INFID, 12 November 2003
INFID's Short News Overview No. 155: November 7-12, 2003
General News
INFID: White Paper is Useless
A coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) demanded the government to
drop its post-IMF economic reform programs as outlined in the White Paper
document, arguing that many of the programs would not help improve the welfare of
the people and went against the Constitution. The protest from the NGOs comes as
the IMF commences its final review of the country's economic condition under its
program. The NGOs pointed out that the government's programs were aimed at
eliminating subsidies, financial liberalization, trade liberalization and privatization of
state-owned companies, all of which were against the interest of the people.
"The White Paper is not a breakthrough and is useless as a whole," Binny Buchori,
executive secretary of INFID said on Nov. 7.
The NGO coaliton groups several NGOs, including Jakarta Residents Forum (FAKTA),
Anti Debt Coalition (KAU,) INFID, Working Group on Power Sector Reform
(WG-PSR), Public Interest Research and Advocacy Center (PIRAC), People's
Coalition for Water and Public Interest Environmental Laws (PIELs), Indonesian
Consumers Foundation (YLKI), Debtwatch and Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW).
The government issued the White Paper in September under Presidential Decree No.
5/2003. The document, which contains a set of economic reform programs to be
implemented 18 months from September, was drafted ahead of plans to end the
existing International Monetary Fund-sponsored reform program when it expires at the
end of this year.
While it received praise from international donors, the White Paper -- the contents of
which are not much different from the IMF program -- received a cool response at
home.
Analysts have said the programs lack a concrete action plan to resolve the country's
chronic economic problems.
Sources: JP 08/11, DC 07/11
Indonesia to seek US$3.3 billion from CGI
The Indonesian government will seek a Rp28 trillion (US$3.3 billion) loan from the
Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) during their meeting here on December 10-11,
acting head of the Fiscal Analyse Body, Anggito Abimanyu said on Nov. 10.
"The loan will be used to cover the deficit in the 2004 state budget, which consists of
Rp19.9 trillion for project developments and Rp8.5 trillion for development program,",
Anggito said.
This year, the CGI is expected to extend a US$3.14 billion loan to Indonesia, he said.
He said part of the amount needed for the 2004 state budget constitutes a financial
commitment which had been disbursed in the 2003 state budget.
Source: AA 11/11
ICW threatened
About 100 people rallied in front of the South Jakarta office of the Indonesian
Corruption Watch (ICW) on Nov. 8 following the latter's plan to report Minister of
Manpower Jacob Nuwa Wea to the police. The protesters accused the watchdog of
slandering Jacob with its findings on alleged corruption involving the minister, and
threatened to occupy the ICW office if it failed to apologize to Jacob within three days.
They said they represented the Jakarta Bulls (Banteng Jakarta) and Eksponen 27 Juli
("Figures of July 27" in reference to the violent 1996 attack on the headquarters of the
then Indonesian Democratic Party). Banteng Jakarta is reportedly affiliated to the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) led by President Megawati
Soekarnoputri. Nuwa Wea has denied the allegation.
Legal and human rights leaders deplored the threat and urged the National Police to
take action and to protect the anti-corruption campaigners.
Solahuddin Wahid from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM)
said on Nov. 9 that it was the responsibility of the National Police to protect the office
of ICW. He said the public could not be allowed to resort to violent action in response
to criticism. If someone considers a criticism to be a form of defamation, then he or
she should file the case a court law, he added.
Fellow rights campaigner Hendardi from the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights
Association (PBHI) joined the chorus of condemnation against the threats by the
minister's people, saying it simply showed their disrespect of the law. He also said
that the police must take immediate action to deal with intimidation from private
security units. He recalled similar incidents in the recent past, including the attack on
the office of Tempo magazine by the private security unit affiliated with businessman
Tomy Winata and the attack on the office of the Commission for Missing Persons and
Victims of Violence (Kontras) by a private group of military veteran's relatives.
Hendardi said that such gangster-like intimidation could readily be ordered by people
with power or money in their hands.
In its recent report, the International Crisis Group recommended the disbandment of
all civilian auxiliary and private security militias as they often exacerbate, rather than
allay, political tension, especially as the country will have elections in 2004.
On Nov. 11 military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto asked all political party-affiliated
civilian guards not to dress or behave like soldiers prior to or during the 2004
elections. He suggested that each party consider providing pink or other soft-coloured
uniforms for their security wings to soften their behaviours.
Sources: JP 09/11 10/11 12/11
Military to withdraw from Freeport
Indonesia's military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said on Nov. 10 that he wanted
soldiers to stop guarding the giant Freeport gold and copper mine in Papua province
and other facilities because they are not mercenaries.
Sutarto said the military did not wish "to be a scapegoat" should something happen to
the companies. He denied his proposal was linked to a US decision to withhold
assistance for Indonesia's armed forces unless they cooperate fully with a Federal
Bureau of Investigation probe into the ambush killing of two Americans at Freeport last
year. Papua police last year quoted a witness as saying that Kopassus special forces
soldiers were suspected of carrying out the attack. The military denies any
involvement.
Freeport has said it paid the Indonesian military about 5.6 million dollars last year to
protect its employees in Papua. Until now, the payment had been made on an
informal basis, but the company had been pushing to formalize the arrangement.
"We are not mercenaries. We never sign any contracts," Gen. Sutarto said.
But he said his proposal to withdraw troops, which must be approved by the
government, was not aimed at seeking renewed US military aid.
