ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya, Mon, 12/22/2008 11:05 AM, Headlines
Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Li Keqiang inspected a bridge project in East Java on Sunday to consider a further loan of US$68.93 million for the bridge, which connects Java and Madura.
"The visit is part of a planned disbursement of the second stage of the loan by the Chinese government," head of Suramadu bridge development Atyanto Busono said in Surabaya.
Atyanto said the Chinese government, through Bank Exim of China, had earlier provided the first-stage loan of US$160.2 million for the national project.
He said the disbursement of the second-stage loan was originally scheduled for October but had been postponed because of the global financial crisis.
"Moreover, Bank Exim of China requires a new progress report on the project," Atyanto said.
He said the loan would be used to finance the completion of the main span, which is now having box girders installed, and to purchase stayed cables.
The province-owned Bank Jatim earlier provided a bridging loan of Rp 50 billion (US$4.5 million) to continue the development of the 5.4-kilometer bridge while waiting for the payment from China, he said.
The bridge is being developed in three parts; the Surabaya causeway (1.4 kilometers), the Madura causeway (1.8 kilometers) and the main span (2.1 kilometers).
Atyanto said the Surabaya causeway was 99.80 percent complete and the Madura causeway 99.23 percent complete.
"So far, the development of the middle part or main span of the bridge has reached 81.74 percent," Atyanto said, adding that overall, the bridge was 88.46 percent complete and access roads on either side of the bridge were 90 percent complete.
The total cost of the project, which is due for completion next year, is Rp 5.4 trillion.
Once completed, the bridge, whose construction was inaugurated by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri in 2003, will be the longest in the country.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Weighing the social content of CSR
ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya, Thu, 12/18/2008 11:15 AM, Supplement
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs are often seen as magical cures for people's difficulties. However, a company may not fully comprehend the real needs of the concerned community and consequently all the good intentions may end up being for naught.
In the beginning of June, residents of Tuban, East Java, found themselves in the news. The people, who lived close to a well-known cement factory, rejected the company's CSR efforts there. They said the CSR program had been created by a number of NGOs in Tuban to make a profit from the company by "selling" the sufferings of the people of Tuban.
Their action, which was reported by several East Java newspapers and a website, fortunately did not make news nationwide. It also did not affect or halt the cement factory's production. However, it did demonstrate that CSR programs could be abused, and that it could happen anywhere.
CSR is nothing new. Initially, a number of companies ran community development programs in their efforts to help local administrations develop communities living close to their operation sites. However, as the issues addressed are more varied, the companies conduct community development activities under a CSR scheme.
In Indonesia, CSR became more intense after Law no. 40/2007 was enacted, making it compulsory for companies to conduct them. Article 74 of the law states that companies involved in natural resources are obliged to be environmentally and socially responsible and bear the costs.
State-owned companies, likewise, have to implement CSR programs based on Law No. 19/2003 pertaining to state-owned companies. CSR here is place in a respectable positioned as there are clear budgets and guidance for their execution through the state minister of state enterprises. All this is interpreted as the Environment Preservation and Partnership Program (PKBL) to be conducted by all state-owned companies.
What was implemented by PT Semen Gresik in mid-August can be considered an achievement in the history of state-owned companies' CSR activities. The Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) awarded the company as the initiator of certifying 1,000 masons.
"Today is a historic day for Semen Gresik. In its 51 years it has succeeded in producing 1,000 Friends in Developing the Nation from various cities in Java and Bali," said Semen Gresik president director Dwi Soetjipto.
The program of 1,000 masons as the Friends in Developing the Nation is a continuing program to create communities of highly skilled masons in every regency in the country. The masons are no ordinary masons. They have to be aged between 30 and 56 with work experience of at least 10 years and domiciled in the related regency. Their certificates are nationally recognized and are issued by the Skills Certification Agency as well as accredited by the Construction Development Agency (LPJK) in East Java.
To date, Semen Gresik's certification of highly skilled masons has covered 28 regencies in three provinces, namely East and Central Java and Bali. "All these masons are recognized as highly skilled professionals. They are available for employment at any time, while their value is quite high," said Dwi Soetjipto.
Under its CRS program, state electricity company PT PLN donated a Suzuki APV Home Care vehicle valued at Rp 136.8 million to the Palliative and Pain Center at Dr Soetomo Hospital in Surabaya. The company also provided a soft loan of Rp 100 million via its partnership program to the Seloliman-Mojokerto Micro Hydroelectric Power Generator.
Besides donating to the health sector, PT PLN has stated its concern about education, local culture, preservation of the environment and global warming. To date it has donated school books, tables, chairs and book shelves to the Pacitan Smart House Library, gamelan instruments, drums and six motorcycles as well as planted one million trees.
In the world of telecommunications, PT Telkom has made major strides. In May, the company provided aid amounting to Rp 416 million to the Food Resilience Program in East Java, which was earmarked for Surabaya and Madura island.
For its CSR programs, PT Telkom has allocated Rp 26.9 billion, which is a significant increase from the 2007 budget of Rp 20 billion. Out of this amount, Rp 8.9 billion is for environmental preservation covering related education, training, disaster relief, public facilities, health centers and places of worship.
From aforementioned examples it is clear that laws covering CSR have been effective. Today, almost every major company has CSR or community development (CD) programs. However, in the absence of standard procedures in implementation, CSR and CD programs have become nothing more than mere charity. What's worse, they very often become a company's image building program.
In one study on CSR, social policy analyst and CSR consultant Edi Suharto noted that many companies were implementing programs on a copy-and-paste basis and merely spending the allocated budget. As most of the communities' aspirations and needs are neglected, many CSR programs of various companies become similar and often overlap. As a result, a program does not empower communities but turns into three ills: dependency, as the communities become highly dependent on the aid; blackmail, as members of communities often force their will upon a company; and poison, which simply damages both the company and the public.
However, Edi Suharto said, a number of CSR programs are varied based on a needs assessment. The variety of programs can be seen from the following examples: development of education and health facilities, providing loans to small and medium enterprises, social forestry, breeding of butterflies, scholarships, information on HIV/AIDS, enhancing knowledge, development of society protection conducted by members of communities and many others. So CSR is no longer only a matter of "do good and look good", but also "create and make good" in the sense of improving the communities' welfare.
"The question is whether cooperation between a major company and small enterprises is economically beneficial for both sides or merely exploitation of the small entity by the giant corporation? Can this then be categorized as positive CSR?" wrote Edi in the study. This cutting question has indeed restated or redefined CSR, which remains varied. "In my opinion, the definition of CSR is the company's concern in allocating part of its profit for the good of the people and the environment in a sustainable way and based on accurate and professional procedures," wrote Edi further.
The director of the East Java Forum for the Environment (Walhi), Bambang Catur Nusantara, has a different opinion. The director said that in reality CSR only maintains a company's capital and other resources, while actually CSR means a company's responsibility in respecting the communities' rights from the very start of the company's establishment through to the production process and final production.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs are often seen as magical cures for people's difficulties. However, a company may not fully comprehend the real needs of the concerned community and consequently all the good intentions may end up being for naught.
In the beginning of June, residents of Tuban, East Java, found themselves in the news. The people, who lived close to a well-known cement factory, rejected the company's CSR efforts there. They said the CSR program had been created by a number of NGOs in Tuban to make a profit from the company by "selling" the sufferings of the people of Tuban.
Their action, which was reported by several East Java newspapers and a website, fortunately did not make news nationwide. It also did not affect or halt the cement factory's production. However, it did demonstrate that CSR programs could be abused, and that it could happen anywhere.
CSR is nothing new. Initially, a number of companies ran community development programs in their efforts to help local administrations develop communities living close to their operation sites. However, as the issues addressed are more varied, the companies conduct community development activities under a CSR scheme.
In Indonesia, CSR became more intense after Law no. 40/2007 was enacted, making it compulsory for companies to conduct them. Article 74 of the law states that companies involved in natural resources are obliged to be environmentally and socially responsible and bear the costs.
State-owned companies, likewise, have to implement CSR programs based on Law No. 19/2003 pertaining to state-owned companies. CSR here is place in a respectable positioned as there are clear budgets and guidance for their execution through the state minister of state enterprises. All this is interpreted as the Environment Preservation and Partnership Program (PKBL) to be conducted by all state-owned companies.
What was implemented by PT Semen Gresik in mid-August can be considered an achievement in the history of state-owned companies' CSR activities. The Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) awarded the company as the initiator of certifying 1,000 masons.
"Today is a historic day for Semen Gresik. In its 51 years it has succeeded in producing 1,000 Friends in Developing the Nation from various cities in Java and Bali," said Semen Gresik president director Dwi Soetjipto.
The program of 1,000 masons as the Friends in Developing the Nation is a continuing program to create communities of highly skilled masons in every regency in the country. The masons are no ordinary masons. They have to be aged between 30 and 56 with work experience of at least 10 years and domiciled in the related regency. Their certificates are nationally recognized and are issued by the Skills Certification Agency as well as accredited by the Construction Development Agency (LPJK) in East Java.
To date, Semen Gresik's certification of highly skilled masons has covered 28 regencies in three provinces, namely East and Central Java and Bali. "All these masons are recognized as highly skilled professionals. They are available for employment at any time, while their value is quite high," said Dwi Soetjipto.
Under its CRS program, state electricity company PT PLN donated a Suzuki APV Home Care vehicle valued at Rp 136.8 million to the Palliative and Pain Center at Dr Soetomo Hospital in Surabaya. The company also provided a soft loan of Rp 100 million via its partnership program to the Seloliman-Mojokerto Micro Hydroelectric Power Generator.
Besides donating to the health sector, PT PLN has stated its concern about education, local culture, preservation of the environment and global warming. To date it has donated school books, tables, chairs and book shelves to the Pacitan Smart House Library, gamelan instruments, drums and six motorcycles as well as planted one million trees.
In the world of telecommunications, PT Telkom has made major strides. In May, the company provided aid amounting to Rp 416 million to the Food Resilience Program in East Java, which was earmarked for Surabaya and Madura island.
For its CSR programs, PT Telkom has allocated Rp 26.9 billion, which is a significant increase from the 2007 budget of Rp 20 billion. Out of this amount, Rp 8.9 billion is for environmental preservation covering related education, training, disaster relief, public facilities, health centers and places of worship.
From aforementioned examples it is clear that laws covering CSR have been effective. Today, almost every major company has CSR or community development (CD) programs. However, in the absence of standard procedures in implementation, CSR and CD programs have become nothing more than mere charity. What's worse, they very often become a company's image building program.
In one study on CSR, social policy analyst and CSR consultant Edi Suharto noted that many companies were implementing programs on a copy-and-paste basis and merely spending the allocated budget. As most of the communities' aspirations and needs are neglected, many CSR programs of various companies become similar and often overlap. As a result, a program does not empower communities but turns into three ills: dependency, as the communities become highly dependent on the aid; blackmail, as members of communities often force their will upon a company; and poison, which simply damages both the company and the public.
However, Edi Suharto said, a number of CSR programs are varied based on a needs assessment. The variety of programs can be seen from the following examples: development of education and health facilities, providing loans to small and medium enterprises, social forestry, breeding of butterflies, scholarships, information on HIV/AIDS, enhancing knowledge, development of society protection conducted by members of communities and many others. So CSR is no longer only a matter of "do good and look good", but also "create and make good" in the sense of improving the communities' welfare.
"The question is whether cooperation between a major company and small enterprises is economically beneficial for both sides or merely exploitation of the small entity by the giant corporation? Can this then be categorized as positive CSR?" wrote Edi in the study. This cutting question has indeed restated or redefined CSR, which remains varied. "In my opinion, the definition of CSR is the company's concern in allocating part of its profit for the good of the people and the environment in a sustainable way and based on accurate and professional procedures," wrote Edi further.
The director of the East Java Forum for the Environment (Walhi), Bambang Catur Nusantara, has a different opinion. The director said that in reality CSR only maintains a company's capital and other resources, while actually CSR means a company's responsibility in respecting the communities' rights from the very start of the company's establishment through to the production process and final production.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Bambang Sunarto: A taste of Java in New York City
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , New York | Tue, 12/16/2008 11:04 AM | People
The cold teased the group of people in the garden, and some occasionally shivered. "If you can't stand the cold you can come into the house, but don't forget to enjoy a special meal of Indonesian food," Bambang Sunarto told The Jakarta Post.
That Sunday morning, Bambang and dozens of members of Cakra, a Javanese community group in New York, were holding their monthly meeting -- in this case, their first after the Idul Fitri holiday on Oct. 1 and 2.
"It used to be a monthly meeting, but this time it's more special because we are holding the Halal Bihalal (a gathering especially to ask for forgiveness that follows Idul Fitri)," Bambang said.
Cakra was formed at the wish of young Javanese, although it is not exclusively Javanese. There are several other Indonesian community groups in the United States based on race, religion, address or the region where they live.
These include the Indonesian Youth Union Society New York, the Indonesian Downtown Youth (PDI) NY, the Maesa Family Group NY, the Maluku Community Family Association, the Aceh Community Union Society and the Minang Mangimbau Family Union Society.
The name Cakra is an amalgam created from the words cipta (to create), karsa (a wish or intention) and rasa (taste, sensation, feeling, sense). In other words, people who join Cakra must want to create something that is noble because their feelings come from the heart.
"But Cakra also has another meaning. It is a deadly weapon that is endowed with magical power to use in the fight against evil," said Mucharor Zuhri, one of the founders and a former leader of Cakra.
"This means that through Cakra the community members will be released from all sorts of evil temptations that may attract them during their time in America."
When Zuhri decided to move to Houston, Texas, a year ago, Bambang, originally from Wonogiri in Central Java, was chosen as head of the second generation of Cakra, a position with special responsibility, because "we carry the name of Java and Indonesia".
There are now about 1,000 Javanese in New York, which is quite a different situation to when Bambang first came to America in 1973, at the age of 24. "There were only a few Indonesians in America so there was no wish to demonstrate their existence here," he said.
That's hardly surprising: At that time, Bambang was a cook in a restaurant belonging to the Indonesian oil and gas firm PT Pertamina.
Bambang's two children -- Wenny Kartika and Yudha Wirawan, who were both born in the United States -- spend most of their time with their American friends rather than with friends from Indonesia. "Luckily my wife (Enny) and I keep introducing Indonesia to our two children so they haven't forgotten their roots."
Over time, more and more Indonesians migrated to the United States. According to data from the Indonesian Consulate in New York, there are 15,000 legal Indonesian immigrants registered across 15 states. There are also Indonesians who have not registered with the consulate or who may be illegal immigrants.
Bambang and other immigrants who have been in the country for a long time realized there was a good reason to give in to the wishes of the young Javanese who wanted to set up their own community group.
"Pak Zuhri and I, along with other friends, agreed to form Cakra," he said. Bambang's family fully support his involvement in Cakra, and all four always attend meetings together.
Bambang, who is now a member of the committee of Overseas Electors (PPLN) for the 2009 general elections, said people often had the wrong idea about Cakra and kejawaan (being Javanese), which is associated with the organization.
There are those who believe that Cakra is separatist and exclusively for Javanese, a belief, Bambang says, "that is totally not right". Actually, although they use the name of Java, the members of Cakra come from various backgrounds, and include not only ethnic Javanese, but also people from other ethnic groups across Indonesia. Some members are not even Indonesian.
"This usually happens because they married a Javanese person and followed them to join Cakra," Bambang said. Such people are welcome: The diversity brings color to Cakra and makes it more interesting.
