Papuans Clash With Police in Timika

Hundreds of supporters of a slain Papuan rebel leader pelted Indonesian police with stones Saturday as tensions flared ahead of the commander's funeral.Clashes erupted as a coffin carrying the body of Kelly Kwalik and draped in the outlawed flag of Papuan independence was placed on public display outside the parliament building in the southern Papuan town of Timika.The Free Papua Movement (OPM) commander was shot dead by police during a raid on his hideout on Wednesday.Up to 500 angry mourners started throwing stones at security forces after a local tribal leader made a fiery speech near parliament."The police managed to calm the people quickly. The clash occurred for about 10 to 15 minutes," Papua province police spokesman Agus Riyanto said."We are ready to serve the people by making the funeral as secure as possible. We'll secure not just the burial location, but also the route of the funeral," he added.A date for the funeral has not been set, tribal leaders said.Nerius Katagame, a leader of Kwalik's Amungme tribe, earlier riled Kwalik's supporters by telling them to express their discontent in writing to the Indonesian government, rather than taking to the streets."Only God knows the independence of Papua. It's not possible for us to go back to zero," Nerius Katagame told the crowd.OPM fighters, often using bows and arrows and World War II-era explosives, have waged a low-level insurgency against Indonesian rule of the resource-rich, ethnically Melanesian region since the mid-1960s.Police have linked Kwalik to a string of ambushes near Timika over the past six months targeting the operations of US miner Freeport McMoRan.An Australian mine technician was killed in one of the attacks in July, while in 2002 two US Freeport employees were killed in similar circumstances.Freeport's giant gold and copper mine has long been linked to human rights abuses involving Indonesian troops who secure the facility.In 1986 Kwalik's group allegedly kidnapped and killed eight Javanese students. He was also accused of ordering the kidnapping of 12 scientists including four Indonesians, four Britons, two Germans and two Dutch in 1996.Two of the Indonesians were killed in a military rescue operation that freed the hostages three months later.In 2001 he is said to have ordered the kidnapping of two Belgian journalists who were released after two months.Kwalik denied being involved in the attacks on a Web site posting. Despite the negligible military threat posed by the OPM, Indonesian courts have handed down stiff penalties from 20 years' jail to life for people caught with separatist symbols such as the red, white and blue Papuan flag.

Tensions Rise as Kwalik Body Awaits Positive ID

The police-announced death of Papuan pro-independence rebel Kelly Kwalik has inflamed supporters, leading analysts to worry about a rise in violence in the province. Hundreds of Papuans turned out to greet the body at the airport in Timika, where it was flown following an autopsy in the provincial capital, Jayapura. “This incident will create a new problem with the Papuans,” said Father John Jonga, the recipient of the 2009 Yap Thiam Hien Award, Indonesia’s most prestigious human rights honor. He said police should have captured Kwalik alive. Police claimed to have killed Kwalik, 60, on Wednesday but by Friday they had yet to officially identify the body. The family of the self-proclaimed military leader of the outlawed Free Papua Organization (OPM) declined to provide DNA samples and no fingerprint or dental records appear to exist. A former Mimika district police chief recognized the body, National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri said in Jakarta on Friday. Preliminary identification was also made through videos and photos of Kwalik. Bambang said the police action was justified because Kwalik had used violence. Bambang accused Kwalik of being behind a series of attacks, starting with the abduction of a research group in central Papua in 1996. A rescue attempt in that incident left two Indonesian hostages dead. Kwalik was also involved in the 2002 ambush of a convoy of buses that killed a US national near the huge gold and copper mine operated by the Indonesian subsidiary of Freeport McMoRan and in a July shooting that killed an Australian project manager for Freeport, Bambang claimed. In a Web site posting, Kwalik had called himself a “general” of the West Papua National Liberation Army, the military wing of OPM. He also denied being involved in the shooting incidents, calling them a “pure conspiracy between the Indonesian police, the Army and Freeport.” In Sentani, near Jayapura, a rally held to mourn Kwalik’s death turned ugly when journalists covering the event were chased and harassed by some in the crowd of about 100. “I am worried that this incident will have a negative impact, like Kwalik’s supporters staging a riot,” said Johanis Harry Maturbong, the director of the Papua chapter of the Commission for Disappearances and Victims of Violence (Kontras). Harry said is was impossible to assess the impact on the OPM, since the group’s strength is unknown and the poorly armed rebels are split into several decentralized factions. Forkorius Yabusembut, head of Papua’s Traditional Council, said that “inhumane” killings of Papuans could “evoke a burning spirit” to fight for independence. Bambang said he expected calm and there was no need for the police or Army to send reinforcements to the region.

No Suspension for Boediono, Sri Mulyani: SBY

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Friday night said there was no need for Vice President Boediono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati to be suspended during the House investigation into the Bank Century bailout. “Neither Vice President Boediono nor Finance Minister Sri Mulyani have to be temporarily suspended or discharged” during the investigation, Yudhoyono told a press conference in Copenhagen, where he is attending the UN climate talks. The special House investigating committee on Thursday called for the president to suspend the two during the proceedings. Supporters of the pair have expressed hope the president would back them publicly. Yudhoyono said there was no legal basis for suspending the officials. He said he made the decision after talking to both Boediono and Sri Mulyani, who assured him that they could discharge their duties while answering questions posed by the House committee. He added that having them step aside would harm the economy.

