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Indonesia & East Timor News Updates - May 16, 2012

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Indonesian organisers fight for Lady Gaga gig

Agence France Presse - May 16, 2012

Arlina Arshad – Lady Gaga's Indonesian promoters have vowed to fight to save her show, despite police denying it a permit and Islamic hardliners threatening "chaos" if she comes to the mostly Muslim nation.

Production company Big Daddy reached out on Twitter to Lady Gaga fans, known as "little monsters", saying it still hoped to find a way to hold the June 3 event after already selling more than 50,000 tickets to the concert in Jakarta.

"Little monsters, be patient please. We will keep you updated. We are still fighting," the firm tweeted, in a country that ranks among the world's biggest Twitter users.

But the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) said it would create havoc if Lady Gaga were allowed to perform in Indonesia, calling her the "devil's messenger" who wears only a "bra and panties" on stage.

"If Lady Gaga still wants to perform here, go ahead. But please be prepared for chaos in Jakarta. We are ready to be thrown to jail and be killed – we will do anything to stop it," said FPI Jakarta chairman Habib Salim Alatas.

Ninety percent of Indonesia's 240 million people identify themselves as Muslim, giving the country the largest Islamic population in the world, but the vast majority practise a moderate form of the religion.

In the past, pop stars including Beyonce and the Pussycat Dolls have been allowed to perform in Indonesia on condition they wore more conservative dress than usual.

The police announcement spurred a flurry of criticism that Islamic hardliners have too much power over public matters.

"The biggest threats to this country are not Western artists but the corrupt government, including the police and FPI," a reader of the Jakarta Globe daily posted in a comment on the newspaper's website.

Another reader identifying as Bilbo Baggins wrote: "Does Indonesia want to be part of the global community or a religious backwater of ignorance?" Both comments were in English.

Big Daddy spokesman Arif Ramadhoni said they were discussing the concert with several parties, declining to go into specifics. "We are still in the process of finding a way to do it, and we ask for everyone's patience and forgiveness for the trouble," said Ramadhoni.

The national police showed no signs of budging on Wednesday, saying they could not grant the star authorisation without a recommendation from Jakarta police.

"We still deny the organisers the permit. The Jakarta police have said they do not recommend the Lady Gaga performance here, and they are the ones responsible for security, so there's no way around it," said national police spokesman Saud Usman Nasution.

The Jakarta police announced this week they would not recommend a permit after hearing opposition from "several community leaders", including the country's top Islamic body, the National Ulema Council.

Indonesia is seen as normally more moderate on such issues than neighbouring Malaysia, where Beyonce was forced to cancel a 2007 event after conservative Muslim groups threatened protests.

Lady Gaga has already faced opposition elsewhere on the Asia leg of her tour. The Korean Association of Church Communication vowed in March to take action to stop young people from being "infected with homosexuality and pornography" during the star's concert in Seoul.

Even so she has not toned down her performances. In Seoul, Hong Kong and Tokyo, she rode on to the stage on a mechanical horse, wearing a black bodysuit and an enormous black metal headpiece.

Lady Gaga will perform in Taipei on Thursday and Friday, and will then head to Manila, Bangkok and Singapore. She was due to play in Jakarta after that, before flying to New Zealand and Australia.

Government tells promoters to consider 'culture' before inviting performers

Jakarta Globe - May 15, 2012

Camelia Pasandaran – The Indonesian government warned local promoters to be aware of the country's "traditions" and "culture" before inviting foreign entertainers to perform. The announcement came in the wake of police refusing on Tuesday to issue a permit for Lady Gaga's sold-out Jakarta concert, which was originally scheduled for June 3.

Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry spokesman I Gusti Ngurah Putra admitted in a phone interview on Tuesday that that his ministry originally approved Lady Gaga's Jakarta concert. But Putra said the ministry did not object to police refusing to issue the permit.

"Promoters must clearly understand our traditions, rules and cultures. They're professionals, they should have considered those things when making deals with artists and their managers," Putra said.

Putra also said people had expressed concerns over Gaga's "vulgar" outfits and stage performances, adding that his ministry was stringent in how they wanted the concert to be managed. "We've been drafting norms and criteria – guidelines not only for [Gaga's] concert, but also for other artists or art groups that want to perform here. We'll recommend their performances as long they're in line with Indonesia's culture. I think professionals must appreciate rules made by others, as long as [the rules] are clear," Putra said.

"[Performers] should wear unrevealing outfits – as for Lady Gaga, I've heard she would wear an Indonesian designer's product, but I'm not very well informed of the deal and its details," he added.

Putra emphasized that the authority to issue permits for concerts ultimately fell to the police, and not the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said on Tuesday that the National Police decided against issuing a permit for Lady Gaga's June 3 concert, following demands from some local hardline Islamist groups to cancel it.

The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) had threatened to dispatch 30,000 of its supporters to forcibly prevent Gaga from stepping off her plane when she landed in Indonesia.

Gaga brouhaha proves 'hard-line groups' run this country: Muslim scholar

Jakarta Post - May 16, 2012

Jakarta – The US pop diva Lady Gaga's scheduled concert fiasco proves that certain hard-line groups have been successfully pushing local authorities to meet their demands, indirectly controlling the nation, a Muslim scholar says.

