Stephanie Zillman – The Indonesian Consul to Darwin Andre Siregar has denied he pressured the owner of a wall to paint over a mural which features the West Papuan flag, but said he had reported its existence to Jakarta.

"It is something that we respect, we have to respect, but please note that it, itself is offensive to us," Mr Siregar said. Mr Siregar said as the Indonesian Government's representative in Darwin he had conveyed Indonesia's position on West Papua.

"Of course that is a flag of a separatist group – they want West Papua to be their own country," Mr Siregar said. "They ignore the 2.5 million Papuans who have gone to the election and voted, and the 3.9 million Papuans that live there. So as the government representative in Darwin I have conveyed this situation to the NT Government, [and] we don't want them to be ill-informed."

Mr Siregar told the ABC he was the last to find about the "external pressure" and urgency to remove the mural. "I guess I found out last, that someone feels pressured, and someone wants their walls clean, someone had to choose someone to blame," Mr Siregar said.

Mr Siregar said the building's owner – Carlo Randazzo, the honorary Vice-Consul to Italy – had contacted him about the issue last week. "He just said 'we're going to clean it up', I said 'it's your wall, it's your wall' – and he just gave me some updates regarding where it's been with those people who have painted on it.

"I've also casually spoken to Peter Styles about this, and he as the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, would take note of that. But again I have not really followed up on this discussion," Mr Siregar said.

Issue flared after 'external pressure'

The issue of the large depiction of the West Papuan flag in the city's centre flared after the artists who painted it in June 2015, were told to paint over it by an employee of Randazzo Properties.

The email to the artists cited "external pressures" as the reason for the sudden, urgent removal of the mural. The mural itself also depicts the Aboriginal flag, and was painted as a symbol of solidarity between the two groups.

Mr Siregar said the Indonesian Consulate respected freedom of expression in Australia, and he had explained to visiting Indonesian officials the West Papuan flag mural did not necessarily reflect the position of Australians. "Now after eight months there are many Territorians who also came to me and asked me 'what's with that flag?'," Mr Siregar claimed.

Mr Siregar also said Indonesia was working at improving its human rights record. "If there's some concerns about human rights, as a developing country we're all striving to make sure there's no more human rights violations, even if there were violations, we are committed to rectifying those mistakes."

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-07/jakarta-does-not-like-west-papua-flag-mural/7484178

Clarification on West Papua report to UN sec-gen

Radio New Zealand International - June 7, 2016

The office of the United Nations Secretary-General denies that he met with a representative of West Papua at the World Humanitarian Summit.

Following the Istanbul summit a fortnight ago, there have been regional media reports that Ban Ki Moon was given a West Papua fact-finding mission report titled 'We Will Lose Everything'. A spokesman for Mr Ban, Stephane Dujarric has given clarification.

"Contrary to some media accounts, there was no meeting between the Secretary-General and any West Papua representative in Istanbul," he said. "We also have no record of any documents being officially handed over to the Secretary-General."

However, the executive director of the Pacific Islands Association for Non-Governmental Organizations, Emele Duituturaga, confirmed she met unofficially with Ban Ki Moon at one of the roundtable meetings, and presented his assistant with the report.

Ms Duituturaga said she hoped that Mr Ban would pay attention to Papua. "The Pacific is calling for it. Not just in the Pacific. There are meetings of parliamentarians in the United Kingdom. It's now become a world issue," she said.

"It's very heartening to see Ban Ki Moon denounce violations in other parts of the world, and it's just a matter of time. He needs to pay attention to the issue of West Papua and send an independent fact-finding mission so that we can all establish what's really going on."

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/305831/clarification-on-west-papua-report-to-un-sec-gen

Indonesian consul says he's unaware of 'pressure' to paint over West Papua mural

Australian Associated Press - June 6, 2016

Indonesia's consul in Darwin has denied awareness of any "external pressure" put on the owners of a building housing a mural supporting West Papua to paint it over. Andre Siregar on Monday tweeted "I am unaware of any external pressure. Good neighbours & friends are always open to discussions".

His comments came in response to news over the weekend that an employee from Randazzo Properties emailed the artists' group that painted the mural in the central business district to say that "due to some external pressures I have been asked to see the wall painted out as a matter of urgency".

Cindy Watson, an activist with the Free West Papua movement in the Northern Territory, said the employee had said the Indonesian consulate was driving the pressure.

The mural was agreed upon and painted last June, and depicts one hand reaching from the Aboriginal flag towards another hand from beneath the West Papuan Morning Star flag, which is associated with the independence movement.

"This is a show of solidarity between Aboriginal people and West Papua people; now what part do they [the Indonesian government] play in that?" artist and Larrakia elder June Mills said.

"That's just bullying tactics, that's sticking their nose in where it's not required... if they're finding that mural offensive or in your face that's because its bringing to people's attention the plight."

Siregar told the ABC he had written to the NT government in August registering his opposition to the mural and said its proximity to the consulate and to Parliament House had raised questions from visiting Indonesian officials over support in Australia for the West Papuan independence movement.

"I think the Indonesian government are feeling they're under pressure and they're trying to pressure either the [NT] government or the property owners because the Morning Star is something they're actually more afraid of than they'd like to give it credit for," Watson said. "What it implies is that they're more worried about West Papua than people realise."

Media and human rights access to West Papua is still strictly controlled by the Indonesian government and activist groups are concerned human rights violations are going unreported in the province.

Benedict Coyne, the president of Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, said it was concerned by the reports of external pressure being applied to paint over the mural.

"ALHR is concerned by allegations of any attempts to use external pressures to limit the rights of freedom of speech and expression in Australia," Coyne said. "These rights are essential to a healthy and vibrant democracy.

"It should be remembered that the right to freedom of expression includes the right to peacefully advocate for things like referendums and independence as long as that advocacy does not involve incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.

"If residents of the Northern Territory wish to draw attention to the plight of West Papuans who are engaged in a struggle for self-determination and do so in accordance with Australian laws, there should be no external pressure to silence them."

No one at Randazzo Properties was available to comment on Monday afternoon and it's not yet clear when the mural might be removed or papered over.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/06/indonesian-consul-says-hes-unaware-of-pressure-to-paint-over-west-papua-mural

Anti-independence rally in West Papua

Radio New Zealand International - June 6, 2016

A large anti-independence rally has been held by transmigrants in the capital of Indonesia's Papua province, Jayapura.

The demonstrators, who numbered over a thousand, were mainly non-Papuans who carried Indonesian flags as they called for authorities to ban groups pushing for an independence referendum.

This comes after a series of large, peaceful demonstrations over the past two months in urban centres across Papua in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua. The largest and most widespread demonstrations occurred on May 2nd when police arrested about 2,000 people in Jayapura alone.

After the latest demonstration, by the pro-Indonesia migrants, a Papuan church leader warned about mobilisation of a new wave of militia units being created by the security forces to counter the surge in Papuan civil resistance.

The President of the Fellowship of Baptist Churches in West Papua, Reverend Socratez Yoman, said that the groups had been formed largely by non-Papuan settlers who claimed that West Papua no longer belongs to Papuans, but to Indonesia.

The state-assisted transmigration programme facilitated the re-settlement of Indonesians from other parts of the republic in Papua for decades, leaving the indigenous Melanesians of Papua a minority in their own land, marginalised from their land and resources, and their culture overwhelmed.

Tabloid Jubi reported a spokesman for the People's Front of Indonesia Sovereignty, Umar, as saying that people from many parts of society joined their demonstration because they all wanted communities to work together to develop a better Papua.

"We've always been silent and now we want to show to Papua that we exist and continue to support Papua to keep integrating with Indonesia," he said.

Umar urged people to support the Special Autonomy arrangements that Jakarta had granted Papua fifteen years ago. "We also ask the British government to arrest (Liberation movement international spokesman) Benny Wenda and transfer him to the Indonesian government because he is a wanted person," he told Jubi.

Papuan woman, alleged to have been assaulted

Jubi reported that the crowd who directed the demonstration to the Papua House of Representatives in Jayapura assaulted at least two Papuans on the way.

One victim, Hendrika Kowenip, said she was assaulted by demonstrators after asking about the purpose of their rally. The demonstrators were mostly from transmigrant-deminated areas such as Koya, Arso and Muara Tami.

Meanwhile, Reverend Socratez said the demonstrators and militia groups were echoing the terror campaigns of Indonesian forces in East Timor during the violence-marked phase before independence was gained.

He warned that the situation in Papua was deteriorating and called for humanitarian intervention from the United Nations.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/305726/anti-independence-rally-in-west-papua

Foreign fractions are behind free Papua issue, councillor says

Tabloid JUBI - June 6, 2016

Jayapura, Jubi – Third Deputy Chairman of Papua Legislative Council, Yanni suggested that outsiders or foreign countries were behind calls for Papuan independence. Further she warned about the game played by foreign parties by providing support to organizations voicing independence for Papua.

"Papua has natural resources abundantly. I am not sure if these foreign fractions were sincere in helping that organization. It must have other intention behind it. To theses foreign fractions we must be alert," said Yanni on Saturday (4/6/2016).

According to her, many often mentioned in media social that several countries in Europe, Pacific and America endorse Papua's separation from Indonesia. "I am also sure it is connected with Freeport. The more criticism over Freeport, the more we undermine and disturb Freeport, the more disturbance we got in Papua because Freeport was established through a political deal," she said.

She said there is a scenario played behind the existence of organization undermining the integrity of Indonesia. Therefore she reminded people for not being easily provoked and stay united.

"If people is united, we would not easily be compromised. I am sure there are foreign fractions behind all of these. Everyone wants a peaceful Papua. It's our responsibility," she said.

Meanwhile in his oration, Deputy Chairman of Bara NKRI Kumar said the Act of Free Choice (Pepera) is final. The Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia or death is clear! Do not let such culprits for taking benefit and popularity from the world "freedom".

"The security force was decisive. Only few people or groups expressed the voice of freedom. Indonesia has been independent since long time ago," said Kumar.

Further he said no more distinction of ethnic, race and religion. But how all levels of society could live in peace on this land. The security force must be assertive towards few people or groups who express the voice of independence. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)

Source: http://tabloidjubi.com/eng/foreign-fractions-are-behind-free-papua-issue-councilor-says/

West Papuan 'Morning Star' flag artists pressured to paint over mural in Darwin CBD

ABC Radio Australia - June 4, 2016

Stephanie Zillman – The artists who painted a mural depicting the West Papuan " Morning Star" flag on a wall in Darwin's CBD has been asked by the property owners to paint over it as a "matter of urgency" following the application of "external pressures".

In an email obtained by the ABC, an employee for Randazzo Properties told a representative from the artist group that the owners of the wall wanted the mural to be painted over this weekend and had contacted the neighbouring property owner to allow access.

"Due to some external pressures I have been asked to see the wall painted out as a matter of urgency and have started putting things in place," the Randazzo Properties employee stated in the email.

Activists from Australians for a Free West Papua told the ABC they had been told by the same Randazzo Properties employee that the "external pressure" was the Indonesian consulate in Darwin.

The Indonesian Consul in Darwin, Andre Siregar, said while he had not been in contact with the wall's owner, he had written to the Northern Territory Government in August 2015 to register his opposition to the depiction of the West Papuan flag.

Mr Siregar said he acknowledged "freedom of expression" in Australia, but that the mural's close physical proximity to both the office of the Indonesian Consulate and to Parliament House had raised questions from visiting Indonesian officials over the level of support in Australia for the West Papuan Independence movement.

Mr Siregar said he believed there were about "two people" in Darwin who supported the West Papuan Independence movement.

Artists defiant as they apply anti-graffiti paint to mural

One of the mural's artists, June Mills, said that the wall had been used by different artists over the years with a variety of messages. As a Larrakia elder, Ms Mills said the mural had been designed to show solidarity between the people of West Papua and Aboriginal people.

"This mural has been painted out of respect and love and solidarity with the West Papuan people," Ms Mills said. "People cannot raise the West Papuan flag in West Papua – they are killed, or if not killed, jailed, or severely punished in some form.

"So we've painted the flag here, in solidarity with the Aboriginal flag – we are both recognising the struggle, and the real issue is they want that gone, because they don't want the message out, they're suppressing the information about what is happening in West Papua."

Ms Mills said the mural was first painted in June 2015, and she believed the sudden urgency around the removal of the mural was due to an upcoming conference hosted by Charles Darwin University.

The Understanding Indonesia conference will host academics, researchers, teachers, and students of different disciplines to discuss new information and recent developments concerning Indonesia.

The ABC has contacted Randazzo Properties for comment. On Saturday afternoon a group of activists had assembled at the mural to protest its removal.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-04/pressure-to-paint-over-west-papuan-flag-mural-in-darwin-cbd/7477968

Pro-government protesters demand disbandment of Free West Papua Organization KNPB

Jakarta Globe - June 3, 2016

Jakarta – Thousands of protesters gathered at the Trikora Field in Abepura, Papua, Thursday (02/06), demanding the disbandment of West Papua National Committee (KNPB), an arm of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), arguing that both organizations contravene state ideology Pancasila and are illegal under Indonesia's 1945 Constitution.

The protesters – who called themselves Defenders of the Indonesian Republic and numbered around 15,000 – marched to the local parliament house on Thursday.

"There should be no "December 1," [the anniversary of the Free Papua Movement, or OPM] there is only "May 1," the day of our integration [with Indonesia]. We should unite to develop West Papua. We don't want KNPB here," Umar, the deputy chairman of the organization, said.

The organization also called on the British government to arrest UK-based West Papua freedom activist Benny Wenda and extradite him to Indonesia. Umar claimed his group was sincere in its intention. "There is no ulterior motive [behind the protest]. We are here because we care about West Papua," Umar said.

Vendors at the Yotefa Market – the city's main trading spot – had closed up shops earlier in the day after receiving letters and flyers about the rally.

Although the market itself was open, only a few people were seen conducting their business as normal. "Not only the sellers, but the buyers also didn't turn up today," said Marten Sremsrem, a security officer.

In the flyers, the pro-government group called on all Indonesians to rally in support of the government, saying "Let us take a moment to help create a better economic climate in the long run. Let us honor our brothers. Voice your support for the Republic of Indonesia."

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/pro-government-protesters-demand-disbandment-free-west-papua-organization-knpb/

Papua police arrest suspected separatist leader

Jakarta Globe - June 2, 2016

Jakarta – The alleged leader of a Papuan armed separatist group has been arrested after sustaining a shot to the leg, a police spokesman said on Wednesday (01/06).

Fourty-year-old Kelenak Telenggen was arrested earlier on Tuesday in a rented room in Wamena. He is facing accusations of leading a string of attacks on security officers and civilians over the past two years,

"He was shot after resisting and attempting to escape," National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said in Jakarta.

Police will soon bring the alleged Free Papua Organization (OPM) leader, who has been receiving treatment at Wamena Hospital, to headquarters in Jayapura for questioning.

Kelenak was allegedly involved in the March shootings in Sinak, Puncak district, where four construction workers were killed. Three months earlier, he allegedly led attacks against Sinak Police headquarters, where three officers were killed and another suffered gunshot wounds.

His involvements is also suspected in a December shooting at Ilaha, Puncak district, which killed two members of the Papua Police's mobile brigade.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/papua-police-arrest-suspected-separatist-leader/

Indonesia's brutal crackdown in West Papua highlights our need for self-determination

Huffington Post - June 2, 2016

Over the past few days, around 600 West Papuan people have been reportedly arrested simply for peacefully demonstrating to call upon the Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP) Summit to support West Papuan self-determination.

The Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP) Summit being held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea is bringing together heads of state and other government representatives from around Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. We West Papuans are making our plea to the ACP as a cry for help because we are being brutally suppressed and silenced under Indonesian military occupation and colonialism.

Across much of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific; colonialism has ended but in West Papua we continue to endure the horrors of colonialism and genocide with over half a million West Papuan people estimated to have been killed ever since West Papua was first occupied by Indonesia in 1963, and later illegally annexed after the fraudulent Act of NO Choice. Therefore we are calling on our Africa Caribbean and Pacific family to please support us in solidarity with our ongoing struggle against this brutal colonialism, racism and genocide.

This week there were rallies held across West Papua as well as in several Indonesian cities as the people of West Papua took to the streets in our thousands to peacefully call for the ACP to support our fundamental right to self-determination as the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) does. Demonstrations were held in many cities including: Port Numbay/Jayapura, Biak, Fakfak, Gorontalo, Jakarta, Manokwari, Nabire, Sorong, Timika, Wamena and Yahukimo

However the Indonesian government is becoming increasingly scared of increasing international support for the people of West Papua and in an attempt to hide the real situation in West Papua, the Indonesian police arrested hundreds of people simply for joining these peaceful demonstrations.

There are unconfirmed reports that 469 people were arrested in Port Numbay/Jayapura, 112 people arrested in Wamena, 7 people arrested in Manado, 6 people arrested in Gorontalo and 3 people arrested in Yahukimo.

Those who were arrested in Manado as well as 70 of those arrested in Wamena are still believed to be behind bars and are still at risk of being tortured like so many other West Papuan political prisoners.

Therefore on behalf of my people I appeal to all human rights groups, the Africa Caribbean Pacific Group of States and the world to please join us in calling for their immediate release. It is not a crime to to peacefully call for international support for ones' fundamental rights. We West Papuans risk our extinction as a people in the next few decades if this illegal occupation and terrible genocide continues.

Please help to support the people of West Papua in our peaceful struggle for self-determination. We West Papuans desperately want and desperately need to be free like other members of the Africa Caribbean Pacific Group of States.

[Benny Wenda is West Papua's independence leader, International Spokesman for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) and founder of the Free West Papua Campaign. He has twice been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and lives in exile in the UK.]

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/benny-wenda/indonesias-brutal-crackdo_b_10244572.html

Aceh

Indonesia's Aceh sees rise in public canings to enforce Islamic sharia code, Amnesty

ABC Radio Australia - June 6, 2016

Adam Harvey, Aceh – There has been a surge in the number of public canings for moral offences in the Indonesian province of Aceh. Amnesty International said more than 108 people were caned in public last year for offences such as selling alcohol, gambling, and sex outside marriage.

The human rights group said this was a substantial increase from previous years, although there is no official tally of those caned for breaching the province's sharia law.

The ABC travelled to the town of Jantho in Aceh to attend a public caning and witnessed the corporal punishment of six gamblers, as well as that of an 18-year-old woman who was convicted of being alone in her own room with her boyfriend. This is classed as "adultery" in Aceh and is illegal under sharia law.

The young woman, Kiranti, was forced to kneel on a stage in front of a large crowd to receive nine strokes of the cane from a hooded man known as Algojo – the "executioner".

Kiranti was struck on her clothed back with a long cane, wincing with each stroke. After the caning she staggered as she was helped to her feet. Her boyfriend escaped caning because he was just 16 years old.

"This was not done to humiliate someone," Rahma Daniati, the head of the sharia police in Aceh Besar, told the ABC. "It is to achieve the deterrent effect, so other teenagers will not follow."