Indonesia's military guards a number of important exploration sites around the
country, and reportedly receives large sums of money in return. In addition to
Freeport, it secures companies such as Exxon Mobil, which has interests in Aceh
province.
According to military spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsuddin, the military has one
battalion protecting Freeport, another protecting Exxon Mobil and the equivalent of a
third battalion divided among 10 other vital projects.
A Western analyst based in Jakarta said the impact would be felt most severely by
Freeport. He noted that Exxon Mobil was reducing its operations in the area and
considering shutting down altogether because of the security situation. He agreed that
the move was probably not linked to the U.S. Senate decision involving
military-to-military training. He also said the military may be trying to negotiate a
better deal with the companies it protects.
Sources: AFP 10/11, WT 11/11
Illegal logging caused flood tragedy
An investigation by the Leuser Management Unit (UML) concluded that the recent
flash flood that swept through a North Sumatran resort town, which claimed hundreds
of lives, was an indirect result of the rampant deforestation of Mount Leuser National
Park.
The UML is a European Union-funded organization comprising environmentalists and
government institutions for the preservation of the Leuser ecosystem.
It is estimated that 50 percent of the deforested area, or critical land, is the result of
illegal logging. The other 50 percent is a consequence of illegal occupation of the land
by Acehnese refugees who fled to the park following the political turmoil of 1999-2001.
Source: JP 10/11
Regional News
Aceh
November 6
The EU, Japan and the U.S. issued a joint statement, following Jakarta's decision to
extend martial law in Aceh for the next six months. They had said that martial law
should be conducted with minimum human suffering and that Jakarta should open
international access to the operation of humanitarian affairs in the province.
November 7
Indonesia accused the U.S., the European Union and Japan of "meddling" in its
internal affairs after they voiced concern over the extension of martial law and military
operations in Aceh province.
November 9
The Indonesian military operation command claimed that it had shot dead seven
members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in gun battles in three locations in Aceh.
Of the seven, two were killed in a gunfight in North Aceh and the other two perished in
a shootout in Nagan Raya and another one died in Leupung, Aceh Besar, military
spokesman Ahmad Yani Basuki said.
Army chief of staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu said Aceh military operation commander
Maj. Gen. Bambang Darmono will be replaced by Jakarta Military Command chief of
staff Brig. Gen. George Toisutta. George Toisutta is a former member of the now
defunct Joint Security Committee (JSC) which was overseeing the peace pact along
with representatives from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the peace mediator the
Henry Dunant Centre, in Aceh from December 2002 until May 19, 2003.
November 10
Military spokesman Ahmad Yani Basuki said suspected Acehnese rebel commander
Efendi Saputra committed suicide in his prison cell in Lhokseumawe district. He also
said two suspected rebels were shot dead in West Aceh district in a clash with
Indonesian soldiers on Nov. 9, while a civilian and two soldiers were wounded in
Sawang subdistrict, North Aceh. He also said two other suspected rebels surrendered
to Indonesian troops in Darul Imarah, Aceh Besar district.
TNI disclosed on that it would change its tactics in the war-torn province, including
sending in another strike unit which will operate in small units to hunt down "a
currently disorganized rebel group." Gen. Endriartono Sutarto also said that the
military would improve its intelligence operations to encourage the Aceh people to
participate in the government's efforts to maintain the unitary republic. Sutarto also
confirmed that current Aceh military commander Major General Bambang Darmono
would soon be replaced by Brigadier General George Toisutta.
Joint Statement on Aceh by the EU, Japan and the U.S.:
www.infid.be/statement_aceh.html
Martial law in Aceh Serves Military Well: www.infid.be/martial_military.html.
Military operation becoming a goal in itself: www.infid.be/military_goal.html.
Sources: AP 07/11, JP 08/11 11/11 Antara 9/11 10/11, AFP 10/11
Papua
Maj. Gen. Nurdin Zainal, chief of the Trikora military command overseeing Papua
province has ordered his troops to be on the alert against possible attacks from the
Free Papua Movement (OPM) ahead of the Dec. 1 Papua Independence Day and to
shoot on sight any rioters. The high alert was necessary, as the Papuan rebels
generally caused chaos prior to the anniversary in order to show the public that they
still existed, he said. Nurdin commands more than 9,000 soldiers in Papua under the
Trikora military command. The TNI has deployed an additional some 2,600 soldiers
throughout the province, which is home to 2.4 million people.
Meanwhile, Papua Governor JP Salossa called on the Papuan people not to
undertake any activities that could raise tension in the province, including hoisting the
Morning Star independence flag or other separatist symbols. The governor made it
clear that all Papuans were prohibited from flying Papua's Morning Star flag and from
conducting any other activities to commemorate Independence Day. "Any attempts to
celebrate the Independence Day of Papua will be dealt with sternly, in accordance
with the law," Solossa warned.
The Papua provincial government issued on Nov. 10 a circular, signed by Papua
governor J.P. Solossa, the chief of Trikora military command overseeing Papua
province, Maj. Gen. Nurdin Zainal, Papua police chief Insp. Gen. Budi Utomo and the
acting head of Papua Prosecutor's Office, Arwo Hadi Sadjufrihas, prohibiting Papuans
from celebrating Papuan Independence Day on Dec. 1.
Sources: JP 10/11 11/11
Abbreviations
AA Asia Pulse/Antara
AFP Agence France-Presse
AP Associated Press
DC Detik Com
JP The Jakarta Post
WT The Washington Times
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