Rector of the Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University Komaruddin Hidayat told The Jakarta Post that certain groups within society had successfully influenced the government to intervene against Indonesian's freedom of expression, adding that authorities should have protected it.

"This is a setback and a pathetic situation in which we find the public sphere where Indonesians should be able to express themselves without restraint in fact faces intervention from one community that has become a powerful force in this nation," he said Wednesday morning.

He added that while hard-liner groups had pressured the authorities, several members of the government apparently had relented to their demands, saying that it was a "politically correct" move to do. "This situation proves that there are fraudulent officials that have been using the hard-liner groups to further their own political interests," he said.

Komaruddin was responding to the National Police's refusal to issue permits to Lady Gaga's Jakarta concert.

The Police claimed that the eccentric singer "does not resemble the country's local culture."

Lady Gaga is slated to perform at the Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta on June 3.

The singer, known for her pop songs such as "Poker Face" and "Bad Romance", has sparked strong opposition from groups such as the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Islam Defenders Front (FPI), United Development Party (PPP) and the Islamic People's Forum (FUI).

MUI and FUI sent a letter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono requesting him to consider rejecting the concert's permit.

In 2007, American R&B diva Beyonce was scheduled to perform in Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim country, but the concert was cancelled because the sexy songster refused to abide by the nation's so-called "decent" dress-code for women.

The Kuala Lumpur concert's cancellation turned out to be Jakarta's gain, because the diva decided to stop in the capital of the biggest Southeast Asian economy instead.

In 2012, however, it was Indonesia's law enforcement agencies that denied issuing a permit for Gaga's concert in Jakarta.

Komaruddin refused to comment on the changing situation but affirmed that the hard-liner groups were better off "fighting corruption practices" than disrupting Indonesians' freedom of expression. (asa)

Gag is not the end to Gaga saga

Jakarta Post - May 16, 2012

Iman Mahditama, Jakarta – The battle to hold a concert for American pop diva Lady Gaga in Jakarta reached new heights Tuesday with attacks coming from many corners against the Jakarta Police's decision not to endorse the issuance of a permit for the long-awaited event.

Although Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said they had met with local promoter Big Daddy Entertainment earlier in the day and that the latter "understood the reasons behind the police's refusal to issue a permit for the show", and that the police would oversee ticket refunds, the organizer wrote on its Twitter account @bigdaddyid on the same day that the show was still on.

"We've met several public representatives. Be patient, Little Monsters," the account read at 6:51 p.m., referring to the fans of the Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter of such global hits as "Poker Face" and "Born This Way". "We'll keep updating you. The fight is still on."

The Mother Monster's concert was due to take place on June 3 at Bung Karno Main Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

Rikwanto said the police had received input from various organizations – including the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), and the Islamic People's Forum (FUI) – in reaching the decision to withhold a permit for Lady Gaga.

He said it was the first time authorities had ever banned a foreign singer from performing in Indonesia. Over the years, several foreign performers have canceled their scheduled concerts in Indonesia for various reasons, but none of them were banned by law enforcement agencies.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution claimed the decision was aimed at maintaining Jakarta's calm, given the rampant rejections from the groups.

The PPP's secretary-general, M. Romahurmuziy, said that the party had called on the police to ban Lady Gaga's concert because she was anti-religion, while PKS deputy chairman, Mustafa Kamal, said the party strongly supported the police decision, as the artist would likely promote "inappropriate culture" among Indonesians.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmakers, however, criticized the police for bowing to pressure from hard-line groups.

"The police should not side with the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) or any other groups, as they must uphold freedom of speech as well as expression at all costs. This decision is an obvious reflection of the police's inability to control the FPI. They play safe rather than taking the risk of facing up to the group," PDI-P lawmaker Eva Kusuma Sundari said.

Jakarta is among the first stops on Gaga's "Born This Way Ball" world tour. More than 50,000 tickets have been sold since selling opened on March 10. The show's cancellation would be a backward step in efforts to develop a more open Indonesia and bad news for business.

The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry's director general for cultural value, arts and film, Ukus Kuswara, said the ministry would be disappointed if Lady Gaga had to cancel her performance as she would help boost tourism in Indonesia.

"A singer like Lady Gaga will help improve Indonesia's image as a tourist destination as well as a country that appreciates the arts," Ukus said.

According to his data, some 12,000 foreign tourists from Australia, the Philippines, and other ASEAN and Middle Eastern countries had bought tickets and booked rooms in three- and four-star hotels in Jakarta to watch the gig. "Image is very important in tourism and we are still struggling to create ours," he said.

The authorities' decision has been the source of widespread debate on the Internet, with the hashtag #IndonesiaSavesGaga appearing incessantly on Twitter.

"Lady Gaga can't hold a concert in Indonesia because they say she's vulgar, and yet lawmakers shot to fame by starring in porn videos," @Dininabobo said. (nfo)

[Margareth S. Aritonang and Bagus BT Saragih contributed to reporting.]

Cultural sensitivity, political climate make hard-liners job easy

Jakarta Post - May 16, 2012

Cultural sensitivity, along with a difficult political climate, are two reasons why conservative groups are winning in their fight to have artists like Lady Gaga banned from performing in Indonesia, a political communication expert says.