Mercy Urged for Child Charged in Jakarta Murder

The National Commission for Child Protection on Wednesday said it was working hard to save a 10-year-old boy, suspected of having stabbed and beaten his adoptive mother to death, from serving up to 15 years in jail. East Jakarta Police investigators have said the child, who is originally from Nias and is an orphaned survivor of the 2004 tsunami in Aceh, may face charges for violating the 2004 law on domestic violence. The boy’s adoptive mother, Etty Rochyati, 55, was found dead in a ditch near her house in Ciracas, East Jakarta, in October. She had been found with multiple blows on the head possibly due to being beaten with a blunt instrument and a stab wound to the stomach. According to police, the boy said Etty had threatened to kick him out of the house if he did not obey her, and told him, “Don’t you know that you have no more mother and father?” Arist Merdeka Sirait, secretary general of the commission, also known as Komnas Anak, said the charge and the law on which it was based was inappropriate. If tried, he said, the boy should only be charged with the Criminal Code article on violence leading to death. The charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years but under the Child Protection Law, minors may only serve a third of the sentence, he said. Arist also argued that police investigators had failed to take into consideration the regular maltreatment of the child by his adoptive mother. “What the boy did may be seen as self-defense against abuse and was not intentional,” he said. “If the boy is still threatened with a 15-year prison sentence, the rule of law in Indonesia has been violated and this runs against what the Justice and Human Rights Ministry has planned for in its first 100-day work program,” Arist said. He added that a memorandum of understanding had been signed by five ministries and the National Police for underage criminal offenders stipulating they no longer be sent to jail but remanded to social institutions instead. Arist said the commission would push for an out-of-court settlement. “We are not dealing with the case of a 22-year-old man but a 10-year-old who is unstable and still has a long life ahead of him,” he said. He also said that Komnas Anak recommended that if the child, whose identity has been withheld, did not face trial, then he should be returned to the care of the state or to social services to get the appropriate psychological counseling. “Underaged criminal offenders should be given restorative justice — meaning giving them back to their parents or to social institutions,” he said. The family of the victim, who Arist said has agreed to drop charges against the boy, will meet with judges of the East Jakarta Court, police investigators, the commission and the Legal Aid Foundation to discuss the best way to move forward with the case.

Malaysian royal's estranged wife ordered home: lawyer

The estranged teenage model wife of a Malaysian prince was ordered by an Islamic court Sunday to return to her marriage and repay a 1.1 million ringgit (326,518 dollars) debt, his lawyer said. The estranged teenage model wife of a Malaysian prince was ordered by an Islamic court Sunday to return to her marriage and repay a 1.1 million ringgit (326,518 dollars) debt, his lawyer said. Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar said the northern Kelantan state Islamic High Court ordered Manohara Odelio Pinot to be "loyal" by returning to her husband, Kelantan prince Tengku Temenggong Mohammad Fakhry, and returning his money. "The court ordered Manohara to be loyal to her husband by returning to him to resolve their marriage problems within 14 days of an oath which the prince will take on January 3," the prince's lawyer Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar told . "The prince is delighted with the outcome and hopes that Manohara will follow the court's order and return," he added. Zainul Rijal said the court also ordered Manohara to return the money to the prince in a lump sum within 30 days of the ceremony. "If Manohara does not return to the prince within the stipulated time that will mean she can be declared 'disloyal' which means the prince would not be obliged to pay her any maintenance," he said. "It also means that should the marriage end in divorce in the future, she will not get any compensation as the divorce would have been caused by her disloyalty," he added. He said Manohara was not represented at the Islamic religious court after her Malaysian lawyer quit last month. In November, Tengku Fakhry won a defamation suit claiming Manohara and her mother had defamed him by claiming he had sexually abused the 17-year-old. In May, the US-Indonesian model slipped away from the prince's guards at a Singapore hotel and returned to her family in Indonesia with tales of abuse, rape and torture at the hands of the 31-year-old prince. Manohara -- a well-known socialite in Jakarta -- claims to have been cut with a razor and injected with drugs which made her vomit blood while being held under guard in her bedroom at the palace. Her Indonesian lawyer said she had filed a police report on the abuse but Indonesian police say they are unable to investigate as the incidents took place outside their jurisdiction.

