INFID, October 20, 2004
INFID's Short News Overview No. V/28: October 14-20, 2004
Election News
SBY Sworn In As Indonesia's 6th President
Yudhoyono was sworn in as Indonesia's sixth president on Oct. 20 after winning the
country's first-ever direct elections for head of state last month. Yudhoyono took the
oath, cementing his victory in the country's first ever democratic presidential polls, at
a heavily guarded ceremony in the capital attended by regional leaders including
Australian Prime Minister John Howard. He is expected to announce his cabinet late
in the evening (11 p.m.).
Outgoing leader Megawati Sukarnoputri did not attend the swearing-in ceremony. She
refused to concede defeat or congratulate Yudhoyono. In her explanation to
parliament, Megawati wrote that because of "the political and social conditions, it's
best if I watch the (swearing in) on television." But a report on Metro TV said she
spent the morning gardening.
Sources: AP 20/10, Reuters 20/10, AFP 20/10
Susilo says he will not revive co-operation with IMF
President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Oct. 17 that he had no intention
of reviving the cooperation with the International Monetary Fund. Susilo made the
remarks in response to concerns from various parties, particularly the Prosperous
Justice Party (PKS), in relation to the possible appointment of Cabinet members with
connections to the fund.
PKS and the Crescent and Star Party (PBB), two Muslim parties which supported the
former general's presidential bid, have warned Susilo they could withdraw their support
depending on who is chosen as cabinet ministers.
"There has already been a policy endorsed by the People's Consultative Assembly,
the House of Representatives and the government terminating all programs under the
letters of intent with the IMF. There is no longer any commitment with the IMF,"Susilo
said at his private residence in Cikeas in Bogor. The PKS has criticized Susilo for
apparently favoring possible Cabinet members who are pro-IMF.
Any policy taken by the previous government will be honored, Susilo said, adding that
he had absolutely no intention of reviving the cooperation with the fund.
State Minister of National Development Planning/Bappenas Kwik Kian Gie urged the
new government on Oct. 18 to pay all its debts to IMF to enable Indonesia to be on
equal ranks with its foreign partners. Kwik explained that out of the foreign exchange
reserves held by the government, Indonesia was capable of paying all its debts
amounting to about US$9 billion.
He said that Indonesia would remain under the supervision of IMF until 200,7 if the
country still extended its debt payment to IMF.
Source: Antara 17/10 18/10
General News
Troops must stay in Papua, Aceh: Army Chief
Chief of Army Staff Ryamizard Ryacudu said he would not withdraw troops from
conflict areas such as Aceh and Papua. "Separatists in Aceh and Papua, if left alone,
could become seeds of disintegration," he said during a discussion at an
inter-religious forum, on Oct. 13 in Jakarta. He said that the army would remain
deployed in these conflict areas to defend Indonesia's unity.
He said that there were many areas to date which sought independence from
Indonesia."This has been limited to discussion, but if ignored, it may very well
become reality," Ryamizard said. He likened areas such as Maluku and Poso to a
spark in a hay stack which could ignite at any moment. "You only need to blow on it
a little, and it will ignite," he said.
He could not confirm whether troops would be maintained in Poso and Maluku. He
said this would depend on the condition in these regions, because to date, troop
numbers had been halved in order to provide security in areas of conflict. "If Aceh or
Papua broke free this would mean the army was incompetent," he stressed.
"Because the entire responsibility of defending Indonesia's unity lies in the hands of
the army," he said.
Source: BWM 14/10
Military's role still haunts public: Research
Despite the growing democracy over the last six years, the people still harbor deep
concerns over the role of the military in public life, which they say has spurred the
prevalence of violence, a study has found. In the preliminary report of a study
presented on Oct. 14 by human rights watchdog Demos, 83.3 percent of respondents
said the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police were not accountable
enough to the civilian government and the greater public.
The study also found that 88.9 percent of respondents were of the opinion that the
government was susceptible to outside interference from paramilitary units, militias
and groups of thugs, all of which they claimed were linked to elements in the military.
The study also found that the concept of security was "still defined as a state- or
territorial security that takes precedence over human security, which covers universal
human rights," the report said.
Full text: http://www.infid.be/military_haunt.htm.
Source: JP 15/10
Bashir charged over Bali, Marriott Bombings
Indonesian prosecutors have charged Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir with terrorism
offences, including the Bali bombings, in a 65-page document delivered on Oct. 15 to
the South Jakarta District Court. Prosecutor Andi Herman said Bashir had been
charged with involvement in the Bali bombings and the bombing of Jakarta's J. W.
Marriott Hotel.
While Bashir is charged with the Marriott bombing under anti-terrorism law No. 15, Mr
Herman said the 68-year-old cleric will be prosecuted for Bali using the normal
criminal code.
Mr Herman declined to say which criminal laws were used to charge Bashir over Bali.
He said Bashir was not accused of any involvement in last month's bombing of the
Australian embassy in Jakarta.
Bashir, who has been jailed since April, is often seen as the public face of Indonesia's
radical Islamic fringe and is accused by the US of being the spiritual leader of the
al-Qaeda-linked regional terror group Jemaah Islamiyah.