Police say US pop singer Lady Gaga has become the first foreign artist to be denied a concert permit by Indonesian authorities, with the National Police declaring on Tuesday that they would not issue a permit for the singer's planned June 3 concert at Bung Karno Main Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta, one of the first of many stops in her "The Born This Way Ball" world tour.

According to Effendi Gazali, Lady Gaga's controversial reputation is one reason why "when we defend artists like Lady Gaga who have a reputation more for eroticism than for things like political substance, we are automatically on the losing side against groups that claim to defend cultural and religious values," Effendi told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Lady Gaga has sparked strong opposition from groups such as the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and the United Development Party (PPP), an Islamic party with 38 out of 550 seats in the House of Representatives.

Considering that the government has a lot of other problems on its hands right now, Effendi says that it can't be bothered to exercise extra effort in defending artists like Lady Gaga.

"They've got elections to look forward to, as well as political corruption issues to deal with. Then there's also the recent Sukhoi Superjet 100 accident," Effendi said over the phone, referring to the recent referring to the Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet 100 that crashed near Mt. Salak in West Java last week.

"As such, the government doesn't want to look for enemies. This is why they are caving in to pressure from certain groups. On the other hand, if the police were to ban a political artist from performing in Indonesia, the government might care a lot more about getting involved."

Effendi compared what he called "today's difficult political climate" with the early days of Yudhoyono's presidency, which Effendi said was a period when the country was more "euphoric" and tolerant of the exercise of certain freedoms. "We had a new president and a new government. People were celebrating their freedoms. That's why it was much easier for artists like Beyonce, who have a reputation for erotic dances like Lady Gaga, to perform in the country," Effendi said.

American R&B diva Beyonce performed in Indonesia in November of 2007 as part of a world tour.

"Back then, because the government was new, they were compelled to fulfill their campaign promises and to enforce the law. Now, however, things have changed, with the government under so much scrutiny because of their problems."

Aside from the difficulties the government is facing, Effendi noted that cultural expression issues are hot right now in Indonesia. The government is already having difficulties finding ways to deal with religious freedom issues like the disputes over churches in a number of areas.

"They just can't be bothered to deal with another issue of cultural expression," Effendi said. (png)

House to summon National Police over escalating violations against freedom

Jakarta Post - May 16, 2012

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The House of Representatives' Commission III overseeing law and human rights will summon the National Police due to escalating violations of basic freedoms nationwide.

"Recent cancellations of book discussions by force, as well as the ban on singer Lady Gaga, have shown the police's inability to uphold freedom in the country," commission chairman Benny Kabur Harman said Wednesday.

"The police must not bow to the Islam Defenders Front [FPI] or any other hard-line groups. We will arrange a meeting with the people to further discuss this." The Democratic Party lawmaker added that the police's favor of violent groups would trigger people to impose vigilante justice.

"It doesn't make sense when the police ban Lady Gaga from performing here in the name of morality, while they do nothing with rampant prostitution and gambling, for example. It appears to me that the police have inconsistently approached the issue from the morality point of view," Benny said, adding the state should take its hands off morality. (mtq)

Police must be transparent over Lady Gaga permit brouhaha: Lawmakers

Jakarta Post - May 16, 2012

Jakarta – House of Representatives members are urging police to be clear as to why they refused to issue a permit for the upcoming Lady Gaga concert, scheduled for June 3.

"The police have to be transparent in explaining why they're banning the concert. The public deserves to know. Why are they banning it now? The concert has been planned for a long time and people have bought tickets," Saan Mustofa, member of the House's Commission III overseeing the National Police, said as quoted by kompas.com on Thursday.

The Democratic Party politician also said the police had to reveal who or what was preventing them from giving out the concert permit, despite the tickets being sold out and the possible financial losses local promoter Big Daddy Entertainment would suffer.

The National Police earlier said they would not issue a permit for the concert, based on a recommendation from the Jakarta Police.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto earlier said the police could not recommend the National Police to issue the permit after receiving input from various organizations, including the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the United Development Party (PPP), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Islamic People's Forum (FUI).

The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and its affiliate, the Islamic Defenders Legion (LPI), have also expressed disapproval of the concert, saying the American singer would bring "the faith of Satan to the country and thus would destroy the nation's morals".

As if nodding to the pressure, Rikwanto said, "Lady Gaga indulges in revealing her body, dancing erotically and spreading pornography."

House member Tubagus Hasanuddin said the police seemed to lose confidence when a group of people or mass organization insisted on having their demands fulfilled.

"Basically, the people are starting to lose their trust in the authorities because [the police] look so easily intimidated," the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician said.

"This country has failed to preserve the spirit of pluralism. Art has to be regarded as an artistic work. If there's something that the public disagrees with, deal with it with dignity instead of threats, intimidation and violence." (nat/mtq)

Lady Gaga the first rejected by authorities: Police

Jakarta Post - May 16, 2012

Jakarta – US pop singer Lady Gaga has received the dubious honor of becoming the first foreign artist to be denied a concert permit by Indonesian authorities.

Despite the long string of concert cancellations over safety concerns, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that his force's decision not to recommend that the National Police issue a permit for Gaga's concert was a first.