Malaysian Court Rules Against Manohara

The High Court has allowed the Tengku Temenggong of Kelantan, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Sultan Ismail Petra, to enter a judgment in default against his estranged wife Manohara Odelia Pinot and her mother after they failed to engage new lawyers in his RM105mil defamation suit. This means that Manohara and her mother Daisy Fajarina will have to pay Tengku Muhammad Fakhry for defaming him. However, the amount of damages has yet to be determined by the court. A judgment in default is binding in favour of the plaintiff when the defendant has not responded to a summons or has failed to appear before a court of law. Speaking to reporters later, the prince’s counsel Mohd Haaziq Pillay said High Court senior assistant registrar Shazali Hidayat Shariff granted the order in his chambers yesterday after the mother and daughter failed to meet the deadline set for them to engage new lawyers. Earlier this month, Messrs Fakrul Hisham Abdullah and Associates, engaged to act for Manohara and Daisy Fajarina, withdrew as their solicitors on record. “The defendants have been given the opportunity to appear in court with evidence to support their allegations, but until today, they have not turned up,” said Mohd Haaziq. In July, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry filed a suit against Manohara and Daisy for defamation seeking RM35mil each in aggravated, exemplary and compensatory damages as well as costs, interest and other relief deemed fit by the court. He also applied for an injunction to restrain the defendants from further speaking and uttering similar words or statements against him. Manohara, 17, had fled from her husband on May 31 while they were in Singapore to visit the Sultan of Kelantan at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital. She returned to Jakarta after accusing the 31-year-old prince of physically and sexually abusing her, claims which were reported widely in the Indonesian and Malaysian media. As the baseless allegations were meant to disparage him in the eyes of the members of the royalty, the Government and the public, the prince said he was forced to initiate legal proceedings.

Manohara Will Not Return to Malaysia Despite Court Order, Daisy Declares

The mother of Manohara Odelia Pinot has said her daughter will not be returning to her royal Malaysian husband, affirming that she will not comply with an Islamic court ruling ordering Manohara’s return because she fears for her daughter’s safety. “We are disappointed with the court order, which we consider is unfair to our family,” Daisy Fajarina told The Malay Mail on Monday, further declaring, “we will not pay the so-called 1.1 million ringgit [$320,000] debt.” The Shariah High Court in Malaysia’s northern Kelantan state ruled on Sunday, after not being presented with any evidence, that Manohara was compelled to be “loyal” and return to her husband, Kelantan prince Tengku Temenggong Muhammad Fakhry, by Jan. 17. If she refused, she would be deprived of all privileges from her husband. The court also ordered Manohara to pay back 1.1 million ringgit owed to Fakhry. Daisy said that Manohara feared for her safety. “I, as the mother, am afraid too for her to return to Malaysia,” she said. Daisy said that both she and Manohara were prepared to face the consequences of ignoring the court order. Fakhry told The Malay Mail on Monday that he was confident Manohara would return to him. “I am confident that as a Muslim she will observe the order to be loyal,” he said. “My conscience is clear and I am glad that the cases in the Shariah and civil courts have come to a quick end.” Fakhry also won a defamation suit last month claiming Manohara and her mother had defamed him by claiming he had sexually abused her. In May, Manohara, who was 17 years old at the time, ran away from her 31-year-old husband while in Singapore. She returned to her family in Indonesia with accusations of abuse, rape and torture at the hands of the prince.

Indonesian House Probe Of Century Bailout Begins

The politically charged investigation into the Bank Century bailout by the House of Representatives begins today with the expected appearance of the leadership of the Supreme Audit Agency. The investigative committee, which is chaired by a member of the Golkar Party and dominated by pro-government lawmakers, has been widely seen as politically motivated, pitting entrenched political forces against relative newcomers Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Vice President Boediono, who was central bank governor at the time of the November 2008 bailout. Analysts question whether such a tribunal, taking place in the partisan atmosphere of the House, will be able to get to the bottom of the controversial Rp 6.7 trillion ($710 million) bailout. Political observer Arbi Sanit, of the University of Indonesia, said the matter would ultimately come down to politics, with the ruling coalition of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party dominating the committee, with 23 out of 30 members. “The conclusion will be determined by the majority who support the government,” Arbi told the Jakarta Globe. Adrianus Meliala, a criminologist from the University of Indonesia, added, “The committee should not consider itself a legal body, and should not use the approach of trying to find whether someone violated the law. This is a political process.” While there is no official target of the investigation, Sri Mulyani has said that Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie was trying to use the probe to oust her over longstanding policy differences. Golkar has dismissed the claims. Both Sri Mulyani and Boediono have said the bailout was necessary to protect the stability of the financial system at the height of the global financial crisis. Both are expected to testify during the probe. Boediono is scheduled to appear next week. Taufiqurrahman Ruki, deputy chairman of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), said on Tuesday that the agency’s leadership was ready to answer any questions. “We will share what we know about the case,” he said, referring to the BPK’s audit, which concluded that much of the money spent on the bailout lacked a legal basis. The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) is scheduled to face questioning on Thursday as the committee attempts to determine the recipients of the bailout money, said committee deputy chairman Gayus Lumbuun, of the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). In addition to Boediono, former Bank Indonesia Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah and former deputies Aulia Pohan, Miranda Goeltom and Anwar Nasution are scheduled to face questioning. Burhanuddin and Aulia are currently serving prison terms for convictions in an unrelated corruption case. The former central bank officials will be questioned about the establishment of Bank Century in a complex merger of three banks in 2004. Boediono’s spokesman, Yopie Hidayat, said the vice president was prepared to face the House committee. “Boediono is ready to explain what happened,” Yopie said. “From the very beginning, he has said he wanted the case resolved.”