The establishment of Cakra has started to create a spirit of togetherness among Indonesian immigrants; the group now has in its membership 63 families with a total of 252 people. "Actually when compared with the number of immigrants in America this is nothing, but didn't we all start from small beginnings?" Bambang said.
Every month, he holds a Cakra meeting, usually in the yard of a religious place or at the house of a Cakra community member. Although the group tries not to be too Javanese, Bambang and the other Cakra leaders do try to insert Indonesian culture (including Javanese) into Cakra activities.
The simplest way to do this is to serve Indonesian food at every meeting: ote-ote (prawn fritters), sate ayam, (chicken satay) urap-urap (vegetables and coconut), bakso (meat balls) and traditional market snacks.
"The food that we serve at the functions can't always be obtained in America, so this says a lot about the longing Indonesian people have for their food," Bambang said. Another way of keeping close to Indonesia is through Media Cakra, an Indonesian-language monthly publication that focuses on Indonesia.
"In Media Cakra, we discuss many things that breathe Indonesia, such as Ken Arok (the 13th century East Javanese leader of the Singosari kingdom), how to understand the Javanese alphabet, the Negara-kertagama (a Majapahit era document), through to recipes and how to make dishes that are specialties in Indonesia."
Even though these things are simple, Cakra manages to leaves a trace of Indonesia in the heart of young Indonesians living in America. "I still feel that I am an Indonesian," said 16-year-old Chita Boedidharma. For Chita, Chakra meetings are worth waiting for. "It's not only a place to hang out, it's also to remind us that we are Indonesians."
The cold teased the group of people in the garden, and some occasionally shivered. "If you can't stand the cold you can come into the house, but don't forget to enjoy a special meal of Indonesian food," Bambang Sunarto told The Jakarta Post.
That Sunday morning, Bambang and dozens of members of Cakra, a Javanese community group in New York, were holding their monthly meeting -- in this case, their first after the Idul Fitri holiday on Oct. 1 and 2.
"It used to be a monthly meeting, but this time it's more special because we are holding the Halal Bihalal (a gathering especially to ask for forgiveness that follows Idul Fitri)," Bambang said.
Cakra was formed at the wish of young Javanese, although it is not exclusively Javanese. There are several other Indonesian community groups in the United States based on race, religion, address or the region where they live.
These include the Indonesian Youth Union Society New York, the Indonesian Downtown Youth (PDI) NY, the Maesa Family Group NY, the Maluku Community Family Association, the Aceh Community Union Society and the Minang Mangimbau Family Union Society.
The name Cakra is an amalgam created from the words cipta (to create), karsa (a wish or intention) and rasa (taste, sensation, feeling, sense). In other words, people who join Cakra must want to create something that is noble because their feelings come from the heart.
"But Cakra also has another meaning. It is a deadly weapon that is endowed with magical power to use in the fight against evil," said Mucharor Zuhri, one of the founders and a former leader of Cakra.
"This means that through Cakra the community members will be released from all sorts of evil temptations that may attract them during their time in America."
When Zuhri decided to move to Houston, Texas, a year ago, Bambang, originally from Wonogiri in Central Java, was chosen as head of the second generation of Cakra, a position with special responsibility, because "we carry the name of Java and Indonesia".
There are now about 1,000 Javanese in New York, which is quite a different situation to when Bambang first came to America in 1973, at the age of 24. "There were only a few Indonesians in America so there was no wish to demonstrate their existence here," he said.
That's hardly surprising: At that time, Bambang was a cook in a restaurant belonging to the Indonesian oil and gas firm PT Pertamina.
Bambang's two children -- Wenny Kartika and Yudha Wirawan, who were both born in the United States -- spend most of their time with their American friends rather than with friends from Indonesia. "Luckily my wife (Enny) and I keep introducing Indonesia to our two children so they haven't forgotten their roots."
Over time, more and more Indonesians migrated to the United States. According to data from the Indonesian Consulate in New York, there are 15,000 legal Indonesian immigrants registered across 15 states. There are also Indonesians who have not registered with the consulate or who may be illegal immigrants.
Bambang and other immigrants who have been in the country for a long time realized there was a good reason to give in to the wishes of the young Javanese who wanted to set up their own community group.
"Pak Zuhri and I, along with other friends, agreed to form Cakra," he said. Bambang's family fully support his involvement in Cakra, and all four always attend meetings together.
Bambang, who is now a member of the committee of Overseas Electors (PPLN) for the 2009 general elections, said people often had the wrong idea about Cakra and kejawaan (being Javanese), which is associated with the organization.
There are those who believe that Cakra is separatist and exclusively for Javanese, a belief, Bambang says, "that is totally not right". Actually, although they use the name of Java, the members of Cakra come from various backgrounds, and include not only ethnic Javanese, but also people from other ethnic groups across Indonesia. Some members are not even Indonesian.
"This usually happens because they married a Javanese person and followed them to join Cakra," Bambang said. Such people are welcome: The diversity brings color to Cakra and makes it more interesting.
The establishment of Cakra has started to create a spirit of togetherness among Indonesian immigrants; the group now has in its membership 63 families with a total of 252 people. "Actually when compared with the number of immigrants in America this is nothing, but didn't we all start from small beginnings?" Bambang said.
Every month, he holds a Cakra meeting, usually in the yard of a religious place or at the house of a Cakra community member. Although the group tries not to be too Javanese, Bambang and the other Cakra leaders do try to insert Indonesian culture (including Javanese) into Cakra activities.
The simplest way to do this is to serve Indonesian food at every meeting: ote-ote (prawn fritters), sate ayam, (chicken satay) urap-urap (vegetables and coconut), bakso (meat balls) and traditional market snacks.
"The food that we serve at the functions can't always be obtained in America, so this says a lot about the longing Indonesian people have for their food," Bambang said. Another way of keeping close to Indonesia is through Media Cakra, an Indonesian-language monthly publication that focuses on Indonesia.
"In Media Cakra, we discuss many things that breathe Indonesia, such as Ken Arok (the 13th century East Javanese leader of the Singosari kingdom), how to understand the Javanese alphabet, the Negara-kertagama (a Majapahit era document), through to recipes and how to make dishes that are specialties in Indonesia."
Even though these things are simple, Cakra manages to leaves a trace of Indonesia in the heart of young Indonesians living in America. "I still feel that I am an Indonesian," said 16-year-old Chita Boedidharma. For Chita, Chakra meetings are worth waiting for. "It's not only a place to hang out, it's also to remind us that we are Indonesians."
Key points in Jakarta Declaration
Wed, 12/17/2008 11:11 AM World
With more than 1,400 journalists and media workers killed around the world in the line of duty between 1996 and 2008, the International News Safety Institute (INSI) unveiled a Jakarta Declaration at the end of its two-day conference on Tuesday in which it called on governments and media organizations for greater work safety.
*Governments are responsible for the safety of all of their citizens, including news media. They must end the culture of impunity in which journalists are murdered.
*News organizations are responsible for providing appropriate safety and trauma training, equipment and insurance for death or disability when their employees cover dangerous stories. Such provisions must cover all staff and freelancers.
*Journalists and media owners should discuss and agree on appropriate operational procedures governing safety and trauma.
*Journalists and other news media staff and freelancers must help and assist one another in hostile environments.
***
Reporters told to watch their own backs
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Tue, 12/16/2008 11:06 AM The Archipelago
A regional conference on journalist safety concluded that the government, media organizations, professional organizations and journalists themselves should ensure the safety of reporters in the field.
It said all aforementioned parties should be informed of a journalist's whereabouts as a safety precaution.
Such suggestions were heard during the two-day Regional Conference on Creating a Culture of Safety in the Media in Asia Pacific, which began Monday.
The 60 journalists from 11 countries gathered at the forum said that safety conditions for reporters were improving, but agreed further precautions, including awareness of safety measures, were crucial.
ABC Australia's Peter Cave said journalists were now more cautious.
"There is a rising trend in the awareness over journalists' safety now, compared to when I started covering news. This is very important," he said.
However, Maria Ressa of the Philippines voiced the need for special regulations for journalists to increase safety conditions.
"There should be a protocol implemented in a particular area on that matter (journalist safety), such as what to do in a certain condition," said Ressa from ABS-SBN television station in the Philippines.
She said the protocol should not only be disseminated among journalists but also other parties, such as governments and the public, to increase understanding and coordination in an emergency situation.
Insany, a Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia (TPI) reporter in Ambon, Maluku, cited the dangers faced by journalists reporting on sectarian violence in Ambon.
"Journalists were absolutely subject to danger during the conflict. The people and military had placed journalists in a position in which they could become victims at any moment," he said.
"The military should have protected them, but instead placed their lives in jeopardy."
Alwyn Alburo, from the Philippines' GMA 7 News, said journalists were not protected in the Philippines.
"We just want to hear a statement to stop violence against journalists from the president of the Philippines," he said.
Based on a report released by the International News Safety Institute (INSI), 13 journalists have been killed in Indonesia so far, giving the country the 19th highest death toll out of countries in which journalists have died in the field.
The Philippines is ranked five on the list with 54 deaths, while Iraq tops the death list with 106.
INSI director Rodney Pinder said reporters should be provided with training and "safety devises".
"INSI is aware that it's costly, but their safety is paramount," Rodney said.
***
Myanmar journalists face intimidation, pressure from junta
ID Nugroho and Lilian Budianto , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Wed, 12/17/2008 11:14 AM World
Journalists working in military-ruled Myanmar continue to face intimidation, torture and arrests in reporting on the country's corrupt and brutal regime, despite international calls for more press freedom, a conference on media safety heard Tuesday.
A Myanmar journalist, who asked not to be identified, told the conference that contrary to government claims, journalists in the country were treated as "dangerous enemies".
"There is no freedom for Burmese journalists to write about political and social conflicts," he said while asking that pictures of him and his colleague not be taken, out of safety concerns.
The Regional Conference on Creating a Culture of Safety in the Media in Asia-Pacific was organized by the International News Safety Institute (INSI) from Dec. 15-16, and brought together participants from 11 countries.
Mon Mon Myat, of the Burmese Journalist Protection Committee, said the junta had set up rules under a 2006 law on electronic media and 1996 law on film and computers that restricted how journalists could work.
Under the laws, journalists are not allowed to take pictures that might "pose a threat" to the government, with offenders facing up to 59 years in prison. Internet users are also under strict surveillance by the government, which requires service providers to check every five minutes websites visited by users and to immediately report suspicious or dangerous activities.
In 2008, 12 journalists and bloggers were arrested in Myanmar, the protection committee says. Several popular websites, including yahoo.com and hotmail.com, have also been blocked as the junta further isolates its people from the outside world.
"Eighty percent of Internet sites are banned by the government," said Ronald Aung Naing of the Burmese Journalist Protection Committee.
He added the government also monitored people regularly at checkpoints for cameras or video cameras with "dangerous" content.
Eko Maryadi, of the Indonesian Alliance of Independent Journalists, told the forum that although media freedom in Indonesia had improved since the fall in 1998 of former president Soeharto's 32-year regime, journalists still faced intimidation, harassment and lawsuits in reporting on certain issues.
"We have also seen more business groups filing complaints against journalists, claiming the reports harmed their reputation or business. This was rare in the past," he said.
The latest such case is the complaint filed by the Bakrie Group against Tempo daily over its reports on the financial problems of the group's top subsidiary, PT Bumi Resources.
The alliance recorded 43 cases of violence against journalists in 2005, with 53 in 2006, 75 in 2007 and 52 cases as of September this year.
The conference closed with a declaration calling on all governments in the region to take responsibility for the safety of all journalists working in their countries and to lift impunity for groups that had endangered the lives of journalists.
With more than 1,400 journalists and media workers killed around the world in the line of duty between 1996 and 2008, the International News Safety Institute (INSI) unveiled a Jakarta Declaration at the end of its two-day conference on Tuesday in which it called on governments and media organizations for greater work safety.
*Governments are responsible for the safety of all of their citizens, including news media. They must end the culture of impunity in which journalists are murdered.
*News organizations are responsible for providing appropriate safety and trauma training, equipment and insurance for death or disability when their employees cover dangerous stories. Such provisions must cover all staff and freelancers.
*Journalists and media owners should discuss and agree on appropriate operational procedures governing safety and trauma.
*Journalists and other news media staff and freelancers must help and assist one another in hostile environments.
***
Reporters told to watch their own backs
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Tue, 12/16/2008 11:06 AM The Archipelago
A regional conference on journalist safety concluded that the government, media organizations, professional organizations and journalists themselves should ensure the safety of reporters in the field.
It said all aforementioned parties should be informed of a journalist's whereabouts as a safety precaution.
Such suggestions were heard during the two-day Regional Conference on Creating a Culture of Safety in the Media in Asia Pacific, which began Monday.
The 60 journalists from 11 countries gathered at the forum said that safety conditions for reporters were improving, but agreed further precautions, including awareness of safety measures, were crucial.
ABC Australia's Peter Cave said journalists were now more cautious.
"There is a rising trend in the awareness over journalists' safety now, compared to when I started covering news. This is very important," he said.
However, Maria Ressa of the Philippines voiced the need for special regulations for journalists to increase safety conditions.
"There should be a protocol implemented in a particular area on that matter (journalist safety), such as what to do in a certain condition," said Ressa from ABS-SBN television station in the Philippines.
She said the protocol should not only be disseminated among journalists but also other parties, such as governments and the public, to increase understanding and coordination in an emergency situation.
Insany, a Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia (TPI) reporter in Ambon, Maluku, cited the dangers faced by journalists reporting on sectarian violence in Ambon.
"Journalists were absolutely subject to danger during the conflict. The people and military had placed journalists in a position in which they could become victims at any moment," he said.
"The military should have protected them, but instead placed their lives in jeopardy."
Alwyn Alburo, from the Philippines' GMA 7 News, said journalists were not protected in the Philippines.
"We just want to hear a statement to stop violence against journalists from the president of the Philippines," he said.
Based on a report released by the International News Safety Institute (INSI), 13 journalists have been killed in Indonesia so far, giving the country the 19th highest death toll out of countries in which journalists have died in the field.
The Philippines is ranked five on the list with 54 deaths, while Iraq tops the death list with 106.
INSI director Rodney Pinder said reporters should be provided with training and "safety devises".
"INSI is aware that it's costly, but their safety is paramount," Rodney said.
***
Myanmar journalists face intimidation, pressure from junta
ID Nugroho and Lilian Budianto , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Wed, 12/17/2008 11:14 AM World
Journalists working in military-ruled Myanmar continue to face intimidation, torture and arrests in reporting on the country's corrupt and brutal regime, despite international calls for more press freedom, a conference on media safety heard Tuesday.
A Myanmar journalist, who asked not to be identified, told the conference that contrary to government claims, journalists in the country were treated as "dangerous enemies".
"There is no freedom for Burmese journalists to write about political and social conflicts," he said while asking that pictures of him and his colleague not be taken, out of safety concerns.
The Regional Conference on Creating a Culture of Safety in the Media in Asia-Pacific was organized by the International News Safety Institute (INSI) from Dec. 15-16, and brought together participants from 11 countries.
Mon Mon Myat, of the Burmese Journalist Protection Committee, said the junta had set up rules under a 2006 law on electronic media and 1996 law on film and computers that restricted how journalists could work.
Under the laws, journalists are not allowed to take pictures that might "pose a threat" to the government, with offenders facing up to 59 years in prison. Internet users are also under strict surveillance by the government, which requires service providers to check every five minutes websites visited by users and to immediately report suspicious or dangerous activities.
