friday saying that it would ultimately benefit all parties involved in the disaster.

"Here's why, the people [mudflow victims] are facing hardship. PT Minarak Lapindo Jaya could not pay [the compensation anymore], but it still has assets. Therefore, the government decided to give the loan first to calm the people down," Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Friday, referring to a firm controlled by the Aburizal Bakrie family, which had been deemed responsible for the disaster.

Kalla, who served as Golkar Party chairman prior to the leadership of Aburizal Bakrie, said that the public should not debate on whether the government was losing money for the misbehavior of a greedy tycoon and should see the loan as part of a trade deal.

"So the company has purchased 1,000 hectares of land [from the disaster victims]. That land is used as collateral for the government. The company is given four years [to settle the loan]. If it can't payback the loan, the assets will be taken over by the state. So the state doesn't give money for free," Kalla said.

On Thursday, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo decided to bail out the family to settle the remaining compensation for the mudflow victims by providing a Rp 781 billion (US$62 million) loan to Minarak. The loan will enable the company to pay compensation that has not yet been received by thousands of victims of the mudflow.

The decision has sparked debates over whether the government should spend more money to help ease the burden for the Bakrie family, after spending more than Rp 6 trillion of taxpayer money to handle the aftermath of the disaster.

Kalla further defended the decision saying that the loan would ultimately benefit the state should the company fail to return the money.

"If the mudflow stops, then the price of land will increase. And I can assure you that it will stop at one point," he said. "If it doesn't stop [in near future], then just wait for it. Maybe in the next five years or 10 years, [the mudflow will stop]."

Even at its current price, the total price of the land is already much higher than the loan given, Kalla added.

"The land is 1,000 hectares, or 10 million m2. If the current price is Rp 1 million per m2, then the price of the land is actually Rp 10 trillion," he said. Besides benefiting the state and the victims, even the company itself would benefit from the scheme, the senior Golkar politician said.

"The company will not lose money if five times the market price." It pays back the loans now. They will get their money back. The victims are also happy because they are getting paid for their lands, Kalla said.

Kalla also justified the government's decision by pointing out that the Constitutional Court had ordered the state to force Lapindo to complete the compensation payments.

Golkar deputy secretary-general Lalu Mara Satriawangsa, who is also an Aburizal's confidant, applauded the government's decision given that the Lapindo mudflow had been declared a national disaster.

"The Bakrie family has helped local communities by buying their asset with a price higher than that of the market price. If there is some [financial] shortage, that is the fact," he told The Jakarta Post.

He said that the family has spent so much in the wake of the disaster, which begun in 2006 after a blowout of a natural gas well drilled by PT Lapindo Brantas.

"The family has spent more Rp 8 trillion [for compensation], just compare this with the remaining Rp 750 billion that we have not paid," Lalu Mara said.

Political analyst Agung Baskoro of Jakarta-based Poltracking Institute, meanwhile, suggested that the government's decision to bailout Lapindo was motivated by its increasing need of political support from Golkar, the leader of the opposition Red-and-White Coalition.

"The government has currently been dealing with complicated issues, like fuel-price hikes and the weakening rupiah. They are in dire need to gain support from lawmakers," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/20/kalla-claims-controversial-lapindo-bailout-a-win-win-solution.html

In surprise move, government bankrolls Bakries in Lapindo disaster

Jakarta Post - December 19, 2014

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – The government has finally agreed to go another extra mile to bail out the powerful Bakrie family to settle the remaining compensation for victims of the Lapindo mudflow disaster in Sidoarjo, East Java.

Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono confirmed on Thursday that the government would provide a Rp 781 billion (US$62 million)-loan to PT Minarak Lapindo Jaya, a firm controlled by the family that is handling the disaster.

"Lapindo said that it could not pay the compensation by buying the land [owned by the disaster victims]. So it was decided that the government would lend them to buy it," said Basuki at the State Palace. "The company will be given four years to settle the loan, or we will seize their assets [land in the affected area]."

Basuki, a career bureaucrat, explained that the loan would be taken from the strategic fund allocated in next year's state budget. He said that he had already called Nirwan Bakrie, who represented the family in dealing with the disaster, and that the family had agreed to the loan settlement plan.

The family's scion, Aburizal Bakrie, who is also Golkar Party chairman, has enjoyed government assistance between 2007 and 2014 related to the Lapindo disaster, which many believe was caused by drilling conducted by Lapindo, the family's firm, in 2006.

Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration allocated more than Rp 6 trillion to compensate villagers living in the vicinity of the so-called "affected area map", which was legalized via a presidential decree in 2007.

Yudhoyono established the Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency (BPLS) to handle and control the mud eruption, relocate people, recover infrastructure and supervise Lapindo in handling compensation for villagers in the affected area.

Such generous financial protection for the Bakries was among the reasons Golkar helped the Yudhoyono government remain stable in the face of nationwide protests at the president's generosity to the conglomerate.

Golkar is now the second biggest party, after the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which supports President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. Jokowi and the PDI-P have been trying to lure Golkar to join their coalition and form a majority in the House of Representatives, but to no avail.

Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto said that the decision to award the loan was entirely based on the government's commitment to help the victims, who had been left in limbo for eight years. He also said that the government had yet to mull any sanctions against Lapindo for its inability to pay the compensation.

"The President has yet to consider [the sanctions] as the people have already been waiting for the compensation," said Andi. A Constitutional Court ruling issued earlier this year ordered the government to force Lapindo to complete the compensation payments.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/19/in-surprise-move-govt-bankrolls-bakries-lapindo-disaster.html

Indonesia lax when illegal loggers clear forests for palm plantations

Thomas Reuters Foundation - December 17, 2014

Chris Arsenault, Rome – A drop in world palm oil prices is not expected to slow illegal logging in Indonesia's rainforests as companies continue to expand plantations, according to a new report.

Between 1990 and 2010, Indonesia's palm oil plantations grew more than seven-fold to 7.8 million hectares, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) said in the report released on Tuesday.

About half the new plantations used land once occupied by natural forests, making the palm oil industry the leading driver of deforestation in recent years.

Much of the land is cleared without the proper permits, and local authorities have failed to enforce laws protecting forests from clear- cutting for plantations, the report said.

"The most depressing thing is the degree to which the government allows these crimes to go unpunished," Jago Wadley, the EIA's senior forest campaigner, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Indonesia is the world's largest palm oil producer. Many of the archipelago's plantations are evading Indonesia's Timber Legality Verification System, legislation enacted in 2010 to stop the flow of illegal timber, the report said.

Indonesia's government aims eventually to expand palm oil production to cover 20 million hectares, so the problem of illegal logging to clear land could intensify.

The government acknowledges the problem of widespread illegal logging. Last month newly inaugurated President Joko Widodo said: "It [illegal logging] must be stopped. We mustn't allow our tropical rainforest to disappear because of monoculture plantations like oil palm."

Corruption among local police helps drive environmental impunity, according to the report. More than 1,000 land-related conflicts are under way across Indonesia, Wadley said, with rainforest residents often squaring off against palm oil plantation operators or illegal loggers.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/indonesia-lax-illegal-loggers-clear-forests-palm-plantations/

Most of Indonesians at risk of landslides

Jakarta Globe - December 15, 2014

Jakarta – A recent landslide in Central Java that has left at least 39 people dead has highlighted Indonesia's vulnerability to fatal landslides, as well as the government's inability to adequately deal with chronic catastrophes.

Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported on Sunday evening that 39 people are confirmed dead after heavy rain on Friday triggered a landslide in Jemblung, Banjarnegara district, Central Java, burying dozens of homes.

More than a dozen of people are injured and more than 70 others remain missing, while a total of 577 people have been displaced from their homes and are now staying in temporary shelters, the BNPB says.

"Families of identified victims have taken [their relatives' remains] and held a burial for them. A police forensic team are still identifying others," BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a press statement on Sunday.

"Refugees urgently need food, blankets, sanitary kits, medicines and clothing – children's clothing especially."

A joint team of police, military, BNPB officers and volunteers – 2,000 personnel in total – had been dispatched to search for the missing victims, he added. The Ministry of Public Works also has sent in heavy equipment expected to help victim search.

President Joko Widodo visited the site around midday on Sunday. He also visited a shelter for displaced victims and a local community health center treating those who are injured.

"I extend my condolences concerning the landslide catastrophe that struck Jemblung in Sampang village," Joko said in Jakarta a day prior to the visit. "Landslides should provide lesson for us, of the importance of a balanced environment," he added.

Officials blame conversion of lands into farms and illegal logging in Banjarnegara for one of the worst landslide disasters recorded in Indonesia over the past few years.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said it recorded high rainfall intensity in Banjarnegara, up to 100 millimeters during the day of the disaster.

The head of BMKG's meteorology center, Mulyono Prabowo, warned that similarly heavy downpours might still shower Banjarnegara and surrounding hilly areas for the next couple of days, rendering many spots prone to landslides.

"Banjarnegara and [neighboring] Dieng plateau have hilly topography, with steep slopes. Heavy rainfalls will make the lands unstable and may trigger landslides," Mulyono said. "Many of the slopes also have been converted to potato farms, and as such, there are no strong trees [to keep soil layers from collapsing]."

The local BNPB office said as many as 25 locations in Banjarnegara remain prone to landslides along Indonesia's rainy season that will usually last through February.

"The vulnerable areas include Madukara, Bawang, Kalibening and Pagentan subdistricts, all of which are quite populated," BPBD Banjarnegara chief Catur Subandrio said.

BPBD Banjarnegara earlier reported increasing number of landslides in the region over the past few years: 57 incidents in 2007, 76 incidents in 2008, 126 incidents in 2009 and 200 incidents in 2010. It blames illegal logging for the growing prevalence, with deforested lands losing trees and their roots that otherwise reinforce soil layers and prevent landslides.

Catastrophic losses, he said, average up to Rp 30 trillion ($2.3 billion), while BNBP's disaster relief funds only total Rp 3 trillion per year.

According to a 2012 study sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund, BNBP and the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), 99 percent of Indonesia's population of 250 million people live in an area with "very high risk" of natural disaster, meaning at least one natural disaster has occurred in the area in the past five years.

"A total of 315 districts and cities, with 60.9 million people living in them, are prone to medium-high floods in Indonesia. As for landslides, 270 districts and cities with 124 million people living them are at very high risk of landslides," Sutopo said.

The BNPB said as many as 270 districts and municipalities in Indonesia are prone to landslides. They are home to 124 million people, more than half of the country's population. The landslide-prone areas are mostly concentrated on the islands of Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi.

Geologist Haryadi Permana of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, or LIPI, on Sunday admitted that Indonesia's mitigation efforts against landslides, despite the high occurrence, lagged behind those for more high-profile disasters, namely volcanic eruptions and tsunamis.

He said dealing with landslides was a tricky situation, given the widely- spattered locations of landslide-prone areas. He said the situation made it difficult for the government to apply early warning system, resulting in the catastrophe recurring every time.

Over the weekend in Papua, five people died of a separate rain-triggered landslide in Jayapura – Late last month four people were killed in a landslide, also triggered by torrential rain, in South Tapanuli, North Sumatra. Dozens of other casualties were reported in a string of landslides in other regions earlier this year.

"Landslides have long been an issue in Indonesia, but the distribution of incidents and prone areas is extraordinary, hampering mitigation efforts," said Haryadi, who heads LIPI's Geotechnology Research Center.

"You've heard cases of landslides that struck areas where only a few people lived. But when it happens, people do get killed, and the incident makes media headlines."

Haryadi said state-funded LIPI and the Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), as well as Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University, had actually been developing an early warning technology to warn people living in landslide-prone areas of potential landslides.

The equipment has been tested in several areas in Central Java and it works, but questions remain as to how to install the system in hundreds of thousands of landslide-prone locations across 270 districts and municipalities.

The gadgets must also be well-guarded to prevent tampering and theft, as occurred during pilot testing, Haryadi said.

He added LIPI also had actually been developing another technology to prevent landslides, GreaTest, which functions by controlling water content of a landslide-prone area. "But then again, where should we install the equipment? Locations of land-prone areas are too greatly scattered," Haryadi said.

He added with global warming and climate change disrupting weather patterns, including by bringing in more rains in Indonesia, the prevalence of landslides might continue to increase, posing even more threats to Indonesia.

Haryadi said it was difficult to tell landslide-prone people to relocate, saying many of them were farmers who support families by opening farms in hilly, mountainous areas often prone to landslides. He says reforestation campaigns may help by planting trees that can hopefully prevent landslides.

Gede Suantika, an official with the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) at the Energy Ministry, meanwhile, said the key might be intensifying warnings against landslides ahead of rainy months.

