Jakarta – The 70th Independence Day anniversary cultural parade in the Pamekasan regency in East Java on Saturday has made the news after its participants displayed attributes reminiscent of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

According to the regency's district military command (Kodim) chief Let. Col. Mawardi, the PKI attributes featured at the parade include symbols of Palu Arit (Hammer and Sickle) and posters of PKI leaders such as D.N. Aidit, Let. Col. Untung and Chairul Saleh.

"We immediately confiscated and destroyed all the attributes," said Mawardi on Saturday as quoted by tempo.co.

Separately, Pamekasan Regent Achmad Syafi'i said that he only found out about the incident after the participants held a theatrical show about PKI. "I just found out about it. We will discuss the matter in the regional head forum [to decide what to do with the participants]," said Achmad. Based on the information received by Achmad, the parade participants carrying the attributes were headmasters at the Pamekasan regency. (kes)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/15/independence-day-parade-pamekasan-makes-news.html

Indonesia democracy charts a new high: BPS

Jakarta Post - August 14, 2015

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democracy Index (IDI) has reached a new high, largely driven by successful general elections in 2014, although a lackluster performance by regional legislative councils (DPRD) kept Indonesia from graduating to the score of a mature democracy.

According to the IDI 2014, an evaluation program launched by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) on Thursday, the performance of the country's democracy scored 73.04 points out of 100 in 2014, up by 9.32 points from the previous year.

"This score is the highest level in the six years since the index was first begun [in 2009]," BPS chairman Suryamin told a press conference at his office in Central Jakarta.

The IDI has three possible ratings: poor (below 60 points), fair (60-80 points) and good (above 80 points). Based on this scale, Indonesia's democracy, with its 73.04 points in the 2014 IDI, could be categorized as "fair".

BPS said the achievement had exceeded the government's target of 73.00 points as stipulated in the National Mid Term Development Plan (RPJMN) for 2010-2014. When the IDI was first established in 2009, Indonesia's democracy index stood at 67.30. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has set a target of 75.00 points in the RPJMN for 2015-2019.

BPS said that the IDI was a composite index of three key areas, 11 variables and 28 indicators. The key areas were civil freedom, political rights and democratic institutions.

Civil freedom was the only area in which Indonesia fitted in the "good" category, scoring 82.62 points out of a possible 100. For the other two key areas, political rights and democratic institutions, Indonesia achieved the ranking of "fair", scoring 63.72 and 75.81 points respectively.

While political rights only achieved a "fair" rating, it enjoyed the biggest boost in points thanks to the success of the 2014 general elections, especially in the quality of the fixed voters list (DPT). The score of this variable soared to 74.64 points, up from 30 points in 2009.

However, improvements in the country's political system were largely brought about by improvements in systemic and procedural matters, not necessarily the maturity of the political process itself, according to Suryamin. He cited the scores of violent rallies, which increased from 18.71 points in 2013 to 23.73 points in 2014.

"Freedom of expression is already strong in procedures, but it is expressed through violence," Suryamin said. "The voters list is also getting better but it is still tainted by money politics and threats toward voting rights. While we are conducting general elections periodically, political parties as the main actors are still practicing an oligarchic culture and they are failing to encourage regeneration."

The poor quality of political parties in Indonesia was also reflected in the DPRD, which had the lowest score of 39.51 points compared with other variables.

"Their performance is still bad. For example, they do not allocate much to regional budgets for education and health and they do not monitor regional governments effectively. They also often fail to give sensible recommendations to the government," said Suryamin.

Siti Musdah Mulia, a senior lecturer at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN), said that the country's democracy was also being held back by discriminatory regulations, with written rules codifying gender, ethnic and group discrimination. This part of the IDI scored 80.30 points in 2014, a decline from 80.81 points in 2013.

"For example, regulations on prostitution that say that only women engage in this practice are one-sided because men, by the nature of the act itself, must also engage in prostitution. There's also the obligation to wear Islamic clothing for civil servants. That shouldn't be applied because there are both Muslim and non-Muslim civil servants. Let them choose for themselves what they consider to be appropriate clothing," said Siti, who is a member of the IDI expert team.

Out of 33 provinces, Jakarta scored the highest with 84.70 points, while Papua had the lowest score with 62.15 points.

"In 2014, there were four provinces who graduated to a 'good' rating. These were Jakarta, North Sulawesi, Yogyakarta and West Kalimantan. Although the rest received a 'fair' rating, there were no 'bad' ratings, compared to six 'bad' ratings in 2013. It means that there has been progress in all provinces," Suryamin said.

BPS said that the IDI aimed to provide an illustration of the development of political democracy in Indonesia through statistics. To arrange the index, BPS worked with four institutions, namely the National Development Planning Agency, the Home Ministry, the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Ministry and the United Nations Development Program.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/14/ri-democracy-charts-a-new-high-bps.html

New security minister Luhut lauds Suharto's New Order stability

Sindo News - August 13, 2015

Saiful Munir, Jakarta – Newly appointed Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) retired General Luhut Binsar Panjaitan has called on ministers and heads of government institutions under the coordination of the Political, Legal and Security Affairs Ministry (Kemenko Polhukam) to cooperate to create national stability.

Borrowing from the motto of former President Suharto's New Order (Orba) dictatorship, Panjaitan said Indonesia's economic situation will slowly improve if it was backed by a favourable climate of security. "The economy can't be disconnected from security", said Panjaitan at the Kemenko Polhukam building on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta on Thursday August 13.

"I think that this, which was conveyed by Pak [Su]Harto's New Order, is absolutely correct, one of the pillars of the state is the economy and security", he added.

Kicking off his new appointment, Panjaitan immediately called on the commander of TNI (Indonesian military), the national police chief, the Attorney General and other ministers under his department's coordination to develop good teamwork.

"Yesterday I spoke with the president for some time. Our thinking is indeed the same, he also wants [to improve] coordination. We're building teamwork", he explained.

"We should be of one voice, so I hope that we can all, given the poor global and domestic economic situation, create a sense of clarity. Because the market needs clarity", he said in conclusion.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "Luhut Panjaitan Naksir Cara Orba Jaga Stabilitas Negara".]

Source: http://nasional.sindonews.com/read/1032684/12/luhut-panjaitan-naksir-cara-orba-jaga-stabilitas-negara-1439458045

West Papua

West Papuans commemorate a day of betrayal

Red Flag - August 15, 2015

Ben Hillier – "West Papuans know this day, 15 August, as 'Betrayal Day'." Jacob Rumbiak, a veteran leader of the West Papuan nationalist movement, is speaking at a Melbourne commemoration of the signing of the New York Agreement. Similar protests, events and meetings have been held around the world in solidarity with the West Papuan struggle for merdeka – freedom.

On this day in 1962, the United Nations brokered the transfer of the western half of the island of New Guinea from Dutch administration to Indonesian rule. The inhabitants of West Papua, who are ethnically Melanesian (Pacific Islander), were given no say.

The Melbourne commemoration is small – only a handful or so. But Rumbiak enthuses about the growth of the global solidarity movement, the recognition of West Papua by the Melanesian Spearhead Group and, in particular, the growth of the West Papuan student movement, which this week is holding commemorations and actions across the Indonesian archipelago and in West Papua.

Rumbiak is foreign minister of the Federal Republic of West Papua, which was declared in 2011 at the third Papuan People's Congress. The Federal Republic is one faction within the United Liberation Movement, which was formed in December to give common voice to the independence movement.

"This agreement was part of global foreign policy and resulted in genocide", he says. "We are a victim of global policy."

To Indonesia, which had in the late 1940s waged a successful war of independence against Dutch colonialism, the territory was known as West Irian – the latter word being an acronym for "Ikut Republik Indonesia Anti-Nederland" (follow Indonesia against the Netherlands).

That the Dutch continued to control the area for so long after their rule elsewhere in the archipelago had been overturned had been a source of angst for the leaders of the new Indonesian state. President Sukarno pledged to "liberate West Irian from the stranglehold of Dutch imperialism".

More than 50 years of Indonesian occupation have proved anything but liberating, however. Once right wing dictator Suharto took over in 1965, the attacks became ferocious. There are an estimated 100,000 dead as a result of the slow-burn genocide. Independence leaders say the figure is half a million.

Today the struggle continues: for acknowledgement of the West Papuans' right to self-determination, against the brutality of the Indonesian military and police forces and for basic democratic and human rights.

[For more information about the West Papuan solidarity movement, visit freewestpapua.org and tune in every Monday night at 6:30pm to The Voice of West Papua on radio 3cR, which streams live around the world. For background reading, see "MERDEKA! Struggle and survival in West Papua".]

Source: https://redflag.org.au/article/west-papuans-commemorate-day-betrayal

Papuan independence leader Filep Karma to be released from prison next

Sydney Morning Herald - August 14, 2015

Tom Allard, Jakarta – Papuan independence leader Filep Karma is due to be released next week from prison, even as he resists freedom until guaranteed he can agitate for self-rule without any threat to his safety or monitoring by intelligence agencies.

Imprisoned in 2004 for 15 years for flying the banned symbol of Papuan sovereignty, the Morning Star flag, Mr Karma has been told he will be freed from Abepura prison on Indonesia's Independence Day, August 17, due to the usual remissions in his sentence for good behaviour.

But a defiant Mr Karma is bridling at the prospect of his release on the national holiday, although he says he would be happy to walk free the day after as long as his release was "unconditional".

"Giving me remission is only to avoid international pressure and to create a good image," he told Fairfax Media.

"My point is that Indonesia must realise that it must free me unconditionally, restore my good name. It should also free other political prisoners in Papua and elsewhere in Indonesia and stop chasing those who are on wanted list for expressing their freedom of speech." Mr Karma also vowed to keep campaigning for independence if he is released.

A spokesman for Indonesia's ministry of law and human rights, Ansharudin, said there were no regulations in the case where a prisoner won't leave jail.

"It's illogical. People don't like to be imprisoned. Normally people are happy to be released," he said. He said authorities may have to convene a special meeting to determine how to respond to Mr Karma's demands.

Mr Karma's arrest for raising a flag prompted widespread international consternation, with the United Nations identifying him as a political prisoner. His sentence was three times that requested by prosecutors.

The Papua region – located to the western half on the island of Papua and sharing a border with Papua New Guinea – is rich in resources but remains one of Indonesia's poorest and most corrupt regions.

A Dutch colonial outpost even after Indonesia became a nation, it was incorporated into Indonesia in 1969 after a controversial plebiscite of 1025 hand-picked Papuans held in an Indonesian military camp.

Separatist sentiment remains among many of Papua's traditional Melanesian population while the military and security services have a heavy presence, as well as widespread business interests.

About half of Papua's population are now migrants from other parts of Indonesia who dominate commercial activity.

Mr Karma rejected clemency from Indonesian president Joko Widodo earlier this year on the grounds it would require a tacit admission of guilt.

Mr Joko has said he wants to improve the welfare of Papuans, sentiments that have drawn qualified praise from Mr Karma in the past.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/papuan-independence-leader-filep-karma-to-be-released-from-prison-next-week-20150814-giz8ix.html

TNI sets up village guard post following alleged PNG incursion

Jakarta Post - August 14, 2015

Jakarta – The Indonesian Military, or TNI, says it will set up a security post in the Papuan border village of Yakyu, in Merauke district, following a report that soldiers from neighboring Papua New Guinea last week ordered residents there to lower the Indonesian flag.

Brig. Gen. Supartodi, the Merauke military commander, said on Friday that the group of 14 uniformed PNG soldiers reportedly entered the village on Aug. 7. Yakyu is located 1.2 kilometers from the Indonesia-PNG border.

"In response to this [alleged] incident, we have decided to build a [security] post in Yakyu village," Supartodi said as quoted by Antara.

Col. Mohammad Syafei Kasno, of the Cendrawasih Military Command, which oversees the TNI's operations in Papua, said separately that 10 soldiers had been deployed to the village.

The alleged incident was first reported on Thursday by Suzana Wanggai, the head of the provincial border office, who said that the PNG soldiers had claimed Yakyu village as part of PNG territory.

She noted that while the village lay squarely in Indonesian territory, its residents were from the Mayna clan of the Kanum tribe, who moved to the area in the 1990s from neighboring Weyam village in PNG. "The people obtained Indonesian identity cards from Merauke district last month," Suzana said as quoted by Tempo.

Syafei claimed that PNG officials had argued the village was on neutral ground and should hoist the flags of both countries. However, Col. Mark Goina of the PNG Defense Force told ABC's Pacific Beat radio program that no such incident had ever taken place.

"We have not received any information around PNGDF troops going to Merauke to conduct any form of activity or operation, and therefore we categorically deny any involvement of our service men and women and that information is not true," he said.

"I confirm there is no Papua New Guinean soldiers in or near Merauke, they are all stationed outside of the border doing their normal border duties."

Still, he could not say for sure whether Yakyu village lay in Indonesian or PNG territory. "At this point in time I need to confirm that, we need to confirm that on a map."

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/tni-sets-up-guard-post-in-bordering-village-in-papua-after-png-soldiers-reportedly-ordered-residents-to-lower-indonesian-flag/

PNG's military denies Indonesia border incursion to bring down flag

ABC Radio Australia - August 14, 2015

Girish Sawlani – The Papua New Guinea Defence Force has denied reports from a senior Indonesian official that its soldiers claimed part of Indonesian territory in the bordering Papua province.

According to the Jakarta Post, Indonesia's Papua border and International Relations chief Suzana Wanggai said 14 uniformed PNG soldiers arrived in Yakyu village in the Merauke regency and ordered residents to lower the Indonesian flag.

Ms Wanggai said she received the report from the head of a neighbourhood unit who alleged the PNG soldiers moved in because they thought it was part of their country's territory. She said the matter should be resolved through diplomatic channels.

But chief of staff of the PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) Colonel Mark Goina told Pacific Beat the incident did not happen.

"I confirm there is no Papua New Guinean soldiers in or near Merauke, they are all stationed outside of the border doing their normal border duties."

The Jakarta Post also reported the incident was confirmed by Papua's Cendrawasih Military Command chief Syafei Kusno, who said it deployed 10 soldiers to the village to prevent residents from lowering the flag.

Mr Kusno told the newspaper the Indonesian troops argued the village was in a neutral area that should hoist Indonesian and PNG flags together.

PNGDF's Colonel Goina was uncertain whether Yakyu village was a part of Indonesian or PNG territory. "At this point in time I need to confirm that, we need to confirm that on a map."

Pacific Beat contacted Ms Wanggai from the Papua Border and International Relations unit for further comment, but she is yet to respond.

The border between Indonesia's Papua provinces and Papua New Guinea largely follows the 141st meridian on New Guinea island, with one 64 kilometre break following the Fly River.

A flow of people and contraband across the porous border is not uncommon, with occasional military incursions by Indonesia occurring as recently as 2008, but border treaties signed in 1979 and 1986 have largely kept the peace.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-14/papua-new-guineas-military-denies-indonesia-border-incursion/6697974

Indonesian flag burned in Timika

Jakarta Post - August 14, 2015

Jayapura – An unidentified person burned an Indonesian flag in Mimika Baru, Timika city, Papua, on Thursday ahead of the 70th anniversary of independence.

"The red-and-white flag was burned at approximately 1 a.m. at the home of local resident Marthen Sulle, 54, on Jl. Seroja, Timika. The flag had been raised on a pole in front of the house on Monday," said Papua Police chief spokesman Sr. Comr. Rudolf Patrige in Jayapura on Thursday. "The police are investigating the incident," said Patrige.

Separately, an Indonesian flag hoisted in Yakyu, Rawa Biru village, Sota district, Merauke regency, Papua, was taken down by 14 Papua New Guinea soldiers who arrived in the village on Aug. 7.

The soldiers claimed that they had lowered the flag because it had been hoisted in a neutral zone and that a PNG flag should be flown alongside it.

Cenderawasih Military Command intelligence assistant Col. Syafei Kasno confirmed on Thursday the lowering of the flag by PNG soldiers, adding that a post had been set up in Yakyu to prevent a similar incident.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/14/islands-focus-indonesian-flag-burned-timika.html

Pacific Forum Leaders: Ready to champion West Papua where the UN has

Tabloid JUBI - August 14, 2015

Lealaiauloto Aigaletaulealea Tauafiafi – In the 1960s, West Papuans were sacrificed in the name of Cold War politics – and the United Nations have done nothing about it according to Jennifer Robinson, a London-based human rights lawyer.

In the weekend, West Papua independence leader and international Free West Papua lobbyist, Mr Benny Wenda described the reality for his people.

"For over 50 years, my people have lived under illegal occupation and endured brutal oppression from the Indonesian state which has killed over 500,000 Melanesian Papuans in a ruthless genocide. He pointed to the UN's failure to uphold and protect the rights of West Papuans more than 40 years ago.

"Indonesia illegally occupied West Papua in 1969 by forcing 1,026 people at gunpoint to vote for Indonesian rule. Indonesia calls this 'The Act of Free Choice' but we West Papuans call this 'The Act of NO Choice' and continue to peacefully struggle for the restoration of our own independence and for the fulfilment of our fundamental right to self-determination."

It once again brings to light that no matter how hard the United Nations pound the human rights pulpit, they are too compromised to right their 1969 West Papuan failure, today.

It is at this failed UN juncture that Pacific leaders in 2015 head to Papua New Guinea for the 46th sitting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). A juncture where they can choose to champion West Papua and make a difference.

Earlier, in May this year, Dame Meg Taylor, the head of the Forum's Secretariat stood in Wellington and replied with clarity on the issue of West Papua. She said that if the Forum's 16 leaders choose to do so, they could take a leadership role in West Papua's case.

"The West Papua issue is very important," she told senior government officials, academics, civic and Pacific community leaders in her first official visit to Wellington, also the birthplace of the Forum back in August 1971.

She quantified how "important" West Papua's human rights and self- determination issues are when she highlighted the reason why the Forum was founded originally. "...in the origins of the Pacific Islands Forum, it always stood for the self-determinations of people," she said. "This [West Papua] is a matter that the leaders of the Forum will have to deal with. If it is raised as part of the Framework for Pacific regionalism then it will be considered by the Leaders."

Dame Tayor, who is Papua New Guinean pointed to PNG prime minister Peter O'Neill's comments in support of West Papua in February 2015 as a possible indicator that PNG could spearhead a discussion on West Papua when the Forum convenes next month.

"The PM for PNG has made comment on West Papua on human rights perspective and has not retracted that statement," Dame Meg told the packed audience at Wellington's Victoria University.

The comments she referred to are in Mr O'Neill's speech at a leadership summit on 5 February at Port Moresby. It was the first time that an incumbent PNG prime minister has spoken directly about the rights of West Papuans in a public forum:

"Papua New Guinea today is a respected regional leader. After 40 years of undisturbed democracy, we are in a unique position to lead mature discussions on issues affecting our people in the region.

"Our leading role in encouraging Fiji to return to a democratically elected government and voicing our concerns about the plight of our people in New Caledonia are examples of our growing influence. We have also participated in the restoration of democracy and law and order in countries like Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.

"But sometimes we forgot our family, our brothers and sisters, especially those in West Papua.

"I think as a country the time has come for us to speak about oppression our people. Pictures of brutality of our people appear daily on social media and yet we take no notice. We have the moral obligation to speak for those who are not allowed to talk. We must be the eyes for those who are blindfolded. Again, Papua New Guinea, as a regional leader, we must lead these discussions with our friends in a mature and engaging manner."

The following month, on a 31 March interview with Radio Australia, Mr O'Neill pressed his support further by saying he hoped current Indonesian president Joko Widodo would keep former Indonesian leader Mr Yudhoyono's promises made to PM O'Neill when in Indonesia on a state visit.

"We will try and hold the Indonesian government to that, to make sure that the current government also has the same view about a reduction of presence of military on the island, and of course more autonomy for the people of West Papua," Mr O'Neill told Radio Australia.

The likelihood West Papua will make it onto the 2015 Forum agenda was turbo boosted on 26 June when the five-country Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) granted "observer" status to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP).

Gaining 'Observer status' means the ULMWP now sits on the inside of the MSG organization alongside Indonesia. It is seen as an historic step toward addressing the human rights atrocities committed against West Papuans by the Indonesian army.

The significance of the decision was outlined by ULMWP Secretary General, Octovianus Mote after the 26 June vote. "Despite not getting full membership [at MSG] we welcome the decision of the leaders as it is our first step to full political recognition."

Full political recognition would be realized if ULMWP gains 'Observer status' in the Pacific Islands Forum. And these are the questions that may be given talk time in September: West Papua's independence movement? And prospects of ULMWP gaining PIF 'observer' status? Topics that PNG's Peter O'Neill seem very likely to push when he takes over the Chairmanship of the Forum.

Dame Taylor, heading the Forum's operational arm hinted that both are doable. She stated that self-determination is one of the core reasons for establishing the PIF back in 1971. And added that if the West Papua issue is raised as part of the Framework for Pacific regionalism, then West Papua will be "considered by leaders".

Since Dame Meg's Wellington visit, organisations supporting the Free West Papua movement from New Zealand and Australia have sent open letters to the Forum.

The Australia West Papua Association (Sydney); and West Papua Action, Auckland letters call on the 16 Forum leaders to discuss the human rights situation in West Papua and acknowledge the concerns in their official communique.