In 2008, 12 journalists and bloggers were arrested in Myanmar, the protection committee says. Several popular websites, including yahoo.com and hotmail.com, have also been blocked as the junta further isolates its people from the outside world.
"Eighty percent of Internet sites are banned by the government," said Ronald Aung Naing of the Burmese Journalist Protection Committee.
He added the government also monitored people regularly at checkpoints for cameras or video cameras with "dangerous" content.
Eko Maryadi, of the Indonesian Alliance of Independent Journalists, told the forum that although media freedom in Indonesia had improved since the fall in 1998 of former president Soeharto's 32-year regime, journalists still faced intimidation, harassment and lawsuits in reporting on certain issues.
"We have also seen more business groups filing complaints against journalists, claiming the reports harmed their reputation or business. This was rare in the past," he said.
The latest such case is the complaint filed by the Bakrie Group against Tempo daily over its reports on the financial problems of the group's top subsidiary, PT Bumi Resources.
The alliance recorded 43 cases of violence against journalists in 2005, with 53 in 2006, 75 in 2007 and 52 cases as of September this year.
The conference closed with a declaration calling on all governments in the region to take responsibility for the safety of all journalists working in their countries and to lift impunity for groups that had endangered the lives of journalists.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Madura proposes special economic zone
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Surabaya | Sat, 12/13/2008 11:14 AM | East Java
Ahead of the anticipated completion of the multibillion rupiah Suramadu bridge project, the Madurese are proposing the island be developed into a special economic zone under the authority of the Mudurese to allow it to catch up with the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya.
In a meeting with acting governor Setia Purwaka earlier this month, the Madura Development Board representing the island's regional administrations, religious leaders, politicians and informal leaders, hailed the bridge megaproject worth Rp 3 trillion (US$272.7 million) as a chance for the islanders to make changes -- especially economically -- while simultaneously maintaining their traditional, religious culture.
"The government should give the locals incentives to advance in the economic, education, political and environmental fields in order to counter modernization following the bridge's operation," said board spokesman Ahmad Zaini.
"The incentives will become the main capital for the least-developed island."
Asked about the details of the proposed special economic zone, Ahmad said the Madurese did not want special autonomy such as what Aceh had, but had wanted a decentralized government approach so that the island had the authority to make economic decisions which would benefit its inhabitants.
So far, Madura has depended on Surabaya in numerous sectors, including its public infrastructures, power and clean water, he said.
There are four regencies on the island: Bangkalan, Pamekasan, Sampang and Sumenep.
The bridge project, which began in 2000 but was suspended several times due to financial reasons, is expected to be completed in March and to begin operating in April.
The idea for the bridge was suggested by construction expert Sedyatmo in 1960.
The interisland bridge connects Surabaya's Ujung Pier with Ujung Kamal in Bangkalan, Madura, hence the name Suramadu which comes from Surabaya and Madura.
It is expected to facilitate transportation to and from Madura, encourage a rush of urbanization, speed up industrial development and attract more investors to the island.
Salamah Cholil, a board member and religious leader in Bangkalan, expressed fear that modernization would damage the Madurese culture and this was why the Madurese clerics had opposed the project in the past.
With modernization, the Madure people might no longer send their children to the mushrooming pesantren or Islamic boarding schools on the island which have been seen as the only answer to the island's poor education system, he said.
Ahmad said the board would continue to campaign for the bridge and its benefits for the island.
Setia appreciated the board's support for the project which he said would make major changes on the island.
The four regencies should put their weight behind the provincial government's plan to revise the province's spatial zoning which will support the island's economic development, he said.
Ahead of the anticipated completion of the multibillion rupiah Suramadu bridge project, the Madurese are proposing the island be developed into a special economic zone under the authority of the Mudurese to allow it to catch up with the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya.
In a meeting with acting governor Setia Purwaka earlier this month, the Madura Development Board representing the island's regional administrations, religious leaders, politicians and informal leaders, hailed the bridge megaproject worth Rp 3 trillion (US$272.7 million) as a chance for the islanders to make changes -- especially economically -- while simultaneously maintaining their traditional, religious culture.
"The government should give the locals incentives to advance in the economic, education, political and environmental fields in order to counter modernization following the bridge's operation," said board spokesman Ahmad Zaini.
"The incentives will become the main capital for the least-developed island."
Asked about the details of the proposed special economic zone, Ahmad said the Madurese did not want special autonomy such as what Aceh had, but had wanted a decentralized government approach so that the island had the authority to make economic decisions which would benefit its inhabitants.
So far, Madura has depended on Surabaya in numerous sectors, including its public infrastructures, power and clean water, he said.
There are four regencies on the island: Bangkalan, Pamekasan, Sampang and Sumenep.
The bridge project, which began in 2000 but was suspended several times due to financial reasons, is expected to be completed in March and to begin operating in April.
The idea for the bridge was suggested by construction expert Sedyatmo in 1960.
The interisland bridge connects Surabaya's Ujung Pier with Ujung Kamal in Bangkalan, Madura, hence the name Suramadu which comes from Surabaya and Madura.
It is expected to facilitate transportation to and from Madura, encourage a rush of urbanization, speed up industrial development and attract more investors to the island.
Salamah Cholil, a board member and religious leader in Bangkalan, expressed fear that modernization would damage the Madurese culture and this was why the Madurese clerics had opposed the project in the past.
With modernization, the Madure people might no longer send their children to the mushrooming pesantren or Islamic boarding schools on the island which have been seen as the only answer to the island's poor education system, he said.
Ahmad said the board would continue to campaign for the bridge and its benefits for the island.
Setia appreciated the board's support for the project which he said would make major changes on the island.
The four regencies should put their weight behind the provincial government's plan to revise the province's spatial zoning which will support the island's economic development, he said.
European students give back with big hearts for RI schools
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Sidoarjo | Sat, 12/13/2008 11:14 AM | East Java
Maidina Salsa Billa's hand, holding a crayon, stopped moving the moment Anton Mikolasch came into her classroom at a state-run elementary school in Wonokalang, Wonoayu, Sidoarjo regency. Her eyes watched the Austrian student cross the room; he stopped right in front of her.
They looked at each other, Anton flashed a broad smile and Billa, aged eight, responded with a frank smile, before hunching over to resume drawing.
"The drawing books and crayons are part of our gift, we want the students to express themselves freely," Anton, a member of the aid group "Education for Indonesia", told The Jakarta Post.
As part of their goal to better education in the country, seven European students spent two days helping teachers and locals restore the school building, which was in poor condition.
This was the second mission organized by Education for Indonesia, a non-profit organization set up by alumni of the Indonesia-Europe Student Exchange Program in Bali -- the first took place in 2006.
Before Sidoarjo, the European students conducted similar activities in Bali. "We don't want to interfere in Indonesia's internal affairs on education, but this way we can give thanks to Indonesian society, which has allowed us to stay here and learn," said Anton.
Unlike other institutions, Education for Indonesia has no special funds to cover its activities and, therefore, the European students carefully selected the schools they wanted to visit and help. "Prior to conducting our activities, we survey the school we want to help and assess whether our visit can be effective or not."
The students brought educational materials worth Rp 10 million ($US950) and received a charming welcome from a total of 109 students and their teachers. "We do not see the assistance's value but we appreciate highly their goodwill," school principal Hadi Mulyo said.
He said the European students not only brought funds but took the initiative to help repair leaks in the school's roof along with teaching staff and local people. Their cooperation means classrooms will no longer leak when it rains.
Hadi said the financial assistance was used to repair the teachers' rooms by employing local workers.
Anton and his group were apparently proud of their work and contribution to the elementary school. "We want students to feel secure in their classes to allow them to study well," he said. The young students seemed happy with the European students and their interactions became more lively during games played on the second day.
Billa was one of the students who was made happy by the visit of foreign students, she was lucky enough to receive a drawing book and crayons from them. "I feel happy to get a gift from the bule," she said, using the colloquial term for foreigner.
Maidina Salsa Billa's hand, holding a crayon, stopped moving the moment Anton Mikolasch came into her classroom at a state-run elementary school in Wonokalang, Wonoayu, Sidoarjo regency. Her eyes watched the Austrian student cross the room; he stopped right in front of her.
They looked at each other, Anton flashed a broad smile and Billa, aged eight, responded with a frank smile, before hunching over to resume drawing.
"The drawing books and crayons are part of our gift, we want the students to express themselves freely," Anton, a member of the aid group "Education for Indonesia", told The Jakarta Post.
As part of their goal to better education in the country, seven European students spent two days helping teachers and locals restore the school building, which was in poor condition.
This was the second mission organized by Education for Indonesia, a non-profit organization set up by alumni of the Indonesia-Europe Student Exchange Program in Bali -- the first took place in 2006.
Before Sidoarjo, the European students conducted similar activities in Bali. "We don't want to interfere in Indonesia's internal affairs on education, but this way we can give thanks to Indonesian society, which has allowed us to stay here and learn," said Anton.
Unlike other institutions, Education for Indonesia has no special funds to cover its activities and, therefore, the European students carefully selected the schools they wanted to visit and help. "Prior to conducting our activities, we survey the school we want to help and assess whether our visit can be effective or not."
The students brought educational materials worth Rp 10 million ($US950) and received a charming welcome from a total of 109 students and their teachers. "We do not see the assistance's value but we appreciate highly their goodwill," school principal Hadi Mulyo said.
He said the European students not only brought funds but took the initiative to help repair leaks in the school's roof along with teaching staff and local people. Their cooperation means classrooms will no longer leak when it rains.
Hadi said the financial assistance was used to repair the teachers' rooms by employing local workers.
Anton and his group were apparently proud of their work and contribution to the elementary school. "We want students to feel secure in their classes to allow them to study well," he said. The young students seemed happy with the European students and their interactions became more lively during games played on the second day.
Billa was one of the students who was made happy by the visit of foreign students, she was lucky enough to receive a drawing book and crayons from them. "I feel happy to get a gift from the bule," she said, using the colloquial term for foreigner.
Madura Island gears up for vote reruns
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Bangkalan, Madura | Tue, 12/09/2008 7:39 AM | Headlines
The political climate in Bangkalan and Sampang is set to boil over as the two regencies on Madura Island gear up for vote reruns next month.
The planned reruns have become a hot topic among natives in coffee kiosks, traditional markets and workplaces. The campaign teams of governor hopeful Soekarwo and his rival Khofifah Indar Parawansa are intensifying last-minute efforts to win voters.
The campaign teams from the United Development Party (PPP) and the Patriotic Party, which nominate Khofifah and her running mate Mudjiono, have chosen Islamic boarding schools and the Nadhlatul Ulama-affiliated Fattayat women’s organization as the foci for their campaign efforts.
The Democratic Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN), which support Soekarwo and his running mate Saifullah Yusuf, are concentrating their attention on winning over local elite groups.
Soekarwo, a former secretary of the provincial government, has won political support from the bureaucracy and local officials, many of whom have had their positions threatened by the issuance of Government Regulation No. 41 stipulating a reorganization of regional administrations.
Salimah Cholil, an executive of the Fattayat women’s organization in Bangkalan, said the Khofifah-Mudjiono pair had replaced their campaign team and witnesses with new faces. The pair has also picked her son, Imam Buchori Cholil, to lobby clerics and Islamic boarding schools in the two regencies.
She said four of the 12 Islamic boarding schools in Bangkalan supported Khofifah and the majority of eligible voters outside the boarding schools had voted for her in the run-off.
“But the vote counting in many polling stations was rigged to help Karsa win,” she said, referring to the pair of Sukarwo and Saifullah.
The Constitutional Court recently ordered a vote rerun in the two regencies and a vote recount in Pamekasan after finding massive and systematic violations had benefited Soekarwo and Saifullah during the run-off.
The provincial elections commission (KPUD) has planned to stage the recount between Dec. 13 and 16 and the vote reruns on Jan. 21, 2009.
Both camps said they were aware that the rerun would be decisive.
Based on the KPUD’s initial count, Soekarwo won the election, securing 291,781 votes to Khofifah’s 151,666 in Bangkalan. In Sampang, Soekarwo secured 240,552 votes compared to Khofifah’s 181,698 votes.
A local figure has called on the poll supervision committee, witnesses, monitoring agencies and the police to pay more attention during the recount in Bangkalan, which he said would be prone to rigging.
“Tanah Merah and Blega are the two districts where the most incidences of vote rigging occurred in the run-off. In Tanah Merah, witnesses for Khofifah were intimidated, and in Karang Gayam village, Blega, chairman of the local polling station, Supriyadi, said he was asked to punch 200 ballot papers to secure victory for a certain candidate,” he said.
Abdul Wasik, an executive of the Patriotic Party in Sampang, asked the public to stay vigilant to signs of vote rigging during the rerun. He said violations were rampant in the districts of Srenyak, Sukodono, Omben and Camplong.
“Yet, Bangkalan is apparently more crucial than Sampang,” he said.
The political climate in Bangkalan and Sampang is set to boil over as the two regencies on Madura Island gear up for vote reruns next month.
The planned reruns have become a hot topic among natives in coffee kiosks, traditional markets and workplaces. The campaign teams of governor hopeful Soekarwo and his rival Khofifah Indar Parawansa are intensifying last-minute efforts to win voters.
The campaign teams from the United Development Party (PPP) and the Patriotic Party, which nominate Khofifah and her running mate Mudjiono, have chosen Islamic boarding schools and the Nadhlatul Ulama-affiliated Fattayat women’s organization as the foci for their campaign efforts.
The Democratic Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN), which support Soekarwo and his running mate Saifullah Yusuf, are concentrating their attention on winning over local elite groups.
Soekarwo, a former secretary of the provincial government, has won political support from the bureaucracy and local officials, many of whom have had their positions threatened by the issuance of Government Regulation No. 41 stipulating a reorganization of regional administrations.
Salimah Cholil, an executive of the Fattayat women’s organization in Bangkalan, said the Khofifah-Mudjiono pair had replaced their campaign team and witnesses with new faces. The pair has also picked her son, Imam Buchori Cholil, to lobby clerics and Islamic boarding schools in the two regencies.
She said four of the 12 Islamic boarding schools in Bangkalan supported Khofifah and the majority of eligible voters outside the boarding schools had voted for her in the run-off.
“But the vote counting in many polling stations was rigged to help Karsa win,” she said, referring to the pair of Sukarwo and Saifullah.
The Constitutional Court recently ordered a vote rerun in the two regencies and a vote recount in Pamekasan after finding massive and systematic violations had benefited Soekarwo and Saifullah during the run-off.
The provincial elections commission (KPUD) has planned to stage the recount between Dec. 13 and 16 and the vote reruns on Jan. 21, 2009.
Both camps said they were aware that the rerun would be decisive.
Based on the KPUD’s initial count, Soekarwo won the election, securing 291,781 votes to Khofifah’s 151,666 in Bangkalan. In Sampang, Soekarwo secured 240,552 votes compared to Khofifah’s 181,698 votes.
A local figure has called on the poll supervision committee, witnesses, monitoring agencies and the police to pay more attention during the recount in Bangkalan, which he said would be prone to rigging.
“Tanah Merah and Blega are the two districts where the most incidences of vote rigging occurred in the run-off. In Tanah Merah, witnesses for Khofifah were intimidated, and in Karang Gayam village, Blega, chairman of the local polling station, Supriyadi, said he was asked to punch 200 ballot papers to secure victory for a certain candidate,” he said.
Abdul Wasik, an executive of the Patriotic Party in Sampang, asked the public to stay vigilant to signs of vote rigging during the rerun. He said violations were rampant in the districts of Srenyak, Sukodono, Omben and Camplong.
