Bambang Muryanto and Nethy Dharma Somba, Yogyakarta/Jayapura – Yogyakarta Police arrested at least seven Papuan students for allegedly promoting separatism after the students were prevented from taking to the streets in the city's downtown.

The students were arrested in different locations in the city as they prepared to join the rally, which the authorities said promoted separatism. The seven students were named as Nus Tabuni, Obi Kagoya, Debi Kogoya, Obet Hisage, Terry Aud, Demianus Dabi and Adius Katligagal.

The students had planned to stage the rally on the city's streets in a show of support for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's (ULMWP) bid for membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG). Local police, however, deployed a water canon on Jl. Kusumanegara, preventing the students from leaving their dormitory.

Emanuel Gobay of the Yogyakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) said it was deplorable that the police had banned the students from staging a rally. Other students were beaten in clashes with the police, said Roy Karoba, a spokesman for the People's Unity for West Papua Liberation (PRPPB).

"We were surprised at the police's attitude. They gathered in front of the dorm in the morning, later more police personnel were deployed to surround the dorm," Roy said on Friday. As their way was blocked by police personnel, the students displayed banners and chanted slogans at their dorm.

The police insisted on preventing the students from taking to the streets in a bid to avoid clashes with activists from Pemuda Pancasila, Forum for Children of Veterans and Military/Police (FKPPI) and Laskar Jogja, which strongly oppose the idea of separatism.

Farid Giant of Pemuda Pancasila in his speech asked the police to eradicate separatist movements in the country. "We are not afraid of human rights. Combat those who commit treason against the Unitary Nation of the Republic of Indonesia," he said.

The Papuan students planned to stage the rally in connection with an extraordinary summit of the MSG in Honiara, Solomon Islands, which concluded on Thursday.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry's director general for Asia-Pacific and African affairs, Desra Percaya, said the MSG had rejected full membership for the ULMWP.

On Friday, however, West Papuan lawyer and human rights activist Yan Warinussy dismissed reports that the MSG meeting had denied the ULMWP full membership status. "There was no decision at the MSG summit," Yan said, adding that the ULMWP's status in the organization remained that of an observer, similar to Indonesia's status.

Meanwhile, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo called on his aides on Thursday to speed up comprehensive development in the country's easternmost provinces. Jokowi said the development should not be solely focused on building infrastructure, but also on creating a platform to enable steady economic growth.

In addition, Education and Culture Minister Anies Baswedan said on Friday poor educational access and facilities had partially led to the rising separatist movement in Papua. Anies made the comment after a meeting at the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan.

The meeting was also attended by relevant ministers such as the National Planning Development Minister Sofyan Djalil and the Technology, Research and Higher Education Minister, Muhammad Natsir.

In the meeting concerning educational development in the Papua and the West Papua provinces, Anies said there were three acute problems faced in the regions: poor access, poor teacher quality and mismanagement by regional authorities.

Anies said he had urged ministries involved in the meeting to also speed up building infrastructure, because the geographical conditions in the provinces were not matched by adequate access.

"If your happiness and basic welfare are well accommodated, you will not ask for many things," he said, when asked about the connection between poor education and separatism. (fac)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/16/students-arrested-preemptive-police-action.html

Yogya police detain local residents, Red Cross workers helping besieged Papua

Tempo.co - July 16, 2016

Shinta Maharani, Yogyakarta – Students and activists at the Papuan student dormitory in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta have been besieged by hundreds of security personnel from the Yogyakarta regional police and the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) paramilitary police.

They have had to endure hunger and thirst because they have been unable to leave the Kamasan I dormitory on Jl. Kusumanegara since the morning of Friday July 15.

People's Union for West Papua Freedom (PRPPB) spokesperson Roy Karoba said that the residence of the Miliran kampung (urban village) living in the vicinity of the Papuan dormitory and volunteers from the Yogyakarta City Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) who tried to bring food into the dormitory were detained by police.

"There were local residents in solidarity [with the Papuans] who brought food. But it was confiscated by police", said Roy on Friday evening.

The PMI volunteers had wanted to distribute food that had been brought by pro-democracy activists. But they were detained and were unable to enter the dormitory.

Yogyakarta PMI chairperson Herry Zudianto, who said that the distribution of logistical aid to the Papua Dormitory was carried out by the PMI Yogyakarta, did not know exactly what had happened to the aid. Another Yogyakarta PMI official said that they had heard that the PMI driver was not given permission by police to bring in the logistics over concerns that they would be taken hostage.

Police also used tear gas on three separate occasions. When Tempo sought confirmation on the reasons for this, the police denied that tear gas had been used. "There was no tear gas", Yogyakarta municipal police operational section chief superintendent Sigit Haryadi replied briefly when contacted.

At around 9.30pm, Miliran residents and pro-democracy activists again attempted to enter the Papuan dormitory and succeeded in bringing in some food. Some of the Brimob officer left the dormitory just before midnight.

Plans for a peaceful action by Papuan students and pro-democracy activists supporting the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) on Friday afternoon were unsuccessful. The action was forcibly broken up by hundreds of officers from the Yogyakarta regional police and Brimob along with other mass organisations.

The mass organisations arrived at the Papua student dormitory in the morning and stayed until late afternoon. The groups, which included the Communication Forum of Indonesian Veterans' Children (FKPPI), the Pancasila Youth (PP), the Paksi Katon [which sees itself as a guardian of Javanese culture and the Yogyakarta sultanate – JB] and the Yogyakarta Militia (Laskar Jogja) forcibly broke up the planned action. They also brought weapons such as bamboo sticks and clubs.

They also shouted and screamed at Papuans who exited the dormitory using obscene words and the names of animals [dogs, monkeys and pigs according to reports – JB]. Some also hurled stones into the dormitory grounds.

A member of the Umbulharjo sub-district FKPPI, Elly Kinadi, who came to the dormitory said that they rejected the planned action by the activists and Papuan students accusing them of being part of the Free Papua Movement (OPM). At least 35 members of the FKPPI arrived at the Papuan dormitory. "We along with the Pancasila Youth, Paksi Katon and Laskar Jogja reject [the action", said Kinadi.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "Mahasiswa Papua Dikepung, Warga Kampung Yogya Kirim Makanan".]

Source: https://m.tempo.co/read/news/2016/07/16/078788008/mahasiswa-papua-dikepung-warga-kampung-yogya-kirim-makanan

ULFWP denied full MSG Membership

Vanuatu Daily Post - July 16, 2016

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) was not admitted as full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) during the MSG Leaders' Summit in Honiara Thursday this week.

The issue has been deferred by the MSG leaders to later this year. This comes as great disappointment given expectations from throughout Melanesia including Vanuatu that ULMWP would be accepted as a full MSG member. In a media statement released by the Vanuatu Prime Minister's Office yesterday, it stated that the people of Vanuatu through their Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, lived up to the challenge as a leader of Melanesia for the fight to get the ULMWP in as a full member of the MSG given the precedent of decisions by consensus, and not, by votes.

Vanuatu had conceded although it was clear that 3 of the 5 MSG leaders present had wanted the admission of ULMWP as a full member.

In the foregoing the fight is not over, Vanuatu is offering to host another round of dialogue in Port Vila before the end of September 2016 to deliberate on this matter.

The Government of the Prime Minister Charlot Salwai and the people of Vanuatu are adamant that Vanuatu can set itself up to meet another bout to discuss the inclusion of the ULMWP as a full member of the MSG.

Salwai took part in the special MSG Leaders' Summit to defend the Council of Ministers Decision to endorse the application of Melanesian people of West Papua during the Honiara MSG Summit this week.

Following the decision of the Vanuatu Council of Ministers, Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare who is currently the Chairman of the MSG and Spokesperson of the FLNKS of New Caledonia, Victor Tutugoro indicated to support the decision of the Vanuatu Government.

It is not the first time that Vanuatu has pushed for Melanesian People to become member of the MSG. During MSG Kanaky Leaders summit, Vanuatu took the lead to make West Papua become MSG full member but was further delayed due to differences with political grouping in West Papua.

This led to Vanuatu hosting a conference in Port Vila where all leaders of different groupings in West Papua were present in Port Vila that led to the official establishment of the ULMWP agreement.

The date for another round of talks by the MSG Leaders on the issue of admission into the MSG put forward by Vanuatu, before the end of September this year, is yet to be announced.

Source: http://dailypost.vu/news/ulfwp-denied-full-msg-membership/article_2fc765a4-ddfe-5bf8-b029-45ca7a9354b5.html

Police arrest seven Papuan students, prevent demo

Jakarta Post - July 15, 2016

Yogyakarta, Bambang Muryanto – Police officers surrounded Papuan students in their dormitory in Yogyakarta to prevent them from attending an event organized by the People's Union for West Papua Freedom (PRPPB).

Police officers secured the dormitory on Jl. Kusumanegara on Friday from morning to evening and arrested seven of the students. The PRPPB event was in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's (ULMWP) bid to become a full member of the Melanesia Spearhead Group (MSG).

PRPPB spokesman Roy Karoba told The Jakarta Post that hundreds of students, who were kept in the dormitory since early Friday, had not eaten and an Indonesian Red Cross ambulance conveying food was prevented from entering the dormitory. "The ambulance was not allowed to enter [the dormitory]. It left after discussions with police officers," Roy said.

Initially, the students sought to organize a meeting at Titik Nol (Zero Point) in the center of Yogyakarta City, but the police did not permit them to carry out their plans. They then decided to organize free speech events in the dormitory.

The police arrested at least seven students, seized a Morning Star Flag and a motorcycle. Police also fired warning shots during a clash between officers and students. Four of the students were arrested when they bought food at Giwangan market.

Tension at the dormitory increased when opposing activists from the Pancasila Youth (PP), the Communication Forum of Indonesian Veterans' Children (FKPPI) and a mass organization of Paksi Katon arrived at the location to support the police.

Yogyakarta Police's intelligence department head Comr. Wahyu Dwi Nugroho confirmed that the police did not permit the event at Zero Point. "It is for the sake of security," he said, declining to comment further.

Emanuel Gobay of the Yogyakarta Legal Aid Institution (LBH Yogyakarta) criticized the police for preventing the students from carrying out their demonstration, saying that it violated human rights principles. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/15/police-arrest-seven-papuan-students-prevent-demo.html

MSG turns down Papua separatist group's request for full membership

Jakarta Globe - July 15, 2016

Alin Almanar & Donny Andhika Mononimbar, Jakarta – The Melanesian Spearhead Group has rejected an application for full membership status by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which Indonesia deems a separatist group, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The decision, made during an MSG special summit in Honiara in the Solomon Islands on Thursday (14/07), means the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) retains its observer status as an organization.

"There is no place for the ULMWP in the future of the MSG," Desra, director general for Asia Pacific and Africa at the Indonesian foreign ministry, said in a statement on Thursday (14/07).

"The active participation and intensive lobbying by the Indonesian delegation, which also included representatives from five provinces, Maluku, North Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, Papua and West Papua, has convinced MSG leaders not to accept the ULMWP's membership application."

The five Indonesian provinces are considered as Indonesia's Melanesian representatives in the MSG.

The ULMWP was granted observer status last year, following the collection of more than 150,000 signatures from West Papuans requesting full membership status in the intergovernmental organization, composed of the four Melanesian states of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front of New Caledonia.

Indonesia, which became an associate member of the MSG at last year's summit in Honiara and who is currently mulling full membership status, maintains that the ULMWP does not represent the people of West Papua.

The Solomon Islands and Vanuatu recently stated their support for full membership status for the ULMWP, while Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front of New Caledonia remained undecided.

"There was no refusal. This is only a delay," ULMWP leader Markus Haluk said in response to Thursday's decision.

"The reason for the postponement is the definition for new membership has yet to be properly arranged to ensure the acceptance of the ULMWP application," Markus told the Jakarta Globe on Friday. "Our application is delayed until the next special summit."

The summit, scheduled to take place in Port Vila, Vanuatu, in September, is expected to further discuss and settle the guidelines for MSG membership.

Protests

The MSG's decision not to upgrade the ULMWP's status has sparked a rally in some parts of Indonesia, such as in Yogyakarta.

Dozens of Papuan student held a rally at their dormitory despite not having a permit from the local police. The students are also trying to establish a ULMWP representative office in the city, which was rejected by security officials.

The rally ended with a clash between the Papuan students and police, resulting in Jalan Kusumanegara being closed to traffic for several hours. The situation was brought under control after four hours, when the road was reopened.

Papuan students in Makassar, South Sulawesi, also held a rally on Friday demanding that the MSG grants permanent membership to the ULMWP as a member state.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/msg-turns-papua-separatist-groups-request-full-membership/

MSG rejects separatist bid

Jakarta Post - July 15, 2016

Jakarta – Indonesia's culture-based forays into the South Pacific and measured determination to extinguish the simmering heat of Papuan separatism has seemingly paid off.

After years of building rapport, intensive lobbying and projecting itself as the benevolent giant in the region, Jakarta was afforded an opportunity to make its case for the inclusive development of its easternmost provinces and dispel any separatist sentiment.

The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), an important sub-regional grouping of Pacific island countries, has denied full membership to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP).

"There is no place for the ULMWP in the future of the MSG," said Desra Percaya, the Foreign Ministry's director general of Asia-Pacific and African affairs, at the conclusion of the MSG Extraordinary Summit convened in Honiara, Solomon Islands, on Thursday.

The MSG has agreed to hold further discussions at the extraordinary summit on MSG membership guidelines, which are expected to reach a conclusion in September at the next MSG conference in Port Vila, Vanuatu, he said.

On the other side of the fence, members of the ULMWP are living on a prayer and insisting the MSG board has only deferred their bid for full membership, Australian broadcaster SBS reported.

Desra insisted that the active participation of the Indonesian delegation, including representatives from five of the country's Melanesian-rooted provinces (Maluku, North Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, Papua and West Papua), had successfully swayed the opinions of MSG leaders in Honiara to reject the ULMWP's bid for international recognition and support.

Representation by Melanesians in Indonesia is an important aspect in forging ties with Pacific island countries, especially as the MSG has been used as a platform for Papuan separatist movements for decades.