Gaga was scheduled to hold a concert at Bung Karno Main Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on June 3. The gig could be one of the first stops on Lady Gaga's world tour, titled "The Born This Way Ball", slated to run from April to October. "We haven't done a similar thing before," Rikwanto said in a text message to The Jakarta Post.

Earlier, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said that his office had denied the concert after receiving recommendation from the Jakarta Police, along with hearing objections from various groups.

Lady Gaga, who is well-known for her controversial fashion choices, has sparked strong opposition from groups such as the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), notorious hard-line group Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and the United Development Party (PPP). The PPP is an Islamic party holding 38 seats from a total of 560 at the House of Representatives.

Over the years, several foreign performers have cancelled their scheduled concerts in Indonesia for various reasons, but not one of them was banned by law enforcement agencies. On May 1, US heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold cancelled a concert at the last minute, blaming the promoter for not ensuring the safety of the stage at Karnaval Beach in Ancol, North Jakarta, as they had demanded.

Last year, on Nov. 26, the failure of local organizer Starlight Management to meet Korean band CN Blue's demands, including over ticket sales, triggered the group's management to call off their scheduled performance.

US glam metal band Motley Crue canceled their concert in Jakarta last October. Concert promoter Mlive Music claimed that provocative comments on Twitter had prompted the band's decision.

In 2009, US hip-hop group N.E.R.D (No One Ever Really Dies) cancelled their March 22 Jakarta concert following an unpleasant experience in Malaysia, where local authorities held band members' passports.

The group reportedly still performed in Kuala Lumpur, even though the local promoter's request for a permit to hold a show in the country had been rejected by the authorities.

While the law enforcement agencies did not stop the show, group members were detained and their passports were held immediately after the show was over.

American singer Rihanna also pulled out of her planned gig in Jakarta scheduled for Feb. 12, 2009, after having a violent row with her then boyfriend, R&B star Chris Brown. Rihanna had also been scheduled to perform in Jakarta on Nov. 14, 2008, but she called off the show over security fears after the Australian government issued a travel warning for Indonesia following the executions of the three Bali bombers.

In 2008, Rappers 50 Cent and Akon also cancelled their planned performances. (asa)

Police, TNI miss the mark with reforms

Jakarta Globe - May 16, 2012

Ulma Haryanto – Between murky business practices, corruption and fighting with each other, the military and the police seem to have little time for improving their professionalism.

To avoid overlapping duties, the two institutions were officially separated in 2000 following a decree by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which said the military should be a defense force while police officers should take care of public security and order.

After more than a decade, however, the reform effort seems to have achieved little, if anything.

(In)security

In 2011 alone, there were 1,262 complaints against the police and 181 against the military, according to the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

"Initially, the idea of separating them was the right thing to do, because the police are not an instrument of war or defense but a force for national security, with a duty to bring public order," said Haris Azhar, from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).

But as recent incidents show, several communities believe the police are not actually doing that job.

Just last week, the Salihara cultural center reported two police chiefs for bowing down to the demands of hard-liners trying to disrupt a book discussion with Canadian writer Irshad Manji, author of "Allah, Liberty and Love: The Courage to Reconcile Faith and Freedom."

It was the latest in a string of incidents involving hard-liners, including conflicts with local church congregations and harassment of liberal groups.

Earlier this month, for instance, some 200 members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) attacked a group of residents in Solo, injuring two people while police officers appeared to stand aside.

In contrast, less than 24 hours after an FPI member was stabbed to death in Bogor, the police arrested a suspect.

The police have been criticized for lacking the courage to stop hard-liners, though authorities have denied these charges.

"When facing a social problem, especially if it is related to religious harmony or mass protests, we work with the appropriate ministry," National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said. "But if it is against the law, then we start the legal process."

Conflicting institutions

Analysts say the method of separating the police from the military caused problems of its own, creating reasons for jealousy that have fueled a rivalry between them.

"[After the split] the police were given a prestigious position, directly under the president, while the military is now under the [Defense] Ministry," legal analyst Bambang Widodo Umar said.

Analysts say jealousy has also flared over the police's huge budget, particularly for countering terrorism.

The police's counterterrorism unit, Densus 88, is equipped with the latest equipment, and its officers attend training sessions in far corners of the globe.

The military has tried to get involved, and with some success.

Imparsial said that when President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issued a decree forming the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) in July 2010, the decree contained a loophole allowing the military to take part in counterterror missions.

When the BNPT became operational in 2011, it immediately gave military officers the authority to handle several jobs, from investigating suspected terrorists to telling radical preachers to tone down their sermons.

Real reform?

Regulations after Suharto's downfall also prohibited the military from taking profit from personal businesses or having political power, but on the ground, the reality is different.

Imparsial, which last year asked the Defense Ministry for information about the reform of military businesses, has criticized the government for lacking transparency.

"We think the process of [reforming] military businesses is not transparent," said Imparsial program director Al Araf. "It's very, very closed, and given that we think there is a tendency for the abuse of power or corruption."

When the Jakarta Globe submitted a similar information request, the ministry's secretary general, Lt. Gen. Eris Herryanto, said the ministry did not have any information about the reform, which he said ended in 2010. He added that there were no more military businesses.

With little information, critics say it has been hard to note any progress. "Aside from the human rights training with various NGOs, the reform in both institutions seems to have stopped," Haris of Kontras said.

