Indonesia: Signs of new thinking on Papua

By Gary Hogan — The 21 February slaying of eight soldiers in two separate incidents by anti-government rebels in Indonesia’s troubled Papua province sent shock waves through Jakarta’s presidential palace, as well as the country’s national defence headquarters in nearby Cilangkap.

Soldiers killed in Papua

It was the largest number of military security forces killed in a single day in the restive province, which borders Papua New Guinea.

The shock was felt as far away as Canberra, since Jakarta’s adroit handling of its separatist problem in Papua is crucial to our ability to progress bilateral relations with Indonesia.

Australia’s ambassador in Jakarta was the first foreign official to extend condolences and to reaffirm Australia’s unequivocal commitment to Indonesian sovereignty over Papua. Canberra knows it would be impossible to engage Jakarta in a comprehensive strategic partnership without a mature and unfettered relationship with Indonesia’s powerful defence forces, Tentara Nasional Indonesia or TNI.

Any undisciplined retaliatory conduct by TNI elements in Papua, such as random reprisals for the eight deaths, would weigh heavily on the current upward trajectory in both our defence and broader bilateral relations. Fortunately, there is cause for optimism that, at least at the top, TNI might adopt some fresh thinking about Papua and the international ramifications of an ongoing cycle of violence.

Nobody is more aware of the potential for an arbitrary, heavy-handed overreaction by security forces in Papua to tarnish Indonesia’s international image than President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He has done a great deal in the past eight years as president to try to improve Indonesia’s global standing on human rights, investing in security sector reform and attempting to consolidate democracy and economic prosperity.

In Papua, Yudhoyono has promised a new approach based on building a stronger, fairer and more inclusive economy. His key man on the ground is retired general Bambang Darmono, a respected and experienced soldier and diplomat who played an important role in the successful Aceh peace process.

But Darmono, who the president has charged with overseeing a fast-track development plan for Papua, faces an uphill battle. Indonesia lacks a clear strategy for pacifying Papua, partly because Jakarta focuses on economics when many Papuans cry for political dialogue.

Moreover, the search for a solution is frustrated by poor coordination and an absence of imagination among government departments, factionalism and corruption in Papua itself, where vested interest is fueled by the prospect of limitless resource wealth, and a reactionary streak in some Jakarta elites, who refuse to even countenance the term ‘indigenous’ because it implies special rights.

Fallout from the 21 February shootings is still on the cards. The Free Papua Movement (OPM) is proving itself a learning organisation. Recent rebel actions demonstrate an ability to conduct reconnaissance, detect patterns, use intelligence effectively in planning and exploit poor operational security. The OPM now appears capable of moving beyond its basic hit and run tactics of the past. Incidents like the two which killed eight Indonesian soldiers last month could continue and even escalate.

In dealing with the Papua problem, Indonesia has occasionally demonstrated a disconnection between operational directions from Jakarta and tactical actions in the field. This will need to improve under TNI’s emerging leaders, and there are promising signs it might.

Gary Hogan was the first foreigner to graduate from Indonesia’s Institute of National Governance (Lemhannas) and was Australia’s Defence Attaché to Indonesia from 2009 to 2012.

Source: The Interpreter

Indonesia qualified to answer human rights challenges: Norwegian crown prince

Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway

Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway said that Indonesia is qualified to answer human rights challenges as the country has implemented better democracy in the region.

“Some issues such as how we can work to share experience and work together to make our democratic system even stronger and how we can build relations between nations, cultures, and religions in order to enhance protection of human rights for everybody perhaps can be answered by Indonesia,” Haakon said when inaugurating the Eleventh Human Rights Dialogue between Indonesia and Norway here on Monday (26/11).

He added that Indonesia can address the issues in view of the fact that more than 300 different ethnic groups have shared one country and various religions had lived in the country in contiguity.

The Crown Prince added that Indonesia has been committed to enhancing human rights as the backbone of valuable partnership in the human rights bilateral dialogue.

“Human right is that all persons shares the same values and should be treated as equal,” he said.

According to him, some principles for enhancing bilateral cooperation between Norway and Indonesia are respect, openness and implementation which are valuable aspects for both governments.

Those, he added, can guarantee that both countries can continue to make a success and mutual cooperation to progress.

During the visit to Indonesia, Prince Haakon was accompanied by Princess Mette-Marit and a number of ministers and businessmen.

While in Jakarta, Prince Haakon will also meet with ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan and inaugurate a business forum themed `Indonesia-Norway: Strategic Partnership in Business” to be held by Innovation Norway.