The MSG comprises Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and New Caledonia. Indonesia obtained associate member status during the last MSG conference, which was held in the Solomon Islands in 2015. The ULMWP, which campaigns for Papuan independence, currently sits in the MSG as an observer.

Separately, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan also confirmed the MSG's decision, saying that it was proof that Indonesia was able to convince the forum not to support any bid from separatist groups. "Now Indonesia's position in the MSG is extremely favorable," Luhut told reporters outside his office in Jakarta.

With the ULMWP out of the picture, he said that the door was open for the country to apply for full membership of the MSG very soon, pending the return of the Indonesian delegation from the Solomon Islands. "I can say this is the result of extraordinary teamwork done holistically," the former Army general said.

Luhut previously said that as a large country with significant influence in the Asia-Pacific region, Indonesia would reap more benefits if it became a full member of the MSG.

Indonesia's interests are underpinned by the demographic and geographic reality that 11 million people of Melanesian ancestry live in five of the archipelagic country's eastern provinces.

As a group aiming to achieve cultural solidarity and become a mouthpiece for the Melanesian people, Indonesia's inclusion in the MSG is a government priority, as Jakarta looks to strengthen its cultural ties and ensure peace and stability in the region. "Indonesia is now positively considering a bid to become a full member of the organization," Desra said.

Earlier in April, Luhut visited a number of MSG member states to secure their support for Indonesia's bid to fully join the MSG should the opportunity arise in the future.

So far, Fiji has announced its support, while Papua New Guinea would assess Indonesia's opportunity at the 21st MSG conference next year, which will be hosted by Port Moresby.

On the other hand, Vanuatu is hostile toward Indonesia's membership in the MSG and openly supports the separatist ULMWP.

As the delegation leader for Indonesia, Desra underscored Indonesia's commitment to push the MSG to become a progressive organization through concrete development cooperation and constructive dialogue. He also submitted a formal invitation from the government to have MSG member states attend the upcoming Bali Democracy Forum later this year.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/15/msg-rejects-separatist-bid.html

Indonesia hails MSG's decision to reject ULMWP as member

Antara News - July 15, 2016

Jakarta – Indonesia has hailed the decision of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to reject the United Liberation Front for West Papua (ULMWP) as its member.

It is seeing the ULWMPs failure to win MSG full membership as its victory, according to a press statement of the Foreign Affairs Ministry here on Thursday.

From the beginning the Indonesian government has strongly rejected the presence of the separatist ULMWP at any MSG meeting, including at the MSG Summit held in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

"So, Indonesia's position in the MSG is very good, meaning we can give an explanation for ULMWP not being accepted as a member of the MSG," Director General for Asia Pacific and Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Desra Percaya said at his office.

He said the success of the Indonesian delegation to convey the country's view and aspirations at the MSG Summit could be attributed to the efforts it made to settle human right cases in Papua comprehensively through the establishment of an integrated team tasked with collecting data, information and analysis. "That is the result of the hard work of the team, I think," he said.

The success of Indonesia in maintaining West Papua would be followed by efforts to get MSGs full membership and this will be discussed following the arrival of the Indonesian delegation, which will be led by Director General Desra Percaya.

In the press statement received by Antara on Thursday, Desra expressed appreciation for the decision of the MSG members to reject ULMWP as full member of MSG. "There is no place for ULMWP in MSGs future," he said.

Desra said active participation and intensive lobbying done by the Indonesian delegation members consisting of representatives from five provinces that have Melanesian cultures – North Maluku, Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, Papua, West Papua – have successfully convinced leaders of MSG member countries to not accept the application of ULMWP for MSG full membership.

Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said MSGs decision was proof of international recognition of Indonesia's sovereignty over Papua and West Papua. "Papua belongs to Indonesia and it will remain our part forever," she said.

Source: http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/105670/indonesia-hails-msgs-decision-to-reject-ulmwp-as-member

Papua's local leaders slam DPRP selection process

Jakarta Post - July 15, 2016

Nether Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Local leaders have decried the results of selection for the Papuan People's Representatives' Council (DPRP), claiming the process was manipulated.

Lembah Baliem, Wamena and Jayawijaya tribal chief Sadek Asso and Pegunungan Tengah Muslim Communication Forum head Ismail Asso on Thursday demanded the Home Ministry refuse to approve 14 newly selected DPRP members representing customary regions, pointing to strong indications of foul play.

"Some of the figures announced by the selection committee were not even registered. How did the committee come up with the names? For example, one person was claimed to represent the customary region of La Pago, but he was never registered in the area. This deception contravenes the rights of the people of La Pago," Sadek told the media in Jayapura on Thursday.

He said he would not only voice protests in the media, but would take legal action. "We will report the alleged fraud to the Papua Police so they can conduct an inquiry and investigation," he said.

The DPRP is a form of legislative institution, particular to Papua, that consists of representatives of political parties and customary regions, as regulated by the 2011 Law on Papua's special autonomy.

The Papua DPRP currently has 56 members; the additional 14 members are required to complete the selection process in the council. The local administration has tasked a selection committee to organize the selection, involving all customary regions in Papua.

Once all DPRP members are selected, the region will hold a selection process for another legislative council, the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP), as mandated by the law.

Ismail said some the names announced by the selection committee were already disqualified. "The most striking irregularity is that the 14 names in question have been stated as being disqualified by the selection committee in the regions. Furthermore, one name was passed although the person has not resided in Papua for the last 10 years," he noted.

Papuan Bylaw No. 6/2014 stipulates that appointed DPRP members must be native Papuans and Indonesian citizens who have been residing in Papua for at least 10 years consecutively. "Some of the names announced have not resided in Papua for 10 years consecutively," Ismail claimed.

Papua provincial first assistant secretary Doren Wakerkwa also firmly denounced the figures announced by the selection committee. "The names announced have not properly accommodated the indigenous regions, so a reselection must be carried out. The Papua provincial administration has received many reports regarding the recruitment conducted by the selection committee, rife with allegations of fraud," he said.

Earlier, the DPRP member selection committee announced 42 names of candidates selected from five customary regions. Of the 42 names, 14 were selected as definitive DPRP members. Three of the 14 were from the customary region of Me Pago, four were from La Pago, three from Saireri and two from both of Ha Anim and Mamta.

The MRP has yet to initiate the selection of new MRP members given the ongoing DPRP selection process, in accordance with the Papua Special Autonomy Law.

The DPRP selection will influence the number of MRP members as per the regulation stipulating that the number of MRP members should be equal to 75 percent of the number of DPRP members.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/15/papua-s-local-leaders-slam-dprp-selection-process.html

MSG leaders defer West Papua membership decision

Radio New Zealand International - July 15, 2016

Melanesian leaders have deferred a decision on whether the United Liberation Movement for West Papua can gain full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

The group's leaders said there was a criteria issue with the West Papuans' application, and the group's secretariat needed to establish guidelines for membership. They said a decision would now be made when they next meet in September.

The United Liberation Movement, an umbrella organisation of independence groups, currently has observer status within the regional body, but is seeking full membership. Indonesia, which considers the movement a separatist group with no legitimacy, has associate status within the MSG.

Vanuatu, a key advocate for West Papua, pushed for the movement to gain full membership, supported by Solomon Islands and New Caledonia's FLNKS movement. But Papua New Guinea and Fiji supported Indonesia's position.

In a statement, Vanuatu's prime minister, Charlot Salwai, said he was disappointed that West Papua was not admitted, vowing that his country would not give up the fight.

He said Vanuatu had offered to host another leaders' meeting to dicuss the application which, if successful, would give West Papua recognised diplomatic standing on a regional forum.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/308691/msg-leaders-defer-west-papua-membership-decision

Police disperse Papuan separatist rally, arrest dozens of activists

Jakarta Post - July 14, 2016

Margareth S. Aritonang and Nethy Dharma Somba, Jakarta/Papua – Two activists with pro-independence group West Papua National Committee (KNPB) have undergone questioning at a police station in Papua for allegedly leading a rally that promoted separatism.

The rally was staged to call for a bigger group, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), to be given membership status in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), a subregional organization of Pacific nations, comprising Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and New Caledonia.

The ULMWP was formed last year when Vanuatu hosted a unification summit for West Papuan representative groups, and officially applied for full MSG membership in February 2015.

The police have charged the two activists, Yanto Awerkion and Semu Ukago, under Article 160 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on provocation.

"They were distributing leaflets that promoted Papua's separation from the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia," said National Police spokesperson Comr. Martinus Sitompul on Wednesday.

The two activists have been charged with encouraging 98 other KNPB activists to join the rally, which took place days before a high-level MSG meeting on July 14 in the Solomon Islands. The meeting is expected to announce the fate of ULMWP's membership bid.

All of the 100 activists were earlier detained at the police station in the city of Timika, however, some of them have been released. The activists were not all arrested in one fell swoop; 68 were arrested on Tuesday and 32 others were arrested on Wednesday.

Yanto, deputy chairman of the KNPB in Mimika, and Semu, the group's secretary-general, were among the 68 activists arrested on Tuesday. Both are still undergoing questioning.

Meanwhile, at the time of writing, all 32 activists arrested on Wednesday were still detained at the headquarters of the police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in Timika.

The recent episode is not the first case of Papuan activists being arrested for pro-independence activities.

"They will first seek a place in the MSG. Later on, they will get voting rights, which will lead to attempts to separate Papua from Indonesia. We must stop it now. That's why we arrested the protesters" Martinus said.

Meanwhile, Papua Police spokesperson chief commissioner Rudolf Patrige said the activists had ignored a ban on rallies issued by the police days before the mass arrest.

Rudolf blamed the activists for going ahead with the rally in spite of the ban. "They forcibly moved on with their plan without securing a permit. Thus, the police also forcibly dispersed their gathering."

The high-tension rally paralyzed Timika as hundreds of pro-independence activists and police personnel swarmed onto the streets, going head to head. The police later fired warning shots into the air.

"All shops were closed. The police forcibly dispersed the gathering by firing [warning] shots," said Hermanto, a local. No casualties were reported during the violent protest.

The forced dispersal is only the latest in a mounting list of restrictions of freedom of expression cases in the conflict prone province, most of which remain unsettled.

The arrest of the KNPB activists has also added the number of political prisoners in the resource-rich area. There are currently 4,198 political prisoners in Papua, according to data jointly released by the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) and local organizations.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/14/police-disperse-papuan-separatist-rally-arrest-dozens-activists.html

Church calls on MSG leaders to consider West Papua membership

Loop PNG - July 13, 2016

The Catholic Church of Papua New Guinea has called on leaders of the Melanesian Spearhead Group to consider West Papua's membership application.

West Papuans have applied under the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMPW), which is a collaborative group comprised of united resistance organisations located both inside and outside of West Papua.

Officials and representatives of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) have arrived in Honiara to attend the MSG Leaders Summit on Thursday, July 14, to determine whether the current observer status of ULMWP will be elevated to full membership.

Archbishop of Port Moresby Sir John Ribat encouraged MSG leaders, including Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, to seriously pursue a lasting solution to the West Papua conflict peacefully through the MSG forum.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Indonesia also supports a peaceful dialogue and resolution to the conflict and Ribat says they give their full support to the Church in West Papua.

"We support any political move to have both Indonesia and ULMWP at the MSG table," Ribat said. ULMWP should be allowed full membership based on its qualification of the MSG membership criteria and Indonesia should be allowed at the table only as an observer, he continued.

"We believe that the human rights and justice concerns of West Papua has to be discussed under the framework of the international principles of law and justice," stated Ribat.

"This issue cannot be avoided as it is already an underlying issue for a good portion of the indigenous West Papua people. It is our prayer that the MSG political will be guided by a true sense of justice and peace in their deliberations."

Ribat added that West Papua no doubt remains a thorny issue for a peaceful relation among countries in the Asia Pacific region and it is necessary that we find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Source: http://www.looppng.com/content/church-calls-msg-leaders-consider-west-papua-membership

West Papua activist group speaks of focus on nation building

Radio New Zealand International - July 13, 2016

The Solomon Islands government says the United Liberation Movement of West Papua wants to move away from advocacy towards nation-building.

The Movement's general secretary Octo Mote says for West Papuans to gain international support for their push for self-rule, they need to be involved in nation-building.

Mr Mote is in Honiara to attend the summit of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. He said the organisation must take part in building the economy, training health care professionals and helping people prepare for the adverse effects of climate change.

Mr Mote said the Movement will seek help in this from the smaller island states of the ACP Group.

The Solomons Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, said this is a positive move because it could convince Jakarta that West Papuans are serious about looking after themselves and developing their vast natural resources.

Mr Sogavare said as a firm believer in MSG solidarity, West Papua cannot go wrong if it harmonises its politics and economics.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/308598/west-papua-activist-group-speaks-of-focus-on-nation-building

Strong Fiji backing for West Papua – Ro Teimumu

Radio New Zealand International - July 13, 2016

Fiji's Opposition Leader said giving the United Liberation Movement of West Papua membership to the Melanesian Spearhead Group was the most responsible action any Melanesian Leader can do.

Ro Teimumu Kepa said Indonesia sought membership of the regional bloc only to protect its own interest and has shown great disrespect for the concerns of Melanesians who feel that a genocide is underway in West Papua.

Ro Teimumu has declared her full support for the Movement which has applied for full membership at the MSG meeting in Honiara this week.

She said Indonesia had no desire to engage in dialogue about human rights issues and they have shown this many times in their re-framing of attacks on 'freedom fighters' and their suppression self-determination activities.

Ro Teimumu said she joins thousands of Fijians who feel strongly about the country changing its position and calls for freedom and for an independent West Papua.

She says by granting full membership, the leaders of Melanesia will directly respond to the desire of people who want an end to the violence ULMWP member's face.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/308573/strong-fiji-backing-for-west-papua-ro-teimumu

West Papua hopeful for full membership

Solomon Star News - July 13, 2016

Aatai John – Indonesian province of West Papua is hopeful to see their full membership plea in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), advance during this 4th Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) summit hosted in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Speaking to the media yesterday spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Paupua (ULMWP) Benny Wenda said they are optimistic to see the struggle of their people advance to the next level, within the MSG.

He said their ongoing campaign and struggle for support from the Melanesian countries and the pacific will help them advance their membership status in the MSG, which is fundamental to their wish to become an independent state.

