LAKSAMANA.Net, July 4, 2004 11:41 PM
Review - Regions: Song for Aceh
Laksamana.Net - Within days of the July 5 presidential election, Wiranto became the
first presidential candidate to hold a rally in Aceh. Under tight police security, he was
reported to have been warmly received in the city of Lhokseumawe in the north of the
province on Thursday (1/7/04).
Wiranto delivered a speech on justice and the rule of law before lapsing into song and
entertaining the crowd by crooning a classic Indonesian love ballad. The crowd roared
its approval, and then quickly dispersed.
Earlier he had been welcomed by religious leaders, or ulama, in a traditional
ceremony. Wiranto thanked them for the welcome and underscored the important role
they play in this society.
Wiranto pointed out that when he was Defense Minister six years earlier, he had lifted
martial law in Aceh, which ushered in a period of negotiations with the rebels that led
to a cease-fire. He acknowledged the suffering in the region and pledged to bring jobs
and prosperity.
Wiranto told VOA he went to Aceh because it is a sensitive part of Indonesia and if its
problems are not addressed they could disrupt the efforts to improve the country as a
whole. He promised to try to understand and fight for the aspirations of the people of
the region and pledged to do so without violence or military intervention.
Three foreigners expelled
Last month martial law was replaced with a civilian state of emergency but foreigners
still need special permits to visit. Two Malaysians and a US national were expelled
from Aceh Tuesday (29/6/04) after they illegally entered the province.
Officials identified the two Malaysians as Jumat bin Majid, 31 and Ong Kung Wai, 44,
and the American as Blanchet Sean Kehoe, 21.
The Malaysians told investigators a coffee processing company in Takengon, Central
Aceh had invited them.
Misradi, an executive of the company, told journalists he was not aware that foreign
visitors needed special permits. He said the Malaysians were consultants on organic
fertilizers, while the American was a student interested in studying local culture and
customs.
"They were not deported but expelled from the territory of Aceh because they had
entered it without a permit from the ruler of the state of civilian emergency,"
immigration spokesman Zubandi said.
Rebels killed
Aceh Military Spokesman Lt. Col. Asep Sapari said troops on Monday (28/6/04) shot
dead two people, including an alleged Free Aceh Movement (GAM) district chief in
South Aceh. Muhrizal alias Buyung Boto was shot dead in a clash on Monday while
another guerrilla was shot dead later elsewhere in the area, Sapari said.
He accused GAM guerrillas of having killed two civilians in separate incidents on
Monday and of having taken two others hostage.
Troops killed another four suspected rebels in clashes in eastern and northern Aceh
on Friday, Sapari said Saturday (3/7/04). He said soldiers also confiscated a grenade
launcher, a makeshift rifle, and rounds of ammunition.
Governor remains
During a televised dialog featuring presidential candidates on Wednesday (30/6/04),
President Megawati Sukarnoputri supported popular demands that Aceh governor
Abdullah Puteh, who has been named a suspect in a corruption case, be declared
non-active, pending the completion of the legal process against him.
Responding to a question from a panelist, Megawati said Puteh's suspension would
ensure the continuation of the provincial administration and public services.
However, interim Coordinating Minister for Security and Political Affairs Hari Sabarno
on Thursday dismissed suggestions that he should dismiss Puteh. Sabarno insisted
he would only suspend Puteh upon the President's order.
"Indeed (she agreed to the suspension), but Bu Mega has yet to settle the
administrative aspects. There is no decree (to suspend Puteh) yet," Hari said after a
security meeting.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named Puteh a suspect in a graft
case involving a mark-up in the 2002 purchase of a Russian Mi-2 helicopter by the
Aceh administration for Rp12.6 billion ($1.34 million), which is believed to have caused
Rp4 billion in state losses.
Under Law No. 30/2003 on the KPK, the Commission has the authority to order the
suspension of a state official who is named a suspect for investigative purposes. KPK
deputy Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas said the Commission was preparing to order
Puteh's formal suspension.