Narrow Victory Completes Satria Muda’s Wild Weekend

Bandung, West Java. Rony Gunawan’s basket with 10.6 seconds left secured the Indonesian Basketball League Tournament trophy for Satria Muda Britama. Rony’s shot gave the four-time defending IBL champion a 61-58 victory against Pelita Jaya Esia in the final at C-Tra Arena in Bandung on Sunday. “I had to take that shot, we led by only a point before that and it went in,” Rony said after the game. “I’m really happy to win this, especially because we overcame fatigue after playing three consecutive matches in three days.” Hoisting the IBL Tournament trophy yet again capped a hectic weekend for Satria Muda. It started with a semifinal against defending IBL Tournament champion Garuda Flexi, which Satria Muda won 64-47. The team then traveled back to Britama Arena in Jakarta for an Asean Basketball League contest against the Singapore Slingers, which it won 67-58 on the back of standout performances from Indonesian players Faisal Achmad, Youbel Sondakh and Christian Robert Sitepu. Victory on Sunday allowed it to reclaim the trophy it lost last season, when Garuda beat Satria Muda 58-53 in the final. “It was a hard-fought victory as my players were all really tired because of that back and forth trip and Pelita played really well,” Satria Muda coach Fictor Roring said. Faisal led Satria Muda with 20 points, including six 3-pointers, and Amin Prihantono added 10 points. Erick Christopher led Pelita Jaya with 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. Pelita Jaya stayed close early, trailing just 27-22 at halftime. It made its move in the third quarter as Fictor rested his starting lineup, pulling ahead and taking a 44-43 lead into the fourth. Satria Muda fought back, though, and saw out the rest of the game to add to its trophy case. “Our players didn’t show good teamwork in crucial moments,” Pelita coach Rastafari Horongbala said. “I will make sure that kind of individual showing off won’t happen again.” Garuda, last year’s tournament winner and this year’s trophy game host, had to settle for third place after it defeated Aspac Jakarta 76-63 in the consolation game.

Third Place Slipping From Indonesia’s Grasp

Gold medalists Husaini Noor, left, and Muhammed Nasrulla of Indonesia
competing in the finals of the
10-meter platform synchronized diving event on Monday.

Vientiane, Laos. With four days left in the Southeast Asian Games, Indonesia is far from its target of third place in the medals table. The country, whose regional sports dominance has slipped since the late 1990s, is fifth in the medal tally with 21 gold medals, 21 silver and 36 bronze. Regional powerhouse Thailand leads the Games with 42 golds, 49 silver and 48 bronze. Vietnam (31-30-38) is second, followed by Singapore (27-18-25) and Malaysia (22-27-35). If Indonesia is to reach its top-three target, it must win more than its share of the 250 gold medals still up for grabs. “We think that 150 of those golds will go to Thailand and Vietnam, but they could still make mistakes,” Indonesia deputy chef de mission Djoko Pramono said on Monday. “We have the same chance as other countries for the other 100.” He refused to speculate on whether Indonesia could attain the top-three finish the government wanted before the Games. “All I can say is we still have a chance. To finish third, we’ll need at least 30 more golds,” he said. Indonesia finished fourth at the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand, winning 56 gold, 64 silver and 82 bronze medals. That followed a fifth-place showing at the 2005 Games in Manila, the country’s worst in history, with 49 gold, 79 silver and 89 bronze. It last won the medal tally when it hosted the 1997 Games, winning 194 golds and 410 medals overall. Badminton’s individual events are the nation’s best bet this year. During the 2007 SEA Games, Indonesian shuttlers swept all seven gold medals, including the two team events. The best they can do this year is six after the women’s team lost to Malaysia in the final. With 26 golds yet to be awarded, athletics could also be a place to make up ground. Suryo Agung Wibowo could add to his men’s 100-meter gold by winning the 200 meters on Wednesday, and women’s 5,000-meter champion Triyaningsih stands a good chance to win the 10,000 meters. Other medal hopefuls include men’s marathon runner Yazuha and women’s 110-meter hurdler Dedeh Erawati. Indonesia should do well in pencak silat, a martial art that originated in the country. Its defending SEA Games champions in men’s indoor and beach volleyball are still unbeaten after the group phase. Other possibilities include wrestling, judo and tennis. If Indonesia falls short, the government may ask just how well the Indonesian Olympic Committee’s Rp 19.5 billion (US$2.1 million) SEA Games budget was spent.

