The International Crisis Group (ICG), 2 June 2004
MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP
ICG Indonesian Deportation Order Indefensible
Jakarta/Brussels, 2 June 2004: ICG's Southeast Asia Director Sidney Jones and
Analyst Francesca Lawe-Davies were yesterday ordered to leave Indonesia
"immediately". Immigration department officials of the Jakarta provincial government
delivered the order to ICG's office at 6 pm on 1 June (11:00 GMT). The letter made no
specific charges against Jones and Lawe-Davies but stated that they were in violation
of immigration laws.
The order follows public statements by National Intelligence Agency head, General
Hendropriyono, that ICG's reports were "not all true" and "damage the country's
image".
ICG's President, former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans, said "the expulsion
order is outrageous and indefensible, utterly at odds with Indonesia's claim to be an
open and democratic society, and is bound to damage Indonesia's reputation far more
than ICG's".
Since establishing its Jakarta office in 2000, ICG has published 37 reports and briefing
papers on conflict related issues, including Aceh, Papua, the Jemaah Islamiyah
terrorist movement, communal violence and the transition from military to civilian rule.
The reports and analyses, all publicly available in both English and Bahasa Indonesia
on ICG's website www.icg.org , have been widely praised inside and outside
Indonesia.
No member of the government will take responsibility for initiating moves to expel
Jones and her assistant but moves against ICG began early this year, when a letter
from the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) to the Ministry of Labour resulted in a
freeze on work permits for ICG staff. No one from ICG ever saw that letter, but it is
understood it stated BIN was unhappy with ICG reports on Aceh and Papua.
But to date, not a single Indonesian government department or official has made any
complaints directly to ICG. Sidney Jones said, "We haven't even been told directly
what we've done wrong - the officials concerned won't meet with us. We have not been
able to respond to any charges, and there is no legal mechanism to challenge the
expulsion."
"ICG has been working with Indonesians to try and understand the sources of conflict
in this country for the last four years" said Evans, "and we urge the government to
allow us to resume our activity. To shoot the messenger doesn't say much for the
state of political liberty in Indonesia under the Megawati government."
"I deeply regret the expulsion of ICG staff from Indonesia, particularly in these bizarre
circumstances", says Chairman of ICG's board in Indonesia, Mulya Todung Lubis. He
noted that ICG was among twenty NGOs named as potential security risks for the
upcoming presidential elections.
Contacts: Andrew Stroehlein (Brussels) +32 (0) 485 555 946
Jennifer Leonard (Washington) +1-202-785 1601
To contact ICG media please click here
|