He will also visit Yogyakarta to meet Sultan Hamengkubuwono X and give a general lecture at Gadjah Mada University about “Nurturing Tolerance and The Need for Dialogue”.

Source: ANTARA News

Britain and Indonesia ink deals on trade, defence, education

Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron shakes hands with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed a string of agreements on trade, defence and education on Thursday, the British government said.

“They had constructive discussions on a number of subjects, with the focus on the UK-Indonesian trade and investment relationship,” said a spokeswoman for Cameron’s Downing Street office.

On the second day of Yudhoyono’s state visit to Britain, aimed at boosting ties with the emerging Asian power, the two leaders and Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf also chaired talks in London on global efforts to fight poverty.

The Downing Street spokeswoman said Cameron and Yudhoyono had sealed a defence deal which would boost cooperation in “research and development, investment and production”.

They also announced a £7.5 billion ($12.1 billion, 9.3 billion-euro) deal for BP to develop liquid natural gas in Indonesia, and signed an agreement strengthening links between the two countries’ universities.

Cameron’s spokeswoman added that while he had praised Yudhoyono for “his leading role in Indonesia’s transition from autocracy to a vibrant democracy”, the pair had discussed the protection of human rights in regions such as Papua.

The two leaders and Johnson Sirleaf had earlier chaired a panel of politicians from 26 countries charged with developing an anti-poverty strategy after the Millennium Development Goals expire in 2015.

The eight goals, established in 2000, set targets on improving education, health and women’s rights, ending hunger, and protecting the environment.

Cameron said he believed world leaders now had a real opportunity to eradicate poverty.

“That is something politicians have been talking about for a while — but for the first time I believe this generation really has the opportunity to do it,” he said after the meeting.

“We think the Millennium Development Goals have made great progress. There’s more progress to be made between now and 2015, but we’re clear the next stage should be aiming to eradicate absolute poverty in our world completely.”

The panel is meeting for three days in London, the second of four rounds of talks before it reports back to UN Secretary General in May next year.

On Friday, the final day of Yudhoyono’s state visit, he will address officials at the Foreign Office and meet with Indonesian business figures.

Queen Elizabeth II hosted a glittering banquet in honour of Yudhoyono and his wife Ani on Wednesday night, after formally welcoming them with a guard of honour and a ride in her ceremonial carriage.

Source: AFP

Indonesia’s President welcomed by British queen

Quen Elizabeth II: “I am confident that if we work together on our shared aspiration to build a prosperous world based on fundamental freedoms, the partnership between the United Kingdom and Indonesia will continue to flourish.”

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II welcomed Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday for a state visit aimed at boosting ties with the emerging Asian power, with the help of some traditional pomp and pageantry.

The queen hosted a lavish banquet at Buckingham Palace in honour of Yudhoyono and his wife Ani, after formally welcoming them for the three-day visit with a guard of honour and a ride in her ceremonial carriage.

In a speech to the 177 dinner guests in the palace ballroom, the 86-year-old British monarch praised the strong relationship between the two countries and spoke of their “common values”.

“I am confident that if we work together on our shared aspiration to build a prosperous world based on fundamental freedoms, the partnership between the United Kingdom and Indonesia will continue to flourish,” she said.

She described Indonesia as having undergone a “remarkable transformation” since Yudhoyono came to power in 2004.

“It is now a thriving democracy and one of the world’s fastest growing economies,” said the queen, who visited Indonesia in 1974 with her husband Prince Philip.

“Your visit marks a further step in strengthening our relationship.”In his own speech, delivered in Indonesian, Yudhoyono said the two countries “have many things in common, including in efforts to strengthen democracy”.

“I wish to reaffirm my country’s readiness to establish close cooperation with the United Kingdom,” he told the assembled guests, who included British Prime Minister David Cameron, other ministers and members of the royal family.

The guests were served Scottish halibut followed by a main course of chicken with baby artichokes and fondant potatoes, and a desert of iced green apple with a mulberry parfait made with fruit from the palace garden.

The queen wore a gold dress with a diamond necklace passed down to her from Queen Victoria, her great-great-grandmother.

She had earlier welcomed the Yudhoyonos with a military ceremony on Horse Guards Parade, the large parade ground in central London, where the visiting leader inspected the troops in their scarlet uniforms and bearskin hats.

The queen and Prince Philip then accompanied them in a horsedrawn state carriage procession along the Mall to Buckingham Palace, where the visiting couple are staying during their trip.

Yudhoyono will hold talks with Cameron on Thursday and attend a meeting of the high-level United Nations panel that is drawing up a strategy on how to build on the Millennium Development Goals.