"And the warnings must be perpetual, because people often forget [of a danger they've been warned about] when it doesn't happen for, say, two weeks," he said during an interview with BeritaSatu TV.

Suantika further suggested that village officers encourage patrols in their villages to anticipate catastrophe, especially during times when their neighborhoods are most vulnerable to landslides.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/most-of-indonesians-at-risk-of-landslides/

Health & education

Minister forces schools to quit curriculum

Jakarta Post - December 19, 2014

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – Culture and Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Anies Baswedan has warned schools to follow his instruction to stop using the 2013 curriculum or the ministry will halt support for them.

He reasoned that because the previous government had implemented the curriculum after only a one-year trial, many schools were evidently not ready to take it on.

"The curriculum must be revised first before we try to implement it again. Schools that insist on still using it will not receive any support or supervision from the ministry, which means they'll just be making it hard for themselves," Anies said Thursday.

Last week, the minister decided to stop the nationwide implementation of the much-criticized 2013 curriculum, which was first implemented by his predecessor, Muhammad Nuh, and has ordered schools to return to the 2006 curriculum.

Anies acknowledged that the ministry had received complaints from several regencies about the sudden suspension, most of them citing the already printed textbooks they had ordered in preparation for the 2013 curriculum.

However, he insisted that the suspension was urgent as various problems related to the curriculum were clearly evident.

"We've already ordered the schools to pay for the books and store them in the library for the meantime. The suspension is essential so that we can focus on giving proper training to teachers and focus on revising the curriculum," he said, adding that it would standardize education across the nation.

Even so, Anies decided that 6,221 pilot schools that had used the 2013 curriculum for the past three semesters could continue to use it, while more than 200,000 schools were required to return to the 2006 curriculum having used the 2013 one for only one semester.

Anies said that the 6,221 schools were more prepared to teach the 2013 curriculum in a way that would be beneficial to young students.

"If someone who wasn't trained well tried to teach children then they would feel like they weren't learning anything. All of the burden would be on the child," he said.

Although Indonesian Teachers Association (SGI) secretary-general Retno Listyarti applauded the curriculum suspension, she criticized his decision to let thousands of schools continue using it.

"The minister's decree is confusing as he has essentially let there be two curriculums in one existing education system. So it's no surprise that several regions are trying to take advantage of this loophole," she told The Jakarta Post. Retno said that she had received reports from fellow educators that wanted to return to the 2006 curriculum but had been pressured by their respective provincial education agencies not to do so because of the costs already expended in the preparations.

In order to avoid this, she said, Anies should have suspended the curriculum for all schools so that there were no opportunities for schools to continue using it.

"The 2013 curriculum should have been totally stopped and the ministry should use the first year to really analyze and revise it," she said.

Retno said that the revised curriculum should then be tested in several schools in the second year, before being revised and tested again in the third year.

"Full implementation would be done after four years. By this time the teachers would have hopefully been trained properly and continuously," she said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/19/minister-forces-schools-quit-curriculum.html

Graft & corruption

New AGO team to tackle graft

Jakarta Post - December 19, 2014

Haeril Halim, Jakarta – In a bid to improve its reputation for graft prosecution, the Attorney General's Office (AGO), once deemed the country's most corrupt institution, has established a special taskforce consisting of dozens of its best prosecutors to expedite investigations into high profile cases.

Employing more than 9,000 prosecutors around the country, the AGO has been criticized for perceived lenience to high-ranking officials, whom it has rarely managed to send to prison.

It is often compared unfavorably with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which has imprisoned many high-ranking officials, ranging from active ministers to an active Constitutional Court chief justice, with only 96 prosecutors, all on secondment from the AGO.

Junior attorney general for special crimes Widyo Pramono insisted that none of the KPK's 96 prosecutors would be withdrawn to serve at the new anticorruption taskforce.

"The special taskforce will not weaken the KPK, as its 29 members are picked from among our best prosecutors, based solely on merit. Some of its 29 members used to serve at the KPK but are no longer there. After serving at the KPK they were sent to AGO branch offices across the country and we need them back to empower the new team," Widyo told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

AGO prosecutors seconded to the KPK have a maximum 10-year non-renewable tenure at the antigraft body. They must return to the AGO afterwards. "Should the KPK need more prosecutors, we are ready to lend ours anytime," Widyo continued.

He also revealed that the new taskforce was not targeting any specific corruption cases. "We have many corruption cases ranging from public officials' suspicious bank accounts to graft in the banking system. The point is that the team will soon start working and it will be feared by those stealing state money."

Earlier, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo was strongly criticized by antigraft campaigners for his surprise appointment as attorney general of Prasetyo, who, prior to his appointment, was still an active member of the NasdDem Party. NasDem was among the political parties that supported Jokowi's presidential bid.

Just weeks after his appointment, Prasetyo proved himself a sharp blade by arresting a senior Golkar Party politician, Irianto Syafiuddin, who was named a suspect in a graft case four years ago.

Gadjah Mada University's (UGM) Corruption Studies Center (PUKAT) director Zainal Arifin Mochtar applauded the establishment of the anticorruption task force, but he warned the AGO to remain non-partisan in prosecuting graft cases involving officials from pro-government and opposition parties.

"The establishment of the taskforce is a good move, but the most important thing is that the AGO and the KPK improve their coordination in the future," Zainal said.

Meanwhile, Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Emerson Yuntho challenged the new taskforce to reopen past graft cases put on hold by the AGO. He also warned Prasetyo not to use the program as a means of improving his image after the fierce public backlash to his appointment.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/19/new-ago-team-tackle-graft.html

KPK to SOE Minister: Rethink sale plan of office building

Jakarta Globe - December 19, 2014

Fana F.S. Putra & Lenny Tristia Tambun, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, could be forced to find office space for part of its operations if State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno proceeds with the sale of her ministry's headquarters.

Rini announced her intention of selling the 22-story building on Jalan Merdeka Selatan, Central Jakarta, earlier this week, arguing it was too large and too expensive to maintain for a ministry staff of merely 250 people.

But the KPK, which also has offices in the building, has asked the minister to reconsider the plan. "[Government] regulation allows her to [sell], but we also have an interest as we have our office and employees there," said KPK spokesperson Johan Budi.

The anti-graft body runs part of its operation on the fifth and fifteenth floors of the building as its Kuningan headquarters in South Jakarta is unable to accommodate its growing staff.

Dahlan Iskan, former minister of state-owned enterprises, had provided the KPK office space until construction of a larger home base was complete. "We had an agreement [with Dahlan]," Johan said. "We were given the opportunity to use the building until our new one has finished construction."

President Joko Widodo on Thursday defended the ministry's much criticized move, saying the sale would provide the ministry with additional funds. A smaller building, he added, would significantly cut costs. "[The move] is part of our efforts to becoming more efficient," Joko said.

The president, however, conceded that Rini has not informed him of the details of the plan, signaling he has yet to issue his approval.

House of Representatives deputy speaker Fahri Hamzah, a vocal opponent of the plan, previously argued the ministry could find other means of saving money and raising funds.

"Why does [the minister] need to sell when the government plans to build so many offices with the state budget. Just cancel those proposals [for new government buildings]," Fahri said. He added that selling a government asset would involve a lengthy and complicated process.

Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama has already expressed interest in buying the building. It has also been offered to Bank Indonesia and the Financial Services Authority, or OJK.

"We're interested if the City Council agrees," Basuki said on Tuesday, as quoted by Tempo. "Buying land or buildings in Jakarta will not be a loss. It will be profitable, especially if we can get a friendly price."

Basuki conceded he had not decided what he would do with the building, saying only it had many potential uses, including a mall filled with vendors currently selling their food on the streets.

However, City Council speaker Prasetyo Edi Marsudi questioned Basuki's intentions of buying the building, saying the money would be better spent on other infrastructure projects or on improving residents' access to education and health.

"I will ask [Basuki] what he plans to do with the building," Prasetyo told reporters on Thursday. The council speaker noted that the capital is still in possession of many underutilized assets, including those belonging to city-owned enterprises.

Prasetyo's deputy, Triwisaksana, also questioned the proposal. "I don't agree [with the SOE ministry's] plans to sell the building, let alone for the Jakarta government to buy it," he said.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/jakarta/kpk-soe-minister-rethink-sale-plan-office-building/

Did political motivation spare district chief of a dishonorable dismissal?

Jakarta Globe - December 19, 2014

Hotman Siregar, Jakarta – Legal analysts have blasted Indonesia's home affairs minister for a seemingly politically motivated move to spare the Bogor district chief, who was convicted in a corruption case last month, from a dishonorable dismissal.

A letter issued by Minister Tjahjo Kumolo on Nov. 25, and made public only this week, states that Rachmat Yasin, who was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail for the fraudulent issuance of permits to clear a protected forest, has received an honorable dismissal, so he will still be entitled to a lifetime pension and other benefits, despite leaving office as a convicted criminal.

Critics have questioned the decision by the minister, who is from President Joko Widodo's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, which counts the United Development Party – of which Rachmat is a member – as part of PDI-P's coalition partners in the House of Representatives.

"This is very different from the treatment given to the Banten governor [Ratu Atut Chosiyah] and the former Riau governor [Rusli Zainal]," Achmad Hidayat, an anti-corruption activist from the UIKA Legal Aid Foundation (LBH-UIKA) in Bogor, said on Thursday.

Atut was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison in September for attempting to bribe the country's top judge to rig an election result, while Rusli was sentenced in November to 14 years by the Supreme Court, after a lower court handed him a 10-year sentence.

He was convicted of taking bribes to issue forestry permits and of handing out kickbacks to provincial councilors to expedite a bylaw for the building of infrastructure for the 2012 National Games.

The Home Affairs Ministry has issued a dishonorable dismissal for both officials, who are from the opposition Golkar Party. Achmad said it was a "heavy blow" for the people of Bogor to see Rachmat get off lightly and have him allowed to keep his perks after defrauding the district.

"Was this decision based on a political power play or the letter of the law? It severely tarnishes the president's image because it's a blunder in dealing with a corruption convict," he said.

Uchok Sky Khadafi, a political financing expert at the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency, or Fitra, said the move by Tjahjo was just the latest in a series of incidents strengthening the impression that the Joko administration was weak on fighting corruption.

"This is the first time that any administration has given an honorable dismissal to a public official who has been convicted of corruption," he said on Thursday. "Why would the home affairs minister do this?"

Under Indonesian law, a public official can receive an honorable dismissal only if they leave office through death, illness, incapacitation or resignation.

Rachmat was indicted on Sept. 16, and he tendered his resignation on Sept. 20. Tjahjo's approval of his resignation and an honorable dismissal came on Nov. 25, two days before the verdict in his trial was due.

The timing spared Rachmat from a dishonorable dismissal, but Achmad said the fact that the former district chief had already been indicted by that point obviated any chance of an honorable dismissal.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/political-motivation-spare-bogor-district-chief-dishonorable-dismissal/

Government support is likely for KPK's expansion

Jakarta Globe - December 19, 2014

Kennial Caroline Laia, Jakarta – Anti-graft activists have expressed their support for the Corruption Eradication Commission's plan to establish branches in several cities across Indonesia, saying these additional offices would help KPK's headquarters in Jakarta handle the illegal dealings of regional officials.

Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra)'s coordinator Ucok Khadafi said branches of the Corruption Eradication Commission, known as KPK, will assist the attorney general's office (AGO) in its prosecutions.

"The aim of these supporting offices would be to assist the AGO in handling corrupted regional officials," Ucok said on Wednesday, adding that the AGO has always been reluctant to pursue active regional chiefs over graft allegations.

"We believe they will also be very helpful with money laundering cases. With their help, corruptors could face more serious charges with higher maximum penalties," Ucok said. "The branch should function more on eradicating corruption [everywhere] not just in Jakarta."

However, Indonesia Corruption Watch's Aradila Caesar doubted the plan would be effective, saying the anti-graft body would struggle with finding the right staff members to fill these branches.

"We [ICW] do appreciate the plan. However, hiring suitable candidates to manage a KPK office would not be as easy as recruiting common civil servants."

"Even the Jakarta headquarters is struggling to recruit officers who have the suitable professional background, integrity and drive to investigate corrupt government officials," Aradila said on Friday.

"Should the plan be implemented, the regional KPK must only function as a supervising and monitoring agency to strengthen the AGO and to provide information for the central office.

"This is to prevent overlapping roles between the two institutions. But, once again, the challenge lies in member recruitment. It won't be easy," the ICW representative added.

Ucok agreed the professional criteria required to fill a KPK office is tight. "Anyone who even thinks of joining [the anti-graft commission] must have high integrity, have a stellar reputation at their previous posts and be ready for the long hours the job entails," Ucok added.