Information about West Papua situation

West Papua has been subjected to a brutal repression by the Indonesians since 1962. Prior to that, the island of New Guinea (the eastern half now known as Papua New Guinea and the western half now known as West Papua) as well as Indonesia had been Dutch colonies until Indonesia's own war of independence in 1949.

In 1936 while still under Dutch rule an erstberg (ore mountain) was discovered in the southwest region of New Guinea, and in 1959 alluvial gold was found just off the West Papuan coast. Another massive ore mountain was yet to be discovered deep in the West Papuan forest.

In the 1950s, plans were made by the Dutch to prepare for withdrawal including plans for West Papua to revert to indigenous rule by 1972.

Despite a West Papuan congress on independence in 1961 and the raising of the national "Morning Star" flag, Indonesia had claimed New Guinea as part of its territory. A United Nations intervention resulted in the New York Agreement in 1962 which placed the territory in UN trusteeship (without consent of the population) and required that West Papuans hold an independence vote under UN supervision.

But by the time the vote was conducted in 1969 the Indonesian military had handpicked 1,026 representatives to vote on behalf of the entire population. Having been threatened with the death of their families the vote was unanimous for Indonesian rule. The so-called "Act of Free Choice" is known to this day by indigenous West Papuans as the "act of no choice."

When the West Papuans were making plans for independence in 1961, unbeknownst to either they or the Dutch, then-Indonesian army general Suharto was negotiating a mining deal with the American mining company Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold. Subsequent discoveries resulted in the notorious Grasberg mine – one of the largest reserves of copper and gold in the world – and is today at the center of the conflict between Indonesia and West Papua. The Free West Papua Movement claims that over 500,000 civilian West Papuans have been killed to date.

Source: http://tabloidjubi.com/en/?p=5772

ULMWP welcomes recommendation to make West Papua a Forum Leaders agenda

Pina - August 14, 2015

Fiji – The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has today welcomed the recommendation set by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat's Special Sub-Committee on Regionalism (SSCR) and the Forum Officials Committee for West Papua to be one of the top priority issues of the regional agenda.

ULMWP Secretary General, Octovianus Mote, attributed the increasing awareness on the state of West Papua to growing ground swell of people solidarity movements in the Pacific, reflected by the media coverage of the issue, and the three submissions from various solidarity groups around the region advocating the peaceful resolution of the struggles of the people of West Papua.

"The Forum Officials Committee which considered the issue of West Papua yesterday we understand has taken a decision to endorse West Papua as one of the five top regional issues that will be considered by forum leaders next month in PNG during the leaders' summit," said Mote.

"In the words of the current Secretary General, Dame Meg Taylor, the forum has a history and regional role in assisting territories achieve self- determination, and we are certain our leaders will act on our plea to address the growing human rights abuse in West Papua by establishing a fact finding mission, and supporting the call by Vanuatu for the UN to appoint a special envoy to West Papua," added Mote.

Mote also welcomed the decision by the Solomon Islands Government to appoint a Special Envoy on West Papua and seek West Papua's admission to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

"On behalf of the ULMWP, I extend our deepest gratitude to the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Manasseh Sogavare, and the solidarity movement in the Solomon Island. I would also like to thank other solidarity movement partners in the Pacific for their continued support for standing up for the people of West Papua."

He said he is confident in Prime Minister Sogavare as the current chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, and under his leadership, he will steer a peaceful path for West Papua. ULMWP respectfully urges Pacific Island leaders to join with PM Sogavare to steer a peaceful path for West Papua. (ULMWP/PACNEWS)

Source: http://www.pina.com.fj/index.php?p=pacnews&m=read&o=39636023355cd78c86c7123f2eedfe

Church demands Jayapura police chief deputy be fired over Sunday raid

Tabloid JUBI - August 12, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – – The church has demanded Papua Police to remove the Jayapura deputy police chief (Wakapolres) be fired over a raid carried out by dozens of officers around the Kingmi Church in Doyo Baru, Jayapura regency on Sunday (09/08/2015).

One of the assemblies of Ninom church, Nikius Bugiangge said Jayapura police chief deputy is responsible for the action. He said, Wakapolres should be removed because he ordered the search.

"We've asked and he said he sent them and this is not right and unacceptable. If the other days might be understandable, but this happened on Sunday, when the people were worshiping. It was a day of worship of Christians and must be respected, " Nikius said via telephone to the Jubi on Tuesday (11/8/2015).

According to him, the church has written to the Papua Police and Christians of various churches in Papua will hold a peaceful demonstration at the local police. Papua Police must apologize, and explain to the public as well as remove local police chief deputy, he said.

"When police officers ransacked residents' housing, they came as if they want to fight or look for terrorists. Some entered through the window when I could not open the doors of homes. In fact there are sick people threatened with a weapon. What does it mean?, "member of Papua Legislative Council said.

Previously, Rev. Yones Wenda who lead worship when shakedown said police entered the church when worship took place. Police surrounded the houses behind the new church that has not been inaugurated.

"At home, some family are sick. Police immediately held-arms of the front door, back door and windows. Family homeowners who are ill at gunpoint and told to stand up straight. They did not show a warrant and did not say their goal, "said Rev.Yones to Jubi, on Sunday (09/08/2015).

He further said local police chief deputy ordered his members to conduct a search for weapons and HP's home burgled. (Arjuna Pademme/Tina)

Source: http://tabloidjubi.com/en/?p=5749

Tolikara case proceeds despite peace treaty

Jakarta Post - August 12, 2015

Jakarta – Newly appointed Papua Police chief Paulus Waterpauw said that he would continue the legal follow up of the Tolikara incident in Papua despite an announcement that the conflicting sides had made peace.

"This [incident] must be legally processed, not just dealt with by a customary settlement," said Paulus as quoted by Antara news agency on Wednesday.

Previously on July 29, religious leaders from both Muslim and Christian groups in Tolikara gathered to sign a peace treaty, overseen by Papua's Interfaith Communication Forum (FKUB) head Lipiyus Biniluk, Evangelical Church in Indonesia (GIDI) president Dorman Wandikbo, and Papua province Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) head Tonny Wanggai.

The closure resulting from the treaty, according to Paulus, would not last long and would not be accepted by certain groups. He said he would continue to search for the intellectual actors behind the incident.

Similar tones were also voiced by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives Fahri Hamzah, both of whom want the legal process to proceed until a verdict on the actions of those responsible is reached in a courtroom.

"It is important to uphold the law. That is the sign of the state's involvement," Fahri said on Tuesday, before adding, "To forgive and reconcile in a customary way is another matter. What is important is for the legal process to proceed."

So far, the police have announced two suspects, JW and AK, who were involved in the attack during Idul Fitri celebrations in Tolikara. (rad/kes)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/12/tolikara-case-proceeds-despite-peace-treaty.html

Govt' streamlines entry permit for foreign journalist in Papua

Tempo.co - August 11, 2015

Moyang Kasih Dewimerdeka, Jakarta – Foreign Affairs Minister Retno L.P Marsudi said that her Ministry is planning to streamline the process for foreign journalists wishing to report from Papua.

"We will attempt to simplify the matter as much as we can," said Retno on Monday, August 10, 2015.

According to Retno, there will still be some due processes that journalists must go through prior to the granting of access – not dissimilar to what Indonesian journalists must go through when they wish to report from abroad. "We will apply the same sort of standard," she said.

Previously, a request made by foreign journalists must be cleared by a Clearing House, which involves elements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Police (POLRI), the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), as well as the Coordinating Ministry for Politics, Law, and Security.

It is known that President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo had officially lifted the restrictions during his visit of Merauke on May 10, 2015 – which in essence made Papua as journalist-friendly as the rest of Indonesia.

For years, journalists who were found to have reported in Papua without an official permit from the Clearing House could face criminal charges – the most recent of which involved two French journalists, Thomas Dandois and Valentina Bourrat, who were arrested when filming a documentary on separatism on Papuan soil.

According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry's Information and Media Department, as per June 11, 2015, there were eight requests made by foreign journalists to report from Papua – all of which has been approved by the Ministry.

Prior to 2014, not all requests were granted. In 2012, only five requests have been approved out of the total of 11 that were lodged. In 2013, 28 permits were issued and seven were rejected, while throughout 2014, only five out of the 27 permits lodged were denied.

Source: http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2015/08/11/055691033/govt-streamline-entry-permit-for-foreign-journalist-in-papua

Komnas HAM finds human rights violations in Tolikara incident

Jakarta Post - August 11, 2015

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) announced on Monday that it had found four human rights violations during a clash instigated by a Christian group affiliated with the Evangelical Church of Indonesia (GIDI) in Tolikara, Papua, last month.

Komnas HAM commissioner Maneger Nasution said the commission had found violations of the right to worship according to people's beliefs during the confrontation.

"Based on our investigation, we found four human rights violations, one of which was the violation of the people's right to worship based on their beliefs," Maneger told reporters in Jakarta on Monday.

He added that the Tolikara Regent Usman Wanimbo had confirmed to the commission the existence of a local bylaw that limits the practice of certain religions.

"Tolikara Regent Usman Wanimbo confirmed that he had signed the regulation together with two political party factions of the Tolikara Legislative Council in 2013," Maneger said.

However, the commission said that it had not received the documents on the regulation. The suspected discriminative bylaw has also been reported to the Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo by the regent, but he had also failed to show the documents to the minister.

Komnas HAM chairman Nur Kholis said the commission could not investigate the bylaw further since there were no documents that could support the regent's statements. "We didn't have the documents to carry on with this investigation," Nur told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Komnas HAM also found that the confrontation had resulted in a violation of a person's right to life.

During the confrontation, 12 Tolikara residents were injured by police gunfire while a teenager was shot dead. "The clash resulted in the taking of one resident's life," Maneger said.

He added that the incident had left the Tolikara community in great fear. "We discovered that more than 400 residents, including children were traumatized by the incident," he said, adding that it had therefore resulted in a violation of people's right to security.

Furthermore, Maneger explained that many Tolikara residents' homes had been destroyed in the incident. "Dozens of houses and a small mosque were burnt down during the incident," Maneger said.

Based on these findings, Komnas HAM has sent a recommendation letter to the central government and local administrations, hoping that similar incidents would not occur in other regions in the future.

On July 24, Papua Police arrested two people, identified only as JW and AK, for instigating the riot.

A group of nationally known Muslim figures had urged the National Police to investigate the case and arrest Tolikara GIDI board members Nayus Wenda and Marthen Jinggawho who signed a letter that urged the Muslim community in Tolikara to stop their Idul Fitri prayers.

The letter, dated July 13, called for the prohibition of Muslims in Tolikara carrying out their Idul Fitri prayers, and also banned the wearing of the hijab in Tolikara. The letter was later disowned and annulled by the central committee of the GIDI but this was not well-disseminated to their members in the region.

Both groups have since reconciled and the situation in the region has returned to normal. The government is funding the reconstruction of the burned buildings and has taken care of the injured. (ind)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/11/komnas-ham-finds-human-rights-violations-tolikara-incident.html

Aceh

Economy neglected after decade of peace in Aceh

Jakarta Post - August 15, 2015

Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – The former chairman of the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) team, Pieter Feith, has said that Aceh administrations have not yet been able to take full advantage of the abundant budgets available to them following the peace deal 10 years ago, which has caused the reintegration process and economic development in the province to remain stagnant.

Feith said the undeveloped economy had created some weaknesses that could disturb the hard-won peace in Aceh.

"Reintegration of the combatants in Aceh is still an issue. The Aceh and Jakarta administrations have to work hard to overcome this," he said on Thursday evening, adding that the government had the resources and money to do so.

Feith was in Aceh together with Juha Christensen, a mediator of the Helsinki memorandum of understanding that ended the conflict and an AMM special advisor, to monitor the development of peace in the region. They were also scheduled to join the ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of Aceh's peace on Saturday.

Feith blamed the situation on the fact that the Aceh administration did not yet have a blueprint for planning economic development and ensuring the welfare of the people, as well as for reintegration.

As such, he said, Aceh's development was not focused and did not have identifiable priorities over the last 10 years, despite the province's abundant budget of Rp 12.8 trillion (US$984 million) and a special autonomy fund of Rp 7 trillion for this year alone.

Feith suggested that the Aceh administration should evaluate how to make better plans so it would be able to improve people's welfare and create job opportunities for both former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) combatants and the public in general.

He said a good economy was vital for thoroughly completing the reintegration process because all former GAM combatants needed sound economic foundations after undergoing 30 years of conflict. "Economic development is the key to maintaining peace in Aceh," Feith said.

Feith also said that the central government was slow in formulating a number of derivative regulations for the Law on the Governing of Aceh (UUPA).

The emergence of new movements by former GAM combatants, like the one in East Aceh led by former combatant Din Minimi, according to Feith, was a sign that there were still problems in reintegration.

Separately, Juha Christensen said that security and political stability were very important factors for investment in Aceh. Investors, he said, would think twice about investing in Aceh if there are still problems there.

He also suggested that the local authority starts getting locals to invest in the province before trying to attract investors from other regions to follow suit.

The stagnant economic conditions in Aceh have reportedly also caused employers, including local ones, to cease operations because they considered the wheels of its economy to be moving extremely slow.

"I've been perplexed in running my business here. My capital is restrained because my clients mostly could not pay for their debts," said Oelga Galinggin, a photocopy machine seller in Banda Aceh.

Oelga said he planned to move his business to another city after considering that the purchase power of the Acehnese was very low. "Let alone getting profits, to get our investment returned is difficult here," Oelga said.

He blamed the situation on the lack of economic development in the province, arguing that the bylaws issued by the local administrations did not directly touch the people-based economy.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/15/economy-neglected-after-decade-peace-aceh.html

After decade of peace, many in Aceh left behind

Agence France Presse - August 13, 2015

Nurdin Hasan, Banda Aceh – Fakhruddin Kasem hoped for a prosperous new life when Indonesia struck a deal to end a separatist conflict in Aceh, but a decade on the unemployed former rebel is so desperate he hopes to join the Islamic State group to make ends meet.

While many ex-fighters have benefited from peace in the western Indonesian province, with ex-rebels now Aceh's key political players, former local commander Kasem is among a number that feel let down.

"As a rebel fighter, I feel betrayed by the leadership as they have not taken care of me," said the 35-year-old, one of about 100 ex-rebels who pledged last month to join IS in Syria as they claim being salaried jihadists is the only way they can support their families.

Up to 500 nationals from Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim- majority country, are believed to have travelled to the Middle East to join IS, sparking fears they could revive sophisticated militant networks responsible for attacks on Western targets on their return.

It is not clear whether the ex-rebels will really join the fight in Syria and Iraq, but the threat highlights how the transition to civilian life for many Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels has not always been smooth.

In 1976, GAM launched its fight for an independent Islamic state in Aceh, which is fiercely proud of its identity and was historically an important trading centre and seat of Muslim learning.

Over the next 29 years, fighting between rebels and Indonesian government forces left about 15,000 people dead – with abuses committed by both sides – before the 2004 tsunami finally persuaded GAM and Jakarta to strike a peace deal.

The destructive, quake-triggered waves left around 170,000 dead in Indonesia, the vast majority in Aceh, and tens of thousands more in countries around the Indian Ocean.

The deal was signed on August 15, 2005, in the Finnish capital Helsinki, with the rebels agreeing to give up their demands for independence in exchange for greater autonomy.

The GAM fighters laid down their arms and Jakarta withdrew non-local security forces from Aceh and granted an amnesty to rebels and political prisoners.

A transitional reintegration package from the International Organization for Migration was provided to 2,000 prisoners who were granted amnesties and 3,000 former combatants, while ex-rebels have been brought into local politics and now lead the province.

'Many challenges'

Despite sporadic violence, often between new local political parties set up as part of the peace deal, the accord has largely been viewed as a success, Aceh is mostly peaceful, and the chances of a return to full-blown conflict are slim.

But observers say that while some former GAM members have prospered in oil- and gas-rich Aceh, others have got very little, and those now in positions of power stand accused of being more interested in improving their own lot than helping ordinary Acehnese.

"The whole question of reintegration has been a problem from the start," said Keith Loveard, a senior risk analyst at Concord Consulting in Jakarta. "Some got involved and some were left out."

He pointed to high levels of crime in some parts of Aceh, which in many cases is suspected to involve former fighters, as evidence of failure.

One former rebel, Nurdin bin Ismail Amat, is leading an armed group that is suspected of being behind the kidnapping of a British energy worker in 2013 and the killing last year of two military intelligence officers. He told AFP that he had decided to keep up the armed struggle as "we see the people of Aceh and former combatants have not prospered".

More broadly, critics say that governance in the province over the past decade has been ineffective, pointing to problems in the education system, rising infant mortality rates and growing drug problems.

The end of conflict also led to a dramatic increase in Islamic regulations in Aceh, the only province in Indonesia allowed to implement sharia law, with public canings common for crimes such as gambling and drinking alcohol.

In addition, not all elements of the peace deal have been implemented. In a 2013 report, Amnesty International noted promises to set up a human rights court and a truth and reconciliation commission had not been honoured, leaving many who suffered without a sense of closure.

Aceh governor Zaini Abdullah, himself a former rebel who used to be a key figure in the independence movement's government in exile, this week hailed "10 years of peace", but admitted problems remain. "There are still many challenges," he told reporters.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/13/after-decade-peace-many-aceh-left-behind.html

Human rights & justice

Hammer-and-sickle flags burnt in protests over news of PKI apology

Merdeka - August 15, 2015

Hery H Winarno – Hundreds of people took to the streets to demonstrate in front of the Grahadi building in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on the afternoon of Thursday August 13. During the action, the protesters also set fire to red hammer-and-sickle flags.

The action and the burning of the flags were not without cause. The protesters were opposing a plan to revoke the Tap MPRS No XXV/1966 on the dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). The protesters also objected to a plan by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to apologies to the PKI.

According to the demonstrators, an apology to individuals or the PKI as an institution is neither procedural or proportional and is ahistorical, especially if it is done by the government.

This is because an apology would result in all legal instruments on prohibitions against the PKI and its teachings that are embodied in the MPRS No XXV/1966, the Supersemar and Law Number 27/1999 on revisions to the Criminal Code related to Article 107(a) on state security, being annulled automatically.

Secondly, a unilateral apology would hurt the feelings of the Islamic community, the TNI (Indonesian military) and the Indonesia people. It would justify the PKI's position and thus its extermination by the TNI and the Islamic community would be deemed wrong, and they would have to be held accountable before the law.

The other consequence is that [those who adhere to] communist ideas would make further historical demands in terms of moral and material damages as well as seek a revival of their politics.

Fifth [sic], an apology to the PKI could trigger a flare-up in horizontal conflicts and a possible repeat of history with another PKI rebellion and its extermination by the people.

Sixth, the ordinary people would continue to suffer and the PKI would continue to build its strength and power by provoking the poor.

And finally, if the government goes ahead with an apology, provides rehabilitation, compensation and reconciliation to former PKI members, it would mean justifying communism which is clearly in conflict with the philosophical life of the Indonesian nation, namely [the state ideology of] Pancasila, and could give birth to Nasakom Chapter II.

"Because of this, we reject an apology to the PKI, because it would betray the NKRI, so we oppose communists in this country. Let us close ranks. This is all communist propaganda", shouted action coordinator Santoso in a speech on Thursday August 13.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "Cerita Jokowi minta maaf ke PKI hingga pembakaran bendera palu arit".]

Notes

1. Tap MPRS XXV/1966: Provisional People's Consultative Assembly Decree Number XXV/1966 on the Dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party and Prohibitions on Marxist, Leninist and Communist Teachings.

2. Supersemar/March 11: According to the New Order dictatorship's version of history, on March 11, 1966, founding President Sukarno formally transferred power to then Major General Suharto by signing an order known as Supersemar.

3. Nasakom: Sukarno's concept of the unity of nationalism, communism and religion.

4. NKRI: Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. A term which is often used in the context of nationalism and the desire to maintain the integrity of the Indonesian nation.

Source: http://www.merdeka.com/peristiwa/cerita-jokowi-minta-maaf-ke-pki-hingga-pembakaran-bendera-palu-arit.html

New military chief must tackle abuses: Human Rights Watch

Jakarta Post - August 14, 2015

Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) should take necessary and appropriate action to prevent human rights abuses by its personnel and furthermore hold perpetrators accountable, Human Rights Watch (HRW) says in a letter to the new TNI commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo.

"General Nurmantyo is now the responsible man for making sure that the Indonesian armed forces stop committing abuses and improve their respect for human rights," said HRW deputy Asia director Phelim Kine in a statement on Friday.

"It's his responsibility to ensure the military meets its international legal obligations throughout Indonesia," he said.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo named Nurmantyo, the former Army chief of staff, as TNI commander on July 8.

Kine said Nurmantyo should ensure prompt, transparent and impartial investigations into abuses in which military personnel have been implicated, and that he should also take appropriate action against such personnel.

HRW says among the measures the new TNI commander must take is the immediate ban of so-called virginity tests. The tests are mandatory for all female recruits and fiancees of military officers in the Indonesian armed forces. However, HRW has stated that the tests violate the prohibition of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment that is enshrined in international human rights law.

Another step HRW says Nurmantyo needs to take is to publicly show his support for President Jokowi's decision to lift access and reporting restrictions on Indonesia-based, accredited foreign media entering, or trying to enter, Papua.