Prita Takes Firm Stand With Omni Over Suit

Prita Mulyasari, arguably the country’s most famous housewife for her David-and-Goliath struggle against a controversial defamation lawsuit, has decided to play hardball with Omni International Hospital. Slamet Yuwono, one of Prita’s lawyers, told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday that the mother of two had refused to drop her Rp 1 trillion ($106 million) countersuit against Omni, despite the embattled hospital announcing it was willing to forego the Rp 204 million it sued Prita for in a civil case regarding a defamatory e-mail she sent about her mistreatment at the hospital. She would only do so if the two doctors, who allegedly misdiagnosed her in the first place, told the panel of judges hearing a separate criminal defamation lawsuit that they had erred and wished to withdraw their legal action, Slamet said. “We are still in the middle of the mediation process proposed by the Ministry of Health, so we don’t want to rush things,” he added. Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih has offered to facilitate the mediation between Prita and Omni. The ministry has urged both parties to drop their lawsuits and settle the dispute amicably. Slamet said Prita would consider dropping her countersuit if Omni’s doctors, Hengky Gosal and Grace Hilza Yarlen Nela, agreed to ask the judges in the criminal trial to revoke their complaint against Prita because of a lack of supporting evidence. “It’s too late to drop a criminal case related to defamation, but it’s still possible for the doctors to ask the judge to stop it,” Slamet said. “They were the ones who started the dispute, so they should be the ones to end it.” Heribertus Hartojo, who heads Omni’s legal team, said the hospital was ready to drop its civil lawsuit and the Rp 204 million fine imposed on Prita after she lost the civil case against the hospital. “There is no catch,” he said. An outraged public has already raised the money required to cover the fine, while Prita’s lawyers have said they will appeal the verdict in the Supreme Court. Heribertus said Omni’s doctors did not mind asking the judges in the criminal trial to halt the case, however, Omni refused to stop the case over a lack of supporting evidence. “If we do that, it’s like we’re saying that these things didn’t happen, when they did,” he said. “We can only ask the judges to consider it, but we have no power to force them. We need to respect the ongoing legal process.” Heribertus said Omni would still drop its civil lawsuit today in the hopes that Prita would reciprocate. “We can only hope Prita accepts our gesture,” he said. “We’re dropping our civil lawsuit anyway, even though she has refused to do the same.”

Minister: ‘SBY Won’t Abandon Sri Mulyani and Boediono’

House of Representatives Speaker Marzuki Alie said over the weekend that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono continued to support Vice President Boediono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who are under pressure to resign for their roles in the bailout of Bank Century last year. Marzuki, a senior member of Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party, said there was no rift within the cabinet, and denounced personal political statements that muddled the ongoing House investigation into the Rp 6.7 trillion ($710 million) bailout. “SBY is a consistent person, he won’t abandon Sri Mulyani and Boediono,” Marzuki told journalists in Bogor on Saturday, referring to Yudhoyono. “There’s no rift in the cabinet. SBY will take responsibility. He is the one who really knows what’s happening in the cabinet,” Marzuki said. Analysts have been predicting the imminent demise of Boediono, who was central bank governor at the time of the Bank Century bailout in November 2008, and Sri Mulyani, who agreed with the decision to save the troubled lender. There has been rampant speculation that figures within the Golkar Party, as well as from other members of Yudhoyono’s coalition government, were plotting to oust the vice president and finance minister in the hope of getting their own officials into the powerful positions. Boediono and Sri Mulyani are respected technocrats, but analysts have said they are vulnerable because they do not have a political base. However, Marzuki’s comments indicate that Yudhoyono, who left for an official visit to Europe on Sunday, still backs the pair. His comments may yet help turn the tide in favor of the vice president and finance minister. Bambang Soesatyo, a Golkar lawmaker who claimed to have incriminating evidence against Sri Mulyani relating to the bailout, was forced to backtrack on Sunday after the finance minister released a videotape that disputed his claims. Bambang lashed out at Mulyani on Friday after she said in a newspaper interview that she doubted Golkar would be fair to her in investigating Bank Century, and also criticized its chairman, Aburizal Bakrie. 

Sri Mulyani Hits Back at Critics Over Bank Century

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati launched a counterattack against her political critics on Sunday, producing a videotape that refuted allegations she had huddled with former PT Bank Century owner Robert Tantular before deciding to bail out the troubled lender last year. The video was of the final part of a brainstorming session of the Financial System Stability Committee (KSSK) with senior officials from the central bank, the Finance Ministry and the Deposit Insurance Agency (LPS) on Nov. 21, 2008, the day the committee decided to bail out Bank Century. The tape shows Sri Mulyani, Vice President Boediono ­— the BI governor at the time — KSSK secretary Raden Pardede, head of the President’s Working Unit for the Management of Reform Programs, Marsilam Simanjuntak, and other officials. However, Tantular was not seen or heard on the tape. On Friday, Golkar’s Bambang Soesatyo, a member of the House of Representatives committee investigating the controversial Rp 6.7 trillion ($710 million) bailout, claimed to have a recording of a conservation between Sri Mulyani and Tantular at the meeting in question, in which the disgraced banker allegedly urged the minister to “just make the conclusion that the economy is in crisis” and rescue the bank. His comments were met with swift denials by Sri Mulyani, Boediono and Tantular, who is now in prison for fraud. “I never met, talked to or even personally know a person named Robert Tantular,” Sri Mulyani said. “It is despicable slander. We all hope the investigations go on transparently and credibly.” The House and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) are investigating the bailout amid unsubstantiated allegations that some of the funds were embezzled by political figures, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s re-election team. The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), which conducted a damning audit of the bailout, is scheduled to meet today with officials from the KPK, National Police and Attorney General’s Office to discuss its findings. Last week, Sri Mulyani told the Wall Street Journal that the House investigation into the Bank Century bailout was an attempt to discredit her. She also expressed doubts that the Golkar Party, which has been pushing for a full investigation, would be fair to her, given her strained relationship with the party’s chairman, Aburizal Bakrie. Her comments sparked outrage among Golkar lawmakers, causing further speculation that Sri Mulyani’s days as finance minister were numbered. Prior to Sunday, there had been a growing chorus among lawmakers for Sri Mulyani, as well as Boediono, who had pushed for the bailout, to resign to avoid hampering the investigations. However, it appears that Bambang overplayed his hand. Raden said the voice on the videotape that Bambang had claimed was Tantular was actually Marsilam. Tantular, he said, was waiting on the second floor of the Finance Ministry, while the meeting was held on the third floor. “He was brought there by the central bank because his bank was likely about to be bailed out,” Raden said of Tantular. Marsilam, he said, interrupted Sri Mulyani as she was mentioning Tantular’s name, creating the appearance he was part of the conversation. Earlier on Sunday, Bambang reiterated that Golkar had received a recording of a conversation between Sri Mulyani and Tantular and needed to confirm when it occurred. He also said it didn’t matter if the recording was wrong because, as a lawmaker, he was immune from prosecution. “What I said was in accordance with my duties. My duty is to find evidence, which is the recording. If it is said to be slander, prove it.”