ULMWP acquired their observer status in MSG last year during the MSG meeting held in Honiara, thus they are hopeful to see their status in this sub-regional organisation advanced to full membership.

Wenda stressed their struggle is not for them but for the future generation of West Papua, who will be free from brutality and bloodshed continued to be suffered on the hands of the Indonesian military.

Source: http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/11009-west-papua-hopeful-for-full-membership

MSG to determine status for West Papua Free Movement

Jakarta Globe - July 13, 2016

Edo Karensa, Jakarta – The Melanesian Spearhead Group, or MSG, will stage a leadership summit in Honiara on Thursday (14/07) to determine if it will grant full membership status to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, better-known as ULMWP, or maintain the current observer status.

ULMWP was granted observer status by MSG in June last year, noted as the first diplomatic recognition since 1963. The status followed over 150,000 signatures of West Papuan to request full membership status from MSG.

Representatives from Solomon Islands and Vanuatu recently stated support of granting full membership for ULMWP, while Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front of New Caledonia remain undecided.

Ahead of the MSG summit, ULMWP staged peaceful rallies across West Papua to call for full membership for the free West Papua movement.

Mecky Yeimo, an activist of West Papua National Committee (KNPB), an arm of ULMWP, said authorities have detained around 200 people in Timika during the preparation of peaceful rally.

"The activists were detained, including chairman of KNPB's Timika chapter, Yanto Awerkion, and secretary Semuel Ukago," Mecky said on Tuesday (12/07). However, the police have yet to confirm the incident.

Indonesia, which was granted associate status last year, has sent the Foreign Ministry's director general of Asia Pacific and Africa Desra Percaya to the MSG summit. Indonesia stated that ULMWP is a separatist movement which has no legitimacy and does not represent the people of West Papua.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/msg-determine-status-west-papua-free-movement/

West Papua ULMWP calls for more Melanesian interaction

Radio New Zealand International - July 12, 2016

The West Papua National Committee wants a national action to be held over the next two days in West Papua (July 13th and July 14th) to mark its meeting with the MSG.

The Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders are meeting in Honiara, where they are considering the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's application for full membership. The Committee says activities in Papua will include peaceful demonstrations, prayers and feasting to show support for the Movement's application.

Meanwhile West Papua says it wants more interaction with the MSG – Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia. The Movement's general secretary Octo Mote told the Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare West Papua would like to see more contacts in sports, especially football.

He says they would also like to send young West Papuans to study at the Solomon Islands National University in Honiara and at educational institutions in Vanuatu, and later possibly to universities in PNG and Fiji.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/308514/west-papua-ulmwp-calls-for-more-melanesian-interaction

PIANGO welcomes World Churches call for West Papua solidarity visit

Pacific Media Centre - July 9, 2016

The Pacific Islands Association of NGOs (PIANGO) executive director, Emele Duituturaga, has welcomed a call made by the World Council of Churches (WCC) for a solidarity visit to West Papua by an international ecumenical delegation, reports PINA.

Duituturaga said the call made by the WCC for a solidarity visit to be organised as soon as possible, is timely given that the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) will be meeting next week in Honiara, Solomon Islands:

"WCC HAS CALLED FOR THIS VISIT TO DEMONSTRATE THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT'S ACCOMPANIMENT OF THE CHURCHES IN THE REGION, TO HEAR THE VOICES OF THE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, AND TO PURSUE THE PILGRIMAGE OF JUSTICE AND PEACE.

"WCC JOINS THE MANY VOICES FROM AROUND THE WORLD THAT HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE IN WEST PAPUA AND IT'S A CALL THAT SHOULD WEIGH HEAVILY ON THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF OUR LEADERS WHO WILL MEET IN HONIARA NEXT WEEK."

Duituturaga said the Christian churches through WCC is a prophetic voice that must be given due consideration by the region's leaders.

"WCC has called on its member churches to pray and act in support of the witness of the churches – especially the Evangelical Christian Church in Tanah Papua, and through the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC), and the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) – for justice and peace in the region," Duituturaga said.

"And rightfully so. The churches can no longer stand by and watch the genocide of indigenous Papuans. They have spoken about the need to protect human dignity.

Brutal rule

"As a regional platform, PIANGO stands with WCC's representative in the region, the Pacific Conference of Churches as they pray and act in support of Papuans suffering under the brutal rule of Indonesia."

PIANGO is also collaborating with other regional NGOs to remind the MSG of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's application for full membership.

"ULMWP are Pacific Islanders, they are Melanesians and Indonesia's continued denial of the genocide happening right at our doorstep of their people, our wantoks, warrants their full membership of the MSG."

She said that with ULMWP's full membership, Melanesian leaders can fully deliberate on the multifaceted nature of Indonesia's brutality and its impact on Pacific people.

NZ Greens urge NZ PM to raise human rights concerns

The New Zealand Green Party says Prime Minister John Key must address human rights in West Papua when he meets with Indonesia's Joko Widodo later this month, reports Radio NZ International.

Key intended to discuss trade and economic links, but a Greens MP, Catherine Delahunty, said there was no mention of discussions on the political situation in West Papua.

She said the complete absence of human rights from Key's agenda was particularly damning given a schoolboy was shot by military police in West Papua only last week.

Source: http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/07/09/piango-welcomes-world-churches-call-for-west-papua-solidarity-visit/

1965 anti-communist purge

National University of Singapore helps survivors of '65 massacre tell their own

Jakarta Globe - July 12, 2016

Jakarta – National University of Singapore's (NUS) research center for culture-centered approach to research and evaluation (CARE) recently launched "Learning65" – an online creative writing campaign to encourage survivors of the 1965-1966 communist pogrom in Indonesia tell their own stories about the horror ordeal.

So far, contributing survivors have written stories about their first-hand experiences of forced labor, imprisonment without trial, physical torture and sexual harassment under the New Order regime led by former president Soeharto.

"The central theme of the campaign is to create a narrative entry point for articulating the lived experiences of suffering as well as the pathways of hope for the survivors," said Dyah Pitaloka, CARE's media spokesperson, on Monday (11/07).

Started by an advisory committee comprising ten survivors, the campaign found a willing partner and a guide in Professor Mohan J. Dutta, CARE's Director. The main goal of the campaign is to offer hope to the survivors by directly addressing their trauma.

The team took eight months to design a culture-centered campaign, comprising a digital storytelling website, social media outreach and a documentary film ahead of its official launch on July 4.

Learning65 can be accessed here: http://www.learning65.com/

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/natl-university-of-singapore-launch-online-campaign-for-65-massacre-survivors/

Internet & social media

RI throws support behind UN resolution despite qualms

Jakarta Post - July 13, 2016

Dylan Amirio, Jakarta – Indonesia confirmed on Tuesday that it would stand behind a UN resolution that promotes the right to a completely free and undisrupted internet for citizens despite its earlier effort to endorse an amendment to the resolution.

The UN's Human Rights Council (HRC) passed on July 1 a resolution dubbed "The promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the internet", which condemns any efforts by governments to intentionally disrupt internet access of their citizens to limit freedom of speech.

The resolution, passed by consensus, however, was met with opposition from six countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, India, South Africa, China and Indonesia.

However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir noted that Indonesia's position had been taken out of context, saying that the regulation passed through consensus instead of voting, meaning that Indonesia had not opposed it.

The spokesman explained that during the deliberation of the resolution at the UN, China had tried to push three amendments into the regulation but failed to garner majority support to do so.

Indonesia's position at that time, he added, had been in support of a particular amendment from China that hinged on the right to privacy and the prevention of spreading ideas on racial superiority, hatred, discrimination and any other form of intolerance. It, however, finally accepted the resolution as a result of a consensus.

"Indonesia's position to the resolution is to agree with it as a whole. We didn't vote against it. Maybe some media outlets here took the situation out of context," he said on Tuesday.

The resolution highlights that "the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online" in accordance with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It also underlines the global and open nature of the internet as "a driving force in accelerating progress toward development in its various forms".

Despite it being passed by the UN, the resolution does not hold any particular legal strength for it to be enforced anywhere, and merely serves as a set of agreed guidelines that countries should follow in terms of regulating internet access.

Separately, Communication and Information Ministry spokesperson Ismail Cawidu said that while he did not know the basis of Indonesia's stance on the resolution, he underlined that Indonesia had numerous laws that halted the spread of harmful material, such as pornography, through the internet.

In Indonesia's case, government blocks on several sites, which implies the spread of pornographic material and hate speech, have been enforced over the years, as it tries to promote a "healthy internet" for its citizens.

However, media hosting websites such as Reddit and Vimeo have been banned from the network due to pornographic material being present on the site.

In terms of speech, there have been cases in recent years where simple rants or expressions have landed individuals in court or even in jail on the back of the controversial 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, which includes a vague clause on defamation.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/13/ri-throws-support-behind-un-resolution-despite-qualms.html

Health & education

Parents missed red flags in fake vaccine debacle

Jakarta Post - July 16, 2016

Jakarta – Parents of children who were administered counterfeit vaccines at Harapan Bunda Hospital in East Jakarta said they had noticed irregularities when their children were immunized at the hospital.

Intan Nugraha, 26, said that after her 8-month-old son received a shot at the hospital in April, she was told to pay the nurse directly as the hospital had run out of vaccines.

"I paid Rp 1.7 million [about US$129) but in the receipt it was written out as Rp 750,000. The nurse said that Rp 1 million would be transferred by her to the hospital," Intan said.

Another parent, Rudi Arandy, 41, also noticed similar irregularities, including the fact that the receipts given to them had no hospital logo or stamp. "The doctor injected the patient without asking us whether we consented to them giving our children vaccines from their private stock," Rudi said.

The parents said they did not follow up on their suspicions as they trusted the hospital.

The hospital said it would bear the cost of revaccinations for patients who were proven to have been administered fake vaccines. Hospital director Finna also promised in a written statement that the hospital would bear the cost of medication if the affected patients had suffered any negative effects. (ary)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/16/parents-missed-red-flags-in-fake-vaccine-debacle.html

At least 197 children received fake vaccines in East Jakarta: Agency

Jakarta Post - July 15, 2016

Callistasia Anggun Wijaya, Jakarta – The East Jakarta Health Agency said on Friday that at least 197 children in East Jakarta had been given fake immunizations, following confirmation on the distribution of counterfeit vaccines in the capital.

Agency head Iwan Kurniawan said the children had been vaccinated at a clinic in Ciracas and at Harapan Bunda Hospital, adding that the number would likely increase.

"We're preparing logistics and data validation of babies and toddlers for revaccination. In principle, we will revaccinate all children who got their vaccinations at the health facilities that distributed fake vaccines," he told thejakartapost.com.

Harapan Bunda Hospital's management was summoned by the Health Ministry on Friday morning and was expected to give an official statement regarding the counterfeit vaccine fiasco later in the day.

"On Thursday evening I talked with the hospital's [representatives] regarding this matter. They're now preparing a statement that will be delivered to the agency and patients' parents," he said. (ary)

Joint team to remove fake vaccines from market Government names health facilities, midwives that administered fake vaccines Bio Farma says none of its vaccines counterfeited

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/15/at-least-197-children-received-fake-vaccines-in-east-jakarta-agency.html

Tobacco bill excludes people's right to health

Jakarta Post - July 11, 2016

Jakarta – The controversial tobacco bill has again been challenged for its bias toward the tobacco industry and farmers.

Public health expert Hasbullah Thabrany criticized lawmakers' obstinance to include health provisions in the bill, which is set to be passed this year.

Hasbullah, an expert with the University of Indonesia's (UI) Center for Health Economics and Policy Studies, said regulations related to public health, including the tobacco bill, had to benefit not only a particular group of people but the public as a whole.

He was referring to the rationale used by the House of Representatives in promoting the bill, which is solely aimed at protecting tobacco growers.

"Regulations have to protect all citizens. The House has to ensure that it provides protection to other stakeholders, such as smokers and passive smokers," Hasbullah told The Jakarta Post in a telephone interview.

Hasbullah also said tobacco growers should be protected by a lower regulation, such as a presidential regulation.

"Lawmakers have to create regulations that protect rice farmers, whose numbers are greater than tobacco farmers in the country," he said. The tobacco legislation has drawn criticism from the public for protecting the industry at the cost of public health.

Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) legal aid coordinator Julius Ibrani said the bill, a priority in the 2016 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas), had neglected health considerations because it aimed to support a 2015 industry ministerial decree that advocated doubling cigarette production from the 260 billion cigarettes stipulated in a previous decree, to 524.2 billion in 2020.

In a recent interview with the Post, lawmaker Teuku Taufiqulhadi of the United Development Party (PPP) said the bill would be "a panacea for tobacco growers caught in the toils of the tobacco trading system".

He cited the provision regarding partnership between tobacco farmers and the industry as a way to "shorten the tobacco trading chain".

According to a copy of the draft bill obtained by the Post, article 16 stipulates that the partnership is aimed at increasing additional value for tobacco growers, the industry and citizens from the outset of the tobacco production until the post-production.

"With the partnership mechanism, farmers will not be in the weakest position in the chain, as they could directly sell the tobacco to the industry. Currently, there are lots of parties in the trading system, ranging from traders, middlemen and graders to cigarette producers," Taufiqulhadi said.

The bill will not focus on the health aspect, Taufiqulhadi said. "That is the domain of the Health Ministry," the lawmaker said, referring to the absence of an obligation for cigarette producers to create pictorial health warnings in the bill.

Article 35 of the bill stipulates cigarette producers must include on their labels explanations of tar and nicotine content, health risks and a warning for selling or giving cigarettes to children and pregnant women, but does not require pictorial health warnings, as stipulate in several prevailing regulations.

Several regulations require cigarette makers to include pictorial health warnings, including the 2009 Health Law and a 2012 governmental regulation on the control of tobacco products as an addictive substance.

Article 199 of the 2009 Health Law also stipulates that cigarette makers disobeying this obligation could face a maximum sentence of five years behind bars and a fine of Rp 500 million.