However, House of Representatives deputy speaker Fadli Zon took a stance against the plan, arguing that the creation of any new offices would only burden the state budget.

"The budget is stretched enough as it is. [The KPK] shouldn't make it worse," Fadli said on Thursday. "The government needs to instead concentrate on strengthening its police force and judicial system."

In response to fears that the plan would only strain the state financially, Ucok explained the budget could be covered by funds confiscated from corrupt officials. The KPK had made similar efforts in 2012, approaching the House with a request to build regional branches, but was shut down.

As of February 2014, of the 524 regional chiefs serving across the country, 318 have allegedly committed some form of corruption, according to the Home Affairs Ministry. With such alarming figures, cabinet secretary Andi Widjajanto pledged to support the KPK's plans, saying the strategy would allow the body to better perform it's duties in combating corruption.

"If the KPK sees the need [to open local branch offices] in order to strengthen its function in the fight against corruption, then I think the government should have no objections," Andi said.

Andi's comments lend further weight to the view that President Joko Widodo will give his full backing to the plan. "During the presidential campaign, [Joko] signed an anti-corruption agenda for 2014-2019, which supports the KPK," Andi continued.

However, Fadli's staunch disapproval may influence the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) – an integral ally of the opposition Red-White Coalition – to reject the plan. "Would the [state losses] recovered by the KPK justify a budget increase?" Fadli questioned.

Meanwhile, Aziz Syamsuddin, chairman of the House Commission III that oversees legal affairs, said he supports the plan as long as the KPK "can work together with [local] police and prosecutors."

His statement seems to suggest that the KPK should only limit itself to a supporting role for the two law enforcement bodies, which along with the House, have long been dubbed as some of the most corrupt institutions in Indonesia by anti-graft watchdogs.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/govt-will-support-kpk-local-offices-cabinet-secretary/

Opening local KPK branches a bad idea: Fadli Zon

Jakarta Globe - December 18, 2014

Ridho Hizbullah, Jakarta – House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon has said he does not support the creation of local offices of the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK.

Fadli said the government should strengthen the capacity of the police and prosecutors to secure corruption convictions instead of spreading the KPK to the regions.

"The KPK was formed because [police and prosecutors] were seen as being not capable of corruption eradication," Fadli said on Thursday at the House. "If it goes on there will be overlapping between the institutions, so it's best to strengthen the police and prosecutors instead.

"What if the KPK doesn't perform well? We'd have to make a supervisory agency for KPK. That's not a good way of thinking," he said.

Former KPK Deputy Chairman Busyro Muqoddas said on Wednesday that the KPK had used only Rp 9 trillion ($734 million) during its 11 years of operation. He said the antigraft agency had saved up to Rp 250 trillion in potential losses to the state.

House Commission III will soon debate whether the plan to open local offices of the KPK is the most cost-effective measure to combat graft in the regions.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/opening-local-kpk-branches-bad-idea-fadli-zon/

Foke targeted by KPK for 'fat' bank accounts

Jakarta Post - December 18, 2014

Haeril Halim, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has confirmed that it is currently looking for evidence to charge former Jakarta governor and current Indonesian Ambassador to Germany, Fauzi Bowo, with graft.

The antigraft body is now working on evidence provided by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK), which found that Fauzi, who is also known by the nickname Foke, had a suspicious amount of transactions, in the billions of rupiah in his bank accounts.

PPATK is the KPK's partner agency with respect to its graft and money laundering eradication efforts in the country. In the past, PPATK's report of suspicious transactions of the country's high-ranking public officials had been essential for the KPK to charge public officials with corruption and money laundering.

KPK deputy chairman Adnan Pandu Praja said on Wednesday that the antigraft body's investigators were currently examining Fauzi's bank accounts to confirm whether the dubious transaction, which reportedly amounted to Rp 60 billion (US$47.15 million), was subject to criminal charges.

"We are still confirming [the PPATK's report] on Fauzi Bowo," Pandu said, adding that as soon as the antigraft body gathered enough evidence then it would move to launch an investigation on the former Jakarta governor.

Fauzi lost in his reelection bid against then Surakarta mayor, now President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, in the 2012 Jakarta gubernatorial race. The Jakarta Post has learned that the dubious transaction took place in 2012, when Fauzi prepared himself to run his reelection campaign.

However, it remains unclear if the dubious transaction involved funds used to finance Fauzi's reelection campaign. Both PPATK and the KPK declined to give more details about the transaction.

But unconfirmed reports said that significant amounts in the dubious transactions are related to money wired by property developers in Jakarta. Also, several billions of rupiah in the transaction was listed as "payment for several art pieces."

Separately, PPATK deputy chairman Agus Santoso said that he could not divulge more details about Fauzi's financial transaction report and that the agency would only answer to the KPK.

"We are always ready to assist the law enforcement institutions such as the National Police, the Attorney General's Office [AGO] and the KPK to confirm our finding on public officials' suspicious bank accounts. We have given reports on several suspicious bank accounts owned by public officials to law enforcement agencies from 2012 to 2014," Agus said on Wednesday.

Fauzi has shrugged off the allegations, saying that he had never received payments made to his bank accounts. He also said that he had submitted his campaign fund reports to the General Elections prior to the balloting day of the 2012 Jakarta gubernatorial race. "There's no way [that I received the money]," he said as quoted by tempo.co.

According to public officials' wealth records submitted to the KPK, Fauzi last reported his wealth of Rp 59.3 billion and $325,000 to the antigraft body in March 2012, a significant increase from the Rp 15.1 billion and $167,000 figures filed in 2001.

Based on his wealth report to the KPK in 2012, Fauzi currently has six plots of land and buildings located in Jakarta, South Tangerang, worth a total of Rp 33.8 billion. He also owns a Mercedes-Benz sedan, a Land Rover van and four Harley Davidson bikes.

The antigraft body also recorded that Fauzi reported a total wealth of Rp 33 billion and $150,000 in May 2007, while in July 2010 the number increased to Rp 46.9 billion and $200,000.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/18/foke-targeted-kpk-fat-bank-accounts.html

KPK deputy chairman post now vacant amid dysfunctional house

Jakarta Globe - December 17, 2014

Fana F.S. Putra, Novianti Setuningsih & Hotman Siregar, Jakarta – Indonesia's national antigraft agency lost one of its deputy chairmen on Tuesday, after the House of Representatives failed to name a successor due to a prolonged internal rift inside the legislature.

A nonpartisan ad hoc selection committee (pansel) impaneled under former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono earlier recommended two options for the House: reelect outgoing deputy Busyro Muqoddas for another five-year term, or appoint another candidate, the relatively unknown Roby Arya Brata.

But a split in the legislature has stopped the House from deliberating the matter. Busyro's first term expired on Tuesday, leaving a void in the well-reputed law enforcement organization.

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Abraham Samad said the agency can still perform its function with its three current deputies: Adnan Pandu Praja, Bambang Widjojanto and Zulkarnain. Their terms will end in December next year. "Even with two [commissioners] we can [still operate]," Abraham said.

The KPK, he said, can still make key decisions including on high-profile cases, like those involving senior officials and politicians as well as costing the state huge losses. "We always make our decisions through consensus and based on evidence. So, no problem," he said of the vacancy.

"The KPK is now concentrating on unraveling major cases, considering that we only have a year left before our terms ended," Abraham said.

Among the cases Abraham pledged to resolve when he first took office in 2011 was suspected corruption involving the Rp 6.8 trillion ($527 billion) government bailout of Bank Century in 2008. After an extended period of government custodianship, and rebranded as Bank Mutiara, the troubled lender was recently sold to Japan's J Trust.

Abraham has also vowed to investigate corruption surrounding the absolution of debts for others who received government bailouts during the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997-1998.

"We are still continuously investigating these cases and expanding [the probe] further. So be patient," he said. As for the Bank Century case, Abraham said the KPK is still waiting for the resolution of appeals by the lone defendant in the case, former Bank Indonesia deputy Budi Mulya, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Corruption Court in July.

Last May, the same court also grilled former Vice President Boediono, a Bank Indonesia governor at the time of the bailout, over his role in the case, but the KPK said earlier this month that he has not yet been named a suspect.

"If [the Supreme Court] issues a legally binding ruling, then we can follow up by [investigating] those mentioned at [Budi Mulya's] ruling," he said.

The KPK plans to consult documents surrounding the absolution of the debts by hundreds of creditors who have mostly fled the country. The KPK also plans to question former members of a government task force tasked with collecting the debts.

Asked if the KPK would name further suspects in the case, Abraham said: "We can't be sure, because we have to ask the task force first.

"What I can state is that we have no problem summoning Megawati," he said referring to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was president at the time.

"You can follow the investigation. We are transparent. We have nothing to hide. No [case] will be frozen. No one who should be questioned left unquestioned."

Legal expert Abdul Fickar Hadjar from Jakarta's Trisakti University said Abraham must increase the KPK's manpower before his term ends, since the KPK has a serious backlog of pending cases even with the current number of prosecutors and investigators.

"The KPK has the authority to increase the number of its investigators. If they are short-staffed they can ask [for more investigators] from the police or recruit on its own," he said. "The House must support plans to add more tooth to the KPK."

The antigraft body earlier announced plans to start opening field offices across the archipelago next year in order to improve its supervision of regional governments.

KPK deputy chairman Bambang said on Sunday evening that the antigraft body was considering opening one branch office in Sumatra next year, as part of its plan to open at least five field offices throughout Indonesia in the next ten years.

Bambang said the field office would focus on preventing corruption in the local government. He also said the KPK would recruit local people to help them fight against corruption at the regional level.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla welcomed the plan, saying that the government would support the KPK by granting it one of the central government's many vacant buildings.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/kpk-deputy-chairman-post-now-vacant-amid-dysfunctional-house/

Court points to role of MPR speaker in graft

Jakarta Post - December 16, 2014

Haeril Halim, Jakarta – The Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday indicted palm-oil businessman Gulat Manurung for graft in a bribery case surrounding the issuance of a land-conversion permit by the Forestry Ministry in September, when the ministry was led by current People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Zulkifli Hasan.

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors at the court charged Gulat with bribing Riau Governor Annas Mamun with US$166,100 following the issuance of a ministerial decree by Zulkifli in August allowing the Riau administration to convert a forest area of 1,638,249 hectares in total into a non-forest area.

"Gulat gave the money to Annas for his services in handling the permit for a total of 1,188 hectares of land in Kuantan Sengingi regency and 1,214 hectares in Rokan Hilir regency, belonging to him and his other friends," prosecutor Kresno Anto Wibowo said at the court.

Prosecutors said that during a visit in Riau in August, Zulkifli, in a speech at the administration office, encouraged people in Riau to make proposals to the change the status of their land so that they could become part of the 1,638,249 hectares allowed by the ministry.

Prosecutors said that following the encouragement from Zulkifli, who is a member of the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Riau administration conducted studies on which specific areas could be included in the total area allowed by the ministry.

The administration sent a revised proposal to Zulkifli, who later granted his approval. Prosecutors said that Zulkifli approved part of the areas that were proposed by Annas.

However, prosecutors further said that Annas later made another revision to the proposal that he had sent to Zulkifli by including the land of Gulat and his colleagues in the land-conversion proposal.

The change was allegedly made after a payment of US$166,100 given by the businessman.

"On Sept. 22, [after making the revision] Annas phoned the defendant and asked him to provide Rp 2.9 billion [US$228,100] for his services in meeting Gulat's request in the proposal submitted by the Riau administration," Kresno said. In the end, Gulat could only afford to pay Annas Rp 2 billion.

Riau saw 21,400 hectares of its land converted to oil-palm plantations from 2011 to 2012, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Annas is the third consecutive Riau governor to be implicated in a graft case. The previous two governors, Rusli Zainal and Saleh Djasit, have already been sentenced in two separate graft cases. Rusli was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the Pelalawan forestry permit and Riau National Games graft cases, while Saleh got four years for his involvement in the procurement of fire-fighting vehicles.

Separately, KPK spokesman Johan Budi said that the antigraft body was currently completing Annas' dossier for the bribery case, adding that as soon as it was completed Annas would stand trial.

"Our investigation into AM is ongoing. We still need to question more witnesses to complete his dossier," Johan said at the KPK headquarters on Monday, referring to Annas by his initials.

The antigraft body earlier grilled Zulkifli on Nov. 12 to seek clarification about his role in issuing a land-conversion permit for Gulat's palm-oil plantation in Riau.

After an eight-hour questioning session, Zulkifli revealed that KPK investigators had asked him about his main responsibilities as forestry minister, as well as those of high-ranking officials at the ministry.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/16/court-points-role-mpr-speaker-graft.html

KPK to step up regional monitoring with new branch offices

Jakarta Globe - December 15, 2014

Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) plans to start opening branches across the archipelago next year in order to improve its supervision of regional governments, one of its leaders has announced.