Indonesian President Declares ‘Jihad’ on Corruption

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday night sought to regain the high ground in Indonesia’s drive to wipe out corruption, terming it a “jihad” and vowing to lead from the front. But those involved in corruption and their supporters will strike back, Yudhoyono warned in a nationally televised speech ahead of today’s International Anti-Corruption Day, which will see street rallies around the nation. The president’s speech came amid mounting criticism that he was faltering in his determination to tackle corruption, especially following his reluctance to deal quickly with drawn-out graft scandals involving law-enforcement agencies, members of his government and allegedly his own political party. “I will lead the jihad against corruption,” Yudhoyono said. “Corruption has now become a common enemy.” He added that groups that had benefited from a past environment tolerant of corruption “will certainly not stay idle and they will use whatever means to halt our efforts.” Anticorruption rallies will be allowed to proceed today, he said, but they should be orderly and peaceful. Yudhoyono, meanwhile, will leave for Bali to attend a conference. Yudhoyono on Sunday claimed he had information that today’s planned protests would include efforts to undermine his presidency. Security officials have pointed to a recent meeting at a hotel allegedly involving activists, public leaders and politicians. Activists have denied the claims. “We believe that the government has made wrong assumptions based on false information,” said Usman Hamid, of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras). “Police showed us the minutes of the meeting, which were completely different from the actual discussion. We were just planning the rally and establishing the short- and long-term goals for the fight against corruption.” Fadjroel Rachman, of the Anti-Corruption Civil Society Coalition (Kompak), said the president’s suspicions may have inspired some groups to take over the rallies to push their own political agendas. “That is why last Friday we submitted details of our plans and registered the members of those organizations [taking part] in the rally. This is to avoid the presence of illegal protesters and organizations,” Fadjroel said. Reacting to the president’s speech on Tuesday, he said Yudhoyono had little reason to boast about the country’s progress against corruption, as reflected in a slight increase in the country’s corruption perception index, from 2.6 last year to 2.8 this year, according to Transparency International. Improving 0.2 points is insignificant, and we are far behind Thailand, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia,” he said. In his speech, Yudhoyono also seemed to voice support for the harried Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). “A strong and capable KPK is still very much needed. Therefore I approve of wiretapping by the authorities but it should also be appropriately and properly regulated,” he said. In a move widely criticized by activists as designed to weaken the KPK, Communications and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring is pushing for a law that would regulate the body’s wiretapping powers.

Indonesian Law Goes Bananas Again as 76-Year-Old Man Jailed for Fruit Theft

The country’s justice system has once again found itself uncomfortably in the spotlight, this time over the arrest and jailing of a Yogyakarta grandfather for plucking a bunch of bananas from a tree he believed was growing on public land. As public outrage continues over alleged high-level corruption involving members of the nation’s elite, 76-year-old Klijo Sumarto has become the latest victim of a legal system that many observers say favors those with the money and connections to buy their way out of trouble. “[Klijo’s] status is that he has been temporarily detained under Article 362 of the Criminal Code for stealing,” said Adj. Comr. Yulham Effendi, the chief investigator for the Slemen Police in Yogyakarta. “He’s facing five years in prison. All of the proper procedures have been followed in this case.” The latest case in the special province follows a similarly controversial case in Central Java involving Minah, 55, an illiterate grandmother of seven, who was charged with stealing three pieces of fruit from a plantation company and placed under house arrest for 18 days before receiving a suspended sentence. In this latest case, Klijo was arrested and locked up in Slemen Prison. Klijo told the Jakarta Globe he was innocent. “The banana tree was growing on a village road. It wasn’t even on anybody’s land,” he said. “Besides, the tree had almost collapsed and was ready to fall on the road,” Klijo said, adding that he had chopped down the tree. He said he was taking the bananas home on his bike when he was warned against doing so by some passersby, so he placed the bunch beside the tree. Klijo, a small, frail-looking man who is visually impaired, said he did not understand why he was subsequently arrested. He said he was told by members of his family that Sulis, the owner of a paddy field near the banana tree, was responsible for reporting him to authorities. Yulham, however, defended the arrest, and described Klijo as a “habitual offender.” “Four years ago he was taken to court for stealing a chicken,” the officer said. “His excuse was that the chicken had been carried away by a flood and got stuck in a ditch near his house.” Yulham said that because others had witnessed Klijo taking the bananas, even without Sulis’s complaint, police were obliged to arrest the suspect. “Even if it is a small case, the law must be enforced,” he said. Akhnandari Malisy, a member of Legal Aid Institute (LBH) of Yogyakarta Indonesian Advocates Congress, said the case failed to take into account the public’s sense of justice.