The absence of the pictorial health warning rule has driven antitobacco activists to purport "foul play" in the deliberation of the bill, with several sessions held behind closed doors, including a session at Sultan Hotel in Jakarta on June 25. (mos)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/11/tobacco-bill-excludes-people-s-right-health.html

Gender & sexual orientation

Activists slam govt's stance at UN LGBT conference

Jakarta Post - July 16, 2016

Jakarta – Rights activists have slammed the government for voting against a resolution by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHCR) aimed at curbing violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) at a recent conference.

The UNHCR recently adopted the resolution to appoint an independent SOGI expert that would serve as an LGBT rights watchdog. A significant move, as previously, UNHCR offices were only required to compile reports examining LGBT rights.

The independent expert appointed will bear the role of monitoring and fostering efforts of governments to provide better protection to their citizens regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

The duties include investigating human rights abuses, reporting and making recommendation to the UN, following up on specific allegations, supporting LGBT rights defenders and helping governments reform laws and policies. The resolution mandates the expert work for a period of three years.

National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) member Imdadun Rahman said the government should have accepted the resolution, because it was in line with the commission's standpoint to ensure non-discriminatory and comprehensive accesses for every citizen, including LGBT community members to exercise their freedoms.

"Komnas HAM urges that there is no law to prosecute them and that the government should guarantee their rights to gather, to freely express themselves," he said.

After a debate that lasted three-and-a-half hours during the conference held in Geneva earlier this month, the discussion failed to reach consensual agreement and had to proceed with a voting mechanism. The vote passed the resolution in a dissenting 23 to 18, with six abstentions.

Indonesia expressed its refusal to be bound and to cooperate with the resolution, although the mandate had been created.

Indonesia was on the side of almost all members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). They amended the resolutions, by taking the beliefs, norms and social values upheld in each country into consideration.

The Foreign Ministry's director for human rights and humanitarian affairs, Dicky Komar, who spoke on behalf of Indonesia at the forum, told The Jakarta Post that varied characteristics such as cultural, religious and social values were the basis of the rejection to the issue he said had been "controversial".

"What is the point of complying with something if there is still contention among the members?" he said. He went on to say that he was afraid the resolution would not run effectively if countries failed to uphold their own values.

Despite the decision made by the government, Human Rights Working Group (HRWG) Indonesia and Arus Pelangi, a group that emboldens the LGBT movement, have demanded that the government comply and uphold the resolution, including by allowing access for experts appointed to gather necessary information, because the number of incidents of violence against members of the LGBT community was still high. (fac)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/16/activists-slam-govt-s-stance-un-lgbt-conference.html

Terrorism & religious extremism

Government wants to speed up Anti-Terror Law revision

Jakarta Post - July 16, 2016

Marguerite Afra Sapiie, Jakarta – The government wants the House of Representatives to speed up the revision of the Anti-Terror Law, a senior minister said on Friday.

Amid rising global terror threats, the government should be ready to anticipate terror attacks that might occur, Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Luhut B. Pandjaitan said.

"I have delivered our concerns to the House members, [the revision progress] is too slow," Luhut said. The retired general plans to meet with House members involved in deliberating the Anti-Terror law revision to discuss accelerating the law strengthening process.

The deadly attack at a Bastille Day celebration in Nice, France, on Thursday in which a truck plowed into a crowd of revelers, was seen by the Indonesian government as a warning of the evolving nature of terror threats.

The government plans to explore and strengthen defensive measures to prevent similar attacks from happening on Indonesian soil, Luhut said. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/16/govt-wants-to-speed-up-anti-terror-law-revision.html

Tito calls for stronger counterterrorism legislation

Jakarta Post - July 15, 2016

Marguerite Afra Sapiie, Jakarta – National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian on Friday called on the House of Representatives to strengthen the legal basis of counterterrorism efforts through the revision of the Terrorism Law.

"We hope for support [from the House] to make the law able to fully cover and tackle all types of terrorist threats and crimes," Tito said.

With the new legal instrument, the police would be able to maximize their efforts and take a comprehensive approach to dealing with the issue, including counter-ideology and counter-radicalization programs, said Tito, who officially took office on Thursday.

He asserted the need to deepen cooperation with all related stakeholders including the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), the Religious Affairs Ministry, the Culture and Education Ministry, as well as the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister, to implement better counterterrorism measures.

Tito, who is a former BNPT chairman, was sworn in by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Wednesday, replacing Gen. Badrodin Haiti who has entered his retirement period. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/15/tito-calls-for-stronger-counterterrorism-legislation.html

What's next for ISIS in Indonesia

The Interpreter - July 12, 2016

What if there was a suicide bombing in Central Java and no one cared?

That is effectively what happened a week ago, on 5 July, the last day of Ramadan, when yet another inept Indonesian terrorist killed himself and no one else at the municipal police command in Solo. Unlike the Jakarta attacks in January, this time there was no panic, no international media coverage, no glorification on radical social media. The death of Nur Rohman, part-time parking attendant and meatball seller, served no terrorist purpose whatsoever. It could, however, cause Indonesian extremists to think more carefully about their next move.

Bahrun Naim, the man who appears to have encouraged the attack, now has a failure record of three for three with his gullible followers from an anti-vice group in Solo known as the Hisbah Team (Tim Hisbah). In August 2015 he tried to get them to bomb a few sites in Solo, but the police found out before plans had matured very far, and in any case they had purchased the wrong explosives. In December, he tried to put the same group up to attacking the national headquarters of the paramilitary police as well as senior police officers. Nur Rohman was part of that ill-conceived plot and had been a fugitive ever since.

In January, ironically, police initially named Bahrun Naim as the mastermind of the attacks although it was later established that he had no role. The media coverage, however, was to die for.

With a third attempt that the public all but ignored, one would think there would be some introspection among Indonesian leaders in Syria – men higher up than Naim about how to be more effective. The only answers are training and leadership and the question is where they will come from.

The obvious solution is to send someone back from Syria to be an instructor, but that is easier said than done given the vigilance at the Turkish border. ISIS may also need its most experienced fighters to stay put. It is still an option but probably not the preferred one.

A second option is to designate someone with more professional training to whip a terrorist cell into shape. The possibilities are released prisoners with overseas training or combat experience at home, in Ambon or Poso; someone with more recent experience working with pro-ISIS groups in the southern Philippines; or someone with a background in the military or police.

Indonesia's prisons continue to be a revolving door for terrorists. At any one time, some 100 are in police custody awaiting trial, some 200 are in prison, serving sentences and about 70 people per year are being released. Last week two known ISIS supporters were released to rapturous welcomes on extremist social media, one of them a former police officer from Ambon. He no doubt will be carefully watched, but he has exactly the profile needed to be an instructor.

In late June, ISIS released a video showing an Indonesian, a Malaysian and a Filipino in Syria acknowledging the leadership of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon as amir of ISIS in Southeast Asia. Hapilon operates out of Basilan, in the Sulu archipelago, and the video urged Southeast Asians to join the jihad there if they could not get to Syria. This suggests that another possibility for an instructor is an Indonesian trained there in all of the skills that Abu Sayyaf is known for including bomb construction, attacks from the sea and hostage-taking. The Indonesian who appeared in the June video, Muhammed Yusop Karim Faiz, now better known as Abu Walid, spent nine years in a Philippine maximum security prison and has extensive contacts there.

A third possibility is that someone long inactive could be persuaded to come out of retirement. In the last year, we have seen a few Jemaah Islamiyah old-timers come back as ISIS supporters after more than a decade of no activity. (JI as an organisation remains implacably opposed to ISIS but some members loyal to Abu Bakar Ba'asyir have defected.) We have also seen a former member of Laskar Jundullah, a Makassar-based militia that sent people to fight in Poso at the height of the conflict there, be persuaded by his old commander to come back into the struggle for the first time since 2002.

So far, none of these developments have produced a leader with the ability to take any of Indonesia's large supply of would-be mujahidin and turn them into something more than poster children for fecklessness. But the fact that terrorist attacks keep failing is not the point. Indonesian extremists are seeing 'successes', not just in Paris, Brussels, Orlando, Dhaka and Istanbul but also from their Malaysian counterparts. The first-ever ISIS attack on Malaysian soil on 28 June managed to get more news coverage than the latest attack in Indonesia. The incentive to try again will be high.

Source: http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2016/07/12/Whats-next-for-ISIS-in-Indonesia.aspx?utm_source=Lowy+Interpreter

All eyes on Terrorism Law revision

Jakarta Post - July 11, 2016

Jakarta – Lawmakers vowed to expedite the passage of legislation to improve counterterrorism measures following the recent suicide bomb attack in Surakarta, Central Java, the hometown of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

The attack was carried out in the front yard of a police station on Tuesday morning last week, the eve of Idul Fitri, killing the suicide bomber and injuring a police officer.

The suicide bomber, Nur Rohman, a Surakarta resident, is alleged to have been a member of a homegrown Islamic State (IS) cell led by Arief Hidayatullah, alias Abu Musab.

"The act of terrorism that occurred recently has triggered the House to revise the terrorism law as a matter of urgency," House Speaker Ade Komarudin said, adding that lawmakers plan to hold a meeting to discuss the matter after the Idul Fitri holiday.

The government should focus on prevention, said Ade, a Golkar Party politician, adding that it would be done by offering early childhood education in moderate Islam. "There is lot of misunderstanding in religious teachings, such as teaching people to be brave to die, which is completely wrong," he said.

Initiated by the government following the bomb attack near the Sarinah shopping center in Jakarta earlier this year, the legislation is designed chiefly to expand the role of the National Police, granting police the authority to investigate radical groups and terrorism suspects prior to any potential attack.

The House have established a special committee to debate the role that the military and various intelligence agencies are to play in the fight against terrorism. Gerindra Party politician Muhammad Syafi'i, the committee's leader, said that while recognizing terrorism as a serious threat, lawmakers have promised to ensure that further increasing the role of security officers would not violate civilian rights.

"We have to make sure that the law upholds human rights," Syafi'i said to The Jakarta Post in a text message.

The committee is currently discussing the stigma that has been attached to Islam, as most of the groups that plan bomb attacks in the country are radical Islamic groups.

Other important points under consideration, he said, relate to human rights, including the detention period of a terrorism suspect. The current detention period is considered to be too long.

As has been reported, the government proposed in the draft bill that police would be able to detain an alleged terrorist for up to 510 days after arrest, almost three times longer than the 180 days stipulated in the current law.

Three deadly terror attacks occurred in the last days of the holy month of Ramadhan in Istanbul, Dhaka and Baghdad, claiming hundreds of civilian lives. The IS claimed responsibility for the Dhaka and Baghdad attacks.

President Jokowi condemned the acts, reminding people to stay calm but remain vigilant. (win)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/11/all-eyes-terrorism-law-revision.html

Religion & morality

Controversial bill may miss schedule

Jakarta Post - July 16, 2016

Dewanti A. Wardhani, Jakarta – Despite initial zest from lawmakers to have the alcoholic beverages prohibition bill approved in July, the House of Representatives continues to face indefinite delay as disagreements among parties have arisen.

At first, the lawmakers seemed impassioned, holding two to three meetings a week with the hope that they would be able to pass the bill into law during the July 28 plenary session. However, they will have to push back their plans because discussions are now progressing at a snail's pace.

There are seven main parts of the bill to be discussed, namely title, classification of alcoholic beverages, prohibition, control and supervision, public participation and criminal sanctions.

After several months of discussions, lawmakers have only agreed on the classification of alcoholic beverages, which are based on alcohol content level.

United Development Party (PPP) lawmaker Mohammad Arwani Thomafi, who heads the House's special committee on the bill, said they had agreed to classify alcoholic beverages into four groups based on ethanol content.

Category A consists of beverages with an ethanol level of 0 to 5 percent, category B 5 to 20 percent, category C 20 to 55 percent and category D above 55 percent.

The classifications will be used to determine which beverage group will be prohibited for distribution and general sales – with several exceptions such as tourism and limited entertainment – and which group will be allowed for general sales with tight control and supervision.

The bill's title has particularly created controversy among lawmakers. While most parties prefer changing the title to "Alcoholic Beverages Control and Supervision Law", some insist on keeping it as "Alcoholic Beverages Prohibition Law", in accordance with the House's initial draft. The Islamic PPP is among the parties that insist the bill remain the "Alcoholic Beverages Prohibition Law".

Arwani argued the PPP did not want its constituents to even think of alcohol as an option for consumption, although the bill will not completely prohibit the distribution of alcoholic beverages.

"Of course, alcoholic beverages can still be used in religious rituals and for consumption by foreign tourists and diplomats. We also take stock of their position," he said.

Unlike the PPP, Gerindra does not support the "Alcoholic Beverages Prohibition Law" title, claiming that it is not in accordance with the constitution.

Gerindra lawmaker Aryo Djojohadikusumo, a member of the committee, said it had not met eye to eye over the classification of alcohol and whether or not they included food-based alcoholic ingredients in the bill. With such heated debate, Gerindra expects to see delayed approval of the bill.

Golkar Party lawmaker Noor Achmad, another member of the committee, said the party endorsed "control and supervision" for the title of the bill.

Noor said the bill was important to monitor the distribution of alcoholic beverages and to implement harsh penalties for those who fail to follow the rules. However, he argued that the bill must not foster a negative image of the country and scare off businesses and tourists.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/16/controversial-bill-may-miss-schedule.html

Land & agrarian conflicts

Tensions rise over Benoa reclamation

Jakarta Post - July 15, 2016

Jakarta – Social tension has escalated in Bali as local people opposed to the reclamation project in Benoa Bay in southern Bali have threatened to use violent measures if the government extends the reclamation permit for PT Tirta Wahana Bali Internasional.

While a coalition of local people have called on the government not to extend the reclamation permit, the developer has demanded an extension of permit, which is due to expire on Aug. 25.

Activists say if the government bows to the pressure from the developer, which plans to create artificial islands in the middle of the Benoa Bay for a massive tourist destination with luxury villas and a theme park, by extending the permit, then trouble may arise.

"The power of the people is huge and the tension is escalating," Forum of Balinese Against Reclamation [ForBALI] coordinator I Wayan "Gendo" Suardana said on Wednesday.

In February, the Bali Mandara Toll Road was totally inaccessible as hordes of people set up a demo and marched on the road protesting against the controversial project.

"There's an indication that the public's rage is getting harder to contain," Gendo said. "We take no responsibility for whatever the public does if the government forces its will because Bali has a violent history as well."