Yudhoyono, who is the world’s only head of state to have served as a UN peacekeeper, will also give a speech at the Royal College of Defence Studies.
The 15th-century Guildhall, in London’s financial district, will host a second banquet on Thursday night.

Several trade announcements are expected during the three-day trip, with Britain keen to gain access to Indonesia’s fast-growing economy and 240 million consumers.

The state visit is part of Britain’s drive to boost its diplomatic presence in Southeast Asia, with Indonesia regarded by British officials as the most influential player in the region.

As the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, it is also seen as a strategic ally in the Islamic world.

Britain usually hosts two state visits each year, but Yudhoyono is the only foreign head of state to receive the formal hospitality in 2012 following months of diamond jubilee celebrations marking the queen’s 60th year on the throne.

The last state visit was by Turkish President Abdullah Gul in November last year.

Source: AFP

UK Ministry of Defence to hold media operations training for the Indonesian military

The UK Ministry of Defence and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst hold Media Operations training for officers of the Indonesian Armed Forces on 23-27 July 2012.

The aim is to improve their ability to work with the modern media in a variety of operational environments.

Deputy Ambassador Rebecca Razavi said:

“The media has the power to transform people’s opinion and to influence how history is reported. It is an essential component of a flourishing democracy. I am pleased that the UK is continuing to work closely with the Indonesian Armed Forces to help develop skills in the area of Media Operations and working in a positive way with the media to improve accurate and effecting reporting and information flow.”

Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman, Rear Admiral Iskandar Sitompul said:

“TNI recognises that human resources are a very important asset for the advancement of our organization. In line with that, and due to the development of the media environment which now requires us to quickly respond to every incident, the skill of TNI Information (Public Affairs) personnel should be constantly upgraded. This training has become one of the efforts to improve the ability of the TNI Information personnel in communicating and transforming the performance of TNI in an ever changing strategic environment. On behalf of TNI Chief, Admiral Agus Suhartono, I convey my appreciation and respect to the UK Ministry of Defence and the British Embassy in Jakarta for organising this training.”

Source: British Embassy in Jakarta

Indonesia’s Papua councilors recommend revision in local election system

Politicians have called for elections in Papua to revert a parliamentarian system, out of fears that the current direct voting system, while more democratic, may trigger social violence.

“Many people have fallen as casualties in the lead-up to the elections in several regencies in Papua. I call from the respected [legislative] council for the violence to be brought to an end,” Papua Legislative Council Speaker John Ibo said while closing a council session on the budget in Jayapura on Friday (17/02).

“In order to prevent chaos in democracy, I appeal to the central government to consider revising the electoral system, both in the provinces and the regencies/municipalities,” John said.

Clashes among candidates’ supporters have been rife since July last year, killing 59 in Puncak regency, according to the police.

Violent clashes have also marred the build-up to the election in Tolikara regency, prompting a postponement of the poll from its originally scheduled date of Feb. 17.

The latest clash flared up on Friday, leaving one dead, tens of supporters from the opposing political camps injured, 30 buildings burned, two cars and a motorcycle vandalized. As many as 34 injured people were evacuated to hospitals in Jayapura and Wamena.

“One person was found dead, charred in one of the houses burned by the mob,” Papua Police deputy chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw told reporters.

The election features two candidate pairs John Tabo — H Edi Suyanto and Usman Wanimbo — Amos Jikwa.

Tensions mounted in the pre-election phase as the two pairs disputed the list of the District Election Committee membership released by the Papua General Election Commission (KPUD).

John Tabo said that the names would advantage his rival.

Yop Kagoya, the deputy speaker of Papua legislative council, called for restraint from the two sides.

“The election in Tolikara has been delayed for two years. If delayed further, development would be hampered and this would disadvantage the citizens,” he said.

He said realities on the ground did not yet match with the aspirations associated with a direct voting system, which sought to educate people in developing a mature democracy.

“The people are not mature yet, neither are the political elite. They are not ready to accept defeat, which results in them resorting to violence. Organizers of elections in the regencies are terrorized and intimidated. People are prone anarchic acts,” he said.

“The central government needs to reconsider the system of election used in Papua. It’s better to return it to the DPRD [regional legislative council]. While the cost is small, potential conflicts could be minimized,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Papua police have sent another 65 personnel from the Mobile Brigade Unit (Brimob) to help local police secure and maintain control over the situation in Tolikara.

Source: The Jakarta Post

Obama respects Yudhoyono`s policies on Papua

US President Barack Obama and Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

The US President Barack Obama has assured President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that Washington respects the policies the latter is pursuing in handling the problems in Papua, a spokesman for the Indonesian leader said.