Bambang Widjojanto, a deputy chairman at the KPK, said on Sunday evening that the anti-graft body was considering opening one branch office in Sumatra next year, as part of its plan to open at least five branch offices throughout Indonesia in the next ten years.

"We've decided to open a representative office in one of the provinces in Sumatra in 2015," said Bambang, as cited by Tempo. "We're still studying in which province we should build our office."

Bambang said that the branch office would focus on preventing corruption in the local government. He also said that the KPK would recruit local people to help them fight against corruption at the regional level. "We're sure that there will be many agents of change. We need a renewed spirit in eradicating corruption," he said.

The chairman of Commission III of the House of Representatives, Benny K. Harman, said he fully supported the KPK's proposal. "We'll definitely support the KPK. It's a good plan, and it needs to be implemented right away," Benny said on Monday.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/kpk-step-regional-monitoring-new-branch-offices/

Terrorism & religious extremism

Residents, Komnas HAM deny IS report

Jakarta Post - December 20, 2014

Ruslan Sangadji, Palu – Residents and the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) have cast doubt on the existence of the Islamic State (IS), also known as ISIS or ISIL, in the restive regency of Poso in Central Sulawesi, despite the government's claim that the group is already operating there.

Residents said they were surprised by the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno's report on the recruitment of members of IS in the region, because they have so far only known the Santoso-led terrorist cell.

Former Poso combatant Rafiq Syamsuddin told The Jakarta Post that he had observed a number of residents, who experienced police brutality and economic problems, deciding to join the Santoso gang.

"However, they are not IS members. They are members of an armed civilian group spreading terror in Poso," said Rafiq. He added that the current number of residents who had joined Santoso's gang was small; some of them live with Santoso while other mix with residents in the villages.

He derided that the government's statement on the presence of ISIS in Poso as an effort to create a sense of fear among residents. "We are bothered if Poso is mentioned as an ISIS den. It's a ridiculous statement," said Rafiq.

In a separate interview, the Komnas HAM deputy head Siane Indriani said she also doubted that there were IS operations in Poso. She agreed that the Santoso gang was a terrorist group, but was not a part of IS. "Santoso is a terrorist group with similar characteristics to IS," she added.

Siane said that it was unlikely that the Santoso gang was part of IS, as the Santoso group is based in the jungle and would have trouble communicating with the IS network. Even if he did communicate with IS, police should have been able to trace him because they have sophisticated monitoring systems.

Santoso's group, added Siane, was getting smaller by the day, but the group could grow big with funding. "My question is why the small group has never been captured. Instead they exaggerate about connections with ISIS," said Siane.

While police were arresting several Santoso members, they have yet to apprehended Santoso, the main man.

Central Sulawesi Police chief spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Utoro Saputro said Santoso's members were no longer many, as police had yet to arrest around 20 of them. He added that IS supporters were probably present in the province following the discovery of the group's symbols in several places in Poso and Palu. The symbols further examined to know whether they were serious or simply used to take advantage of the widespread reports on IS.

Utoro also said that the violence committed by Santoso's group in Poso resemble that of ISIS. "Their method of killing by slitting the throat of civilians, is the same as ISIS," said Utoro.

The radical group is currently hiding in the dense jungle of the Poso regency. They are strongly believed to have perpetrated a series of shootings against civilians and police in the Poso regency of late.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/20/residents-komnas-ham-deny-is-report.html

Freedom of religion & worship

Xmas on the streets for churchgoers

Jakarta Post - December 20, 2014

Sita W. Dewi, Jakarta – Some churchgoers will be forced to attend their Christmas masses on the streets because after years of struggle no resolution has been found to the issues their churches face.

Representatives of the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Yasmin in Bogor and the Filadelfia Batak Church in Bekasi confirmed on Friday that they had yet to receive positive signals from relevant authorities that their church buildings could be accessed for Christmas, which will be celebrated next Thursday.

GKI Yasmin spokesman Bona Sigalingging told The Jakarta Post that parishioners planned to conduct Christmas mass in the sidewalks in front of the church building on Thursday morning.

"We will gather in one of our congregation member's residence nearby at 7:30 a.m. and then together march to the church area and hold the Christmas mass in front of the church building," Bona said.

He said the congregation would be accompanied by representatives of inter- faith groups and human rights watchdogs, including the Wahid Institute, the Setara Institute, the Bhinneka Tunggal Ika National Alliance and the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute.

Earlier this week, GKI Yasmin representatives came to the National Police headquarters, requesting police protection from potential disturbances and threats during Christmas this year.

GKI Yasmin lawyer Jayadi Da-manik said police protection would be necessary, as there were many groups that had prevented churchgoers from using the half-finished GKI Yasmin church in Bogor as a place of worship.

This year will mark the congregation's fifth year in celebrating Christmas outside the church building since it was sealed by Bogor city administration in 2010.

Last year, they held a Christmas mass under the rain in front of the State Palace. In 2008, the Supreme Court rejected a request from the Bogor City Planning and Parks Agency to revoke the church's building permit (IMB) it issued on Feb. 14, 2008. This ruling was upheld by the Court two years later.

However, then Bogor mayor Diani Budiarto eventually revoked the church's IMB only several days after he promised to uphold the Supreme Court's ruling.

Despite campaign promises that Bogor Mayor Bima Arya will prioritize finding the resolution to the GKI Yasmin saga, Bona admitted there had been no signs of progress on the matter as of today.

Separately, Filadelfia Batak Church representative Rev. Edwin Lubis said the Filadelfia congregation would hold Christmas mass in front of the State Palace this year, just like they did last year.

"There will be around 100 of us who will gather in Bekasi and then take a bus to the State Palace on Thursday morning," he said, "I hope the President will welcome us and invite us in."

In 2011, the Bekasi municipal administration sealed off Filadelfia church after local residents objected to its construction. Although the Bandung State Administrative Court has ruled in favor of the church's right to exist, the administration has still not reopened the site.

Currently, GKI Yasmin and Filadelfia hold Sunday services every two weeks in front of the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta to protest.

Both Bona and Edwin acknowledged they had met with high-ranking officials from the government, including Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, who encouraged them to hold Christmas masses inside church buildings. "However, nothing real has happened yet," Bona said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/20/xmas-streets-churchgoers.html

Bogor church seeks police protection for Christmas

Jakarta Post - December 18, 2014

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – The congregation of the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Yasmin requested on Wednesday that the National Police protect them from potential disturbances and threats on Christmas Day this year.

"We have come to ask the National Police to protect us so that we can celebrate Christmas peacefully this year," GKI Yasmin lawyer Jayadi Damanik said at the National Police headquarters in South Jakarta.

Jayadi explained that police protection was necessary because there were many groups that did not want them to celebrate Christmas and had prevented churchgoers from using the half-finished GKI Yasmin church in Bogor as a place of worship.

In 2008, the Supreme Court rejected a request from the Bogor City Planning and Parks Agency to revoke the church's building permit (IMB) due to objections from residents. This ruling was upheld by the Court two years later.

However, the Bogor administration – then under Diani Budiarto – still refused to issue a permit for the building and sealed off the church.

"The police force can take preventative measures [to make sure Christmas mass runs smoothly] and act with a firm hand when needed, that's all we want. There are still many groups that do not feel safe celebrating Christmas openly, such as the Batak Protestant Church [HKBP] Filadelfia in Bekasi [West Java]," he said.

In 2011, the Bekasi municipal administration sealed off HKBP Filadelfia church after local residents objected to its construction. Although the Bandung State Administrative Court ruled in favor of the church's right to exist, the administration has still not reopened the site.

Currently, GKI Yasmin and HKBP Filadelfia hold Sunday services every two weeks in front of the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta as a means of protest.

Jayadi said he hoped that this year's Christmas and New Year festivities would be different and the worshippers would remain safe during their holy day. "We would like to conduct services on our own land. When can we stop conducting services outside the Presidential Palace?" he said.

Jayadi added that the police recommended that GKI Yasmin also send a letter to their local police precinct to remind them of their obligations to protect civilians.

Separately, National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Agus Rianto told reporters that the police were ready to secure this year's Christmas and New Year festivities.

"There will be a total of 145,756 officers from the police, military and other institutions deployed to secure the festivities from Dec. 24 to Jan. 2," he said. Agus explained that the National Police would deploy 80,560 officers, almost 1,000 fewer than last year.

The police are prioritizing 12 provinces – including Java, North Sumatra, Papua and Central Sulawesi – for protection because they have a larger number of Christians.

"We will prioritize places of worship and places where people gather to celebrate. However, recreational areas – especially on New Year's Eve – will also be an important focus. We believe that these kinds of places are vulnerable to possible terrorist attacks," Agus said.

National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti also said that the Densus 88 counterterrorism unit would be especially alert during the festivities to prevent any terrorist actions.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/18/bogor-church-seeks-police-protection-christmas.html

Governance & administration

Jokowi dismisses 10 government institutions

Jakarta Post - December 15, 2014

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has dissolved 10 non-structural institutions as part of his effort to slim down the structure of his administration, according to the Cabinet Secretariat.

The President signed a regulation dissolving the commissions, established during former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's two terms, on Dec. 4, to make the government work more efficiently.

The 10 bodies include the National Aeronautics and Space Council, the National Book Council, the National Law Commission and the Indonesian Sugar Council. The tasks of the institutions will be transferred to related ministries, according to Antara news agency.

Under the presidential regulation, the President also revoked the 10 presidential decrees that served as the basis for the establishment of the institutions.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/15/jokowi-dismisses-10-govt-institutions.html

Parliament & legislation

Opposition split over new rules on regional elections

Jakarta Post - December 20, 2014

Hasyim Widhiarto, Jakarta – With more than 100 regional elections scheduled for next year, members of the opposition Red-and-White Coalition are at loggerheads over a new proposal that stipulates elected local leaders can appoint their running mates.

Although the newly issued government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) on direct local elections has given governors-elect, mayors-elect and regents-elect the authority to appoint their deputies, the Gerindra Party said that such authority could in fact create weak local government.

"Referring to the Perppu, newly elected regional heads will most likely appoint someone whom they can easily control as their deputies since they want to ensure their deputies won't be a threat for their reelection bid five years later," said Gerindra Party politician Ahmad Riza Patria, also deputy chairman of House Commission II overseeing domestic governance and regional autonomy.

Direct local elections were reinstated by then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono through the issuance of a Perppu following a barrage of criticism for his inaction that allowed a law to pass that returned the power to elect regional leaders to Regional Legislative Councils (DPRDs).

Party leaders within the Red-and-White Coalition had signed a pact to support the proposal of Yudhoyono's Democratic Party to support the Perppu in exchange for the latter's support, joining their opposition coalition in the House of Representatives and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

The coalition, however, has been on the verge of breaking apart recently, following a split within the Golkar Party, the current leader of the opposition coalition.

At a recent national congress in Bali, the leader of one faction of Golkar, Aburizal Bakrie, announced a plan to cancel the deal withYudhoyono and to oppose the Perppu in the House. Aburizal's stance was quickly attacked by Yudhoyono, the Democrats' chairman, who later approached President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's Great Indonesia Coalition to build support for the Perppu, which also stipulates that governors, regents and mayors may have up to three deputies.

Meanwhile, Democratic Party lawmaker Khatibul Umam Wiranu insisted that the installment of non-political appointees as regional head deputies would have a positive outcome.

"Ninety percent of regional head pairs part ways before their term expires since both are looking to run in the next local election. We don't want to see this happen all the time as this could affect the quality of public services," he said.

Earlier this month, Jokowi issued Government Regulation No. 102/2014 stipulating provinces with populations of less than 1 million would have no deputy governor, while those with populations between 1 million and 3 million would have one. Provinces with populations between 3 million and 10 million could have two deputies, while those with populations over 10 million would have three deputies.

The regulation also stipulates that regencies or municipalities with less than 100,000 residents can not have a deputy regent or deputy mayor, while those with populations between 100,000 and 250,000 can have one deputy and those with more than 250,000 may have two deputies.

Regional leaders, according to the regulation, must appoint their deputy or deputies no later than one month after their inauguration. A governor must also propose the names of deputy candidates to the president no later than 15 days after the inauguration.

Lawmaker Yandri Susanto of the National Mandate Party (PAN), another member of the opposition coalition, supported the new regulation.

"Allowing regional heads to have more than one deputy will help create fairness. How can densely populated regions be compared to those with smaller populations," he said Friday.

Next year, Indonesia is scheduled to hold regional elections in eight provinces: North Kalimantan, Jambi, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, West Sumatra, Riau Islands, North Sulawesi and Bengkulu. Elections will also take place in 153 regencies, 26 cities and 17 new regions.