Source: TA 16/10
Government supports Newmont's Claim
Indonesia's Environment Ministry said the water and air around Newmont Mining
Corp.'s Sulawesi gold mine aren't polluted, despite complaints of health problems by
local residents that have prompted Indonesian police to hold five company executives
without charges for almost a month.
The Environment Ministry report shows that levels of pollutants in the area's water, air
and fish populations are well below Indonesian limits and global standards. The study
also says that two rivers near the Newmont mine are free of mercury or arsenic
pollution, and adds that levels of mercury in fish taken from Buyat Bay are below
World Health Organization guidelines. Air quality in the area is also within accepted
norms, the report says.
The Environment Ministry conducted its study with 13 other governmental and
nonprofit groups over a two-week period in late August and early September. The
results back up a similar, but less extensive study conducted in August by the WHO
and Japan's National Institute for Minamata Disease. That study measured mercury
levels in the hair of nearby residents as well as in the sediment of local bays and in
the fish population. It concluded that mercury concentrations were "normal" and too
low to cause illness.
Indonesian police have said in the past that their own tests show excessive levels of
mercury and arsenic in water taken from Buyat Bay but have not disclosed their
testing methodology. Speaking to the Indonesian press in August, national police
chief of detectives Suyitno Landung said police claims were supported by local
experts and NGOs.
"They [Newmont] are so powerful. They are untouchable," said Nurhidayati, an activist
with Friends of the Earth Indonesia (Walhi), who says it's a "necessity" to hold the
executives so that they "don't escape." Nurhidayati complains that US mining
companies wield excessive power over the Indonesian government.
In a statement released on Oct. 20 Friends of the Earth International accused
Newmont of spending much more on public relations than on helping Buyat Bay
communities affected by its operations. The organisation also repeated its full support
for communities affected and urged the Government of Indonesia to undertake the
necessary steps to hold Newmont accountable for its actions.
Pollution Dispute Tests Indonesia: http://www.infid.be/environment_pollution.htm.
Newmont Critical of Indonesian NGO Role in Executives Jailings:
http://www.infid.be/environment_buyatbay.htm
Sources: WSJ 19/10, FOEIMA 20/10, JP 20/10, CSM 20/10
Regional News
Papua
Suspected rebels in Papua province opened fire on a convoy of vehicles in a remote
part of the region, killing five workers from elsewhere in the country, police said on
Oct. 14.
The insurgents attacked a group of construction workers traveling to Mulia town in the
remote Puncak Jaya district Tuesday, said military Col. P. Simandjuntak. All the
dead were non-Papuans working in the province, he said. No other details were
immediately available.
Antara news agency reported that hundreds of residents in Ilu were evacuated
following the incident. Unconfirmed reports say that members of the Free Papua
Movement (OPM) had also set ablaze a government building in the district.
Deputy regent of Puncak Jaya Lukas Enember earlier said that there had been three
separate attacks by Papuan rebels on civilians in the past two months.
Meanwhile, Papuans have called on president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to
enforce the Special Autonomy Law for Papua to resolve the prolonged issues in the
province.
A meeting of Papuan activists and leaders on Oct. 13-14 urged Susilo to support the
Papuan people by implementing fully Law No. 21/2001 on special autonomy for Papua
and reconsider the division of Papua into several provinces, according to the
organizer.
Rev. Karel Phil Erari, spokesman of the National Forum for Human Rights Concerns in
Papua (FNKHP), which organized the meeting, said in a press conference on Oct. 17
that government officials, religious and informal leaders and women activists attended
the event. The FNKHP itself is chaired by Susilo. Susilo won majority votes in Papua
during both rounds of the presidential election.
Sources: AP 14/10, JP 15/10 18/10
Conflict Reignites in Mamasa
After a year of relative peace, a violent communal conflict erupted again on Oct. 16 in
Aralle district, Mamasa regency, West Sulawesi province. Two people were reported
killed and dozens of homes burned down.
Witnesses said that the renewed conflict began to flare up on Oct. 14, when minor
clashes occurred between those who supported and opposed a split of Polewali
Mamasa regency into two regencies: Polewali Mamasa and Mamasa. The conflict
dragged on until dawn Oct. 16 when at least 18 houses and a church we set on fire
and razed. It was not clear, which group was responsible in the arson attack. In
retaliation, Two days later, violence broke out again, killing one man and injuring
another. The incident occurred when some 300 Christians supporting the split of
Polewali Mamasa regency into two regencies attacked those who opposed the split in
the mountainous Aralleana subdistrict, Aralle district. The attack was an apparent
retaliation after scores of Christian houses and a church was burned down at dawn on
Saturday in Aralle district.
The conflict began in 2002 over disagreements to split up the district into two:
Polewali Mamasa and Mamasa. Muslim transmigrants from western Indonesian
islands rejected the split because it would be included in Mamasa district, which is
dominated by the native residents, most of whom are Christians. The Muslims said
they feared losing out on jobs or the freedom to go to mosques when they wanted.
The conflict heightened in September 2003, when a major clash occurred in the three
districts, leaving three dead and forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes.
The district was officially split on Oct. 16.
Sources: JP 17/10 18/10 19/10, AP 17/10
Abbreviations
AFP Agence France-Presse
AP Associated Press
BWM BBC World Monitoring
CSM The Christian Science Monitor
FOEIMA Friends of the Earth International Media Advisory
JP The Jakarta Post
WJS The Wall Street Journal
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