The security situation in Papua that had been heating up recently was one of the topics of a meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the 19h ASEAN Summit here on Friday (18/11).

Presidential spokesman Teuku Faizasyah who was present at the meeting said Obama listened carefully to President Yudhoyono`s explanations on the Indonesian central government`s policies on Papua.

He said Obama on the occasion also reiterated the US government`s support for the territorial integrity of the Unitary State of Indonesia.

“The US fully believed Indonesia knows what to do in cases of state apparatuses acting in violation of human rights. Surely, the law will be enforced and President Yudhoyono underlined that six months after he assumed office he had already instructed all state apparatuses in the field to respect human rights,” he said.

Obama had also said he understood Indonesia`s efforts in upholding democracy and human rights more comprehensively through among others pursuing a welfare approach in Papua although violence and human rights violations by state apparatuses continued to disrupt security and stability in the region.

The meeting which lasted about one hour however did not touch on the various incidents that happened recently in PT Freeport Indonesia`s concession area in Timika.

Source: ANTARA News

Experts: Indonesia needs new approach in Papua

Indonesia must change the way it handles problems in Papua if the nation wants the international community to respect its rights over its westernmost territory, say activists and experts.

The longer the problems linger, the bigger the push for separatism, they agreed.

“Indonesia has a chance to demonstrate its political maturity in these matters,” New Zealand lawmaker and Green Party foreign affairs spokesperson Keith Locke said.

Locke added that Indonesia has made greater progress as a democracy and deserved recognition for its achievements and leadership of ASEAN.

Muridan S. Widjojo, a senior researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), agreed that there must be a change in Jakarta’s approach to Papua.

“The conflict has been going on for over 50 years. We need to pursue a better dialogue between Jakarta and West Papua,” he said.

University of Indonesia law professor Hikmahanto Juwana disagreed on efforts to contest the Act of Free Choice 1969 internationally in purpose demanding for UN review.

“The people of West Papua already exercised their right to self- determination in the UN supervised Act of Free Choice 1969.”

“Indonesia is a heterogeneous country made up of former Dutch colonies, which include West Papua,” Hikmahanto said, adding that the discussion should focus on the welfare of West Papuans instead of pushing for independence.(*WPNN)

Indonesia Will Protect Its Sovereignty

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reinforced on Tuesday (16/8) the importance of protecting the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia amid increasing security issues in volatile Papua.

“Regarding security disturbances in Papua, the government will be strict in guaranteeing public order and the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia,” Yudhoyono said during his state of the nation speech at the House of Representatives.

“Recognizing the complexity of the problem, the government has instituted policies to ensure that the development in Papua would achieve targets such as justice, security, peace and prosperity.”

The statement comes in the wake of increasing reports of encounters between the military and separatist groups in the country’s easternmost province, as well as the publication in Australia of leaked military documents that indicate a vast surveillance operation.

International watchdog Human Rights Watch said the documents, obtained by Australia’s Fairfax newspapers, reveal the “deep military paranoia” that exists in Jakarta toward any kind of free political expression by Papua’s indigenous Melanesian majority.
The watchdog further said that while Indonesia denies allegations of widespread human rights violations by the armed forces in Papua, it refuses to allow foreign journalists and rights worker to visit the area to conduct independent inquiries.

The military has played down the report, stating that it was manipulated to disrupt the “currently improving relationship” between the military and indigenous Papuans.

Further in his speech, Yudhoyono praised the military for its success in maintaining the unity of Indonesia but at the same time reminded them to uphold the principles of democracy and respect human rights.

“We are strengthening the tradition of the TNI [Indonesian Military], which ensures that all elements of the TNI are consistent in following the government’s political policies, which upholds the principles of democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights, and abides by national laws and ratified international conventions,” he said.

Security issues aside, Yudhoyono said the government has given the Papua administration the authority to run its regional government with its own resources.

“In the last five years, the government has also carried out fiscal decentralization to directly support the acceleration of development in Papua,” he said.

“Papua is also one of the Indonesian economic corridors in the Master Plan to accelerate and extend Indonesian economic development. The government’s policy that stresses economic approach could hopefully increase the welfare of the Papuan people.”

He said the key to developing Papua as the Indonesian eastern gate is to do it by heart.

Source: the Jakarta Globe

Ambassador Marciel: Indonesia is shining example of Freedom and Democracy

Indonesians live in a free country where the constitution guarantees individual freedoms such as the freedoms of assembly, association, and expression.