In other developments, former secretary of the Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs Lt. Gen. Sudi Silalahi disclosed additional corruption cases allegedly
involving Puteh during martial law in Aceh over the past year.
"The monitoring team on Aceh operations has concluded that at least 21 cases of
alleged irregularities were found during the first six months of martial law. More
suspicious expenditures were also uncovered from the huge budget allocated for the
second phase of martial law," said Silalahi, who is also a former member of the
government's martial law monitoring team.
The government had allocated Rp1.7 trillion for the first six months of the integrated
operation in Aceh.
The monitoring team, which also reviewed budget spending, concluded that Aceh
administration officials were responsible for mark-ups found in the procurement of
materials for construction projects, some of which were also fictitious.
The officials had also failed to channel humanitarian funds to Acehnese people who
were affected by the conflict.
In its report, the team recommended that the government prosecute all Aceh officials
responsible for the irregularities, but did not identify them.
Terror Suspect Freed
A court on Wednesday (30/6/04) acquitted a terror suspect of all charges of
involvement in the Christmas Eve 2000 church bombings in Medan, North Sumatra.
Prosecutors had recommended 10 years imprisonment for the defendant, Awaluddin
Sitorus alias Abu Yassar, 34, charging him with violating Article 1 (1) of Emergency
Law No. 12/1951.
However, the panel of judges said there was insufficient evidence found against the
defendant after at least 19 witnesses, presented by the prosecutors, testified before
the court.
None of the witnesses admitted to having seen the suspect at the Padang Bulan
Protestant church on May 28, 2000 at the time of the bombing, in which 36 people
were injured.
Toni Togar, another defendant in the same case who was presented as a key witness,
told a previous trial that Awaluddin was not in Medan but on the island of Batam when
the blast took place.
Judge Binsar Gultom said the link between Awaluddin and the church attacks was
weak, as the prosecutors failed to present four other key witnesses also accused of
involvement in the blast.
They were the alleged Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) leader Hambali, currently being held by
the US, Faiz Bin Abubakar Bafana, being detained in Malaysia, convicted Bali bomber
Imam Samudra and his accomplice Nasrullah, who is still at large.
Prosecutor Nilma Lubis said his office would appeal to a higher court.
Calls for Surrender of Freeport Gunman
A human rights group in Papua says the man who is accused of killing three teachers
in an ambush near the Freeport mine two years ago should surrender.
A federal grand jury in Washington has charged Anthonius Wamang with two counts
of murdering US teachers in the attack in 2002. A third man - an Indonesian - also
died in the attack.
John Rumbiak, international coordinator of Elsham, the Institute of Human Rights
Studies and Advocacy in Papua, says Wamang is living in Timika, and a community
meeting has been called to hear his side of the story.
"Leaders want to hear directly from him, you know, Papuan civil society groups, tribal
leaders, as well as Papua Presidium Council and we have to enforce the laws," he
said.
"That's why we want to have this meeting in Timika, so that he's convinced, and he
has to surrender and he has to tell the world why he did that."
Elsham says it is wrong to say he was acting for the OPM separatists, describing
him as a man angry about the injustices being committed in his tribal area by the
Indonesian military.
Rumbiak says Wamang should apologies and let the courts examine the incident.
"This is the time that everybody has to sit down to get to talk about this and convince
Anthonius and his other people involved in the ambush to surrender,” said Rumbiak.
Pro-independence Anniversary
Around 1,000 people gathered Thursday (1/7/04) for a peaceful rally to mark the
anniversary of the pro-independence Free Papua Organization (OPM).
The demonstrators gathered in front of the state-run Cendrawasih University before
boarding trucks bound for the provincial parliament.
Antara news agency said police stopped them halfway and confiscated their posters
and banners. The protestors were allowed to continue after their identification papers
were checked.
Antara said that despite the confiscations, the demonstrators rallied at parliament,
singing and shouting for a referendum on sovereignty, as about 100 policemen stood
guard. There were no reports of any arrests.