'The violators should be punished'

The province was given autonomy to adopt strict Islamic sharia law after the devastating 2004 tsunami, and is the only part of Indonesia that enforces sharia law.

A new penal code introduced last year extends the use of caning for moral offences and for the first time allows the caning of non-Muslims. In theory, even an unmarried couple visiting Aceh on holidays could be punished for being alone together.

Ms Rahma said that canings discouraged violations of sharia law. "First we had a socialisation phase, then an education phase, and this is now the implementation of the punishment phase. The violators should be punished," she said.

Amnesty International's Papang Hidayat said canings were becoming more common. "If you go back just a few years there were less than 40 canings," he said. "We are concerned that the new code expands the use of caning as punishment."

'The pain was not so much but I felt humiliated'

In April, an unmarried couple were given 100 strokes of the cane for being alone together, and a Christian woman was caned 28 times for selling alcohol.

A 52-year-old Aceh man, Rajuddin, was caned last month for gambling. He was caught playing cards with a group of friends.

"It was raining so I couldn't go home and I waited at the cafe for it to stop. We all started playing cards to fill up time. And about 12:30 they came and arrested us," he told the ABC. Rajuddin was jailed and then caned.

"The pain was not so much but I felt humiliated," he said. "We were just playing for fun but the punishment seemed to be too much while bigger crimes seem to be ignored. And we, the little people, the lowest class of society – we seem to always be the ones who get punished."

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said corporal punishment breached international treaties against torture and cruel and degrading punishment.

"All are caned in front of a large crowd, usually in front of a mosque after Friday praying. We can't comment on how painful it is, but in our view it is a degrading or inhuman form of punishment," the group said.

Source: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2016-06-06/indonesias-aceh-sees-rise-in-public-canings-to-enforce-islamic-sharia-code-amnesty-says/1587630

1965 anti-communist purge

Protestors warn of rising threat of communist ideology

Jakarta Post - June 4, 2016

Jakarta – Retired military generals and members of several mass organizations claim to have evidence of a rising communist movement in Indonesia and have warned the public of possible threats from the banned ideology.

At least 10,000 protesters rallied on Friday outside the State Palace and the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister in Central Jakarta, representing groups such as the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Islamic People's Forum (FUI), Islam Defender Troops (LPI) and the Communication Forum of Indonesian Veterans' Children (FKPPI), along with several retired Army generals.

"We have to defend Pancasila as our national ideology from the threats of the Indonesian Communist Party [PKI] and other ideologies!" retired Army general Kiki Syahnakri shouted at the rally.

The protesters claimed that the defunct PKI planned to proclaim its existence in Indonesia and urged people to stand up and fight against the supposed movement. They also blamed foreigners for having a bad influence on society.

The rally followed a two-day symposium entitled "Protecting Pancasila from the Threat of the Indonesian Communist Party and Other Ideologies", held on Wednesday and Thursday at Balai Kartini in South Jakarta.

The event, attended by hundreds of retired military generals, aimed to challenge the earlier National Symposium on the 1965 Tragedy that brought together victims, families, human rights activists, academics and state officials to find a resolution to the 1965 communist purge that remains part of the country's dark past.

Several people met with Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan, Education and Culture Minister Anies Baswedan and Indonesian Military chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo during the protest to convey their demands.

The participants of the anticommunist rally demanded the government include their recommendations in a settlement for victims of the 1965 massacre. "Don't just take input from [those who] agree with PKI ideology; the government must also accommodate the symposium held at Balai Kartini," said FPI leader Muhammad Rizieq Shihab.

The rally began after Friday prayers at the Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta, with protesters marching to the National Monument (Monas) and then the State Palace.

Human rights activists and members of the public have recently cited several instances of discussions and events on the 1965 mass killings being disrupted, as well as raids on certain books and even T-shirts, amid claims from retired Army generals and hard-liners of the revival of communism in the country. (vps/rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/04/protestors-warn-of-rising-threat-of-communist-ideology.html

Anti-communist symposium slammed for misuse of groups' logos

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2016

Jakarta – Several mass organizations have protested against the use of their logos without permission during a recent anti-communist symposium.

The event, held on Wednesday and called "Protecting Pancasila from Threats from the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and Other Ideologies", was organized by several retired military generals to discuss warnings of a revival of the defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and to uphold Pancasila as the state ideology.

The event's committee claimed the symposium was supported by dozens of mass organizations including GP Ansor, the youth wing of the country's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, and the Catholic Students Union (PMKRI).

However, members of both organizations clarified that their logos had been used without permission.

Adung Abdul Rochman, the general-secretary of GP Ansor, said he received the invitation to attend the symposium a few days before the event. He was shocked to find a statement saying the event was supported by GP Ansor in the invitation letter.

"We object if suddenly we are considered to be one of the event's supporters. We don't know anything about its agenda or background," Adung said on Friday.

Angelo, the chairman of the PMKRI presidium, also expressed his objection to the use of the PMKRI's logo by the symposium's committee without the group's consent. The group planned to file a report to the police for that misuse.

The PMKRI had always recognized Pancasila as the state ideology, he said. However, he objected to an anti-PKI movement being used as a way to make others cooperate with right-wing extremist groups.

"Currently, we haven't seen any real threats from the PKI. On the contrary, the real threats that endanger this nation come from right-wing extremists or fundamentalist religious groups," Angelo said.

The anti-communist symposium was set up to challenge a previous symposium in April called "Dissecting the 1965 Tragedy", which brought together victims and families of the 1965 communist purge, human rights activists, academics and state officials to discuss how to resolve the long neglected case.

The retired generals and groups such as the Islam Defenders Front also urged the government not to offer a formal apology to the PKI and not to continue the reconciliation efforts started in a bid to settle the historic human rights abuse cases. There has not been any detailed plan from the government on how to resolve the 1965 political conflict and atone for the bloodshed. (vps/rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/03/anti-communist-symposium-slammed-for-misuse-of-groups-logos.html

Thousands rally in protest of alleged revival of PKI

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2016

Anton Hermansyah, Jakarta – At least 10,000 people representing various hard-line and civil society groups marched to the State Palace on Friday in protest of what they claimed to be the revival of the defunct of Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

The groups, including the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Islamic People's Forum (FUI) Pemuda Panca Marga and the Communication Forum of Indonesian Veterans' Children (FKPPI), started their long march after Friday prayers at Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta.

Wearing white garb and military-like attire, the protesters held posters as they called for the eradication of communism in Indonesia. "This is an anti-PKI movement," Maman Suryadi, who led the FPI protesters, told the thejakartapost.com.

Protesters' demands included for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to not revoke the 1966 Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS), which disbanded the PKI and banned anything communism-related, and also banned lessons on PKI in school curriculum.

The protest was a continuation of a two-day symposium entitled "Threat of the Indonesian Communist Party [PKI] and Other Ideologies" during which retired military generals and groups discussed threats brought about with the alleged revival of the PKI and ways to protect Pancasila as the state ideology.

Tuparjo from Pemuda Panca Marga said the purpose of the rally was to warn the government and public over the rising influence of communism. The protesters also urged the government to be firm on matters related to the PKI. "Communism and radicalism must not live in this country," he said.

Meanwhile, Arive Bawomo from FKPPI also said that the group's members urged the government to not apologize over the 1965 tragedy as demanded by human rights activists, victims and family of victims of the massacres. The government has yet to find a conciliatory solution for the 1965 communist purge, which is believed to have killed at least 500,000 people suspected to be members or sympathizers of the PKI.

Jakarta Police deployed around 3,000 personnel for Friday's rally. Police officers will guard the protest and manage traffic to prevent congestion, said Sr.Cmr. Dwiyono of the Central Jakarta Police. (rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/03/thousands-rally-in-protest-of-alleged-revival-of-pki.html

Former Army general gets Marxism muddled up, mocked online

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2016

Jakarta – A number of retired Army generals this week organized a symposium claiming to protect the country's national ideology, Pancasila, from the feared revival of communism and other ideologies. However, even the symposium coordinator seems unsure as to the exact nature of the perceived threat.

On the first day of the event on Wednesday, retired Army general and symposium coordinator Kiki Syahnakri tried to explain the difference between communism, Marxism and Leninism to journalists during a press conference.

He explained that a Marxist must be an atheist because dialectical materialism, the philosophy behind Marxism, was inspired by the ideas of philosophers Aristotle and Plato on the universe's creation.

"Marxism is Aristotelian. So a Marxist doesn't believe that the universe was created. That is to say, they believe the universe is present in itself," Kiki said. "So it's clear that they are atheists as they don't believe in God."

"On the other hand, Lenin thought that Marxists were too soft. Hence, to implement the ideas, he needed to seize power, he needed to make the revolution."

However, Kiki was contradicted by philosopher and Catholic priest Franz Magnis-Suseno. "Karl Marx's ideas aren't related to Aristotle's, and Aristotle's ideas aren't related to atheism," Franz told The Jakarta Post over the phone.

Franz explained that Marxism was Marx's critique of capitalism that analyzes the mechanisms of change within a society. He also said the main behind Marxism was to see the proletariat overthrow capitalism.

The late Soviet leader Lenin added the ideas of the democratic organization of a revolutionary vanguard party and the achievement of a dictatorship of the proletariat, Franz added.

"Marx didn't talk about the revolutionary party. But Lenin focused on the party, not only the theory. Lenin had the idea to manage the revolution, so he created the revolutionaries, called communists," he said. "So, communism is a combination of Marx and Lenin's theories."

Kiki's explanation of Marxism suddenly went viral on social media on Wednesday night after Rappler journalist Febriana Firdaus posted it on her Facebook account. As of Thursday evening, the post had been shared by netizens more than 800 times.

Some questioned Kiki's references in making such misleading explanations. "Wow, he has invented a new theory, which is tremendous and super," Poedjiati Tan commented on Febriana's post. "Sir, if you are too lazy to read [books], you could have just checked Wikipedia," said Bonaventura Aditya Perdana.

Febriana faced the consequences on Thursday, the second day of the symposium, as she was reportedly barred from covering the event by some participants who claimed to be members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI).

"Considering her inconsistent news coverage, foreign media journalist @febrofirdaus was kicked out of the national symposium," tweeted the official FPI Twitter account @DPP_FPI.

Meanwhile, Kiki responded to the development by saying that journalists should report fairly on the symposium. "I advise all journalists to avoid pitting us against each other," he said. "I regret there have been reports of attempts to bully and bring disunity." (vps/dmr)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/03/former-army-general-gets-marxism-muddled-up-mocked-online.html

Attempts at formal reconciliation 'will reopen old wounds'

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2016

Jakarta – Attempts at formal reconciliation and settlement for victims of the 1965 political conflict and violence would only reopen old wounds, as many efforts at "natural" reconciliation have taken place, a symposium on the 1965 history has concluded..

A number of retired military generals organized the symposium titled "Protecting Pancasila from the threat of the Indonesian Communist Party [PKI] and other ideologies" in Jakarta on Wednesday and Thursday.

The event was set up to challenge the previous symposium in April titled "Dissecting the 1965 Tragedy", which brought together victims and families of the 1965 communist purge, human rights activists, academics and state officials to discuss how to settle the dark chapter in Indonesian history.

On the last day of the symposium, it issued a list of recommendations that would be submitted immediately to the government.

"We are calling on the government, NGOs and the public not to bring up past cases anymore, as it could open old wounds, disrupt the nation's unity, or even encourage prolonged horizontal conflicts," said Indra Bambang Utoyo of the Communication Forum of Indonesian Veterans' Children (FKPPI).

The kidnapping and murder of six Army generals on Sept. 30, 1965, led to the purge of PKI members, sympathizers and their families, resulting in hundreds of thousands of victims killed across the country during the massacres in 1965 and 1966. However, Indra said there were several indications of the revival of the PKI in the country.

"Since the beginning of the reform era [in 1998], the PKI has been trying to keep its existence by holding three congresses, managing to reverse the historical facts, spreading videos and films consisting of agitation and defamation, and blaming its own faults on others such as the New Order government, the Indonesian Military [TNI] and Muslims," he said.

Furthermore, he urged the government to ban the PKI and all of its activities, corresponding with several regulations, including the 1966 Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS) law that banned the dissemination of "communism, Leninism and Marxism" in Indonesia.

Besides, the government needs to deepen lessons about the national ideology Pancasila in schools, as well as in non-formal and informal education, he added.

Coordinating Political Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said on Monday that the government would include the input from the counter-symposium, combining it with the previous symposium's recommendations.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) historian Asvi Warman Adam said on Wednesday that the counter-symposium could be ineffective as communism had been long dead worldwide.

"It's going to be ineffective if its only message is just about the revival of the PKI, because the PKI has been dissolved. However, stigma about communism was always present during the 30-year regime of New Order," he said, as reported by Kompas.com. (vps/bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/03/attempts-at-formal-reconciliation-will-reopen-old-wounds.html

Reconciliation at stake with growing rejectionist sentiment

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2016

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – A reconciliation effort aimed at settling past rights abuses in the country is at a crossroads after anti-communist groups got the nod from the military to reject and boycott activities that may lead to discussions of the 1965 communist purge.

A two-day symposium set up by retired Army generals on Thursday saw Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu and Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo warn of the rise of communism. Both the minister and the general supported action to contain and eliminate the putative resurgence of communism across the country. Ryamizard referred to the growing use of communist symbolism, the arrest of teenagers in Simalungun, North Sumatra, for sitting on the statues of iconic revolutionary heroes and calls to dissolve existing military territorial command structures (Komando Teritorial) as indications of a revival of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

"It is thus right for soldiers to get mad because the Sapta Marga [the soldiers' commitment] says that we are the citizens of the Unitary State of the Indonesian Republic [NKRI] that upholds Pancasila," Ryamizard told his audience.

"As Patriots, we support and defend the ideology of the country with full responsibility and perseverance". Throughout his presentation at the symposium, set up to rival a previous symposium attended by human rights activists, Ryamizard repeatedly stated that communism was a real threat to the country.

He also defended the arrest of any individual caught promoting communist symbols, arguing that other governments, such as Germany and United States, also took legal measures against those promoting controversial symbols such as Nazi or Ku Klux Klan iconography in public space.

The minister disagrees with a plan by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to apologize for the bloodshed during the communist purge in 1965.

Gatot shares a similar sentiment, and will work to ensure the government does not deliver an apology. He went on to clarify that President Jokowi had never mentioned any plan to deliver a state apology for the 1965 communist purge. "Who said the government would apologize? Which government? It's just rumor," Gatot said.

The end of the two-day symposium, which was entitled "Protecting Pancasila from the Indonesian Communist Party and Other Ideologies" concluded with nine recommendations to be submitted to Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan, who is leading a government team assigned to find solutions to settle unresolved cases of gross human rights violations, including those that happened during and after the communist purge.

One such recommendation involved the rejection of the restoration of the rights of victims who suffered during the purge.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/03/reconciliation-stake-with-growing-rejectionist-sentiment.html

Is this the new PKI headquarters claimed by Kivlan Zen?

Liputan 6 - June 3, 2016

Muslim AR, Jakarta – Former Army Strategic Reserves Command (green berets) Chief of Staff Major General Kivlan Zen made a surprising statement during the anti-PKI symposium not long ago. He said that the PKI (Indonesian Communist Party) will soon be revived and that it already has an office in the Senen area of Central Jakarta.

"Be warned, the PKI's office next to the Acacia Hotel on Jl. Matraman has already begun to be renovated as if it's an office owned by a business. That's where they will be revived, that's were the PKI is. In front of it there are indications they're building", said Zen at the national symposium titled "Protecting Pancasila from the threat of the PKI and other ideologies" on Wednesday June 1.

In order to validate the truth of the remarks by the retired three-star general, Liputan6.com went looking in the area he mentioned. During the search, what was found was not an office building, but a string of small stalls, a tonic shop, a food stall and several motorcycle workshops.

Aside from the string of tightly packed shops however, was an empty and dilapidated building overgrown with moss and weeds. In front of the building was a green signpost with the words, "PT Catur Krida Dana Utama".

It was rather difficult to see the physical conditions inside the building because it was obstructed by a corrugated iron fence in front of it.

So is this empty building the one Zen was referring to as the PKI's headquarters? Local residents who were asked about this claimed surprise, because the building had long been abandoned and no one is guarding it.

"What, who said that Mas [Brother]? It hasn't been used for a long time, [I] don't know what building it is, they say it's owned by a company, it's been like that for years, Mas, it's not being developed", said 48-year-old Krisman, a resident of Kramat Lontar who lives on Lane III.

Another local even said that people think the empty building is haunted because several local people passing by have seen apparitions.

"Certainly there are PKI there, Mas, the ghosts of the PKI. The front of the building can be seen clearly towards nightfall, many people trade in front of it, in the middle of the night it's a place to make out", said a resident of Jl. Kramat Sentiong who asked for their name not to be mentioned.

Syamsu Rijal, the head of neighbourhood RW01, Paseban administrative ward, Senen sub-district, Central Jakarta, admitted to being surprised at claims that a PKI headquarters is located in the area. "Wow, where is the office? It's the first I've heard of it, there's nothing [like that] here, Mas. I know this area really well", said Syamsu.

According to Syamsu, the majority of buildings in the area are residential homes. With regard to an empty office in the area, he was also not convinced that the building was a headquarters for PKI activity.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "Inikah Markas PKI di Kramat Raya Menurut Kivlan Zen?".]

Source: http://news.liputan6.com/read/2522715/inikah-markas-pki-di-kramat-raya-menurut-kivlan-zen

Indonesians must forget the past: Retired general

Jakarta Post - June 2, 2016

Jakarta – In the wake of a public outcry to resolve past human rights abuse cases, retired Army general Kiki Syahnakri has said Indonesians must learn to move on as nothing good comes from opening old wounds.

Kiki compared the 1965 tragedy with the 1948 Madiun affair, a failed armed insurrection by the now-defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

"In 1948, the victims were Muslims and Indonesian soldiers. But, we, the current generation of Muslims and the military never discuss the past ferocity of PKI," he said during the national symposium titled "Protecting Pancasila from Threats of PKI and Other Ideologies" in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Hence, Kiki questioned 1965 survivors and victims' whom have called on the government to apologize for violating their human rights.

"That is so wrong," he said, "As what this country needs is to forget the past and look forward to the future". "We don't need to open old wounds".

The kidnapping and murder of six Army generals on Sept. 30, 1965, led to the purge of PKI members, sympathizers and their families, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands across the country.

The two-day national symposium, held in April, titled "Dissecting the 1965 Tragedy", brought forth recommendations for the government to resolve the 1965 case. The symposium brought together victims and families of the 1965 communist purge, human rights activists, academics and state officials.

However, several retired Army generals were displeased by the event and organized a counter symposium on Wednesday and Thursday, involving a few hundred retired officers and several mass organizations.