“Yet, Bangkalan is apparently more crucial than Sampang,” he said.
Poll workers protest court’s call for rerun
ID Nugroho and Indra Harsaputra , The Jakarta Post , Bangkalan | Tue, 12/09/2008 10:37 AM | The Archipelago
Numerous technical and logistical problems are expected to hamper a planned vote rerun in Sampang and Bangkalan regencies in Madura, including a shortage of personnel and social unrest, the local polling body says.
In Bangkalan, the 9,759 temporary election workers posted at the regency’s polling booths for the first vote have expressed reluctance to help in the rerun, saying they were disappointed by the Constitutional Court’s recent verdict ordering a recount in Pamekasan and a rerun in Sampang and Bangkalan within 60 days.
They said they were concerned mounting political tension in the region could lead to conflicts.
“Most of the non-permanent staff are disappointed by the court’s decision and are reluctant to conduct the vote rerun, but election committees in districts are still lobbying them all,” chairman of the polling body in Bangkalan, M. Zazuli, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
Mohammad Fauzan, a member of the polling body in Bangkalan, said Monday that more than 9,000 temporary election workers who manned polling booths in the regency for the initial election had decided not to work again in the rerun in protest of the court’s verdict.
He said he and his fellow workers would only agree to take part in a rerun if it were restricted to the six polling booths that had reported errors in the initial vote. He added the polling body would need at least another month to replace the workers.
“If the polling body is forced to rerun the vote, it will open an opportunity for the candidates defeated in the rerun to file complaints with the court,” he said.
The polling body will have to set up 1,445 polling stations under 843 district election committees for the rerun.
“The court’s decision indirectly gives the impression the voting went beyond the rules of the game in all polling stations during the second round,” Zazuli said, adding that his side was awaiting guidelines from the KPU on how to stage the rerun.
In Sampang, the local polling body had yet to coordinate with district electoral committees to hold the rerun.
“We do not know yet who will handle the vote logistics, including the printing of ballots and how their distribution will be conducted,” chairman of the local polling body M. Dofier said, adding that his side was learning about developments of the rerun from local media.
In Sampang, the polling body must prepare 90 electoral committees in 18 districts, 558 subcommittees in subdistricts and 9,759 subcommittees in 1,445 polling stations.
In Bangkalan, the local polling body must set up 70 electoral committees in 14 districts, 558 subcommittees in subdistricts and 9,282 subcommittees in 1,326 polling stations.
Numerous technical and logistical problems are expected to hamper a planned vote rerun in Sampang and Bangkalan regencies in Madura, including a shortage of personnel and social unrest, the local polling body says.
In Bangkalan, the 9,759 temporary election workers posted at the regency’s polling booths for the first vote have expressed reluctance to help in the rerun, saying they were disappointed by the Constitutional Court’s recent verdict ordering a recount in Pamekasan and a rerun in Sampang and Bangkalan within 60 days.
They said they were concerned mounting political tension in the region could lead to conflicts.
“Most of the non-permanent staff are disappointed by the court’s decision and are reluctant to conduct the vote rerun, but election committees in districts are still lobbying them all,” chairman of the polling body in Bangkalan, M. Zazuli, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
Mohammad Fauzan, a member of the polling body in Bangkalan, said Monday that more than 9,000 temporary election workers who manned polling booths in the regency for the initial election had decided not to work again in the rerun in protest of the court’s verdict.
He said he and his fellow workers would only agree to take part in a rerun if it were restricted to the six polling booths that had reported errors in the initial vote. He added the polling body would need at least another month to replace the workers.
“If the polling body is forced to rerun the vote, it will open an opportunity for the candidates defeated in the rerun to file complaints with the court,” he said.
The polling body will have to set up 1,445 polling stations under 843 district election committees for the rerun.
“The court’s decision indirectly gives the impression the voting went beyond the rules of the game in all polling stations during the second round,” Zazuli said, adding that his side was awaiting guidelines from the KPU on how to stage the rerun.
In Sampang, the local polling body had yet to coordinate with district electoral committees to hold the rerun.
“We do not know yet who will handle the vote logistics, including the printing of ballots and how their distribution will be conducted,” chairman of the local polling body M. Dofier said, adding that his side was learning about developments of the rerun from local media.
In Sampang, the polling body must prepare 90 electoral committees in 18 districts, 558 subcommittees in subdistricts and 9,759 subcommittees in 1,445 polling stations.
In Bangkalan, the local polling body must set up 70 electoral committees in 14 districts, 558 subcommittees in subdistricts and 9,282 subcommittees in 1,326 polling stations.
FIGHTING PIRACY
Business Software Alliance (BSA) representative Donny A. Sheyoputra holds up Tuesday a pirated and an authentic CD to journalists to show them how to identify the difference. BSA has teamed up with the police to fight software piracy in Indonesia, where 84 percent of software products sold last year were pirated versions. BSA estimated those losses at US$411 million.photo by iman d. nugroho
Thursday, November 27, 2008
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a Situbondo chicken?
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Situbondo Fri, 11/28/2008 10:57 AM Java Brew
Ahmad Junaedi's hand stroked the body of Kancil, his pet chicken, from its head to the tip of its tail.
Occasionally his fingers would massage the brisket of the white-winged chicken. He stretched the bird like a gymnastics trainer going through a warm-up routine with his beloved athlete.
On this particular Sunday, Kancil was racing in the final competition of ayam sap-sap (chicken ceremony).
"This is the final. That's why Kancil has to be truly fit," Junaedi said.
Ayam sap-sap is a traditional competition held by the Pasir Putih coastal community of Situbondo Regency, East Java, around 180 kilometers from Surabaya.
This one is different from other chicken events that are carried out in other regions around the country.
Ayam sap-sap is unique, in that it requires a chicken to fly from a boat out at sea toward the mainland.
Can chickens fly?
That's the contest's unique property. The ayam sap-sap forces its contestants to fly as far as possible toward the mainland -- the one that flies the farthest is declared the winner.
"There is a way to choose chickens so that they can fly far, and that is one of the tricks that has to be mastered to win," Junaedi said.
It is not clear who was the first to introduce this to Situbondo. There are some who say it was adopted from a similar competition held by the community of Kangean Island, not far from Madura Island.
It is also said that the basic idea comes from the traditional culture of sedekah bumi (a thanksgiving ceremony for the earth). Thanksgiving ceremonies performed by farmers -- involving food, plants and livestock, and which are carried out in the middle of the sea -- may have provided the idea for the ayam sap-sap.
The competition was previously held on religious days and national days, such as Indonesian Independence Day, celebrated on Aug. 17.
The Tourist Department in Situbondo then adopted it as an entertainment feature of Situbondo.
"Up to now ayam sap-sap has only been held on the beach of Pasir Putih Situbondo," said Soenarmadji, head of the regional Tours, Destinations and Attractions Division of the East Java Tourist Department.
Because of its unique feature, it's always a highly anticipated event by the local community. Thousands of people from Situbondo and from cities in East Java sit on the beach of Pasir Putih to watch the race.
The chickens always receive a lot of attention from the audience. Before the event, they receive special treatment from their handlers -- they are stroked, massaged and given energy-rich foods, including corn and energy drinks.
The participants must be hens, at least one year old and must be in good physical condition.
The bird's feathers have to be dense, soft and clean. Its wings must be long and dangle down and it must have a long tail. When the most suitable bird has been found it needs to be trained to fly.
In ayam sap-sap, a chicken is thrown into the air -- it then flies toward the mainland. Some of them can fly 300 meters or more.
As the competition date approaches, training becomes more intense, with birds working out almost every day.
Before the race, all birds are examined beforehand by a team of vets provided by the committee.
From the 200 chickens nominated for that Sunday, only 15 made it into the final competition -- including Kancil.
The contestants were taken several hundred meters off the shore by a boat.
Flapping their wings and sailing across the sea to the beach, they could be seen frantically flying toward the shore where onlookers applauded and cheered them on.
Most of the chickens landed safely on the beach; some of them crash-landed in the water.
Junaedi's primed athlete, Kancil, was outdone by a firm competitor called Lorek, who belonged to Rinto from Pasir Putih Situbondo.
"I'm also surprised that Lorek could fly so far," Rinto said.
A day for disabled kids to shine
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Surabaya, East Java | Fri, 11/28/2008 10:57 AM | Sports
Yusak Immanuel waved his hands in the air, a broad grin on his sand-smeared face, as he celebrated his feat: a personal best in the long jump.
"I am happy. I want to be the champion," Yusak told The Jakarta Post after he completed his victory lap at Surabaya's National Sports Council field on Wednesday.
For Yusak, a student of Siswa Budi, a school for children with disabilities in Surabaya, East Java, this was an exciting day. Yusak was one of 230 athletes with mental and physical disabilities who competed in a sports carnival for children with disabilities, organized by the Surabaya chapter of the Sports for People with Disabilities Agency (BPOC).
At least 45 schools across the city sent students to compete in the carnival, which featured nine different events including chess, tennis, 50-meter and 100-meter sprints, hammer throw, discus throw and javelin throw.
"We take their disabilities into consideration in this competition. People with certain physical disabilities could not compete in certain events," Surabaya BPOC chairman Kasmin told the Post.
In some competitions, trainers or teachers helped out their students with instructions on how to compete in their events.
"Come on ... Please jump with both legs. Don't walk," one coach said to a long-jump athlete.
Nunik Malinda, a sports coach at Siswa Budi, said trainers needed to know the tricks when coaching students with disabilities.
"As children, they always want to play so we need to make them see sport as part of their games," Nunik said.
"Of course, we have to be patient and keep repeating the instructions during the training to ensure that they understand what to do."
A trainer at Sasanti Wijaya school, Biva Syaria Juned, said it was unfortunate that many students with disabilities could not do sports because of the lack of sports facilities at their schools.
"We have to keep introducing sports to the students. But it will be limited to sports that do not need certain facilities," Biva said.
Not all went smoothly on the day. One enthusiastic young athlete kept running even after he crossed the finishing line, and a blind athlete threw a javelin into the watching crowd.
Yusak Immanuel waved his hands in the air, a broad grin on his sand-smeared face, as he celebrated his feat: a personal best in the long jump.
"I am happy. I want to be the champion," Yusak told The Jakarta Post after he completed his victory lap at Surabaya's National Sports Council field on Wednesday.
For Yusak, a student of Siswa Budi, a school for children with disabilities in Surabaya, East Java, this was an exciting day. Yusak was one of 230 athletes with mental and physical disabilities who competed in a sports carnival for children with disabilities, organized by the Surabaya chapter of the Sports for People with Disabilities Agency (BPOC).
At least 45 schools across the city sent students to compete in the carnival, which featured nine different events including chess, tennis, 50-meter and 100-meter sprints, hammer throw, discus throw and javelin throw.
"We take their disabilities into consideration in this competition. People with certain physical disabilities could not compete in certain events," Surabaya BPOC chairman Kasmin told the Post.
In some competitions, trainers or teachers helped out their students with instructions on how to compete in their events.
"Come on ... Please jump with both legs. Don't walk," one coach said to a long-jump athlete.
Nunik Malinda, a sports coach at Siswa Budi, said trainers needed to know the tricks when coaching students with disabilities.
"As children, they always want to play so we need to make them see sport as part of their games," Nunik said.
"Of course, we have to be patient and keep repeating the instructions during the training to ensure that they understand what to do."
A trainer at Sasanti Wijaya school, Biva Syaria Juned, said it was unfortunate that many students with disabilities could not do sports because of the lack of sports facilities at their schools.
"We have to keep introducing sports to the students. But it will be limited to sports that do not need certain facilities," Biva said.
Not all went smoothly on the day. One enthusiastic young athlete kept running even after he crossed the finishing line, and a blind athlete threw a javelin into the watching crowd.
Getting a taste from home in the Big Apple
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , New York | Fri, 11/14/2008 11:07 AM | Potpourri
Nani Tanzil greeted her customers personally. "Hi, how are you?" You look thin now, what's happening? I guess that's because you don't eat here as regularly as before."
She is the owner of Indonesian restaurant Minang Asli in the district of Queens, New York. Minang Asli is just one of tens of restaurants in the United States offering an Indonesian menu.
Nani said running a restaurant in the United States was not as easy as many people would think.
It takes hard work to turn a dream into reality, she said, not to mention fierce competition with other restaurants and the fact that many Americans were not accustomed to the taste of Indonesian food.
"But that doesn't mean there aren't any opportunities. I can do it," Nani told The Jakarta Post.
She has been in the food business since 2004. At the time, Nani, who came to the U.S. as an illegal immigrant, sold food from her house in the Sunny Side district of Queens Boulevard, New York.
Relying on word-of-mouth promotion, the business flourished -- the restaurant in her house became well-known among the Indonesian community and, slowly but surely, among westerners.
Exceeding Nani's expectations, the westerners also loved her food and soon her house could not accommodate all of the eager customers.
"I then decided it was time to open a restaurant."
Her idea was welcomed by one of her friends, who was ready to become a partner. But financial problems became an obstacle.
They then decided to borrow some US$100,000 from a bank to rent a place, obtain permits and others.
In no time, the Padang restaurant opened in Queens.
The struggle continues. In Queens, where Minang Asli is located, there are several other Indonesian restaurants.
"What can we do? They are competitors. I also have to compete with Chinese, Thai, Indian and other restaurants, so things aren't that easy," she said.
In spite of these problems Nani stays optimistic. "Nobody can cook like me," she said.
Indonesian restaurants in the United States have helped Indonesian people living there ease their craving for home cooking.
Tommy Wong, who has been living in the U.S. and working for an electronics company for four years, said he loved to eat in Indonesian restaurants.
"Of course I don't go to Indonesian restaurants every day. But I certainly go there every month to taste food from home," he told the Post when he visited Minang Asli.
Apart from Minang Asli, there are two other popular Indonesian restaurants -- the Bali Nusa Indah and the Kuta Satay House -- in the heart of New York City.
Unlike Minang Asli, they target high-class customers, meaning higher prices with a more luxurious ambience and comfortable furnishings.
"We are actually located in the heart of New York city," said Tjong, the waiters' coordinator at the Bali Indah, which first opened in 1995.
The restaurant, which belongs to Mellyana Alatief, does not only boast Indonesian food as its specialty, but also brings the country's atmosphere to the United States.
Batik from Yogyakarta was chosen to cover the tables and there are various wall decorations brought from home, such as Javanese puppets and Barong Bali masks through to classic photos of the KNIL (the Dutch colonial army) soldiers posing in front of their headquarters in Betawi (now Jakarta).
The restaurant boasts Indonesian popular cuisine, from gado-gado Betawi (mixed vegetables served with peanut sauce), soto Madura (clear chicken soup from Madura), sop buntut Blora (Blora oxtail soup) and udang balado (fried shrimp in chili sauce) to martabak (fried crepe filled with meat, onion and spices).
The restaurant serves es cendol (a beverage made with rice flour droplets), Jakarta es sarikayo (sweetsop fruit) and es teler (iced fruit-cocktail with a topping of condensed milk).
"All these drinks can be found here," Tjong said.
Bali Nusa Indah even brings in special chefs from Indonesia. One of them is Lukman Zubair, a chef from the East Java town of Gresik who has lived for 20 years in the U.S.
"In this restaurant, chefs like me have to cook many different menus since the people coming here have heard about many Indonesian food and want to give them a try," said Lukman, who is a former chef from an American cruise ship.
For this man, living in the U.S. is actually not the final point in his career.