Therefore, he urged the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry not to extend the permit as well as for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to revoke Presidential Regulation No. 51/2014 that removed the area from protective zoning.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/15/national-scene-tensions-rise-over-benoa-reclamation.html

Jakarta & urban life

Watchdog vows to intensify crackdown on money politics

Jakarta Post - July 16, 2016

Safrin La Batu, Jakarta – The Jakarta Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) has vowed more effort in combating "money politics" in the 2017 Jakarta Gubernatorial Election, saying such foul play has occurred over and over again without significant progress against these practices.

Transactional or "money politics" is one of the most common violations of election regulations but the agency only occasionally uncovers such cases because it is hard to trace who the actual parties are that resort to the illegal practice, says Jakarta Bawaslu head Minah Susanti.

"Money politics is insidious. You can sense it exists but you cannot spot it," she told a discussion recently.

To be able to investigate and crack down on individuals or parties exhibiting such unlawful behavior, Minah said, the agency needed to embrace and collaborate with members of the public so authorities could be signalled with tip-offs or warnings about transactional politics occurring.

Bawaslu data, for example, showed that from the reports received from voters in the capital during the 2014 presidential election, only 9 percent were about transactional politics. Whereas 48 percent of reports received during the election had been related to ineligible voting.

The issue of transactional politics, which one can easily observe during political campaigns prior to every election in Jakarta, as well as in other cities in the country, has long been a national concern.

In an effort to eradicate this illegal practice, the House of Representatives recently agreed to give the agency power to remove a candidate from an election if they are found guilty of transactional politics.

"I want the Bawaslu to disqualify candidates [proven guilty] of 'money politics' in the upcoming [Jakarta gubernatorial] election, which should become a deterrent for others [thinking about utilizing the unlawful practice]," said Ahmad Riza Patria, deputy chairman of the House's Commission II, which oversees home affairs.

"In the past, the Bawaslu could make the excuse it could not uncover 'money politics' because it did not have the authority to crack down on perpetrators," he said.

The Jakarta gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place next February. While most political parties have yet to determine their candidates, Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama is most likely to be running.

The governor now has two methods of participating in the election. He can run as an independent candidate as his volunteer group Teman Ahok (Friends of Ahok) has successfully gathered 1 million ID-backed signatures to support him as an independent, or through political parties as he has secured enough support from the NasDem, Hanura and Golkar Party.

The combination of the three parties means Ahok has the backing of 24 seats in the Jakarta City Council, more than the required 22 seats for a candidate to run on a party ticket.

Meanwhile the ruling Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which holds 28 seats at the council has yet to select a candidate, despite much speculation about its nomination for the capital's top post.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/16/watchdog-vows-intensify-crackdown-money-politics.html

Council speaker stays silent on wiretapping

Jakarta Post - July 15, 2016

Jakarta – City Council speaker Prasetyo Edi Marsudi refused on Thursday to give comment on a recorded conversation relating to the reclamation projects in Jakarta Bay in which his name was mentioned.

"They mentioned my name, but that's not my voice. So, [you should] ask them," Prasetyo, an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, said as quoted by kompas.com.

The wiretapped conversation, which was played during a hearing at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Wednesday, contained a conversion between councilor Muhammad Sanusi and Syaiful Zuhri, alias Pupung, the manager of reclamation project developer PT Agung Sedayu Group.

In the conversation, which took place on March 17, Pupung allegedly promised to give the councilors money if they attended a plenary meeting to approve draft bylaws on the reclamation project.

But Sanusi, a politician from Gerindra Party, urged Pupung not to give the money to Prasetyo, saying that the later would not distribute the money fairly. Prasetyo denied knowing Pupung. "You may ask Sanusi," he added.

Sanusi and the president director of another developer PT Agung Podomoro Land, Ariesman Widjaja, were arrested in April.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/15/greater-jakarta-council-speaker-stays-silent-wiretapping.html

Tax fine amnesty reveals inconsistencies over traffic problems

Jakarta Post - July 14, 2016

Agnes Anya, Jakarta – Despite an intransigent traffic problem, the Jakarta administration has set a policy that will likely increase the already uncontrolled number of vehicles in the capital as the city is granting an amnesty to vehicle owners who are in arrears with their taxes.

With the regulation, the owners can pay the taxes they owe without facing any of the fines that are usually imposed on late payments. The fines are being forgiven from July 2 until Aug. 2 for motorized vehicle taxes and vehicle ownership transfer fees, respectively better known as PKB and BBNKB.

"The policy is applied for all kinds of vehicles. In other words, no particular requirement is applied," said Jakarta Tax Agency deputy head Edi Sumantri on Wednesday. The policy, he added, is being carried out as an attempt to reach the city's tax income target this year of Rp 32 trillion (US$2.5 billion).

"We learned from last year during which we also applied the same policy. With it, we could book more tax income. Hence, we are doing the same thing this year," Edi claimed, adding that by July 1, tax collection totaled Rp 13 trillion – higher than the Rp 11 trillion collected in the same period last year.

The administration, however, has yet to decide whether it will enforce a similar policy next year, Edi said.

Nonetheless, to reach the aim, the officials will follow up the fine abolishment with vehicle tax raids by teaming up with the Jakarta Police. It will also further enforce tax collection with assistance from municipal administrations.

Some, however, have said they consider the tax pardon to encourage bad habits among vehicle owners and that it will boost the number of vehicles in the capital.

Waiving fines can indeed boost the city's tax income, but if it is carried out frequently without any particular limitation, it will cause a negative psychological impact among owners, said a tax analyst from the Center for Indonesia Taxation Analysis (CITA), Yustinus Prastowo.

"Vehicle owners will ignore paying taxes and wait for the administration to set a similar policy again," Yustinus said.

Transportation observer Darmaningtyas had a similar view. He said the regulation represented "the administration's inconsistency" toward the tangled transportation issue in the capital.

"The regulation will increase residents' interest in buying new vehicles as they do not have to worry about a burdening vehicle tax anymore. They don't need to worry if they pay late because eventually the administration will forgive the fine," Darmaningtyas said.

According to Central Statistics Agency (BPS) data, as of 2014 there were 17.52 million vehicles in Jakarta, 3.27 million of which were private cars, 13.08 million motorbikes, 362,066 buses, 673,661 pickups and 137,859 special vehicles.

The fine waiving has not been the administration's first move that has been deemed as friendly to vehicles, particularly private cars.

Earlier this year, the officials revoked a three-in-one traffic regulation, under which a car must carry at least three passengers to use restricted roads in Central Jakarta, such as Jl. Sudirman, Jl. MH Thamrin and Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat.

The city canceled the policy after the South Jakarta police uncovered child exploitation practices among a group of people who hired themselves out as passengers, people locally called joki.

The controversial measure caused more gridlock in the capital, although the administration claimed the situation remained normal. The city also restricts a number of major roads, like Jl. MH Thamrin, for four-wheeled vehicles only, making more space for road users with private cars.

The administration is now struggling to untangle the capital's traffic jams through several plans. At the end of this month, the administration plans to enforce a policy that will restrict drivers from using the former three-in-one streets on certain days depending on whether their licence plates are odd or even numbered.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/14/tax-fine-amnesty-reveals-inconsistencies-over-traffic-problems.html

Doubts loom over impact of Semanggi elevated roads Jakarta

Jakarta Post - July 14, 2016

The Jakarta administration expects the construction of two new elevated roads, both of which will pass over the Semanggi cloverleaf interchange, to reduce the area's chronic and severe congestion.

The project, however, has been criticized by Indonesian Drivers Association (OPSI) chairman Peter Yan, who argues that the roads will not significantly reduce congestion if only private cars are allowed to used them.

"For instance, the overpass on Jl. Casablanca in South Jakarta is ineffective; the roads underneath are still congested, because public transportation vehicles and motorbikes may not use it," Peter told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

He added that the Rp 345 billion (US$27 million) Semanggi project would even generate greater bottlenecks, at least until the new roads opened in August next year, as nearby roads would be constricted during construction.

The project is fully funded by private developer PT Mitra Panca Persada and carried out by state-owned construction firm PT Wijaya Karya. It is part of the former company's obligation in return for increasing its building floor coefficients (KLB) at a property in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta.

The first elevated road, spanning 796 meters, will serve vehicles traveling from Grogol in West Jakarta to Kebayoran Baru in South Jakarta, while the second road, of 826 m, will connect Pancoran in South Jakarta to the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta.

Peter argued that the administration should spend the compensation funds of Rp 600 billion on "simpler but more effective" measures.

"For example, [the administration] should prevent public vehicles such as Metromini [buses] and taxis from picking up passengers on Jl. Jend. Sudirman during peak hours," said Peter, who is also a lecturer at Tarumanegara University.

"They should not stop on the side of the road. That is, from my observation, one of the major causes of congestion in Sudirman," said Peter, who worked as a taxi driver for a year and a half in order to study Jakarta's traffic problems.

Responding to the criticism, Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama said it was expected that congestion would increase temporarily during construction, but insisted the roads would in the long term alleviate congestion.

"Everyone knows that if six lanes are narrowed into four lanes, it forms a bottleneck. That's why we're building these two new roads," he said at City Hall on Wednesday.

Jakarta Roads Agency (Bina Marga) head Yusmada Faizal echoed the governor's point, noting that given the Semanggi area's position as a traffic hub, it needed new roads to lessen congestion.

"At least 70 to 80 percent of Jakarta road-users pass through Semanggi, Sudirman and Gatot Subroto," he said during the same discussion. (adt/Agnes Anya)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/14/doubts-loom-over-impact-semanggi-elevated-roads.html

Odd-even license plate policy 'not answer to congestion

Jakarta Post - July 13, 2016

Corry Elyda, Jakarta – Scrapping the three-in-one traffic policy was a good decision as it did not effectively disentangle traffic tie-ups, but the planned odd-even license plate policy will have no better effect, says a consumer rights activist.

Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI) chairman Tulus Abadi said recently that the planned odd-even license plate policy was a setback for the city administration.

Tulus said technically the policy would be hard to implement. "The monitoring will be difficult, unless the city administration uses traffic cameras," he said.

The city administration is trying to familiarize people with the policy from June 28 to July 26, ahead of the trial period that will run from July 27 July to Aug. 26. The police will kick off official enforcement on Aug. 30.

The odd-even plate policy will be implemented until the city administration is able to install an electronic road pricing (ERP) system next year. The odd-even policy will be effective in the former three-in-one zone, including on Jl. Sudirman, Jl. MH Thamrin and Jl. Gatot Subroto, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

As traffic cameras are expensive and would take time to procure, the police will enforce the system manually. Tulus said that the potential number of violations would be high and they would give opportunities to police officers to demand illegal payments.

Tulus said the illegal business of making fake license plates would mushroom in the capital city. "The ultimate reason is the implementation of the odd-even policy will reduce economic growth as it would hamper the mobility of residents" he said.

Tulus also urged the city administration to focus on planning for the ERP system, which already had a legal basis.

The city administration has been planning to implement ERP in Jakarta since 2013. However, the implementation has faced many hurdles, including a troubled bidding process and an incomplete electronic registration identification (ERI) system, which requires a database in order to charge vehicle owners for using the streets.

The failure of the city administration to resolve the traffic problem has hit many parties, including the private sector. Bank Indonesia's (BI) Jakarta branch has revealed that private companies in Jakarta are forced to cut their profit margins to cover transportation costs.

BI's Jakarta branch president director Donny P. Joewono said recently the survey conducted by the bank last year showed the speed of traffic had decreased by 30 percent since 2014. "It increases transportation costs of the companies, which means they need to decrease their profit margins," he said.

He said that besides increasing transportation costs, the worsening traffic also increased the costs of human resource, increased stocking fees, decreased productivity and diminished the ability to expand markets.

The survey shows the average speed in Jakarta during regular hours is 25 kilometers per hour. Meanwhile, the average speed during congestion or peak hours is only 14.1 kph.

Donny said that because of the traffic companies have to undertake several measures. "They comprise prioritizing shipping costs, stocking fuel, or outsourcing their transportation sector to other entities," he said.

He added some companies even took extreme measures, like relocating their factories or offices outside of Jakarta or even Greater Jakarta. "Some companies now operate in Boyolali, Salatiga, or Solo (Surakarta) – all in Central Java," he said.

Separately, the head of the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo), Suprayitno, said, "The transportation cost of goods and services in Jakarta reaches up to 30 percent of the total production cost, which is very high."

Suprayitno said many companies eventually outsourced the sectors to other companies, but sometimes that did not significantly reduce the costs. "For small items, we usually use online motorcycle taxis. However, they are also expensive," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/13/odd-even-license-plate-policy-not-answer-congestion.html

Transport & communication

Incidents expose airport vulnerabilities

Jakarta Post - July 11, 2016

Recent incidents of international passengers being dropped off at domestic terminals in Jakarta and Bali, busts on transnational crime syndicates and terror attacks on transportation hubs elsewhere in the world should compel Indonesian authorities to enhance airport security.

The Jakarta Post's observations and interviews with authorities, lawmakers and observers have revealed vulnerabilities at airports that the government should immediately address.

Inconsistencies in security standards among the hundreds of airports across the country, poor coordination between responsible authorities, outdated air traffic control systems, staff shortages and an imbalance between passenger growth and infrastructure development are but some of the major problems.

Although terror attacks on airports and airplanes are admittedly rare in Indonesia, it is no reason for authorities to be complacent. Respected terrorism observer Al Chaidar has warned that airports and aircraft are highly tempting targets to homegrown militants.

"If they [radicals] have the logistics and weapons, they will do it; it's a question of timing. Think of ways to minimize casualties," he says.

In Jakarta, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport's overcapacity has forced the government to move some commercial flights to the Air Force air base at Halim Perdanakusuma, despite the obvious security risks.

In the regions, airport security is far from adequate. In small towns, airports are wide open for both people and cattle to roam around. In 2013, a Lion Air Boeing 737-8000 ran off the runway after it struck a cow in Gorontalo, northern Sulawesi. At the Indonesian Flying School in Curug, near Jakarta, a training plane hit a motorcycle that was trespassing on the airstrip as it was landing.