Gadjah Mada University political analyst Purwo Santoso supported the Perppu, saying that regional leaders would need assistance from experienced government officials instead of a political appointee to deal with complex bureaucracy. "That's why we now call them deputy, not wakil [vice] regional head," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/20/opposition-split-over-new-rules-regional-elections.html

Jakarta & urban life

Djarot inaugurated as Jakarta's deputy governor

Jakarta Post - December 18, 2014

Dewanti A. Wardhani, Jakarta – Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Djarot Saiful Hidayat officially became Jakarta deputy governor after being sworn in by Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama at City Hall on Wednesday.

The deputy governor seat in Jakarta had been vacant for about a month after Ahok left the position in October when he replaced Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as Jakarta governor, following Jokowi's inauguration as the country's seventh president on Oct. 20 this year. Both Ahok and Djarot will serve as Jakarta's leaders until October 2017. Jokowi and Ahok were inaugurated as governor and deputy governor in October 2012.

Djarot, a House of Representatives member, was not Ahok's first choice for the position. He repeatedly named senior city official Sarwo Handayani as his favorite candidate. However, after meeting with PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, Ahok, who now has no political affiliation, then picked Djarot.

Djarot is known to have strongly opposed the construction of malls and minimarkets during his tenure as Blitar mayor from 2000 to 2010. Djarot is also well-known for having reformed the bureaucracy of the Blitar city administration.

Djarot's appointment was approved by President Jokowi through Presidential Decree (Keppres) No.144/P 2014, which was signed on Dec. 15. During the inauguration, the 52-year-old was accompanied by his 47-year-old wife Happy Farida and daughters 13-year-old Safira Prameswari, 11-year-old Karunia Dwihapsa Paramasari and 8-year-old Meisya Rizki.

Speaking to reporters after his inauguration, Djarot said that as deputy governor he would be in charge of going on blusukan (impromptu visits), a trademark of Jokowi as governor. "I will go on blusukan to urban villages. I will not just visit, but I will have dialogues and discussions with the residents," Djarot said.

Djarot said that he intended to better the lives of Jakartans by fulfilling their basic needs. "I want to make sure that their stomachs, brains and wallets are full," Djarot said.

In the long term, he said that he would also help micro and small entrepreneurs by revitalizing traditional markets and limiting the number of minimarkets in Jakarta, a similar strategy to the one he used in Blitar.

Dozens of city officials, councilors and public figures attended the inauguration, including PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri and City Council speaker Prasetyo Edi Marsudi.

Ahok said that he was happy to finally have a deputy after almost one month of being "single". He said that he chose Djarot because the latter was proven to have a good character, even after 10 years in power as Blitar mayor.

"The most effective way to test a person's character is to give him power. I admire Pak Djarot because he had power for more than 10 years [as Blitar mayor], but he proved to have integrity and honesty. Pak Djarot has a good character," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/18/djarot-inaugurated-jakarta-s-deputy-governor.html

Social security & welfare

Soaring bills bring trouble for BPJS

Jakarta Post - December 18, 2014

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – The Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) has revealed that its claim ratio is expected to pass 100 percent by the end of the year, a sign of poor budget management in the national health insurance (JKN) program.

The claim ratio is the ratio between the hospitals' bills for health services and the premiums collected by the agency, both from tax funds, to finance the poor under the scheme, as well as those paid by employees and those who are individually registered for the insurance.

BPJS Kesehatan spokesman Ihsan said on Wednesday that the November claim ratio had reached 99.6 percent. National Social Security Council (DJSN) member Usman Sumantri from the Health Ministry said on Wednesday that the December claim ratio would reach 101 percent at this rate.

"This is based on the claim-payment tendency from month to month," he said. "A 101 percent claim ratio means the money collected from premiums is less than the total service bills. It means that they are running out of money." Usman added that a few months ago the claim ratio was still 91.8 percent.

While the ratio had reached a worrying level, he said that it was not the fault of BPJS Kesehatan. "It's not that their budget management is not healthy. But our society is not accustomed [to paying for national health insurance regularly and consistently]," Usman said.

He reasoned that many people were still waiting until they were sick before they applied for the JKN program. "Moreover, some people pay for the premiums when they are sick, but once they have been cured, they stop paying. So, the premiums collected are low but they still have to pay for sick people," Usman said.

Since the blame for the high claim ratio could not be laid on BPJS Kesehatan, the government would be responsible for injecting funds into the agency should it run out of money, he said. "As long as the budget is managed well, if there's a budget deficit, then it becomes the state's responsibility," said Usman.

Likewise, Ihsan said that such a high ratio was not necessarily caused by poor budget management in the agency. He also said that the ratio should not trigger panic since it had not passed 100 percent.

"The social security budget comes from premiums [paid to us] and we use this to pay claims [from hospitals]. Therefore, looking at that claim ratio, we could say that our budget is enough to pay for the claims," Ihsan told The Jakarta Post.

Moreover, the agency still had a reserve fund that could be used in case of emergency, he said. "Our organizational budget is used for operational purposes, it comes from our assets and is still healthy," said Ihsan.

Usman also said that the agency should be financially safe for now. "For now, the situation is still safe because there is still money left from the past, around Rp 5 trillion [US$394.6 million]. That's the safety fund," he said.

To lower the claim ratio, BPJS Kesehatan should push for people's participation and compliance paying premiums, as well as registering for the program well before they are sick, according to Usman. To encourage people not to wait until they are sick before applying for the JKN program, BPJS Kesehatan has stipulated that a JKN card can only be valid for use seven days after registration.

BPJS Kesehatan director Fahmi Idris said that if the JKN cards were valid immediately on registration, then users would only apply after they became sick. As of November, BPJS Kesehatan had paid more than Rp 31 trillion in hospital claims.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/18/soaring-bills-bring-trouble-bpjs.html

Armed forces & defense

TNI joint commands face many hurdles, say experts

Jakarta Post - December 19, 2014

Nani Afrida, Jakarta – The plan to establish joint area defense commands (Kogabwilhan) among forces in the Indonesian Military (TNI) faces many challenges, experts say.

Such commands would integrate the regional resources of the Army, Navy and Air Force into multi-service groups that would be positioned at certain defense flash points integral to preserving the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

In the plan, each Kogabwilhan group would be equipped with its own fleet of warships, jet fighters and Army units. Each group's commander, a three-star general, would be given the authority to respond to incidents without having to go through the red tape at TNI headquarters in Jakarta.

"The idea is good but I see several challenges that need to be addressed in this new plan," military expert Al Araf told the The Jakarta Post recently.

First, according Al Araf, was how to make the three divisions; the Army, Navy and Air Force, either its form or its troops, integrated. Second was how to restructure the TNI, and third was how the commands would equally represent the Army, Navy and Air Force.

"The Army has dominated the military since [Soeharto's] New Order era. This new plan should settle how to give the same power to the Navy and Air Force," he said.

According Al Araf, restructuring the Army was required to adjust the idea of Kogabwilhan. "The Army took control of territory in the New Order era using its regional military command [Kodam] and its lower-level commands, Kodim and Koramil," he said.

Another military expert, Mufti Makarim, suggested that government conduct an in-depth assessment of threats to Indonesia, so the plan would not waste state money. He said the idea to form joint commands was based on Presidential Regulation No. 10/2013, to address potential threats to Indonesia's territory.

"The threats should be in-line with the concept of joint commands. We should avoid having joint commands without certain aims because they require big investment," Mufti said, adding that the military should work on a coordination strategy to avoid overlapping commands.

"The leaders of joint commands should not be high-ranking commanders and be respected by the three divisions," he said. According to Mufti, the joint commands, if they materialized, would give the TNI a new objective.

"Today, the military focuses on internal conflicts as it has Kodams in each area. Joint commands will make the TNI switch its focus to external threats. Internal problems will be addressed by the police," Mufti said.

Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu did not elaborate on the potential challenges of Kogabwilhan. "We will review the matter," Ryamizard said after attending an executive meeting at the Defense Ministry in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Ryamizard added the government would try hard to ensure the plan would be implemented smoothly for the sake of Indonesia's sovereignty.

In November, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo agreed to continue with the TNI's plan for Kogabwilhan, which are designed for flexible and rapid-troop deployment. The idea of Kogabwilhan emerged in 2008 under the leadership of Jokowi's predecessor, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/19/tni-joint-commands-face-many-hurdles-say-experts.html

Judicial & legal system

KY supports MK stance in justice selection

Jakarta Post - December 16, 2014

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – The Judicial Commission (KY) backed on Monday a move by the Constitutional Court (MK) to push President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo not to involve two top lawyers in a committee established by the government to conduct the selection process to appoint a new court justice.

The court has sent a letter objecting to the membership of state administrative law expert Refly Harun and prominent lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis – who have represented clients in cases heard by the court – to ensure the objectivity of the selection committee.

The committee, which consists of seven legal experts, was established by Jokowi to find a new Constitutional Court justice to replace court chief Hamdan Zoelva, whose tenure ends in January.

"It does not mean that these individual lawyers are not independent, but not to involve them in the process could prevent a conflict of interest in the future," Taufiqurrohman Syahuri, a commissioner for judicial recruitment, said on Monday.

The commission had earlier appreciated the government's effort to conduct a transparent selection mechanism by setting up the committee.

Taufiqurrohman said the commission, the task of which is to oversee the Supreme Court's justices, never involved lawyers in such selection processes.

The commissioner, however, suggested that such a concern was supposed to be raised by the court's ethics panel instead. "We understand the concern but it is not appropriate. It is supposed to be the [court's] ethics panel that voices such a concern as it monitors the court," he said.

The Constitution states the court must have nine justices, with the House of Representatives, the president and the Supreme Court each entitled to appoint three justices to serve five-year tenures.

The 2011 Constitutional Court Law stipulates the nomination of justice candidates should be conducted transparently and with public participation.

Other than Refly and Todung, other individuals appointed to the team are state administrative law professor Saldi Isra, former Constitutional Court justices Maruarar Siahaan and Harjono, and legal experts Satya Arinanto and Widodo Ekatjahjana.

Refly is also known as a whistle-blower in the court. In 2010, he revealed that former justice Arsyad Sanusi was involved in attempted bribery related to a case heard by the court, prompting Arsyad to resign, although an independent ethics panel found no evidence of the bribery.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) deputy secretary general Ahmad Basarah slammed the court as being arrogant and suspected the letter for Jokowi was to protect Hamdan's political interests.

"The objection letter is a result of Hamdan Zoelva's political interests. There's an impression that Hamdan wants the selection committee to be filled by people who support him," Basarah said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/16/ky-supports-mk-stance-justice-selection.html

Criminal justice & prison system

Huge haul of contraband found in Jakarta prison shakedown destroyed

Jakarta Globe - December 20, 2014

Fana F.S. Putra, Jakarta – Indonesian prison officials destroyed hundreds of mobile phones and other contraband items confiscated from inmates in detention facilities across the capital on Friday.

At least 213 mobile phones were destroyed along with 19 weapons and two laptop computers.

"We've also eliminated 65 cellphone chargers, a stove, a power bank, an internet modem, two televisions, a DVD player and a music box," director general Handoyo Sudrajat said as the items were being destroyed in Cipinang, East Jakarta, on Friday.

However, not all mobile phones confiscated were destroyed, Handoyo said. Some have been handed over to other law enforcement bodies, such as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the National Anti-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) for further investigation.

"This is to gather conversation data sent through the [mobile phones]," Handoyo said.

The sheer amount of contraband confiscated from the Cipinang Prison, the Pondok Bambu Prison and the detention center in Salemba suggests alarmingly lax law enforcement in prisons across Indonesia.

Handoyo said the Justice ministry's prisons directorate is understaffed, under-trained and under-equipped to prevent contraband entering the prison.

"We have 160,000 inmates in prisons and detention facilities across Indonesia." "A single officer has to monitor 45 inmates," he said, adding that even the better-equipped and trained KPK faces similar problems.

"At the KPK detention center, which hosts only a few dozen prisoners, you can still find prisoners stashing cash and cellphones."

Handoyo said his office has proposed the Justice and Human Rights Ministry equip prisons with x-ray scanners to intercept contraband from next year.

The director general said that bribery also plays a large part in the flow of contraband into prisons, and that his office has previously punished complicit corrections officers, but did not mention any punishments meted out in the recent shakedown.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/huge-haul-contraband-found-jakarta-prison-shakedown-destroyed/

Indonesia must stop planned executions: HRW

Jakarta Post - December 18, 2014

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo should commute the death sentences of five individuals scheduled for execution "as soon as possible" for violating drug trafficking laws, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said today.

