LAKSAMANA.Net, October 26, 2004 12:22 AM
Review - Regions: FPI Raids Again
Jakarta Police have deployed 600 Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officers and 500 regular
officers to prevent further raids on nightspots during the Muslim fasting month of
Ramadhan.
The move comes after the Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI) at 11.30pm Friday (22/10/04)
raided the Star Deli bar in Kemang, South Jakarta.
The radicals reportedly smashed their way into the bar, which had apparently already
closed early for the night, and set about destroying alcoholic beverages.
The mob continued on Jalan Kemang Raya before being stopped by local residents,
who fought back, damaging some of the militants' vehicles.
FPI was established in August 1998 and soon became notorious for attacking bars,
nightclubs, brothels, pool halls and other entertainment venues deemed an affront to
Islam.
The organization significantly toned down its violent activities after the October 2002
Bali nightclub bombings, which have been blamed on regional terrorism group Jemaah
Islamiyah.
Prior to the Bali blasts, authorities had generally turned a blind eye to FPI's raids on
nightspots, lending credence to claims the organization was backed by powerful
officials in the security forces.
FPI has long demanded the destruction of nightspots on the grounds that they are
hangouts of prostitutes, gamblers and drug abusers.
Critics claim that FPI has at times been in cahoots with police and soldiers, and
sometimes in competition with them, to extort protection money from owners of
nightspots.
Less than a month after the Bali bombings, FPI pledged to end its violent raids. But
the group in February 2003 announced it was making a comeback and threatened to
attack Westerners. It also urged Muslims to sign up to fight Americans in Iraq.
The US Embassy in Jakarta on Saturday issued a statement warning American
expatriates and tourists to take precautions against further possible attacks on
nightspots during Ramadhan, which this year started on October 15.
The statement advised American citizens “to avoid all standalone bars, clubs or
nightclubs where similar acts of violence may be repeated”.
Papuans Seek Action from Yudhoyono
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been urged to fully implement special
autonomy legislation for Papua province and reconsider the division of the remote
territory into three new provinces.
A meeting of Papuan activists and leaders on Wednesday (20/10/04) and Thursday
urged the president to resolve ongoing problems in the province by enforcing Law
No.21/2001 on special autonomy for Papua and reevaluating the division of the
territory.
Reverend Karel Phil Erari, spokesman of the National Forum for Human Rights
Concerns in Papua (FNKHP), which organized the meeting, was on Sunday quoted
by the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) as saying
government officials, religious and informal leaders and women's rights activists
attended the event.
"We have entrusted Susilo to fully enforce the law to help resolve the issue.
Otherwise, the friction between Jakarta and Papua will only get worse," he said.
FNKHP is chaired by Yudhoyono, who won most of the votes in Papua during the two
rounds of the recent presidential election.
Erari said the majority vote for Yudhoyono indicated that Papuans mistrusted former
president Megawati Sukarnoputri's policies on Papua, especially concerning the
establishment of Central Papua and West Irian Jaya provinces.
Reformist former president Abdurrahman Wahid in 2000 proposed the special
autonomy legislation granting Papua greater freedom and a greater share of the
revenue from its vast natural resources in an effort to reduce separatist sentiments in
the territory.
Wahid's predecessor, ex-president B.J. Habibie in 1999 enacted the controversial law
splitting Papua into three provinces, purportedly to accelerate development in the
region. Wahid opted not to implement the legislation and instead allowed Papuans to
fly the Morning Star flag – the symbol of their independence movement.
After the fall of Wahid, Megawati in January 2003 issued Presidential Instruction
No.1/2003 to implement Law No.45/1999 on the division of Papua into three provinces,
effectively undermining the special autonomy law for the province.
A study released by the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) last year
warned that splitting Papua into new provinces would increase conflict within the
territory and heighten tensions with Jakarta.
The ICG report said Megawati's decree effectively rules out any compromise with the
Papuan pro-independence movement and could lead to more violence. Other rights
groups said the decree would encourage the military to increase its repression in the
territory.