The US Ambassador to Indonesia, Scot Marciel – Just over a year ago, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for a global commitment to Internet Freedom. Based on the universal human rights framework, Internet Freedom — or as Secretary Clinton deemed the freedom to connect — applies the freedoms of assembly, expression and association to cyberspace.

Today, as we look around at world events, this commitment is more important than ever. By preserving these rights in the digital era, we preserve the promise and the possibility of the Internet as a platform for ideas, innovation, connection, and economic growth.

Against the backdrop of Egypt and the largest Internet shutdown of our time, we have heard numerous calls to honor the freedom to connect, in particular to seek and share information over the Internet, from President Obama and Secretary Clinton and leaders around the world.

The Internet has become the public sphere of the 21st century – it is the global town square.

Indonesia is shining example of this phenomenon. Indonesians live in a free country where the constitution guarantees individual freedoms such as the freedoms of assembly, association, and expression. As a result, Indonesians — regardless of gender, religious, ethnic, or economic background — have open Internet access through which to access information, express opinions, and come together online.

The kind of peaceful civic activism we have seen in Tahrir Square or in Tunis over the course of the past weeks or through the Indonesia Unite for Coins for Prita movements occurs increasingly on the Internet in parallel and in coordination with rallies in the streets.

People around the world come together every day on the Internet to connect to one another, sample a universe of news and information, or make their voices heard. And through this discourse, be it online or in person, new dimensions of debates that we have been having for centuries re-emerge: How best to govern, administer justice, pursue prosperity, and create the conditions for long-term progress, both within and across borders.

The connectivity that the digital age fosters has only added new urgency to how we reconcile these age-old issues. The choices governments make today will determine the face of the Internet in the future and they will not be easily made.

The choices we face are familiar, but the space in which we confront them is not. How do we protect liberty and security, transparency and confidentiality, freedom of expression while fostering tolerance and harmony?

First, too often liberty and security are seen as mutually exclusive, but we must have both to have either, both online and offline. We are reminded daily of both the promise and the peril of the information age. We must have enough security to enable our freedoms, but not so much as to endanger them. In the balance between liberty and security, the fulcrum is the rule of law. Our allegiance to it does not vanish in cyberspace. Neither does our commitment to civil liberties. The United States is equally determined to track and stop terrorists and criminal activity online and offline.

In both spheres, we pursue this goal in accordance with our values.

It is no secret that “security” is often invoked as a justification for harsh crackdowns on Internet freedom. Governments that arrest bloggers, pry into the peaceful activities of their citizens, and limit or close off access to information under the guise of maintaining security are fooling no one. Silencing ideas does not make them go away.

Second, we must protect both transparency and confidentiality. Transparency is critical. We can and should give citizens information about their governments and open the doors to commerce historically closed off to most people. But confidentiality is also paramount. It protects the ability of organizations and governments to carry out their missions and best serve the public interest.

Governments do have a higher standard to meet when invoking confidentiality, because they serve the public. But all governments require some degree of confidentiality when dealing with matters such as public safety and national security. For example, it would not be sensible to publish on the Internet details of sensitive negotiations between countries on how to locate and dispose of nuclear materials or how to combat the violence of drug cartels.

Third, we must seek to protect free expression while at the same time fostering tolerance. Just like a town square, the Internet is home to every kind of speech: False, offensive, constructive and innovative. With an online population of more than 2 billion people that is rapidly growing, the varied nature of speech online will only proliferate.

There is no question, in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all people have the right to freedom of expression. The challenge is to fulfill a commitment to freedom of expression online while emphasizing the importance of harnessing the capacity of the Internet to advance tolerance and peace. We believe the best way to do this is to promote more speech not to limit it.

Exposing and challenging offensive speech, rather than suppressing it, allows for public scrutiny and response. In the marketplace of ideas, those ideas with merit will become stronger and those without merit will in time fade away.

Through Internet freedom, we have the rare opportunity to tie together a human rights issue with our aspirations for mutual economic prosperity. The principles of Internet freedom are rooted in the openness of the platform so that the Internet can remain an engine of ideas, innovation, and economic growth.

Open markets for new products and services catalyze entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment. We have seen investment and innovation in the global Internet marketplace flow to those nations that seek to make openness the hallmark of their Internet policy.

As we move forward and the universal town square of the Internet continues to flourish, we are confident that we can protect and advance the principles of liberty and security; transparency and confidentiality; and free speech and tolerance. Together they comprise the foundation of a free and open Internet.

We must have enough security to enable our freedoms, but not so much as to endanger them. (WPNN)