UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 31 August 2004
OCHA Situation Report: Indonesia: OCHA Humanitarian Update
Aug 2004
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Highlights:
President Megawati Soekarnoputri launched a national action plan of human rights in
a bid to improve the country's record on the issue.
Millions of people nationwide are beginning to feel the effects of the dry season this
year, which has led to water shortages, harvest failures, forest fires and haze in many
parts of the country.
UN OCHA has approved the channelling of USD 76,000 from its managed Emergency
Response Funds/Humanitarian Response Funds to CWS for Food For Work, Food
For Training and Food For Peace activities in Poso, Tojo Una-Una and Morowali in
Central Sulawesi.
Two humanitarian workers from the Aceh Humanitarian Volunteer Association
(Pemraka) were arrested for alleged involvement with GAM.
Police have arrested a suspect in the murder of lawyer Ferry Silalahi, who was killed
months after prosecuting several terror suspects in Palu, Central Sulawesi, and two
other men for helping the suspect.
After more than a week, roadblocks along the border between predominantly Christian
Mamasa and Muslim Polmas districts, South Sulawesi were lifted.
After a six months of investigation, the National Commission on Human Rights
(Komnas HAM) concluded that the military and police were involved in serious human
rights violations in Wasior District in 2001 and Wamena District in 2003 in Papua.
Major events:
National Election: The celebration of 59th Independence Day across the country went
peacefully despite minor disturbances in Aceh and Papua. Rebels in the two
provinces launched attacks separately on security personnel, leaving at least 10
civilians injured, six rebels dead and one soldier heavily wounded.
Approaching the second round of the presidential election on 20 September, the two
candidates, Megawati Soekarnoputri and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, have focused
their effort to build coalitions with other parties. Four major parties -- Golkar Party, the
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the United Development Party (PPP) and the
Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) -- formed a coalition to support President Megawati
Soekarnoputri and her running mate Hasyim Muzadi. Meanwhile, the Prosperous
Justice Party (PKS) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) stand behind Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono and his running mate Jusuf Kalla. Former president
Abdurrachman Wahid declared his support for Susilo -- Kalla.
President Megawati Soekaroputri launched a national action plan of human rights in a
bid to improve the country's record on the issue. Under the action plan set out in
presidential decree No. 40/2004, regional administrations are to set up human rights
committees, which would disseminate information and educate bureaucrats and
professional groups about human rights. It is not clear, if the Indonesian Military (TNI)
is also required to set up the committees. According to Minister of Justice and
Human Rights, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, about 24,000 police officers nationwide had
already undergone awareness training on human rights.
Natural Disaster:
Millions of people nationwide are beginning to feel the effects of the dry season this
year, which has led to water shortages, harvest failures, forest fires and haze in many
parts of the country. Local governments in several affected areas, such as East Java
and West Nusa Tenggara, have requested state water authorities, PDAM, to dispatch
water trucks to help alleviate water shortages. Some 140 hectares of paddy field in
West Kalimantan and 237 hectares of paddy field in Cianjur District of West Java have
suffered from harvest failures. Meanwhile, haze from forest fires have blanketed some
part of Sumatra and Kalimantan (Central, East and West) and could worsen in the
month of September. In a few areas, scheduled flights were cancelled or delayed due
to thick haze that also spread to neighbouring countries, Singapore and Malaysia.
The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) forecasts that the rains would start
around October.
Project Financing through ERF: UN OCHA has approved the channelling of USD
76,000 from its managed Emergency Response Funds (ERF)/Humanitarian Response
Funds (HRF) to CWS for the provision of tools, materials and training related costs
required for Food For Work, Food For Training and Food For Peace activities. Under
these activities, CWS and WFP aim to support the recovery and sustainable
improvement in the livelihoods of some 11,700 households (IDPs, resettled and
returnee families) in 10 sub-districts and 3 districts (Poso, Tojo Una-Una and
Morowali) in Central Sulawesi.
Regional Updates:
Aceh: Two humanitarian workers from the Aceh Humanitarian Volunteer Association
(Pemraka) were arrested for alleged involvement with GAM. This is the first arrest of
civilian Aceh activists since the civil emergency status was imposed in May. Pemraka
was established to help IDPs and provide medical aid to the victims of conflict.
According to the Aceh Security Restoration Operation Command, armed clashes
during the period of 20 November 2003 to 18 August 2004 have claimed at least 1,159
GAM members, 34 soldiers (26 others died in accidents or of illness), 2 police
personnel and 147 civilian lives. Meanwhile the number of injured is 100 soldiers, 16
police personnel and 155 civilians.
Central Sulawesi: Police have arrested a suspect in the murder of lawyer Ferry
Silalahi, who was killed months after prosecuting several terror suspects in Palu, and
two other men for helping the suspect. The last terrorism-related cases he prosecuted
were those of Bali bombing suspects who were found guilty and sentenced to prison.
The police are expanding the investigation to determine whether the suspect was also
among the gunmen who attacked the Effata church and killed a female minister
Susianty Tinulele last month.
South Sulawesi: After more than a week, roadblocks along the border between
predominantly Christian Mamasa and Muslim Polmas districts, South Sulawesi were
lifted. The roadblocks were erected by both groups in favor of or opposed to the
creation of Mamasa District that caused some 118,000 residents in Aralle, Tabulahan
and Mambi sub-districts to be cut off from the outside world. The conflict began in
2004 following the Central Government decision to carve out Mamasa -- including the
three sub-districts -- from the Polmas District. Last year, the conflict between
disputing groups resulted in at least three deaths, forcing thousands of people to flee
their homes and dozens of houses burned down.
Maluku: Two explosions occurred in Ambon, forcing local residents to flee their
homes in panic, and security forces to increase their alertness. There were no reports
of death or injury.
Papua: After six months of investigation, the National Commission on Human Rights
(Komnas HAM) concluded that the military and police were involved in serious human
rights violations in Wasior District in 2001 (at least 3 killed, 16 others tortured and
dozens of houses burned down) and Wamena District in 2003 (at least 7 people
killed, 48 tortured, and some 7,000 others forced to flee) in Papua. The findings would
be submitted to the Attorney General's Office for follow up. Under the prevailing law on
human rights tribunals, the Komnas HAM findings can be admitted as evidence in
cases being heard by an ad hoc human rights court.
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