International passengers entering a country without fulfilling immigration procedures as well as livestock and motorcycles moving freely around airports are like elements of a tragicomedy that happen only in Indonesia.

Last month's attack on an Istanbul airport prompted Indonesian authorities to beef up airport security too. State airport operator Angkasa Pura II has also promised to reform coordination between the police, the military, immigration and customs and excise. – JP

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/11/incidents-expose-airport-vulnerabilities.html

No one in charge of traffic control during exodus

Jakarta Post - July 11, 2016

Jakarta – The police's explanation that Idul Fitri traffic management was overseen by various government agencies, at both central and local levels, helps to shed light on why last week was so chaotic on the roads.

Many homebound travelers complained that they found little government presence along the 116-kilometer Cipali toll road, which connects West and Central Java.

When asked by The Jakarta Post on Sunday, National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Agus Rianto said the National Police, Transportation Ministry and other related institutions were all responsible for the smoothness of the annual mudik (exodus).

The one-star general said the police had done their best to manage traffic, adding that people should understand the situation as it occurred every year. "You ask people not to go out; then traffic problems would not happen," Agus said, citing his formula to overcome people's transportation misery.

According to data from the National Police headquarters from Jun. 30 to July 9, the number of traffic accidents during Idul Fitri reduced by 16.69 percent to 1,856 this year from 2,228 incidents in 2015.

Among the accidents, the death toll decreased by 24.78 percent to 349 people from 464 people in the previous year. The number of people who suffered severe injuries also declined to 595 from 817 in the same period last year. Likewise, the number of people who suffered minor injuries also dropped, to 2,437 people from 2,917 in the previous year.

Meanwhile, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said that once the toll road construction was completed, chaotic traffic would be a matter of the past. "Once the toll road is integrated [with other toll roads], the problem will be solved," said the President.

During the annual mass exodus, the government was unable to prevent gridlock at the East Brebes toll gate exit in Central Java, nicknamed "Brexit", a term borrowed from the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

On the Pejagan-Brebes toll road, many cars ran out of gasoline after being trapped in stop-start conditions over more than 20 kilometers for approximately 12 hours. Worse still, 17 people died, according to the Brebes Health Agency and Brebes Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPD) from June 29 to July 5.

"The government created a false sense of security by claiming that the toll road in Brebes, Central Java, was ready to welcome millions of homebound travelers during the exodus," Nizar Zahro, a member of House of Representatives Commission V overseeing infrastructure and transportation, told the Post on Saturday.

Two weeks prior to the nationwide exodus, Zahro said, the commission held a meeting with several government bodies, including the Transportation Ministry and the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry. Officials boasted that conditions would be manageable, said Zahro.

Travelers' frustration continued on their return home as they were forced to face heavy traffic all over again. As of Sunday, significant traffic jams were observed on the Cikampek toll road to Jakarta, as well as in Ajibarang, Banyumas, Central Java.

Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) chairman Tulus Abadi slammed the government's poor anticipation of traffic problems before the holiday began. "Mudik is an extraordinary situation, but the government managed it with ordinary actions," he said on Sunday. (win/fac)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/11/no-one-charge-traffic-control-during-exodus.html

Government apologizes for poor services during Idul Fitri exodus

Jakarta Post - July 9, 2016

Jakarta – The government, through Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, has apologized for all hassles and troubles faced by people during the Idul Fitri exodus, especially related to public services.

Prolonged gridlock at the East Brebes exit, dubbed Brexit by netizens, a term borrowed from the UK's withdrawal from the EU, has reportedly resulted in a number of fatalities given the absence of supporting rest areas along the newly built toll road.

"As home minister, representing the government, I apologize to the public, especially those who have been afflicted during the exodus," Tjahjo was quoted as saying by kompas.com on Saturday. He claimed the government had done its utmost to prepare road infrastructure to ensure convenient travel. He added that the government would conduct thorough evaluation to improve its services.

Local media cited data from the Brebes Health Agency and regional disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) that at least 17 homebound travelers died in the area of Brebes, Central Java alone between June 29 and July 5. The causes of death range from fatigue to traffic accidents. (dmr)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/09/govt-apologizes-for-poor-services-during-idul-fitri-exodus.html

Armed forces & defense

Illegal gun purchases reveal more problems

Jakarta Post - July 15, 2016

Margareth S. Aritonang and Ina Parlina, Jakarta – The illegal purchase of firearms by members of the Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) reveals not only a failure to follow correct procedures when procuring weapons but also the persistent non-transparent nature of the military forces.

While the Defense Ministry is supposed to be involved in planning weapons procurement, it actually has no authority as every single step is handled by the Indonesian Military (TNI).

The lack of regulations requiring the military be accountable in weapons procurement has, in a way, promoted illegal gun distribution among military personnel, which allows abuse.

The ministry's procurement center chief Rear Adm. Leonardi said procurement by the TNI was done through careful planning proposed to the ministry.

Each of the three branches of the TNI would detail their needs, including for small weapons, and submit the lists to the Defense Ministry through the TNI commander, Leonardi said. But the Defense Ministry is powerless when the procurements are being made because it cannot monitor the process.

"There is no regulation that allows us to scrutinizing the procurement details. We are only involved in the planning process," Leonardi told The Jakarta Post. "It is up to the military forces to make sure their procurement requests are feasible, or if they actually buy what they need."

Although the ministry has no authority to examine any procurement made by the TNI, the ministry will receive regular updates about all weapons available in each of the forces' branches in order to keep a record of state assets.

"The TNI must give tri-monthly reports about what has been bought, or which weapons need repair, etc," Leonardi explained.

The lack of regulations requiring accountability over weapons procurement in the military raised questions about the institution's efforts to discipline its members, particularly when the TNI implements non-transparent internal mechanisms to prosecute personnel committing irregularities, closing the door against public scrutiny.

Although the illegal gun trade is seen as a serious crime internationally, the TNI treated the case lightly as the institution only imposed disciplinary sanctions on Paspampres members who personally bought firearms from US Army soldier Audi Sumilat.

TNI chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo described those involved in the illegal gun purchase as "undisciplined" soldiers, saying they would receive punishments from their superior, newly appointed Paspampres chief Bambang Suswantono.

Such a mechanism is possible because the military still upholds the 1997 Military Court Law, which hinders military personnel from being prosecuted openly for crimes.

"The US Army soldier [Sumilat] who committed the firearms trafficking crime was brought to an open trial. How come it is not a crime for the Paspampres members who bought the guns from him?" asked Al Araf, a military observer and human rights advocate from Jakarta-based Imparsial.

Al Araf argued that similar disciplinary problems would continue to reoccur if the existing military court law was maintained. "It is not the first time we heard about irregularities in the military. There have been many other cases: Take for example the graft-ridden procurement of MLRS, or the Cebongan Prison attack," he said.

Al Araf was referring to a dubious case involving the purchase of a multi-launch rocket system (MLRS) worth US$405 million from Brazil's Avibras Industria Aeroespacial in mid-2012. Nothing has been heard since the case was revealed to the public last year.

The Cebongan prison attack refers to an attack by members of the Army's special forces (Kopasus) on the Cebongan prison in Yogyakarta over a bar fight with inmates.

The TNI maintained its exclusivity from all state bodies by adopting a military mechanism to internally prosecute irregularities in the institution. This has kept the military immune from scrutiny despite it being the recipient of largest amount of money from the state budget. The ministry is expected to get Rp 108.7 trillion (US$8.2 billion) this year.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/14/illegal-gun-purchases-reveal-more-problems.html

'Presidential guards should get sanction for buying guns illegally from US'

Jakarta Post - July 12, 2016

Marguerite Afra Sapiie, Jakarta – Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan has demanded penalties for eight members of the presidential security detail who privately bought firearms from the US.

"Sanctions should be imposed in accordance with the applicable law or regulation of the Indonesian Military (TNI) on that matter," Luhut said on Monday.

While the investigation into the alleged gun-smuggling involving a US soldier is ongoing, he asserted that the form of sanction for the presidential guards in question was for TNI Commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo to decide.

He said the illegal procurement case may expose similar cases that might have happened under the government's nose but had remained undetected.

The minister's comments contrast with those of a TNI official, who had claimed that no law had been found broken based on findings by TNI's internal affairs team, which was why the presidential guards would not be punished. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/12/minister-wants-presidential-guards-punished-over-gun-purchase.html

TNI defends guards' illegal gun possession

Jakarta Post - July 11, 2016

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The country's control over gun procurement by security forces is under scrutiny following a defensive gesture from the Indonesian Military (TNI) over illegal purchases by its members serving as the Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres).

TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman insisted the procurement personally made by Paspampres members from US Army soldier Audi Sumilat during a working visit to the US in 2014 for personal use was justifiable although the procurement breached proper procedures.

"It was their own initiative in an attempt to increase individual capabilities. They are obedient shooters and did not have any intention to use their purchases for nefarious purposes," Tatang said.

To avoid a similar controversy from reoccurring, Tatang added, "Maybe in the future we can help them procure guns to avoid breaches."

The case garnered public attention following a recent revelation of gun smuggling involving US military personnel, including Sumilat, who did not own a license to export firearms.

Sumilat pleaded guilty before a US federal court last week as he was charged with participating in a scheme to buy guns from several suppliers in the US to later sell them to Paspampres personnel.

The Associated Press reported that the 36-year-old soldier would be sentenced in October and faced a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment and an additional fine of US$250,000. In addition to Sumilat, another unnamed suspect in the case has also been charged and is scheduled to stand trial on July 19.

However, little is known of the fate of their Indonesian buyers as the military institution is keeping the issue an internal matter.

The Police Military (POM TNI) has questioned eight Paspampres personnel allegedly involved in the case. But, details of the soldiers as well as the types and amount of guns procured have yet to be revealed to the public.

Such silence has moved military observers to speak up, urging authorities to thoroughly investigate the case as it does not only raise questions over proper procedure for authorities, including the military and the police, in procuring weapons to support their work as well as gun control for personal use; but it also possibly reveals bigger problems within the military body.

Prevailing laws on gun possession include Law No. 12/1951 and another one endorsed in 1948. Both laws impose strict procedures for civilians to acquire gun licenses.

Military and police institutions have also formulated regulations to manage gun procurement for personnel, imposing strict procedures on personnel requesting to procure guns as well as regular checks on distribution among members.

A decree issued by the National Police chief in 2004 and a 2010 defense ministerial decree have respectively set the procedures for members and officials outside the institutions in procuring guns.

The police chief decree, for example, requires applicants to undergo a strict psychological test by at the police headquarters to ensure that the procurement will not be misused. Similar conditions are stipulated in the defense ministerial decree.

Both regulations also ask for regular distribution reports to ensure procurement is carried out according to proper administrative procedures.

Military observer Khairul Fahmi of the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies added a 2014 defense ministerial decree to the list, which rigidly stipulates the procedural procurement of military equipment. The decree requires licenses and credibility of company in producing, assembling or selling equipment.

"An investigation must be carried out to see whether such a case is mere negligence or misconduct," Fahmi said, arguing that the TNI usually applied standardized gun procurement for its personnel that required a permit from the institution.

By committing underground transactions, he said, the quality of exported equipment could not be guaranteed; therefore, the holistic performance of the military could be heavily affected.

"This case was only revealed after a court in the US uncovered the case. Now who can guarantee that the procurement of military equipment, such as helicopters, is safe from such irregularities?" questioned Fahmi. (fac)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/11/tni-defends-guards-illegal-gun-possession.html

Presidential security detail sees no sanctions for illegal gun purchase in US

Jakarta Post - July 9, 2016

Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has confirmed that it will not impose any sanctions to eight members of the Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) who have bought firearms illegally in the US.

TNI spokesperson Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman said in contrast to a claim made by US authorities who said the gun purchase was illegal, the investigation findings by the military's internal affairs team found that no law was broken.

"The military police did the questioning and found no irregularities. From now on, we will assist them with the administrative work [of future gun purchases]," Tatang was quoted as saying by tempo.co on Saturday.

Citing the interrogation's findings, the firearms purchase was made to allow the detail to upgrade their skills in using rifles. "There is no indication that the rifles are being used for any criminal activity. Those rifles are for exercise to upgrade their arms capacity and capabilities," he added.

No details have been published regarding the number or type of firearms in question.

The case went public after a US Army soldier, Audi Sumilat, pleaded guilty to a US court on Wednesday for participating in a scheme to purchase guns from several US suppliers and later sell them to Paspampres personnel. Sumilat did not hold a license to export firearms, as the scheme was initiated in 2014, according to reports from the Associated Press.

Sumilat will be sentenced in October and could face five years in prison and a fine of US$250,000. Another suspect in the case has also been charged and is scheduled to face trial on July 19. (dmr)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/09/presidential-security-detail-sees-no-sanctions-for-illegal-gun-purchase-in-us.html

Government stays silent on alleged illegal gun purchase by Paspampres

Jakarta Post - July 9, 2016

Liza Yosephine, Jakarta – No details have emerged yet about alleged illegal gun purchases by members of the Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) on US soil, with the government so far keeping mum over the reports.

The Indonesian Embassy in Washington DC refused to comment on the case with an official citing that it had "entered the realm of law".

"We are not in a position to comment on the issue, please refer to the POM TNI [military police] who are handling the case [in Indonesia]," first secretary at the Indonesian Embassy in Washington DC A. Rizal Purnama told thejakartapost.com. on Friday.

US Army Soldier Audi Sumilat pleaded guilty at the federal court on Wednesday to several charges of selling unlicensed guns to Paspampres members who were visiting Washington DC and the UN General Assembly in New York, according to Associated Press. The US Attorney's office in New Hampshire said Sumilat will be sentenced in October. The Foreign Ministry in Jakarta was unavailable for comment.

Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman insisted that the guns purchased were for personal use and that the problem was only a matter of paperwork. POM has questioned eight personnel allegedly involved in the case, he said on Friday, adding that military procurement was always carried out in compliance with the law. (rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/09/government-stays-silent-on-alleged-illegal-gun-purchase-by-paspampres-1468030009.html

Criminal justice & legal system

No improvements seen in prison security systems

Jakarta Post - July 13, 2016

Jakarta – Prison breaks and drug smuggling into prisons continue despite reform plans announced by the Law and Human Rights Ministry.

