LAKSAMANA.Net, November 18, 2004 10:06 PM
Travel Restrictions Spark Protest
Laksamana.Net - Several UK-based non-government organizations have urged the
British government to put pressure on Indonesia to revoke its policy banning foreign
journalists from traveling to the conflict-prone provinces of Aceh and Papua.
Following is a letter to the British government from the Indonesia Human Rights
Campaign (Tapol), Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD) and other
NGOs.
NGOs press for unrestricted access to Aceh and West Papua
17 November 2004 - Widespread concern about continuing restrictions on
international access to Aceh and West Papua and a recent ban on foreign journalists
has led to an urgent call for greater openness and freedom of movement in the
conflict-ridden provinces.
In a letter urging the British Government to press for unrestricted access, the
British-based NGOs, TAPOL, CAFOD, Catholic Institute for International Relations
and Oxford Papuan Rights Campaign say that the ban on foreign journalists "will be a
serious obstacle to democratization and peace building efforts in Aceh and West
Papua", and that it "should be vigorously opposed".
They point out that it comes at a time when military operations are continuing in Aceh
despite its change of status from military to civil emergency in May this year and
when military operations have escalated in the Puncak Jaya region of West Papua.
The ban on journalists was imposed on 23 September, purportedly for "security
reasons", by a committee of 15 government institutions, including the army, the
intelligence agency BIN, the police, immigration, security ministry and the foreign
affairs department.
In Aceh, the civil emergency status continues to place severe restrictions on entry to
the province, on travel within the province and on work with local people and
organizations. Local NGOs say the restrictions and threats of violence have made
their task of providing humanitarian assistance and carrying out human rights
monitoring difficult, if not impossible.
Despite hopes that the new Indonesian administration under Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono would adopt new policies to resolve the Aceh conflict, the government has
opted for more of the same with the decision to extend the civil emergency from 19
November. Over 2,000 people have been killed since the start of the military
emergency in May 2003. The number of victims increases every day. The Puncak
Jaya offensive in West Papua has resulted in alt least three civilian deaths and the
forced displacement of thousands.
The UK NGOs have asked Britain to urge the Indonesian Government to lift the ban on
foreign journalists entering Aceh and West Papua, to ensure that they are able to
carry out their work free from threats and intimidation, and to remove current
restrictions on diplomats, international agencies and NGOs visiting and working in the
two provinces.
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