"President Jokowi should join the global tide toward abolishing the death penalty rather than approving multiple executions," HRW deputy Asia director Phelim Kine said on Thursday.

"Indonesia should demonstrate leadership among Asian nations by stopping the barbarous practice once and for all," he went on.

Jokowi authorized the execution of the five prisoners, whose names have not been released, earlier this month. He justified his rejection of the five prisoners' petitions for clemency on the basis that drug traffickers on death row had "destroyed the future of the nation".

Speaking during a lecture at a Yogyakarta college on Dec. 9, Jokowi said the death penalty for convicted drug traffickers was "important shock therapy" for anyone who violated Indonesia's drug laws.

According to Attorney General's Office (AGO) data, 136 people are currently on death row in Indonesia, 64 of whom have been convicted of drug trafficking, two of terrorism and the rest for murder and robbery.

Indonesia executed by firing squad Adami Wilson, a 48-year-old Malawian national, on March 15, 2013, ending a four-year unofficial moratorium on the use of the death penalty. Wilson was convicted of smuggling 1 kilogram heroin into Indonesia in 2004.

HRW says it opposes the death penalty in all circumstances because of its inherent cruelty. "Indonesia's use of the death penalty is inconsistent with international human rights law, statements of United Nations human rights experts, and various UN bodies," the group said.

It further said human rights law upheld every human being's "inherent right to life" and limited the death penalty to "the most serious crimes," typically crimes resulting in death.

"Indonesia should join with the many countries already committed to the UN General Assembly's December 18, 2007 resolution calling for a moratorium on executions and a move by UN member countries toward abolition of the death penalty," said HRW. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/18/ri-must-stop-planned-executions-hrw.html

Fishing & maritime affairs

Fishy business in Maritime sector, as ship sinking directive goes lax

Jakarta Globe - December 19, 2014

Ezra Sihite & Nuriy Azizah Susetyo, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo is questioning the commitment of his staff to protect Indonesia's maritime resources, ordering officials to be more serious about sinking foreign vessels caught poaching on Indonesian waters.

"Two months ago I gave a direct order: If any [foreign fishing boats] enter our waters, immediately sink it. I have to repeat the same order up to three times before any action is taken," Joko said in his speech at the National Development Planning Seminar in Jakarta on Thursday. "I thought to myself, why must I issue the same order three times. They should have taken action the first time I said it."

Joko's speech would likely fuel further speculation that Indonesian security officials have been assisting foreign poachers in exchange for bribes. Several officers have been sanctioned in the past for assisting boats that encroached Indonesian waters as well as those involved in people smuggling.

Joko also questioned why security officials have so far only sunk around 30 trespassing boats, pointing to a government estimate 90 percent of the fishing vessels operating in Indonesia are foreign boats that operate without permits or have little fear of being sanctioned.

According to the government, Indonesia has lost up to Rp 300 trillion ($24 billion) annually from foreign poachers. To address the problem, the government is planning to increase the number of boats to patrol Indonesia's vast waters.

The National Police's Marine Security Division has 678 patrol boats, while the Indonesian Navy has 159 ships.

Both agencies have said that they are well-equipped and have adequate human resources but pointed to a lack of funding to buy fuel as the main reason why their patrols have not been effective. Last month, Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Moeldoko proposed a supply of 350,000 kiloliters of fuel per month to patrol Indonesian waters.

Maritime and Fishery Affairs Miniter Susi Pudjiastuti said the government is planning to recruit 100 of the country's best sailors annually "to take over Indonesian waters, which is usually controlled by foreign boats."

Susi said the archipelago hosts some of the finest seamen in the world. "We ask [local leaders] to find 100 future sailors a year. We will train them and send them to [naval] schools overseas," she said.

Joko has made maritime affairs one of his key programs as part of his ambition to turn Indonesia into a "global maritime axis."

The president has stated that aside from better protection of its maritime resources, Indonesia is also planning to make the sea the country's main transportation hub both domestically and internationally.

The government has pledged to build 24 seaports and import up to 2,500 boats as part of the plan to connect Indonesia's major islands and increase the flow of goods and expedite development in underdeveloped regions.

Engelina Pattiasina, the director of maritime think tank Archipelago Solidarity Foundation, said Joko must first increase the competitiveness of the regions themselves or they will be further marginalized by the influx of migrants and goods from more developed Indonesian areas.

If Joko does this right "the [underdeveloped] eastern Indonesian region will have the chance to realize its potential," she said.

Joko has established a program to build the country's shipping industries. But maritime expert Chandra Motik Yusuf noted that Joko has yet to formulate policies to realize this.

Joko is also keen to assist Indonesian fishermen in increasing their production. On Wednesday, state-controlled firm Telekomunikasi Indonesia said that it has established 11 "digital fishing villages" where fishermen in the areas can get real-time information via the Internet.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/fishy-business-maritime-sector-ship-sinking-directive-goes-lax/

Economy & investment

Potential missteps in Jokowi's plan

Jakarta Post - December 20, 2014

Satria Sambijantoro, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has been warned about potential missteps in his development agenda as his ambition to drastically increase Indonesia's economic growth in a short period of time might cause the country's economy to overheat.

The President's mission to reach an average annual economic growth of 7 percent during his five-year presidency might expose the new government to problems related to governance and transparency, specifically in growth- generating infrastructure projects, analysts said.

Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla have laid out plans for ambitious infrastructure projects, which include 15 airports, 24 seaports and 49 dams, as well as 3,258 meters of new railway, 2,650 kilometers of new roads, 1,000 kilometers of new highways (toll roads) and new power plants with a capacity of 35,000 megawatts (MW) – all within five years of their leadership.

Past experience showed that infrastructure projects that were built hastily were overwhelmed by governance issues, mainly because of the lack of transparency or competition in the tender process.

One key example is the 10,000 MW power plant development project pioneered by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2004-2009, when Kalla was his vice president.

"Some of the power plants that are part of the 10,000 MW electricity project do not come with the best quality," said Edimon Ginting, the chief economist of Asian Development Bank in Indonesia. "For our economic sustainability in the long-run, it is important to promote good governance and keep healthy competition in infrastructure project development," he noted.

Infrastructure development and governance is a trade-off, argued Telisa Aulia Falianty, an economist from the University of Indonesia.

"During the last tenure of Pak SBY," she said in a reference to President Yudhoyono, "the infrastructure projects' governance was relatively good but its progress was sluggish. The question now is how Pak Jokowi can make rapid progress in infrastructure building, but at the same time maintain good governance," she added.

Jokowi is now aiming to drive up economic growth to a pace that was last seen in 1996, during which Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 7.6 percent.

At that time, such a level of economic expansion was shown to be unsustainable. Overwhelmed by huge foreign debts and weak governance, Indonesia then bumped into an economic meltdown during the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis.

In recent years, Indonesia's economic expansion of 6 percent showed signs of overheating, such as the ballooning current-account deficit, as the growth of domestic demand far outpaced the supply capacity from the local manufacturing sector.

In upcoming years, external risks also pose a challenge to the outlook of the Indonesian economy, notably the slowdown in China, which could hurt the archipelago's exports, and the imminent monetary tightening in the US, which might drain global liquidity and cause shocks in financial markets.

"In current circumstances, we must focus on stabilization instead of thinking about how to achieve high economic growth," former finance minister Chatib Basri said recently. "Sending a wrong signal in government policy [to the market] could have a negative impact on the Indonesian economy."

In his medium-term development agenda, Jokowi also said that he would undertake economic reforms to ensure that Indonesia would be self- sufficient in rice, corn, sugar and soybeans, so that the country would soon no longer need to import the commodities – a move called import- substitution policy.

An import-substitution policy would be ineffective if it was undertaken in the manufacturing industry, as it might sidetrack Indonesia from its focus to produce goods where the country is truly competitive, explained Fachry Ali, a public policy analyst from the Institute for the Study and Advancement of Business Ethics (LPSEU).

"However, if it is applied in basic food [industries], we must support it," he said on Friday. "It is a good step to strengthen the fundamentals of our domestic economy in the long-run."

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/20/potential-missteps-jokowi-s-plan.html

Rupiah plunges to 1998 crisis level

Jakarta Post - December 16, 2014

Headlines – Despite Bank Indonesia's (BI) continuous pledge to guard currency stability, the rupiah nose dived to the weakest level in 16 years, bringing the specter of the 1998 Asian financial crisis back into local policymakers' minds.

The rupiah on Monday recorded the steepest one-day decline in five months as it fell 1.9 percent to 12,698 per dollar, the weakest close since August 1998, according to prices from local banks compiled by Bloomberg.

Other regional currencies also depreciated in line with the rupiah, which was battered by the combination of surging dollar demands and the broad- based capital outflows in Asian stock markets. Leading losses in Asia were stock markets in Malaysia, Thailand and Japan, whose stock markets fell by 3.1 percent, 2 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively.

In Indonesia, foreign investors registered a net sell of Rp 828 billion (US$64.3 million) on Monday, causing the Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) to fall by 1 percent to 5,108, the lowest level in almost a month.

BI spokesperson Peter Jacobs noted that regional currencies were hit by the reverse flows of capital, as many investors were now moving their US dollar assets to developed economies with better macroeconomic indicators, which promised safer outlook of investments.

"Bank Indonesia will not go against the market's flow and will perform a prudent, well-calibrated intervention on the rupiah," Peter said Monday in an interview at his Jakarta office.

"Investors don't need to collect dollars too aggressively because the pressure [on the rupiah] will ease in January, as we'll get more certainty on the future movement of the US interest rate, while domestic dollar demand – which now surges for yearend corporate payments – returns to normal," he explained.

Significant capital outflows were also recorded in the Indonesian bonds market, as foreign investors had reduced their holdings in the rupiah government bonds by Rp 11.2 trillion month-to-date, according to Finance Ministry data.

On Monday, the yield of the government benchmark 10-year bonds rose 23 basis point to 8.45 percent, the highest level in two months. Bonds that have higher yields are valued in cheaper prices among investors.

"Foreign investors are exiting the local bonds market because of the rupiah depreciation, as the recent correction in currency has eroded their assets," said Adra Wijasena, a fixed-income analyst with Mega Capital Indonesia.

While acknowledging that the recent rupiah weakness might be inevitable, he argued that the central bank could actually do more in preventing the rupiah from falling too steeply. "BI should stabilize the rupiah at the 12,500 [per dollar] level a little longer, as it is some kind of a psychological threshold among bond investors," Adra said Monday.

Top officials from the US central bank would hold their Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting for the last time this year on Dec. 17-18, during which they are expected to give guidance on their interest rate outlook for 2015.

"Investors could be nervous ahead of the FOMC meeting this week," Chua Hak Bin, an economist with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said on Monday. "Indonesian bonds and currency may stabilize or recover after the FOMC meeting, if the Fed does not surprise."

In addition to sentiment from the US, there was a "risk aversion" trend among investors in the financial markets, who moved to reposition their assets due to the plunging commodity prices such as oil, said Ho Woei Chen, an economist with the United Overseas Bank (UOB) in Singapore.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/16/rupiah-plunges-1998-crisis-level.html

Import substitution needed to reduce industry's dependence on imports

Kompas Newspaper - December 16, 2014

Jakarta – The government is determined to stimulate investment in import substitution, a move which it says is certain to reduce demand for US dollars as a result of the high dependency on imports.

"The dependency on imports in Indonesia is indeed still high", said Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairperson Franky Sibarani in Jakarta on Tuesday December 16.

As an illustration, based on National Statistics Agency (BPS) data, total imports of raw materials and intermediary goods between January and October 2014 was as high as 114.365 billion US dollars. This is equivalent to 76.39 percent of Indonesia's total imports of 149.702 billion dollars AS.

The import of capital goods over the same period was 24.844 billion dollars US and the import of consumer goods 10.493 billion dollars US [20.7 and 9.1 percent respectively – JB].

The importation of industrial goods has also contributed to the deficit. Based on data from the Ministry of Industry, the import of industrial products between January and September 2014 was as high as 93.07 billion dollars US.

Meanwhile the export of industrial products over the same period was only 87.85 billion dollars US resulting in a deficit of 5.22 billion dollars US.

Sibarani stated that the BKPM will be prioritising import substitution. "No matter what we will be definitely be prioritising import substitution because it can reduce the demand for US dollars for imports", he said.

The BKPM will also provide incentives for export orientated industries to develop. This approach will be applied for all export orientated companies. The BKPM will also promote investment in sectors such as electricity generation, agricultural, maritime and labour intensive industries.

Speaking separately, Indonesian Industrial Estate Association chairperson Sanny Iskandar believes that the move by the cabinet of President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla to support import substitution industries is the right one.