Prisoner Anwar bin Kiman, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping and killing a 12-year-old girl, escaped from Salemba Penitentiary, recently.

He deceived prison guards by wearing a hijab and carrying a child, allegedly taken in by his wife during a visit. As a result, he was able to walk out of the prison unnoticed, director general of correctional institutions at the ministry, I Wayan K. Dusak, told The Jakarta Post over the phone on Tuesday.

The prison guards in charge of inspecting visitors on the day of incident – on the second day of Idul Fitri celebrations – were unable to crosscheck visitors since they entered and exited the prison using two different doors, handled by different guards.

"The guards wouldn't notice whether one person was coming or leaving because different doors were being used," he said, acknowledging that the authorities were negligent that day.

He also said the prisoner was able to escape because guards were not checking people leaving the prison, further evidence of a weak penitentiary security system.

Minister Yasonna Laoly said prison breaks and drug smuggling would continue to occur as long as there was an inadequate number of prison guards assigned to each penitentiary.

"There were only 50 guards on duty monitoring more than 5,000 visitors," he told reporters after the teleconference event with other ministry authorities from different regions in Jakarta. Salemba Penitentiary accommodates 4,000 inmates at present. Indonesia has 192,000 prisoners with only 14,000 prison guards.

Prison breaks are not just occurring in the capital. Five prisoners escaped through the ceiling of Cebongan Penitentiary in Yogyakarta last month. In West Java, the lack of a prison security system was proven by several drug smuggling attempts.

On July 2, prison guards discovered that 2 kilograms of marijuana had been thrown over prison walls in Bekasi. Another attempt also occurred on July 6 when a visitor tried to carry 10 packages of methamphetamine into the prison located in Bogor, West Java Law and Human Rights Agency head Susy Susilawati said. "Luckily all of the attempts failed," she said.

In Medan, North Sumatra, prisoner numbers have increased from 22,000 people to 24,000 in just two months. The rising number of prisoners has resulted in overcapacity, which increases the risk of prisoners escaping.

The ministry has obtained this year Rp 2 trillion of allocated spending in the revised 2016 state budget, which is to be distributed to all regions, mainly for the renovation and development of new prisons to accommodate the huge number of inmates.

Wayan said the ministry would allocate the funds for areas with high crime rates and prison overcapacity such as in Medan, North Sumatra and Nusakambangan prison island in Cilacap regency, Central Java.

Nusakambangan's capacity will be optimized through the development of two or three new spaces to accommodate 1,000 new prisoners, he said. (win)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/13/no-improvements-seen-prison-security-systems.html

Police & law enforcement

Tito pledges to maintain unity in force amid police reform

Jakarta Post - July 14, 2016

Ina Parlina and Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Gen. Tito Karnavian, was installed on Wednesday as the youngest-ever police chief, marking a new era of reform in one of the country's most-corrupt institutions.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo gave him two instructions that may become a double-edged sword if he fails to maintain balance in carrying out both tasks.

Tito, who will see a number of his seniors serving in the institution's top posts, was ordered to focus on maintaining internal unity while conducting comprehensive and concrete reform to end corruption and poor performance.

Significant results have not been seen from ongoing police reform – which started in 1998 and touches cultural, instrumental and structural aspects – as public trust in the police continues to decline, particularly owing to the criminalization of marginalized communities and rampant corruption in the police force.

Tito responded to the President's order by saying that he would do his best to carry out what had been instructed to do.

"Particularly those related to [police] culture, [how to encourage] more humane behavior," Tito said after his inauguration at the State Palace.

As he realized that he was considered a junior in the corps, Tito said he would also push for better internal ties beyond the chain of command: two-way relations and communication between superiors and subordinates at all levels of police entities, including at the subprecinct offices.

"I am quite optimistic because since I was nominated, up until today [...] I believe many [two-star and three-star police officers] have shown their support," Tito added.

Tito's nomination to replace retiring police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti had previously been met with optimism and doubt. The nomination of the former Densus 88 antiterrorism unit head was also scrutinized, particularly since he has a problematic human rights record.

During last month's confirmation hearing at the House of Representatives, lawmakers scrutinized him on balancing human rights protection with law enforcement.

Tito claimed to be supported by the entire police force, as nearly all two-star police officers in Jakarta, as well as some three-star police generals, attended the inauguration. "Our common interest is to improve the police [institution]. Having a good police force will contribute to [the country's] democracy," Tito said.

Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, who previously was seen as a favorite to succeed Badrodin given his close ties to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, was among guests at the ceremony, which was also attended by Megawati.

Not all nine three-star generals attended the ceremony. Other than Budi Gunawan, four others spotted at the event were police Insp. Gen. Comr. Gen. Dwi Priyatno, police educational institution head Comr. Gen. Syafruddin, National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) chief secretary Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius and head of the police's intelligence and security division, Comr. Gen. Noer Ali.

National Narcotics Agency (BNN) chief Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso – who was on the Rank and Promotion Council for High-Ranking Officers (Wanjakti) list of three police chief candidates along with Dwi and Budi Gunawan – was not seen that day.

The Wanjakti di not include Tito on its list of recommended names to Jokowi, raising speculation that he might extend Badrodin's tenure or pick Budi Gunawan. However, the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), which is led by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan, submitted three options to Jokowi: to pick one of the three names on Wanjakti's list, to extend Badrodin's tenure or to nominate Tito.

After the ceremony, Budi Gunawan said cultural reform was the most difficult aspect of the ongoing police reform. "Because changing the mindset of personnel takes time," he said.

Separately, director of human rights watchdog Setara Institute, Hendardi, highlighted internal challenges, from reforming the police institution, curbing corruption among police personnel to uniting the institution, which awaited Tito.

"The police have undoubtedly done lots of good work, but most of the time they fail to win the public's trust," Hendardi said.

"The police still struggle to prove their commitment to corruption eradication. They still criminalize the marginalized. Their professionalism in carrying out investigations is questionable. And, many of the members still misuse their positions. These are all the challenges that Pak Tito needs to overcome,"he added.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/14/tito-pledges-to-maintain-unity-in-force-amid-police-reform.html

Tito takes helm of National Police

Jakarta Post - July 14, 2016

Erika Anindita Dewi, Jakarta – Gen. Badrodin Haiti officially handed over his position of National Police chief to Gen. Tito Karnavian during a transfer of office ceremony on Thursday.

"We're grateful that the succession tradition of the National Police chief took place smoothly. I hope this tradition will be maintained in the future," Badrodin said in his speech during the ceremony, held at the Police Academy's sports stadium in Jakarta.

Stability within the National Police was important so that the institution could face complex challenges, particularly to fulfil the hopes of the public, the police general added.

Badrodin expressed his opinion that Tito – the best graduate from the Police Academy's class of 1987 – could help the National Police to become a leading institution that was trusted by the people.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo swore in Tito, the former chief of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), at the State Palace on Wednesday.

Tito replaces Badrodin, who began his short tenure on April 17 last year, at the helm of the country's primary law enforcement institution.

Meanwhile, Tito said his appointment as National Police chief was a great mandate as he would take responsibility for meeting the demands of the public as well as ensuring that he worked according to the existing legal system. (bbn) Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/14/tito-takes-helm-of-national-police.html

Mining & energy

Government optimistic of reaching higher oil production target

Jakarta Post - July 15, 2016

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – The government is optimistic that the country will be able to reach next year's oil production target despite it being set slightly higher than the initially proposed figures.

On Tuesday, the government and House of Representatives' budget committee agreed to set the oil production target in the draft 2017 state budget at between 750,000 and 790,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd).

Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry director general for oil and gas, IGN Wiratmaja Puja, said the target was still reasonable as it was not much different from the initial target of 740,000 to 760,000 bopd.

"It is still achievable because [our initial target] is within the new range," he told reporters on Wednesday.

The maximum target of 760,000 bopd had initially been proposed by the government as many oil and gas contractors had suspended exploration and well-drilling activities in the past two years due to low global oil prices.

Data from the Upstream Oil and Gas Special Regulatory Task Force (SKKMigas) shows that only 13 percent of all planned seismic and non-seismic surveys had been conducted as of June. Furthermore, only 30 percent of 441 development wells had been drilled so far.

However, things have slowly been looking up since the beginning of the year. Benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) traded at US$45.09 per barrel on Wednesday from around $30 in January, according to figures from Bloomberg. Meanwhile, Brent Crude traded at $46.59 per barrel.

The rising oil prices have led the government and House to agree on setting the Indonesia Crude Price (ICP) at $40 to $50 per barrel as the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry predicts that although the global oil price will trade at around $40 per barrel in the beginning of next year, it will reach the $60 per barrel point by year-end.

SKKMigas deputy head Zikrullah was also optimistic that oil production will stay within the new targeted range as there was much leeway.

He noted that the House's original request to make the maximum production target 800,000 bopd was difficult to meet, especially since it considered that there were many planned upstream activities that had been postponed until next year due to falling global energy prices.

"The 760,000 bopd target can be achieved since the range is between 750,000 to 760,000 bopd. So, hopefully we will be able to stay within this range," Zikrullah said.

Although six plan of development (POD) oil fields will start production next year, it would still be difficult to reach the 800,000 bopd mark as they are set to only start operating in the second and third quarters of 2017.

Indonesia's energy sector has a long history of upward and downward trends. An increase in exploration activities at the beginning of the New Order period resulted in a boost of new oil reserves which increased oil production to 1.7 million bopd in 1977. However, upstream oil and gas activity has since declined due to oil company spending on exploration and production remaining stagnant.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/15/govt-optimistic-reaching-higher-oil-production-target.html

Domestic coal consumption cushions low global demand

Jakarta Post - July 14, 2016

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – Amid declining global demand for coal, Indonesia is still seeing a gradual rise in domestic consumption for the commodity, driven mainly by the operation of new steam-fueled power plants and higher demand from the cement industry.

Data from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry shows that domestic consumption from January to June experienced an 8 percent year-on-year increase to 25.52 million tons from 23.58 million tons.

While domestic consumption has increased slightly, exports dropped by around 32 percent to 80.22 million tons in the January-June period due to lower demand from major importers such as China and India.

"Most of the domestic consumption increase was due to the electricity sector. For example, the Celukan Bawang power plant and the Cilacap power plant, which have been expanded recently," ministry spokesman Sujatmiko said on Wednesday.

Bali's Celukan Bawang power plant and Central Java's Cilacap power plant have power generation capacities of 426 megawatts (MW) and 660 MW, respectively.

Sujatmiko also noted that coal demand from the cement industry had also increased due to the many domestic infrastructure projects currently taking place.

Semen Indonesia (SI) corporate secretary Agung Wiharto claimed that the state-run cement company's coal consumption was unlikely to increase this year as there were no planned expansions. However, he acknowledged that many other companies had started operating new cement factories this year, which might have contributed to the increased demand from the industry.

Fellow cement company Semen Merah Putih will soon start operating a new cement factory in Bayah, Banten with a clinker production capacity of 10,000 tons per day.

However, Agung noted that two cement factories belonging to SI would start operating next year, leading to an increased need for coal. "Next year, our Rembang and Indarung VI factories will start operating and we will need more coal," he told The Jakarta Post.

Last year, SI consumed up to 4.5 to 5 million tons of coal and the company is expected to consume around the same amount this year. However, Agung said that the company was expected to consume around 5.5 million tons of coal next year.

The declining global consumption of the most polluting fuel has been partly driven by China's battle against pollution, economic reforms and its efforts to promote renewable energy.

The lower global demand has caused coal prices to remain low. Reuters noted that Australia's Newcastle coal price, an Asian benchmark, had risen to a 2016 high of US$58.70 per ton this month. Meanwhile, Indonesia's coal reference price (HBA) also rose to $53 per ton this month.

Separately, Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI) deputy director Hendra Sinadia told the Post that though domestic consumption was still low compared to exports, domestic demand was increasing every year due to economic growth.

He noted that the government's 35,000 MW electricity procurement program was one of the factors boosting coal consumption. Up to 19,813 MW of electricity in the project is expected to be generated by steam-fueled power plants by 2019.

"Around 90 percent of all domestic consumption still goes to steam-fueled power plants while the remaining 10 percent goes to our industries, including the cement industry," Hendra said.

The government has also been pushing for the construction of more smelters in order to develop the downstream mining industry. The increase of smelters is also expected to boost demand for coal, Hendra explained.

The most recent 2016-2025 electricity procurement business plan (RUPTL) projects for coal-fueled power plants to still make up the majority of electricity generation at 50.3 percent.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/14/domestic-coal-consumption-cushions-low-global-demand.html

Economy & investment

Outlook still somber despite H1 trade surplus

Jakarta Post - July 16, 2016

Fedina S. Sundaryani and Prima Wirayani, Jakarta – Despite booking another monthly trade surplus, the country still saw sluggish performances in both exports and imports during the first six months of the year, mainly due to low commodity prices and slow expansion of the manufacturing industry.

Data released by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) on Friday showed the economy posted a US$900.2 million trade surplus in June, significantly higher than the $375.6 million recorded the previous month, thanks to balanced growth between imports and exports.

However, the same data revealed that June saw a 4.42 percent drop in exports year-on-year (yoy) to $12.92 billion from $13.51 billion recorded in the same month last year. In total, the country saw a 34.97 percent yoy drop for exports in the January-June period after shipping $69.5 billion worth of goods and services so far this year.

BPS head Suryamin emphasized that despite the cumulative drop, demand for oil and gas had been slowly increasing, as conveyed by the volume of oil and gas exported, which reached 22.3 million tons in the first half of the year from 21.9 million tons recorded in the same period last year.

"Global oil prices are slowly increasing and it is affecting our exports, which can also be seen in the volume," he told reporters at a press conference on Friday.

The mining sector also saw a 23.7 percent yoy drop in exports to $7.88 billion in the January to June period. Similarly, exports of agricultural goods dropped 18.1 percent, while exports of manufactured goods dropped 4.73 percent. However, the percentage of manufactured goods made up exports increased to 77.29 percent from 71.91 percent.

Furthermore, total imports from January to June dropped 7.41 percent yoy to $12.02 billion. Imports of capital goods dropped 15.31 percent and that of raw and auxiliary goods 12.23 percent.