He also needs to ensure that all armed forces in Papua are aware of, and fully respectful of, the freedom of the press, HRW says. President Jokowi announced a complete lifting of those restrictions on May 10.

HRW says Nurmantyo should also publicly support investigations into serious human rights abuses, particularly in Papua, such as the killing of five peaceful protesters in the remote town of Enarotali on December 8, 2014.

"The new military chief should also fully cooperate with government plans to investigate the 1965-66 mass killings of alleged communists and others, as well as other past atrocities, including the Talangsari incident, the Trisakti and Semanggi I and II killings, the abduction of pro-democracy activists in 1997-98, and the May 1998 rioting," said Kine.

He said military cooperation was crucial to determining responsibility for these abuses in order to provide justice and redress for the victims and their families. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/14/new-military-chief-must-tackle-abuses-hrw.html

No justice in sight as president touts reconciliation over prosecution

Jakarta Globe - August 14, 2015

Jakarta – President Joko Widodo has indicated that the Indonesian government has no intention of prosecuting perpetrators of past human rights abuses, in a state of the nation address that only briefly touched on the issue.

Speaking before the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in Jakarta on Friday, Joko said his administration was working on setting up a "reconciliation committee for severe rights violations."

"The government is at the moment trying to find the most judicious and noble way to resolve human rights abuse cases," he said.

"The government wants there to be a national reconciliation so that future generations will not have to bear the burdens of history. Our children have to be free to face the wide future."

The president's statement fell far short of calls from human rights groups for an official apology for all past rights abuses, including the 1965-66 anti-communist purge in which up to two million people were summarily killed or disappeared by the military and state-backed militias.

Survivors and families of victims of the military's myriad massacres and other rights abuses over the decades have long demanded that the masterminds, many of whom now occupy positions of power in Joko's administration, be brought to justice for their crimes.

Among the latter is A.M. Hendropriyono, the former intelligence agency chief linked to, though never charged for, the 2004 murder of prominent human rights activist Munir Said Thalib.

Hendropriyono, involved in the military's massacre of 27 civilians in Talangsari, in southern Sumatra, in 1989, is close to Joko's political patron, former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, and served as an adviser to the president-elect when preparing to take office last year.

The current intelligence chief, Sutiyoso, now the chairman of a party in Joko's coalition, also has a checkered record, primarily stemming from his role in overseeing a deadly military raid on an opposition party compound in Jakarta in 1996.

The government's own National Commission for Human Rights, or Komnas HAM, issued a landmark report in 2012 denouncing the anti-communist purge and other incidents as gross human rights violations, and recommended criminal inquiries into the cases.

However, the Attorney General's Office has repeatedly refused to initiate an investigation into any of the cases, saying instead that the perpetrators should be let off the hook for the nation to move forward.

"The option of reconciliation should only be available if the judicial process is technically [unfeasible]," Hendardi, the head of the Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy, said in June.

"The attorney general has not yet done anything [in the way of an investigation], yet already it is choosing the path of reconciliation. Don't try to simplify the problem, don't be lazy and unjust."

He warned that a national reconciliation committee "should not serve to whitewash the perpatrators' [crimes] or provide false satisfaction for the victims. [Such a committee] would be a fraud."

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/no-justice-sight-rights-abuse-victims-president-touts-reconciliation-prosecution/

People's tribunal into 1965 killings to be held in Den Haag in November

Tempo.co - August 13, 2015

Diah Harni Saputri, Maria Rita, Jakarta - Human rights activists, academics and journalists have initiated the formation of a people's tribunal into the 1965 mass killings. The tribunal is planned to be held in the Den Haag, Netherlands, in November 11-13.

According to Nursyahbani Ktjasungkana who is coordinating the International People's Tribunal on 1965 crimes against humanity in Indonesia (IPT 1965), the IPT 1965 will be held to demonstrate that the genocide and crimes against humanity which have still not be acknowledged by the state did in fact occur.

Preparations for the formation of the IPT 1965, said Nursyahbani, have begun with the gathering of evidence from 13 regions, interviewing witnesses, compiling documents from the investigation by the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) into 1965, including investigative articles by Tempo Magazine, and the results of research by investigators from a number of overseas and Indonesian universities.

"We are also preparing prosecutors and judges who are experienced in handling cases of genocide and crimes against humanity in a number of different countries", said Nursyahbani during a meeting at Tempo's offices on Tuesday August 11.

Nursyahbani was accompanied by Professor Saskia E. Wieringa, who has been researching the 1965 affair for 30 years, and Valentina Sagala from the Women's Institute executive board.

Saskia explained that with regard to the 1965 affair it will be demonstrated that genocide and crimes against humanity did in fact take place. "There are three prerequisites, namely that it was planned, that there was intent and that it was widespread", she said.

The irony, said Saskia, is that although the 1965 killings occurred 50 years ago, its impact upon the victims and their families along with those who are critical of the official version of events is still very tangible.

For example, those who were accused with involvement in the 1965 affair have become exiles and cannot return home to Indonesia. In addition to this, there is still a lot of propaganda inspired by hatred against the victims, the victim's families and communities that have tried to uncover the crimes of 1965, along with continued acts of violence against those who have tried to expose the 1965 affair.

Although it will be in the form of a tribunal, said Valentina, there will not be any attempt to indict people in a criminal court as suspected by many.

This is because the tribunal's verdict will not be binding in legal terms, but will instead hand down a moral verdict so that the Indonesian government can formulate policies on the 1965 affair. The Den Haag was chosen as the venue to organise the IPT 1965 because the city is symbolic of endeavors to uphold human rights.

The verdict handed down by the IPT 1965 will be made public in 2016. It will then be handed over to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, in the hope that it will issue a UN resolution. This will open up the possibility of the international community pressuring Indonesia to respond to the indictments and verdict handed down by the IPT 1965.

It is hoped said Nursyahbani, that the IPT 1965 will receive support from the wider community and the Indonesian government, including the international community.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "Pengadilan Rakyat Tragedi 1965 Akan Diadakan di Den Haag".]

Source: http://nasional.tempo.co/read/news/2015/08/13/078691518/pengadilan-rakyat-tragedi-1965-akan-diadakan-di-den-haag

Criminal justice & prison system

Teachers' freedom 'gives hope' to cleaners

Jakarta Post - August 15, 2015

ndra Budiari, Jakarta – The Jakarta High Court's decision to overturn the conviction of Indonesian Ferdinant Tjiong and Canadian Neil Bantleman in the child abuse case at the Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) has given a glimmer of hope to the five cleaners who were sentenced in a similar case.

Patra M. Zen, the lawyer representing the five cleaners who were outsourced from PT ISS Indonesia, said Friday the evidence that had been used to convict his clients was similar to the evidence used to charge Ferdinant and Bantleman.

"The evidence is almost the same; one of the kindergarten boys in the teachers' case is also an alleged victim in the cleaners' case. I don't see why they would not be released as well," Patra told The Jakarta Post.

Patra has been arguing that after his clients retracted their confession, said to be forced through police violence, the evidence shown at the trial was not strong enough to convict them. The prosecutors' documents were only three pages long, mostly consisting of the confessions the cleaners had retracted.

On Friday, after spending 13 months behind bars, Ferdinant and Bantleman were released from the Cipinang Penitentiary as appeals filed by their lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea were granted by the Jakarta High Court.

In the 38 page verdict, the panel of judges said the district court made a "shallow, inaccurate and not thorough consideration" in declaring both teachers guilty in the sexual abuse case that sentenced them to 10 years in prison.

The court also found that the medical examination released by Pondok Indah Hospital in South Jakarta, which showed the first child suffered injuries to his rectum, was suspicious as it was released after the result from state-run Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, which found no such injuries to the boy. The Pondok Indah Hospital result was also used to convict the cleaners.

Furthermore, according to the court, testimony delivered by the three kindergartners, who claimed to be victims in the case, were not relevant and could not support the evidence presented by the state prosecutors during the trial. "The only witnesses who have supporting testimony for the children were their parents whose testimony also came from their children, therefore it does not have any real weight," presiding judge Silvester Djuma said in the verdict.

Soon after walking away from the penitentiary, Ferdinant could not hide his happiness, saying that after being jailed for more than a year for a crime he did not commit, the hope of coming home to his family was starting to fade away. "My prayer was finally answered when this morning an officer told me that I had been acquitted," Ferdinant, struggling to hold back his tears, told the Post.

The arrests of Bantleman and Ferdinant in July last year followed allegations by the parents of a boy at the school who claimed he had been molested on a number of occasions over the past 18 months.

Earlier, four male janitors, Agun Iskandar, Virgiawan Amin, Zainal Abidin and Syahrial, were sentenced to eight years in prison in that case and female janitor Afrischa Setiyani received a seven-year prison sentence as an accomplice, while one other suspect, Azwar, died in police custody.

On Feb. 18, the Jakarta High Court upheld the conviction of the five former ISS Indonesia janitors, saying that the South Jakarta District Court delivered a valid verdict.

In a bid to challenge the district court and high court's decision, the five cleaners submitted their cassation to the Supreme Court through Patra. "However, I cannot be sure when the Supreme Court will announce their verdict," the lawyer said.

Controversy surrounding the case mounted as the first mother launched a US$125 million civil suit against JIS for the damage suffered by her son. The civil suit, however, was dismissed on Monday.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/15/teachers-freedom-gives-hope-cleaners.html

Indonesia court overturns teachers' sexual abuse convictions

Associated Press - August 14, 2015

Niniek Karmini, Jakarta – An Indonesian court has overturned convictions against a Canadian teacher and an Indonesian teaching assistant who were serving 10 years in prison for sexually abusing three young children at a prestigious international school in Jakarta, their lawyer said Friday.

Neil Bantleman, 45, and Ferdinant Tjiong were convicted in April by the South Jakarta District Court of violating Indonesia's child protection law. They maintained their innocence and appealed to the Jakarta High Court. The two men were supported by fellow teachers and the principal at the Jakarta International School, now called the Jakarta Intercultural School.

Hotman Paris Hutapea, an Indonesian lawyer representing Bantleman and Tjiong, said the court overturned convictions of sexually abusing students who attended the school's kindergarten and who are now 6 and 7 years old. The school is attended by children of foreign diplomats, expatriates and Indonesia's elite. It has 2,400 students aged 3 to 18 from about 60 countries.

"The truth is finally revealed and justice has been done," Hutapea told The Associated Press on Friday.

He has said that the sexual abuse claims were motivated by money. The principal and a number of other teachers have alleged the same. The mother of one of the children had sued the school for alleged negligence and was seeking $125 million in compensation.

On Monday, the same district court that convicted Bantleman and Tjiong threw out the $125 million civil case. It said it was not proven that any of the alleged abuses had taken place. New evidence from medical reports from three different hospitals in Jakarta and Singapore showed no major injuries or abnormalities in the three children, the court said.

The Indonesian rulings come after a court in Singapore ruled July 16 that the woman accusing Bantleman had defamed him, Tjiong and the school because the allegations of sexual abuse could not be proven. It ordered her to pay $164,700 in damages. The case was brought in Singapore by Bantleman's family because the initial allegations were made in Singapore through emails, texts and other digital communications.

Hutapea said both decisions had an impact on the higher court's decision to free Bantleman and Tjiong.

The arrests of Bantleman and Tjiong in July last year followed allegations from parents of a 6-year-old boy at the school that he'd been sodomized.

Four male janitors were sentenced to eight years in prison in that case and a woman received a seven year prison sentence as an accomplice. Police said a sixth suspect killed himself in custody by drinking bathroom cleaner.

Hutapea said a copy of the higher court decision has to be taken to the district court to start the process of getting his clients released from prison. He said the men could be released this afternoon.

Prosecutors could not be reached for comment. The Jakarta High Court's decision could be appealed to the Supreme Court.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/14/indonesia-court-overturns-teachers-sexual-abuse-convictions.html

Jakarta International School teachers acquitted of child sex charges

Sydney Morning Herald - August 14, 2015

Tom Allard, Jakarta – Two teachers from a prestigious Jakarta international school have been acquitted of child sex offences amid claims of an elaborate hoax to extract $US125 million from the school.

The verdict from Jakarta High Court – overturning an earlier guilty finding – was confirmed on Friday, prompting jubilation from supporters of Canadian teacher Neil Bantleman and an Indonesian teacher's aide Ferdinand Tjiong.

"Yes, I have the decision. It is confirmed," the men's lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea told Fairfax Media on Friday. "We are waiting now for the documents from the public prosecutors so we can release them from jail today."

?The pair were convicted in April of sexually molesting three preschool age children last year. Both men were sentenced to 10 years in prison for the alleged attacks in an administrative building and kitchen at the Jakarta Intercultural School, a campus of the renowned Jakarta International School.

Their convictions followed the earlier guilty findings against five cleaners from the school for raping the same children. Four of the cleaners made confessions but then retracted them, saying they were tortured by police. A sixth accused cleaner died in police custody.

The case has gripped Jakarta's expatriate community, where the school – founded by the US, Australian and British embassies – plays a central role. While parents were horrified by the allegations at first, they became concerned over time that the sex abuse claims were untrue.

Bizarre allegations of magic stones and blue water, medical evidence that suggested no abuse had taken place and other wildly contradictory testimony in the original court proceeding all raised concerns of an injustice.

In their judgment in the original trial, judges noted favourably testimony from an Indonesian sexologist Dr Naek L. Tobing suggesting that Mr Bantleman was inclined towards paedophilia because he did not masturbate and only had sex with his wife once a week, when the "norm" was for two to three times a week.

"There is a question how could he release his sexual desire," said Chief Judge Nur Aslam Bustaman. "These conditions could create abnormal sexual behaviour."

Concerns of an elaborate fabrication were compounded when the parents of one of the children hired lawyer O. C. Kaligis, now detained on unrelated corruption charges, to press for civil damages of $US125 million.

That case was rejected earlier this week on a technicality, although the judges noted in their judgment that the parents had not proven that the abuse had taken place.

Mr Hotman – the flamboyant lawyer famous for representing Schapelle Corby and his fleet of expensive sports cars – said he had taken on the case pro bono as he felt a grave injustice had been done.

"It's a totally fabricated and bulls – - case," he said. "This is not over. I will chase the parents and the others and make them pay."

Mr Hotman alleges the parents targeted the teachers when they realised the cleaners were contract workers.

"The cleaners were not JIS employees and under Indonesian law. That means JIS could not be sued for their alleged conduct. That's why they went after the teachers."

Prosecutors, meanwhile, signalled they would challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court.

[Disclosure: The author's children went to the Jakarta International School from 2008 to 2012.]

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/jakarta-international-school-teachers-acquitted-of-child-sex-charges-20150814-giyzz5.html

Court dismisses US$125 million JIS lawsuit

Jakarta Post - August 11, 2015

Indra Budiari, Jakarta – The South Jakarta District Court dismissed on Monday a US$125 million civil suit filed against the Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) by TP, the mother of a boy who was sexually assaulted by the school's outsourced cleaners and two teaching staff.

A panel of judges, chaired by Haswandi, said that in addition to the international school, the cleaners' recruitment company PT ISS Indonesia and the Education and Cultural Ministry, the mother should have included the five convicted cleaners as defendants in the case.

According to Haswandi, the court would need to hear testimony from the five outsourced cleaners to decide if they would turn down or grant the lawsuit filed by the mother.

"The cleaners who have been accused of sexually assaulting the boy should have been named as defendants, therefore we believe that the lawsuit is lacking some parties and we declare that it cannot be accepted," he said.

The ruling means that the judges have yet to decide on the substance of the case but only on the technicalities of the lawsuit.

The decision came less than a month after the Singapore High Court awarded material compensation for JIS and two of its teaching staff in a defamation case against DR, the mother of one of three victims of sexual abuse.

The court ordered DR to pay S$130,000 ($93,800) in damages to Canadian Neil Bantleman and Indonesian Ferdinant Tjiong and S$100,000 in damages to JIS and the principal at JIS.

The high-profile case began in April 2014 when TP launched a civil lawsuit against JIS, saying that the school's lack of supervision caused her son to be a victim of sexual assault by six outsourced cleaners at the school. She also included ISS Indonesia, Copenhagen-based ISS A/S and the Education and Cultural Ministry as defendants of the case.

The panel of judges did not include former teaching staff Neil Bantleman and Ferdinant Tjiong in their dismissal notes because the civil lawsuit was submitted by the mother before she and other mothers reported the case against the two JIS teaching staff. In the lawsuit documents the mother only mentioned that her son was assaulted by cleaners.

In the civil case, the mother was represented by high-profile lawyer, OC Kaligis, who is currently charged in a bribery case run by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

In December 2014, the South Jakarta Court declared that five ISS Indonesia cleaners were guilty in the sexual abuse case and sentenced them to seven and eight years imprisonment, while one other cleaner died while in police custody.

Four months later the court also sentenced Bantleman and Ferdinant to 10 years' imprisonment for sexually abusing three kindergarten boys.

Shortly after Monday's trial, Cinta Trisulo, a lawyer with the Kaligis' law firm, rushed out to avoid approaching reporters who asked whether her client would resubmit the lawsuit. She said that she would need "to discuss the verdict with the legal team before taking any further action".

Indonesia's legal system allows plaintiffs of a civil lawsuit to file a new lawsuit instead of filing an appeal if his lawsuit was declared "unacceptable" by the court due to technical reasons.

Harry Ponto, a lawyer representing the school, said he appreciated the court's ruling and considered it a victory for his side, saying that it meant the court agreed that the lawsuit should not be accepted.

Harry also said that he hoped the verdict would have a positive impact on the two teachers who have filed an appeal against the criminal verdict as well as the five outsourced cleaners who were still waiting on their cassation verdict from the Supreme Court. "However, it would be better for us if the judges considered the substance of the case and turned it down completely, but we accept the verdict nevertheless," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/11/court-dismisses-us125-million-jis-lawsuit.html

Freedom of speech & expression

Jokowi told not to mess with press freedom

Jakarta Post - August 15, 2015

Jakarta – The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) has warned President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo not to mess with freedom of speech and expression and not to take the country back to the days of Soeharto's New Order era when repression of the press was common.

According to AJI chairman Suwarjono, there are three indications that Jokowi has a tendency to curb the freedom of speech and press freedom. The first is a draft of a Criminal Code (KUHP) amendment that makes insulting the president a crime, which will be submitted to the House of Representatives (DPR), a provision that was annulled by the Constitutional Court.

"If the provision is reinstated, the first victim will be the press. The provision on insulting the president is open to interpretation. If there are critical sources, including the media, the rule could easily silence them," said Suwarjono in a press release on Saturday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

The second indication is that the government, in this case the Communications and Information Technology Ministry, has made no effort to eliminate the criminalization of free speech on the Internet. The draft revision of the Electronic Information and Transaction Law compiled by the ministry still includes criminal charges that negate freedom of opinion.

The third indication, AJI said, was Jokowi's speech at the legislature on Friday. In his speech, Jokowi said: "Currently there are tendencies that people feel they are ultimately free to behave and voice their opinions as they like. This is less productive when the media only pursues ratings instead of guiding the public to be virtuous and have a productive work culture."

According to AJI, Jokowi's statement was hypocritical, since one day prior to the speech he awarded a Bintang Mahaputra Utama medal of merit to Surya Paloh, the owner of MetroTV station. In 2014, AJI announced the chief editor of MetroTV an enemy of press freedom. AJI said the award given to Surya Paloh was a bad precedent in the nation's stance on press freedom and the independence of newsrooms.

"In a democratic country, differences of opinion in the media are common. If parties object to a report, they have the right to respond or ask for a correction. If they are still not satisfied, then they can take the issue to the Press Council, not to the police," said AJI's head of advocacy Iman D. Nugroho.

Iman expressed hope that the President would not issue policies that could be used as weapons for law enforcement agencies to ensnare critical citizens. "Freedom of opinion and press freedom are important parts of a democratic system. If they are repressed, get ready to go back to the dark ages," said Iman. (kes)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/15/jokowi-told-not-mess-with-press-freedom.html

Libel against president need not be included in Criminal Code: Expert

Jakarta Post - August 10, 2015

Jakarta – Head of the Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) Neta S.Pane said an article on libel or defamation against the President did not need to be included in the draft of the Criminal Code bill being debated between the government and the House of Representatives.

"There are two reasons for not including an article on libel article in the draft bill," he said as quoted by Antara in Jakarta on Sunday.

Firstl, Neta said, the Constitutional Court (MK) had withdrawn the article from the draft bill. Second, by including the article, the draft bill treated the President as special whereas the President and other Indonesian citizens were equal before the law.

"All Indonesian citizens are equal before the law; hence, the President should not be treated as special legally. Treating the President as special before the law means that Indonesia discriminates between its own people and law," said Neta.

He reminded that the Criminal Code (KUHP) had included articles on libel and defamation; therefore, there was no need to include an article on defamation against the President in the KUHP.

"If he feels insulted, he can file a report with the police using the libel and defamation articles just like in the case of Judge Sarpin who reported two Judicial Commission judges for alleged libel and defamation with the police," said Neta.