"This is because when there is a strengthening of the US dollar like now companies that depend on imported components are burdened. As a consequence they are retreating from business expansion plans and reducing production volumes", explained Iskandar.

Prices increases however cannot automatically follow a strengthening of the US dollar. According to Iskandar, aside from taking into consideration people's purchasing power, Indonesian industries are also faced with extraordinary levels of competition so it is not easy to increase the sales price of products. (CAS)

Source: http://print.kompas.com/KOMPAS_ART0000000000000000010700272

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "Penanaman Modal: Investasi Substitusi Impor Diprioritaskan".]

People

Renowned poet Sitor Situmorang dies at age 91

Jakarta Globe - December 21, 2014

Jakarta – Sitor Situmorang, one of Indonesia's most prominent poets, passed away on Saturday night local time in the Netherlands, at the age of 91.

"I was told by his family this morning. His weight had dropped to a mere 37 kilograms," historian J.J. Rizal said on Sunday, as quoted by news portal Tempo.co.

Sitor's body is currently at his wife's residence in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, according to J.J. Rizal, who said the writer had died of natural causes.

"Sitor was the only writer of the Generation of '45 who was still productively writing at the age of 85," he added.

Born in North Tapanuli, North Sumatra, Sitor started his career as a journalist at Indonesian daily newspapers Suara Nasional (1945-46) and Waspada (1947). He then ventured into writing literary books and received multiple awards for several of his works, including "Pertempuran dan Salju di Paris," ("Struggle and Snow in Paris," 1956), a collection of short stories.

Sitor was a prominent member of the Institute for People's Culture (LEKRA), which was closely tied to former Indonesian president Soekarno. He was imprisoned in 1965 following the rise of Gen. Suharto and was not released until 1976. He never stood trial.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/renowned-poet-sitor-situmorang-dies-age-91/

Analysis & opinion

Nowhere to ride

Jakarta Post Editorial - December 20, 2014

The ban on motorcycles along thoroughfares Jl. MH Thamrin and Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta is yet another controversial policy introduced by the Jakarta administration to address the traffic chaos facing the city.

The traffic-restriction policy is designed to reduce the number of road accidents. According to police data, most traffic accidents involve motorcycles, which makes sense given that they account for 75 percent of the total 16 million motorized vehicles operating in the city.

The ban began its one-month trial on Wednesday, and if it is deemed successful, it will be expanded to Jl. Sudirman, Jl. Gatot Subroto and Jl. HR Rasuna Said in South Jakarta, according to Jakarta Transportation Agency head Muhammad Akbar. The question, therefore, is why the ban has only been implemented in certain parts of Jakarta, when traffic accidents involving motorcycles happen across the city.

From the perspective of public policy, the ban is undoubtedly discriminatory and hinges on the misperception that motorcycles are behind most traffic headaches, although the government claims the policy is aimed at protecting the lives of motorcycle riders. Private cars, the real cause of traffic gridlock, can still use the thoroughfares, although not between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. on weekdays (unless they are carrying at least three people) or on Sundays between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m.

For those who have lived in the city for more than 30 years, the latest initiative to deal with Jakarta's traffic problems is reminiscent of the citywide ban on becak (pedicabs) – in the late 1980s because the human- driven mode of transportation was seen to hamper traffic flow.

The motorcycle ban has created new problems, ranging from congestion on nearby roads because of mushrooming illegal motorcycle parking areas to disrupted delivery services, as about 15,000 couriers now have no access to the thoroughfares where many of their customers' offices are located.

To counter these problems, the administration has provided 15 buses plying the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle-Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat-Harmoni route between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. to transport motorcycle riders for free. Twelve buildings have also been allocated for motorcycle parking. But, at least so far, the facilities have not helped much.

In the past, the city administration has proposed several traffic- restriction schemes, including license plate-based restrictions, high parking fees and electronic road pricing (ERP), but the plans were dropped at the last minute because of inadequate preparation.

The motorcycle ban is a rehash of past partial traffic-restriction policies. It will not offer a remedy to traffic problems, while public transportation will.

The 2014 city budget has allocated funds to buy 1,000 buses to strengthen the Transjakarta fleet and 3,000 medium-sized buses to operate as feeders. Regrettably, the program has been suspended in light of a graft case involving bus procurement. The bus-procurement program must therefore resume next year.

If the city can provide reliable public transportation, perhaps traffic restriction policies will become unnecessary.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/20/editorial-nowhere-ride.html

Reform must continue in military, police

Jakarta Post - December 17, 2014

Hipolitus Yolisandry Ringgi Wangge, Illinois – The deadly clashes between the police's mobile brigade (Brimob) and Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel have proliferated.

The recent case that took place in Batam, Riau Islands, depicts the high friction between these two state agencies that were separated in 1999, a year after the downfall of Soeharto. These agencies have been complicit in a conflict that has repeated itself annually, with different causes, for almost two decades. They have functioned as actors of violence rather than the managers of violence under the democratic state.

Two mainstream explanations for the most recent clash are access to economic resources and the organizational problem that led the TNI personnel to deceive the chain of command.

However, these two reasons are part of the structural, institutional and agency factors related to security apparatus under a democracy.

At the structural level, the security agencies had to deal with instability in regimes, particularly shortly after Soeharto resigned in 1998. The economic downturn and political instability led to regional conflicts, while Indonesia had to struggle as one united country.

The country also faced terrorism, notably the Bali suicide bombings in 2002 and 2005. These problems encouraged the security apparatus to be more active in domestic security.

During the 10 years after retired general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono became president in 2004, the regime still had to deal with terrorism, but generally Indonesia became a more stable country. At the institutional level, the state security agencies struggled to adapt to the above structural condition. Against distrust of the military, the police was split from the TNI in April 1999 after 30 years of being together. The aim was to make the police force less military and more professional and focused mainly on internal security.

Yudhoyono's presidency also marked a key cornerstone of military reform. He was one of the reform-minded generals in the waning days of Soeharto who appointed the civilian Juwono Sudarsono as defense minister to manage security and defense issues. Initially, the government passed the 2004 law on the TNI, followed by significant endeavors in military reform.

The focus of the efforts was structural reform, by dismissing all politically related bodies within the military and placing the TNI under the defense minister. Another was cultural reform, by introducing human rights and democratic civilian control, to be taught at every level of military education. All these efforts were expected to totally change the military political character to professionalize the military and put civilian control over it.

However there was no strong political will to continue military reform during Yudhoyono's second term. Institutional problems have remained in place, such as difficulties in managing military-run businesses and human rights abuses.

In contrast, the police have not had any internal reform initiatives since 1999. With no ministry supervision, the police have become more independent and powerful. There is also no strong political commitment to reform and provide oversight of the police.

The police have also misused their power in many ways. It has become the most corrupt institution, with a Transparency International score of 91 percent, followed by the legislature at 86 percent in 2013. This description reflects the predatory policing character that is still pervasive.

Additionally, the police have gradually increased their militaristic style in dealing with civilian protests. Cases include officers beating elderly women in Rembang, Central Java, in a peaceful protest against land grabbing.

Another example is when the East Nusa Tenggara Police criminalized Rudi Soik, one of its own officers, after Rudi investigated some senior officers in a human trafficking case.

All these structural and institutional problems have a significant influence at the agency level. Accordingly, military and police officers have seen each other as competitors rather than as a united security forces.

The military sees its "younger brother" as taking its privilege in dealing with domestic security issues. During my research in three army territorial commands across Java, some officers expressed dislike and jealousy toward the police force. "The police officers frequently ask for military assistance to track terrorism networks, and yet rarely admit it publicly," a middle-ranking officer once said.

Some retired officers dislike suggestion of the military's role in the conflicts between the two institutions. "We are done with our reform, how about them?" said one former three-star military general.

In contrast, some police officers argue that the military should not be jealous of them. Constitutionally, the military only deals with security issues when higher civilian authorities request them to back up the police. Instead, the military is responsible merely for defense issues.

Domestic security issues, however, are also related to the predatory economic activities of the security apparatus, leading to a long-lasting power struggle between the two agencies.

Therefore the initial effort of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to meet and hold discussions with senior ranking officers from both security apparatuses is commendable, but insufficient to tackle all the problems.

Apparently, Jokowi supports TNI's transformation. The idea of changing military reform to defense transformation is highly praised. However, this idea is at odds with the real condition at some military commands.

For instance, some scholars propose the building of a respectable defense force in Asia equipped with billion-dollar weapons, yet some lower-ranking officers are still unable to afford a worthy school for their children, even after spending 20 years preparing to become a soldier. The case of Batam is another example of the ambitious and elitist idea of "transformation", while some fundamental problems remain unresolved at the grassroots level.

Jokowi has to show strong political will and take firm measures to review all security approaches. Urgent measures include, first, re-asses the act of the National Security Council under the presidency's oversight. This council should comprise all security and defense stakeholders, plus related NGOs ranging from security to human rights groups, on the selected committee boards.

These various actors can discuss how to assess threats and determine appropriate integrated security and defense policies.

The second measure is putting the police under ministry oversight. A ministry is not only the symbol of civilian democratic control; its oversight would be needed to create transparency and accountability within the police, which has long resisted external supervision.

The third is reviewing TNI's stalled reform, though Jokowi will certainly face some conservative generals, including those in his own camp. He has to prove a tough president given his constitutional right to govern and initiate policies without any pressure whatsoever from powerful figures.

[The writer is an Arryman Scholar and a visiting scholar at the Buffet Center for International and Comparative Studies, Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois, US.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/17/reform-must-continue-military-police.html

Joko Widodo's administration should apologize for past rights abuses

Jakarta Globe - December 16, 2014

Johannes Nugroho – Vice President Jusuf Kalla told the media last week that an official apology by the government over past human rights abuses was unlikely. Given the high hopes human rights activists had of the new government, the remark was disappointing. Kalla added that some of the cases were still so shrouded in mystery that it was difficult to discover who was responsible.

This explanation is again surprising, considering that no independent committee has been formed by the current government to carry out investigations into the mysterious cases the vice president alluded to. Pending such official enquiries, it is hasty to declare reluctance to apologize for past government-sanctioned transgressions against human rights.

Kalla's cavalier attitude shows that the new government is going to deal with human rights cases in the same way all previous governments have. The prevailing mood is that such cases are best relegated to history and need not be raked to the surface.

Indonesian conventional wisdom has it that we must always forgive and forget the past mistakes of our predecessors. But even history needs accountability and only through free yet responsible debate of our past mistakes can we hope to avert their repetition.

In 2011 the Dutch government issued an official apology to the Indonesian people for the 1947 Rawagede massacre in which 430 men were executed during the independence war. The Indonesian government was happy enough to accept the apology, while completely forgetting it also needs to apologize for its own human rights track record.

The government's stubborn refusal to apologize suggests two things.

One, it is possible that raking up past human rights cases may pose problems for supporters of the current administration, especially those with military backgrounds. It is more or less an open secret that some of the president's close advisers were involved in human rights transgressions while they served under previous governments.

The government's lack of commitment to solving cases of human rights abuse may also mean that the military is again in the ascendancy. Evidence for this conclusion is that Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) commander Gen. Moeldoko was confident enough to have announced a "Gerakan TNI Masuk Desa" program (TNI Into the Village), an outright clone of the New Order's "ABRI Masuk Desa" program.

In light of the government's increasing reliance on the TNI to enforce the nation's maritime sovereignty, the military may have enough reasons to be optimistic about its prominence under the new administration. TNI Masuk Desa will definitely help restore its former privileged position under the New Order regime.

Secondly, the unwillingness of the government to apologize also points to a psychological malady that is common in Indonesia today.

We readily apologize for imaginary trespasses and trivial matters. At every public function, the compere will apologize unfailingly for any mistakes in the announcement of names and titles during the event, as well as any lapses in services.

And how many times do we hear the word "maaf " (pardon) before someone wishing to be flawlessly polite starts to speak to us?

Such courteous utterances are de rigueur for social occasions, but they are in stark contrast to occasions when an apology could mean an admission of guilt. For example, we usually don't apologize when we graze somebody's vehicle on the road; for apologizing in such cases means admitting guilt.

Guilt admission is not an Indonesian habit. When we knock a glass off the table, we say, "gelasnya pecah" (the glass got broken), instead of "saya nggak sengaja memecahkan gelasnya" (I accidentally broke the glass).

We refuse to apologize for the substantial errors in life; we compensate this with the trite apologies we parrot incessantly for things that matter the least. Or else, we prefer to apologize in an unspecific manner for all our unspecified mistakes. This understandably entails the least loss of face.

Former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, for example, never apologized specifically for any of his policies that might have hurt the people or the country. Indeed he defended every policy of his government. Yet as he was about to leave office, he graciously offered us his apology for all the unspecified mistakes and shortcomings during his tenure.