"I have heard that President Joko Widodo will officially say sorry to [1965 survivors] on Independence Day [observed on Aug. 17]," said retired Army general Kivlan Zein during the second day of the symposium in Jakarta on Thursday. "We can't let that happen," he added.

Meanwhile, Haryono, spokesman of Lembaga Perjuangan Rehabilitasi Korban Orde Baru, an NGO working for the rehabilitation of New Order regime victims, said during the April symposium that it was important for the government to apologize.

"We don't want to re-raise communism in Indonesia. We just ask the President to engage in reconciliation," said Haryono. Furthermore, Kiki also said that the latest symposium might recommend the government to gather those two opposing sides in order to find an ideal resolution. (vps/bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/02/indonesians-must-forget-the-past-retired-general.html

Retired servicemen refuse to apologize

Jakarta Post - June 2, 2016

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) governor Let. Gen. (ret) Agus Widjojo smiled when a fellow soldier, retired Army general Maj. Gen. (ret) Kivlan Zen, ridiculed him in front of a convention of military veterans on Wednesday.

Kivlan grabbed and raised Agus' hand while calling him "the man responsible for favoring the Indonesian Communist Party [PKI]."

Kivlan's remark was met with a fiery speech from Islam Defenders Front (FPI) patron Muhammad Rizieq Shihab, condemning the symposium that Agus, along with the government and rights groups, held in April to bring together victims, their families and scholars to address the controversial 1965 communist purge that is estimated to have caused the death of hundreds of thousands of people. It was the first dialogue of its kind after the government, especially during Soeharto's New Order, outlawed the PKI and its former members.

Applause and laughter immediately filled the room afterwards, with shouts of "Don't apologize to the PKI", "Allahu Akbar [God is great]" and the provocative "[It's] war against the PKI". The audience included several high profile retired Army generals such as former vice president Gen. (ret) Try Sutrisno and former Army deputy chief of staff Let. Gen. (ret) Kiki Syahnakri.

Wednesday's event was part of a two-day symposium called "Protecting Pancasila From the Indonesian Communist Party [PKI] and Other Ideologies", arranged by retired Army generals and their supporters.

The anti-communist gathering was aimed at challenging an earlier government-sponsored dialogue. The gathering featured testimonies from individuals whose family members were slaughtered by members of the PKI.

Agus's father, Sutoyo Siswomiharjo, was one of the Army generals killed during an attempted coup on Sept. 30, 1965. The failed coup, blamed on the PKI, triggered a nationwide purge suspected communists and the ban of communism in Indonesia.

Try said he rejected the ongoing reconciliation process that the government had built up, arguing that it would encourage the rise of communism in the country and would lead to the rebirth of a communist party.

"Today, former elites, supporters and relatives of the PKI enjoy their full civil, cultural, economic and political rights. Some of their relatives have secured seats at various state institutions," Try said. In his speech, he called for an addendum to the 1945 Constitution to formally prohibit communism, Leninism and Marxism in the country.

Agus, who was there to represent the government, was not given the chance to deliver his speech. On the sidelines of the event, Agus, in response to reporter queries, welcomed the initiative to "raise more input" for the government as it searched for a solution to reconcile with the country's dark past.

He regretted, however, the "obvious misunderstandings" shown by the participants toward the government's reconciliation efforts. "Reconciliation does not mean that the government will apologize to the PKI. That is incorrect," he said.

Commenting on the strong anti-communist sentiment during the event, he referred to history, noting that the PKI was the main opponent of the Army, and thus deep distrust between their supporters was understandable. "Reconciliation is a comprehensive concept," he said, emphasizing that the process went beyond the historic rivalry between the two institutions.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/02/retired-servicemen-refuse-apologize.html

Hard-line groups to protest 1965 apology at State Palace

Jakarta Post - June 2, 2016

Jakarta – Hard-line Islamic groups and a number of retired army generals plan to hold a rally in front of the State Palace on Friday to protest the government's efforts to bring about reconciliation for the victims of 1965 tragedy.

The rally will start after Friday prayers at the Istiqlal Grand Mosque in Central Jakarta, from where protestors will conduct a long march to the State Palace, Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI) patron Muhammad Rizieq Shihab said on Wednesday.

"We want to go to the State Palace because it is the source of problems. The palace has been trying to find a formulation of reconciliation," Rizieq said during a national symposium entitled Protecting Pancasila from the Threat of the Indonesian Communist Party [PKI] and Other Ideologies" in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Furthermore, Rizieq also slammed the "government's plan to apologize to the PKI", even though no detail has yet emerged from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration on how to resolve the 1965 political conflict and bloodshed.

The official reconciliation is also a waste of time as the survivors and victims have been through a natural reconciliation within the society, he added.

"That means that they have got their rights in terms of civil society, economy and politics. So why would we open old wounds?" he said referring among others to the removal of the label "political prisoner" on the identity cards of former political detainees and the restoration of their electoral rights. Still, survivors and their descendants have reported continued stigma and discrimination.

Meanwhile, symposium coordinator Kiki Syahnakri said that "hundreds" of fellow retired Army generals would also join the rally. "They are old and could easily catch a cold. But for this matter, we are ready to die," he said at the event.

At least 300 retired military generals are involved as organizers of the symposium that was also attended by several mass organizations.

The event was set up to challenge the Symposium titled "Dissecting the 1965 Tragedy" held in April as participants said they were not satisfied with the previous event. The national symposium on the 1965 tragedy brought together victims and families of the 1965 communist purge, human rights activists, academics and state officials to discuss how to settle the dark chapter in Indonesian history.

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said on Monday that he welcomed the Symposium on protecting Pancasila initiated by retired generals as it would also provide input for the government to make a decision on settling past human rights abuses.

The kidnapping and murder of six Army generals on Sept.30, 1965, led to the purge of PKI members, sympathizers and their families, resulting in hundreds of thousands of victims across the country, with at least 500,000 people killed during the massacres in 1965 and 1966.

Soeharto seized power in 1966 with the controversial March 11 Indonesian Presidential Executive Order (Supersemar). The 1966 Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS) banned the dissemination of "communism, Leninism and Marxism" in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, retired army general Kivlan Zein claimed that he had found indications that the PKI would soon be revived, echoing fears stated by among others Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu. The indications range from the spread of communist symbols to the gathering of leftist activists recently. The PKI had also renovated its old office in Jakarta as part of preparations for the revival, he said.

"They are ready to proclaim themselves once again in 2017, soon after the government apologizes to them," Kivlan said. "Before they become strong, we must hit them hard."

Activists have cited several instances of disrupted discussions and other events on 1965, raids on books and even T-shirts.

Dave Lumenta, an anthropologist at the University of Indonesia (UI), said that most people had no access to the country's history except the lesson materials taught in schools.

Hence, the single narrative of the 1965 mass killings provided by the government has formed collective memories among people that communists were only brutal atheists, he said in an interview in May. (vps)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/02/hard-line-groups-to-protest-1965-apology-at-state-palace.html

Former general claims PKI has 15 million supporters, ready to declare itself

Detik News - June 1, 2016

Rina Atriana, Jakarta – Retired Major General Kivlan Zen says that the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) has already been revived and has formed an organisational party structure and has prepared as many as 15 million supporters.

"They're reviving, they (the PKI) has already formed a party structure from the national down to the village [level] led by Wahyu Setiaji", said Zen during a break in the national symposium "Protecting Pancasila from the threat of the PKI and other ideologies" at the Kartini building on Jl. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta on Wednesday June 1.

"They are already prepared with 15 million of their supporters", he said.

Zen also said that the PKI has already renovated its headquarters in the Matraman are of Central Jakarta and that the PKI would declare itself soon.

"They're ready to declare [themselves]. At the latest they're planning for 2017, they will rise up and proclaim themselves when the state issues an apology to them because they [will then] say that they were not in the wrong", he explained. (rna/hri)

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "Kivlan Zein: PKI Sudah Bentuk Struktur Partai dan Siap Deklarasi".]

Notes

According to a June 2 Kompas.com article, Zen later explained to confused journalists that Wahyu Setiaji, who no one appears to have heard of before, is actually the son of Lukman Njoto, also known as Nyoto, one of Former President Sukarno's ministers and a former deputy of the Indonesian Community Party.

Source: http://news.detik.com/berita/3222914/kivlan-zein-pki-sudah-bentuk-struktur-partai-dan-siap-deklarasi

FPI threatens to impeach Jokowi over 1965 apology

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2016

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The leader of the hardline Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Muhammad Rizieq Shihab, has threatened to attempt to impeach President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo if the latter agrees to make a state apology for the mass violence that occurred in 1965, as demanded by human rights activists and families of the victims.

The apology is sought as part of a reconciliation process to settle gross human rights violations that occurred during the 1965 communist purge.

"If President Jokowi apologizes, we and all Muslims in the country will impeach him," Rizieq told an audience including retired high-ranking military generals during an event entitled the National Symposium on Securing Pancasila From the Threat of the PKI (Indonesian Communist Party) and Other Ideologies on Wednesday.

Speaking in a high and fiery tone that he usually reserves for delivering sermons, Rizieq further warned, "We will oppose anyone, including state officials, who instigates the rebirth of the PKI."

In his speech, he also slammed Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan for what Rizieq said was a slow and indecisive response to "the rampant use of communist symbols".

Several retired Army generals attended the two-day event that began on Wednesday, including former vice president Try Sutrisno and retired Army general Kivlan Zein.

The event, held to commemorate the birth of Pancasila on June 1, was arranged to challenge a previous state-sponsored national symposium held to bring together and gain input from various stakeholders, including victims, human rights activists, academics and state officials, as part of efforts to come up with comprehensive solutions to settle the human rights abuses that happened during and after the mass killings in 1965.

It is estimated that around 500,000 people were killed and millions sent to prison without trial in the 1965 tragedy. The growing calls for justice for victims and their families have met with protests from several civil groups warning both the government and the public about the rise of communism in the country. (rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/01/fpi-threatens-to-impeach-jokowi-over-1965-apology.html

Include communism ban in Constitution's addendum: Ex-VP

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2016

Jakarta – Former vice president Try Sutrisno called on Wednesday for an addendum in the 1945 Constitution to ensure that communism, Leninism and Marxism were prohibited ideologies in the country.

"There should be an addendum in the 1945 Constitution, stating that Pancasila is our national ideology, and Marxism, Leninism and communism are restricted," the retired general said at a national symposium titled Protecting Pancasila from the threats of the Indonesian Communist Party [PKI] and Other Ideologies in Jakarta on Wednesday.

"It's the only way to strengthen the status of Pancasila and fundamentally prohibit Marxism, Leninism and communism," he stressed

According to Try, lots of young people have forgotten Pancasila and its basic values. He even claimed that the substance of the fourth amendment of the 1945 Constitution had deviated from Pancasila, resulting in a number of misguided laws.

"Hence, we should continue the education, refreshment and the deepening of Pancasila, whether through formal, non-formal and informal education," Try claimed.

The symposium was organized by at least 300 retired generals and members of mass organizations as they were dissatisfied with the previous symposium in April titled Dissecting the 1965 Tragedy.

Coordinating Political Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said on Monday that the government would wait for input from the latest symposium before it decided on how to resolve the 1965 tragedy, in which 500,000 people died, mostly members and sympathizers of the now-defunct PKI.

"We expect to get input from participants of the [June] symposium too. We see which suggestions are suitable," Luhut said. (vps/bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/01/include-communism-ban-in-constitutions-addendum-ex-vp.html

Sexual & domestic violence

Police remain sluggish in investigating rape cases

Jakarta Post - June 7, 2016

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – A recent string of rape cases has yet to shake things up in the country's police forces, which still tend to delay responding to victims' reports, leading to evidence that could be used to prosecute perpetrators going missing.

The family of ES, a junior high school student who committed suicide, presumably out of shame after allegedly being raped in Namo Rambe district, Deli Serdang regency, North Sumatra, has turned to an advocacy group after their report on the case was neglected by local police.

"Before meeting us today, the family of the rape victim was approached by officers from the Namo Rambe Police asking the family to together change the police report again. This is strange because it was the police who have asked for the change in the report," said Rurita Ningrum of North Sumatra People Against Sexual Violence (MSUAKS) when accompanying ES' family to file a report at the North Sumatra Police headquarters on Monday.

ES, 14, of Batu Gemuk village, Namo Rambe district, reportedly committed suicide by drinking pesticides out of embarrassment after being raped by a neighbor late last month. The victim's family filed the rape report with the Namo Rambe Police, but the police recorded it as an attempted theft instead.

ES' adoptive father, Nehen Sembiring, who had reported the rape to the Namo Rambe Police, said that he lodged the report on May 21, a few hours after the rape took place.

He brought along a number of pieces of evidence, including a cell phone, a T-shirt and a pair of sandals that the alleged rapist, MDP, 15, had apparently left in the victim's room when trying to escape through the window. Nehen said that despite reporting the rapist to the police in order to secure an immediate arrest, no arrest had been made.

"[MDP's] parents came to our house two days after the incident to settle the case out of court, but we rejected them. We demanded the rapist be arrested," said Nehen, adding that ES attempted suicide when the boy's family came to his house.

An outcry broke out after revelations emerged of a gang rape of a teenage girl in Bengkulu that only became known weeks afterwards as the police were slow to investigate the case.

A nationwide uproar has led the government to issue a regulation that would impose chemical castration or even death sentences on convicted child rapists. Despite the tough response from the government, the police have remained sluggish in handling new rape incidents.

The police are set to end their investigation into a case concerning a 19-year-old girl in Manado, North Sulawesi, who was allegedly gang raped by a group of men, including police officers.

"We only got the report from the victim's parents four days after the incident took place [...] The victim's underwear has been washed. It is hard to prove the case," said National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar.

The police have also played down another case of alleged gang rape in Semarang, Central Java, in which a 12-year-old was reportedly the victim of six male individuals, five of them minors.

"What happened was an agreement, seduction [between the victim and the males]. In a rape case, there should be signs of force, but not in this case," said Semarang Police chief Sr. Comr. Burhanudin.

Rurita said there was a long list of rape cases in which victims were unwilling to report to police because officers would ask them for money to pursue the legal process. "The National Police chief should pay serious attention to this, especially in the law enforcement of cases of sexual violence," she said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/07/police-remain-sluggish-investigating-rape-cases.html

Lawmaker loses post, faces trial for abusing maid

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2016

Indra Budiari, Jakarta – Lawmaker Fanny Afriansyah, also known as Ivan Haz, was dismissed on Thursday from the House of Representatives. However, his troubles are still far from over as attention now turns to his criminal trial regarding abuse.

During a plenary session, House deputy speaker Taufik Kurniawan declared that lawmakers had approved the House's ethic council's (MKD) findings that Ivan had breached behavioral standards by abusing his domestic helper.

The abuse case broke out in October 2015 when the domestic helper filed a report against the son of former vice president Hamzah Haz to the Jakarta Police, claiming that she had been severally beaten by the United Development Party (PPP) politician since working for him in May.

Ivan, who has been in detainment since February, had sought leniency by asking for the domestic helper's forgiveness, hoping that it would end the criminal investigation. However, through the helper's legal representatives from the Women's Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Apik), they insisted that "an apology would not affect the investigation".

The helper had told her representatives that Ivan had hit her on the head with a mosquito spray bottle, kicked her if she made a mistake and threatened to kill her if she ever dared to escape from his house. She finally fled from Ivan's house with lacerations to the head and back injuries.

On Thursday, PPP secretary-general Arsul Sani said the party respected the decision to dismiss Ivan, adding that his place at the House would be replaced by the candidate who secured the second highest amount of votes during the 2014 legislative election.

"We respected the ethic council's decision from the beginning, the PPP has the utmost confidence in the House's internal mechanisms that made the decision," he told reporters after the plenary session.

Previously, the PPP said that it would provide legal assistance to Ivan for the case. In March, party chairman Djan Faridz had said in any case the party was ready to assist Ivan "with the best lawyer as he was a party member".

Ivan's trial was previously scheduled to start at the Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday, but was rescheduled to June 8 due at the prosecutors' request. Prosecutors charged him under Articles 44 and 45 of the 2004 law on the elimination of domestic violence, with a maximum punishment of 10 years' imprisonment and Rp 30 million (US$2,190) in fines.

Having been elected by his East Java constituent in 2014, Ivan is in his first term at the House. On Feb. 22 Ivan was reportedly arrested by the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) for using drugs with eight Kostrad members, five policemen and five civilians. The case is still under investigation.

Despite all the controversy, the PPP is still reluctant to dismiss Ivan from the party, as Arsul said the party would need to hold a meeting to decide Ivan's status, adding that his defense needed to be heard as well.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/03/lawmaker-loses-post-faces-trial-abusing-maid.html

Harsh penalties fail to discourage rapists

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2016

Suherdjoko and Andi Hajramurni, Semarang/Makassar – The government's hard-line approach to sexual violence against children has failed to discourage the brutality as more rape cases have occurred this month.

While the government has announced plans to take bold steps against child rapists by giving out harsh punishments that can go as far as death, young Indonesians continue to be preyed upon.

In Semarang, Central Java, six male individuals, five of them minors, persuaded and seduced a 12-year-old girl, still in the sixth grade, to have sex. The sexual abuse began in early May and took place in four locations in Pedurungan, Semarang, Central Java. The victim's father lodged a report on Monday with the Semarang Police that a man had taken his daughter.

"We are holding the six suspects. They committed the sexual assault with persuasion and seduction. There was no compulsion so it's not a case of rape," said Semarang Police chief Sr. Comr. Burhanuddin in Semarang on Tuesday.

He added that the girl's parents were divorced and she lived with her father. She had left school before the crime took place and was reportedly often left alone. Five of the suspects are aged 14 or 15 years old, while the other suspect is 36-year-old NM.

Semarang Police crime investigation unit chief Comr. Sukiyono said the police arrested the six suspects on Tuesday at around 2 a.m. "We initially arrested eight people, but two were not involved so we released them. All of them are school dropouts and unemployed," he added.

Burhanuddin said the number of suspects might increase based on statements from the detained suspects. The suspects will be charged under the Child Protection Law.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has inked a regulation in lieu of a law (Perppu) that could lead to child rapists being chemically castrated or even executed, penalties that have quickly drawn controversy.

The Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) has voiced concern over the ethics of doctors performing the castration procedure and has recommended that the government focus on rehabilitating the perpetrators.

But as cases continue to emerge, questions have been raised about the nation's ability to protect its children.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi, a 7-year-old girl was reportedly raped on Monday afternoon. The victim was still undergoing treatment at the Bhayangkara Police Hospital in Makassar as of Tuesday. Besides genital wounds, she is also undergoing mental treatment as she was traumatized by the attack.

Makassar Police crime investigation unit chief Comr. Tri Hambodo confirmed on Tuesday the medical examination conducted by the Bhayangkara Hospital medical team indicated that the victim had suffered sexual violence, which resulted in genital injuries.

According to Tri, the perpetrator used a finger but failed to rape the victim because she struggled and screamed, so the perpetrator fled.