The police admit that reform efforts have not gone as planned. "Every year, 200 to 500 officers who violated the rules or code of ethics are discharged," Comr. Gen. Nanan Sukarna, the National Police's deputy police chief, told state news agency Antara last week.

"Arrogance is a personal issue but it has tarnished the police's image," he continued, adding that the police are still trying to reform in order to create officers with a commitment to public service.

[With additional reporting by Farouk Arnaz, Nivell Rayda & Samantha Michaels.]

One dead, four 'critically-injured' in Papua after brawl with Brimob

Jakarta Globe - May 16, 2012

Banjir Ambarita – Police from the mobile brigade unit (Brimob) reportedly shot five civilians in Paniai, Papua on Tuesday evening – one victim is dead and four are said to be critically injured.

The shooting took place during a brawl between the five men and three Brimob officers at a billiard-hall near a traditional gold mining site in Nomowodide village, Paniai. The civilians include Melianus Kegepe, who has died, Lukas Kegepe, Amos Kegepe and Alpius Kegepe. The fifth man has yet to be identified.

Paniai Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Anton Diance said the victims were in critical condition and would be flown to the neighboring district of Nabire. "We're awaiting the plane to evacuate the critically-injured victims to a hospital in Nabire," he said.

Anton made it clear the three Brimob officers – identified as First Brig. Ferianto Pala, Second Brig. Agus and Second Brig. Edi – were responsible for the shooting, saying the officers were forced to retaliate when the men attacked them.

Anton explained that the incident began when the five civilians arrived at the billiard-hall owned by a local resident. All the tables were occupied, but the five men reportedly forced their way onto a table while yelling and threatening the owner, who then reported them to officers at a nearby Brimob post. The officers arrived shortly after.

"But, suddenly one of them hit Ferianto very hard with a billiard que, causing the officer to fall – then the five tried to grab his weapon," Anton said. Second Brig. Edi shot one of the men, when another man pulled out a knife. Edi fired another shot, according to Anton.

"It became chaotic then," Anton said. "We suspect that this incident was planned, to provoke the officers. We've instructed our officers around the location to control their emotions, and to not easily fire their weapons." he added.

Aceh Party politician and business woman shot dead in Bireuen

Jakarta Globe - May 16, 2012

Nurdin Hasan, Banda Aceh – Aceh Party politician Syukri Abdullah and his female business colleague were shot dead on Tuesday night as they were driving through the district of Bireuen to their respective homes in the neighboring province of Lhokseumawe. A third passenger in the victim's vehicle sustained minor injuries.

Syukri, 36, and Cut Yetti, 39, were shot dead near the village of Paya Rangkuloh at around midnight on Tuesday. "The perpetrator drove a minivan in front of the victim's automobile and fired shots," Gustav Leo, a spokesman for the Aceh police, told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday.

The victims were in the front seats of a Honda CRV – a third passenger, Yetti's nephew T. Muhammad Yasir, 16, was injured from pieces of shattered glass.

Aceh Party spokesman Fachrul Razi said Syukri was a secretary to the party's Lhokseumawe branch, and the commander of the Lhokseumawe branch of the Aceh Transitional Committee, the body set up to accommodate former members of the now-defunct rebel group Free Aceh Movement (GAM) – the local Aceh Party was formed by former GAM guerillas.

Gustav believes the shooter used an AK-47 rifle, and said police found a number of bullets at the crime scene. But police have yet to say how many assailants were involved. "We suspect that the perpetrator had been following the victim several hours before the shooting," Gustav said.

Gustav could not speculate on a possible motive, but said that the killing did not seem political because Syukri was not involved in any immediate elections. "The motive seems personal, but we are still working on the case," he added.

A number of shootings – many of them fatal – were reported in Aceh ahead of April's elections for provincial heads, district leaders and their deputies. Bireuen will hold a separate election to select the new district and the deputy next month.

Pattimura Day riot injures 50 in Indonesia's Ambon

Antara News - May 15, 2012

Fifty people were hospitalized in Ambon on Tuesday after a Pattimura Day commemoration there turned violent.

No one was killed, according to reports, but at least three people were "critically injured," a local hospital official said. "Three patients are in fairly critical condition and are currently undergoing surgeries. But, no one has died," Ita Sabrina, spokeswoman for Haulussy Hospital, said on Tuesday in Ambon.

Twenty-four people are undergoing treatment at Haulussy, 11 people are at Bhakti Rahayu Hospital, eight are at Sumber Hidup Hospital and seven are at Alfatah Hospital, all of which are located in Ambon.

The violence started on Tuesday morning during the official ceremony for Pattimura Day, which named after a national independence hero of Ambonese origin whose full name is Thomas Matulessy. Pattimura is depicted on Indonesia's 1,000 rupiah note.

The ceremony involved a "Pattimura torch," carried by a dance troupe performing the traditional cakalele dance. As a symbolic gesture, the torch was supposed to be transferred from residents of Batumerah village to those of Mardika village in a symbolic gesture, but at that point a brawl erupted among people watching the parade on the side of the street.

Someone threw the torch into the crowd, injuring some people and setting off a larger riot. Besides the injuries, dozens of automobiles and a few houses were set on fire.