"I actually want to go back to Indonesia and open a similar restaurant in Jakarta," said the father of five.
Despite the promising business, both Minang Asli and the Bali Nusa Indah face similar problems -- such as expensive prices of raw materials and rare cooking ingredients, although some ingredients can be obtained in the U.S.
For example, rendang (beef cooked in spices and coconut milk) is impossible to make without coconut cream, onions, red chili, ginger, galangal and turmeric. Not all these raw and fresh materials are available at U.S. supermarkets.
"The ingredients come from Asia and are actually expensive," Nani said. "I usually get them from a Thai shop."
With stiff competition from other restaurants -- such as Chinese, Thai and Japanese restaurants -- it is not easy for Indonesian restaurants to stay in business.
Several Indonesian restaurants have reportedly collapsed. Two of them, the Indo House and Padang Raya, were only open for six months.
"But that does not mean there's no opportunity. If you want to sell Indonesian food here, try Javanese food," said Nani, adding she planned to open another restaurant.
Nani Tanzil greeted her customers personally. "Hi, how are you?" You look thin now, what's happening? I guess that's because you don't eat here as regularly as before."
She is the owner of Indonesian restaurant Minang Asli in the district of Queens, New York. Minang Asli is just one of tens of restaurants in the United States offering an Indonesian menu.
Nani said running a restaurant in the United States was not as easy as many people would think.
It takes hard work to turn a dream into reality, she said, not to mention fierce competition with other restaurants and the fact that many Americans were not accustomed to the taste of Indonesian food.
"But that doesn't mean there aren't any opportunities. I can do it," Nani told The Jakarta Post.
She has been in the food business since 2004. At the time, Nani, who came to the U.S. as an illegal immigrant, sold food from her house in the Sunny Side district of Queens Boulevard, New York.
Relying on word-of-mouth promotion, the business flourished -- the restaurant in her house became well-known among the Indonesian community and, slowly but surely, among westerners.
Exceeding Nani's expectations, the westerners also loved her food and soon her house could not accommodate all of the eager customers.
"I then decided it was time to open a restaurant."
Her idea was welcomed by one of her friends, who was ready to become a partner. But financial problems became an obstacle.
They then decided to borrow some US$100,000 from a bank to rent a place, obtain permits and others.
In no time, the Padang restaurant opened in Queens.
The struggle continues. In Queens, where Minang Asli is located, there are several other Indonesian restaurants.
"What can we do? They are competitors. I also have to compete with Chinese, Thai, Indian and other restaurants, so things aren't that easy," she said.
In spite of these problems Nani stays optimistic. "Nobody can cook like me," she said.
Indonesian restaurants in the United States have helped Indonesian people living there ease their craving for home cooking.
Tommy Wong, who has been living in the U.S. and working for an electronics company for four years, said he loved to eat in Indonesian restaurants.
"Of course I don't go to Indonesian restaurants every day. But I certainly go there every month to taste food from home," he told the Post when he visited Minang Asli.
Apart from Minang Asli, there are two other popular Indonesian restaurants -- the Bali Nusa Indah and the Kuta Satay House -- in the heart of New York City.
Unlike Minang Asli, they target high-class customers, meaning higher prices with a more luxurious ambience and comfortable furnishings.
"We are actually located in the heart of New York city," said Tjong, the waiters' coordinator at the Bali Indah, which first opened in 1995.
The restaurant, which belongs to Mellyana Alatief, does not only boast Indonesian food as its specialty, but also brings the country's atmosphere to the United States.
Batik from Yogyakarta was chosen to cover the tables and there are various wall decorations brought from home, such as Javanese puppets and Barong Bali masks through to classic photos of the KNIL (the Dutch colonial army) soldiers posing in front of their headquarters in Betawi (now Jakarta).
The restaurant boasts Indonesian popular cuisine, from gado-gado Betawi (mixed vegetables served with peanut sauce), soto Madura (clear chicken soup from Madura), sop buntut Blora (Blora oxtail soup) and udang balado (fried shrimp in chili sauce) to martabak (fried crepe filled with meat, onion and spices).
The restaurant serves es cendol (a beverage made with rice flour droplets), Jakarta es sarikayo (sweetsop fruit) and es teler (iced fruit-cocktail with a topping of condensed milk).
"All these drinks can be found here," Tjong said.
Bali Nusa Indah even brings in special chefs from Indonesia. One of them is Lukman Zubair, a chef from the East Java town of Gresik who has lived for 20 years in the U.S.
"In this restaurant, chefs like me have to cook many different menus since the people coming here have heard about many Indonesian food and want to give them a try," said Lukman, who is a former chef from an American cruise ship.
For this man, living in the U.S. is actually not the final point in his career.
"I actually want to go back to Indonesia and open a similar restaurant in Jakarta," said the father of five.
Despite the promising business, both Minang Asli and the Bali Nusa Indah face similar problems -- such as expensive prices of raw materials and rare cooking ingredients, although some ingredients can be obtained in the U.S.
For example, rendang (beef cooked in spices and coconut milk) is impossible to make without coconut cream, onions, red chili, ginger, galangal and turmeric. Not all these raw and fresh materials are available at U.S. supermarkets.
"The ingredients come from Asia and are actually expensive," Nani said. "I usually get them from a Thai shop."
With stiff competition from other restaurants -- such as Chinese, Thai and Japanese restaurants -- it is not easy for Indonesian restaurants to stay in business.
Several Indonesian restaurants have reportedly collapsed. Two of them, the Indo House and Padang Raya, were only open for six months.
"But that does not mean there's no opportunity. If you want to sell Indonesian food here, try Javanese food," said Nani, adding she planned to open another restaurant.
Surabaya facing major sanitation problem, experts warn
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Surabaya | Fri, 11/21/2008 11:13 AM | East Java
Surabaya faces a major threat from inadequate drainage systems and poor waste management that could trigger a serious sanitation problem in the future, two experts warn.
Mas Agus Mardiyanto, dean of Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology's school of environmental engineering, said the poor state of drainage, coupled with shoddy garbage management, posed a chronic environmental problem to residents and hinder any attempts to develop Surabaya into a metropolitan city.
"Annual flooding is a chronic problem city authorities have not solved yet due to the poor condition of drainage. This has been worsened by the increasing production of garbage that is not managed in the Benowo landfill," he told The Jakarta Post after presenting his paper at a seminar on sustainable environmental sanitation for tropical regions here Tuesday.
Mardiyanto said Surabaya produced 900 tons of rubbish every day and its direct disposal at the 37-hectare landfill also posed a health problem to residents in Benowo subdistrict because of the lack of recycling and waste management.
"The landfill faces strong opposition from residents, not only because it poses health problems, but also because its waste water is polluting the groundwater and shrimp and fish ponds," he said.
He added experts from Japan had frequently offered to conduct joint environmental research to seek a comprehensive solution to the environmental sanitation issue.
Mardiyanto also criticized the absence of an integrated water resource management, which is complicating the current water shortage in the city, home to 2.9 million people and thousands of factories.
"As a result, everyone's passing the blame for the polluted rivers and groundwater, with no sides offering a comprehensive solution to the problem," he said.
He added the municipal administration must begin making necessary regulations, and urged water companies to rehabilitate their waste management processes. He also called on NGOs to closely monitor environmental management, and on the police to punish polluting companies.
Tokyo University environmental expert Kensuke Fukushi said the provincial government should devolve the management of water to allow local communities to identify and seek comprehensive solutions to the problems affecting water management.
He added local communities should be trusted to promote the proper management of groundwater, saying skilled engineers were not necessary to help maintain water management facilities.
"Local communities should be given responsibility in managing water resources, and the water distribution should be entrusted to local wisdom," he said.
Surabaya faces a major threat from inadequate drainage systems and poor waste management that could trigger a serious sanitation problem in the future, two experts warn.
Mas Agus Mardiyanto, dean of Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology's school of environmental engineering, said the poor state of drainage, coupled with shoddy garbage management, posed a chronic environmental problem to residents and hinder any attempts to develop Surabaya into a metropolitan city.
"Annual flooding is a chronic problem city authorities have not solved yet due to the poor condition of drainage. This has been worsened by the increasing production of garbage that is not managed in the Benowo landfill," he told The Jakarta Post after presenting his paper at a seminar on sustainable environmental sanitation for tropical regions here Tuesday.
Mardiyanto said Surabaya produced 900 tons of rubbish every day and its direct disposal at the 37-hectare landfill also posed a health problem to residents in Benowo subdistrict because of the lack of recycling and waste management.
"The landfill faces strong opposition from residents, not only because it poses health problems, but also because its waste water is polluting the groundwater and shrimp and fish ponds," he said.
He added experts from Japan had frequently offered to conduct joint environmental research to seek a comprehensive solution to the environmental sanitation issue.
Mardiyanto also criticized the absence of an integrated water resource management, which is complicating the current water shortage in the city, home to 2.9 million people and thousands of factories.
"As a result, everyone's passing the blame for the polluted rivers and groundwater, with no sides offering a comprehensive solution to the problem," he said.
He added the municipal administration must begin making necessary regulations, and urged water companies to rehabilitate their waste management processes. He also called on NGOs to closely monitor environmental management, and on the police to punish polluting companies.
Tokyo University environmental expert Kensuke Fukushi said the provincial government should devolve the management of water to allow local communities to identify and seek comprehensive solutions to the problems affecting water management.
He added local communities should be trusted to promote the proper management of groundwater, saying skilled engineers were not necessary to help maintain water management facilities.
"Local communities should be given responsibility in managing water resources, and the water distribution should be entrusted to local wisdom," he said.
Overseas voting bodies face snags
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , New York | Tue, 11/04/2008 10:34 AM | National
Overseas voting bodies assisting the Indonesian 2009 general election are facing difficulties sending ballots via the post, informing voters about candidates and determining the total number of eligible voters.
These problems have left Indonesians living overseas, especially in the United States, pessimistic about the smooth running of the election.
"Will Indonesia change after the elections? The election procedures are still disorganized. I would prefer to be golput," said Tony Herman, an Indonesian migrant worker in New York. Golput refers to golongan putih: People who prefer not to cast their vote.
He said other Indonesian migrant workers in New York would also not be voting.
"We have received no information about the candidates or new political parties. We only know the old faces. We lack the passion to vote," said Tony, who has lived in the U.S. for more than 10 years.
Sidin Putih Sembiring, head of election procedures in New York, called on the General Elections Commission (KPU) to start informing overseas voters about the parties' and candidates running in this election.
"Because candidates cannot make it to campaign in New York, it would be great if they could promote their programs through the Internet," he said.
However, Sidin was worried that information made available through the Internet would not reach all Indonesians, especially migrant workers.
"Such workers are difficult to reach," he said, adding that many workers might not register with Indonesian embassies or consulates to become eligible voters.
Around 11 million Indonesians are expected to cast their votes in the April 2009 legislative elections in 117 polling stations outside Indonesia. The number of eligible voters in New York is about 7,500.
In total, the KPU has listed the total number of voters at around 170 million. Their votes will decide the 560 lawmakers for the House of Representatives.
A total of 11,225 legislative candidates from 38 parties are running for election.
Bambang Antarikso, Indonesian Consul General in New York, said there was a possibility that the number of unregistered voters could outnumber registered ones.
To update data on eligible voters, the consul general called on Indonesians living in New York to download the registration form from www.indonesianewyork.org.
"Updating the data is important because the ballots will be sent through postal services. Without the update, the ballots may not reach the voters," he said.
Overseas voting bodies assisting the Indonesian 2009 general election are facing difficulties sending ballots via the post, informing voters about candidates and determining the total number of eligible voters.
These problems have left Indonesians living overseas, especially in the United States, pessimistic about the smooth running of the election.
"Will Indonesia change after the elections? The election procedures are still disorganized. I would prefer to be golput," said Tony Herman, an Indonesian migrant worker in New York. Golput refers to golongan putih: People who prefer not to cast their vote.
He said other Indonesian migrant workers in New York would also not be voting.
"We have received no information about the candidates or new political parties. We only know the old faces. We lack the passion to vote," said Tony, who has lived in the U.S. for more than 10 years.
Sidin Putih Sembiring, head of election procedures in New York, called on the General Elections Commission (KPU) to start informing overseas voters about the parties' and candidates running in this election.
"Because candidates cannot make it to campaign in New York, it would be great if they could promote their programs through the Internet," he said.
However, Sidin was worried that information made available through the Internet would not reach all Indonesians, especially migrant workers.
"Such workers are difficult to reach," he said, adding that many workers might not register with Indonesian embassies or consulates to become eligible voters.
Around 11 million Indonesians are expected to cast their votes in the April 2009 legislative elections in 117 polling stations outside Indonesia. The number of eligible voters in New York is about 7,500.
In total, the KPU has listed the total number of voters at around 170 million. Their votes will decide the 560 lawmakers for the House of Representatives.
A total of 11,225 legislative candidates from 38 parties are running for election.
Bambang Antarikso, Indonesian Consul General in New York, said there was a possibility that the number of unregistered voters could outnumber registered ones.
To update data on eligible voters, the consul general called on Indonesians living in New York to download the registration form from www.indonesianewyork.org.
"Updating the data is important because the ballots will be sent through postal services. Without the update, the ballots may not reach the voters," he said.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Overseas voting bodies face snags
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , New York | Tue, 11/04/2008 10:34 AM | National
Overseas voting bodies assisting the Indonesian 2009 general election are facing difficulties sending ballots via the post, informing voters about candidates and determining the total number of eligible voters.
These problems have left Indonesians living overseas, especially in the United States, pessimistic about the smooth running of the election.
"Will Indonesia change after the elections? The election procedures are still disorganized. I would prefer to be golput," said Tony Herman, an Indonesian migrant worker in New York. Golput refers to golongan putih: People who prefer not to cast their vote.
He said other Indonesian migrant workers in New York would also not be voting.
"We have received no information about the candidates or new political parties. We only know the old faces. We lack the passion to vote," said Tony, who has lived in the U.S. for more than 10 years.
Sidin Putih Sembiring, head of election procedures in New York, called on the General Elections Commission (KPU) to start informing overseas voters about the parties' and candidates running in this election.
"Because candidates cannot make it to campaign in New York, it would be great if they could promote their programs through the Internet," he said.
However, Sidin was worried that information made available through the Internet would not reach all Indonesians, especially migrant workers.
"Such workers are difficult to reach," he said, adding that many workers might not register with Indonesian embassies or consulates to become eligible voters.
Around 11 million Indonesians are expected to cast their votes in the April 2009 legislative elections in 117 polling stations outside Indonesia. The number of eligible voters in New York is about 7,500.
In total, the KPU has listed the total number of voters at around 170 million. Their votes will decide the 560 lawmakers for the House of Representatives.
A total of 11,225 legislative candidates from 38 parties are running for election.
Bambang Antarikso, Indonesian Consul General in New York, said there was a possibility that the number of unregistered voters could outnumber registered ones.
To update data on eligible voters, the consul general called on Indonesians living in New York to download the registration form from www.indonesianewyork.org.
"Updating the data is important because the ballots will be sent through postal services. Without the update, the ballots may not reach the voters," he said.
Overseas voting bodies assisting the Indonesian 2009 general election are facing difficulties sending ballots via the post, informing voters about candidates and determining the total number of eligible voters.
These problems have left Indonesians living overseas, especially in the United States, pessimistic about the smooth running of the election.
"Will Indonesia change after the elections? The election procedures are still disorganized. I would prefer to be golput," said Tony Herman, an Indonesian migrant worker in New York. Golput refers to golongan putih: People who prefer not to cast their vote.