Police are still pursuing the perpetrator. His identity remains unknown, because police investigators could not question the victim extensively due to her unstable psychological condition. The victim claimed not to know the perpetrator. However, she remembered some of his traits.

"We are sure the offender is an adult male. We are pursuing the perpetrator. We are confident that we can find him soon," said Tri.

The victim was found in a troubled state in a vacant house on Jl. Paropo, Makassar, by housewife Suharti, 50, who happened to pass by the dilapidated house. The victim was leaning against a wall, crying and frightened. She was immediately taken to her home. The case was immediately reported to the Panakkukang District Police, who then handed the case over to the Makassar Police.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/01/harsh-penalties-fail-discourage-rapists.html

Labour & migrant workers

More efforts needed to address slavery in RI

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2016

Tama Salim and Liza Yosephine, Jakarta – The traditional setting of domestic workers in Indonesia, who live at home with their employers, may have contributed to the country's poor standing in a recent global survey.

Traditionally, Indonesian domestic workers, as well as those working as housemaids abroad, live with their employers and can be prone to abuse, ranging from long work hours to violence and torture.

The 2016 Global Slavery Index released on Tuesday revealed that around 736,000 individuals are trapped in situations of modern slavery in Indonesia, putting the country in the index's Top 10.

The ranking placed Indonesia among countries with the most enslaved people, including India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan and North Korea. Collectively, the Top 10 countries account for 68 percent of people living in modern slavery worldwide, the report states.

Modern slavery takes many forms in Indonesia, affecting men, women and children. The survey tracks the number of people stuck in "situations of exploitation that [they] cannot refuse or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, abuse of power or deception".

"In terms of absolute numbers, Indonesia is placed ninth in the Global Slavery Index," Katherine Bryant, a research manager at the Walk Free Foundation and an author of the index, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Despite the relatively high ranking, the prevalence of modern slavery in Indonesia is still below that in many other countries, partly due to the population, a government official noted.

With a population of over 252 million, Indonesia has an estimated 0.3 percent of its population in modern slavery, putting it in the 39th place.

Survey data reveals that forced labor in agriculture and the construction industry is one of the most prevalent forms of modern slavery. The data also found cases of forced labor of adults and children in the palm oil industry.

Indonesian migrant workers were found to be vulnerable to exploitation in Gulf countries, while commercial sexual exploitation of women and children also occurs throughout Indonesia.

The analysis gave the Indonesian government's response a B rating. In its statement, the foundation commended the government's efforts to address modern slavery. Bryant said, however, that more could be done to eradicate modern slavery through comprehensive improvements in various sectors, both public and private.

She suggested strengthening regulations to protect citizens, including by ratifying and implementing the International Labor Organization's Domestic Workers Convention to ensure compliance with international standards, ratifying the Protocol of 2014 to the ILO Forced Labour Convention, and passing the country's domestic workers' protection bill.

Bryant added that the government should increase public awareness of modern slavery to further support progress in the reduction and prevention of such treatment.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha rejected the perceptions, saying the survey did not reflect the reality on the ground, including Indonesia's progress in reducing the number of enslaved people.

"The methodology is at an early stage," he said, citing the survey. "[We] don't see the report as scrutinizing our weaknesses. On the contrary, it praises the steps Indonesia has taken to reduce [the number of] those trapped in modern slavery."

According to 2015 data from the Foreign Ministry, there has been a significant increase in cases of Indonesians becoming victims of trafficking overseas. From 327 cases reported in 2014, the number jumped last year to 500 cases, more than half of which have been resolved.

The ministry's director for the protection of Indonesian nationals and entities abroad, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, said there had been significant progress among Gulf countries, where most trafficking cases involving Indonesians occurred.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/03/more-efforts-needed-address-slavery-ri.html

Political parties & elections

New elections law undermines KPU independence, activists warn

Jakarta Globe - June 6, 2016

Nivell Rayda, Jakarta – Activists said the recently passed revisions to the Regional Election Law will seriously undermine the General Election Commission's independence while others pointed out that the amendments have failed to address some of the issues found in last year's simultaneous regional elections.

The House of Representatives passed the revision bill into law on Thursday, introducing a clause which requires the Commission, known as the KPU, to stage consultation hearings with the legislature before it formulates and establishes technical guidelines for the elections, including deadlines and schedules.

"This is seriously damaging the KPU's independence in staging elections," Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) researcher Fadli Ramadhanil told a discussion on Sunday (05/06) as quoted by Tempo.co.

Veri Junaidi, chairman of the Constitution and Democracy Initiative (Kode) said the KPU must file a judicial review to the Constitutional Court to have the article scrapped and regain its independence. Otherwise, he said, the KPU "will face enormous pressures from candidates."

Masykurudin Hafidz of the People's Voter Education Network (JPPR) said another can of worms which the revision has opened is the verification process for an independent candidate's support.

The new law stipulates that the task of verifying the thousands of support for independent candidates rests on local ballot officials. The law also stipulates that all supports must be verified within 14 days after they were submitted to the KPU.

Although feasible for small towns, ballot officials in cities like Jakarta would have their work cut out for them.

Masykurudin said Jakarta's 267 wards only have an average of three ballot officials each, not enough manpower to verify even the minimum 532,000 signatures each independent candidate must collect before they are qualified to run. "The KPU have no choice but to recruit more manpower. But what about the budget," Masykurudin said.

Kode chairman Veri said there are some positive breakthroughs offered by the new law, one of which is providing more power to the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) to investigate and hear cases of vote buying.

But Indonesia Corruption Watch activist Alma Syafrina said the new law did not prevent the practice of soliciting payoffs from hopefuls in exchange for a party's political support which is often disguised as donations or "registration fees," a practice which has been widely reported recently as political parties vet potential candidates for next year's simultaneous regional elections.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/new-elections-law-undermines-kpu-independence-activists-warn/

House passes local elections bill into law

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2016

Nurul Fitri Ramadhani, Jakarta – After more than a month of intense deliberation, the House of Representatives finally passed on Thursday the regional elections bill into law, despite objections from certain factions to several points in the law.

One such point is Article 7, which stipulates that legislators from the House, Regional Legislative Councils (DPRD) and Regional Representative Councils (DPD) have to submit a written resignation if they are nominated as candidates to run in regional elections.

During his speech at the plenary session, the House working committee chairman, Rambe Kamarulzaman, said all 10 House factions disagreed with the idea that legislators should resign from their posts when competing in elections.

"All factions objected to the resignation requirement, until two days before the final meeting with the government. It was then that we finally agreed to accept it," said the Golkar Party legislator.

The government said the resignation stipulation followed a Constitutional Court ruling in September 2015, which stipulates that civil servants and legislators have to leave their positions to run in elections.

Rambe said the implementation of the article might open the door to another judicial review in the future. "The potential for a judicial review [against the article] is high, as long as the individuals or parties have a legal standing," he said.

However, working committee deputy chairman Lukman Edy of the National Awakening Party (PKB) was pessimistic that political parties would file a judicial review given that public trust in legislators was weakening.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) legislator Rahmat Nasution Hamka from House Commission II overseeing home affairs, criticized the Constitutional Court's ruling, arguing that the court sometimes used erroneous logic in issuing its decisions.

The passing of the regional elections bill into law was greeted with applause by the General Elections Commission (KPU). "It's the right decision because it's in line with the Constitutional Court decision, which is mandatory," KPU commissioner Hadar Nafis Gumay said.

The KPU is concerned about Article 9, which stipulates that the election commission must set regulations (PKPU) after first consulting with the House and the government in a hearing.

"Such a regulation could reduce our independence. We were surprised by this point because the House never told us or invited us to talk about it," Hadar said.

He added that the point might disturb local elections because it was possible that the KPU and legislators with political interests might conflict in setting regulations.

The House claims they are following the Legislative Institution Law that stipulates that their recommendations are binding to all parties.

Also under the new law, Article 135 stipulates that the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) has the authority to accept reports, investigate and issue verdicts on administrative violations and transactional politics. Previously, to take action against transactional politics, Bawaslu could only recommend the reports to courts.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/03/house-passes-local-elections-bill-law.html

Environment & natural disasters

Indonesia's forest fires threaten Sumatra's few remaining Orang Rimba

The Guardian (Australia) - June 7, 2016

Angel L Martinez Cantera in Jambi, Sumatra – "Our main goal is to preserve the forest according to the customary traditions of our people. If there's no forest, there's no Orang Rimba and the other way round," says Bepak Pengusai, head of customs in a rombong, or group area, belonging to the Orang Rimba, an aboriginal people in Sumatra.

Indonesia's devastating forest fires pose a serious threat to the Orang Rimba habitat. From July to late last year, the fires killed a dozen people and caused respiratory tract infections in half a million more.

Every year, landowners start fires to clear ground for farming, but last year a seasonal drought spread the blazes with catastrophic effect.

The emissions from the fires were so toxic they catapulted Indonesia to the top of the world rankings of air polluters. On the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, indigenous communities including the Orang Rimba were hard hit. The fires also threatened endangered species, such as the orangutan.

The Orang Rimba, which means people of the jungle in the Bahasa language, comprise about 2,000 aborigines from Jambi province in central Sumatra. Their territory extends across 60,000 hectares (148,000 acres), according to the conservation group Warsi. Traditionally inhabiting rainforest as hunter-gatherers, their animist beliefs centre on protecting nature as their only source of sustenance.

However, the expansion of corporate plantations and slash-and-burn land clearance have gradually pushed out the 11 tribes that make up this community from Jambi's Bukit Duabelas national park, which has shrunk by an estimated 30% in the last decade, according to Indonesian anthropologist Butet Manurung, who is a specialist in the Orang Rimba and their habitat.

"The government tries to blame indigenous peoples and fails to punish the companies that provoke fires," says Rukka Sombolinggi, deputy secretary general at the Indigenous People's Alliance of the Archipelago (Aman in Bahasa).

In October, President Joko Widodo announced new housing for the Orang Rimba on 2,500 hectares of forest in Jambi following a meeting with tribal leaders – the first one organised by an Indonesian head of state.

But Bepak Pengusai says the housing will not solve the existential challenges facing his people, and argues that overexploitation of the rainforest is the root cause of the fires.

"We don't refuse assistance from outside if it benefits us, because we know we can't fight modernity ourselves and alone. But the jungle belongs to the Orang Rimba," he says.

Sombolinggi rejected the president's offer of housing. "The majority of Orang Rimba do not wish for a 'house' by Indonesian standards [...] Their home is the forest. Their landscape must be restored for their very survival. Otherwise, history will record that the government of Indonesia successfully pushed the Orang Rimba to extinction."

According to a recent World Bank study, the forest fires will cost Indonesia an estimated $26bn – 1.9% of its gross domestic product, or more than twice the post-2004 tsunami reconstruction costs.

Neither the sustainable palm oil initiative nor repeated – and breached – moratoriums on land clearance have sufficiently protected Indonesian natural resources.

Aman says the Orang Rimba are already on the brink of extinction mainly because of the exploitation of their traditional lands.

Vast areas of rainforest have been converted into monoculture plantations. Beginning with concessions granted by former President Suharto to fuel political patronage (pdf), forests were used as industrial plantations for timber, rubber and palm oil once the hardwoods had been depleted.

Indonesia is the world's largest palm oil exporter and has doubled its production to 23m tonnes in less than a decade, according to government records (pdf). The sector is an important source of government revenue, generating $12.4bn in foreign exchange from exports. However, only 0.5% of the 10m hectares of palm oil plantations belong to the state (pdf), while the rest is owned by smallholders and the private sector.

"We noted more than 730 conflicts between palm oil companies and communities [since 1998]," says Agustinus Karlo Lumban Raja, head of the environmental department at Sawit Watch, a national network of smallholders and communities that advocates stopping palm oil expansion, especially in Sumatra, where most of the concessions are located.

"Most of them are related to unclear and unfair land acquisition, land grabbing, criminalisation, unfair partnerships and labour issues," Lumban Raja added.

In 2013, Indonesia's constitutional court ruled in favour (pdf) of indigenous peoples' rights over the forests where they lived. But Sombolinggi says the government continues to award concessions to private companies without the consent of indigenous peoples, while evicting tribes from protected areas.

"Many indigenous peoples have been evicted from national parks, protected forests and other conservation areas. [In] most cases, indigenous peoples face charges and end up in prison. They are criminalised just because their ancestral land happens to be a conservation area."

As well as being neglected by the government, the Orang Rimba are preyed upon by corporations that take advantage of widespread illiteracy. Organisations including Warsi have recorded instances of Orang Rimba being encouraged to sign land agreements that they could not read.

In the forest, 51-year-old Celitai explains how he sees the problem: "The government doesn't protect the national park. Some Orang Rimba sell their land and we can't stop that. But land should go back to the community."

Widodo has promised to pass a long-delayed draft law on indigenous rights. But until then, the Orang Rimba face the prospect of struggling alone against corporate interests.

"Palm oil workers burned the house of an Orang Rimba a couple of years ago. So 500 members ran away and were found hiding in the forest," recalls 27-year-old Pengendum Tampung, leader of the United Makekal Group (KMB, in Bahasa). KMB has mapped the jungle and prevented the expansion of plantations in certain areas by denouncing illegal practices.

Tampung's organisation is made up of current and former students from Sokola Rimba (Rimba School), an innovative project that educates indigenous people to help them cope with modernity.

Set up by Manurung, the initiative has spread literacy to more than 300 Orang Rimba, with the aim of preventing them being cheated of their land.

Tampung, who thinks improvements in transport links would be more useful for Orang Rimba than housing, says the rights of his people must be protected.

"The decision from the constitutional court must be followed by all parties and the government should allow us to maintain our own customary traditions inside the jungle, including prohibition of logging and land clearing. Otherwise, we are fighting a losing battle."

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/jun/07/indonesia-forest-fires-threaten-sumatras-few-remaining-orang-rimba

RI still far from greenhouse gas reduction target

Jakarta Post - June 7, 2016

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indonesia still has a long way to go to achieve its carbon emission reduction target as efforts to combat climate change are being hampered at the regional level, a World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia analysis shows.

In 2013, Indonesia had achieved just 2.25 percent of the total target of carbon emission reductions at the provincial level, which is set to be achieved by 2020, according to the WRI analysis on various government data.

"Seeing how Indonesia only has four years left, provinces have to push for better implementation [in the climate change mitigation program] to meet the target by 2020," WRI Indonesia climate program coordinator Andhyta F. Utami said.

WRI Indonesia came up with the figure by using carbon emission reduction evaluation and monitoring documentation from 34 provinces, which was submitted to the National Action Plan on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (RAN-GRK) secretariat at the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas).

After that, WRI Indonesia compared the total emission reduction that all provinces had achieved to the commitment laid out in the gubernatorial regulations on a provincial action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"If this data is accurate, then we have to better implement the carbon reduction program. But if it's wrong, then there needs to be better monitoring of the implementation of the program," Andhyta said.

A Bappenas analysis, meanwhile, shows that Indonesia succeeded in reducing its carbon emissions by 15.5 percent from 2010 to 2015. Indonesia is aiming for a 29 percent emission reduction by 2030.

According to WRI Indonesia analysis, there is much contradiction between regional government development programs and their greenhouse gas reduction programs.

For instance, West Kalimantan's development road map contains a target of increasing the consumption of mineral resources, while East Java is aiming to increase exploration and exploitation activities to develop mining and mineral resources.

"The development priorities in these two provinces contradict climate change mitigation proposals, such as protecting the remaining forest and reforestation. They need to find ways to balance their development plans with the emission reduction efforts, which contradict each other," said Andhyta.

Among all the provinces, North Sumatra had the highest amount of carbon emissions in 2010, emitting 260 million tons of CO2. It was followed by Riau, East Java, Central Kalimantan and Lampung as provinces with the highest greenhouse gas emissions.

"The main source of emissions in those provinces vary, from agriculture, forestry, energy, transportation, industry and waste," said Andhyta.

However, Papua, one of the most underdeveloped provinces in the country, has the highest carbon emissions per capita, with more than 80 million tons of CO2 per 1,000 people. Meanwhile, North Sumatra ranks fourth in terms of carbon emissions per capita, with 20 million tons of CO2 per 1,000 people. Emissions per capita is calculated by dividing the total carbon emissions with the total population.

"It means that every person in Papua is responsible for more emissions than a person in North Sumatra. It shows that every individual has to have a sense of responsibility," WRI Indonesia country director Tjokorda Nirarta Samadhi said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/07/ri-still-far-greenhouse-gas-reduction-target.html

RI torn by conflicts over environment

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2016

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – From Acehnese fighting to protect the Leuser National Park to Papuans resisting the expansion of palm oil companies, thousands of people across the archipelago are waging an environmental war.

The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has recorded 773 cases of environmental activists being unfairly charged in the past five years, with 233 being assaulted and 28 murdered.

"We can see that assaults against activists and people who fight for their rights is still rampant," Walhi executive director Nur "Yaya" Hidayati said.

According to her, there is a contradiction when it comes to how the government treats environmental activists and local people in environmental conflicts.

"On the one hand, the government opens up room for the public to be involved in decision making but on the other hand, repression, such as arrests, is increasing," Yaya said.

Walhi's finding is in line with a 2015 report by the Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA) on violence in agrarian conflicts.

In 2015, there were 35 cases of companies committing violence, followed by the police with 21 cases, the military with 16 cases, other government institutions with 10 cases, gangs with eight cases and local communities with three cases, according to the report.

In the past companies generally hired civilian security forces (Pamswakarsa), however, nowadays police and thugs are more likely to be hired to suppress people's demands and resistance.

"In most cases, companies are the ones who file complaints [in agrarian conflicts]. Therefore, police personnel will come to assault local people. The police should be aware of the background of the problem before taking the easy way and harassing local people," Yaya said.

She said that Walhi and other activists had talked to the police to persuade them to refrain from assaulting local people.

"But it's difficult to change the way law enforcement personnel perceive local people. In their minds, local people are rebellious. They believe that the right side [in a dispute] is the side with money," said Yaya.

However, in many agrarian conflicts, local people are usually the ones who are victimized. "In many places. There are overlaps between concessions and community land. Therefore, local people try to defend their lands, which they feel are being seized. That's when conflicts happen," Yaya said.

Therefore, she said, it was important that security personnel took a more humane approach and tried to understand the nature of conflicts.

"It's hard for local people because they usually don't have legal ownership of their land, such as land permits. They have lived there for generations but their rights aren't recognized by the government. And then the government issues permits to companies without considering the people who live there," said Yaya.

According to Walhi spokeswoman Khalisah Khalid, companies have recently begun hiring members of mass organizations to do their dirty work, according to Walhi spokeswoman Khalisah Khalid. "For example, in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, companies hire members of multiple organizations, instead of just one like they did in the past," she said.

To change the mind-set of law enforcement bodies, which often side against local people, it is now necessary for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to intervene, according to Yaya.