Earlier, President Jokowi "Jokowi" Widodo proposed the draft bill which consisted of 786 articles to the House for an approval. Of hundreds of articles in the draft bill, there was an article, which regulated libel or defamation against the President and Vice President, the MK had annulled from the draft bill since 2006. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/09/libel-against-president-does-not-need-be-included-criminal-code-expert.html

President's honor safe without new articles

Jakarta Post - August 10, 2015

Jakarta – The government should not be worried about protecting the honor of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as the President can still sue anyone that slanders him under the current Criminal Code (KUHP), according to a politician.

"As an individual, the President can still sue a person that insults him," said Arsul Sani, a lawmaker from the United Development Party (PPP).

The member of the House of Representatives' law commission said that if the government insisted on introducing new articles that would reinstate presidential insults as a crime, it would become a tool for law enforcement institutions to act against anyone that openly criticized the President, regardless of whether he minded the insults.

"If a law enforcement institution finds that a person has insulted the President or Vice President through social media, it can directly charge him [without presidential or vice presidential consent]," he said.

The government recently revealed a plan to insert new articles in the KUHP that would bring back presidential insults as a crime. In the new KUHP draft, the government reintroduces articles 262, 263, 264, 284 and 285.

The proposed articles say that Indonesian citizens could be imprisoned for 9 years for insulting or publishing writings and pictures that insult the President or the Vice President.

Jokowi said earlier that he was fine with criticism and insults and that lawmakers could reject the proposed legislation. Jokowi also said that the idea to restore the provisions was actually proposed by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration in 2012, but that the deliberation had been delayed.

In the 2006 ruling, the Constitutional Court almost unanimously ruled that three articles in the KUHP – articles 134, 136 and 137 – undermined the right to the freedom of speech mandated by the Constitution, and caused uncertainty, as those articles were subject to multiple interpretations.

At that time, the court's ruling, which was made in favor of lawyer Eggi Sudjana and activist Pandapotan Lubis, who were facing charges for slandering Yudhoyono and his associates, was applauded by human rights and political activists.

The KUHP, which said that burning pictures of the President and Vice President and mocking them in public could carry a prison sentence of six years, was often used by former president Soeharto to silence critics during his 30 years in power.

Without the articles included in the current KUHP, a person can still be charged for defamation if someone files a report against that person, as stipulated in articles 310 and 311 of the KUHP.

Former president Yudhoyono tweeted on Sunday, saying that he changed his mind about the defamation articles as well. He said that criminal charges should not be overused on those who criticize the President and the government, as it would discourage the public from expressing their opinions.

"Democracy and freedom are important, but nobody should go beyond the limit. The state should not be repressive," he said. Yudhoyono also recalled his time as president when he received insults and strong remarks from citizens, but decided not to employ his right to sue them.

The KUHP amendment is a priority this year, but the House has yet to formally discuss it. Lawmakers from the opposition caucus, such as the Golkar Party and Gerindra Party have also expressed an objection to the amendments.

One of their arguments is that it would be against the law to reinstate articles that were revoked by the Constitutional Court. They also said that introducing the articles would show that the current government was willing to go against the grain of democracy.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/10/president-s-honor-safe-without-new-articles.html

Political parties & elections

PKS chief vows to strengthen propagation

Jakarta Post - August 13, 2015

Rendi A. Witular, Tama Salim and Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has achieved another smooth transition in its leadership, with a new lineup of idealistic leaders vowing to reinforce the party's aim of propagating Islam.

The new PKS chairman Sohibul Iman, 49, said recently that, as a dakwah (propagation) party, the PKS could not work alone in achieving its goals, and thus would seek to forge closer cooperation with other political parties, mass media, NGOs, the government and foreign entities.

"The PKS has a mission to become a solid dakwah party that aims to serve the country. We will synergize this with the potential of, and resources available within, the party. As a party that hinges on propagation of the Islamic faith, we want that creed to be reflected in every aspect of our vision and mission," he said.

Propagation is a core feature of the party's DNA. In response to the need for a political vessel stemming from a proliferation of prayer groups in several top-notch universities, the PKS was formed as the then Justice Party (PK) after the 1998 reform movement that toppled dictator Soeharto. Prior to that time, Soeharto's New Order regime had provided little opportunity for Islamic propagation.

The PK participated in the 1999 legislative election but without a satisfying outcome. In 2003, the PK became a new party when it changed its name to PKS in order to avoid legislative restrictions that would have otherwise prevented it from contesting the 2004 election. The party secured 7.4 percent of the vote.

In the 2009 election, it ranked as the fourth-largest party with 10.18 percent of seats in the House of Representatives. Subsequently, in the recent legislative election, the PKS secured only 7 percent of seats to become the seventh-largest party in the House.

A string of graft cases and revelations of extravagant lifestyles involving PKS officials, which were perceived to be contrary to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, have been blamed for the recent poor electoral performance.

After the 2009 election it appeared that the PKS had strayed away from its primary aim of being a dakwah party, with most PKS officials adopting a pragmatic approach in managing the party in a manner that sought to emulate the success of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Seemingly aware of the plight of its electoral prospects, the PKS has brought in new faces into its leadership to help turn the tide.

Sohibul was appointed late on Monday to replace Anis Matta, while former social affairs minister Salim Segaf Al-jufri was chosen as the party's chief patron, replacing Hilmi Aminuddin – seen by political observers as the party's "godfather".

When asked how he would reform the party to bring about a renewed focus on propagation, Sohibul said that he would hammer out his new policies after hosting the PKS Munas (national assembly) in October, when the new leadership is slated to announce an evaluated mission statement, its five- year programs and a comprehensive management structure.

Sohibul explained that the party's leadership should have been rotated back in April, but delays were caused by preparations to register and endorse candidates for the 2015 simultaneous regional elections.

According to Sohibul, the party is supporting candidates in 210 of the 269 regions nationwide, with 50 party cadres running for spots as various regional heads and deputies.

The PKS, whose movement was initially inspired by Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, joined the opposition camp of the Red-and-White Coalition led by former presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and Golkar Party chairman-cum-businessman Aburizal Bakrie.

Sohibul said that he could not yet decide whether to remain in the opposition or join the ruling coalition of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as he would still need to discuss it at the PKS assembly in October.

University of Indonesia Islamic politics and movement expert Yon Machmudi said he believed the new leadership in the PKS would bring about a major change within the party whose popularity has been in a tailspin.

"The party has suffered from a number of negative incidents lately, for example, those cases related to graft and porn. I believe there is a movement to return the party to its roots, to the original identity of the party in 2004 when its electability was increasing," Yon said.

[Ina Parlina also contributed to the story.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/13/pks-chief-vows-strengthen-propagation.html

After shake up, PKS old guard unlikely to call it a day

Jakarta Post - August 12, 2015

Rendi A. Witular, Tama Salim and Ina Parlina, Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) may be heavily bruised in recent elections but not beaten, as the party, which has Islamic leanings and is vying to emulate the triumph of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), had a leadership facelift to keep it afloat.

As a party whose movement was initially inspired by Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, the PKS has a new roster of politicians with integrity and modesty in its front row while a more influential breed of members have decided to stay away from the limelight, but may still be the ones pulling the strings.

Japan-educated Muhammad Sohibul Iman was appointed late on Monday as the party's chairman, replacing Anis Matta, while former social affairs minister Salim Segaf Al-jufri was chosen as the party's chief patron, replacing Hilmi Aminuddin – dubbed widely by political observers as the party's "godfather".

In the leadership shake up that did not involve any voting, the party appointed Suharna as chief of the consultative board and Surahman Hidayat as chief of the party's sharia council – a kind of disciplinary tribunal. The party, however, maintained Taufik Ridho as secretary-general and Mahfudz Abdurrahman as chief treasurer.

"The transition in leadership came smoothly, festooned with tears and takbir [praises to God]," Mahfudz told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

"There was no voting. No chair throwing like in other parties. We're proud that the new leaders were appointed based on a consensus," said Mahfudz, who attended the closed meeting held in Bandung, West Java.

According Mahfudz, 67 members of the party's board of patrons selected Hilmi, Salim and Hidayat Nur Wahid, the party's former chairman and co- founder, as permanent members of the board with the highest authority to select the new leadership.

"The three then agreed to appoint Ustadz [religious teacher] Salim, Ustadz Sohibul and others to be a part of PKS' new leadership," said Mahfudz.

The PKS is an epitome of an idealist Islamic party turned sour after many of its top brass displayed sumptuous ways of living, straying from the values taught by the Prophet Muhammad.

Many of its top officials, who mostly took shelter in the mosque during their times of economic hardship when establishing the party after the reform movement of 1998, have lavished themselves in luxury, accompanied by many wives, during the party's heyday between 2009 and 2014 when it controlled 10 percent of the seats in the House of Representatives.

It was not until the arrest of the party's then chairman Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for receiving bribes in early 2013 that many idealist members, who had been long sidelined, called for a greater role in the party.

But despite the calls, the party's patron Hilmi insisted on keeping his boys in leadership and appointing Anis to replace Lutfhi, but with bitter consequences as the party's votes in the 2014 election plunged to 6.7 percent.

Hilmi, Anis, Aboe Bakar Al-Habsyi and firebrand politician Fahri Hamzah, to name a few, are known as the party's poster boys of luxurious living.

Aware of the liabilities, the PKS seems to have been able to keep such members away in the new leadership and paved the way for modest and uncontroversial figures to run the party.

As the new face of the PKS, chairman Sohibul, with his modesty and intellect, has all the elements needed to lure back idealist Muslim supporters to PKS.

While the new faces will indeed help improve the party's tarnished image, political observers have cast doubt on whether they can limit the influence of the party's old guards, particularly those of Hilmi.

From his tranquil villa in the outskirts of Bandung, Hilmi has been steering the course of one of the country's largest Islamic parties, and probably the world's largest when it comes to the size of its supporters.

Hilmi is the most powerful official with the highest authority in the party and has played a vital role in designing the PKS' political course, including selecting candidates for legislators, councilors, local administration leaders and even providing support for the President.

"The new leadership cannot be viewed as Hilmi's diminishing influence in the party," said political observer Burhanuddin Muhtadi, who has written several insights on PKS.

"Sohibul has close relations with Hilmi and Anis, as evidenced by his appointment as the House deputy speaker replacing Anis," said Burhanuddin.

Sohibul, according to Burhanuddin, is a figure who can be accepted by many competing factions in the party because of his intellect, modesty and uncontroversial image.

"His appointment is a form of compromise in the PKS and an effort to improve its image after being battered by a string of graft cases. It will also bring the confidence of many idealists, who were alienated by Anis during his leadership, back into the party," he said.

But when it comes to financial factors in greasing the party's machine, Sohibul and Salim may have to rely more on Hilmi and his boys because most of the idealist members have no financial resources.

"Hilmi is irreplaceable because of history and finance. Historically, the tarbiyah (nurturing generation) movement that gave the birth to the PKS cannot be successful without his role. He is the grand murabbi (mentor), an ideal that is lacking in Salim," said Burhanuddin.

According to Mahfudz, Hilmi will be one of three permanent members on the board of patrons and will still play an active role in setting the party's course.

"There is no such thing as the end of Ustadz Hilmi's role and the rule of an entirely new face of leadership. Taufik Ridho and I still have the trust to remain in our posts," said Mahfudz.

University of Indonesia's Islamic politics and movements expert Yon Machmudi believed that while the influence of Hilmi remained, it would not last for long. He said that the transition to the new leadership went smoothly, avoiding boat-rocking that might entirely diminish Hilmi's role overnight.

"An important figure always has a strong influence in a party rooted in an Islamic movement. However, the patron will gradually lose his influence," he said. "Unlike Anis and Hilmi, who are not shy of displaying lavish lifestyles, the new leaders will make the party stronger internally and at the same time create a positive image for the public."

While praising Hilmi's long-standing contributions to the progress of the PKS in its function as a dakwah (Islamic propagation) party, Sohibul said that his mentor's failure to extend his term was due to the democratic process that had provided room for the change of guard.

"There's democracy in PKS. Doctor Salim has received the consensus to replace Ustadz Hilmi. That in itself has already made a difference," said Sohibul, who earned his PhD in engineering from Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST).

[Margareth S. Aritonang also contributed to the story.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/12/after-shake-pks-old-guard-unlikely-call-it-a-day.html

No more extensions for elections

Jakarta Post - August 11, 2015

Jakarta – Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has said there will be no more candidate registration extensions for the December simultaneous elections after Aug. 11.

He also said the government was committed to holding the elections according to schedule. "Basically, [the government] wants to run the elections simultaneously in 269 regions as planned," he said on Monday.

Due to a lack of candidates that resulted in single tickets in seven regions, the government has extended the registration period to Tuesday and encouraged political parties to make last ditch efforts to name candidates.

The seven regions are Tasikmalaya, Blitar, Pacitan, Surabaya, Mataram, Samarinda and Timor Tengah Utara.

Several political parties have expressed their reluctance to name candidates, arguing that such an effort will result in poor quality candidates.

According to regulations in the Regional Elections (Pilkada) Law, the government should postpone elections in the regions that only have one ticket, but the government is mulling issuing a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) that would allow regions to hold elections in spite of only having a single ticket.

Tjahjo said that the political parties' reluctance to waste their resources to challenge strong incumbents was the main reason behind the phenomenon. "So this is a political strategy. We can't blame [political parties]," said the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician.

Another 81 regions are at risk of holding such uncontested elections as only two tickets have registered. The candidates are currently waiting for the KPU's verification and may be eliminated during the process.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/11/national-scene-no-more-extensions-elections.html

Extension period may not bring more candidates

Jakarta Post - August 10, 2015

Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) plans to offer additional days to encourage more candidates to sign up, but since political parties are reluctant to nominate more candidates, uncontested polls are expected in several regions.

The KPU reported on Sunday that there were 81 regions in Indonesia that would potentially have only one candidate, since others failed the verification process.

"[Eighty-one regions] only have two candidates and during the verification process the KPU may disqualify one of the candidates," Hadar told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

Over the weekend, Denpasar became an uncontested region, since only one candidates was confirmed by the KPU as qualified to run. Regions with only one candidate need one more to register by Aug. 11, otherwise they risk having the election delayed until 2017.

The government prepared a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to prevent the delay, but President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo declined to move the regulation forward, saying that there was no state of emergency if the elections go uncontested.

Jokowi said Saturday that the government would make a decision regarding the elections after the extension period was over.

"The registration is still extended until Tuesday," Jokowi said on Saturday as quoted by the Antara news agency. KPU commissioner Sigit Pamungkas said that once the extended registration was over, whether or not there were still regions with single candidates, the KPU and government should consider issuing the Perppu.

"This is not only resolving the coming regional elections, but also for future elections," Sigit told the Post.

The Indonesian Parliament Watch (Formappi) said that some regions had only one candidate because incumbents running the regions were too strong. "They are afraid that the incumbent may use state facilities for campaigning," the Formappi chairman Sebastian Salang said on Saturday.

Sebastian pointed out that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) should keep their eyes on incumbents that might use state facilities during the campaign period.

He added that the elite of certain political parties also played a role in forcing some regions to only have one candidate. "The political parties tend to support the incumbent that is likely to be elected," he said.

He explained further that the political parties should not merely rely on survey results as the basis in determining their candidates but should also consider those who were competent.

Several parties have shown a reluctance to get candidates to register during the extended period for signing up.

"If we force it and go ahead with a 'puppet candidate', what will come of [the election]?" said Gerindra Party deputy chairman Fadli Zon. But he said that he would leave the decision about candidate endorsement to regional party executives.

NasDem Party executive Enggartiasto Lukita said that his party would refuse to endorse candidates just for the sake of filling empty slots. "We are talking about quality and capability and we don't want to endorse fake candidates," he said.

Enggartiasto said his party would be consistent with the quality of candidates that the party had been endorsing in the past.

Last week the KPU confirmed that seven regions – Tasikmalaya, Blitar, Pacitan and Surabaya, Mataram, Samarinda and Timor Tengah Utara – only had one candidate for the upcoming elections. (ind)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/10/extension-period-may-not-bring-more-candidates.html

Environment & natural disasters

Coal power plants threaten lives

Jakarta Post - August 14, 2015

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Increasing the number of coal-fired power plants (PLTU) from 42 to 159 will increase the risk of death from air pollutants in Indonesia from 6,500 a year in 2015 to 15,700 in 2024. The government plans to add some 117 PLTUs in the next decade to meet the demand for more power.

A study conducted by Harvard University revealed that air pollutants from the burning of coal at 42 existing power plants resulted in at least 6,500 deaths per year from strokes, heart and lung cancers and other respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

The number will increase to 15,700 once the 117 new plants are constructed. The 117 new plants do not include other plants that the current government plans to install in its ambition to produce another 20,000 megawatts of energy. The ambitious project includes the construction of the controversial plant in Batang, Central Java, which continues to face protests from locals in he area.

"Emissions from coal-fired power plants form particulate matter and ozone. Both of these things are detrimental to human health," Shannon Koplitz, a Harvard researcher from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences said during a presentation of the research earlier this week.

Koplitz said that coal burning is the number one source of mercury pollution in the world. Besides mercury, other dangerous substances include a fine particle called PM2.5, comprising dust, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide, toxic metals such as timbale, arsenic, chromium, nickel and cadmium and ozone.

The dangerous particles were transmitted by the wind from the power plant sites to nearby areas. Based on wind speeds, the research showed that PLTU Jati B in Jepara, Central Java, for example, generated air pollution in Jepara, Pecangaan, Kembang, Karangsari, southern Semarang, Rembang, and eastern Rembang.

Air pollutants from PLTU Jati B, contributed to at least 1,020 deaths from the yearly total of 6,500. It is considered one of the biggest power plants that in the country.

The study also analyzed the impact of the controversial PLTU Batang in Central Java. The Batang power plant is estimated to put at risk roughly 780 lives per year and could impact Pekalongan, Tegal, Semarang and Cirebon by 2020.

Harvard University and Greenpeace Indonesia conducted the study from 2014 to 2015. The methodology used in the survey compared the World Health Organization's data of diseases caused by emissions in the country to characteristics of pollutants from the coal burning of 42 existing power plants to reach an approximate number of deaths stemming primarily from the emissions of coal-based power plants.

The 42 power plants include six on Sumatra Island, four on the Bangka Belitung Islands, 18 in Java, four on the Nusa Tenggara Islands, five in Kalimantan and five in Sulawesi.

Based on the study, Greenpeace recommended that Indonesia start shifting toward renewable energy sources to generate power. Currently, renewable energy, such as geothermal, solar, mini and micro hydro only contribute 1.25 gigawatts of power for the country.

"We can optimally use renewable energy 10 years from now only if the government provides supporting policies and implements stricter emissions controls," Greenpeace Southeast Asia Head of Climates Arif Fiyanto said.

Separately, state-owned electricity firm PLN said that every coal-fired power plant project required an environmental assessment (Amdal) to get a green light. Therefore if a power plant was environmentally destructive, it would not pass the assessment.

"And they have to be approved by the government," PLN corporate secretary Adi Supriono told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. "As for the report from the Harvard University, I don't know about that so I cannot give any comment." (rbk)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/14/coal-power-plants-threaten-lives.html

70 percent of Indonesia's coral reefs damaged

Jakarta Post - August 10, 2015

Jakarta – Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said on Sunday that around 70 percent of the coral reefs in Indonesia had been damaged and needed to be restored.

"Currently, only 30 percent of the coral reefs are in good condition, while the remaining 70 percent are damaged," she said on Sunday as quoted by Antara news agency.

Coral reefs have been damaged mostly due to human activities such as fishing with explosives and potassium and marine litter, she stated. She said that actions to save coral reefs were expected to help preserve and protect coral reefs in a sustainable way.

A team from the Navy recently conducted a survey of the coral reefs off Sine Beach in Tulungagung Regency, East Java, to study the damaged coral reefs.

"In addition to identifying the coral reefs, we are also mapping out the areas for coral reef conservation in the southern part of the Tulungagung coastal area," said team coordinator Maj. Mohammad Asad.

According to Asad, the survey will be progressively conducted in the offshore areas of Sine Beach, which covers an area of approximately seven hectares.

He said that the Naval personnel will undertake a coral reef conservation program by involving the participation of the local community in mid-August 2015.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/10/national-scene-70-percent-ri-s-coral-reefs-damaged.html

Health & education

Quality of teachers declines on poor supervision

Jakarta Post - August 10, 2015

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – The Culture and Education Ministry has found through a study that competent school principals were still lacking, especially when it came to supervising teachers.

According to a 2012 school principal competency test undergone by 166,333 principals nationwide, the average score principals achieved was 45.92 out of a total score of 100.

The study found that on average, school principals scored the weakest in their supervisory skills, at only 36.45 out of 100. However, school principals scored the highest in managerial skills at 48.87 out of 100.

A similar study conducted by the Education Sector Analytical and Capacity Development Partnership (ACDP) has also concluded that school principals nationwide have been focusing more on administrative skills rather than the supervision of teachers' skills and the school's education programs.

The ACDP defined administrative, or managerial, skills as the ability of principals to manage and develop a school's program and curriculum, while it defined supervisory skills as the ability to assess teachers and implement programs to improve the skills and professionalism of teachers.

"School principals scored the lowest for their supervisory competency and also on the use of information technology to reach education goals," the ACDP said in the study.

The study, conducted in 2011, asked 4,070 school principals nationwide to assess themselves based on their strengths and weaknesses. The study also surveyed their teachers and school supervisors to determine the competency of the principals. The ACDP also asked the principals whether they possessed written assessments of their staff, focusing on the teachers at the school.

