Fadli, Batam, Riau Islands – Confusion among the police means it remains unclear whether a group of local and international non-governmental organizations will be allowed to hold a forum in Batam to coincide with the IMF-World Bank meetings in Singapore this week.
Riau Islands Police deputy chief Sr. Comr. Sulistyono insisted Saturday the local authorities remained opposed to the event although his superior, National Police chief Gen. Sutanto, has said the activists, from the International Forum on Indonesian Development (Infid), would be permitted to hold their planned seminar in Batam but not "political activities".
In apparent defiance of his superior, Sulistyono told The Jakarta Post the Riau Islands Police remained against the gathering.
"We (the police) maintain our stance not to allow any foreign NGO activities in Batam. I'm sure you have heard statements by local police chief (Brig. Gen. Sutarman) about local NGOs (here), which were against the presence of foreign NGOs. We still stick to that statement," Sulistyono said at Tanjung Kasam in Batam.
Eighteen local NGOs have voiced their opposition to Infid's meeting, although they have been accused of offering their services for hire to the authorities.
When asked about national chief Sutanto's statement, Sulistyono decided it was time to leave. "If you are not convinced, just ask the regional police chief again," he said, hastily entering his car.
Meanwhile, regional police chief Sr. Comr. Eko Hadi Sutedjo said that security in the Batam had been raised to "alert" status in conjunction with the IMF and World Bank meeting in Singapore and the proposed meeting in Batam.
"We've raised the status because Batam has become a target of terrorist crimes," Eko said. He declined to comment when asked about Sutanto's remark.
Eko said based on previous experience, meetings held by NGOs in Batam had the potential to create chaos. "Those understanding the conditions in Batam are the local police. We have seen that foreign NGOs' meeting in Batam has the potential of creating unrest for foreign investors here," Eko said.
The forum plans to discuss labor and trade issues in an alternative protest meeting to the IMF-World Bank meetings in Singapore. The police have worried the meeting could stir up factory workers on the island. Batam is part of a special economic zone, supplying labor to factories based there, many of which are owned by international investors.
Infid has condemned the Riau Islands Police's decision to ban it from holding the gathering. Group deputy director Dian Kartika Sari said last week the reason the authorities used to ban the gathering were legally groundless.
"This is a democratic country where thousand of workers are allowed to hold rallies. Why are they banning us from holding a seminar?" he said.