"The President has to be consistent in his commitment. He said that development had to start from the peripheral areas, but he neglects the land rights of people," she said.

"On one hand, the government promised to designate 12.7 million hectares of customary forest as well as 9 million hectares of land for agrarian reform. But on the other hand, he lets the state apparatus assault local people."

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/03/ri-torn-conflicts-over-environment.html

Health & education

Alcohol ban leads to more deaths, says CIPS

Jakarta Post - June 7, 2016

Arya Dipa, Bandung – A recent study has revealed that the number of victims of poisoning from bootleg liquor is higher in regions that have implemented a blanket ban on alcohol, a finding that may well serve as a warning to a government currently considering taking a more draconian stance on alcohol regulation.

The study suggests that in areas where alcohol is entirely outlawed, people are forced to risk consuming unregulated home-brewed liquor. The Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS) recorded a strong correlation between prohibitions on alcohol and cases of poisoning from unlicensed alcohol.

The study, based on news reports since 2013 in Java, recorded that 106 people were injured or died in seven regions that did not regulate alcohol. In 12 regions that placed some control on the sale of alcohol, the number was 192, while in 11 regions that enforced a total ban on alcohol, the number of victims was 331.

Suara Kebebasan group researcher Iqbal D. Wibisono said that when the price of alcoholic drinks was forced up by higher taxes, there was a subsequent drop in demand for trade alcohol and rise in demand for unregulated non-trade alcohol.

"We should learn from other countries. A ban tends to raise consumption of unsafe liquors that usually contain a higher percentage of alcohol," Iqbal said during a recent discussion.

World Health Organization data record that the alcohol consumption rate in Indonesia in 2010 was 0.1 liter per capita per year, while the unrecorded rate was 0.5.

Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has strengthened his stance against the consumption of liquor, insisting on the necessity of local bylaws preventing the spread of alcohol in each respective region. Tjahjo's intention to impose a total ban on the consumption of liquor goes beyond existing bylaws, which mostly restrict production, distribution and consumption.

Some regional bylaws only limit the distribution of alcoholic drinks, reacting to growing numbers of criminal cases purportedly driven by the misuse of alcohol. Through the bylaws, several regions now only allow the sale of alcohol in particular places like hotels or bars; no shops have been allowed to sell liquor since the issuance of such regulations.

For various reasons, many regions do not restrict the sale of alcohol, but Tjahjo said he supported the decision by Papua Governor Lukas Enembe to issue and consistently implement a bylaw banning the distribution of alcohol in his province.

Patri Handoyo, the author of War on Drugs, said that a similar phenomen was observable for drugs. "When the government bans narcotics, people then start to produce cheaper drugs, but in larger quantities, which poses a risk to human life," Patri said.

South Sulawesi capital Makassar, which has seen a rise in criminal cases allegedly driven by alcohol consumption, is looking to use existing bylaws to control the sale and consumption of alcohol.

"We are upholding the bylaw firmly and continuously because alcohol is one of the main causes of crime," said Makassar Mayor Mohammad Ramdhan Pomanto, adding that alcohol could in the city be sold legally only at hotels, pubs, bars and karaoke parlors.

As part of stricter measures, the city prohibits people from bringing home alcoholic drinks bought in designated places and the city has also set up a special team to monitor the distribution of alcohol. A number of regencies in South Sulawesi have followed suit, including Maros, Bulukumba and Enrekang.

Meanwhile, the city of Pontianak in West Kalimantan has gone a step stricter than Makassar, limiting the sale of alcoholic beverages to three- and four-star hotels. Instead of banning the distribution of alcohol, the city is also considering imposing stricter controls on alcohol in order to protect the younger generation from the negative effects of alcohol in the city.

Yogyakarta, which saw 39 people, mostly students, die after drinking bootleg alcohol in February, is also looking to maintain an existing bylaw on the control of alcohol.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/07/alcohol-ban-leads-more-deaths-says-cips.html

East Java rejects foreign intervention in tobacco industry

Jakarta Post - June 6, 2016

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Surabaya – Growing pressure from foreign NGOs demanding Indonesia immediately ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has been met with strong resistance from East Java Governor Soekarwo.

Soekarwo asked foreign NGOs not to intervene in matters related to tobacco farming and product manufacturing in Indonesia, including East Java.

"No, no. It has nothing to do with those NGOs. Tobacco is the livelihood of East Java's people. Why do they have to dictate how we handle our tobacco affairs? I don't like it. Mind your own business," Soekarwo said last week in Surabaya, East Java.

The governor's insistence on rejecting the intervention of both foreign and domestic NGOs in tobacco affairs cannot be separated from the fact that tobacco accounts for 26.3 percent of plantation products in East Java. The province has around 108,000 hectares of tobacco plantations, 55 percent of the total tobacco fields in Indonesia.

Soekarwo said East Java had a close relationship with Indonesia's tobacco product manufacturing industry as it employed around 600,000 workers, who would be affected if the government ratified the FCTC.

A similar sentiment was conveyed by tobacco manufacturers in Indonesia. They wrote a joint letter expressing their concerns over the sustainability of the tobacco industry in Indonesia to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at the end of May. They outlined their concerns that the government would bow to growing pressure from NGOs on immediately ratifying the FCTC.

Cigarette manufacturing association Paguyuban Mitra Pelinting Sigaret Indonesia (MPSI) chairman Djoko Wahyudi said one of the requirements stipulated in the FCTC was the prohibition of additional materials, including cloves, in cigarettes, though 95 percent of cigarettes in Indonesia are kretek (clove cigarettes).

"The FCTC will kill kretek, a genuine Indonesian product. We hope and call on the Indonesian government to stay committed to protecting the national tobacco manufacturing industry as a whole, which comprises tobacco farmers, workers and industrial players," said Djoko.

He said the MPSI employed more than 40,000 workers across Indonesia.

Djoko said the FCTC was part of a hidden agenda from foreign parties to kill Indonesia's tobacco manufacturing industry, which more than 6 million Indonesian people depend on for their livelihoods. The tobacco industry contributed Rp 173.9 trillion (US$12.91 billion) to tax revenues in 2015, making it the third-largest tax contributor in the country.

Djoko said the government had channeled Rp 2.79 trillion of incentive funding through the Tobacco Revenue Sharing Fund (DBHCT) for tobacco producing regencies in 16 provinces in 2015. The amount was slightly higher than the funds allocated in the previous year, which reached Rp 2.78 trillion.

With 39 regencies and municipalities, East Java received Rp 1.43 trillion, the largest portion at 51.25 percent of the total DBHCT allocated in 2015. Central Java ranked second with Rp 633.38 billion, followed by West Java with Rp 318.59 billion.

Livelihoods – Female workers select dried tobacco leaves. East Java's governor has claimed the ratification of the FCTC would affect the livelihoods of the province's people, many of whom depend on tobacco to make a living.(thejakartapost.com/Wahyoe Boediwardhana)

Echoing Djoko's opinion, Indonesian Tobacco Growers Association (APTI) chairman Soeseno said he supported Soekarwo's move to reject the FCTC ratification because it contained several excessive regulations that could kill the tobacco industry in Indonesia.

Soeseno said among the regulations required for countries that ratified the FCTC were the mandatory implementation of plain packaging, which included a total prohibition on logos and branding on cigarette packs; the prohibition of cigarette advertisements, promotion and sponsorship; the prohibition of shops and stores displaying tobacco products; tobacco land restrictions and tobacco farmland conversion; and a prohibition on the government interacting with tobacco industry stakeholders.

"If Indonesia ratifies the FCTS, we will have to convert our tobacco plantations to other commodities; this will threaten the prosperity of around 2 million farmers and millions of tobacco workers in Indonesia," said Soeseno, claiming there was no other commodity that could provide greater profits for farmers.

Currently, 180 countries have become parties in the signing, ratification and accession of the FCTC. Indonesia, together with several other countries such as the US and Switzerland, is not yet a party to the convention. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/06/e-java-rejects-foreign-intervention-in-tobacco-industry.html

Indonesia on track to world's highest smoking rates

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2016

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – With few commitments to curb cigarette consumption, Indonesia is poised to have the largest population of smokers in the world in the next decade.

Currently, the country ranks fourth on the list of countries with the most smokers, behind China, Russia and the US. But while other heavy-smoking countries are enforcing tough tobacco controls, Indonesia is planning to double tobacco production.

Indonesia already has the world's highest smoking prevalence among males, as 67.4 percent of males over 15 years old smoke. The cost of treating tobacco-related diseases in the country is currently estimated to reach Rp 11 trillion per year, 0.29 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

"If we don't prevent and control the impacts of smoking, then there's a chance we will become the world's largest tobacco consumer in the next 10 years," the Health Ministry's disease control director general, Muhammad Subuh, said during an event to mark World No Tobacco Day.

The governments of China, Russia and the US have realized that health costs and other hidden expenses resulting from smoking are far higher than the money generated from the tobacco industry.

A study published last year in The Lancet medical journal said that a third of all men currently under the age of 20 in China, the world's largest tobacco producer and consumer, would die prematurely if they did not give up smoking.

Therefore, China signed the World Health Organization's (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2006. Since then, the Chinese government has worked earnestly to implement the FCTC by adopting a series of measures to control the tobacco epidemic.

Even though tobacco-related diseases claim 200,000 lives in Indonesia every year, the government has refused to sign the FCTC, resulting in loose cigarette controls and the country being dubbed the tobacco industry's playground.

Like China, Russia and the US have also taken steps to ensure that the tobacco industry does not endanger the future of their young generations.

"We've seen changes taking place in countries with very difficult, complex environments. For example, Russia. It now has one of the strongest tobacco control laws in the world. If you had asked us 10 years ago whether Russia would be where they are, we would've said it's very difficult as the industry is very active," World Lung Foundation senior vice president of communications Sandra Mullin told The Jakarta Post.

Russia signed the FCTC in 2008 and introduced a comprehensive tobacco control law in 2013, effectively banning advertising of tobacco products as well as sponsorship of events by tobacco companies.

The law aimed to reduce the number of annual tobacco-related deaths from 400,000 to 150,000-200,000.

The US, meanwhile, saw its smoking rates hit an all-time low in 2014, with only 16.8 percent of adults smoking, after it passed the tobacco control act into law in 2009. The law also bans sales of cigarettes to minors and tobacco-brand sponsorship of sports and entertainment events or other social and cultural occasions.

Conversely, the Indonesian government has only made minor efforts to tone down tobacco campaigns. Since 2015, it has banned tobacco advertising in mass media, on public transportation and in all public places. It also bans any form of tobacco advertising aimed at minors.

The government has also been adamant about supporting the tobacco industry by planning to double cigarette production to 524.2 billion cigarettes per year by 2020, the Industry Ministry's 2015 tobacco industry roadmap states.

"If we see the roadmap, we can just imagine our little children being told to smoke," the Health Ministry's director of non- communicable diseases, Lily Sulistyowati, told the Post.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/01/indonesia-on-track-to-worlds-highest-smoking-rates.html

Graft & corruption

Law enforcers barred from challenging pretrial rulings

Jakarta Post - June 6, 2016

Haeril Halim, Jakarta – The Supreme Court, which is in the spotlight for the alleged involvement of its officials in a number of graft cases, recently issued a controversial pretrial regulation that could prolong the handling of criminal cases in the future.

While several legal experts have urged judges at courts across the country not to hand down rulings at pretrial hearings, the Supreme Court instead banned law enforcement institutions from filing case reviews to challenge pretrial rulings.

Consequently, law enforcement institutions such as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) have no choice but to accept any pretrial ruling in the future, even if it is marred by irregularities. The KPK lost three pretrial motions heard at the South Jakarta District Court in 2015.

Before the regulation was issued, a law enforcement agency whose case was rejected at the pretrial stage had two options: file a case review or rename a suspect and refile the case.

The new Supreme Court regulation looks set to lead to more sagas like the endless legal process involving graft suspect La Nyalla Mattalitti, who won three pretrial motions against the East Java prosecutors office. After each victory the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) chairman only renamed him a suspect and refiled the case.

It remains unclear whether La Nyalla will once again file a pretrial motion after the East Java Prosecutor's Office renamed him a suspect for the fourth time last week.

Supreme Court spokesman Suhadi defended the new regulation, saying the Court issued the regulation to follow up a recent Constitutional Court ruling revoking prosecutors' rights to file case reviews in criminal cases. The Constitutional Court maintained in its ruling that only defendants or their heirs could file a case review.

Suhadi said moves taken by law enforcement agencies and suspects who challenged pretrial rulings in past years were unjustified because the case review mechanism, as confirmed by the Constitutional Court, was a legal tool granted by the state only to defendants who had received a guilty verdict.

"At a pretrial hearing, a suspect is not yet a defendant, while in fact the right to a case review belongs only to defendants and their heirs," Suhadi told The Jakarta Post on Sunday, adding that the new regulation provided courts across the country with a legal basis to reject any incoming case reviews filed to challenge pretrial rulings in the future.

For example, the KPK's case review challenging a controversial pretrial ruling issued by the South Jakarta District Court in May 2015 to halt the investigation into former Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) chief Hadi Poernomo can now be dropped.

The case review filed by former president director of state port operator PT Pelindo II, RJ Lino and KPK suspect after the same court rejected his pretrial motion on Jan. 26 can also now be dropped.

Suhadi said that it was the prerogative of individual judges whether to comply with the new Supreme Court ruling in making a final ruling on the KPK and Lino case reviews.

KPK commissioner Saut Situmorang was not available for comment on Sunday, while Lino's lawyer Maqdir Ismail decried the regulation describing it as an "injustice" because it limited the rights for suspects to challenge controversial pretrial rulings.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/06/law-enforcers-barred-challenging-pretrial-rulings.html

Terrorism & religious extremism

Law needs to tame radical groups

Jakarta Post - June 2, 2016

Nurul Fitri Ramadhani, Jakarta – A number of religious leaders proposed on Wednesday that lawmakers include a deradicalization strategy in the ongoing amendment of a terrorism law.

During a hearing with the House of Representatives' special committee on the bill, Rev. Agus Ulahayanan from the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) said the law was currently only focusing on repressive measures against terrorism.

"Repressive actions can lead to human rights abuses," Agus said. He suggested that the draft also mention clearly deradicalization programs, which was a necessary step to mitigate radical movements.

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has seen a spate of deadly attacks by Islamic militants including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. In recent years, smaller, less deadly strikes have targeted government authorities, mainly police and counterterrorism forces.

The most recent attack was a suicide bombing in Thamrin, Central Jakarta, on Jan. 14 that killed eight people, including four militants, who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) radical movement. The attack, subsequently pushed the government to desperately revise its current terrorism law to be more comprehensive in combatting terrorist acts.

The Council of Buddhist Communities (Walubi) chairman Suhardi Sendjadja said that no religion had taught or would teach terrorism.

"No religion will ever teach [terrorism]. Basically, radical ideology comes from anger and greed. Lawmakers should design such a sensitive regulation with a clear mind, otherwise it will open the door for law enforcers to discredit certain religious groups," Suhardi said.

Deputy secretary-general of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Amirsyah Tambunan said terrorism was caused by the disappointment of people with the government's failure to ensure justice and welfare.

Henrik Lokra from the Indonesian Communion of Churches' (PGI) justice and peace commission said law enforcers should work with religious leaders to understand the terrorists' mind-set. "It's important to curb terrorism in peaceful ways and avoid repressive acts," he said.

The Confucian Supreme Council of Indonesia (Matakin), said to combat terrorism, law enforcers should take a soft approach to alleged terrorist suspects, ex-terrorists and their families, not repression.

"We have to uphold elements of love and care in preventive measures and deradicalization. More importantly, the government has to exemplify clean governance, because radicalism stems from a crisis in trust of the state," Matakin chairman Uung Sendana said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/02/law-needs-tame-radical-groups.html

Terrorism Law should include medical costs for victims: Lawmaker

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2016

Liza Yosephine, Jakarta – Medical coverage for victims of terrorist attacks must be included in revised articles of the 2003 Terrorism Law currently being deliberated by the House of Representatives, a lawmaker says.

"The well-being of victims has been one of our biggest concerns since the beginning of the deliberation," House terrorism bill committee chairman Muhammad Syafi'i said on Tuesday.

According to prevailing rules, the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) is obliged by law to provide legal and physical security to victims, including medical assistance.

Syafi'i said, however, that the current victim protection law had not been effectively implemented because the process to obtain compensation was complicated.

Peaceful Indonesia Alliance (AIDA) director Hasibullah Satrawi said the current draft bill did not accommodate victims. He urged lawmakers to include the right to medical care that terror victims might need during critical times in the draft revision.

"All the medical costs and needs must be ensured by the government," he said. Victims have rights as citizens, but their rights are often forgotten in the composing of public policies, Hasibullah further said.

In the case of terror attacks, he continued, perpetrators tended to target a system, such as the government, and most of the time, victims, especially civilians, suffered collateral damage, or unintended damage, injuries or death in the attacks.

Hasibullah said terrorists did not recognize the lives of individuals who fell victim to their actions. "When the government cannot protect itself from an attack, it is the victims who bear the cost of that failure," he added. Hasibullah further said compensation payments for terrorist victims should not be difficult to obtain.

Despite the fact that under the 2003 Terrorism Law, which stipulates victims' rights to financial compensation, Hasibullah said, the process to obtain compensation, which must be through court order, posed a tough challenge for victims.

While financial assistance was crucial during emergencies, Hasibullah said, hospitals were often somewhat hesitant to treat a patient if there was no guaranteed payment.

Hasibullah said there had been slow progress in Indonesian laws related to the accommodation of the rights of terrorist attack victims. It was not until 2014 that policy changes were made with the welfare of victims in mind.

Hasibullah further explained that the LPSK services must, by law, be made more accessible to victims. Assessment for compensation could be made by relevant government institutions, in which they could determine the eligibility of a claimant for swift processing rather than through a court decision.

Vivi Normasari, an activist from the Indonesian Survivors Foundation (YPI), an organization that works with victims of terror attacks, said not one surviving victim had credited the government for their recuperation.

"Out of the 822 bombings survivors we helped, none of them has thanked the government. Instead, they all said they felt neglected during their hard times," Vivi said.

She further said the YPI had been involved in assisting victims of six terrorist attacks, during which time it had helped a total of 1,096 victims, 822 of whom were injured and 274 who died.

Vivi, who survived the 2003 JW Marriott bomb attack, said foreign-funded NGOs and private organizations were the main sources of humanitarian and medical assistance for victims.

"The government is so focused on the perpetrators. They forget to look at the victims who, if lucky, cope with physical and psychological scars," she added. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/01/terrorism-law-should-include-medical-costs-for-victims-lawmaker.html

Terror victims demand recognition in bill

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2016

Victims of terror attacks have expressed disappointment toward the amendment to the Terrorism Law as the amended law does not contain comprehensive provisions about their rights as victims.

Data from the Survivors Foundation (Yayasan Penyintas Indonesia) shows there are currently 1,906 victims of terror attacks suffering physical and mental trauma from a number of bomb attacks over the last 15 years.

