Jakarta – National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Chief Hendropriyono here Thursday accused the director of the International Crisis Group (ICG) in Indonesia, Sidney Jones, of having harmed the interests of the Indonesian government and nation by purveying untrue reports about Indonesia.
"According to an assessment of the Intelligence Coordination Forum, Sidney Jones and a few Indonesians have harmed the nation's interests by providing information for financial gain," Hendropriyono said after a cabinet session led by President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Asked whether Jones would be expelled from the country, Hendropriyono said, "No, she won't but action must be taken against those resented by the Indonesian people and government."
Hendropriyono said intelligence agencies in the country had been continuously monitoring Jones' activities.
About the evaluation of some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that the government's attitude towards Jones was reminiscent of the intolerance the past repressive regime had always shown for pro-human rights organizations, Hendroopriyono said the evaluation was was not true.
Earlier, on Wednesday, National Police Chief Gen Dai Bachtiar said, the authorities had been closely monitoring the activities of 20 local and foreign NGOs that had been issuing reports deemed capable of fueling trouble during the July 5 presidential election. Among the 20 NGOs were the Brussels-based ICG and the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (Elsam).
ICG Indonesia Director Sidney Jones said the Indonesian government had ordered the group to stop operating in the country as of May 10 and refused to extend the work permits of the group's foreign staff.
The group had issued a number of critical reports on a wide variety of issues, including the war in Aceh, sectarian conflicts in Ambon and Poso, Central Sulawesi, and the activities of the regional terrorist network, Jamaah Islamiyah, in Indonesia.
The BIN told the House of Representatives on Tuesday that 20 local and foreign NGOs had been working to disturb security during the country's first-ever direct presidential election on July 5.