He said other Indonesian migrant workers in New York would also not be voting.
"We have received no information about the candidates or new political parties. We only know the old faces. We lack the passion to vote," said Tony, who has lived in the U.S. for more than 10 years.
Sidin Putih Sembiring, head of election procedures in New York, called on the General Elections Commission (KPU) to start informing overseas voters about the parties' and candidates running in this election.
"Because candidates cannot make it to campaign in New York, it would be great if they could promote their programs through the Internet," he said.
However, Sidin was worried that information made available through the Internet would not reach all Indonesians, especially migrant workers.
"Such workers are difficult to reach," he said, adding that many workers might not register with Indonesian embassies or consulates to become eligible voters.
Around 11 million Indonesians are expected to cast their votes in the April 2009 legislative elections in 117 polling stations outside Indonesia. The number of eligible voters in New York is about 7,500.
In total, the KPU has listed the total number of voters at around 170 million. Their votes will decide the 560 lawmakers for the House of Representatives.
A total of 11,225 legislative candidates from 38 parties are running for election.
Bambang Antarikso, Indonesian Consul General in New York, said there was a possibility that the number of unregistered voters could outnumber registered ones.
To update data on eligible voters, the consul general called on Indonesians living in New York to download the registration form from www.indonesianewyork.org.
"Updating the data is important because the ballots will be sent through postal services. Without the update, the ballots may not reach the voters," he said.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Poet Moe'inah: The struggle for justice continues
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Blitar, East Java | Tue, 09/30/2008 10:17 AM | People
POET MOE'INAH: (JP/ID Nugroho)
More than 40 years since the widespread killings that followed the September 30 Movement in 1965, the tragedy remains an open wound for the victims.
Poet Moe'inah, now 80, lost her husband and sister during the killings, and her freedom of expression for several years afterward when she was imprisoned.
"The time has come for this nation to change and become better," Poet told The Jakarta Post recently.
In the community of Pakisrejo village in Blitar regency, Poet is a legend. Bu Put, as she is known there, knows every elderly resident who has a shadowy political history.
"Many people still come to my house to discuss things, including the future of Indonesia as a country," she said.
Bu Put, who now lives alone, was a witness to a dark chapter in Indonesia's history. At that time, Bu Put was the head of section II of the Indonesian Women's Movement (Gerwani) in Blitar regency.
Gerwani was the women's organization linked to the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), which was held responsible for the 1965 attempted coup.
"From my perspective it wasn't like that, because I knew at that time that Gerwani didn't do all the things we were accused of doing," Bu Put said.
Bu Put's involvement in politics began with her father, Haji Mansyur, the leader of the political organization Sarekat Islam (SI; the Islamic League, an early nationalist organization active in the 1910s and 1920s), which struggled against the Dutch and Japanese.
She did not meet her father until she was six years old, because he had been imprisoned by the Dutch for his political activities around the time of her birth.
"My father's activities were to struggle for society," she said, adding that his political enthusiasm rubbed off on her.
In later years, the Japanese arrested her father and confiscated all family property. Young Poet, at that time a teenager, was unable to continue her education.
"My father wasn't alone. Almost every man in this village was arrested by the Japanese soldiers," she recalled.
In 1946, Bu Put joined the Indonesian Socialist Youth (Pesindo) party, where she held a position in the information department for Blitar regency.
Not long after taking the position, she met Subandi Hadisumarto, a member of the Indonesian National Forces (TNI) from Mojokerto, which at the time was training as a unit with Pesindo.
The two were married in 1947, and Bu Put joined the Indonesian Women's Movement (Gerwis), the pioneer organization of Gerwani.
Bu Put held a high position in Gerwani. Her husband resigned from the TNI and joined the PKI, where he became head of the Blitar branch.
Their political life ended after the events of 1965. News of the killings of six generals triggered the campaign to arrest members of the PKI and their supporters, forcing Bu Put and her husband to flee. They were separated in the confusion.
Bu Put ran away to Malang, then to Yogyakarta and Jakarta, while Subandi built up the troops in South Blitar.
"I left my six children with my sister in her house. I was pregnant and on the run," said the mother of seven.
In Yogyakarta, Bu Put was arrested and held for three months. After her release, she fled to Jakarta, where she gave birth to her last child.
Three years later, she returned to South Blitar.
"When TNI troops came by I hid in the caves," she said.
Bu Put's fugitive life ended when, together with others on the run, she was attacked by TNI troops in Gayas Cave, one of the caves in South Blitar.
"I refused to run, I was too tired ... A TNI soldier entered the cave and guided me out. I was arrested."
She was then imprisoned for 10 years, without being charged or taken to court; she was released in 1978. In prison Bu Put maintained her political activities, holding discussions with other prisoners.
"Luckily, the prison wardens knew me and treated me well," she said.
Her release from prison did not mean freedom for the former tapol (political prisoner). Even today, she still experiences discrimination.
A similar fate befell her seven children: They were prohibited from going to school.
The most difficult thing to come to terms with, she said, was not knowing the fate of her husband and her sister. There was a great possibility that the two had been killed.
"My house was always watched by people I didn't know ... Every time we held a party there was always a guest who came without being invited," she recalled.
Things began to change, she said, when Abdurrahman Wahid, better known as Gus Dur, became president and allowed tapol who had managed to flee overseas to returned to the country.
The ex-tapol set up the Research Institute for Victims of the 1965 Incident (LPKP), which went on to produce books and publish Gema magazine.
"LPKP is like an institution for the victims from all over Indonesia, including Blitar," Bu Put said.
She added there were around 100 victims in South Blitar who survived the tragedy of 1965. These survivors continue to hold discussions and are involved in activities of the Reconciliation and Truth Commission, which was formed to discuss the issues faced by the victims and survivors.
"Once again, this hasn't been an easy thing. Many of us were taunted by those in society who accepted the New Order government's (anti-PKI) propaganda," Bu Put said.
"For me, even though I lost my husband, my relatives and my friends in the same struggle, I praise my seven children for being good citizens and for living properly."
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Hasan Ali: Guardian of Using culture
I.D. Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , East Java | Fri, 09/26/2008 10:58 AM | People
HASAN ALI: (JP/ID Nugroho)
Hasan Ali believes that the unique arts of the Using people truly show the beauty of the culture of Banyuwangi society.
That's why Hasan, 75, thought it desirable to make an effort to promote Using art by teaching it to children in school.
"If not, I would worry that Banyuwangi art would be lost, eroded by modern culture," Hasan told The Jakarta Post recently.
The afflictions of old age has seen Hasan, who was born in Banyuwangi in 1933, confined most days to the sofa in the lounge of his house.
But his spirit can still be felt through his direct gaze, and the tone of his voice which is firm and loud, especially when he talks about the gandrung dance and the Using language, his two pet topics.
"I've experienced three periods of history -- the Dutch, the Japanese and the Indonesian Republic. But all that time the gandrung dance and the Using language have kept me in love," he said from his home in Mangir village, Rogojampi subdistrict, in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java.
Hasan, who is the father of famous singer Emilia Contessa and the grandfather of singer Denada Tambunan, learned about Using arts, which are remnants of the culture of the Blambangan Kingdom, since he was a teenager.
"Since I was a teenager I liked Using art," he said. His hobby gained him more status when he joined an art group associated with the Indonesian National Party (PNI).
"Because of the art group, I was finally trusted by the PNI to become a member of the Banyuwangi Parliament where I served until 1966," Hasan said.
Ironically the political conflicts of that period also made Hasan's position dangerous.
This was particularly so when Muhammad Arif, the composer of the Genjer-Genjer song (a song associated with Communism), together with hundreds of members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), went missing after the 1965 incident known as the 30 September Movement.
That incident (an alleged coup d'etat in Jakarta) also suddenly linked and identified Banyuwangi art with the PKI.
But as Hasan recalls, what actually happened was quite different. The PKI wanted to eliminate Banyuwangi art, which it considered an art form that damaged the morality of society.
"It was really true that the PKI used Genjer-Genjer as a song of struggle, but apart from that the PKI forbade performances of the Banyuwangi gandrung dance, because it was considered that it would affect society's morals," he said.
Arif, said Hasan, composed the Genjer-Genjer song, during the Japanese period to lift the spirits of the community, which at the time was suffering from poverty.
The Banyuwangi Gandrung dance was nothing more than a social dance; there was no other purpose. The songs that were sung by gandrung dancers were like the local traditional poetry, which expressed wisdom and values.
The impression of immorality associated with the dance appeared because there were certain people who treated it improperly by performing the dance in Banyuwangi's districts frequented by prostitutes.
"Slowly the gandrung dance came to be identified as an immoral dance," he said.
The situation changed after 1965. At the time Hasan had a job as an official in the regional government of Banyuwangi. He was then approached by the former regent, Joko Supaat Slamet, to save the gandrung dance.
"My friends and I agreed to recreate the gandrung dance as a teenagers' social dance performed politely and correctly," he said. Dozens of local artists were invited to participate.
Soon after the performance, the gandrung dance was back in favor. There was even an invitation for the dance to be performed in the State Palace when former President Soeharto was in power. The gandrung dance then became a symbol of Banyuwangi Regency.
Hasan was also interested in another Banyuwangi jewel that had almost become extinct: the Using language that belonged to the Banyuwangi Using tribe.
The Using language had slowly started disappearing from society and nobody in the Banyuwangi community, including many Using people, used it.
"I don't know why, suddenly they felt too ashamed to use their regional language," said Hasan.
Hasan invited Banyuwangi artists to hold a small seminar titled "How to defend the Using language?". The most important recommendation that came from the seminar, which was held in the 1980s, was to introduce the Using language in elementary schools.
"But that wasn't an easy thing to do. It wasn't like the Javanese language where the history has been recorded well. At that time there was no reference book on the Using language," he said.
Therefore, he said, the first item on the agenda was to produce a Using language textbook.
Hasan collected all the data about the Using people that he could access, including 28,000 words of the Using language that were still in use. Ten years later, Hasan had published three books that covered the grammar and spelling of the Using language and a dictionary.
In the process of compilation, the former Banyuwangi Arts Council head had to use the Indonesian, Javanese and Balinese languages as comparative languages.
"I assumed that the Using language has some connection with the Balinese language because it can be seen that some words have the same meaning," said Hasan.
Till now the Using language continues to be taught in the local elementary schools. There are some who commend its beauty, and there are also those who strongly dislike the language.
Many say that it is a credit to Hasan the Using language is still being used.
"Even those Banyuwangi people who have left the region are still using the Using language when they communicate with other Banyuwangi people," he said.
Muslims make pilgrimage to Sunan Ampel
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Surabaya | Fri, 09/26/2008 11:01 AM | East Java
Thousands of Muslim pilgrims of different ethnicities and backgrounds have crowded the city's Ampel Grand Mosque and its one-hectare shrine to Sunan Ampel.
While kneeling, Muslim families, many of them from the city and its outskirts, prayed and recited Koranic verses until dawn of the first night of the "1,000 months", so-called because prayers made at night during the last ten days of Ramadan are said to bring blessings equal to a 1,000 months of praying.
The Letter of Al-Qodar first declared the final nights of the fasting month auspicious in this way, and for this reason they are also known as the Lailatul Qodar nights.
"Because of that belief, the province's holy sites, including the grand mosque and the Ampel grave compound, will be filled by thousands of pilgrims during the last ten days of the fasting month, just as in past years," A. Nasir, a senior cleric at the grand mosque, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday night.
Over the past few days, the mosque and grave compound has seen an increase in the number of visiting pilgrims, many of them small-scale vendors offering religious relics, Muslim food and attire such as sarongs, prayer rugs and caps.
Visitors can also be seen purchasing dates and perfume before heading home.
For many, the pilgrimage began Friday evening with the Isya prayer, followed at 9 p.m. with the Tarawih. At dawn on Saturday, the faithful then worshiped, reading the Koran, both inside the mosque or by the shrine, some of them dozing slightly while waiting for the 2 a.m. Tahajud prayer to begin, followed by the Sahur meal just before sunrise, and then a morning prayer with the sun's first rays to begin the fasting day.
Firman Basuki, along with 14 fellow villagers from Mojosantren village in Sidoarjo, said he had been making a Ramadan pilgrimage to the compound for the past few years.
"We come here to receive the merits of the 1,000-night prayer," he said.
Mohammad Yatim, gatekeeper of the Ampel shrine, said some pilgrims came from as far as Jakarta, Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan and Pontianak in West Kalimantan.
"All Muslims are allowed to come inside the grave compound to pray," he told the Post on Tuesday. Hundreds of thousands of the faithful from numerous provinces have visited the grave over the past four days, he said.
Sunan Ampel, after whom the mosque is named, was one of the nine spiritual leaders who first spread Islam across Java in the 15th Century, for which he is revered, particularly regarding his religious work in the province.
Born in 1401 into the family of Ibrahim Asmarakandi, in Champa, Cambodia, Raden Rachmat -- as he was called at birth -- moved to Java at the age of 20, when Surabaya was ruled by the Majapahit kingdom, on whose throne sat king Brawijaya. The king lent him a 12-hectare plot of land on Ampel Denta, on which the mosque was constructed using Javanese and Arabic architectural styles.
About the old mosque on Jl. KH. Mas Mansyur legends abound, including one about Mbah (grandfather) Sholeh's grave.
According to the story, Ampel buried Sholeh in nine separate graves inside the mosque because the former longed for more friends and students. During his lifetime, Ampel prayed to God to resurrect Sholeh. "He was revived nine times and nine times he came to the aid of Ampel," Nasir quoted the tale.
Another legend concerns Mbah Bolong, known for pinpointing from the mosque the exact direction of the Ka'bah in Mecca by making a hole in the wall through which an imam was able to peer out.
Water from the mosque's seven ground wells, dug by Ampel himself, are believed to heal the sick.
"However, most Muslims come here not to cure their illness, but to practice their faith and pray to God," Nasir said.
Thousands of Muslim pilgrims of different ethnicities and backgrounds have crowded the city's Ampel Grand Mosque and its one-hectare shrine to Sunan Ampel.
While kneeling, Muslim families, many of them from the city and its outskirts, prayed and recited Koranic verses until dawn of the first night of the "1,000 months", so-called because prayers made at night during the last ten days of Ramadan are said to bring blessings equal to a 1,000 months of praying.
The Letter of Al-Qodar first declared the final nights of the fasting month auspicious in this way, and for this reason they are also known as the Lailatul Qodar nights.
"Because of that belief, the province's holy sites, including the grand mosque and the Ampel grave compound, will be filled by thousands of pilgrims during the last ten days of the fasting month, just as in past years," A. Nasir, a senior cleric at the grand mosque, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday night.
Over the past few days, the mosque and grave compound has seen an increase in the number of visiting pilgrims, many of them small-scale vendors offering religious relics, Muslim food and attire such as sarongs, prayer rugs and caps.
Visitors can also be seen purchasing dates and perfume before heading home.
For many, the pilgrimage began Friday evening with the Isya prayer, followed at 9 p.m. with the Tarawih. At dawn on Saturday, the faithful then worshiped, reading the Koran, both inside the mosque or by the shrine, some of them dozing slightly while waiting for the 2 a.m. Tahajud prayer to begin, followed by the Sahur meal just before sunrise, and then a morning prayer with the sun's first rays to begin the fasting day.
Firman Basuki, along with 14 fellow villagers from Mojosantren village in Sidoarjo, said he had been making a Ramadan pilgrimage to the compound for the past few years.