Tita from the foundation said none of them had had their rights fulfilled, including the right to compensation, by the state. They only receive material assistance from international NGOs.

"When we learned about the terrorism bill we found it a bit disappointing. It is not concerned with the victims. The legislators and the government only talk about suspects and law enforcement," she said. She said all this time, victims faced difficulties in getting medical access and rehabilitation.

Another victim, Sudarsono Hadi Siswoyo, said the government moved slow in handling victims. Even worse, the government tended to prioritize foreign victims. "We only want recognition and to get easy access to rehabilitation and compensation," he said, adding that they had to wait for a long time to receive recognition from the government and the court.

The chairman of the bill's special committee, Muhammad Syafi'i of the Gerindra Party, admitted that the government was insufficiently concerned with victims in arranging the draft of the bill. "This will be our duty, to make the bill comprehensive and accommodate the needs of victims," Syafi'i said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/01/national-scene-terror-victims-demand-recognition-bill.html

Freedom of religion & worship

Ex-Gafatar leaders charged with blasphemy and treason in Indonesia

Sydney Morning Herald - June 7, 2016

Jewel Topsfield, Jakarta – Three former leaders of the disbanded Gafatar movement face life imprisonment after being arrested for blasphemy and treason in a case raising serious concerns about Indonesia's treatment of religious minorities.

In January an ex-Gafatar community in West Kalimantan was torched by a rampaging mob and members forcibly returned to their home villages to be "re-educated" by religious leaders. The three ex-Gafatar leaders are followers of Millah Abraham, a belief system banned in Indonesia in February by a joint ministerial decree.

Indonesian authorities say that Millah Abraham combines the religious teachings of Islam, Judaism and Christianity and is therefore heretical. The Indonesian state ideology, Pancasila, only recognises six official faiths – Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Confucianism, Buddhism and Hinduism -although Indonesia's 1945 constitution explicitly guarantees freedom of religion.

Police also accuse the ex-Gafatar of trying to establish an independent state known as Negara Karunia Tuhan Semesta Alam (State gifted from the Lord of the Universe), which they say is treasonous.

The accused – spiritual leader Ahmad Mushaddeq, his son Andry Cahya and ex-Gafatar leader Mahful Tumanurung – were arrested on May 25. They are the first people to be charged with treason and blasphemy by the government of Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Amnesty International is urging the international community to appeal to Indonesia to release the men, drop the charges, ensure they are not tortured and rescind the ministerial decree banning Millah Abraham. "They have been arrested solely for peacefully exercising their human right to freedom of religion," it said.

Human Rights Watch also called on the government to stop using the blasphemy law against religious minorities in Indonesia.

Gafatar was founded in 2012 but was disbanded by its members in August 2015, after the government refused to register it as an organisation. Its members say it was a community organisation, not a religious group, but many were Millah Abraham followers.

Several thousand ex-Gafatar members moved to West Kalimantan to establish a farming community aimed, they say, at creating food security to help Indonesia survive a global food crisis.

"Indonesia is [an] importer of rice, which is ironic because we all eat rice," says one of Gafatar's founders, Farah Meifira. "We have a strong belief the country will run out of food."

Ms Meifira said the former Gafatar community expected to be rewarded for assisting the government to carry out its goal of food self-sufficiency. Instead it was accused of blasphemy and treason.

"According to documents, they divided Indonesia into 12 regions, each region has a governor, their country has a president and a vice-president," Agus Andrianto from the National Police told Fairfax Media.

"There were phases of building the state – first was recruitment, second was spreading their teachings, the third was 'hijrah' or migration when they went to Mempawah (in Kalimantan), the fourth was physical struggle. Look, we have documents that support our case, we don't make it up."

But the ex-Gafatar insist they had no intention of establishing their own country. "We are not trying to grab authority. Nothing like that," Ms Meifira tells Fairfax Media. "We are just a small community, like the Amish, for example."

The ex-Gafatar say many have faced stigma and discrimination, including from their own families, after returning to their home villages. This hardship is exacerbated by the fact many sold all their assets to buy the land in Kalimantan and must start again. They also claim some had holes punched into their ID cards and can't access free medical treatment. Muslim clerics have been sent to the villages to re-educate the ex-Gafatar about Islam.

"It's like we have a stamp on our forehead because we have been so exposed in the media," says Agus Setiawan, a former Gafatar member. "They treat us like the communists back in the day. It's unbelievable." (With Karuni Rompies)

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/exgafatar-leaders-charged-with-blasphemy-and-treason-in-indonesia-20160607-gpd9h5.html

Minorities denied entry to mosques, schools

Jakarta Post - June 2, 2016

Haeril Halim, Jakarta – Being gay in a religious neighborhood in Indonesia is certainly tough, but Hendro Yudistira faces even tougher odds. He has been living as a gay man and deaf person in a judgmental and ignorant community for 38 years.

Hendro was born deaf and was sexually abused by a male servant at his house when he was 3 years old. He was too afraid to talk about the abuse to his parents or to report the incident to the police because none of his neighbors could fully understand what it is like to be deaf.

For years, he received devastating stigma, being called a "source of disease" by neighbors due to his homosexuality. As a deaf man he had nobody to talk to about how to have safe homosexual sex.

"I came to a point where I found out that my movements were restricted because people thought that as a gay person I spread diseases. No one told me how to use a condom, which is important, until I connected with an NGO working in the HIV and AIDS sector, who told me how to do so," Hendro testified during a minority group forum at the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) on Wednesday.

Now a member of the Indonesian Deaf People's Welfare Movement (Gerkatin), Hendro said people who were deaf and gay faced a double burden of suffering in society, especially at schools and universities, because most people tended to have negative views about them.

"My message to LGBT people is this: Go have yourselves tested for HIV/AIDS to ensure that you are OK and have not contracted [HIV AIDS]," he said.

He has one simple wish: that the suffering he has endured for being deaf and a gay will not happen to others. He hopes Komnas HAM will launch further public awareness campaigns.

As well as facing stigma, gay people are also denied access to religious education. Mohamad Safiq, 25, was expelled from a pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in Brebes regency, Central Java, after a teacher found out about his sexual tendencies.

"I had to give up on my goal: being able to read the Kitab Kuning [Islamic classical textbooks written in Arabic]. I have nowhere to study the Kitab Kuning now," said Safiq, who grew up in an Islamic family.

He became more frustrated about his sexuality after witnessing local people forcefully kick out a transgender person from a mosque while the person was praying in male clothing

"Why did that mosque become a place where a person's right to pray to God was violated? It scares me," Safiq said, calling on Komnas HAM to step up social campaigns with regard to the rights of homosexuals to pray and receive religious education.

"Transgender people are arrested on the street by security officers and when they want to get closer to their God they are also expelled. We need a safe place," Safiq added.

Rina Prasarani, a campaigner with the Indonesian Blind Union (Pertuni), said many members of the organization suffered discrimination when it came to praying at mosques.

"In addition to difficulties faced by friends who use wheelchairs to access mosques, some friends also have experiences like this: They go to a mosque to pray but people give them money [because they think they are beggars]. This kind of image is well established in society, but the state never corrects it. Rather, it's lack of addressing [the stereotypes] only serves to justify them," Rina said.

"This violence-without-violence stigma is an effective way to kill people's character. Its impact stays with a person forever," Rina added.

Komnas HAM commissioner Muhammad Nurkhoiron said LGBT people were at the top of the list of persecuted minority groups in Indonesia, given the widespread stigma that LGBT people faced. "We can say that attacks on LGBT people come from almost all directions," Nurkhoirun.

As part of Wednesday's forum to hear directly from minority groups about the suffering they face, Komnas HAM officially identified five types of minority groups that the government should prioritize in formulating policy in the future.

The five types are sexual orientation and identity minorities, racial minorities, ethnic minorities, disability-based minorities and religious and faith-based minorities.

The Commission will later put all minority groups in Indonesia into one of the five types in order to help identify their needs so that there will be no ambiguous terminology used to describe minority groups in any future government policies.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/02/minorities-denied-entry-to-mosques-schools.html

Agriculture & food security

Business competition watchdog to investigate food price hikes

Jakarta Post - June 7, 2016

Dewanti A. Wardhani, Jakarta – Indonesia's business competition watchdog has signaled that cartels may be behind the sky-high prices of staple foods at markets across the country.

Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) head Syarkawi Rauf said on Tuesday that the body had found a huge margin between prices set by farmers for distributors, and prices that were then set for market vendors.

"This indicates that the problem lies in the process between the producer and the end user," Syarkawi told reporters at the House of Representatives building, adding that the end user referred to the distributor.

For example, he said, farmers in Nganjuk, East Java, sold shallots for Rp 16,000 (US$1.19) per kilogram to distributors, who resold the commodity for Rp 40,000 per kilo at markets, almost three times the purchase price.

According to the Jakarta administration's staple food prices website, shallots are sold for an average of Rp 39,119 in the city's traditional markets. Aside from shallots, the prices of beef, rice and sugar also increased significantly in the days leading up to Ramadhan.

The KPPU in cooperation with the National Police was set to investigate the possible cartel practices behind the surging prices, Syarkawi said. (dan)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/07/business-competition-watchdog-to-investigate-food-price-hikes.html

Apindo calls on government to overhaul food statistics

Jakarta Post - June 7, 2016

Jakarta – The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) has called on the government to improve its data on food production to help stabilize commodity prices, which are typically volatile during Ramadhan and Idul Fitri festivities.

Apindo chairman Anton J. Supit said accurate statistics were crucial to help the government devise proper policies on food supplies. Food prices tended to soar during the Ramadhan fasting month due to high demand, he added.

Anton expressed his doubt about the accuracy of data released by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), saying it relied mostly on secondary sources. "The BPS must get more funds to allow it to obtain primary data," he said in a discussion in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Anton said he put more trust in figures released by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) than in those circulated by the BPS. He cited the example of Indonesia's corn production, which according to the USDA reached only 9.4 million tons in 2015, adding that that figure was more realistic than the 19 million tons claimed by the Indonesian government.

Meanwhile, Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) executive director Enny Sri Hartati attributed the skyrocketing prices of basic commodities, especially beef, during Ramadhan to a lack of anticipative measures. She said the government should have begun importing live cattle in February so they would be ready for consumption in June.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has ordered his Cabinet ministers to maintain food supplies and reduce beef prices from Rp 110,000 (US$8) to Rp 80,000 per kilogram. Commenting on the President's instruction, Enny said the price was unreasonably low for local breeders. The price range should be at least Rp 90,000 to Rp 100,000 per kilogram, she said.

Separately, the deputy chairman of the House of Representatives' Commission IV overseeing fisheries and maritime affairs, Viva Yoga Mauladi, said the government should implement trade policies that were fair for consumers, producers and businesses.

To ensure food security, Indonesia needs to initiate food estate programs, he added. "Apart from that, we also need to diversify our food. As a source of protein, we should not rely solely on beef but should also consume more chicken," he said. (sha/ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/07/apindo-calls-on-govt-to-overhaul-food-statistics.html

State & civil society

Activists and academics at the Palace useless in pushing for reforms

Kompas.com - June 3, 2016

Jakarta – The presence of activists and academics within Presidential Palace circles are often considered an opportunity to push for democratic reform in the bureaucracy.

Amalinda Savirani however, a lecturer at the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Department of Administrative and Political studies, believes the opposite and that their presence is of no use.

"We have friends at the Palace, but it seems that they aren't any use", said Savirani during the launch of the book "Reclaiming the State" in Jakarta on Friday June 3.

Savirani gave examples of how when activists have opened communication with their "colleagues" within Palace circles about issues of the day, what the activists got was not solutions but instead the reverse.

"When we wanted to find information on public issues. Through WhatsApp for example, they respond instead with emoticons of a tapped mouth", said Savirani.

PCDpress senior researcher Willy Purna Samadhi believes that the presence of activists within presidential circles could indeed open up opportunities to push for reform.

At a minimum, the Number 1 person in Indonesia can be directly informed about issues that are grounded in or directly touch on the lives of ordinary people so that a solution can be found quickly.

"This however is an issue of how not to leave them isolated. If we don't hurry to befriend them, it's possible that they'll be coopted", said Samadhi.

It is because of this that Samadhi is of the view there must be protocols that regulated patterns of communication between activists and their colleagues who have become "all the president's men".

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "Aktivis dan Akademisi di Istana Dinilai Tak Berguna dalam Dorong Perubahan".]

Source: http://nasional.kompas.com/read/2016/06/03/16354541/aktivis.dan.akademisi.di.istana.dinilai.tak.berguna.dalam.dorong.perubahan

Governance & administration

Study finds Indonesians want welfare state

Jakarta Globe - June 5, 2016

Jakarta – Concerns over welfare issues including health, education and social insurance have topped a recent study investigating the role of the government and welfare throughout Indonesia.

Around 55 percent of respondents of the survey, which was conducted by the Research Center for Politics and Government of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in 2013, deemed services such as housing and transportation are a top priority for the public.

Economic regulations came second with nearly 30 percent in the survey, which involved 600 activists from 30 districts and cities across Indonesia.

Activists were chosen as participants and were questioned face-to-face as they are considered as a representation of a particular niche in the community and engage in public and government issues.

Researchers found the public are concerned with civil rights issues, including religious freedoms, minority rights and the rights of children. Hasrul Hanif, a researcher with the Faculty of Social and Political Science at Yogyakarta-based UGM, said the public wants a welfare state. "They pin their hopes on the state, but the state is not the only apparatus" Hasrul told the Jakarta Globe recently.

The study found the state is considered responsible for providing welfare studies, with 65 percent of respondents saying the state should manage public issues. Only around 8 percent of survey participants say public affairs should be addressed by civil society groups.

The figure indicates the public is aware of its right to welfare, as well as the central role of the state in providing services. But the state – which has both the political and financial capability to play such a role – is yet to properly manage public affairs, participants said.

Nearly 40 percent of respondents see society as having fulfilled the public needs without the presence of the state, while only around 13 percent say welfare issues are collectively managed by the state and the public. The role of the private sector is mentioned by only 6 percent of respondents.

"The ideal condition has yet to become a reality," said Amalinda Safirani, a researcher at the Politics and Government Department of UGM.

Both Amalinda and Hanif agreed that democracy is the best way to increase welfare with the government touch needed to spread equal welfare to the peoples. The research is a collaborative effort between UGM and the University of Oslo, Norway.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/study-finds-indonesians-want-welfare-state/

Jakarta & urban life

Jakarta to establish two parks for protests

Jakarta Post - June 2, 2016

Jakarta – The Jakarta administration will establish two new parks that Jakartans can use to voice their aspirations, Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama said on Thursday.

One park will be located on the northwest side of the Monument National (Monas) Park, 100 meters from the State Palace in Central Jakarta. It will be named Palace View Park. The name refers to the view of the Presidential Palace.

"So people visiting the park can look at the palace instead of shouting at it. Besides, in English, Palace View sounds cool," he said at City Hall as quoted by beritajakarta.com.

Another park for protests will also be established near the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta. It will be located on the former site of the British Embassy, which the city administration is in the process of procuring.

Jakarta Parks and Cemeteries Agency head Ratna Diah Kurniati said the Monas park would be built on 1,000 square meters of land by Swiss cement producer Holcim as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR).

The park will be able to accommodate up to 1,000 people. Despite it being a park for voicing aspirations, facilities such as park benches will also be provided. The city hopes to open the park to the public before June 22, Jakarta's anniversary.

Ahok issued a gubernatorial decree last year restricting free speech in public spaces, claiming that demonstrations caused traffic jams and disrupted people's activities. The decree allows people to stage protests at only three venues: the east parking lot at the Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, Democracy Square in the House of Representatives complex and the Southern Cross at Monas.

The decree also stipulates that protests may only be conducted between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and that the noise level of any sound system may not exceed 60 decibels. (rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/02/jakarta-to-establish-two-parks-for-protests.html

Fisherpeople win lawsuit against reclamation project

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2016

Corry Elyda, Jakarta – Anira, a fishmonger from Muara Angke in North Jakarta, could not hold back her emotions when the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) moved on Tuesday to halt the construction of Islet G in Jakarta Bay.

A panel of judges at the court fulfilled the requests of fisher people who had called for a stop to the artificial islet, which is part of reclamation projects off the northern Jakarta coast.

Anira and dozens of other fishing families left their boats and homes to witness the historical moment. "Thank you for all your support," the 56-year-old said through tears of happiness.

Presiding judge Adhi Budi Sulistyo said during the hearing that a permit issued by Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama on Dec. 23, 2014 to developer Agung Podomoro Land's (APL) subsidiary PT Muara Wisesa Samudra to construct the islet was invalid.

"We, therefore, order the defendant to retract the permit in the form of Gubernatorial Decree No. 2238/2014," he said, referring to the governor as the defendant. Adhi said the developer should also halt the reclamation until the verdict was legally binding.

The panel of judges conveyed many reasons for their decision, including that the project had affected the livelihoods of fisher people as well as the environment, that the process had not taken a participatory approach and that it did not serve public needs.

Adhi said the project also lacked zoning planning as mandated by the law on the spatial management of coastal areas and small islands.

The reclamation projects, comprising 17 artificial islets, were initiated in 1995 when then president Soeharto issued a presidential decree on reclamation off the coast of Jakarta. Concessions for the islets were given to private developers.

The project was halted amid financial crisis until then Jakarta governor Fauzi Bowo issued a permit for Islet D in 2010. He also reportedly issued permits for islets C and E, but none were published by the city administration.

Ahok issued principle permits for five islets when he was acting governor during former governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's period of leave for the presidential election. When Ahok subsequently became governor, he also issued a permit for Islet G, followed by islets F, I, K and H.

Many fisher people have reported decreased income and loss of catchment areas because of the projects. North Jakarta is home to at least 1,000 fisherfolk.

The fishers, grouped under the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen's Association (KNIT), and environmental activist groups such as the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) and the People's Coalition for Fisheries Justice (Kiara), filed a lawsuit regarding Islet G in September last year.

The project came to the nation's attention after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) caught Jakarta City Council member Muhammad Sanusi of the Gerindra Party accepting Rp 2 billion (US$146,000) in bribes regarding the deliberation of bylaws on reclamation.

The KPK also named APL president director Ariesman Widjaja a suspect in the bribery case and slapped travel bans on the owner of developer Agung Sedayu, Sugianto "Aguan" Kusuma, and Ahok's expert staff member Sunny Tanuwidjaja.

KNTI lawyer Martin Hadiwinata said the verdict set a good precedent for suits regarding islets F, I and K.

Ahok previously said that if the fishermen won the lawsuit, he would continue the projects regardless. "I will take over the islets by asking city-owned companies [to continue the projects]," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Jakarta Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat said the city administration would appeal the decision. "I am not worried about the verdict as it is not only our project but also the central government's," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/01/fisherpeople-win-lawsuit-against-reclamation-project.html

Armed forces & defense

Ryamizard under fire over terrorism, communism

Jakarta Post - June 6, 2016

Veeramalla Anjaiah, Singapore – Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu found himself under pressure at an international gathering as ministers, senior officials, scholars and journalists bombarded him with questions on terrorism and communism.

