The Jakarta Post, June 04, 2004
ICG to remain operational without Jones
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The International Crisis Group (ICG) will continue its operations in the country, despite
the controversial departure of its Southeast Asia director Sidney Jones.
Criticism, meanwhile, has poured in following the government's decision to expel the
American researcher, who replaced Indonesianist Harold Crouch as ICG director in
2002.
"We hope very much that the (ICG) office (in Jakarta) will stay open," Jones told a
media conference on Wednesday.
ICG director Todung Mulya Lubis agreed.
"We are not thinking of closing down the office," he said.
Jones and Australian staff member, Francesca Lawe-Davies, will leave the country on
Saturday, following the immigration office's deportation order for work permit offenses
sent to them on Tuesday. It was a bitter birthday present for Jones, who turned 52 on
Monday.
Jones said she would fly home to the U.S. for a week-long break.
The Brussels-based ICG will maintain Jones as its Southeast Asia director, although
she is uncertain where she will stay when she resumes her job.
"I can't imagine not living in Indonesia. My life is here. And I hope very much that we
will both be back very soon," said Jones, who has been denied entry to several
countries, including India, when she worked for international rights group the Human
Rights Watch.
The U.S. criticized on Wednesday (Thursday in Jakarta) Indonesia's decision to expel
Jones, saying it was a blow to recent improvements in the country's record on
freedom of expression.
"We're not aware of any actions by her or other members of her organization that
would warrant such a step by Indonesia," State Department spokesman Richard
Boucher was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse.
"Such expulsions will be particularly disappointing because this would stand in stark
contrast to the impressive progress made by Indonesia in recent years in developing a
democratic civil society with freedom of expression," he said.
Chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Abdul Hakim
Garuda Nusantara accused the government of abusing its power in expelling Jones.
"The government has to be transparent in making a decision, including its policy on
granting permits to foreigners to work in the country," Abdul Hakim said on Thursday.
A group of media and human rights activists met House of Representatives legislators
on Wednesday in a show of support for Jones.
They said the expulsion of Jones could be perceived as a threat to freedom of
expression, therefore it served as "a bad advertisement" for Indonesia in the eyes of
the international community.
"What has happened to Sidney can happen to others. This is a setback. The
government should bring the case to court if it finds libel in the ICG reports," Todung
told members of House Commission I for security affairs.
Also present were rights activist Munir, Ulil Abshar Abdalla of the Nahdlatul Ulama
(NU)'s research group Lakpesdam, and Bambang Harymurti, chief editor of Tempo
weekly.
During a closed-door meeting with the lawmakers last week, chief of the State
Intelligence Agency (BIN) A.M. Hendropriyono hinted at a plan to expel Jones due to
her reports that are deemed critical of the government.
Ibrahim Ambong, chairman of the commission, admitted to the delegation on
Wednesday that the meeting with the BIN chief discussed the presence of several
non-governmental groups that might cause instability in society.
"We agreed that the government should take strong action, but we didn't refer to
particular organizations," Ambong said.
Former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the major contender for
incumbent Megawati Soekarnoputri in the presidential race, urged the government to
clearly explain the reasons for the deportation.
"If it does not, it will become a problem for democracy," he told reporters while
campaigning in the South Sulawesi town of Makassar.
ICG president Gareth Evans, a former Australian prime minister, deplored the
decision.
"To shoot the messenger doesn't say much for the state of political liberty in
Indonesia under the Megawati government," said Evans in a press statement.
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