"The study found that many school principals, especially Islamic school principals, did not possess any documents that were necessary to [assess and supervise teachers], which shows that increasing the supervisory skills of principals is imperative," the study said.

The ACDP found that only 79 percent of public school principals had documents that pertained to staff supervision from the 2010 to 2011 academic year while only 76 percent had documents assessing the performance of their staff in the same academic year.

Islamic school principals scored worse, with only 70 percent owning documents in relation to staff supervision and only 64 percent had documents assessing their staff's performance.

"Many principals said that they did not feel comfortable or competent enough to assess the professionalism of teachers and give them pedagogic advice."

The study also argued that increasing the competency of school principals was an integral part of improving the quality of teachers, a problem according to both the ministry and many education experts.

Many claim that teacher quality has contributed to the country's stagnant education quality, as demonstrated by Indonesia's results in the last Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in which Indonesia ranked 64 out of 65 countries.

Retno Listyarti of the Federation for Indonesian Teachers Association (FSGI) said that many members of the organization had experienced a lack of support from school principals, hindering their journey to improvement.

Retno, a former principal, said that it was largely to do with the fact that principals did not want to find substitutes and did not like teaching themselves.

"The reality is, many principals do not like teaching so many of them prevent teachers from taking part in training programs. The reasons are pretty classic, for example, the teachers would be away from class for too long because some training programs took days," she told The Jakarta Post.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/10/quality-teachers-declines-poor-supervision.html

Marriage & polygamy

Minister denies supporting polygamy

Jakarta Post - August 13, 2015

Magelang – Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has denied that he permits civil servants in his institution to have more than one wife.

He said that he never issued a circulation letter with a series of requirements for employees to be able to practice polygamy. "I am Defense Minister. I talk about weaponry and patriotism, not about polygamy," he said on Wednesday in Magelang.

Ryamizard said polygamy was not allowed among civil servants and military personnel under his supervision. "If anyone breaches this restriction, he should be dismissed," said the former Army chief of staff.

An alleged Defense Ministry circular that allows polygamy spread on social media last week, raising concerns from the public.

Citing articles from the 1974 Marriage Law, the letter allows polygamy under several conditions, including written consent from first wife and statements of ability to provide for all his wives and offspring.

The ministry's spokesman, Brig. Gen. Djundan Eko Bintoro, earlier confirmed that his institution had produced the letter to remind the ministry's civil servants about the requirements they should fulfill should they want to marry again.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/13/national-scene-minister-denies-supporting-polygamy.html

Government urged to ban polygamy

Jakarta Post - August 12, 2015

Jakarta – The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) has urged the government to speed up an amendment to the 1974 Marriage Law to strengthen principles of monogamy.

In the current text, the law upholds principles of monogamy but provides conditions in which husbands are allowed to have more than one wife.

The commission said that banning polygamy would be a positive move because polygamy could trigger violence against women. It also raises concerns over a recent Defense Ministry circular that said polygamy was permitted under certain conditions.

"The [Defense] Ministry issued such letter at a time when an amendment to the Marriage Law was included in [National Legislation Program] 2015-2019," said Komnas Perempuan deputy chairman Budi Wahyuni on Tuesday.

The commission reported 71 polygamy cases involving public officials that ended up in sexual abuse this year. "For whatever reason, we don't approve polygamy," she said.

The commission is proposing that the government amend the Marriage Law, specifically articles 3, 4 and 5, which support polygamy.

Article 3 stipulates that only men are allowed to practice polygamy while Article 4 stipulates that courts will only allow men to have multiple wives under certain conditions, including being married to woman who is suffering from a serious illness and unable to bear a child.

Budi said, however, that such conditions were not valid reasons for the government to allow polygamy.

Article 5 states that men who wish to be polygamous must present written consent from their wife and show evidence of enough income to support multiple wives by presenting their income tax return. He must also make a written statement promising to treat his family fairly.

"Wives are often forced to sign agreements that permit their husband to practice polygamy, how are you going to measure it?" Budi asked.

Law expert Bivitri Susanti of the Center of Indonesian Legal and Policies Studies (PSHK) shares the same view. She said that the law was outdated and need to be revised according to the current understanding of women's rights.

"The government should not allow polygamy as it is hard to determine how secure one's finances are to afford more than one wife, and how fair is fair enough," Bivitri told The Jakarta Post.

She added that if it was necessary to permit polygamy, religious law should oversee and validate it, not the state.

The Defense Ministry's circular that allows polygamy spread on social media, raising concerns from the public.

The ministry's spokesman, Brig. Gen. Djundan Eko Bintoro, confirmed that his institution had produced the letter to remind the ministry's civil servants about the requirements they should fulfill should they want to marry again.

He said that the ministry had earlier fired some officials who were found to practice polygamy without fulfilling the requirements.

"So we only reminded and emphasized because we see there are more and more officials practicing polygamy without fulfill the requirements. Trouble with their families will impact work performance," Eko said as quoted by kompas.com.

He cited examples of officials who married again without consent from their wives, let alone their workplaces. (rbk)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/12/govt-urged-ban-polygamy.html

Graft & corruption

Police, KPK could spar again over Kaligis

Jakarta Post - August 15, 2015

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – The National Police will question prominent lawyer Otto Cornelis Kaligis soon in response to a police report he filed against investigators from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) who moved to arrest him for graft.

National Police detective division chief Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso said on Friday that investigators had decided to proceed with the case.

"We have decided to investigate the case filed by Kaligis. We have already sent an official request to the KPK to question Kaligis as a victim [in the case] at the KPK detention center," he told reporters at the National Police headquarters in South Jakarta.

Kaligis filed a report against KPK investigators after he was named and detained as a suspect in a bribery case involving three judges in Medan, North Sumatra.

The well-connected lawyer accused the KPK of abusing its power and kidnapping him during the arrest on July 14. The arrest of Kaligis occurred just days after KPK investigators apprehended the three judges – Medan State Administrative Court (PTUN Medan) head Tripeni Irianto Putra, Amir Fauzi and Dermawan Ginting – during a sting operation on July 9 in Medan for allegedly accepting US$20,000 in bribes from Kaligis' aide, Yagari "Gerry" Bhastara Guntur, who has also been named and detained as a suspect.

Kaligis' legal team have argued that KPK investigators have violated legal procedures during the arrest as the latter did not produce an arrest warrant or identification at the time.

Budi maintained that the investigation into Kaligis' case was not retaliation against the KPK. "We can't say yet that [the KPK] is guilty of kidnapping [Kaligis] even though that was one of the initial allegations. Now we are in the process of collecting evidence and questioning [Kaligis] is one of our priorities," he said.

Budi previously said that Kaligis' legal team had handed over several pieces of evidence, including audio recordings and witness testimonies.

KPK commissioner Johan Budi said on Friday that he had not received official information from the police regarding their probe into Kaligis. "We have not received a letter from them yet, Maybe the letter is still stuck in the bureaucracy," he said.

Johan said that the police's move was unprecedented. "[Such a request] has never been made before so we will have to discuss the request from the detective division chief," he said.

Johan reiterated that the KPK had not violated any legal procedures during Kaligis' arrest at the Borobudur hotel in Central Jakarta.

Apart from filing a police report, Kaligis has also filed a pretrial petition challenging his arrest at the South Jakarta District Court. The first hearing was set to commence on Monday but was postponed to Aug. 18 after the KPK's lawyers failed to show up.

The postponement, however, could cause a problem as Kaligis' legal team claimed on Friday that his graft trial would kick off on Aug. 20 at the Jakarta Corruption Court.

According to Article 82 of the Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP), a pretrial motion would be dropped once hearings for a criminal case start.

One of Kaligis' lawyers, Johnson Panjaitan, confirmed that his client would attend the first hearing next Thursday. "We appreciate the KPK's hard and fast work. Pak OC [Kaligis] has asked us [the legal team] to prepare the best we can for the case and Pak OC confirmed that he would make it to court," he said.

Johnson, however, hoped that the judges at the court would postpone the first hearing because Kaligis' health was deteriorating and he was in need of medical attention.

Since his arrest, Kaligis has refused questioning as a suspect and has repeatedly asked for the case to go to court as soon as possible so that he could prove his innocence.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/15/police-KPK-could-spar-again-over-kaligis.html

AGO reluctant to move against Soeharto foundation

Jakarta Post - August 14, 2015

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) said that it would not immediately make any moves to seize Rp 4.4 trillion (US$319.1 million) in penalties from Yayasan Supersemar (Supersemar Foundation), even though the Supreme Court had ordered it to pay up for a misuse of scholarship funds.

The Supreme Court decision was followed up by the South Jakarta District Court, which ordered the Soeharto family to pay the penalty within eight days, and that it would soon liaise with the AGO to enforce the transaction.

South Jakarta District Court spokesman Made Sutisna also said that representatives from Yayasan Supersemar would be summoned to provide answers to whether or not the foundation would pay the penalty.

However, AGO spokesman Tony T. Spontana told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that prosecutors could not conduct the seizure until they had received official notification from the South Jakarta District Court.

"We are still waiting to receive the Supreme Court's official notification of the ruling from the South Jakarta District Court," he said.

Tony said that after the AGO received the official notification, it would move to verify and update information on Yayasan Supersemar's assets. Furthermore, the AGO needed to evaluate whether or not it needed to pursue legal means to seize the Rp 4.4 trillion from the foundation.

The case dates back to 2008 when the AGO filed a lawsuit at the South Jakarta District Court accusing the Soeharto family and the foundation of misusing scholarship funds by diverting them to their own companies. The South Jakarta District Court found the foundation guilty of misusing the fund and ordered it to pay a penalty.

The Supreme Court upheld the decision in 2010 and demanded that it pay $315 million and Rp 139.2 billion, which together equal Rp 4.4 trillion under the present valuation.

The problem was made more complicated because the earlier decision by the lower court contained a typographical error, stating that the rupiah portion of the ordered payment should be only Rp 139.2 million, instead of Rp 139.2 billion.

Meanwhile, a lawyer representing Yayasan Supersemar, Denny Kailimang, confirmed to the Post that the family had yet to receive a copy of the latest sentence from the Supreme Court. "We will wait for the official document before looking into it so that [the legal team] can discuss our next move," he said.

In 1998, The AGO conducted an audit into Yayasan Supersemar, alongside several other foundations that were suspected of diverting funds. At that time, the AGO had stated that the foundation was in the clear. "We want to know why the AGO took so long to file a lawsuit against the foundation," Denny said.

He also suggested that a better solution would be for the AGO to seize the foundation and hand it over to the government instead of seeking compensation because the foundation was supporting the education of young Indonesians by giving out scholarships.

"Whether or not the Supersemar Foundation is in the wrong, it is an education foundation that hands out scholarships," Denny said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/14/ago-reluctant-move-against-soeharto-foundation.html

Supersemar Foundation verdict is final: Supreme Court

Jakarta Post - August 12, 2015

Jakarta – Supreme Court (MA) spokesperson Suhadi said on Wednesday that the court's ruling over a second appeal for a case review (PK) submitted by former president Soeharto's family in relation to the misuse of scholarship funds was final and legally binding.

"The ruling is final and legally binding. According to the MA, an appeal for a case review can be made once, for both criminal and civil cases," Suhadi said as quoted by Antara on Wednesday. He was speaking at a press conference at the Supreme Court complex in Jakarta.

Suhadi asserted that given the ruling, the Supersemar Foundation had no further legal recourse in the case. "A PK cannot be filed against a court ruling on a PK," he said.

In the previous trial on July 8, presiding judge Suwardi along with judges Soltoni Mohdally and Mahdi Sorinda, granted a PK filed by the government against the Soeharto family and rejected a PK submitted by the Supersemar Foundation against the government.

The court, in its finding, ordered former president Soeharto's family, as well as the foundation, to pay the state US$315 million plus Rp 139.2 billion ($10.02 million), which amounts to around Rp 4.4 trillion according to today's rates.

With its PK ruling on July 8, MA also corrected an error a court clerk had made when typing the ruling for the original Supersemar case, heard at a trial in 2010 before judge Harifin Tumpa and two panel members, Rehngena Purba and Dirwoto.

In the trial, the judges decided that the Soeharto family, as the first defendant, and the Supersemar Foundation, as the second defendant, would pay $315 million plus Rp 139.2 billion to the state. In transcripts, however, the MA clerk recorded the rupiah amount as Rp 139.2 million instead of Rp 139.2 billion. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/12/supersemar-foundation-verdict-final-supreme-court.html

Tommy Suharto: Court ruling on funds is a form of vengeance

Jakarta Globe - August 11, 2015

Nivell Rayda, Jakarta – Hutomo Mandala Putra, better known as Tommy, the youngest son of Indonesia's former ruler Suharto, has taken to Twitter to criticize a recent Supreme Court ruling that ordered his family to pay $324 million in damages in relation to embezzlement inside a foundation his father once chaired.

Using his twitter account @Tommy_Soeharto1, the late president's son dismissed the ruling as "vengeance," claiming that the court has been complicit in a plot launched by the "old regime," a thinly veiled reference to the Sukarno family, which Suharto replaced following a bloody attempted coup in 1965. Suharto's rule was known as the New Order.

"Our family has never bothered problems in the old regime [the time of Sukarno's presidency]. Strangely it is the people [with ties] to the old regime who are trying to fan a conflict," Tommy wrote. "This [ruling] is an error motivated by vengeance."

Sukarno's daughter Megawati Soekarnoputri is herself a former president and the current chairwoman of Indonesia's ruling party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

"Many don't realize that during the 20 year rule [of Sukarno] there had been many abuses of power and the following ruler [Suharto] had been trying to fix that," Tommy claimed. "The New Order led [Indonesia] to success."

"It seems [Sukarno's family] is demanding a cut... Not bad. They can use it to finance the next election campaign."

The Supreme Court has ordered the Suharto family to pay back to the state Rp. 4.4 trillion in funds misappropriated during the late strongman's lengthy reign.

The court ruled in favor of the prosecution in a civil case against the now-defunct Supersemar Foundation, controlled by the Suharto family.

The court repealed a 1976 government regulation issued by the former president ordering all state-owned banks to set aside 2.5 percent of their profits for the foundation. The court ruled that the funds accumulated since the foundation was established – a total sum of $420 million and Rp 185 billion – were largely embezzled and never used for their stated purpose: education.

The ruling, made on July 8 but not announced on the court's website until Monday, revised an earlier ruling in 2010 which ordered the family to pay just a tiny fraction of the losses to the state.

The court has now ordered the foundation to pay 75 percent of the funds it had amassed over the years, while the 2010 ruling had ordered the Suharto family to pay $315,000 and Rp 185 million – a small sum for the once- powerful family – instead of the $315 million and Rp 185 billion the Attorney General's Office had sought. The court claimed this was due to a typo.

Tommy suggested that the ruling had to do with speculations that he might be running for president in 2019. "Maybe there are people who are afraid of my presence [in politics]," he wrote.

Tommy has not formally announced ambitions to run for president although he has tried and failed to take over his father's former political vehicle the Golkar Party several times, even after establishing his own party, the National Republican Party.

Tommy dismissed the AGO's accusations that the Supersemar Foundation was mostly a front for the Suharto family to steal taxpayers' money and launder ill-gotten wealth, stating that the foundation was all about "providing scholarships to the country's best sons and daughters."

"Even some of your own people are recipients of the [foundation's] scholarships," Tommy wrote in a possible reference to figures within President Joko Widodo's administration.

"Is [the government] ready to face lawsuits from former recipients who are now prominent people? All recipients, dating back to the 70s should now chip in [to pay the damages]."

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/tommy-suharto-court-ruling-funds-form-vengeance/

23 KPK candidates unfit for the leadership: ICW

Jakarta Post - August 11, 2015

Jakarta – After two weeks of probing, anti-graft watchdog Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has found 23 out of 48 candidates for the job of leading the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) are allegedly troubled.

"We had been tracking [the 48 candidates] since July 26 and found the integrity of many of them to be doubtful," said ICW investigation coordinator Febri Hendri when giving the report to the selection committee on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com.

The probe looked at three indicators: integrity, quality and administrative ability. According to the ICW, up to 23 candidates were found wanting, allegedly guilty of plagiarism, abuses of authority, suspicious wealth, strong ties to political parties and more.

The selection committee's spokesperson Betti S. Alisjahbana said that the ICW was working together with other institutions like the police, the Attorney General's Office, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), the directorate general of taxation and the National Intelligence Agency (BIN).

Out of these institutions, the police and the directorate general of taxation are the ones yet to submit their reports on the candidates. As for the ICW's report, Betti said that it will be taken into consideration. The final decision, however, will take all submitted reports into account.

The KPK admitted that they had already received around 3,000 reports from the public regarding the 48 candidates they announced last month. (rad/kes)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/11/23-KPK-candidates-unfit-leadership-icw.html

Suharto family ordered to pay back $324m in embezzled funds

Jakarta Globe - August 11, 2015

Jakarta – The Supreme Court has ordered the family of former president Suharto to pay back to the state Rp. 4.4 trillion ($324 million) in funds misappropriated during the late strongman's lengthy reign.

The court ruled in favor of the prosecution in a civil case against the now-defunct Supersemar Foundation, controlled by the Suharto family. The ruling, made on July 8 but not announced on the court's website until Monday, revised an earlier ruling in 2010 which ordered the family to pay just a tiny fraction of the losses to the state.

The court repealed a 1976 government regulation issued by the former president ordering all state-owned banks to set aside 2.5 percent of their profits for the foundation.

The court ruled that the funds accumulated since the foundation was established – a total sum of $420 million and Rp 185 billion – were largely embezzled and never used for their stated purpose: education.

The AGO only filed for a case review in 2013, around the same time the Suharto family filed a separate motion looking to reverse the order.

The court "granted the case review filed by the state [the AGO] and rejected the case review filed by the Supersemar Foundation," the latest ruling states.

Hearing the case were Supreme Court judges Suwardi, Soltony Mohdally and Mahdi Soroinda Nasution.

Attorney General M. Prasetyo said on Monday that his office would follow up on the ruling. "I haven't read the ruling. I will read it first and then we will know what to do next," he said, as quoted by Gatra magazine.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/suharto-family-ordered-pay-back-324m-embezzled-funds/

Terrorism & religious extremism

Islamic State terrorist plot uncovered in Indonesia: police

Sydney Morning Herald - August 14, 2015

Tom Allard – Indonesian authorities have foiled an alleged plot by Islamic State supporters to bomb a police station and churches in Surakarta, Central Java on Monday, Indonesia's Independence Day.

According to Agus Rianto, the national police spokesman, the plot was directed from Syria by an unnamed Indonesian who had joined Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. Five men have been arrested, along with bomb- making materials.

The planned co-ordinated attack – the first plot alleged to be directed by Islamic State – was uncovered by officers of Detachment 88, the police unit dedicated to combating terrorism.

News website detik.com quoted one Detatchment 88 officer, Ibnu Suhendro, said the home-made bombs were assembled at a mobile phone kiosk in Sangkrah area of Surakarta, also known as Solo.

A black Islamic State flag was also found at the kiosk, police said. After being assembled, the bombs were stored at the rented room.

Surakarta is the hometown of Indonesia's president Joko Widodo, who rose to fame as mayor of the ancient Javanese city. It is also played a pivotal role in Indonesia's independence almost 70 years ago. Indonesia's founders adopted a secular constitution, rejecting an Islamic model after much debate.

Indonesia was bedevilled by terrorist attacks by militant Islamists in the decade up to 2009, before mass arrests led to a pause in the violence.

But the battlefield successes of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, as well as its sophisticated propaganda, has seen a surge in support for the group among radicals in Indonesia.

Between 300 and 700 Indonesians have travelled to Syria to join Islamic State, forming their own unit along with recruits from Malaysia and the Philippines. However, the alleged plot uncovered this week is the first planned domestic attack by Islamic State sympathisers in Indonesia. Earlier this year, an Indonesian fighter in Syria, Abu Jandal, released a propaganda video urging attacks on police and government buildings.

As revealed by Fairfax Media, other fighters have been using social media platforms to encourage supporters in Indonesia to kill Christians by any means available and ensure they video the murders.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/islamic-state-terrorist-plot-uncovered-in-indonesia-police-20150814-gizflz.html

Hard-line & vigilante groups

FPI meets with Jakarta military commander to discuss PKI communist threat

Peka News - August 14, 2015

Finally, in the midst of rumours about the rise of the new PKI (Indonesian Communist Party) during the era of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, a delegation from the Central Advisory Board of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) met with the Jakarta Military Commander (Pangdam Jaya) Major General Agus Sutomo at the Jakarta Regional Military Command Headquarters (Makodam Jaya) on Tuesday August 10.

Also present at the meeting was the Jakarta Military Command Chief of Staff (Kasdam), the Chief of Territorial Affairs (Kaster) and the Information Centre Director (Kapuspen).

The meeting began with greetings and exchanges of mutual respect by Sutomo, which was followed by greetings from the head of the FPI delegation (KH. Syeikh Misbahul anam Attijani) who essentially conveyed greetings from the great leader of the FPI and expressed his thanks and appreciation for the positive welcome and response. He also introduced the other FPI delegation members and explained the reason for their visit.

H Munarman SH then explained the goals of the FPI delegation and outlined the facts and data pertaining to indications of the rise of the PKI.