Indonesian Security Chiefs Prepare for Riots

Activists demanding a thorough investigation

into the Bank Century bailout case at a demonstration
in front of the KPK building in Jakarta on Monday

The country’s top security officials said on Monday that they were preparing for possible riots in Central Jakarta and that military troops would be on standby for a planned anticorruption rally at Monas this week. The alert comes a day after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono speculated that his political enemies would attempt to hijack the protest to attack him. His security minister, the National Police chief and the head of the spy agency have huddled to discuss how to prevent agitators from hijacking Wednesday’s rally, organized by the Clean Indonesia Movement to commemorate International Anti-Corruption Day. The Jakarta Police announced that 14,000 officers, nearly half its force, would be on duty to guard the rally. The security chiefs said the central government was worried that the rally would be manipulated by certain groups and harm the public. But just like the president on Sunday, they named no suspects and did not elaborate. “I really hope the organizer of the rally will raise awareness about such possible manipulation,” said Djoko Suyanto, coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs. “Are there any indications that riots will happen? I think you can answer that by yourselves.” Djoko said the government would not issue a special alert level for police and the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI). “I hope nothing will happen. The police will work as usual, but their level of alertness will be increased. TNI troops will be in position.” Fadjroel Rachman of the Anti-Corruption Civil Society Coalition (Kompak), one of the rally’s organizers, appealed for calm. “It would be better to stop saying to people that the Dec. 9 movement is for treason, being used [by political interest groups] or being funded by corruptors,” he said. National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri said the police would provide an opportunity for rally participants to speak. But he said freedom of speech also had to respect the law. “We will guard the rally to keep it on the right track,” said Bambang, whose agency is under fire for allegedly framing two anticorruption officials for extortion. Sutanto, head of the State Intelligence Agency, said the public must bear in mind that groups had manipulated public movements in the past. “So be aware,” he said. “You journalists know who the manipulators are because most of them access the media organizations.” It is widely believed that the groups being referred to are opposition parties in the House led by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). Army Chief Lt. Gen. George Toisutta said there were no special preparations for the rally, but the military was ready for trouble. “We have a lot of experience with riots, which would make [the country take] a step backward rather than forward, ” he said. He said he hoped the demonstrators wouldn’t be provoked. “The people now are smarter and no one wants any unrest.” Speaking last week and on Sunday, Yudhoyono said his political opponents planned to use the rally to target him and his government over the Bank Century scandal. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and House of Representatives have launched separate probes of the government’s controversial Rp 6.7 trillion ($710 million) bailout of the bank amid unsubstantiated allegations that some of funds were embezzled by the Democratic Party. Some political analysts labeled the president’s remarks last week as “paranoid.”

Historic Climate Talks Open With A Stark Warning

Copenhagen. The most important UN climate-change conference in history opened on Monday, with diplomats from 192 nations warning that this could be the best and last chance to protect the world from the calamitous effects of global warming. The two-week conference, the climax of two years of contentious negotiations, convened in an upbeat mood after a series of promises by rich and emerging economies to curb emissions of greenhouse gases. But major issues were yet to be resolved. Conference president Connie Hedegaard said the key to an agreement was finding a way to raise and channel public and private financing to poor nations for years to come to help them fight the effects of climate change. Hedegaard, Denmark’s former climate minister, said that if governments missed their chance at Copenhagen, a better opportunity may never come. “This is our chance. If we miss it, it could take years before we get a new and better one — if we ever do,’’ she said. The conference’s first week will focus on refining the complex text of a draft treaty. Denmark’s prime minister said 110 heads of state and government will attend the summit’s final days next week. President Barack Obama’s decision to attend at the end of the conference, instead of during the middle, was taken as a signal that an agreement was nearer. The conference opened with video clips of children from around the globe urging delegates to help them grow up in a world without catastrophic warming. On the sidelines, climate activists competed to attract attention for their campaigns. At stake is a deal that aims to wean the world away from fossil fuels and other pollutants to greener sources of energy, and to transfer hundreds of billions of dollars from rich to poor countries every year over decades to help them adapt to climate change. Scientists say without such an agreement, the Earth will face ever-rising temperatures, leading to the extinction of plant and animal species, the flooding of coastal cities, more-extreme weather and the spread of diseases. “The evidence is now overwhelming’’ that the world needs early action to combat global warming, said Rajendra Pachauri, the head of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Signs of a breakthrough in negotiations emerged only recently, with commitments from the United States, China and India to control emissions. I n Jakarta, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday stressed the urgency of forming a new pact. “We wish to open a new historic page in Copenhagen with an agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol,” he said. Without it, he said, sea levels could rise by 1.5 meters by 2100 and dry or rainy seasons could be prolonged. “It would be better if we have a plan of action to reduce carbon emissions by up to 26 percent through reforestation, the control of fuel oil and transportation,” he said, adding that he was optimistic a firm agreement would be reached.

