Tim Costello – East Timor again appears engulfed in flames and violence, this time in the wake of a relatively free and fair election and the ascension of the revolutionary hero Xanana Gusmao as its new prime minister.
Indonesia & East Timor Digest
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August 9, 2007
August 8, 2007
Damien Kingsbury – The troubles currently gripping East Timor following the appointment of Xanana Gusmao as prime minister reflect many of the reasons the country was plunged into political crisis early last year.
Rory Callinan, Time correspondent in Dili – East Timor's former ruling Fretilin party warned last night it had lost control of its supporters, who in a second day of rioting in the capital burned down government buildings, wounded an Australian policemen and ambushed a patrol of Diggers.
Ed Davies, Dili – It has pristine beaches, lush highlands and an exotic cultural mix – and lies just a few hours flight east of the Indonesian resort island of Bali.
But currently almost the only overseas visitors to East Timor are foreign troops, journalists and aid workers after Asia's youngest nation descended into turmoil last year.
Dili – The top UN official in East Timor condemned on Wednesday violence in the tiny nation that has injured at least eight and led to more than 70 arrests since Xanana Gusmao was named prime minister.
Lindsay Murdoch, Dili – Gangs attacked Australian and United Nations personnel in the East Timorese capital, Dili, yesterday as the former ruling party Fretilin planned sweeping protests against being excluded from a new coalition government led by the independence hero Xanana Gusmao.
While many surveys have predicted Fauzi Bowo will come out on top Wednesday, scores of university students would rather Adang Daradjatun led Jakarta for the next five years.
A survey by the Student Executive Board of Greater Jakarta (BEM Jakarta Raya) showed that 63 percent out of 1,902 students in the capital favored Adang as the Jakarta governor.
Jakarta – Almost 10 years after Indonesia ratified the ILO Convention and seven years after the freedom of association law was passed, the archipelago has more trade unions but less unionists.
August 7, 2007
David Robie, Dili – Jornal Nacional Diaro is the smallest and youngest of Timor-Leste's three daily newspapers, but it's one of the brightest and gutsiest.
August 6, 2007
Rory Callinan, Dili – Herminio de Oliveira was enjoying a beer at his tiny drinks and cigarette stall near Dili airport when he heard the yelling from the nearby refugee camp. "Fretilin will govern!
Only days before polling, support continues to rush in to the campaign of Adang Daradjatun and Dani Anwar.
The latest came on Saturday, with the Central Jakarta chapter of Pemuda Muhammadiyah, the youth wing of one of the country's largest Islamic organizations, throwing its support behind Adang.
Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – Saturday's public debate between the two gubernatorial candidates has come in for criticism from observers, who have said the event was a formality rather than a chance to focus on important issues.
Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The debate on independent candidates and local elections continues, with some party members arguing independent candidates should have to gain at least 15 percent of electoral support – the minimum percentage for candidates endorsed by political parties.
Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – New Zealand defense officials arrived in Jakarta on Sunday for a four-day visit aimed at reviving New Zealand's defense relations with Indonesia.
Jakarta – Indonesia and the United States began a joint military exercise on Monday that would run until Thursday, a navy official said.
August 5, 2007
Sugita Katyal and Adhityani Arga, Jakarta – When Pakistan's army stormed an Islamabad mosque housing a radical Islamic school last month, it raised questions in Indonesia: Was the Southeast Asian nation's own network of Islamic schools a breeding ground for militancy?
Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Saturday's public debate was an opportunity left untapped by the two Jakarta governor candidates to make their mark on voters. They were also constrained by being given only two minutes to answer questions.
The only time the candidates have met face to face as rivals whizzed past in 50 minutes, with most crucial issues left unexplored.
Dili – East Timor's president was scheduled to announce the formation of the next government on Wednesday as former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri declared he was in the running for his old job.
Tokyo – After five years as an independent nation, East Timor has declared its first national park.
The government formally approved the declaration of Nino Konis Santana National Park on July 27, according to a statement from the East Timorese acting prime minister's office seen here Sunday.
August 4, 2007
Jakarta – Supporters of Jakarta's two governor candidates took to the streets of the capital Friday in all manner of vehicles, bringing much of the city to a virtual standstill on the final day of campaigning.
Ken Yunita, Jakarta – The two candidates in the Jakarta gubernatorial elections, Adang Daradjatun and Fauzi Bowo, have been given a motion of no confidence by the Urban Poor Union (SRMK), the Indonesian Disabled People's Association (PPCI) and the Indonesian Transsexual Forum (FWI).
The DPRP team which visited Jakarta this week to discuss the adoption of the Morning Star flag, the song 'Hai Tanahku Papua' and the Mambruk bird as symbols for Papua spent Friday in a meeting with BIN (State Intelligence Bureau) officials.
Jakarta – Suciawati has waited for months for some good news regarding the ongoing inquest into her husband's alleged murder – until the AGO on Friday provided a glimmer of hope.
Suciawati was married to Munir Said Thalib, the famous human rights activist allegedly poisoned almost three years ago while flying from Jakarta to the Netherlands aboard an Indonesian airplane.
Daniel Ten Kate, Jakarta – As motorcycle engines rev loudly, hundreds of Jakartans clad in brightly-coloured T-shirts emblazoned with the face of one of the candidates vying to govern Indonesia's congested capital file into an arena.
Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – A strategy to accuse the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and their Jakarta governor candidate Adang Daradjatun with Islamic fundamentalism may backfire and could see candidate Fauzi Bowo lose votes, observers said.
August 3, 2007
Bill Guerin, Jakarta – After nearly a decade of economic restructuring and financial de-leveraging, Indonesia has finally returned to a position of fiscal strength from the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis. Much of the credit for the turnaround lies with Coordinating Minister for the Economy Boediono, who has held senior economic posts in two post-1997 administrations.
The paradox of a metropolis like this is that it's filthy – but no one is leaving. Unlike this metropolis, however, a number of other cities – not all of them in developed countries – have for more than 20 years had plans in place to combat pollution.
Dili – East Timor's Fretilin party said Thursday its lawmakers would boycott parliament until it is asked to form a government by the president following national elections in June.
The move is the latest twist in wrangling between parties since the polls, which were supposed to open a new chapter in the young nation's democracy after a year of tensions and uncertainty.
August 2, 2007
Ridwan Max Sijabat, Yogyakarta – Employers are not fulfilling their obligations under the laws on labor and social security to arrange for basic healthcare services for their employees and their families, state-owned workers insurance company PT Jamsostek said Wednesday.
Jakarta – The youth wings of some of the 19 political parties backing Jakarta governor candidate Fauzi Bowo in the Aug. 8 election announced Wednesday they were switching their support to rival candidate Adang Daradjatun.
Calling themselves the Jakarta Youth Forum, they said they were disappointed in their parties for ignoring the interests of the poor in the election.
August 1, 2007
Indonesian lawmakers and experts welcomed Tuesday the decision of members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to include a provision for a human rights body in its proposed historic charter.
It's not yet four in the morning but Nyak Nur Asiah, 50 years old, is already out of bed, getting everything ready for the day's business. In the cold morning air, she gathers together pieces of paper and leaves for wrapping up rice and portions of food.
At dawn, Nyak Asiah, as her friends call her, is ready to set out, hoping that she will make a small profit.
Jakarta – Government officials, police and observers are calling for effective coordination among the police, Forestry Ministry and related departments to fight illegal logging.
Footwear, textiles and textile products may be seen as industries of the past, or sunset industries, but the fact is they are the backbone of our exports and domestic economy.
Those who see these as sunset industries may be right in the sense that our footwear, textiles and textile products are losing out to new players from countries like Vietnam and Bangladesh.
Chris Peterson – In the lead-up to Indonesia's 2009 elections, a new left party has been formed. The National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) was founded on the basis of three main demands: the cancellation of Indonesia's foreign debt, the nationalisation of the minerals sector, including oil and gas, and national industrialisation.
Flag of Timor-Leste is red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the black triangle.
Profile
Official Name: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
July 31, 2007
Jakarta – Indonesia's foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda has called on a commission set up to examine violence surrounding East Timor's 1999 independence vote to ignore a UN boycott threat, a report said Tuesday.
Jakarta – Indonesia's tobacco kings have topped this year's rich list, with the country's oil, construction and energy tycoons coming in a close second.
Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – While the government expects to launch an ambitious national land reform program this year to distribute more than 9 million hectares of land, a researcher has raised questions about the effectiveness of the project.
The Aceh people remain hopeful the Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR) could finish the construction of infrastructures in Aceh by 2008.
Police use gun to threaten Rev Sofian Yoman, outspoken Human Rights advocate, at Church service
The Rev Socretez Sofian Yoman, President of the Baptist Church in West Papua, has been threatened by members of the Indonesian Police and members of military intelligence with a gun outside Sunday service in Jayapura.
A West Papuan man, Yakobus Gimbanop, is reported to be dying in hospital at Tanah Merah after being tortured by Indonesian military personnel.
Yakobus Gimbanop from the Wabom tribal group was beaten and tortured at Military Camp 19 Korindo, Aseki. This incident was reported have occurred from about 29/07/07.
Femke van den Bos, Contributor, Blandford, U.K. – Kalimantan, the Indonesian territory on Borneo island, is well known for its pristine tropical forests, rich natural resources and exotic flora and fauna. Only a few places remain on earth with such a biodiversity, providing shelter and food to hundreds of endangered species.
Jakarta – Relatives of victims of the February floods told the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday that they had never received assistance or indemnity packages from the city for their dead relatives.
July 30, 2007
Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Governor candidate Fauzi Bowo topped a poll of eligible Jakarta voters Sunday amid fears of a low turnout on the Aug. 8 election day.
Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Signing up with a political party remains the most effective way of entering politics for young activists who want to revamp the political system, three prominent activist-cum-politicians said Saturday.
Yesterday the embattled Kingmi Church in West Papua was again violently occupied by Indonesian Police.
The government escalated the attack on absolute poverty last week by launching a refurbished direct cash aid program called Hopeful Family Program (PKH) across almost 350 sub-districts in seven provinces.
Indonesia is under pressure for posting a colonel indicted for crimes against humanity in East Timor, to the province of Papua. It comes as the Indonesian military is believed to be stepping up its activities in Papua and there are reports of Indonesian backed militias increasing their presence there too. Human rights groups are calling for international intervention.
Jakarta – A commission set up to examine violence surrounding East Timor's 1999 independence vote brushed off Monday a UN boycott threat.
The United Nations warned last week that it would not send any officials to testify to the Commission for Truth and Friendship (CTF), which has no prosecution powers, unless it rules out recommending amnesties.