"We come here to receive the merits of the 1,000-night prayer," he said.
Mohammad Yatim, gatekeeper of the Ampel shrine, said some pilgrims came from as far as Jakarta, Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan and Pontianak in West Kalimantan.
"All Muslims are allowed to come inside the grave compound to pray," he told the Post on Tuesday. Hundreds of thousands of the faithful from numerous provinces have visited the grave over the past four days, he said.
Sunan Ampel, after whom the mosque is named, was one of the nine spiritual leaders who first spread Islam across Java in the 15th Century, for which he is revered, particularly regarding his religious work in the province.
Born in 1401 into the family of Ibrahim Asmarakandi, in Champa, Cambodia, Raden Rachmat -- as he was called at birth -- moved to Java at the age of 20, when Surabaya was ruled by the Majapahit kingdom, on whose throne sat king Brawijaya. The king lent him a 12-hectare plot of land on Ampel Denta, on which the mosque was constructed using Javanese and Arabic architectural styles.
About the old mosque on Jl. KH. Mas Mansyur legends abound, including one about Mbah (grandfather) Sholeh's grave.
According to the story, Ampel buried Sholeh in nine separate graves inside the mosque because the former longed for more friends and students. During his lifetime, Ampel prayed to God to resurrect Sholeh. "He was revived nine times and nine times he came to the aid of Ampel," Nasir quoted the tale.
Another legend concerns Mbah Bolong, known for pinpointing from the mosque the exact direction of the Ka'bah in Mecca by making a hole in the wall through which an imam was able to peer out.
Water from the mosque's seven ground wells, dug by Ampel himself, are believed to heal the sick.
"However, most Muslims come here not to cure their illness, but to practice their faith and pray to God," Nasir said.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Banyuwangi residents view gold mines with dread
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Banyuwangi, East Java | Fri, 09/19/2008 11:47 AM | The Archipelago
Bejo, his wife and four children watched the sun tilt westward as they wrapped up their business at a fish auction on Puger Beach, Banyuwangi, in East Java before setting out to sea again. The 60-year-old man looked off from time to time toward Mount Tumpang Pitu and the Merah Islands, located some 5 kilometers to the east. "Perhaps this will be the last time I see the mountain before it vanishes from all the gold mining," Bejo said.
Bejo and some 4,500 other residents of Pancer hamlet are the locals most concerned about PT Indo Multi Niaga (IMN) and its gold mining activities on Tumpang Pitu and Merah Islands in Banyuwangi, as they could have adverse impacts on the local fishing, their livelihood. "People say the sea will get polluted, making the fish go away. Then what would become of us?" asked Bejo, whose first wife was killed in a tsunami that struck Pancer beach in 1994.
Based on a report by the East Java chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), gold prospecting in Banyuwangi has commenced based on a plan three companies devised back in 1995 -- Hakman Group (HG), PT Hakman Platina Metalindo (HPM) and Banyuwangi Mineral (BM) -- to establish a Jember-Banyuwangi gold belt. Business owner Yusuf Merukh has several stakes in the project. He owns BM, IMN, PT Indo Multi Cipta (IMC) and a 20 percent share in the gold mining enterprise PT Newmont Minahasa Raya (NMR).
The threesome shifted their mining plans from Mount Baban Silosanen in Jember to Banyuwangi when they ran into mounting resistance from environmental activists at the first site. Startlingly, the Banyuwangi regency accepted the request despite the fact they never issued written approval, and on Feb. 13, 2007, gold exploration on Mount Tumpang Pitu and Merah Island got underway.
Is gold mining there a threat to the environment or safe? PT Jember Mineral (JM) and PT Banyuwangi Mineral said they planned to apply the submarine tailings disposal (STD) system to manage mining waste. IMN also has described plans to build such a facility in its environmental impact analysis. That plan details installing an offshore tailings block near Merah Island.
The option of an underground mining method by utilizing a landfill waste management system also cannot assure waste would not flow to the sea, given the location of mine in a block adjacent to the sea. Dumping the mining waste on land would pose hazards to residential and farming areas keeping in mind the landfill was slated to be set up on a 250-hectare plot on the mainland.
Mining observer and member of the Nature Lover Communication Forum Stevanus Bordonski said gold mining in Banyuwangi would likely lead to disaster because of the ensuing effects of mining. "Feasibility studies are important to determine the ecological and social conditions of an area before, during and at the cessation of mining, and this has often been neglected," Stevanus told the Post.
Exploitation by means of open pit mining exploitation would remove soil layers without mineral contents, called over border, resulting in millions of metric tons of excess soil. Soil with mineral contents would then be processed by using modern machinery. Stevanus said in the process of isolating the gold ore, various toxic substances, such as arsenic, hydrocyanic acid and mercury are used, but, most importantly, side effects of mining and processing can produce other toxic gases and elements. "Pollution and environmental destruction are imminent and fatal," Stevanus said.
The Meru Betiri National Park has also raised its concerns over the gold mining activities on Mount Tumpang Pitu and Merah Island. Park official Sumarsono said any mining in Banyuwangi should fall under the jurisdiction of the local Perhutani state forestry company because of their location. He said the adverse impact of mining could effect ecosystems in the park area. "Mining is under Perhutani's authority but we would feel the harmful impact," Sumarsono told the Post.
The Banyuwangi gold mines are only 15 km from three vital beaches within the park -- Rajekwesi, Teluk Hijau and Sukamade -- which have been kept pristine so far. Sukamade is especially important as a turtle breeding site. Walhi estimated ecological damage in the area would be dramatic. The NGO also projected the abundant ground water below Pesanggrahan and Sumber Agung villages, both included in the mining area, could be affected, potentially triggering a water and food crisis there. These villages are one of the rice production surplus centers in East Java, exporting some 10 percent of total production.
Bejo, his wife and four children watched the sun tilt westward as they wrapped up their business at a fish auction on Puger Beach, Banyuwangi, in East Java before setting out to sea again. The 60-year-old man looked off from time to time toward Mount Tumpang Pitu and the Merah Islands, located some 5 kilometers to the east. "Perhaps this will be the last time I see the mountain before it vanishes from all the gold mining," Bejo said.
Bejo and some 4,500 other residents of Pancer hamlet are the locals most concerned about PT Indo Multi Niaga (IMN) and its gold mining activities on Tumpang Pitu and Merah Islands in Banyuwangi, as they could have adverse impacts on the local fishing, their livelihood. "People say the sea will get polluted, making the fish go away. Then what would become of us?" asked Bejo, whose first wife was killed in a tsunami that struck Pancer beach in 1994.
Based on a report by the East Java chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), gold prospecting in Banyuwangi has commenced based on a plan three companies devised back in 1995 -- Hakman Group (HG), PT Hakman Platina Metalindo (HPM) and Banyuwangi Mineral (BM) -- to establish a Jember-Banyuwangi gold belt. Business owner Yusuf Merukh has several stakes in the project. He owns BM, IMN, PT Indo Multi Cipta (IMC) and a 20 percent share in the gold mining enterprise PT Newmont Minahasa Raya (NMR).
The threesome shifted their mining plans from Mount Baban Silosanen in Jember to Banyuwangi when they ran into mounting resistance from environmental activists at the first site. Startlingly, the Banyuwangi regency accepted the request despite the fact they never issued written approval, and on Feb. 13, 2007, gold exploration on Mount Tumpang Pitu and Merah Island got underway.
Is gold mining there a threat to the environment or safe? PT Jember Mineral (JM) and PT Banyuwangi Mineral said they planned to apply the submarine tailings disposal (STD) system to manage mining waste. IMN also has described plans to build such a facility in its environmental impact analysis. That plan details installing an offshore tailings block near Merah Island.
The option of an underground mining method by utilizing a landfill waste management system also cannot assure waste would not flow to the sea, given the location of mine in a block adjacent to the sea. Dumping the mining waste on land would pose hazards to residential and farming areas keeping in mind the landfill was slated to be set up on a 250-hectare plot on the mainland.
Mining observer and member of the Nature Lover Communication Forum Stevanus Bordonski said gold mining in Banyuwangi would likely lead to disaster because of the ensuing effects of mining. "Feasibility studies are important to determine the ecological and social conditions of an area before, during and at the cessation of mining, and this has often been neglected," Stevanus told the Post.
Exploitation by means of open pit mining exploitation would remove soil layers without mineral contents, called over border, resulting in millions of metric tons of excess soil. Soil with mineral contents would then be processed by using modern machinery. Stevanus said in the process of isolating the gold ore, various toxic substances, such as arsenic, hydrocyanic acid and mercury are used, but, most importantly, side effects of mining and processing can produce other toxic gases and elements. "Pollution and environmental destruction are imminent and fatal," Stevanus said.
The Meru Betiri National Park has also raised its concerns over the gold mining activities on Mount Tumpang Pitu and Merah Island. Park official Sumarsono said any mining in Banyuwangi should fall under the jurisdiction of the local Perhutani state forestry company because of their location. He said the adverse impact of mining could effect ecosystems in the park area. "Mining is under Perhutani's authority but we would feel the harmful impact," Sumarsono told the Post.
The Banyuwangi gold mines are only 15 km from three vital beaches within the park -- Rajekwesi, Teluk Hijau and Sukamade -- which have been kept pristine so far. Sukamade is especially important as a turtle breeding site. Walhi estimated ecological damage in the area would be dramatic. The NGO also projected the abundant ground water below Pesanggrahan and Sumber Agung villages, both included in the mining area, could be affected, potentially triggering a water and food crisis there. These villages are one of the rice production surplus centers in East Java, exporting some 10 percent of total production.
Surabaya launches teen awareness drive on HIV/AIDS
I.D Nugroho , youthspeak - The Jakarta Post , Surabaya | Sat, 08/23/2008 12:27 PM | Education
Hundreds of teenagers from junior and senior high schools attended an event to vote for student ambassadors to represent Surabaya Stop AIDS at their schools.
JAKARTA-BASED soap opera stars and Close-Up ambassadors Christian Sugiono and Rianti Cartwright energized the event, which was organized by the Surabaya municipal administration, the Unilever Peduli (cares) Foundation and the Spektra provincial nongovernmental organization. Officiating the event was Arif Affandi, the Deputy Mayor of Surabaya and the chairman of the AIDS Prevention Commission (KPA). The teen audience was particularly enthusiastic whenever Christian and Rianti came on stage.
HIV is a virus that attacks the human immune system. This virus can infect other humans through direct exchange of bodily fluids, such as blood through shared needles among drug users, reproductive fluids (sperm and vaginal fluids) through sexual intercourse and breast milk through breastfeeding by an infected woman.
AIDS is a disease that is caused by HIV infection and is characterized by a severe loss of immunity and resistance to infection. AIDS develops within five to 10 years after initial infection by HIV. At present, no cure exists for either HIV or AIDS. In his speech, Arif Affandi said the East Java capital has 1,247 active Stop AIDS ambassadors representing several different schools.
The student ambassadors are tasked with explaining the HIV/AIDS issue to their peers and other teens at their respective schools, and are critical in raising awareness of HIV/AIDS in a school environment. Data provided by the City Health Office show that 2,350 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Surabaya. Nearly 49 percent of these are aged between 20 and 29 years old. “That is why Stop AIDS (student) ambassadors are crucial in the awareness effort,” said Arif.
At the event, Karina Putri Andriyani from SMPN 22 and Fikri Audy Hamzani from SMPN 38 were voted in as junior high student ambassadors. Meanwhile, Widianti Pratidiana from SMAN 10 and Ayu Novi Sari from SMAN 21 were voted in as senior high student ambassadors. Surabaya Stop AIDS generally organizes a series of activities under their KIE (campaign, information and education) program. School Volunteer Teams carry out these activities in health education classes for each grade level.
The KIE awareness programs are also conducted as a National Scouts project or as part of graduation events for both junior and senior high schools. Such occasions provide a platform for reaching out to parents with teenaged children as well. The group also holds formal and informal discussions featuring Stop AIDS ambassadors. Many other events are held to improve teens’ awareness of HIV/AIDS, including poetry readings, posters, cartoons and T-shirts, stickers and pins, as well as drama performances with HIV/AIDS themes.
Hundreds of teenagers from junior and senior high schools attended an event to vote for student ambassadors to represent Surabaya Stop AIDS at their schools.
JAKARTA-BASED soap opera stars and Close-Up ambassadors Christian Sugiono and Rianti Cartwright energized the event, which was organized by the Surabaya municipal administration, the Unilever Peduli (cares) Foundation and the Spektra provincial nongovernmental organization. Officiating the event was Arif Affandi, the Deputy Mayor of Surabaya and the chairman of the AIDS Prevention Commission (KPA). The teen audience was particularly enthusiastic whenever Christian and Rianti came on stage.
HIV is a virus that attacks the human immune system. This virus can infect other humans through direct exchange of bodily fluids, such as blood through shared needles among drug users, reproductive fluids (sperm and vaginal fluids) through sexual intercourse and breast milk through breastfeeding by an infected woman.
AIDS is a disease that is caused by HIV infection and is characterized by a severe loss of immunity and resistance to infection. AIDS develops within five to 10 years after initial infection by HIV. At present, no cure exists for either HIV or AIDS. In his speech, Arif Affandi said the East Java capital has 1,247 active Stop AIDS ambassadors representing several different schools.
The student ambassadors are tasked with explaining the HIV/AIDS issue to their peers and other teens at their respective schools, and are critical in raising awareness of HIV/AIDS in a school environment. Data provided by the City Health Office show that 2,350 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Surabaya. Nearly 49 percent of these are aged between 20 and 29 years old. “That is why Stop AIDS (student) ambassadors are crucial in the awareness effort,” said Arif.
At the event, Karina Putri Andriyani from SMPN 22 and Fikri Audy Hamzani from SMPN 38 were voted in as junior high student ambassadors. Meanwhile, Widianti Pratidiana from SMAN 10 and Ayu Novi Sari from SMAN 21 were voted in as senior high student ambassadors. Surabaya Stop AIDS generally organizes a series of activities under their KIE (campaign, information and education) program. School Volunteer Teams carry out these activities in health education classes for each grade level.
The KIE awareness programs are also conducted as a National Scouts project or as part of graduation events for both junior and senior high schools. Such occasions provide a platform for reaching out to parents with teenaged children as well. The group also holds formal and informal discussions featuring Stop AIDS ambassadors. Many other events are held to improve teens’ awareness of HIV/AIDS, including poetry readings, posters, cartoons and T-shirts, stickers and pins, as well as drama performances with HIV/AIDS themes.
Government to look into violation of internship program
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Surabaya | Fri, 09/19/2008 11:48 AM | National
Authorities in the East Java capital of Surabaya expressed shock over allegations that hotels and fast-food restaurants in the city were employing interns and contract-based workers as permanent employees. Ahmad Syafei, head of the municipal manpower agency, insisted his office had never received any report on the matter. "We will send officers to check and conduct a field inspection. It is a serious violation and a form of labor exploitation if the case is true," Ahmad told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Both the vocational schools supplying the interns and the companies employing them, he said, should be held responsible for such violations. A number of vocational high school students have complained about their employment in fast-food restaurants, including KFC and McDonalds, claiming they did the same jobs with the same working hours as permanent workers, but received only pocket money instead of monthly salaries.
Others said they were employed on a contract basis, only to have the management terminate their employment after a few renewals, with no compensation. A few of the interns, however, said they hoped to improve their competence through these jobs, and said the pocket money would help cover their tuition fees. Most of the interns are below the age of 17.