Security officers managed to end the clash. Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu said his administration would fix the damage and pay for the victims' medical treatment.

Some people were reportedly hurt by stones, other sharp objects, and shrapnel from explosives that were thrown by unknown persons.

SBY, Prabowo meeting raises speculation on 2014 race

Jakarta Post - May 16, 2012

Margareth S. Aritonang and Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – Speculation of a deal being cut between the Democratic Party and the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) for the 2014 presidential elections is rife after party patrons met at the Tampak Siring Presidential Palace in Gianyar, Bali.

But politicians from both sides denied the meeting between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Gerindra patron Lt. Gen. (ret.) Prabowo Subianto was about joining forces.

They claimed the two leaders were only attending a military academy reunion, despite Yudhoyono being in a different class to Prabowo.

"The meeting on Monday was a reunion for the Military Academy [AKABRI] graduates of the class of 1973 and the President invited Prabowo to attend because both are graduates. They are also old friends, and it was just a reunion. No politics was on the table, as far as I know," Gerindra secretary general Ahmad Muzani said on Tuesday.

Senior Democratic Party members also denied the speculation. "I believe it was just a regular reunion, where graduates meet after so many years," said Hayono Isman, a member of the party's board of patrons.

"Besides, the Democratic Party has yet to discuss anything related to the presidential election because we have more important things to do right now. We will begin to start the discussions early next year."

Yudhoyono reportedly squeezed in a private meeting with Prabowo, despite the latter graduating in 1974.

The Democratic Party is lacking credible candidates for the 2014 presidential race. There is speculation that it is considering former vice president Jusuf Kalla, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono.

Over the weekend, several Democratic Party politicians suggested that Ani could be a candidate, despite Yudhoyono's pledge that none of his family members would run.

Party spokeswoman Andi Nurpati said Ani could be the best candidate as she meets all the requirements to take the place of her husband.

"She has the experience to be a leader because she was once the party's deputy chief patron. She was also involved in establishing this party. Her experience in accompanying the President can boost her capacity," Andi told reporters.

Andi was quick to add that decision on a presidential candidate would be Yudhoyono's to make as the party's chief patron.

But Hayono has insisted that Ani would not be nominated. "It's true that Ani has the potential to be a candidate, and I am the first person to acknowledge this. However, we must not forget what the President has said – he would not nominate his wife to be his successor. All party members, including the female ones, must respect this. I don't expect any changes on the president's decision," he said.

Besides the First Lady, Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Marshall (ret.) Djoko Suyanto is also reportedly a potential successor. He shrugged off the speculation by saying: "Who said that?"

Angelina wants more perks in her cell

Jakarta Post - May 16, 2012

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – Despite the fair treatment she receives at the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) detention block, Democratic Party lawmaker Angelina Sondakh feels she is facing discrimination.

On Tuesday, the former beauty queen requested an electronic Koran with an electronic pen, the same two items she demanded last week. Her lawyer, Teuku Nasrullah, argued that the electronic Koran and pen "would help her recite Koranic verses because she doesn't know how to read it [Arabic]".

Angelina is being detained for her alleged role in fraudulent budget deliberations at the House of Representatives (DPR). On Tuesday, the KPK extended her detention for another 20 days.

The KPK provides Angelina with an ustadz (teacher) every Wednesday to help her recite Koranic verses. However, Nasrullah insisted that Angelina "wants to recite the Koran every night, which is why she has requested the electronic tools".

"She told KPK investigators that she has lost everything – position and [social] status. She begged to not lose Allah, Nasrullah said after visiting Angelina on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, Angelina requested a canvas board and painting tools, as well as a guitar. She made the request after being in detention for only two days. The KPK has yet to grant the request

She also requested surgery for an old wound on her shoulder. Nasrullah said that she wanted "to be fit when she faces trial".

A KPK doctor checked her condition right away and recommended that Angelina be treated at the Metropolitan Medical Center (MMC) last week. However, Angelina suddenly declined the treatment.

Nasrullah said that Angelina wanted to be treated by her doctor at Muhammad Husni Thamrin Hospital as she did not want to start her treatment again from scratch.

Only days after her arrest, Angelina was hospitalized for sinusitis after repeatedly complaining about her condition through Nasrullah. She was checked by the KPK's doctor and later recommended treatment at Proklamasi Otolaryngology (Perhati) Hospital.

Angelina's lawyer insisted on Tuesday that her client had never requested special treatment from the KPK, only fair and decent treatment, just like other detainees.

"She felt she was being discriminated against. There are people [in jail] who are treated much more humanely," Nasrullah said. "She is not even allowed to exercise."

The 34-year-old mother of three questioned her detention on Tuesday. "Angelina told me that she wanted to give [further] testimony right away, yet the investigators have only questioned her twice in the past 20 days," Nasrullah said. "Is her detention really necessary?"

Nasrullah said that the KPK imposed strict visiting hours for Angelina's parents and her children, who were only allowed to visit her on Monday and Thursday. She asked that the KPK allow her son to visit her every day "for just 30 minutes".

KPK spokesman Johan Budi dismissed Angelina's claims, saying that the KPK "has never barred her from meeting her family during official visiting hours".