Megawati also refused to set up the Papuan People's Assembly (Majelis Rakyat
Papua or MRP), as mandated by the law, as the highest law-making body in the
province, fearing that the body could lead to the secession of the province from
Indonesia.
The Papuan legislative assembly has asked the Constitutional Court to annul the
presidential instruction.
"The contentious presidential instruction and the establishment of a new province
[West Papua] are actually a betrayal of the Special Autonomy Law, which stipulates
that the formation of new provinces requires approval from the MRP," Erari was quoted
as saying by UNPO.
Agus Sumule, who also attended last week's meeting, said Yudhoyono should
comply with the Papuan people's aspirations by revoking the instruction. "Susilo still
has a good chance to settle the issue and to fully enforce the Special Autonomy Law
to win the hearts of the Papuan people.”
He further said the majority of Papuans had not yet seen the benefits of special
autonomy because most of the special autonomy funds from Jakarta have been
pocketed by local government officials.
"The majority of Papuans have yet to enjoy free education, health and transportation
services that the government has promised. Worse still, Papua is facing an HIV/AIDS
crisis," he was quoted as saying by UNPO.
On Monday, about 100 people protested in the Papuan capital of Jayapura to demand
that Yudhoyono re-hold the territory's 1969 referendum on integration with Indonesia.
Members of the Papua Civilian Coalition for Human Rights and the Papua Students
Alliance said the referendum was undemocratic and should be repeated as it would be
the best way to end the prolonged conflict in the province.
The Dutch officially left Papua in August 1962 and the region was placed briefly under
the authority of the United Nations. But the Netherlands and Indonesia then signed
the so-called New York Agreements, under which the territory was handed over to
Indonesia in May 1963, on the condition that a referendum on self-determination be
held within six years.
The so-called ‘Act of Free Choice' was held in 1969 and 1,062 participants voted
unanimously in favor of incorporation into the Indonesian nation, allegedly because of
threats of violence. Human rights groups and journalists who witnessed the
referendum say it was unfair, corrupt and a sham.
West Papua was formally integrated into Indonesia in 1969 and renamed Irian Jaya.
Irian is an acronym for Ikut Republik Indonesia Anti-Nederland (Join the Republic of
Indonesia Anti-Netherlands), while Jaya means ‘glorious'.
Separatists have waged a sporadic guerrilla war against the Indonesian military since
the early 1960s. Human rights groups say thousands have been killed.
Analysts say the division of Papua will do little to improve the territory's prospects for
peace, especially because the military has announced it will quash Papua's
separatists once it completes a massive offensive against rebels in Aceh province.
Papuan Aids Explosion Blamed on Poverty
The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) says the incidence of HIV/AIDS is
increasing in Papua province despite an extensive awareness campaign against the
incurable virus.
In results of a study announced Tuesday (20/10/04), Unicef said a lack of education
and widespread poverty were largely to blame for the sharp increase in HIV/AIDS
cases in the province, The Jakarta Post daily reported.
It said 406 new HIV/AIDS cases had been discovered in Papua over the past few
years, while the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said there are
between 14,000 and 15,000 people living with virus in the province.
Unicef said most junior high school students in Papua aged between 13 and 15 years
remain uninformed about HIV/AIDS, while more than 60% of the province's youths
aged between 15 and 24 did not practice safe sex.
Alleged OPM Member Shot Dead
A joint team of Indonesian soldiers and police on Thursday (21/10/04) reportedly shot
dead an alleged member of the separatist Free Papua Organization (OPM).
Papua Military chief Major General Nurdin Zainal was quoted by The Jakarta Post as
saying the man was killed during a clash at Lima Jari Hill in Puncak Jaya regency.
The military claims a group of OPM members in Puncak Jaya earlier this month shot
dead five migrants from South Sulawesi province, but authorities have so far been
unable to produce any corpses.