Former Indonesian Soldier Stokes ‘Balibo’ Flames With Account of Massacre

People watching the film 'Balibo' which depicts the murders of
Australia journalists during Indonesia's 1975 invasion of East Timor

Awitness to the deaths of five journalists at Balibo in 1975 has said a plainclothes unit of Indonesian troops advancing into East Timor in October that year — well before Jakarta officially invaded the country in December — shot the men dead and burned the bodies to erase the evidence. Gatot Purwanto, at the time an Army lieutenant, told Tempo magazine that the advancing troops had found the five journalists — Greg Shackleton, Tony Stewart, Gary Cunningham, Brian Peters and Malcolm Rennie — alive inside a house on the outskirts of the East Timor town of Balibo. But after shots came from the direction of the house, soldiers reacted by spraying it with gunfire. The journalists were later found dead inside. Determined to keep the presence of the marauding military unit unknown, the soldiers burned the bodies. “If they’re dead and we ignore the bodies, there would be evidence that they were shot in an area taken over by Indonesian guerillas. To make it easy, we just got rid of the traces. We said we knew nothing. That was our spontaneous reaction,” said Gatot, now a retired Army colonel. Air Vice Marshal Sagom Tamboen, a military spokesman, said he respected what Gatot reportedly said because he was an eyewitness, but lashed out at Australian filmmakers for bringing a movie on the killings to Indonesia and causing trouble.

‘Time is Running Out’ for Sumatra’s Rainforest as Demand for Palm Oil Soars

Tens of thousands of hectares of illicit palm oil crops are being
pulled out in Leuser Ecosystem, the largest rainforest in Sumatra

Driving through Indonesia's central Sumatra, it appears that all life on earth has been obliterated, like a scene from some apocalyptic movie. The land is tinted a sick gray. Some parts still smolder. Twisted hulks of tree trunks take on abnormal shapes. It is nearly impossible to imagine that this was once lush tropical rainforest. Nearby the rolling hills are covered in a sea of emerald green. But it is not a natural forest — it is a palm plantation. In supermarkets worldwide products containing palm oil — soaps, chocolates, margarine and cosmetics — fly off the shelves. Most consumers have no idea these products contain palm oil, often labeled as vegetable oil, and even less of a clue that conservationists are singling it out as being one of the main driving forces behind deforestation. Clearing forests for agriculture isn’t exactly new, but palm is quickly becoming the crop of choice. It is fast growing with high yields, global demand now tops 40 million tons a year, and it’s central to the economies of Malaysia and Indonesia. But the rate at which Indonesia’s natural forests are being torn down has made this tropical nation one of the world’s largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Already, 85 percent of Sumatra’s forests are gone and what is left is disappearing at an alarming rate. “We are running out of time here. We are at the end of the tunnel,” Peter Pratje, of the Frankfurt Zoological Society, said at an orangutan sanctuary in the heart of Sumatra. Sumatran orangutans are expected to be the first great ape to go extinct — due to the loss of their natural habitat. “The problem is there is no second chance,” Pratje adds. “If you shut down an ecosystem that is hundreds of years old you can’t regrow it.” It is a reality that even the largest buyers and producers of palm oil acknowledge. Consumer products giant Unilever spearheaded a movement towards sustainable palm oil cultivation — the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil — which gathered palm prod ucers, manufacturers and green groups to seek out a sustainable way to cultivate palm.“If agriculture cannot be made sustainable then we as a food and home and personal care company are in trouble,” Unilever Jan Kees Vis explained. But critics like Greenpeace fault the RSPO’s standards for being too weak and say that they cannot control their members. “If a company is doing deforestation and peat land destruction, we cannot say the company is sustainable,” said Greenpeace activist Bustar Maitar. At the moment, only 3 percent to 4 percent of globally produced palm oil is certified by the RSPO. It is a drop in the bucket now, but the RSPO expects the volume to double in the next year. But that probably will not be enough to save Sumatra’s forests. Conservationists say that it is time for companies to control their desire for more money, governments to start seriously enforcing forest protection laws and individuals consumers to take on responsibility and make lifestyle changes. For Sumatra, it might already be too late.

More Rain, Strong Winds in Forecast for Indonesia

The country should brace itself for more rain this week and sea swells more than two meters high, an official from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, said on Sunday. “Moderate rain is falling around the country, especially in the afternoons,” said Widada Sulistya, the director of the Center of Public Meteorology at the agency, which is also known as the BMKG. The rain will come with electrical storms and strong winds, he added. “Therefore, we warn people to switch off their electronic devices to prevent any damage caused by lightning,” he said. “[Storms] will also cause sea swells and we are forecasting swells of more than two meters, which are categorized as dangerous” Sulistya said. The BMKG said about 51 percent of the country’s 220 climatic forecast zones are experiencing a late rainy season because of the effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon. Suroso Hadianto, the BMKG’s head of climatology and air quality, said only 45 percent of the country had had a normal rainy season, including areas of northern Sumatra and Manado in North Sulawesi. Suroso said only 3.2 percent of the country saw an early start to the rainy season.