"I was one of the ministers who faced the most questions," he told The Jakarta Post and other Indonesian media in Singapore on Saturday.

Ryamizard was attending the three-day 15th Asian Security Summit or Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD), which was organized by the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS). There were more than 560 participants this year – mostly defense ministers, military chiefs and security analysts, mainly from Asia-Pacific and Europe

Speaking at the third session of the forum, with the theme "Making Defense Policy in Uncertain Times", Ryamizard said the Asia-Pacific region had faced three major challenges – terrorism, maritime security and natural disasters – in recent years.

After his speech, eight out of the 13 questions posed by participants were directed at him, journalists also did not spare him after the session.

He said the Islamic State (IS, aka ISIS) movement had become the single biggest threat to the world after al-Qaeda. "ISIS is very dangerous. Though it began as a militant group in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein, now it has transformed into a global terror group. It has launched attacks in Paris, Brussels, Pakistan and Indonesia," Ryamizard said.

He also cited a December 2015 survey about IS in Indonesia. "Indonesia has more than 200 million Muslims, the biggest [Muslim population] in the world. According to this survey, 96 percent of Indonesians reject ISIS and its ideology outright. However, 4 percent did not respond [in this way] to the question. So there is a big danger from some of this 4 percent," he said.

"ISIS has nothing to do with Islam. It has an ideology that deviates from the main message of Islam. Killing innocent people through suicide bombings is haram [forbidden] in Islam".

Meanwhile, responding to a question from the Post, IISS executive director in Asia Tim Huxley said that Indonesia had been successful in tackling terrorism.

"Indonesia has been successful in defeating terrorism through raising awareness about the dangers of terrorism," Huxley said during the launch of the "Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment 2016" report in Singapore on Friday.

There is a special chapter on "The Islamic State and Southeast Asia" focusing mainly on Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines in the report.

Indonesia, according to Ryamizard, must make all efforts, including the soft approach, hard approach and international cooperation in exchanging intelligence information, to raise awareness among the public.

"We have been teaching students from elementary school to university about the dangers of terrorism. We've also used the services of religious scholars, the police and military," he said.

Questions were also raised about communism at the meeting. "It is not that we don't like communism as an ideology. But the communists in Indonesia launched two major revolts in 1948 and 1965 against the government. We won't allow that anymore. We cannot relax," Ryamizard said. "Our main weapon to defeat communism is our state ideology Pancasila".

Meanwhile, Ryamizard met with defense ministers from Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, the UK and US to discuss various issues ranging from the South China Sea and regional security to military training and weapons acquisition.

"I met with US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Friday. We discussed several things such as military exchanges, natural disasters, regional security and drug trafficking. We are ready to forge good relations with the US," Ryamizard told a press conference on the sidelines of the SLD on Saturday, in response to suggestions that growing strategic ties between China and Indonesia might worry the US.

"Our policy is very clear. We want to develop close ties with the US, China, Russia and all other countries. We don't have any problem with that," Ryamizard said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/06/ryamizard-under-fire-over-terrorism-communism.html

Military command to train gangs in state defense program

Jakarta Post - June 4, 2016

Ni Komang Erviani, Denpasar – As part of the government's grand plan to provide paramilitary training to civilians, a military command in Bali is set to drill groups known for violence and causing anxiety among citizens.

The groups will participate in state defense training with the ninth regional military command (Kodam IX) Udayana, which will include an introduction to using firearms.

Kodam IX Udayana spokesman Col. Inf. J. Hotman Hutahaean told journalists on Friday that the training would be held in July at the Udayana military regiment area in Tabanan regency. "We are inviting gang members and members of mass organizations that have caused public concern, so that they will not harm society," Hotman said.

He said two of the mass organizations that would take part were Laskar Bali and Baladika, which have repeatedly clashed with one another, in hopes that the program would make them "good citizens".

During the two-week training, they will stay at the camp to learn about nationalism and discipline and undertake physical training. "I want to emphasize that this is not militarism," Hotman said.

If participants pass the program, the military command will give them state defense cards, which feature phone numbers of government officials and institutions in case they witness a security threat.

"If they see anything that could be a threat, they can report it straight away. For example, if a natural disaster occurs, they can immediately report it to us and we can immediately help people," Hotman said.

Hotman dismissed fears that the program would empower mass organizations and enable them to repress other people. "No, instead, they will realize that thuggery is not necessary. They will realize that state defense is more essential for our nation," he said.

Hotman said the main goal of the program was for participants to become useful members of society and be able to join defense forces in times of threat.

Baladika Bali deputy chairman I Bagus Jagra Wibawa welcomed the program, saying it would improve the capacity and knowledge of group members. "One of the purposes of our organization is to defend the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia," he said, adding that between 50 to 100 Baladika members would participate in the drill.

"We know the program will be physically challenging. But it doesn't matter. We can learn a lot from the training," he said, mentioning that the organization had around 43,000 members across Bali.

Udayana University criminologist Gede Made Swardhana said he respected the idea of offering training to mass organization members, under certain conditions.

"If the program is only given to certain groups and does not encourage them to leave behind their groups' identity, it would strengthen them. They should put aside their attributes for the training," Swardhana said.

"The military command should conduct monitoring and controls after the training, to prevent them from using their state defense cards to strengthen their existence."

Clashes between mass organizations frequently occur in Bali, leading to unease among the community. As the two biggest rival mass organizations, Laskar Bali and Baladika Bali have clashed numerous times, causing several fatalities.

As reported earlier, a deadly clash between members of the two gangs occurred at Kerobokan prison in December. The fight was followed by another in downtown Denpasar, only two hours later. The December fights caused the deaths of four Baladika members.

In April, when 11 Laskar Bali members suspected of being involved in the December clashes were moved from police custody to Kerobokan prison, another riot broke out, causing damage to prison facilities.

During a trial in May on the December riots, yet another clash almost occurred as gang members gathered near the Denpasar District Court office. However, the fight was prevented as police seized sharp weapons from the groups.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/04/military-command-train-gangs-state-defense-program.html

Three soldiers arrested for smuggling 2.6 tons of sugar from Malaysia

Jakarta Post - June 4, 2016

Jakarta – Three members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) were arrested by the police on Friday while they were allegedly trying to smuggle 2.6 tons of sugar from Malaysia.

A police officer said the sugar was in two vehicles that were carrying tuna fish and fish meat balls from Malaysia for which there were no legal documents.

West Kalimantan Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Corm. Cucu Safiudin said the police had handed over the case to military authorities to be further proceeded. "We have handled similar case in the past and we also cooperated with the military police," she added as reported by kompa.com.

Tanjung Pura Military spokesman Col. Tri Rana Subekti confirmed that three soldiers were being investigated by the military police. "They are undisciplined members who will face a legal process," Tri said. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/04/three-soldiers-arrested-for-smuggling-2-6-tons-of-sugar-from-malaysia.html

RI shifts to maritime defense

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2016

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – With the launch of a new defense strategy on Tuesday, expectations are high that the Defense Ministry will build a maritime defense system that supports the government's vision of transforming the country into a global maritime power.

Unlike a 2008 version that focused on territorial defense, the 2015 Defense White Paper released on Tuesday incorporates the global maritime axis and state defense concepts to deal with potential threats over the next five years.

"We need to revise our defense programs and make them in line with the government's policies," said the Defense Ministry's director general for strategic defense, Maj. Gen. Yoedhi Swastanto.

He said the document highlighted maritime strategy development by military and nonmilitary agents. The state defense program, meanwhile, was part of a strategy to support a military approach to maintaining maritime safety, he added.

The new white paper defines future challenges in two categories, factual and non-factual threats, both of which are increasing as the government focuses on economic growth, which consequently requires military power enhancement.

Factual threats consist of terrorism and radicalism, separatism and armed rebellion, natural disasters, border area violations, piracy and natural resources theft, epidemics, cyber attacks and espionage, trafficking and drug abuse.

Meanwhile, it defines non-factual threats as open conflicts resulting from rivalries between the armed forces of different countries.

The document does not specify the non-factual threats, but warns that as a nation with tremendous potential, Indonesia is prone to dynamic threats, which could become factual and eventually put the national interest and honor at risk.

According to the white paper, the new strategic plan emphasizes the government's commitment to meet the minimum essential force (MEF) in its weaponry systems, although it excludes any mention of preparations for war. It says a stronger weaponry system aims only to protect the country's integrity and sovereignty.

In addition to the development of military institutions, it also includes the development of nonmilitary institutions to improve the national defense posture and make the country "a sovereign and independent nation with a strong character based on mutual cooperation".

The strategy to develop nonmilitary institutions also includes the establishment of defense offices in the regions, a plan that has triggered opposition over concerns of military intervention in public affairs.

The defense white paper states that the establishment of such regional defense offices is meant to "bridge the interests of the defense aspects of military and nonmilitary defense in the area".

Responding to the defense paper, Muradi of Padjajaran University in Bandung said it would provide thorough guidance for decision-making on defense affairs.

"High-ranking officials, including the defense minister and the Indonesian Military commander, can no longer make any decisions, regarding weaponry procurement for example, based on their subjective judgments," Muradi said.

"All decisions must comply with actual needs," he said, adding that as the country was attempting to develop the maritime sector, defense policies should focus on the Navy and the Air Force, which would be frontline actors.

Defense analyst Connie Rahakundini Bakrie of University of Indonesia said a strategic defense document would be meaningless unless the government set up a national security council as mandated by the 2002 National Defense Law.

"Defense strategies aimed at protecting national interests must come from a comprehensive assessment by the national security council that comprises the Defense Ministry, the Home Ministry and the Foreign Ministry," Connie said. "This is because defense policy cannot stand by itself."

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/01/ri-shifts-maritime-defense.html

Criminal justice & legal system

Former Indonesian president Bacharuddin Habibie 'rejects' death penalty

Sydney Morning Herald - June 1, 2016

Jewel Topsfield and Karuni Rompies, Jakarta – A former president of Indonesia has publicly revealed he opposes the death penalty as the country prepares for a third round of executions of drug offenders.

In a sign of growing dissent over capital punishment within Indonesia, former president Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie said he had arrived at the conclusion that no man had the right to take someone's life.

"It is God's prerogative right," the 79-year-old, who ruled Indonesia following the fall of Suharto, said at the launch of the book Politik Hukuman Mati di Indonesia (The politics of the death penalty in Indonesia) in Jakarta. "So if you ask: 'Habibie, what is your comment on capital punishment?' The answer is that I reject it."

Another round of executions will take place after the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan in June according to the Attorney-General's office. The announcement followed weeks of febrile speculation that the end was imminent for up to 15 drug offenders on death row, as firing squads prepared on Indonesia's death island, Nusakambangan.

Last year President Joko Widodo? moved swiftly to execute 14 drug offenders – including Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan – citing a drug emergency.

The death penalty is widely supported in Indonesia, with media polls typically showing about 75 per cent approval. Mr Joko last week authorised judges to sentence child sex offenders to death following a national outcry over the gang rape of a 14-year-old girl in Sumatra.

But the anti death-penalty campaign is gaining momentum. Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly and popular Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known better as Ahok, both oppose capital punishment.

Former Indonesian judge Professor Jimly Asshiddiqie told the book launch he regretted he had been unable to convince a fellow judge to abolish the death penalty in a landmark Constitutional Court of Indonesia case in 2007.

The case brought by Sukumaran, Chan and others claimed the death penalty was inconsistent with the guarantee of the right to life in the constitution.

Professor Asshiddiqie, who was chairman of the constitutional court at the time, said unfortunately the case came at a time when there was huge public anger about drugs in Indonesia. He voted with the majority – six votes to three – to uphold the death penalty.

However he confessed to the book launch that he actually agreed with the dissenting judges who believed the death penalty was unconstitutional. "Actually I will share with you the secret... I was with them," he said.

Professor Asshiddiqie said the constitutional court, established in 2003 as part of reforms following the Suharto regime, was a new institution at the time.

"I didn't always agree with the court's ruling but I also rarely made dissenting opinions," he said. "Because those who make dissenting opinions are the ones who will make it into newspaper headlines."

But Professor Asshiddiqie, a key player in the anti-death penalty lobby in Jakarta in the lead-up to the executions last year, said he regretted not being able to persuade a fourth judge the death penalty was unconstitutional.

"Because if in 2007 we managed to have five [judges support] the abolishment of capital punishment... the history of capital punishment would surely have been changed."

Meanwhile the Indonesian government is scrambling to assist Indonesian migrant worker Rita Krisdianti, sentenced to death in Malaysia for carrying four kilograms of methamphetamines. The foreign ministry has appointed a team of lawyers to file an appeal.

Human rights lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis, who represented Chan and Sukumaran, said Indonesia's inconsistency was obvious when it defended migrant workers on death row overseas but carried out executions at home.

Source: http://www.theage.com.au/world/former-indonesian-president-bacharuddin-habibie-rejects-death-penalty-20160601-gp8oag.html

Foreign affairs & trade

Government gives in to food imports

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2016

Dewanti A. Wardhani, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo can have his beef for Rp 80,000 (US$5.84) per kilogram if he wishes, but for common customers, sorry, it's non-negotiable at Rp 110,000.

The quip came from Ade Sudrajat, 35, who has been selling beef at Kebayoran Lama Market in South Jakarta for two decades. But the light moment reflected a serious situation that the government wants to avoid: soaring prices ahead of Ramadhan.

With the prices of many foodstuffs already on the rise ahead of the holy month, Indonesia, home to the world's largest population of Muslims, who always spend big during Ramadhan, has surrendered to food imports to ensure adequate supply for taming volatile prices.

Beef is among four commodities in the government's sights, along with sugar, shallots and rice. To bring down beef prices to Rp 80,000 per kg, as the government wishes, it is set to import 27,400 metric tons of the meat from New Zealand and Australia, among other countries.

Indonesia will also import 381,000 tons of sugar and 2,500 tons of shallots over the next few weeks. The country previously imported about 13,000 tons of rice from Myanmar.

The import need came into the spotlight amid Jokowi's ambition of food sovereignty for the country, which is expected to become self-sufficient in basic commodities such as rice, sugar, corn and soybeans by the end of his tenure in 2019.

"Hopefully, with cooperation between ministries, we can maintain commodities at a fair price," Trade Minister Thomas Lembong told reporters recently, citing targets of Rp 12,500 per kg for sugar, Rp 9,500 per kg for rice and Rp 25,000 per kg for shallots.

The real prices at markets are still far from the government's targets. In Jakarta, beef is sold at an average of Rp 115,000 per kg, sugar at Rp 15,663 per kg, medium-quality rice at Rp 11,318 per kg and shallots at Rp 40,488 per kg, according to infopangan.jakarta.go.id, the city administration's official website.

Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said his ministry, along with the Trade Ministry and the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry, would cooperate in monitoring traders and distributors to ensure stable prices and equitable access to foodstuffs.

It is not news that Ramadhan is the peak season for retailers in Southeast Asia's largest economy, from garments to food and beverages. Hence, many markets anticipate a boost in demand, which can spike prices, as Indonesians buy new clothing and gather with family and friends to enjoy traditional dishes.

"On normal days, there's no dinner at home. But during the fasting month and Idul Fitri, it's time to feast together," said Watinah, 51, a housemaid in the capital city.

At Watinah's home and many households in Indonesia, a favorite dish is rendang (beef simmered in coconut milk and spices). But meat importers are saying the base price of imported beef from Australia is Rp 81,000 per kg, excluding importation and distribution fees. Especially with a limited time frame, they are pessimistic that the government can reach its target.

"Importing beef is not like buying packaged beef in a supermarket; it takes time. Can the government import so much beef for a low price in such a short time?" asked Indonesian Meat Importers Association (Aspidi) executive director Thomas Sembiring.

Consumer price data from May supported Thomas' pessimism. Food prices rose the most among other commodities at 7.75 percent, compared with a benign overall annual inflation rate of 3.3 percent in the same period, Central Statistics Agency (BPS) data showed.

Muhamad Harun, 29, who works at a Padang restaurant in Joglo, said consumers would be the ones who suffered amid the price increases.

Revealing a trick from his restaurant, he said that when prices rose, workers cut meat into smaller chunks, so that a piece of beef normally divided into 20 could become 25 portions. "If the prices go down, alhamdulillah [thank God]. We can give bigger portions to our customers. They will know if we cut the portions drastically and it's not good for business," he said. (adt)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/03/govt-gives-food-imports.html

Nationalism & chauvinism

'Pancasila Day' should go beyond rhetoric

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2016

Ina Parlina, Nurul Fitri Ramadhani and Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The pronouncement of June 1 as a national holiday to commemorate the birth of Pancasila should go beyond rhetoric as the growing challenges of radicalism and terrorism threaten to shatter the nation.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's decision might be seen simply as a political gesture to win the favor of Megawati Soekarnoputri, the daughter of Sukarno, the nation's first president who established Pancasila as the founding philosophy of the new nation in 1945. However, many hope the decision will go beyond politics and rhetoric.

Asvi Warman Adam, a historian at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said Jokowi's decision should be followed by reviews of a number of existing regulations, including numerous discriminatory local bylaws, to see whether they were in line with the values of Pancasila.

"The government needs to set an example to the public by ensuring that the existing laws and local bylaws follow the values of Pancasila," Asvi said on Thursday.

Taking a simple example, Asvi said the government could apply the values by enforcing traffic rules on motorcyclists who often rode along sidewalks in a bid to make sidewalks a safer place for pedestrians.

"The authorities could promote Pancasila values among motorcyclists so that they don't harm others on the road," he said. Promoting Pancasila values through social media would also be a smart move as the use of social media continues to grow, particularly among the youth, Asvi added.

There are numerous examples of public initiatives that demonstrate Pancasila values in people's daily life on social media. After the Sarinah terrorist attack in Central Jakarta in January, netizens quickly united behind the hashtag #KamiTidakTakut (We are not afraid), a campaign declaring peaceful solidarity that caught international attention.

President Jokowi also called on netizens to promote peace via social media to counter radicalism following the Sarinah attacks.

Another example is an elementary school student in Semarang, Central Java, who courageously blocked motorcyclists using the sidewalk. His story went viral on social media and he was widely praised. "But the question remains: Who or which government institution should play a part [on social media]? The government must start to think about it," Asvi said.

Asvi praised Jokowi for his bold move in declaring Pancasila Day, but criticized him for making it a public holiday as he feared it might instead become a mere holiday and people would forget to use the day to partake in activities that helped them internalize Pancasila values.

"Because it is a holiday there will likely be no activities promoting the values, such as discussions and dialogue. Not to mention, newspapers, which could help remind people about the essence of Pancasila Day, will not be printed if it's a holiday," he added.