The response from Pangdam Jaya Major General Agus Sutomo:

1. That he was pleased and felt it necessary to maintain friendly ties with the FPI to cooperate in safeguarding the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) and to build the nation.

2. The enemies of the Indonesian nation, particularly the enemies of Islam, have infiltrated key sectors of life.

3. That he is proud of the FPI for its bravery and because of this they must become the advance guard in safeguarding the nation, particularly from the dangers of communism and guarding the integrity of the NKRI.

4. That the FPI should change its "casing" (appearance, image) with one that is humanitarian and strategic.

This is bearing in mind that communism in Indonesia is of one soul with the liberal movement so that the ideas of the communist movement is spreading through film showings, books and seminars, and has even been able to bring together 1,200 village heads who gathered at the National Monument in Jakarta not long ago.

Sutomo was also in strong agreement that the film "The September 30 PKI Rebellion" be re-shown on TVRI (state television) and that the FPI also show and distribute the film to young children in their homes, at schools, campuses and Koranic recital groups (Sutomo also gave them a VCD of the film).

Other members of the delegation such as Habib Muhsin Ahmad Alatas and KH Awiet Masyhuri gave input and made suggestions.

The meeting ended with the head of the FPI delegation handing over facts and data as evidence [of the PKI's rise] to Sutomo followed by evening prayers (Maghrib) led by Islamic Community Forum (FUI) secretary general KH. Muhammad Alkhatthath.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "Hadang Kebangkitan PKI di Indonesia Raya, FPI dan TNI Sepakat Kerjasama".]

Source: http://pekanews.com/2015/08/hadang-kebangkitan-pki-di-indonesia-raya-fpi-dan-tni-sepakat-kerjasama/

FBR clashes with Pasar Gembrong residents

Jakarta Post - August 10, 2015

Jakarta – A clash broke out between members of the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) and residents living around the Pasar Gembrong toy market in East Jakarta on Saturday afternoon.

According to Imam, a 33-year-old who lives in the area, the run-in was triggered by 10 FBR members who previously assaulted a person wearing Pemuda Pancasila (PP) nationalist clothing and attempted to damage stores in the market.

"They stopped their motorcycles in the middle of the road, approached a man wearing a PP T-shirt, and started to punch him," said Imam as quoted by tribunnews.com, adding that the FBR members also attacked women and threw motorcycle helmets off bikes part in front of Pasar Gembrong.

Local residents fought back before setting one of the FBR member's motorcycles on fire, Imam added.

The East Jakarta Police has questioned six FBR members and two local residents in a bid to look for the provocateur behind the incident.

The brawl took place after a fire razed dozens of stores in Pasar Gembrong on Aug. 5. Following the fire, several people looted some of the stores there.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/10/greater-jakarta-fbr-clashes-with-pasar-gembrong-residents.html

Freedom of religion & worship

Building of Bekasi church halted due to protests

Jakarta Post - August 13, 2015

Bekasi – The Bekasi administration has decided to halt the construction of Santa Clara Catholic Church in Bekasi, West Java, despite no flaws being found in the administrative documents, following protests from thousands of locals of the majority faith of Islam.

Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi has agreed to conduct a reexamination of the bureaucratic procedures as well as permits and administrative documents.

However, he has confirmed that the applications for the church construction at a 5,000-hectare block in Harapan Baru subdistrict, Bekasi, had followed the required procedures properly.

"We have found no flaws in the legal procedures, but we are going through the standard [complaint] procedures to respect both sides," Rahmat said on Wednesday at his office in Bekasi.

Rahmat said that the administration had allowed the aggrieved parties to file a report directly to the Bekasi State Administrative Court if they found any flaws in the documentation.

"However, I emphasize that I will not revoke the building permit. Non- Muslim residents have the right to a place of worship," he said, adding that non-Musli residents accounted for 250,000 out of the total population of 2.5 million in the city.

Around 2,000 protesters, including representatives from several Mosque Welfare Councils (DKM), the Bekasi Muslim Silaturahim Council (MSUIB), Islamic groups as well as several students of At-Taqwa Islamic boarding school in Ujung Harapan, Bekasi, staged a protest in front of Bekasi administration office on Monday.

They hung banners demanding the construction of the church be stopped, claiming that the church did not have a valid permit, and asked the administration to revoke the building permit and approval for the construction of the church.

According to a 2006 joint ministerial decree, a new house of worship must have the support of at least 90 congregation members and 60 local residents of different faiths, verified by their signature and a copy of their identity cards.

With Muslims making up some 87 percent of the country's population, religious minorities have long seen the decree as a major stumbling block in building their places of worship.

Santa Clara Paroki secretary Rasnius Pasaribu told The Jakarta Post that the church had secured a valid building permit and received no complaints from people living near the church's planned location.

"We have secured support from more than 90 congregation members and 64 local residents of different faiths," he told the Post on Tuesday, adding that it had also been granted permission by the FKUB [Bekasi Interfaith Harmony Forum] and the religious minister. The FKUB, however, could not be reached for comment.

The church, Rasnius added, had tried for more than 15 years to get a building permit and gone through a long process before the mayor granted it.

Rasnius hoped that the Bekasi administration allowed the construction of the church, which hopes to accommodate the estimated 19,000-strong catholic population in the area. "We will fight for the resumption of the construction. There is no problem with the legal permits. So, there is no reason for it being stopped," he told the Post over the phone. (foy)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/13/building-bekasi-church-halted-due-protests.html

Islamic law & morality

Local politics, not thorough learning, triggers Islamization

Jakarta Post - August 10, 2015

Jakarta – Islamic bylaws in Indonesia exist mostly at the district rather than national level and are adopted in an arbitrary fashion, making it not strict in implementation, an expert says.

The expert, Michael Buehler, a political analyst from the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies, said that based on his research from 2005 until now, 443 bylaws linked to Islamic rules had been issued across the archipelago since the fall of former president Soeharto.

Of the 443 bylaws, 90.7 percent were implemented at the regency or municipal level and 67.5 percent of all the bylaws were introduced in seven provinces where local Islamic groups had a strong influence. They are Aceh, West Sumatra, Banten, West Java, East Java, South Kalimantan and South Sulawesi.

He added that strong Islamic groups in the seven provinces included the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and the Islamic Reform Movement (Garis), which were suppressed during Soeharto's authoritarian rule.

"However, the administrations implement it in arbitrary manner. It is more of the Islamic local groups who remind the officials to enforce it or [they] enforce it themselves, often in illegal ways," Buehler said Thursday at a public discussion titled "The Diffusion of Sharia Law across Indonesia" at the Habibie and Ainun Library.

He said the adoption of Islamic regulations occurred more in regencies and municipalities rather than being enforced in one entire province or at the national level.

The adoptions are not rooted from thorough learning of the religion or through religious practices but are more to do with political dynamics, according to his research.

"Any political parties in Indonesia are poorly consolidated that it is hard for state elites [who are mostly secular] to mobilize voters so they go to these groups. [...] These groups are locally rooted and have actually really well developed networks. They also have the Islamic credibility the parties need to mobilize the conservative elections," he said.

"After the election, some politicians adopt this law because that's what the group asked them [to do] before. So the anti-Ahmadi often seems to be the reward for this group after they support some candidates," he said.

Buehler added that the adoption of the bylaws had nothing to do with Islamist parties' influence because they had only had an average of 15 percent of voters in national legislative elections since 1999 to 2014. Besides, most elites who approached the local groups were secular ones with more capital.

The Islamist parties that he included in the research were the Crescent Star Party (PBB), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Indonesian Nahdlatul Community Party (PPNUI) and the United Development Party (PPP).

Of 420 Islamic bylaws, at least 250 are directly related to Islamic teachings while the remaining 170 are related to morality that was in line with Islamic guidelines. Of the 250, 24 percent of them are regulations on zakat (mandatory alms).

Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said recently that his ministry had annulled 139 divisive bylaws and was evaluating 216 others.

"That's not including the unreported ones. There are many bylaws that remain unreported to the central government. I emphasize here: bylaws are not binding unless they are approved by the Home Ministry," he said. (rbk)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/10/local-politics-not-thorough-learning-triggers-islamization.html

Agriculture & food security

Prolonged drought takes farmers' jobs, but not their will to work

Jakarta Post - August 11, 2015

Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta – Farmers in Galur, Kulonprogo, Yogyakarta, have refused to surrender to the severe drought that has parched their rice fields and are instead taking advantage of the soil to use it as material to make bricks.

"We dig and gather the layer of clay as material to make bricks," said Sutrisno, of Nomporejo village, Galur district, Kulonprogo.

The clay is then sold at between Rp 70,000 (US$5) and Rp 100,000 for each pickup truck. A pickup truck of clay is usually derived from digging between 10 and 20 square meters of land, depending on the depth dug.

"My farm is around 2,550 square meters and can produce 100 pickup trucks of clay. The amount is quite decent, rather than leaving the land idle," said Sutrisno.

Currently, hundreds of hectares of farmland in various areas in Yogyakarta have dried up and cannot grow crops. Apart from farmers in Kulonprogo, those in Piyungan district, Bantul regency, Yogyakarta, are also adapting to the drought by making bricks.

Farmer Saryanto claimed he produced bricks every dry season and could produce between 5,000 and 10,000 bricks each drought. He said he could earn Rp 700,000 from selling 1,000 bricks. "The proceeds can be used for our children's schooling," said Saryanto.

Meanwhile, in Bali, the drought affecting hundreds of hectares of rice fields in East Selemadeg district, Tabanan regency, has prompted farmers in the area to seek other jobs.

"The drought has damaged 30 hectares of my rice fields and I'm confused as how to earn a living," farmer Wayan Madya was quoted by Antara as saying on Monday.

He added residents in Bongan hamlet, where most of them are farmers, would lose their employment as they rely solely on their farms. "The drought in our village recurs annually and this year is the fifth time," said Wayan. He claimed that during the drought, the farmers stop tilling their fields, but seek other jobs, such as construction work. "I and my colleagues work as construction laborers and earn daily wages," said Wayan.

Around 800 hectares of rice fields in East Selemadeg, Tabanan, have been hit by drought for the last couple of months. The local farmers feared crop failure if the drought continues.

"The rain has not fallen for the past two months. Our fields are currently facing drought, which could trigger crop failure," said I Nengah Nuada of Bongan hamlet, East Selemadeg district, located 50 kilometers from the provincial capital Denpasar, adding that all he can do is resign himself to his fate due.

In West Java, as many as 671 villages have been declared to be in a state of drought emergency, says a local official.

"Based on the coordinated meeting last night and our verification, we have currently set 671 villages and 132 districts in West Java in the emergency status," said West Java Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) emergency section head Budiman.

He added 16 out of 27 regencies and cities in the province had been declared to be in an emergency as of now. They are Sukabumi, Indramayu, Tasikmalaya, Bogor, Bandung, Pangandaran, Garut, Kuningan, Cirebon, Cianjur, Bekasi, Karawang, Sumedang and Ciamis regencies and Tasikmalaya and Bogor cities.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has recently warned that the dry season this year could last longer than that of previous years because of the weather phenomenon known as El Niqo.

The BMKG predicts that the El Niqo effect will extend Indonesia's dry season, which normally takes place between April and September, until November, and affect 18 out of the country's 34 provinces, including North Sumatra, West Java, Central Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/11/prolonged-drought-takes-farmers-jobs-not-their-will-work.html

Governance & administration

PDI-P eyes increased influence in Presidential Palace

Jakarta Post - August 15, 2015

Margareth S. Aritonang and Tama Salim, Jakarta – The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) could exercise more influence in the inner circle of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo with the appointment of one of its senior politicians, Pramono Anung Wibowo, as the new Cabinet Secretary, a position many believe is a gateway to reach the President.

Pramono, a former lawmaker from the House of Representatives' Commission I on defense and foreign affairs, will replace Andi Widjajanto, whom the PDI-P has accused of intentionally blocking the party's access to Jokowi.

PDI-P politicians had repeatedly called for Andi's dismissal prior to Jokowi's announcement of the Cabinet reshuffle last Wednesday, believing that the defense expert had caused a communication breakdown between the two sides.

"The communication problem that happened between us and the President was due to Andi Widjajanto's lack of knowledge about the culture of the PDI-P," party executive Hendrawan Supratikno told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Hendrawan expressed his confidence that the troubled times when the PDI-P lacked access to Jokowi would recede following Pramono's appointment. He was confident that Pramono's deft communication skills and his knowledge about the PDI-P's inner workings could easily bring about a thaw in the relationship.

Hendrawan said that Pramono had accumulated years of experience in handling high level politics, which, according to the Hendrawan, would undoubtedly help build "better lines of communication".

Before joining the House of Representatives in 2009 and again in 2014, Pramono was the PDI-P's deputy secretary-general in 2000 and later secretary-general in 2005.

A respected figure in the House, Pramono played a role in reconciling a dispute involving the ruling Great Indonesia Coalition and the opposing Red-and-White Coalition over chairmanship positions within the legislative institution during the early days of the 2014-2019 House term.

"Pak Pramono is part of us. He knows the party well. Our communication [with Jokowi] will definitely improve with him as Cabinet Secretary," Hendrawan said. Fellow PDI-P politician Sukur Nababan concurred, saying that Pramono had competence in handling the kind of administrative issues that have plagued the Presidential Palace. Nababan cited the recent example of the inefficient process that led to the inauguration of former Jakarta governor Sutiyoso as head of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN).

"It has nothing to do with Pramono being a member of the PDI-P. We hope that yesterday's Cabinet reshuffle was designed to improve the government's performance so that the President could fulfil his campaign promises," Sukur said on Friday.

Analysts however, were divided over what would happen to the future relationship between Jokowi and the PDI-P following Pramono's appointment. A senior political analyst from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Syamsuddin Haris, said that the PDI-P would benefit from the inclusion of Pramono in the cabinet. With the presence of Pramono, the PDI-P gains a seat, while the Nasdem Party has one of its cadres removed from office," he said on Friday. "All of this will improve relations between Jokowi and his party."

However, Yunarto Wijaya of the Jakarta-based Charta Political said that the fate of the Presidential Chief Office, which is temporarily led by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, would influence communication between Jokowi and the PDI-P.

"Nothing will change if it [the Presidential Chief Office is maintained]. It would be different if the office were to be merged with the Cabinet Secretary Office. If so, it's inevitable for the public to assume that the PDI-P has finally secured power within the palace's inner circle," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/15/pdi-p-eyes-increased-influence-presidential-palace.html

Critics not impressed by Jokowi's first state address

Jakarta Post - August 15, 2015

Ina Parlina, Margareth S. Aritonang and Tama Salim, Jakarta – In spite of his call for unity and civility in politics, critics said President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's first State of the Nation address on Friday failed to impress as it lacked actionable details and specifics.

"It sounded good but the President needs to detail what he wants to achieve because the speech sounded too general," said Gerindra Party lawmaker Ahmad Muzani.

Newly elected president of the Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Sohibul Iman said Jokowi's speech was good but too normative. "I think it aimed to motivate people in the country," he said.

Sohibul also questioned a remark the President made in which he said that Indonesia had consolidated its democracy. "It is questionable because a consolidated democracy means we have well-established state institutions, which we still lack."

Taking lessons from the country's founding fathers who fought for the country's independence, Jokowi said in his speech that: "History has taught us that the key to addressing problems is unity".

He later highlighted that people often ignored ethics and values of mutual respect and that doing so could be detrimental to the country's development.

In the speech, Jokowi also criticized the media for spinning controversial issues only to get higher ratings and setting aside their role in educating the public. The President also reminded people that "as a big nation, we have to be confident and optimistic that we can solve all problems confronting us".

Jokowi said that the road ahead would be arduous with so many problems affecting the country, from the economic downturn to many (other) fundamental issues that require solutions such as unstable food prices, lack of mass transportation, illegal fishing, shortages in electricity supply, high malnutrition and maternal mortality rates, as well as poverty and the social gap.

Jokowi also called for change in the economic paradigm from consumptive to productive, saying that it was essential to build a strong foundation for national development.

Jokowi further added that his move to reshuffle his Cabinet was made to improve his government's performance. "I consider this reshuffle one of the best bridges to fulfill my pledge to the people, a goal to improve their welfare," he said.

Earlier that day during an annual joint session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), in the presence of leaders of state institutions, Jokowi made a call for all state institutions to build better synergy.

Political communication expert Gun Gun Heryanto said Jokowi's speech lacked specifics, especially on how to measure the performance of state institutions.

"It was OK, but I expected something more. He did not give indicators on how to measure success," he said. However, Gun Gun said the speeches could also serve as a reminder for Jokowi to make good on some of his campaign promises.

Newly inaugurated Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, who is also the presidential chief of staff, said that Jokowi's State of the Nation address presented the problems facing the country and what measures the government would take to solve them as well as what aspirations the government could hope to achieve in the future.

"[He showed that] we indeed have problems, but we have been able to make a list of the problems and we are handling them now," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/15/critics-not-impressed-jokowi-s-first-state-address.html

President treads fine line by empowering chief of staff

Reuters - August 14, 2015

Kanupriya Kapoor, Jakarta – The biggest, and possibly riskiest, move in Indonesian President Joko Widodo's cabinet reshuffle this week was the appointment of Luhut Pandjaitan as coordinating minister for security and political affairs.

A former special forces chief, Luhut, 67, was already one of the country's most powerful men thanks to his role as chief of staff in the president's office, a job he will keep.

As coordinating minister, Luhut will have six ministers reporting to him, including those with the foreign, home affairs and defense portfolios.

The wily and avuncular ex-general already leads an inner circle of advisers, who together have brought policymaking more squarely under the presidential palace than at any time since the fall of authoritarian leader Suharto in 1998.

With economic growth at its slowest pace for six years, Widodo may feel he needs extra levers of control.

The president has gone into damage-control mode in recent months, bypassing economy ministers and personally intervening to soothe and charm investors. Luhut was brought in by Joko as part of that drive.

The country's first president from outside the political and military elite, Joko is perceived by some to be out of his depth and unable to navigate vested interests in Jakarta.

Insiders say that his unprecedented consolidation of power within the palace shows a determination to assert himself.

But Luhut's emerging role as gatekeeper to the president is not without risks, causing confusion among investors who are key to reviving Indonesia's stalling economy, and alienating the political parties that support him.

'Who's calling the shots?'

For some in the business community, the enhanced powers of the presidential office add to a sense of muddled policymaking that has been a hallmark of Widodo's first year in office.

"We're not sure who's calling the shots on policymaking: is it the presidential office or the ministries?" said one member of the foreign investment community, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.

There is also the possibility that leaders of political parties in Joko's ruling coalition could feel shut out. Atmadji Sumarkidjo, a deputy to Luhut, said his boss's role was clear "and there shouldn't be any confusion about it".

"He doesn't interfere in any ministry," Atmadji told Reuters. "He only steps in when there is confusion about policy or overlapping regulations. When it comes to investors, he is there to facilitate the government and the relationship with businesses. When it comes to politics, it's a natural part of the role of chief of staff to talk to political parties."

Luhut was not available to comment for this article. The expansion of Luhut's authority has been seen as a sign that Joko is digging in his heels against vested interests.

Earlier this year, Widodo shored up military support by allowing to it to nudge into civilian life, countering the influence of the national police and bringing him into conflict with his main political patron, Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Chameleon

To many, Luhut is something of a chameleon. Under Suharto, he headed the military's special forces and in retirement remains influential in military affairs.

But after the fall of the Suharto regime, he transitioned into civilian life, serving in successive governments and overseeing a sprawling commodities group.

An early investor in Joko's furniture business, Luhut was quick to distance himself from his party, Golkar, when it threw its weight behind Joko's election rival. He became a key financier of Joko's presidential campaign and was rewarded with a newly created position in government.

According to members of Luhut's team, their eloquent English-speaking boss holds regular meetings with investors. As chief of staff, he is also tasked with talking to the opposition coalition that controls the legislature, to make sure Widodo's programs can be passed without a hitch.

But with such wide-reaching influence, Luhut is already ruffling feathers. The vice-president and leaders in Joko's own party, the PDI-P, bristle at being sidelined.

"From what we've seen, the presidential office is just more bureaucracy and we haven't seen any results," said senior PDI-P politician Andreas Pareira. "In fact, it can make things like communicating with the palace difficult, especially if it's run by a political figure like Luhut. Why do we need him?"

There was some surprise that, in the reshuffle, Widodo resisted demands from his party for more political appointments, and instead brought in technocrats as well as strengthening Luhut's authority.

Observers said Luhut provided political cover for Widodo, who rose from small-town mayor to president of the world's third-largest democracy in just two years, and is still considered a novice on the national scene.

"Keeping Luhut around has probably helped Jokowi manage a tough political situation where there are a lot of interested parties around him, pressuring him," said Jakarta-based political analyst Douglas Ramage.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/jakarta/president-treads-fine-line-empowering-chief-staff/

Indonesian president reshuffles cabinet to boost economy

Jakarta Post - August 12, 2015

Niniek Karmini, Jakarta – Indonesia's president announced a Cabinet reshuffle Wednesday in a move aimed at reviving the sputtering economy and stabilizing the rupiah.

The Cabinet shake-up comes amid increasing public dissatisfaction with the lagging performance of Indonesia's economy since Jokowi took office nearly ten months ago.