As the rightful successor to Yudhoyono's government, the current administration is responsible for all the past wrongdoings of any Indonesian administration and its apparatus, in the same way that the Dutch government in 2011 acted on behalf of its 1947 predecessor.

The 2008 official apology to the indigenous Australians was carried out in the same spirit, although the recognition of Aboriginal rights in Australia started way back in the 1970s. It was not sufficient for the Australian government to cede back land and enforce non-discrimination laws for its indigenous population. It was still important to apologize.

So it is far from right and proper for President Joko Widodo's government to absolve itself of responsibility for the human rights offenses committed by past governments. There is a backlog of cases awaiting resolution, such as the 1965 communist purge, the 1974 Malari Incident, the Indonesian occupation of Timor-Leste, the 1998 riots and the continuing crimes against the Papuans by the state apparatus.

[Johannes Nugroho is a writer from Surabaya.]

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/why-joko-widodos-administration-should-apologize-for-wrongdoings/

Naked ambitions Papua at a crossroads

SE Asia Globe - December 16, 2014

Joanna Mayhew – Despite their inaccessibility and lack of infrastructure, Indonesia's remote Papuan highlands have begun to feel the claws of development, leaving the area's youth at an awkward crossroads of tradition and modernity

At 21 years old, Disfol Wenda and Ika Tabuni could not be any more different to how their parents were at their age. Within a generation, these youths have taken the fast track to catching up with their peers around the world: they are now texting, chatting via Facebook, dating each other and – most notably – wearing clothes.

Disfol and Ika come from the highlands of Papua, Indonesia, where the thin line between clad and nude has traditionally been straddled by the adornment of a penis gourd – the dried shell of a long, squash-like vegetable, held upright by a string secured around the waist. Historically, men wore penis gourds, or kotekas, year-round and women wore only reed or braided cord skirts. To stay warm in temperatures below 50C, they covered their exposed skin with pig grease.

This mountainous region of Indonesia's easternmost province is strikingly beautiful and absurdly remote. The area is only accessible by flights from coastal areas, and many sub-districts have to be reached on foot. Much remains unknown about Papua and the neighbouring province of West Papua, where more than 300 ethnic groups collectively speak 250 languages.

Contentiously recognised as part of Indonesia in 1969, Papua has experienced dramatic transitions over the past few decades and has consequently become a land of paradoxes. Many districts have modernised, while others remain isolated, without basic infrastructure. More than 40% of the population live below the national poverty line, and money is still a relatively recent concept. Yet the area is resource rich, and the government pours copious aid into villages. Businesses are burgeoning in cities, while the work of NGOs in the highlands is sometimes interrupted due to tribal warfare.

But clothing remains the clearest contrast between the old way of life and the new, and signifies a growing chasm between today's youth and their elders. "We [used to] feel OK to see our parents naked in pictures. But now, we don't feel comfortable," said 19-year-old Rahel Tabuni. Her father started wearing the koteka in his teenage years. His first pair of trousers arrived with Christian missionaries, and he ran for hours to receive the strange and precious donation.

"The older generation is staying in the koteka, but the new generation have started to use clothes, even in remote areas," said Sudhir Khanal, Unicef's child survival and development specialist in Papua. "When I first came here [two years ago], people were saying: 'If I wear clothes I need to wash them. I don't have soap. I don't have money to buy soap.' We hardly see any youth wearing the koteka of late."

Urban and younger men are instead opting for jeans and t-shirts – a belated victory for the Indonesian government, which ran campaigns to replace the koteka with trousers as far back as the 1970s. On the streets of Wamena, the highlands' largest town, young people sporting batik shirts are interspersed with koteka-wearing grandfathers, who stow money inside their gourds. "When I see my people using traditional clothes, I'm proud, because they still keep my culture," said Disfol, whose father wore the koteka until getting married. "But I'm afraid to use [them]."

Those aged 24 and younger represent 52% of the population in Papua and West Papua, and this large contingent finds itself at a significant juncture. While life in home villages remains simple, youths' transition into cities for schooling brings with it new communication tools and a removal from traditional values. Youngsters may be proud of their history, but many are eager to move at the pace of the outside world. "Overall, Indonesia is a media- and technology-savvy country, and Papua is not an exception," said Khanal, who estimates that 80% of Papuans now have mobile phones. "Even if there's no [network] connection, they want to have a phone."

Technology has allowed families separated by mountains to be connected in a way never before possible. And youths' interactions within and outside of Papua have been revolutionised as they embrace text messaging and social media. "Through technology, I can now see the world," said Hernita Siep, 19.

Although connecting to the internet is costly and access remains limited, online forums are growing in popularity in Wamena, with young people reporting that all their friends have email, Skype and Facebook – even if they are only able to update their statuses once a month. This appears to have had spillover effects in building skill sets. "They're more confident because they communicate with each other," said Irene Heidy, project manager for international NGO World Relief. "Even though it's online, that creates confidence in real life too."

Communication tools also play a role in dating. Many young people in cities have significant others, and technology allows them to sidestep the expectation that family be involved. Disfol and Ika, who have been dating for four years, gave their phone numbers to each other through friends after being introduced, and began their relationship by texting and calling each other.

Their ancestors were not afforded the same liberties. In their tribes, a young man was traditionally forbidden to visit, spend the night, or even eat at an unmarried girl's home. If he did, he might be killed. Though there are still consequences for premarital sex in many places, the cost now manifests itself in the payment of cash or pigs to the girl's family.

"Our parents submitted more to cultural regulations and [were] more afraid to have a boyfriend or girlfriend," Hernita said. "Today, even though cultural rules are still there, young people don't care about them as much." Gimme shelter: traditional rounded honai houses dot the lush, mountainous landscape of the remote highland district of Tolikara. Photo: Joanna Mayhew

Newfound freedoms, however, may be coming at a cost. Technology is increasingly being used to view pornography and arrange transactional sex. "It makes us more vulnerable to bad behaviours. We are using our phones, the internet, for pornography," Rahel said.

Papuan youths have few mentors and limited information to guide them. Dating only briefly, they transition to marriage at an early age, usually at about 20 or 21 and often in response to pregnancy. Youngsters are also engaging in high-risk behaviours such as having multiple concurrent sexual partners. "Sex is like a game – they can play anywhere," Disfol said. He and his male friends speak openly among themselves about the still-taboo subject. "All of my friends share how many girls they have had sex with. It's normal."

To add to the dangers, HIV is on the rise, gender-based violence is widespread, unemployment is high and knowledge is low. Representing only 1.5% of Indonesia's population, Papua accounted for 15% of all new cases of HIV in 2011. Among those between the ages of 15 and 24, the HIV prevalence rate is 3%, according to Unicef. "Our efforts are kind of like a little water in an ocean," said Heidy, who has reached about 10,000 young people in the highlands with HIV prevention messages. "There's still so much to do."

Unicef has also focused on addressing HIV, as well as increasing youth participation in decision-making processes for policy and programming. "There is little recognition of young people. We don't want their role to be undermined by senior groups saying they can make decisions for them. It's imperative that we build their capacity," Khanal said.

Today's youth have had more opportunities for education than previous generations, and many are intent on protecting themselves in the midst of change. Disfol and Ika, for example, belong to the Wamena-based network Youth Forum Baliem Peace. The 85-member and majority-female forum is self- governed by members to reach their peers through advocacy campaigns, radio programmes and group meetings. "It's exciting to see," said Heidy. "They're spending time in a positive way. They feel responsible to other Papuan youths who have never heard the information they have."

Disfol and Ika try to model a healthy dating relationship through safe sexual behaviours and equal partnership. "We want to be an example for other young people," Ika said. "We want to make a difference," Disfol added. "We can help others through good information, so that our generation can make good choices."

Groups such as the youth forum provide safe spaces for members of this generation to voice their feelings and navigate the myriad transitions associated with the current abutting the traditional. When it comes to the penis gourd, however, the majority seem to welcome a new era. The koteka will likely die out with today's elderly, making the highlands just a little less fascinating. "The world will always develop," Disfol said. "If everything changed, I would feel sad. But I also feel happy, because we can follow modern development."

Source: http://sea-globe.com/naked-ambitions-papua-indonesia-southeast-asia-globe/

'Epen kah?' mocking Papuans' human rights

Jakarta Post - December 16, 2014

Sri Lestari Wahyuningroem, Canberra – In commemorating International Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo opened his speech with a generous acknowledgement on human rights for the nation: "As President, I have to hold firm and walk in the realm of the Constitution. In our Constitution, it is clear that the recognition, respect and protection of human rights have been used as guidelines in the state and nation."

The unsaid response, possibly among the President and his Cabinet, the legislature, security forces, and a large part of Indonesian society, when asked to comment on human rights in Papua, can be summed up as: epen kah? It's a popular acronym among Papuans, from the Indonesian slang of emang pentingkah? or "who cares?" in English.

Two days earlier, on Dec. 8, five students aged 17 to 18, including some in their high school uniform, were shot dead by security forces. The police and military used lethal force in dealing with around 800 protesters in Enarotali, Paniai regency in Papua. It was initially a peaceful protest against the assault of a 12-year-old boy by members of the Nabire-based army battalion. Along with the shot teenagers – identified as Simon Degei, 18, Otianus Gobai, 18, Alfius Youw, 17, Yulian Yeimo, 17 and Abia Gobay (age unknown), were women and children among the few dozen who had to be hospitalized, according to the international NGO Human Rights Watch.

Clearly President Jokowi was not thinking of such an extreme example of how the state has been abusing the Constitution. The fact that the incident was not mentioned, not in his human rights' day speech or on other occasions, makes us wonder if Papua and Papuans are really as important as he stated during his presidential campaign.

His subordinates in Jakarta, as predicted, gave the exact, classic response whenever shootings against civilians take place in the province: blaming the bad separatist Papuans as the troublemakers who deserve to be treated with force for their disobedience to the unitary state of Indonesia, or NKRI. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, as well as National Police chief Gen. Sutarman, said that the action was taken because security forces had to defend themselves from attacks with traditional weapons by the crowd.

The Army chief of staff, Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, came up with, again, a well-predicted argument: the shooting was most probably initiated by the OPM (Free Papua Movement), directed from the mountain.

Whether the incident was designed or not – because the President is reportedly planning to visit Papua this Christmas – the top authority, or Jokowi himself, has to order investigations into what happened, and be transparent with the Papuans and the rest of Indonesia on the investigation's findings.

It would take enormous courage to do that, something we have not seen from Indonesian presidents in relation to such incidents in Papua. Dealing with problems in Papua means dealing with a wide range of intersectional power plays and interests, both in Jakarta and Papua. Often it is covered up by a nationalistic project in the name of saving the unity of national territory.

In fact, the truth is much more bitter than that: such a project has been the only solution from Jakarta, a project giving so many advantages to security and civilian political and economic elites, both nationally and locally.

Indications of such a nationalistic project are already reflected in various statements and initiatives from Jokowi's ministers, immediately after the Cabinet was announced. Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Minister Marwan Jafar plans to open more transmigration programs, despite accumulated tension among indigenous Papuans and immigrants and settlers from transmigration projects under Soeharto's times.

In October, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo insisted on prioritizing the establishment of two new provinces in Papua. Recently Military Chief Gen. Moeldoko confirmed a new military command would be opened in Papua as part of the military's strategic planning. None of the high ranking officials had consulted Papuan representatives or the authorities before they announced these plans.

Various elements in Papua opposed the plans, which have long been controversial, including both governors of Papua and West Papua provinces and their legislative councils.

The President himself appointed people with track records of lacking respect for human rights, especially for Papua, as his subordinates. Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu is famous for his praise for the murder of a Papuan activist, saying Theys Eluay's murderer was a hero. Meanwhile, Andika Perkasa was appointed the presidential bodyguard's commander even though his name was mentioned in reports on an alleged conspiracy in Eluay's death.

Obviously Jakarta has not shown willingness to think of solving problems in Papua, especially not settling human rights abuses that have taken place consistently here for many decades. A token appointment of a Papuan woman as minister is not the solution. Not if there are many more undermining and degrading policies and actions just to mock the Papuans.

The hope for a peace dialogue has been diminishing since Jakarta has abandoned the proposal for years now. Pretending these issues do not exist by intervening through an economic and development approach is even more insulting to the Papuans.

Jakarta has to come up with something more serious than its virtual, though silent, expression of "epen kah", acting as if there is nothing serious taking place in Papua. Obviously Jakarta has not shown willingness to think of solving problems in Papua.

[The writer is researching justice and human rights for her PhD at the Australian National University, Canberra.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/16/epen-kah-mocking-\papuans-human-rights.html