Johan also said that visitors could meet Angelina on Saturday and Sunday if they got approval from the KPK. Moreover, he added that the KPK cared about Angelina's health, pointing out that the KPK's doctor gave recommendations to her several times, saying "how can we not pay attention to her here?"

Johan said that the investigators were confident that her detention was needed for their investigation into her role. He added that the KPK was still a long way from completing the case.

"The effectiveness of our investigation is not determined by how many times we have examined the suspects," Johan said. "Our investigation into her role in the case is not over as we are still questioning witnesses. We will question her further again soon."

Mother, child mortality rates still too high

Jakarta Post - May 16, 2012

Jakarta – Deputy Health Minister Ali Ghufron Mukti warned on Tuesday that maternal and infant deaths in Indonesia remained high despite improvements over the last few years.

Maternal and infant mortality rates, he said, were two of the main indicators of the general health among a country's people – indicators that have remained stubbornly high and difficult for the government to address.

"We must make maternal and child health care a priority," Ali told a national workshop on midwifery, held by the Health Ministry on Tuesday to celebrate this year's World Midwife Day, which fell on May 5.

Currently, the maternal mortality rate in Indonesia is still three to six times higher than other ASEAN member countries, although it has declined to 228 per 100,000 live births, the 2007 Indonesia Demography and Health Survey (SDKI) showed. The same data shows that the country's infant mortality rate has decreased to 34 per 1,000 live births in 2007, showing quite good progress. "Still, it is about two to five times higher than our neighboring countries in the region. I must say that the reduction of child deaths has stagnated," said Ali.

Extreme gaps between the rich and poor, as well as between rural and urban dwellers, still pose the most critical challenges and the still high numbers of infant and maternal deaths.

The Thinker: May 1998 revisited

Jakarta Globe - May 16, 2012

Yanto Soegiarto – Thousands of students demonstrated in Jakarta last Saturday to commemorate the May 12, 1998, Trisakti University shootings that killed four students – Elang Mulia Lesmana, Heri Hertanto, Hafidin Royan and Hendriawan Sie.

Those shootings and the wider context of economic hardship at that time triggered the collapse of the New Order regime and toppled President Suharto. But despite this remarkable achievement, not enough has changed.

Last weekend, the students carried banners reading "Do we still have human rights in this country?" and "We won't forget the May 12, 1998, tragedy until we die." They demanded justice and compensation for the bereaved families of the victims, still unresolved in the 14th year of the reform era.

To date, there has not even been a formal apology from the government for the killing of the students. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has named the four "martyrs of freedom and reform," but that is not enough. The perpetrators are still at large and there seems to be no serious effort to bring them to justice.

In these economic boom times, it is easy to forget what happened in the late 1990s. But that would be a grave mistake. In mid-1997, due to the Asian financial crisis, the rupiah went into free fall, as did the stock exchange.

A month later, 16 banks closed and thousands of people's savings accounts were frozen. The country's foreign debt stood at $200 billion. Private-sector debt was around $65 billion. Up to 80 percent of corporate Indonesia was technically bankrupt. This left Suharto with no choice but to bow to the International Monetary Fund's far-reaching austerity demands in exchange for a $43 billion recovery package.

By May 1998, the rupiah had lost 80 percent of its value in a year. Foreign exchange reserves almost disappeared and the central bank began to print money recklessly, causing hyperinflation. The crisis deepened and basic survival became a challenge for many as food prices soared while wages were frozen. Subsidies that meant the difference between life and death for millions of Indonesians were cut. And every day people were laid off as companies came crashing down. On average, more than two million workers lost their jobs each month in this period.

Student activists called for change, sparking mass demonstrations. Rioting – fueled by hunger, rising prices and unemployment – destroyed shops, restaurants and churches. Much of the anger was directed at the government and symbols of the ruling class.

Amien Rais, chairman of the 25-million-strong Muhammadiyah organization, led student demonstrations and occupied the House of Representatives – the home of the rubber-stamp lawmakers. As the crisis deepened, pro-democracy demonstrations spread like wildfire across the archipelago.

Suharto called on the military to take stern action against student demonstrators. The Army chief at the time, Gen. Wiranto, and the dean of the prestigious Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Wiranto Arismunandar, warned students not to take the protests off campus. Many were arrested and some disappeared, presumed dead.

Campuses became battlefields surrounded by water cannons and bombarded with tear gas. Workers, professionals, housewives and even nuns joined the student protests. By May 15, Jakarta was like a deserted battlefield. Few people ventured out. More than 5,000 buildings had been destroyed or damaged. On May 20, Indonesia commemorated National Awakening Day: the birth of Indonesia's nationalist movement. And the following morning, at 9 a.m., Suharto stepped down. A people's movement had ousted him.

May 1998 marks a crucial moment in the history of Indonesia and serves as a lesson – a warning even – to the nation's elites that today is as valid as it ever was. Social justice and the economic welfare of the people must not be neglected. This starts with closure for the families of those four students who paid the ultimate price for the sake of the nation.

[Yanto Soegiarto is the managing editor of Globe Asia, a sister publication of the Jakarta Globe.]

Acknowledging the 1965 atrocities as crimes

Jakarta Post - May 16, 2012

Galuh Wandita, Jakarta – Back in 2005, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made a pledge to rehabilitate former political prisoners from the 1965 purges. It was a welcomed promise, a sip of water in a desert of denial and discrimination.