However, consumer goods rose 13.57 percent compared to last year. In total, the country saw a $3.59 billion trade surplus from January to June, down by 19.77 percent.

Meanwhile, Trade Minister Thomas Lembong predicted international trade would experience a decrease throughout the rest of the year.

"However, our targeted contraction is not as big as last year's, in which exports and imports decreased by 14 to 17 percent. We hope [this year's] trade contraction will remain in the single digits, below 10 percent," he said, while acknowledging that the global condition was still extremely difficult.

Center of Reforms in Economics (CORE) Indonesia research director Mohammad Faisal noted that the continuous decrease in surplus yoy indicated that the global economic slowdown due to low demand in commodities still negatively affected the country's exports.

"Our manufactured goods should be able to make up for the drop in commodity exports. However, this has not happened," Faisal said. The economist explained that the government should move to focus on the manufacturing industry, as the country could no longer rely on commodity exports since prices remained volatile and hard to control.

Fellow economist, Enny Sri Hartati from the Institute of Economics and Finance (Indef), also reiterated similar comments, adding that the government must evaluate the possibility of increasing penetration in several countries' markets.

"It is difficult to try to tinker with oil and gas exports as they rely on global prices. However, we can evaluate non-oil and gas goods to see what can be further developed," she said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/16/outlook-still-somber-despite-h1-trade-surplus.html

Exports in June drop 4% compared to last year

Jakarta Post - July 15, 2016

Ayomi Amindoni, Jakarta – Despite scoring the highest export value of the past year in June, Indonesia saw a 4 percent year-on-year export decrease during the month to US$12.92 billion compared to $13.44 billion in June 2015.

On a month-on-month (mm) basis, export value increased 12.18 percent compared to May 2016. Oil and gas exports rose 23.92 percent mm from $960 million to $1.19 billion while non-oil and gas exports climbed 11.12 percent in the same period from $10.55 billion to $11.73 billion.

"June's exports were the highest [in the last year]. Hopefully it indicates good signs for the following months," Central Statistics Agency (BPS) head Suryamin said at a press conference in Jakarta on Friday.

Likewise, June's imports also experienced an increase of 7.86 percent mm to $12.02 billion. Oil and gas imports rose 1.02 percent to $1.69 billion, while non-oil and gas imports climbed 9.07 percent to $10.33 percent. "But it fell 7.41 percent compared to imports in June 2015," Suryamin explained.

With the jump in June exports, the BPS recorded a trade surplus of $900.2 million, which grew significantly compared to the figure in May of $375.6 million. "Cumulatively, the trade surplus from January to June stood at $3.59 billion, from $69.51 billion of exports and $65.92 billion of imports," he said. (ags)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/15/exports-in-june-drop-4-compared-to-last-year.html

Government urged to issue regulations to support stimulus packages

Jakarta Post - July 9, 2016

Jakarta – The government should immediately issue all necessary regulations to allow its 12 economic stimulus packages to be fully implemented, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) chairman Rosan P. Roeslani says.

"The incentive for electricity usage late at night, for instance, has yet to be implemented effectively," Rosan said in Jakarta on Thursday.

Starting in September last year, the government has issued 12 economic policy packages to boost the business climate and attract investment, including by cutting red tape and providing incentives for certain sectors. These efforts are expected to stoke growth in the country's economy, which slowed to a six-year low of 4.79 percent in 2015.

As of May this year, the government has completed 194 of the total 203 regulations required to support its packages, including both new and revised rules. "The regulations are needed as those policies need a legal basis," Rosan said.

Meanwhile, Kadin recently submitted evaluation materials for all the packages to the government to ensure a clearer framework.

Rosan said that Kadin had in its evaluation particularly praised a policy to provide three-hour licensing services for new investors in special economic zones and the revision of the negative investment list (DNI) to allow for more foreign ownership in select sectors, which he said had had immediate and concrete benefits for businesspeople. (vps/est)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/08/govt-urged-to-issue-regulations-to-support-stimulus-packages.html

Finance & taxation

Jokowi keeps tax amnesty on track despite judicial review

Jakarta Post - July 16, 2016

Ayomi Amindoni, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo led the tax amnesty campaign team in Surabaya on Friday, undermining the activist-led effort to challenge the Tax Amnesty Law through a judicial review request, officially filed on Wednesday.

Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said the President directly led the campaign team in order to ensure the transparency of the program and to boost confidence among potential participants, before implementation on July 18.

"The first campaign was conducted in Jakarta a week ago, the next one is in Surabaya followed by other big cities, involving many business people across several business sectors," Pramono said on Friday.

The government, he said, wanted to neutralize any wrong perceptions spread by non-government organizations (NGOs) regarding the tax amnesty.

Referencing the judicial review request filed at the Constitutional Court to challenge the Tax Amnesty Law, Pramono said that every citizen possessed the right to challenge any law at the Court.

However, the government will establish a legal team to defend the Tax Amnesty Law, newly passed by the House of Representatives. "The President has appointed Coordinating Economics Minister as the coordinator of the legal team,"he explained. (ags)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/16/jokowi-keeps-tax-amnesty-on-track-despite-judicial-review.html

NGO to request judicial review of Tax Amnesty Law

Jakarta Post - July 13, 2016

Erika Anindita Dewi, Jakarta – A legal aid NGO plans to request a judicial review of the Tax Amnesty Law passed by the House of Representatives late last month, while the government is drafting the technicalities on the law's implementation.

Several lawyers of the West-Java based Yayasan Satu Keadilan (YSK – literally the One Justice Foundation) will file the motion with the Constitutional Court on Wednesday, YSK chairman Sugeng Teguh Santoso said on Tuesday.

On Sunday, the YSK, the Society of Indonesian People's Struggle (SPRI) and four individuals had organized a press conference to announce their demand of a review.

Critics argue the law breaches judicial principles by helping people involved in tax evasion get discounts as long as they repatriate their wealth from oversees.

Meanwhile, the government expects a tax revenue windfall of Rp 165 trillion (US$12.42 billion) from the tax amnesty, and government officials are working out the technical details for the law's implementation.

Commenting on the judicial review motion, the chairman of House Commission XI, which oversees finance and banking, Ahmadi Noor Supit, asked protesters to give the government a chance to implement the law, as it was trying to resolve financial shortages.

"The government has initiated this bill and it holds the citizens' mandates, so we have to give them a chance," said Supit, admitting, however, that he was unsure whether the law would really help boost government revenue.

"This (the repatriation of assets) needs to be proved. The previous government didn't dare to introduce such a policy," Supit added. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/13/ngo-to-request-judicial-review-of-tax-amnesty-law.html

Half of tax amnesty funds 'may go to owners' own companies'

Jakarta Post - July 12, 2016

Anton Hermansyah, Jakarta – Around half of the repatriated assets expected as a result of the tax amnesty are likely go to their owners own companies, a business representative believes.

Under the tax amnesty, repatriated assets can be invested in the capital market or in any company – public or private – including companies belonging to the fund owners, Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) chairman Hariyadi Sukamdani told thejakartapost.com on Monday. "The businessmen will likely choose to invest in their own companies," Hariyadi added.

The owners of the repatriated funds would probably invest in property, which was one of the interesting sectors in the country, he said. "It will be good for the country if the assets are invested in property, because property is long-term investment," Hariyadi said.

Commenting on the move by NGO activists to file a request for a judicial review of the Tax Amnesty Law, Hariyadi said Apindo members supported the program and would derive benefits from it.

"Apindo is firm in its support for the tax amnesty, we are sure the businesspeople will submit as quickly as possible. We will start to disseminate [information on the policy to our members] on July 18," Hariyadi said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/12/half-of-tax-amnesty-funds-may-go-to-owners-own-companies.html

Analysis & opinion

Indonesia prepares for another round of executions

The Diplomat - July 11, 2016

Nithin Coca – If you want to point at one incident that transformed Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo from an inspiring, hopeful candidate to the oft-criticized, ineffective head of a unruly cabinet, it happened early last year, when his administration, to the surprise of both international observers and those in Indonesia's human rights community, who mostly supported Jokowi's election, executed 14 people, including 12 foreign nationals, for drug crimes. It was, amazingly, the largest single-use of the death penalty since Indonesia became a democracy at the turn of the millennium.

"It was a surprise moment," said Ricky Gunawan, a lawyer with the non-profit legal aid organization LBH Masyarakat who defends those charged with drug crimes in Indonesia. "We in the Indonesian human rights community thought he would bring positive change." The executions were widely criticized by foreign governments and civil society groups, both internationally and within Indonesia.

Initially, the uproar seemed to give way to a surprising calm. For much of the past year there was barely any mention of executions from the central government, leading many to think that Jokowi had changed his position. Then, suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere, Jokowi doubled-down on the war on drugs as one of the centerpieces of his administration, amazingly even calling it Indonesia's number one problem in a speech a few months ago.

Now, using drugs as a justification, Indonesia aims to resume executions, with a yet-unnamed 16 Indonesian and foreign nationals to face a firing squad, apparently soon. This will likely lead to another international diplomatic uproar and, once again, damage both Jokowi, and Indonesia's reputation globally. But for Jokowi and those around him, the benefits outweigh the costs, at least where it matters – domestically.

Domestic priorities

Perhaps it should not have been such a surprise that Jokowi – who, before ascending to the presidency was the governor of two Indonesian cities and had absolutely no foreign policy experience – has had a domestic focus during his presidency. This is one of the biggest shifts from his predecessor, the image-conscious, globe-trotting Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

"From 2012-2014, there were no executions," said Gunawan. "[Yudhoyono] was a president who really cared about his international reputation and knew it would be damaged if they massively execute people."

Jokowi, conversely, just does not care much about his international reputation. While last year's executions may have hurt the rose-tinted global image many internationally still had of him, within Indonesia, Jokowi's honeymoon was long over by January 2015. In fact, the initial round of executions were one of the first decisive actions by the new president, and were strongly supported among Indonesians. Whatever prestige he may have lost abroad was more than made up by what he gained domestically.

Popular distraction

By saying drugs are Indonesia's top problem, Jokowi is diverting attention from the other challenges he has, thus far, failed to address. His nearly two-year long presidency has been rife with challenges, many of which are out of his control. Last year's devastating fires, the neutering of the country's corruption institution, and the slow progress on improving the country's infrastructure have all tainted his image as someone who gets things done, and left many Indonesians disillusioned.

In the face of this, drugs are an easy target – a threatening, foreign menace that is destroying the fabric of Indonesian society and can be tackled by force. The figures he states are quite astounding – 4.5 million addicts, 40-50 young people dying each day from drug use. Stats that, according to Andreas Harsono, Indonesia Researcher with Human Rights Watch (HRW), are faulty.

"The figures quoted by Jokowi and parroted by national officials and media outlets are based on studies with questionable methods and vague measures," said Harsono. They seem to be created more to support an existing narrative, rather than present information about a problem.

Moreover, the use of the death penalty is still supported by most Indonesians. This creates a rare instance where Jokowi can show decisiveness.

"The death penalty [has] more than 80 percent support," said Harsono, adding that the role of Islamic groups, who support its use, makes it harder for the opposition to gain momentum. This is worrisome to HRW as the focus on the death penalty and the war on drugs is taking attention away from Indonesia's festering human rights challenges.

"The Jokowi administration... has not solved most widely-cited human rights problems in Indonesia, for example. religious freedom, discrimination against women in the name of the Sharia, and Papua's longstanding rights abuses," said Harsono. Here, rhetoric has failed to match reality. "For example, Jokowi asked all political prisoners to be released, but so far only six prisoners were released. There are nearly 70 others are still jailed."

The other question is – how much of this policy can be attributed to Jokowi himself? His cabinet has been noted for its contradictory policies and lack of cohesion, something most visible in the way in which certain members, such as Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti, seem to act on their own, independent of Jokowi.

"A narrative that people have is that it's really interests within the judiciary and police who want to carry out the executions," said Tom Pepinsky an Indonesia expert at Cornell University's Southeast Asia Program. "Jokowi does not have the political capital to stop it, or, perhaps, doesn't think it's such a big deal."

According to Gunawan, the idea of executions seems to come up whenever a political leader is facing a potential scandal or political pressure.

"Executions are used as a tool to avoid certain issues," said Gunawan, citing an example of how the Jakarta High Prosecutor's office had the Attorney General issue news about the next round of executions – days after his office was searched the Corruption Eradication Commission.

Limited impact

Perhaps Jokowi is right to ignore any international furor. While the rhetoric from Australia, Brazil, and other nations was fierce last year, and did hurt Jokowi's image globally, there was little other substantive impact. Every country quickly returned to having normal relations with Jakarta, and none took any actions beyond symbolic statements, such as temporarily recalling their ambassadors. Chances are, no matter what country's citizens end up on the list, the situation will be the same this time.

"For better or worse, executing criminals for drug crimes, is [not very] likely to shape bilateral relations with any of Indonesia's neighbors," said Pepinsky.

In fact, any international outrage might be counterproductive, making it only harder for Jokowi, if he wanted to, to stand up to those within his administration, or in parliament, who support this policy. But it will impact his standing among Indonesians.

"There's a sense that Jokowi showing decisiveness and independence is great for his domestic position," said Pepinsky. "It would be very easy for a competitor to criticize him for giving into foreign pressures."

Thus, the best hope for a shift in policy comes domestically, from the voices of the minority of Indonesians opposed to the death penalty. They've had some success – it was local civil society, last year, who were key saving one woman, Filipino citizen Mary Jane Veloso, from being executed, and they are gearing up to fight again.

Also notably, popular former President BJ Habibie has come out against the death penalty and the executions. Still, it will be tough for the opposition to win. This round of executions is expected to be followed by another round, as the administration expands the war on drugs and regularizes capital punishment. It is a big change from the Indonesia of the 2000s, when executions were rare, and progress on human rights and justice was measured in strides.

Who would have thought when Jokowi was elected that we'd look back on the 2000s with such nostalgia, so soon?

[Nithin Coca is a freelance writer and journalist who focuses on cultural, economic, and environmental issues in developing countries. Follow him on Twitter @excinit.]

Source: http://thediplomat.com/2016/07/indonesia-prepares-for-another-round-of-executions/