Four ministers lost their jobs and two were rotated to less important positions, ending weeks of speculation in Indonesia about the possible changes.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo chose former central bank governor Darmin Nasution to become Indonesia's new coordinating minister for the economy, replacing Sofyan Djalil.

Djalil has become the national development planning minister, replacing Andrinof Chaniago. Jokowi picked Thomas Lembong as trade minister.

Jokowi also appointed current Presidential Chief of Staff Luhut Panjaitan as the new coordinating minister for politics, law and security and a prominent economist Rizal Ramli as the coordinating maritime minister.

He did not speak to media after officially inaugurating the new ministers at a ceremony in the presidential palace.

Presidential spokesman Teten Masduki said in a statement that Jokowi made the changes because he wanted a more effective and coordinated Cabinet to respond to challenges facing Indonesia, a country of more than 250 million people that is Southeast Asia's largest economy.

Jokowi wants to "speed up the realization of the national development programs in order to improve people's welfare," he said.

Public dissatisfaction with Jokowi's administration soared after it raised the price of fuel weeks after he took office on Oct. 20 because the government couldn't afford to maintain heavy subsidies. The increase hit wallets and sparked a surge in prices for other goods.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's currency, the rupiah, has fallen 8.5 percent against the U.S dollar since the beginning of 2015. It lost further ground on Tuesday and Wednesday after China announced a devaluation of its tightly controlled yuan.

Bank Indonesia's deputy governor Mirza Adityaswara said that rupiah was "undervalued." He said the recent movement was primarily a reaction to China's announcement which affected currencies across Asia. "We believe that this will be temporary," Adityaswara said. "We see that the rupiah is currently undervalued."

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/12/indonesian-president-reshuffles-cabinet-boost-economy.html

Joko Widodo elevates econocrats in reshuffle but party hacks remain

Sydney Morning Herald - August 12, 2015

Tom Allard, Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko Widodo has revamped his ministry, elevating econocrats and an investment banker to key posts while consolidating the power of his political patron, the former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.

The reshuffle, announced Wednesday afternoon, took place against a slowing economy and long-standing criticism that Mr Joko's cabinet was stacked with appointees with poor policy credentials but strong political links to his coalition partners.

The promotion of former central bank governor Darmin Nasution as the new co-ordinating minister for the economy and investment banker Thomas Lembong as the new trade minister was generally welcomed.

The men they replaced – Sofyan Djalil and Rahmat Gobel – were negotiating with Australian ministers and officials on Tuesday over live cattle permits, although their sacking is believed to have nothing to do with the issue. The recent savage cut in import permits was made by the minister for agriculture, Amran Sulaiman, who keeps his job.

"Darmin Nasution is a good person in the job. He understands the macroeconomy well and I think the market loves him too," said Refly Harun, a Jakarta-based political analyst.

But, with one notable exception, most of those ministers with connections to Mr Joko's political backers remain.

Three of the four co-ordinating ministers were replaced but the daughter of the hugely influential Ms Megawati – Puan Maharani – kept her job, despite being widely derided as ineffective and out of her depth.

Meanwhile, Pramono Anung, a senior member of Ms Megawati's PDI-P party, becomes the new cabinet secretary.

"It's a bit disappointing, it's a bit lacklustre... it's haphazard," said Tobias Basuki, an analyst at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. "A lot of underperformers remain in ministries where there are a lots of problems... It seems to bow completely to the PDI-P."

One minister deemed to have been appointed for connections rather than aptitude – the volatile Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno – was replaced as the co- ordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs.

Mr Tedjo made the remark that Indonesia would flood Australia with a "tsunami" of 10,000 asylum seekers due to its opposition to the executions of Bali nine pair Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. The former Navy chief was a senior figure in the National Democratic Party, a crucial member of Mr Joko's fragile political coalition.

Luhut Panjaitan – Mr Joko's senior adviser, former business partner and an ex-member of the special forces unit Kopassus – replaces Mr Tedjo.

Mr Luhut will oversee a number of ministers across a wide range of portfolios and will play a role in developing Indonesia's response to the growing threat posed by the terrorist group Islamic State, as well as managing unrest in the Papua region.

Rizal Ramli, a US-educated economist and a former minister for finance under president Abdurrahman Wahid, becomes the new coordinating minister for maritime affairs.

The outgoing co-ordinating minister for the economy, Mr Sofyan, is now head of Indonesia's national development planning board.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/joko-widodo-elevates-econocrats-in-reshuffle-but-party-hacks-remain-20150812-gixsaw.html

PDI-P gives Jokowi reshuffle deadline

Jakarta Post - August 9, 2015

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the political party of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, has given him a deadline to reshuffle his Cabinet by saying that people are demanding change on account of the sub-par performances of some ministers.

PDI-P central executive board head Andreas Hugo Pareira said on Saturday that Jokowi should announce the Cabinet changes right after the annual state address on Aug. 16.

"If possible, [the new lineup should be announced] right after the speech so that ministers can prepare to manage their budgets," he said during a discussion in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Saturday.

The party has been putting pressure on Jokowi since May, suggesting that the President should listen to the Great Indonesia Coalition, of which the PDI-P is a member, in reshuffling his Cabinet.

Jokowi has confirmed that he has received the required evaluation reports from his ministers and indicated there are Cabinet members who are in the "red zone". However, he declined to comment on whether he would use the reports as consideration in reshuffling the Cabinet.

"The people are putting pressure [on the government] because the people felt the [economic downturn] and we as a political party play the role of listening to people's aspirations. As a party that supported Jokowi, we have a moral and political obligation to give input to the government," said Andreas.

He singled out Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi as one of worst-performing ministers who should be shown the door.

"All these [problems] could be traced back to one cause, which is the sluggish work of the administrative and bureaucratic reform minister. The minister should have reformed and restructured the Cabinet," Andreas said.

Fellow PDI-P executive Rokhmin Dahuri earlier said that ministers whose policies had created economic problems should be given the ax. Rokhmin said Yuddy's decision to ban all government officials from holding meetings and conferences in hotels had dealt a blow to the hospitality industry.

Ikrar Nusa Bhakti, a senior political analyst from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said it was inappropriate for the PDI-P to put pressure on Jokowi.

"Technically the PDI-P can give input but there's no need for them to put political pressure on him by saying certain ministers are not being loyal [to the President] and giving a deadline," he told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

Ikrar said the PDI-P's move could create tension with other members of the ruling coalition who fear their position in the Cabinet could be in jeopardy. "There might be parties that feel uncomfortable knowing that their members will be kicked out [from the Cabinet]," he said.

Ikrar believed Jokowi would not give into the pressure, saying that he had consolidated his political base soon after he came into office in October last year.

"If you pay close attention, then you could see that Jokowi is in a much more powerful position now. He's more courageous, mature and authoritative in making decisions," he said. "For example, the pressure for a Cabinet shakeup has been going on since May, but the fact that he has not announced anything means he's taking his time and waiting for the right time."

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/09/pdi-p-gives-jokowi-reshuffle-deadline.html

Literature & the arts

Reprint of Pram's Buru Quartet sells 10 thousand copies in 2 weeks

Tempo - August 10, 2015

Jakarta – The Buru Quartet, four novels by Indonesia's foremost author Pramoedya Ananta Toer that tell the story of the formation of Indonesia, are still in hot demand as demonstrated by 10 thousand sales of the quartet in just two weeks since it was reprinted in July this year.

"We plan to do another reprint that will be ready in book stores in August", said Astuti A. Toer, the daughter of the late Pramoedya when speaking with Antara news in Jakarta on Sunday.

The quartet reprinted by publisher Lentera Dipantara includes This Earth of Mankind (Bumi Manusia), Child of All Nations (Anak Semua Bangsa), Footsteps (Jejak Langkah) and House of Glass (Rumah Kaca). The four related novels have been published in almost all languages in major countries around the world.

This Earth of Mankind was first published in 1980 followed by Child of All Nations which was printed in 1981, Footsteps in 1985 and House of Glass in 1988. All four however were been banned from sale and distribution by the Attorney General's Office under the New Order regime of former President Suharto because they were deemed to contain "leftist" ideas.

This Earth of Mankind and Child of All Nations was banned in 1981 and Footsteps in 1985, followed by House of Glass which was banned in 1988, all only a few months after being published. Pramoedya Ananta Toer was born in the Central Java town of Blora on February 6 1925, and died on April 30, 2006 in Jakarta. Pram (as he is widely known) wrote the quartet when he was interned on Buru Island, Maluku. Throughout his life, Pram complained of feeling that he had been treated unjustly because he was arrested, jailed and interned on Buru Island without ever being tried.

"After the New Order regime ended, Pramoedya's books and works were republished and distributed in Indonesia, and every time they're republished they sell out completely", said Astuti.

Throughout his carrier as a man of literature, Pram produced scores of works. Aside from the Buru Quartet, other well known works include the Girl from the Coast (Gadis Pantai), Not a Night Market (Bukan Pasar Malam), The Fugitive (Perburuan), Stories from Blora (Cerita dari Blora) and Just Call Me Kartini (Panggil Aku Kartini Saja).

The stories in the Buru Quartet, which are often referred to as the Child of All Nations Quartet, covers the history of Indonesian during the period of national awakening through a fictitious character named Minke, who is based on the real figure Tirto Adhi Soerjo. (Antara)

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "2 Pekan, Tetralogi Buru Pram Edisi Baru Terjual 10 Ribu".]

Source: http://gaya.tempo.co/read/news/2015/08/10/109690520/2-pekan-tetralogi-buru-pram-edisi-baru-terjual-10-ribu

Armed forces & defense

Minister to recruit 100 million reservists

Jakarta Post - August 14, 2015

Jakarta – Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said that he planned to enlist at least 100 million reservists who could be deployed to defend the country.

Ryamizard said during a visit to the Taruna Nusantara high school in Magelang, Central Java, that the reservists would join a recruitment program for the next 10 years.

"These people will defend the country if there's an imminent threat both actual and latent," Ryamizard said as quoted by kompas.com.

Ryamizard also said that the recruitment plan was also aimed at rekindling nationalism, especially among the country's younger generation.

The government has pushed for the endorsement of the reserve component bill. The government denies that the reserve component is military conscription.

According to the bill draft, citizens who are older than 18 are obliged to participate in five-years of military duty under the condition they pass a number of tests and be on call until they are 45. If a citizen refuses to take part, they can be sentenced one or two years in jail.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/14/national-scene-minister-recruit-100-million-reservists.html

Foreign affairs & trade

Market fundamentals force government's hand in beef brouhaha

Jakarta Globe - August 10, 2015

Jakarta – Indonesian Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman has expressed shock – shock – that the price of beef has surged following a massive cut in the import quota by the government.

Amran, speaking to reporters at his office in Jakarta on Monday, said he had confirmed that there was "sufficient" cattle at feed lots nationwide. "So why is [the price of beef] rising? This needs to be investigated," he said.

The minister claimed that local feed lots had a combined 160,000 head of cattle, enough to meet what he defined as domestic consumption of 40,000 head per month. Indonesia had to import more than twice that amount per month just to meet local demand in the second quarter of the year.

Amran also refused to address the fact that the Trade Ministry in July slashed the import quota of Australian cattle – Indonesia's biggest supplier – to just 50,000 head in the third quarter, down from 279,000 head in the previous three months.

"Imports are only needed to meet domestic demand," he said. "I just manage the stock. If the stock is safe, my job is done."

The government on Monday agreed to allow Bulog to import an additional 50,000 head of cattle this quarter, in a tacit acknowledgement that its bid for food self-sufficiency has backfired, driving the price of beef skyward and leaving traders and consumers feeling the pinch.

On Sunday, merchants at the Kramat Jati market in East Jakarta said they would not sell beef for four days to express their frustration over the high prices.

Endang, a beef seller, said the price of beef at the traditional market had stayed at Rp 120,000 ($8.85) per kilogram since before the end-of-Ramadan festivities in mid-July, when inflation typically peaks.

"Until now prices aren't coming down," she said, adding that realistically she would be able to charge even more, up to Rp 150,000 per kilogram. "It's very expensive, we feel sorry for our customers."

Endang also said the government's decision to slash the import quota for Australian beef was directly to blame for the higher prices, as local supply remained insufficient. "Traders just want normal prices," she said. "The government has to see what's going on, check out the prices."

Trade Minister Rahmat Gobel, whose office is responsible for managing the beef import quota, said on Monday that the vendors' strike was "not right," and blamed importers and wholesalers for deliberately throttling back supplies to the market to inflate prices.

The Trade Ministry state-owned Bulog, which manages food stockpiles, responded to the issue on Monday by selling government-subsidized beef at various markets, including Kramat Jati, at Rp 90,000 per kilogram, in what it called a "market operation."

Sofyan Djalil, the chief economics minister, said this move was only a stopgap measure, and that longer terms solutions were needed, including the possibility to increasing the import quota.

"We've held a meeting" – with the ministers of trade and agriculture and the Bulog chief – "to decide on our options, including allowing more imports by Bulog," Sofyan told reporters at the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) on Monday.

Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, who ordered city-owned market operator PD Pasar Jaya to take part in the "market operation" with Bulog and the Trade Ministry, said the notion of Indonesia being self-sufficient in beef production was far too premature.

"It's basic supply and demand: if demand is higher than supply, then the price will obviously go up. We're just not ready to be self-sufficient in beef supply," he told reporters at City Hall.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/jakarta/market-fundamentals-force-governments-hand-beef-brouhaha/

Indonesian alcohol market faces price headache after tariff hike

Jakarta Globe - August 10, 2015

Eveline Danubrata & Klara Virencia, Jakarta – A steep increase in Indonesia's import tariffs on wine and spirits could more than double prices that were sky-high already, denting demand and raising the risk of smuggling, drinks industry executives say.

Under new tariffs that came into effect on July 23, importers have to pay 90 percent on the value of wine and 150 percent on spirits. Importers previously paid a fixed amount per liter.

The new ruling is the latest blow to a $300 million industry already reeling from an April ban on alcohol sales at minimarts. Two Islamic parties have also proposed legislation to ban consumption of alcohol in the country with the world's largest Muslim population.

"It's quite a shock to the industry," Dendy Borman, a board member at the International Spirit and Wine Association, told Reuters in a phone interview.

Foreign companies that sell wine and spirits in Indonesia include Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Remy Cointreau and Bacardi & Co.

Prices for wine and spirits in Indonesia had already surged by 140.5 percent and 154.4 percent, respectively, from 2009 to 2014, partly due to the weakening rupiah, according to market research firm Euromonitor International.

A 750-ml bottle of Absolut vodka imported before the tariff hike was selling at Jakarta supermarkets last week for at least 700,000 rupiah ($51.71) compared with about S$70 ($50.54) in Singapore and $18 in Chicago.

Retail prices for imported wine and spirits will now rise further, in a range from 15 percent to more than 100 percent, the association's Borman said. "Such high prices for imported brands might give incentive for some actors to fill in the gap by producing fake liquor at very cheap prices," he said.

'Self-destructive'

Critics say that if the increase in tariffs on alcoholic drinks and a raft of other products was designed to protect the local industry, it makes little sense because Indonesian-made goods cannot directly compete with the higher-quality imports.

"Addressing economic decline by limiting imports is self-destructive and will be detrimental for the future as exports depend on imports," said Jakob Friis Sorensen, former chairman of the European Business Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia. "Right now what Indonesia needs are clear and simple rules around trade, not further restrictions."

Coordinating Minister of Economics Sofyan Djalil said the cost increases for alcohol would not be as much as the new tariffs suggested because the hike was accompanied by the removal of quotas.

"We believe that excessive consumption of alcohol is not good for the country, for the society," Sofyan told Reuters on Friday. "But because we remove the quota, the rent that was captured by a quota holder is simply not there anymore."

Still, businesses will have no choice but to eventually pass on the increased costs to consumers, said Ramon Meijer, general manager at the Lan Na Thai bar and restaurant in Jakarta, where wine and spirits make up around 40 percent of monthly sales. "For us the costs are too difficult to bear," Meijer said.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/indonesian-alcohol-market-faces-price-headache-tariff-hike/

Economy & investment

Govt's economic efforts will help revive stock market: Jokowi

Jakarta Post - August 11, 2015

Anggi M. Lubis, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo led the celebration of the 38th anniversary of the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) with a message to investors that the current bearish situation in the stock market was only temporary.

In his address, the President said that the government's efforts to accelerate development, especially the construction of infrastructure facilities, would push the economy in the second half and, in turn, help revive stock trading.

"Our slowing economy is a result of the global economic slowdown. We are not the only country that is suffering from slowing economic growth. It should be noted that Indonesia's economic growth is still in the world's top five," he said.

Jokowi said people must be optimistic that the government's efforts to quick-start infrastructure projects in the second half would be able to revive economic growth. "We have made thorough calculations and by the end of the year we would have spent 93 percent of our allocated spending. What we need to do is throw away pessimism."

The economic slowdown, sluggish infrastructure progress and slow government spending have been cited by analysts as having deterred investors from the stock market.

With spending below expectation and infrastructure projects far from sight, analysts said that investors were pessimistic that the country's economy – which grew 4.67 percent during the first half – its lowest growth in the past six years, would improve this year.

The Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) on Monday ended at 4,749, a decrease of 0.45 percent from the previous trading day as it closed in the red for three days in a row.

The current index level is now at a 16-month low. The JCI has been falling since April after it hit a historical high of 5,514 in early March on "the Jokowi effect", following the presidential election win. Investors have been pulling out their investments since then, causing a drop in foreign net buying to Rp 2.85 trillion at present from its peak at around Rp 15 trillion earlier this year.

The Financial Services Authority (OJK) and IDX have also introduced some steps expected to pump up investment and entice retail investors to enter the market, including boosting investors protection funds (IPF) by fourfold from its initial figure, to help prop up the index, which has slipped by nearly 10 percent year-to-date.

OJK commissioner for stock market Nurhaida also said that investors should take into account that regional bourses were also flailing, however adding that given the current condition, the regulator had prepared moves in case of further declines.

These moves include raising IPF from initially Rp 25 million per investor registered as an account holder in the Indonesian Central Securities Depository (KSEI), to Rp 100 million, in a bid to attract new investors. The funds, taken from dues routinely collected from brokers listed as members of the bourse, are designed to compensate possible theft and fraud.

"We want more investors to enter the stock market comfortably by assuring them that their investments are secure," she explained.

She also said that the OJK was working on 15 new regulations expected to stimulate investment appetite. The regulations include bringing in new products to help boost market liquidity, such as preparing a new board and public offering plan for small enterprises, developing bonds for regional governments and encouraging state-run firms to enter the bourse.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/11/govt-s-economic-efforts-will-help-revive-stock-market-jokowi.html

NPLs still major concern for banks

Jakarta Post - August 10, 2015

Tassia Sipahutar, Jakarta – The increase in bad loans or non-performing loans (NPLs) is predicted to continue to be a major concern among banks in the second half of the year as the lenders gear up with hefty provisions.

According to executives at several major banks, there is still a possibility of seeing an uptick in the number of bad loans in the months leading up to the end of the year.

Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) president director Achmad Baiquni told The Jakarta Post that the state lender was still expecting to see some deterioration in its loan quality. "It [the deterioration] is scattered evenly across all sectors because they are all impacted by the current economic slowdown," he said.

From January to June, BNI recorded an increase in each of its gross and net NPL ratios compared to the same period a year ago. Its latest financial report shows that the gross NPL rose to 3 percent from 2.2 percent and the net ratio surged to 0.8 percent from 0.5 percent.

The quality deterioration was visible in almost all of its loan qualifications, which resulted in BNI posting Rp 5.7 trillion (US$421.15 million) in bank-only loan impairments in the second half, double what it was in June 2014.

The high impairment eventually squeezed its profitability – down 52.6 percent year-on-year (yoy) – and led to a 68 percent yoy rise in its overall loan provision.

"We're carrying out measures to push down the gross NPL ratio to below 3 percent by the end of the year," Baiquni said, adding that it would make use of a recent loan restructuring policy that was issued by the Financial Services Authority (OJK) to mend its loan quality.

Jahja Setiaatmadja, the president director of the largest private lender, Bank Central Asia (BCA), acknowledged that there had been an increase in bad loans across the banking industry in the first half of the year, which would continue into the second part of the year.

However, he predicted that the increase would occur gradually in the second half and would still be "under control".

BCA's own first-half financial report reveals that it posted a 12.3 percent yoy climb in its loan impairment from January to June and its loan provision grew 17.5 percent yoy at the same time.

Jahja also estimated that loan growth would remain flat until year-end, but it would not be worse than what the industry saw in the first half even though businesspeople were still holding back from venturing into massive investments.

Meanwhile, PermataBank president director Roy Arman Arfandy said in an email that he shared the same sentiment of declining loan quality. "But it will not be as bad as in the first six months because most banks are already aware of the problem and are more prudent," he said. The higher prudence, Roy added, was reflected in the banks' revised loan targets, down from the original ones.

Separately, Bank Mandiri president director Budi Gunadi Sadikin predicted that the rise of bad loans would linger for a year before it subsided in 2016. Mandiri's net NPL ratio climbed slightly to 0.6 percent from 0.5 percent, while its gross NPL ratio was up 2 percent from 1.8 percent.