However, seven years have passed and little progress has been made. A law on the National Truth Commission was annulled by the Constitutional Court in 2006, and the promise for some kind of presidential committee or apology continues to be resurrected and then abandoned. Many of the victims who took the pledge to heart have passed. Some have lost hope, while others hold on.

In 2008, the National Commission on Human Rights undertook an investigation into the 1965 atrocities. The inquiry has taken more than four years to complete, and the long-awaited results of this inquiry have continued to be postponed. Growing more skeptical, victims continue to wait for a finding confirming what they know to be true - that these massive crimes constitute a systematic pattern of abuse, reaching the threshold of crimes against humanity.

These are big words, describing a complicated legal concept. The essence of it is that the killings of more than 500,000 people and the illegal detention and torture of another 1 million people in 1965 were not individual, unrelated or random acts. At that time, these crimes happened everywhere, every day and on a large scale.

The crimes were connected to one another, planned and discussed somewhere, and carried out by a lot of people with a lot of resources. Somehow the targets of these crimes were not seen as human beings.

During the 32 years of Soeharto's rule, school children were made to watch a movie that depicted a particular version of those events. Scholars were not allowed to research these events and books were banned. There are still a dozen or more regulations that discriminate against these victims and their children.

In a way, Indonesia is a new democracy in its adolescent years. And yet, a sign of our growing maturity will be our capacity to deal with the legacy of these past violations. When horrific stories are not given any space in our public consciousness, they fester and spill into the next generation.

In Indonesia, there is a growing movement dedicated to "fighting forgetting". Civil society and organizations set up by the victims are, piece by piece, collecting thousands of stories of repression that have been denied.

Take, for example, the story of Pak Rahim, a former political detainee from the 1965 purges. He is about 70 years old now, having survived more than a decade in a prison in Central Sulawesi, during which he and hundreds of others were tortured and forced into slavery.

In 2006, he joined a victims' self-help group in Palu, and single-handedly collected almost 400 stories from his fellow former detainees. The group, Victim's Solidarity Palu (SKPHAM Palu) has now collected more than 1,000 stories (in only four districts!) and the stories are mind-boggling.

The group documented 13 public infrastructure sites (buildings, dams, roads, and parks) built by slave labor. The prisoners were unpaid and given only one meal a day. This forced labor started in 1966 and lasted for 13 years until 1983. I bet a shiny penny that these development projects were funded by the state and someone somewhere pocketed the money.

On March 24, 2012, the group organized an event to mark the international day on victims' right to truth, where victims talked about their experiences. Among the invitees was the mayor of Palu. At the end of the event, the mayor recounted how he, as a 15 year-old member of the boy scouts, rounded up and beat up people during this time. He then apologized.

He said, "Now, we cannot repeat these crimes. At the time, the state was like that. I didn't know anything. We were conditioned to detain a lot people, to kill them. It was a massive provocation only because of different ideologies. I can only say I am sorry, on a personal basis and in the name of the government of the city of Palu. I ask for your forgiveness."

We only wish that our leaders would take heed of this example.

It takes a lot of hate to commit crimes on a massive scale. The hatred and confusion are still strong in the psyche of this nation. And yet, the official reluctance to deal with this problem is debilitating.

How do we move on as a nation, as a people, when the skeletons in our closet are so firmly tucked away? When will we be able to face our own gulag, when a nation turned on its own citizens, when the rules that make us a civilized culture were violated with a voracious appetite for blood?

At the end of the day, these difficult truths are hard to stare at, to understand and to swallow. And yet is a bitter pill that we need for our survival. The truth holds our future.

The first step is to know what happened. The inquiry by the rights commission is a small step. Collecting only some 300 testimonies is a mere drop in the bucket.

When crimes against humanity are committed, they cannot be wished away. International human rights obligations dictate that victims have the right to truth, justice and reparations. These rights are not diminished by time, and these crimes have no statute of limitation due to their severity. The great orator Martin Luther King Jr. said that "The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice."

We wait for a sign of hope in this long journey for truth.

[The writer, a co-convener of Indonesia's civil society Coalition for Justice and Truth (KKPK), is a senior associate at the International Center for Transitional Justice, and director of Asia Justice and Rights.]

East Timor unveils disputed gas field pipeline

ABC News - May 16, 2012

Liam Cochrane, Dili – The government in East Timor has shown off a European-built pipeline which it says can be used to send natural gas to the country from the disputed Greater Sunrise Field off the north-west coast of Australia.

East Timor and Australian company Woodside have been in a long-running dispute about how to process gas from the field, which is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars.

Prime minister Xinanhua Gusmao unveiled the short section of pipe outside the parliament in front of government leaders and foreign development partners.

The pipe is only a few metres long, but secretary of state and natural resources Alfredo Pirez says it symbolises the country's commitment to build a refinery in East Timor.

The Greater Sunrise project is operated by Woodside, which favours a floating conversion facility. There was no comment from the Australian ambassador at the launch and Mr Pirez says talks with Woodside are continuing.

Asia Pacific Solidarity Network (APSN)
Email: jamesbalowski@yahoo.com
Web: http://www.asia-pacific-solidarity.net