E. Timor Border Accord
Indonesia and East Timor on Wednesday (30/6/04) signed a border agreement on the
sidelines of the 37th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) held in Jakarta.
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda, who signed the document with his counterpart
Jose Ramos Horta, said agreement had been reached on 90% of the border and he
hoped a final agreement could be reached before the end of September. Next on the
agenda is to start talks on the marine borders.
Horta expressed his hope that the final agreement could be reached soon. "Almost in
record time, we've been able to reach an almost complete agreement on the land
boundaries," Ramos Horta was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
"Hopefully, we will be able to sign the final comprehensive plan in the next few
months."
Wirayuda said that border negotiations were difficult because of the geographical
situation and local customs and that the economic, social and security activities on
the border areas would be arranged further.
"That is part of a 'border regime', meaning the activities along the border, be they the
human traffic, trade or security. These will be outlined in a separate arrangement," he
said.
Quake Hits Manado
An earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale shook eastern Indonesia on
Thursday (1/7/04), though there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties
Officials at the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency in the provincial capital of
Manado said the quake struck shortly after dawn with its epicenter in the ocean 114
km (71 miles) north of the coastal city.
Protests Against Libel Charge
Some 50 journalists in Manado staged a protest Thursday (1/7/04) at the
headquarters of the North Sulawesi Police, demanding the police drop a libel charge
against fellow journalist Lodie Tombeg from the Posko Manado daily.
The journalist was declared a suspect for allegedly damaging the reputation of
President Megawati Sukarnoputri in a recent article titled About Nadhlatul Ulama's
edict, the 'Greedy' keep silent.
The protesters demanded the police refer to the press law and avoid criminal charges,
but Sr. Comr. Johny Hutauruk, a spokesman for the provincial police, insisted the
case was a criminal matter.
UN Lowers W. Timor Security Status
The United Nations Security Council lowered its security status in West Timor
regency to Alert IV from Alert V after an evaluation by the UN Security Coordination
team on May 13 this year, a senior military officer said in Kupang on Monday
(28/6/04).
The evaluation concluded that security in West Timor had returned to normal following
the murder of three employees of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
in 2000, according to Col. Moeswarno Moesanip, chief of the Wirasakti Military
Command overseeing East Nusa Tenggara province.
The lowering of the security status clears the way for UN employees to resume
humanitarian activities in the regency, said Moeswarno.
Graft Probe in S. Sulawesi
South Sulawesi police are investigating a Rp18.23 billion ($1.9 million) graft case in
which provincial councilors and government officials could be implicated, a senior
police officer said Wednesday (1/7/04), according to The Jakarta Post.
South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf said the provincial council
secretary and four local government officials had been questioned as witnesses. The
investigation follows a number of other cases of suspected corruption in the provinces.
Three dead in boat disaster
At least three people, including a baby, were killed and two others were reported
missing after a boat capsized off the tourist island of Nias amid bad weather, police
and port officials said Monday (28/6/04),
The boat sank while carrying at least 15 passengers and a crew of 11 members, in
addition to approximately 100 tons of cargo -- copra, cooking oil and rubber.
The boat was reportedly hit by huge waves during a storm on Sunday (27/6/04) while
on its way from Lahewa on the northwest tip of Nias to Sibolga in North Sumatra, said
Sibolga port official Frisz Agamsyah.
"It appears as though the KM Sinar Makmur sank after it suffered a crack in its hull,
caused by large waves, that allowed water to leak in," he added.
The three dead were identified as Ina Fitri and her one-year old baby, Lisi, and Fuady.
The remaining passengers and crew were rescued by passing vessels and later a
team of rescue workers.
Meanwhile at least five people are missing after a fishing boat carrying 19 people
capsized early Wednesday (30/6/04) off the southeast coast of Papua.
The 500-ton ship was traveling from the Papuan port town of Merauke to Wanam, also
on Papua, said Nuryati Sapon, chief of Merauke Port Authority.
She said 14 people, including the ship's skipper, were rescued by passing ships,
while search efforts continued for the five missing.
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