"We are trying to get through the year unscathed and are taking conventional measures. That's why we think that our profit will only rise by a single digit in 2015," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/10/npls-still-major-concern-banks.html

Analysis & opinion

First State of the Nation

Jakarta Post Editorial - August 15, 2015

Thursday's Cabinet reshuffle was probably the source of the upbeat tone of the first State of the Nation address from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, presented in conjunction with Independence Day.

For a presidential address ahead of the 70th commemoration of independence of Aug. 17, Friday's speech was far from inspiring rhetoric. But he said that the major reshuffle, including that of three coordinating ministers and the trade minister, was "one of the best bridges to fulfill my promise to the people", to improve their welfare by improving the government's performance.

Jokowi was perhaps hoping that Indonesians will relate his best intentions with those of the founding father Sukarno, who repeatedly declared independence was a mere "golden bridge" to achieve justice and prosperity for colonized people.

Yet instead of the economy, the President said today's main problem was the "thinning of decency and ethics", and pointed out the parties he was alluding to.

"The thinning of our customary mutual respect, the drying up of our culture of tolerance, both among the public and among official institutions like law enforcers, civic organizations, media and political parties, cause this nation to be trapped in each person's respective egotistical circle."

Like other political leaders, Jokowi blamed all but himself for the shortcomings of his 10-month administration. But the early phase of his leadership has indeed been acutely painful for citizens watching the dramatic episodes among law enforcers under a seemingly timid president, mainly the legal assault that the National Police, apparently backed by powerful politicians, carried out against the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and its supporters.

The blatant and more hidden political tussles have temporarily been settled, it seems, by the Cabinet reshuffle, and earlier measures including the cooperation agreement between the Police, Attorney General and the KPK, as the President reiterated on Friday. It has been hard to differentiate the presidential political foes from his allies; thus one could understand his repeated call for patience, optimism and unity, against being "fragmented by political conflicts and short term interests", as he evoked the spirit of unity in the early years of independence.

Jokowi went so far as venting his frustration over rowdy citizens often engaging in "public hysteria" over "sensational" issues, egged on, he added, by the media chasing rating.

But as he acknowledged Indonesia's signs of a better democracy, the President and Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who has hinted at favoring a return to lese-majeste criminal clauses, must strive to live with the risk of relatively new freedoms – mainly today's tendency of everyone "feeling free, absolutely free in their actions and in voicing their interest".

The seemingly green leader in Jakarta's vicious center of power has yet to win abundant confidence, as reflected in the rupiah, which is dangling at 14,000 against the US dollar.

But citizens will give him enough space to step forward, though they have little other choice. President Jokowi should continue to keep his cool and differentiate merely loud citizens from those with actual power.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/15/editorial-first-state-nation.html

'Reconciliation' should not sideline justice

Jakarta Post - August 14, 2015

Param-Preet Singh, Bangkok – Indonesia's government is preparing to lift the lid on decades of gross human rights violations whose victims have gone without redress and whose perpetrators have never been brought to justice.

But there are already serious questions about whether the government will empower the proposed "reconciliation commission" to pursue the minimum standard of acceptable justice: criminal accountability.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is expected to unveil details of the proposed Reconciliation Commission in his Aug. 14 State of the Nation address.

Such a commission, first mooted on May 22 by Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo, would be composed of representatives of the Attorney General's Office and the National Commission on Human Rights.

The commission's mission is to seek a "permanent solution for all unresolved human rights abuses" of the past half century.

That's a tall order. The short list of abuses that Prasetyo said the commission would focus on starts chronologically with the massacres of 1965-1966 that killed up to 1 million people.

The victims included members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), ethnic Chinese, as well as trade unionists, teachers, civil society activists and leftist artists. In the half century since the mass killings, the Indonesian government has repeatedly sought to justify them as a necessary defense against the PKI.

Other atrocities on the commission's task list include the Trisakti and Semanggi 1 and 2 incidents of 1998 in which unknown gunmen killed unarmed peaceful protesters, an attack by alleged security forces on Wasior, Papua, in 2001 and a campaign of extrajudicial killings linked to security forces between 1982 and 1985 known as the Petrus shootings.

To date, the government has provided few details of the commission's precise objectives or the resources it plans to allocate it to achieve those goals – but it has already indicated that the commission will not conduct investigations into specific incidents.

On May 13 Attorney General Office's spokesman Tony Tribagus Spontana said the government was opting for a "reconciliation process" as a means to get "away from the shackles of so-called investigations which will likely bring us to blame one another".

Spontana hinted that the commission would instead focus on compensating victims through an as-yet-unspecified "proper settlement mechanism".

Providing compensation or other forms of redress to victims of grave human rights violations is necessary, but it's only a small fraction of what is needed to obtain justice and achieve longer-term reconciliation.

Nor is it enough to simply uncover the "truth", as important as that may be. Finding out what happened can fill crucial gaps in a society's understanding of its past and help direct a future path.

But unless those responsible for the injustices of the past are fully and fairly held accountable for their actions, the wrong message will be sent to prospective perpetrators of future crimes.

Instead of replacing an accountability mechanism, a reconciliation commission empowered to address rights abuses of the scale and severity of those in Indonesia over the past 50 years should pave the way for prosecution of those most responsible.

The proposed commission in Indonesia therefore has the potential to be a much-needed step on the long road to justice, but only if its structure, procedures and practices are consistent with human rights standards.

The government's approach thus far has not inspired a lot of confidence: a coalition of Indonesian civil society organizations and family members of victims of past atrocities have already criticized the proposed reconciliation commission as no more than an "effort to preserve impunity".

As truth mechanisms in other countries have made clear, there is no precise recipe for achieving a rights-compliant and effective process, but there are at least three critical ingredients: independence, impartiality and transparency. The civil society reaction thus far suggests that the government has a long way to go.

Any credible truth and reconciliation commission should operate independently from the government. Efforts by the executive to interfere in the commission's work – which can take many forms, including efforts to manipulate its budget – could be a death sentence for the commission's credibility.

Impartiality is similarly non-negotiable. Efforts to frame the mandate in a way that only takes the views of one side, for example, would at best deliver a skewed version of events. A one-sided version of the truth risks exacerbating, rather than easing, tensions.

Transparency is vital to foster national ownership over the commission's work. Broad consultation with civil society and other key stakeholders at all stages will be essential.

There should be clear, objective criteria to appoint commissioners, the commissioners should reflect the broader society at large, including those victimized, and their appointment should be subject to public confirmation hearings. The commission's findings should be public.

There are practical considerations as well. Witnesses may need protection because of their participation in the process.

And those responsible for past abuses, who provide statements, should be granted some protection, although these should not be confused with immunities or amnesties, which are inconsistent with international law.

President Jokowi has an opportunity to start the process of bringing meaningful justice to Indonesia's huge numbers of victims of rights violations. Ensuring that the reconciliation commission is poised to announce that has the potential to be a historic step in that direction.

But the government would do well to remember that reconciliation will not come from a one-sided version of the truth.

[The writer is senior counsel in the international justice program at Human Rights Watch.]

Source: http://thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/14/reconciliation-should-not-sideline-justice.html

Voter's right to reject

Jakarta Post Editorial - August 12, 2015

Our democracy has remained a work in progress since the beginning of reformasi more than 17 years ago. Much has been done to develop the political system, including the election of leaders at national and regional levels.

The most recent conundrum of a single ticket in six out of 269 regions that will elect their leaders in the simultaneous polls slated for Dec. 9 has again prompted the nation to engage in experiments with its hard-won democracy, with all the risks entailed.

Calls have mounted for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to sign a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) that would allow elections in a number of regions to go ahead even though each has only one candidate, while the General Elections Commission (KPU) has insisted that the polls in those regions should be postponed until February 2017.

Either option, however, offers no conclusive solution. Delaying elections in some regions would deprive voters the right to elect their leaders, albeit temporarily, and waste billions of rupiah in taxpayers' money allocated for regional poll commissions to prepare the elections.

A postponement would also disrupt the national agenda of amalgamating national and local elections, which are expected to save the state budget and minimize vote-buying practices.

A single ticket, on the other hand, is a worse choice as it betrays the principles of democracy. The absence of competition will prevent voters from selecting the best candidate. With more than 80 regions having only two tickets registered for the race, there is a possibility for uncontested elections to happen if one of the tickets fails to pass administrative screening.

The two unwanted options reached the table after the KPU extended the candidate registration dateline to Aug. 11 at 4 p.m. from the original deadline of Aug. 3. By the close of registration on Tuesday, the single candidate phenomenon in the cities of Mataram and Samarinda and the regencies of Pacitan, Tasikmalaya, Blitar and Timor Tengah Utara remained unsolved.

Surabaya managed to settle the quandary after the pair of Rasiyo and Dirham Abror, nominated by the Democratic Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN), registered with the local poll body to challenge incumbent Risma Trimaharini and her deputy Wisnu Sakti Buana.

Many suspect that certain political parties, knowing they will lose anyway, are boycotting the Dec. 9 regional elections just to buy time to better prepare themselves.

At least we can learn a lot from the conundrum. The issue of a single ticket can theoretically happen in the presidential election and our legislation does not anticipate such anomaly.

Revision of the legislative, presidential and regional election laws is therefore needed. A single ticket standing for office can be accommodated, but voters must be given a choice to reject them, as happened in many village chief elections in the past. This way they would not be deprived of their constitutional right.

If India respects those who vote for "none of the above", Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy, could follow suit.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/12/editorial-voter-s-right-reject.html

Justice catches up, slowly

Jakarta Globe Editorial - August 11, 2015

The final and binding ruling by the Supreme Court against the Supersemar Foundation led by former president Suharto is historic and crucial because it is the first legal decision against the former dictator and serve as a legal justification of how corrupt the regime he led was.

The foundation under Suharto's decree received part of state-owned banks' profits since 1976 until he was unseated in 1998. We can only imagine how much money the foundation collected during the period. The money was supposed to help poor families with scholarship. Instead, the money, went to his cronies and families.

While the Rp 4.4 trillion ($323 million) fine ordered by the court to the foundation seems peanuts, it carried another more crucial ruling. Suharto, who had been untouchable until he died and remained so up to this court decision, was declared guilty of misusing the state's money allocated to the foundation.

So, the ruling can become an entry point for the state to go after other corruptions done by the general and his cronies while unveiling misconducts and crimes the regime committed during its 32-year reign.

For now, it's his foundation. But with a little bit of more courage, the state can move forward to directly charge the former strongman for other power abuses and extrajudicial killings.

It's time for the truth and break the myth of placing Suharto as a hero. He has damaged the nation almost beyond repair.

His regime has created an embedded corrupt behavior, collusion and cronyism, producing a nation without critical thinking and creativity. He is also responsible for making a corrupt and lazy bureaucracy and in general a high-cost economy full of rent-seeking businesses.

It's safe to say that every bad thing we have now is just a legacy from the regime. Indonesia will not be able to move forward unless it can gradually release itself from the legacies of the darkest period of the nation's history.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/editorial-justice-catches-slowly/

Incompetent policy makers

Jakarta Globe Editorial - August 10, 2015

It's typical Indonesia – or more precisely, it's becoming typical of President Joko Widodo's administration. You simply make a policy based on certain sentiments without valid information, data or reasoning, and then you realize you've made a big mistake and you start shifting blame to others.

In part out of false data that Indonesia has enough beef stock to supply national demand, and in part out of nationalist sentiment to show self- sufficiency and less dependency on foreign supply, the Trade Ministry in July slashed the import quota of Australian cattle – Indonesia's biggest supplier – to just 50,000 head in the third quarter, down from 279,000 head in the previous three months.

Even before cutting the import quota Indonesia struggled to meet local consumption of 305,000 head per month, with stock of only around 200,000 head per month.

So it boggles the mind that Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman can now claim that Indonesia has "sufficient" cattle at feed lots nationwide as the price of the beef skyrockets and sellers stage protests.

The minister defined as domestic consumption as 40,000 head of cattle per month. This figure is not only confusing, it's misleading, and we can't grasp where he's getting his numbers.

Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama hit the nail on the head: Indonesia is just not ready to be self-sufficient in beef supply.

Now the government says it will import more – meaning it realizes it made a mistake at the expense of the public as whole. But still it continues to pass blame, this time to a nebulous "beef mafia" it accuses of stockpiling. If so, the police should just arrest them all because they should be very easy to identify.

Sadly, this is just one example of a policy that will only deteriorate Indonesia's business image further in the midst of Joko's attempts to attract more foreign investment. This farcical episode is just another reason why Joko should review his cabinet, and appoint more competent figures.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/editorial-incompetent-policy-makers/

Why celebrate Indonesian independence while oppression persists?

Jakarta Globe - August 10, 2015

Soe Tjen Marching – This month, it will be 70 years since Indonesia declared its independence from Dutch colonial rule. But what has Indonesia been best known for internationally in recent years? One of the most famous topics of international debate still is the genocide of 1965. The culprit? Who else but the award-winning director Joshua Oppenheimer, with his two documentary films "The Act of Killing" and "The Look of Silence."

His first film has made many people gasp, as they see mass murderers boasting about how they tortured, strangled and mutilated other human beings as part of the anti-communist purges of the mid-1960s. One of them even casually says about raping young women: "The nice ones are the 14- and 15-year-olds. Still young and fresh!"

What on earth could explain this abomination, you wonder? The mass murderers say that they did it for the country. They maintain until today that their brutality was "permitted."

Formal or tacit endorsement from the authorities can indeed justify extreme and cruel actions. This is what often makes many other people turn a blind eye. The famous Milgram experiment conducted at Yale University in the early 1960s, demonstrates how many people are willing to cause pain and suffering to others, if this is condoned by a figure of authority. The majority of people were willing to carry out inhumane acts, simply because they felt that they could get away with it, especially if combined with the promise of rewards. The law can be a safe place to hide from persecution for the biggest crimes in the world.

This is not something new in history and the celebration of atrocities is not something only people in Indonesia are guilty of. How about the arrogance of the Dutch colonial government in boasting about its conquest of the archipelago? How about the massacre of Aborigines in Australia – around 20,000 of them were murdered in the 18th and 19th centuries. The lynching of "Negroes" was at one point a form of public entertainment in several parts of United States. On Feb. 27, 1901, for instance, the American newspaper Chicago Record described how children collected small souvenirs from the slaughter of a "Negro" in Terre Haute, Indiana. The victim's toes were cut off to be taken home. With the consent of those in power, all kinds of brutal acts can be transformed into something innocent, even a form of child's play.

While democracy holds the promise of people power, most citizens still look up to the authorities in hopes of getting the nod for whatever they are doing. Therefore, we should never overlook the roles and responsibilities of governments and senior officials in implementing humaneness. Unfortunately, little has been done in this regard by the various governments of Indonesia and the security apparatus in regards to the atrocities of the 1960s.

Let us now compare with another case that made headlines around the time Oppenheimer's first film had been released. In 2013, a man from Sleman, Danang Sulistyo, boasted on Facebook about his own "act of killing," created massive uproar online The case was reported to the police in March 2014, and officers were quick to investigate, soon releasing a statement that the law had indeed been broken. But what had Danang done? He had shot and killed nine cats.

How is it possible that people react completely different when killers boast of their willing participation in massacres that claimed thousands of human lives? Why, until now, has nobody in a position of authority bothered to investigate?

Most of the people in power in Indonesia do not have much interest in setting straight our history. In "The Look of Silence," Adi Rukun, whose elder brother was brutally murdered in 1965, bravely confronts the people involved. He does not intend to take revenge but demands that they admit that they were wrong. However, the mass murderers never admit that they did something wrong and, in fact, keep bragging that what they did was heroic.

Before the film was released, Adi Rukun had to move out of Medan, for fear that his life would be threatened. Now, he must remain in hiding. Adi had been aware of these risks but he was willing to take them, for he wanted the truth to come out. We have to question why the authorities do nothing to protect Adi Rukun, while mass murderers are free to go wherever they want.

The preamble to Indonesia's 1945 Constitution can be translated as: "Independence is the right of all nations, and therefore, any oppression on this earth should be abolished, since it is incompatible with the sense of humanity and justice."

Thus, as our struggle for independence was based on the conviction of equal rights for all people, what is the meaning of independence celebrations when the victims of various atrocities committed during our seven decades of independence are still oppressed?

In his 1913 article "Als Ik Eens Nederlander Was," Ki Hajar Dewantara wrote (to protest to plans to make colonial subjects pay for celebrations to commemorate Dutch independence from France a century earlier): "If I were a Dutchman, I would not organize an independence celebration in a country where the independence of the people has been stolen." Now, allow me to say this: I would not organize an independence celebration in a country without acknowledging the fact that the independence of many of its own people has been stolen.

[Soe Tjen Marching, author of "Kubunuh di Sini" ("I Killed Here"), is currently working on a book chronicling the lives of victims from the 1965 anti-communist purge.]

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/commentary-celebrate-indonesian-independence-oppression-persists/

Lest we forget – Australia's role in Indonesian independence

Jakarta Globe - August 10, 2015

Johannes Nugroho – In late 1945 the first prime minister of Indonesia, Sutan Sjahrir (1909-66), made a radio broadcast to the people of Australia, thanking them for their support at the onset of Indonesia's struggle for freedom from the returning Dutch forces.

The suave Sjahrir, freshly appointed by President Sukarno in November, began his speech by saying: "Friends in Australia, I'm unknown to most of you and yet I call you my friends... the workers who refused to load the Dutch ships with arms and munitions which would be used against our republic; the thousands holding demonstrations to protest against the onslaught on our independence; you are all my friends."

The workers referred to by the prime minister were the catalyst for a widespread movement among Australia's trade unions, later known as the boycott against the Black Armada, first started by members of the Brisbane Chapter of the Australian Waterside Workers' Federation in solidarity with workers of Indonesian origins in Australia.

The boycott of Dutch ships and depots continued well into 1948, immobilizing 559 ships suspected of carrying arms and supplies intended for the Dutch military efforts in Indonesia. In all, 31 Australian and four Asian trade unions took part in the boycott.

Sjahrir's 1945 speech carried a note of gratitude and perhaps surprise that Indonesia had found an ally in Australia. The prime minister also spoke of Australian soldiers fighting off Japanese troops in Ambon, Malacca, Sumatra and Java. He may have heard that Australian troops were known for their good treatment of the local villagers. Most significant was Sjahrir's free admission that Australian troops "did not fight for territorial or political nor even economic gain."

The political left in Australia was no doubt sympathetic to the Indonesian freedom struggle, as demonstrated by the trade union boycott. There was also a growing belief within the Australian government that the demise of the young Indonesian republic, largely in the hands of nationalist leaders, would in turn sway public support towards radical communism.

It was this argument that the Australian government used to convince its US counterpart to support the Indonesian cause. As the late Thomas Kingston (T.K.) Critchley, the Australian diplomat who served on the United Nations Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question and later the United Nations Commission for Indonesia from 1947 to 1950, remarked: "Much of Australia's diplomatic effort, particularly in Indonesia, was directed to getting US understanding and support."

Following the first Dutch military offensive in 1947, Australia referred what it saw as the Netherlands' unilateral infringement of the peace to the UN Security Council on July 30. The embattled republican leaders were so encouraged by this turn of events that when the council set up the Committee of Good Offices, they nominated Australia as their representative on it.

Critchley appeared to have established camaraderie with Vice President Mohammad Hatta: "I felt that Hatta accepted me as a close friend and I was not conscious of a cultural gap. I felt very comfortable in Hatta's presence. He had a sense of humor and we occasionally exchanged jokes."

In his role as a member of the UN Commission for Indonesia, Critchley continued to play his supportive role in Indonesia's diplomatic march towards independence. He was actively present and involved with the 1949 Round Table Conference in The Hague, at the end of which the Netherlands officially recognized Indonesia's sovereignty.

Australia's role in Indonesia's diplomatic struggle for recognition was so prominent that later on Dr. Subandrio, Sukarno's foreign minister and second deputy prime minister, said that Australia was the "midwife" in the birth of the Indonesian state. However, as moderate Indonesian leaders such as Sjahrir and Mohammad Hatta left or were forced out of politics due to President Sukarno's growing power and his extreme policies, Indonesia- Australia relations suffered accordingly in the 1960s.

Critchley eventually returned to Indonesia as ambassador in the years 1978-81, which was also his last diplomatic posting before retirement. Sukarno and the first generation of Indonesian leaders were either dead or mostly out of office by then. Indonesia was under the new regime of President Suharto.

The Black Armada, Critchley and Australia's role in Indonesia's struggle of independence would seem very alien to most Indonesians today. For the sake of "nation-building" most Indonesian leaders have chosen a more nationalistic historical narrative in which the nation's independence from colonialism was "self-begotten" and "self-delivered," rendering the role of "midwife" inconvenient, at best.

In view of the recent tensions between Indonesia and Australia, let us take the time to remember the auspicious beginning of the friendship between the two nations. In supporting Indonesia's independence, Australia displayed both originality and initiative, especially for a country traditionally credited with following the lead of either Britain or the US in foreign policy.

This is perhaps why Sjahrir was pleasantly surprised to have a friend in Australia. He shrewdly knew that the geographical proximity of both countries would always make the relationship important, which is why, on a hopeful note, he ended his radio broadcast by saying: "Therefore we can and we will certainly establish close relations as good neighbors."

[Johannes Nugroho is a writer from Surabaya – He can be contacted at johannes@nonacris.com.]

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/johannes-nugroho-lest-forget-australias-role-indonesian-independence/