PDI-P lawmaker Arif Wibowo, however, said his party's initiative to revitalize Pancasila was worthy of appreciation as it was important to strengthen the country's sense of history. "Moreover, it's good for the political education of younger generations," he said.

People's Consultative Assembly speaker Zulkifli Hasan said on Wednesday that Pancasila values were still relevant given what he described as the "behavioral degeneration" in the years after the beginning of the reform era, such as rampant drug abuse, corruption, sexual abuse, intolerance and radicalism.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu called on all Indonesians to fully uphold Pancasila. "Pancasila is great. Pancasila is not a religion, but the foundation of Indonesia," he said before an anti-communist symposium on Thursday.

He further said that as President Jokowi had officially established June 1 as Pancasila Day, Pancasila was the only ideology embraced in the country. "Those who oppose to it may leave the country," he added.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/03/pancasila-day-should-go-beyond-rhetoric.html

Mining & energy

Bad precedent set for govt's new power project

Jakarta Post - June 1, 2016

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – Twenty percent of the previous administration's mega power plant projects have failed to come online, a bad precedent for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's realization of his 35,000 megawatt (MW) electricity procurement program.

Only 80 percent of the 10,000 MW project that came to an end in 2014, at the close of the tenure of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla, has been reached, according to a recent finding by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).

As many as 166 contracts worth up to Rp 6.5 trillion (US$476 million) and representing 2,424 MW of power are at a standstill due to various legal problems. The second 10,000 MW project launched not long after has yielded even worse results.

Most of the issues that have hindered the ambitious power plant projects are land acquisition problems, poor planning and contractors working beyond their capacity, according to the BPK.

BPK IV member Rizal Djalil said on Tuesday that the problematic contracts may lead to state losses as existing power plants operated by independent power producers use a take or pay method.

"PLN will have to pay even though electricity from those power plants cannot be transmitted to customers as the deposit that has yet to be returned totals Rp 554 billion," he said at a press briefing in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Under the Jokowi administration, Vice President Kalla has set an even more ambitious plan of 35,000 MW by 2019, a tripling of the previous project targets, to increase electricity supply in Southeast Asia's largest economy, which remains lower than any of its regional peers.

The electrification rate is expected to rise to 97 percent in 2019 from 88.3 percent at present, lower than neighbors Singapore, Brunei, Thailand and Malaysia's 99 to 100 percent rates.

State electricity company PLN, which is working on some of the power plant projects, is currently juggling many projects.

Other than the failed projects of the first 10,000 MW project called FTP-1, there are also 1,550 MW worth of projects incomplete in the follow-up FTP-2 project and 3,437 MW from the company's own program, totaling 7,000 MW of projects. For the majority of the contracts that were put on hold in the FTP-1, PLN will escalate efforts to complete the projects.

However, eight contracts hindered by financial, legal and land acquisition problems will be taken to court or exterminated.

"We will take two contracts to court, while terminating and concluding the remaining six contracts," said PLN director for corporate planning Nicke Widyawati.

Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli has repeatedly said that the 35,000 MW goal was too high and 18,000 MW was a more realistic target.

However, Nicke said that PLN had upped its efforts to ensure that the 35,000 MW target would be achieved by the deadline. Power purchasing agreements (PPA), which have previously taken up to five years, have been sped up to take up only seven to eight months, he added.

Up to 22 percent have started construction, with 26 percent in the middle of the land-acquisition processes. Only 23 percent are yet to be put to tender. "Most of them are gas, which can be completed within two years," she said.

Meanwhile, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry director general for electricity, Jarman, said that the government had made efforts to speed up the process by issuing several regulations and removing some regulations in relation to land acquisition and permit applications.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/01/bad-precedent-set-govt-s-new-power-project.html

Economy & investment

Minister calls on bankers to support growth in manufacturing sector

Jakarta Post - June 3, 2016

Jakarta – Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro has called on banks to be proactive in helping the manufacturing sector grow amid the economic slowdown by providing long-term financing.

Bambang said the banking industry should play a bigger intermediary role in the economy to prevent a further slowdown. However, banks should also strengthen resilience as commodities prices were still under pressure in the global market.

"As long as prices are low, it will be difficult for companies to pay off their liabilities or to take out more loans," he said at the 2016 Banking Service Excellence Awards in Central Jakarta on Thursday.

The country, he continued, should reduce its reliance on the commodities sector by transforming commodities-based businesses into natural resources-based manufacturing businesses that could act as a locomotive to drive national economic growth.

Amid the transformation, banks would have pivotal roles to play in providing more affordable funds for companies to enter the manufacturing sector. This manufacturing sector has room to expand, Bambang said, and has the potential to be a new engine of growth.

The manufacturing industry in Indonesia contributes only 21 percent to gross domestic product, while in developed countries the industry contributes more than 30 percent. (ags)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/03/minister-calls-on-bankers-to-support-growth-in-manufacturing-sector.html

Analysis & opinion

Behind the rise of income inequality in Indonesia

Jakarta Post - June 7, 2016

Winarno Zain, Jakarta – The controversy over the Jakarta Bay land reclamation project that has triggered months of national debate seems to center on several critical issues. But the reclamation saga is not only about legal, environmental, corruption and human rights issues, as it appears on the surface.

The root cause of the conflict lies much deeper. It is about the glaring inequality of income and wealth between the desolate and poor people in northern Jakarta (most of whom are low-level workers or fishermen) and the super rich, who reside in the luxurious and glittering residential areas nearby.

What happened in North Jakarta is a reflection of what has taken place all over the country. It is the result of what went wrong in Indonesia's economic journey for the last 10 years. While the economy experienced a high rate of growth, the income gap between the rich and the poor kept rising.

Indonesia's Gini coefficient, an indicator of income inequality in a country, rose from 0.3 in 2000 to 0.40 in 2015. (The higher the Gini coefficient, the more unequal the distribution of income). Income inequality in Indonesia is now worse than in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, although it is better than in the Philippines and China.

According to a recent World Bank report, only 20 percent of Indonesians benefitted from the growing economic wealth during the last decade, while 80 percent – or about 205 million people – were left behind.

According to the World Bank, Indonesia has one of the highest wealth concentrations in the world. The richest 10 percent of Indonesians own an estimated 77 percent of the country's wealth. Half of the country's assets are owned by the richest 1 percent. Worse, the concentration of wealth is increasing faster than in other countries. Income from these assets sometimes is taxed at a lower rate than worker income and has a much lower rate of tax compliance.

This means the rich are able to save a larger percentage of their income, increasing inequality in the future. The figures are based on several surveys, but it is known that getting the rich households as survey respondents is more difficult than getting answers from the poor. It is likely that the outcome of the surveys understates the extent of the wealth concentration, so that the actual wealth concentration is worse than stated in the surveys.

How has this inequality come about? The most obvious evidence is the inequality in opportunities. Children from poor households do not have the same opportunities in education as children of the rich. Children of the rich go to high-quality but expensive schools, while the children of the poor go to mediocre schools. The quality of education they receive will determine their future careers.

Moreover, because of poor nutrition and inadequate sanitation, children from poor families are generally less healthy. For instance, 37 percent of Indonesian children are stunted, which impairs their cognitive development. This will impact their future, because when they enter the job market, they will have a low level of skills.

Inequality is equally visible in the labor market. The relatively high growth of the Indonesian economy has created a severe imbalance in the labor market, where demand for skilled workers is high amidst an abundant supply of low-skilled workers.

As a result, a dichotomy in the labor market has developed: High-salary, formal jobs for highly qualified workers on the one hand and informal, low-wage jobs requiring low skills on the other.

Unequal access to skills and rising wages for the skilled has increased wage inequality. This inequality is set to rise, as the rapid growth of the service sector and digital economy changes the structure of the economy for the benefit of those with highly specialized skills.

Various shocks (financial crises, crop failures, sudden illness or natural disasters) can hurt the income of the poor and rich alike. However, the rich households have access to mechanisms to cope with shocks, like digging into their savings or insurance. But poor households must rely on loans from friends and families or sell productive assets. This erodes their ability to earn income and invest in the health and education needed to climb up the economic ladder.

It is possible that government policies will in the long term narrow the income gap. Infrastructure projects, which are labor intensive, support for labor-intensive industries, rising salaries of government employees or even the controversial increase in minimum wages and various social programs in education and health could help reduce income inequality. But given the current extreme inequality in income, the impact of those programs would be insignificant.

The widening gap in income should open our eyes to the failure of tax policies as an instrument of income distribution. Tax compliance remains low and tax evasion among high earners is still common. This raises the question of equity; because the effective tax rate paid by the wealthy is lower than that paid by low earners.

To let this situation prevail is fiscally irresponsible and morally unjustifiable. Also, massive corruption in the form of bribes, kickbacks that have siphoned off trillions of rupiah from government revenues, has undermined the government's ability to redistribute income more equally.

The simmering anger and resentment among various groups over government failure to achieve a more equitable distribution of income should not be taken lightly. It could threaten social peace and stability.

[The writer is a commissioner in a publicly listed oil and gas service company. The views expressed are his own.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/07/behind-rise-income-inequality-indonesia.html

Bureaucratic dead wood

Jakarta Post Editorial - June 7, 2016

Bureaucratic reform has remained an unresolved debate for many years, despite the Civil Service Law, dubbed the panacea for the acute problems plaguing Indonesian bureaucracy, coming into force in 2014.

A corrupt, rent-seeking mentality has to some extent been addressed through better remuneration and stricter supervision systems. It appears however that the bureaucracy finds difficulties in following the rhythm of the government, which aims high and works fast.

Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi says the presence of hundreds of thousands of incompetent, crooked, unaccountable civil servants has slowed the performance of the entire bureaucracy, which is why he has come up with a roadmap for bureaucratic streamlining.

According to the plan, the government will lay off 300,000 civil servants from 2017 to 2019 through golden handshakes and other mechanisms. During the period 500,000 civil servants will retire and 76 government institutions will undergo consolidation for efficiency reasons.

If strictly implemented, the rationalization will affect a total of 1 million civil servants, probably the largest number in our history. The Civil Service Law stipulates that incompetence and gross violations of the code of ethics can lead to dismissal.

From the fiscal perspective the rationalization makes sense. The government claims the program will enable it to shave Rp 176 trillion (US$13.2 billion) off its budget for bureaucracy, which it can reallocate for development spending. Regional governments will also benefit from rationalization, given the fact that civil service pay devours more than 50 percent of the budget in 244 regencies and municipalities across the country.

The mass lay-offs may have serious electoral consequences for the government of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, especially if he bids for re-election in 2019. Not many presidents would take such a risky decision, let alone approaching the end of his or her first term of office.

But Jokowi could face a far more devastating calamity if the plan is left unimplemented. The bloated bureaucracy is already a cause for concern as it creates or perpetuates inefficiency, overlaps and unfairness, as hard work does not count, and most importantly a cycle of corruption. There have been reports of people who take the risk of paying a lot to get admitted to the civil service and naturally they will do anything, including the abuse of their power, to recover their initial outlay.

The next danger of a bloated bureaucracy is the employment of people unqualified for civil service positions, who a senior government official once described as "dead wood" in the bureaucracy. Allowing parasitic, if not cancerous, elements to remain within the bureaucracy will only hinder the delivery of public services, lead to a slow realization of government programs and eventually erode public trust in the government.

For sure any failure to lay off incompetent civil servants will do more harm than good both to the government and people. Rationalization will require transparency in the merit system used to appraise civil servants' performance.

The government could of course convince the public about its aim to create a more professional bureaucracy if it led by example, by dismissing its own incompetent ministers.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/07/bureaucratic-dead-wood.html

Confronting a violent past

New Matilda - June 2, 2016

Saskia Wieringa – The gang rape and gruesome murder of Yuyun, a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Bengkulu, Sumatera made international headlines. However, the story only came to the world's attention after feminist activists started a social media campaign, a month after the girl's body was found.

Sexual violence is rife in Indonesia. In another recent case a girl was gang raped in Manado, two of whom were identified as police officers. There are stories of rape or sexual violence on an almost daily basis, with many assaults resulting in the murder of the victim.

The ones that make headlines are only the tip of the iceberg. In Indonesia caste or inter religious factors do not immediately account for present day outbursts of sexual violence. Racial, ethnic and class factors, however, do play an important role.

The National Commission on Violence Against Women estimates 35 women per day are victims of sexual violence and that, as everywhere else in the world, violence against women is under-reported. Similarly the Women's Association for Justice, with 18 offices all around the country, deals with many cases of domestic and other forms of violence against women. The Commission was set up by former President Habibie following the overthrow of the ruthless military regime of President Suharto after the brutal rape and murder of scores of Chinese girls and women during the so called 'May riots' of 1998.

The fact-finding team established by the Government to investigate these events verified 66 rapes of women, the majority of whom were Sino-Indonesian, as well as numerous other acts of violence against women. They also found that sexual violence had occurred before and after the May riots. The so-called 'New Order' of President Suharto rested on a masculinist military culture in which women's rights were trampled on. The regime was built on the massacre of hundreds of thousands of leftist people and spurred on by the sexual slander against communist women. In the process the military raped, sexually tortured and murdered tens of thousands of women and girls.

It began when a group of middle-ranking army officers abducted the top brass of the Indonesian army. The bodies of the abducted military personnel were dumped in a disused well on a training field of the air force, called Lubang Buaya, Crocodile Hole. To this day mystery surrounds these events. What is clear is that in the end Suharto managed to oust President Sukarno, in March 1966, and the Communist Party was blamed for the murders.

From early October onwards, the army waged a relentless campaign to blame the Communist Party. In particular, they did so by building a campaign of sexual terror around the young girls who had been present at the Crocodile Hole. They were accused of having seduced the generals in a lurid dance (Fragrant Flowers Dance) and of having castrated and murdered them.

The "proof" for these stories came from "confessions" signed after heavy sexual and other physical torture and the taking of nude photographs of the girls in prison.

Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission released a report in 2012 declaring the military responsible in gross human rights violation in 1965. The prosecutor's office rejected the report.

Under Suharto, women's subordination became enshrined in the legal and social structure of the country. In the 1974 marriage law for instance, women are defined as housewives, who have to sexually satisfy the needs of their husbands, who are the heads of household. If they don't, their husband is entitled to marry one or more extra wives. The word for a heterosexual woman having sex with her partner is 'serving' that partner. Thus women are objectified in this and other laws. Lower class women and those belonging to ethnic and religious minorities are especially vulnerable within this highly unequal gender regime.

The Ministry intended to fight for women's rights, presently entitled the Ministry for Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, does neither. Far from empowering and protecting women and girl children, it actually disempowers them. It promotes the concept of 'gender harmony', which enshrines women's subordination. The role of women is defined as the less important instruments in the orchestra which has to produce this harmony. Another concept it advocates is the Arabic for 'happy' in the construct of 'happy family'. This kind of family is composed of pious, obedient women and strong fathers.

Women's subjugation is also advocated by the many neo-salafist (also known as wahabi Islam) preachers, schools and institutions which have blossomed since the fall of Suharto. Masculine superiority and feminine subservience are not seen as the products of historical, cultural and religious factors but are naturalised. Extreme cases of violence such as gang rapes and murder are often portrayed as arising from external factors and thus "otherised". The culprits may be foreigners, such as the high profile case of the Canadian teacher Neil Bartleman, who was convicted of paedophilic sodomy on extremely flimsy grounds, or on LGBT people who are routinely associated with paedophilia, even by political and intellectual leaders who have been trained to know better.

Alternatively, the violence is blamed on moral factors, which are the target of a particular fundamentalist-inspired campaign, such as that against alcohol. The boys who gang raped Yuyun in Bengkulu were portrayed as being drunk on home-distilled arak.

What is not acknowledged as the cause for this violence against women is the country's history, culture and social norms.

So what is the answer?

A strengthening of religious teaching in the school curriculum, a new institution for child protection, the passing of the proposed Elimination of Sexual Violence Law or hefty sentences for culprits are measures being discussed at present. This form of education should be based on religious tolerance and on the many recommendations the National Commission on Violence Against Women has made. Such changes will not immediately lead to the dismantling of the culture of violence, nor to the growth of a culture of respect for human and women's rights. For that Indonesia has to face its violent past and educate its enormous population on tolerance, diversity and gender equality.

[Saskia Wieringa is Professor and Chair of Gender and Women's Same-Sex Relations [Crossculturally, University of Amsterdam. This article is a collaboration between New Mandala and Policy Forum, the Asia and the Pacific's leading platform for policy insight and debate.]

Source: http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2016/06/02/confronting-a-violent-past/

The Pancasila that we know

Jakarta Post Editorial - June 1, 2016

The government's talk of declaring Pancasila Day on June 1 a national holiday seems to reveal a yawning gap between the past and today's regime in terms of methods of instilling moral guidance in citizens and upholding a supreme source of law.

In the early period of the New Order the government banned commemoration of Pancasila Day and instead promoted Pancasila Sanctity Day every Oct. 1 to mark the defeat of communism. The same regime then forced school students to memorize 36 points of moral conduct prescribed by the People's Consultative Assembly and all civil servants and new university students had to attend a course on Pancasila.

Gone is the era of brainwashing by an authoritarian state that exchanged freedom for stability. Back then Pancasila was misused by certain organizations only to secure legitimacy with which to practice thuggery.

But does the democracy that we regained following the fall of the New Order in 1998 change the way the nation understands and, more importantly, upholds the state ideology?

We are now witnessing a new wave of phobia against "communism", lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) freedoms, anti-mainstream Islam, and other movements. These phobias are aimed at forcing one's will on others using the power of the mob, which obviously contravenes the five principles of Pancasila. The use of force and disrespect for human rights is as rampant as ever in Indonesia, a country that ironically claims to be a tolerant, friendly society.

The demands of the reformasi movement included a trial of former president Soeharto and his cronies for the corruption, collusion and nepotism that earned us the label as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. But corruption today is more massive, systematic and structured than it used to be, involving all three branches of power, regardless of the extraordinary measures in place for fighting graft.

Enforcement of the anticorruption law has been unable to ensnare the powerful or those who, due to their political clout, enjoy impunity. Nothing much has changed in the way we deal with the untouchables, although Pancasila promotes the rule of law and equality before the law.

There is still a missing link between the Pancasila that we and our children know from history and civics books and the reality that we face every day. The five principles of belief in God, humanity, national unity, democracy and social justice that our founding fathers approved as they were envisioning a nation called Indonesia 70 years ago have remained a set of unrealized ideals.

A Pancasila-guided Indonesia cannot be said to be a utopia either. That we accept the national song "Garuda Pancasila" that was composed by the leftist Sudharnoto in honor of the state ideology, or that social volunteerism prevails whenever devastating natural disasters strike, are the evidence that Indonesia is a fertile ground for Pancasila values to grow.

When we commemorate Pancasila Day today, let us just recall the brave hearts and sacrifice of our forefathers in choosing Pancasila as the unifying ideal for a diverse Indonesia.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/01/the-pancasila-we-know.html