Aceh Human Rights Issues Await Yudhoyono
Following is a commentary written last week by Sam Zarifi, deputy director of Human
Rights Watch's Asia division, on the challenges facing President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono in Aceh province.
New York -- Last month Human Rights Watch published a report detailing the
systematic use of torture against detainees in Aceh by Indonesian security forces.
The military response to the allegations in the report ranged from anger and defiance
to, in some quarters, concern and an interest in uncovering the truth.
Maj. Gen. Sudrajat, Director-General of Defense Strategy at the Indonesian Ministry of
Defense, told the press that Human Rights Watch's accusations were baseless, but
also stated that "if there is proof of such torture, the Indonesian Ministry of Defense
will take stern measures against personnel who have allegedly tortured GAM
prisoners."
Human Rights Watch stands by the assertions made in the report. We welcome the
decision to investigate the claims further, so long as the investigation is genuine,
impartial and, if perpetrators are identified, appropriate disciplinary measures and
prosecutions follow. This would be a step in the right direction, but more can definitely
be done.
Based on experience in Indonesia and other parts of the world, Human Rights Watch
has found that armed forces rarely seriously investigate and punish war crimes
committed by their own soldiers. This is as true for professional armies as well as
unprofessional ones, as is evident by the U.S. military's response to allegations of
torture in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Prior to the publication of photos of torture at Abu Ghraib prison, the U.S. military
conducted at best half-hearted investigations into reports of abuse of detainees,
endlessly delayed others, and any punishments handed out were inconsequential.
Even after the Abu Ghraib photos received worldwide attention, U.S. military criminal
investigations focused only on low-level soldiers, while senior military and civilian
officials have not been seriously investigated.
If the Indonesian government is serious about addressing torture in Aceh it should
establish an independent investigation team that includes representatives from
Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights, Komnas HAM. The government
should invite the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment to investigate and report on these allegations.
It should also start implementing the detailed recommendations made by the
Committee Against Torture in November 2001 on how to address and eradicate the
practice of torture in Indonesia. Sadly, torture allegations in Indonesia are nothing
new.
Indonesia's new President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should join the recent military
statements in condemning torture. Yudhoyono has already told the press that he
would spend his first 100 days in office focusing on domestic issues, with the ongoing
conflict in Aceh as one of his first priorities. A good first step would be for him to
make a public statement and commitment that torture is unacceptable and that
perpetrators will be punished.
Indonesia's Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Ruchyan will reportedly lead the newly
established team to probe the allegations made in the report. He has publicly stated
that he would start by trying to find and question the prisoners interviewed by Human
Rights Watch.
While Human Rights Watch would be pleased to co-operate with an independent and
objective investigation, we are concerned that the military is more interested in
punishing prisoners who spoke out about their ill-treatment than addressing the
problem. A better course of action would be to go to Aceh to assess detention
conditions. Human Rights Watch will continue to monitor prison conditions in
Indonesia to ensure that prisoners there suffer no repercussions for simply telling the
truth.
Human Rights Watch believes that an independent and impartial investigation team
will come to the same conclusions as our report about the practice of torture in
Aceh's detention facilities. In fact, the best way for the Indonesian government,
military and police to dispel ongoing doubts and concerns about human rights
violations in the province will be to open up access to the province so that
independent organizations can monitor the human rights situation, which will act as a
deterrent to future abuses.
GAM Accused of Abducting Plantation Workers
Police said Friday (22/10/04) a group of seven separatist rebels abducted two
plantation workers in Aceh province.
Chief Commissioner Sayed Hoesainy said the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members
on Wednesday abducted Teuku Alfian (28) and Anwar (30) while they were working at
an oil palm plantation owned by PT Damar Siput in Bayeun village, Rantau Selamat
subdistrict, East Aceh district.
He said the rebels took the workers into a forest in Rantau Selamat subdistrict.
Copyright © 2000 - 2004 Laksamana.net, All Rights Reserved.
|