Labor activists have condemned the practice, calling it a trick used by employers to reduce their overhead. They claim the practice violates the 2003 child labor law, the 2004 child protection law and the 2004 national education law. Ahmad said the municipal education and culture agency should also look into the issue to see if the apprenticeship program was being implemented according to prevailing regulations.
"(The agency) should enhance supervision of apprenticeship programs that are implemented jointly by the vocational schools and companies through a memorandum of understanding," he said. Widjil Septadi, head of the provincial education agency's vocational education division, concurred, saying apprenticeship programs were an effective way of improving students' competence.
"The program is legal. It is endorsed by the government to improve the students' competence in particular fields of work so they will be ready for employment after their graduation," he said, adding the program was being practiced nationwide in all vocational schools. However, he said, such a program should only be held for three months and not six months, much less a year. Its implementation can vary, depending on the respective companies and vocational schools.
"If employers are happy with the interns' performance, they can recruit them following their graduation," he said, adding students usually joined the internship program during their final year of study.
Authorities in the East Java capital of Surabaya expressed shock over allegations that hotels and fast-food restaurants in the city were employing interns and contract-based workers as permanent employees. Ahmad Syafei, head of the municipal manpower agency, insisted his office had never received any report on the matter. "We will send officers to check and conduct a field inspection. It is a serious violation and a form of labor exploitation if the case is true," Ahmad told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Both the vocational schools supplying the interns and the companies employing them, he said, should be held responsible for such violations. A number of vocational high school students have complained about their employment in fast-food restaurants, including KFC and McDonalds, claiming they did the same jobs with the same working hours as permanent workers, but received only pocket money instead of monthly salaries.
Others said they were employed on a contract basis, only to have the management terminate their employment after a few renewals, with no compensation. A few of the interns, however, said they hoped to improve their competence through these jobs, and said the pocket money would help cover their tuition fees. Most of the interns are below the age of 17.
Labor activists have condemned the practice, calling it a trick used by employers to reduce their overhead. They claim the practice violates the 2003 child labor law, the 2004 child protection law and the 2004 national education law. Ahmad said the municipal education and culture agency should also look into the issue to see if the apprenticeship program was being implemented according to prevailing regulations.
"(The agency) should enhance supervision of apprenticeship programs that are implemented jointly by the vocational schools and companies through a memorandum of understanding," he said. Widjil Septadi, head of the provincial education agency's vocational education division, concurred, saying apprenticeship programs were an effective way of improving students' competence.
"The program is legal. It is endorsed by the government to improve the students' competence in particular fields of work so they will be ready for employment after their graduation," he said, adding the program was being practiced nationwide in all vocational schools. However, he said, such a program should only be held for three months and not six months, much less a year. Its implementation can vary, depending on the respective companies and vocational schools.
"If employers are happy with the interns' performance, they can recruit them following their graduation," he said, adding students usually joined the internship program during their final year of study.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Hotels, restaurants hire interns to cut costs
JP/ID Nugroho
Fri, 09/12/2008 10:51 AM | East Java
Like many workers in general, Murni (not her real name), a vocational high school (SMK) apprentice in a renowned department store and shopping center in Surabaya, has worked as a full-time cashier for almost a year.
Working five hours on shift, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., six days a week, she gets spending money that is only slightly less than the provincial minimum wage.
"What makes me different is I usually wear my school uniform, and I did not apply to work here," she told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
The 17-year-old student admitted she was proud of working in the prestigious mall with the salary she uses to pay school fees.
Andi, another apprentice in a similar program in a hotel in the city, expressed similar sentiments, saying he and his colleagues were treated as casual laborers and employed only when the hotel needed them to serve guests during peak seasons and weekends.
He admitted getting Rp 500,000 each month in pocket money.
Most of these apprentices are under the age of 18, yet perform their tasks with a responsibility similar to that shouldered by permanent or outsourced workers.
Wawan (not his real name), a contract-based worker in a fast-food restaurant in Central Surabaya, has been employed for almost two years, and he and his colleagues have extended their work contracts twice.
"Several were told to stop working before their contracts expired, and our employers are looking for high school graduates to replace us," he said.
"I will celebrate this upcoming Idul Fitri because I am seeking a new job elsewhere as my contract expires."
Wawan added he received the minimum wage plus daily meals.
"There are no allowances or social security programs, and our pay is cut if we are absent without a letter from a hospital or physician," he said.
He added all employees there had contracts, with the employer imposing sanctions for any violation of the contracts.
He questioned the operation of the U.S.-based fast-food restaurant and its commitment to employees, saying: "We're aware of the restaurant's wrongful labor policy, but we have no alternatives and there are no other companies offering better working conditions and pay."
All these apprentices concurred that restaurants, malls and hotels were implementing apprenticeship programs and contract-based employment as ways of reducing labor costs, and thus paying workers poorly.
The Surabaya Legal Aid Institution (LBH) condemned the manipulation of the apprenticeship program and contract-based system, which it said had long been in use by local and international corporations working with local education institutions to cut down on labor costs.
"The apprenticeship program has been manipulated. It is exploitation, and encourages child labor, which are against labor, education and child protection laws," said Ridjal Alifi Ramadhan, head of LBH's labor division.
He said the education law stipulated apprentices were not workers, but students conducting a labor-oriented study without the need to do work as employees.
"It is quite strange and goes beyond the law when certain vocational schools sign an MOU with certain businesses before carrying out the program," he said.
"What is really behind these agreements?"
He called on parents to file complaints against vocational schools that he said "have indirectly employed their students in the international brand corporations because the practice is against the national law and international labor conventions and human rights".
Fri, 09/12/2008 10:51 AM | East Java
Like many workers in general, Murni (not her real name), a vocational high school (SMK) apprentice in a renowned department store and shopping center in Surabaya, has worked as a full-time cashier for almost a year.
Working five hours on shift, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., six days a week, she gets spending money that is only slightly less than the provincial minimum wage.
"What makes me different is I usually wear my school uniform, and I did not apply to work here," she told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
The 17-year-old student admitted she was proud of working in the prestigious mall with the salary she uses to pay school fees.
Andi, another apprentice in a similar program in a hotel in the city, expressed similar sentiments, saying he and his colleagues were treated as casual laborers and employed only when the hotel needed them to serve guests during peak seasons and weekends.
He admitted getting Rp 500,000 each month in pocket money.
Most of these apprentices are under the age of 18, yet perform their tasks with a responsibility similar to that shouldered by permanent or outsourced workers.
Wawan (not his real name), a contract-based worker in a fast-food restaurant in Central Surabaya, has been employed for almost two years, and he and his colleagues have extended their work contracts twice.
"Several were told to stop working before their contracts expired, and our employers are looking for high school graduates to replace us," he said.
"I will celebrate this upcoming Idul Fitri because I am seeking a new job elsewhere as my contract expires."
Wawan added he received the minimum wage plus daily meals.
"There are no allowances or social security programs, and our pay is cut if we are absent without a letter from a hospital or physician," he said.
He added all employees there had contracts, with the employer imposing sanctions for any violation of the contracts.
He questioned the operation of the U.S.-based fast-food restaurant and its commitment to employees, saying: "We're aware of the restaurant's wrongful labor policy, but we have no alternatives and there are no other companies offering better working conditions and pay."
All these apprentices concurred that restaurants, malls and hotels were implementing apprenticeship programs and contract-based employment as ways of reducing labor costs, and thus paying workers poorly.
The Surabaya Legal Aid Institution (LBH) condemned the manipulation of the apprenticeship program and contract-based system, which it said had long been in use by local and international corporations working with local education institutions to cut down on labor costs.
"The apprenticeship program has been manipulated. It is exploitation, and encourages child labor, which are against labor, education and child protection laws," said Ridjal Alifi Ramadhan, head of LBH's labor division.
He said the education law stipulated apprentices were not workers, but students conducting a labor-oriented study without the need to do work as employees.
"It is quite strange and goes beyond the law when certain vocational schools sign an MOU with certain businesses before carrying out the program," he said.
"What is really behind these agreements?"
He called on parents to file complaints against vocational schools that he said "have indirectly employed their students in the international brand corporations because the practice is against the national law and international labor conventions and human rights".
Employers told to pay bonus on time
ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Surabaya | Fri, 09/12/2008 10:51 AM | East Java
Authorities in East Java have ordered employers in the formal and informal sectors pay mandatory Idul Fitri allowances to allow workers and their families to celebrate the annual religious event.
Acting Governor Setia Purwoko on Monday said the annual allowance was mandatory. Employers should pay for it to maintain harmonious relations with their workers and avoid unrest.
East Java, especially Surabaya and its outskirts, is home to thousands of big corporations and labor-intensive companies employing millions of low-income workers, he said.
"We have disseminated circulars calling employers to comply with the 1994 ministerial decree that requires them to pay the allowance two weeks before the celebration," he said.
This year's Idul Fitri falls on October 1, 2008.
Provincial manpower and transmigration agency head Bahrudin expressed optimism that big corporations would pay the special bonus.
"We will check on small and medium-scale companies to ensure they comply with the decree."
The decree, he said, stipulates that workers who have been employed for at least a year deserve a bonus as high as their gross monthly salary.
Exception is given to companies having financial difficulties. They are allowed to skip paying the bonus, but only after submitting a request to the agency and after being audited by public accountants, Bahrudin said.
"Companies or employers violating the decree are subjects to a maximum three-month jail sentence or a Rp 50 million (US$5,250) fine according to the 2003 Labor Law," he added.
Separately, labor unions urged the provincial and regental administrations to open posts for decree violation complaints.
Confederation of Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (KSBSI) chairman Rekson Silaban asked the provincial government to remain tough on enforcing the decree because many employers usually used various tricks to avoid paying the allowance.
Among the tricks, he said, include entirely skipping the payment, suspending it after Idul Fitri or granting seasonal gifts.
"The government should make sure the allowance is paid two weeks before Idul Fitri and is as high as the workers' gross monthly salaries," he said.
Charging Workers Alliance (ABM) chairman Jamaluddin similarly expressed pessimism that employers would comply with the decree especially due to the poor global economic conditions thanks to soaring world fuel prices and their impact on the price of raw-materials and basic commodities.
The annual bonus, he said, has been a chronic problem year to year in the province, with 3,181 companies in industrial estates reportedly infringed last year.
The Surabaya Legal Aids Institute (LBH) and United Indonesian Labor Action (Kasbi) has opened a special post for complaints from workers regarding the special allowance this year. Received complaints will be sent to the local manpower and transmigration agency and then brought to the labor court.
HM Sampoerna public relations manager Yudi Rizard said the cigarette company, which employs more than 25,000 workers, has allocated in its annual budget a post for the special bonus. He ensured the bonus would be paid in time.
Maspion PR manager Soeharto concurred, saying that the escalating prices of fuel and raw materials were not a valid reason for his company to postpone the allowance payment.
Apart from the bonus, he said, his company had even prepared buses to transport its 23,000 workers to their home villages to celebrate Idul Fitri with their extended families.
"This is an expression of the corporation's care for the workers," he said.
Authorities in East Java have ordered employers in the formal and informal sectors pay mandatory Idul Fitri allowances to allow workers and their families to celebrate the annual religious event.
Acting Governor Setia Purwoko on Monday said the annual allowance was mandatory. Employers should pay for it to maintain harmonious relations with their workers and avoid unrest.
East Java, especially Surabaya and its outskirts, is home to thousands of big corporations and labor-intensive companies employing millions of low-income workers, he said.
"We have disseminated circulars calling employers to comply with the 1994 ministerial decree that requires them to pay the allowance two weeks before the celebration," he said.
This year's Idul Fitri falls on October 1, 2008.
Provincial manpower and transmigration agency head Bahrudin expressed optimism that big corporations would pay the special bonus.
"We will check on small and medium-scale companies to ensure they comply with the decree."
The decree, he said, stipulates that workers who have been employed for at least a year deserve a bonus as high as their gross monthly salary.
Exception is given to companies having financial difficulties. They are allowed to skip paying the bonus, but only after submitting a request to the agency and after being audited by public accountants, Bahrudin said.
"Companies or employers violating the decree are subjects to a maximum three-month jail sentence or a Rp 50 million (US$5,250) fine according to the 2003 Labor Law," he added.
Separately, labor unions urged the provincial and regental administrations to open posts for decree violation complaints.
Confederation of Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (KSBSI) chairman Rekson Silaban asked the provincial government to remain tough on enforcing the decree because many employers usually used various tricks to avoid paying the allowance.
Among the tricks, he said, include entirely skipping the payment, suspending it after Idul Fitri or granting seasonal gifts.
"The government should make sure the allowance is paid two weeks before Idul Fitri and is as high as the workers' gross monthly salaries," he said.
Charging Workers Alliance (ABM) chairman Jamaluddin similarly expressed pessimism that employers would comply with the decree especially due to the poor global economic conditions thanks to soaring world fuel prices and their impact on the price of raw-materials and basic commodities.
The annual bonus, he said, has been a chronic problem year to year in the province, with 3,181 companies in industrial estates reportedly infringed last year.
The Surabaya Legal Aids Institute (LBH) and United Indonesian Labor Action (Kasbi) has opened a special post for complaints from workers regarding the special allowance this year. Received complaints will be sent to the local manpower and transmigration agency and then brought to the labor court.
HM Sampoerna public relations manager Yudi Rizard said the cigarette company, which employs more than 25,000 workers, has allocated in its annual budget a post for the special bonus. He ensured the bonus would be paid in time.
Maspion PR manager Soeharto concurred, saying that the escalating prices of fuel and raw materials were not a valid reason for his company to postpone the allowance payment.
Apart from the bonus, he said, his company had even prepared buses to transport its 23,000 workers to their home villages to celebrate Idul Fitri with their extended families.
"This is an expression of the corporation's care for the workers," he said.
Monday, September 08, 2008
ExxonMobil vows oil, gas will help empower Bojonegoro people
Ridwan Max Sijabat and ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Bojonegoro | Mon, 09/08/2008 10:58 AM | East Java
Local communities and administrations are questioning the social benefit of oil and gas exploration on the border between East and Central Java, three years after ExxonMobil Ltd began operations in the region.
Villagers at each of the four exploration sites in Banyu Urip, Ngasem, and Bojonegoro have taken to the streets in protest at employment policies adopted by the Oil and Gas Implementing Agency (BP Migas).
They accuse BP Migas of underemploying local workers in local infrastructure development projects. Supporting the protests, local regency administrations have asked both BP Migas and ExxonMobil to give priority to local workers, in accordance with their skills.
ExxonMobil spokeswoman Deva Rahman asked the public to consider the joint operating agreement carefully. Saying she was shocked by the protests, Deva argued Pertamina and BP Migas were responsible for handling infrastructure development projects in the contract area.
"Physical development is the domain of BP Migas. We handle oil and gas exploration," she told The Jakarta Post recently, adding ExxonMobil was strongly committed to its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, including employing locals and empowering local partners and furthering investment in oil and gas exploration.
"Just as we do in other developing countries worldwide, ExxonMobil will help improve health, education and economic growth in and around our contract areas in the two provinces," she added.
The U.S.-based energy holding company signed a joint operating agreement (JOA) with state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina for the Cepu contract area back in September 2005.
According to the JOA, Pertamina and ExxonMobil each hold a 50-percent interest in the Block Cepu contract, with an eventual 10-percent holding by a regional entity representing the two provinces' administrations.
Two ExxonMobil subsidiaries, Mobil Cepu Ltd. and Ampolex Cepu Ltd. (MCL), are currently exploring the 1.670-square-kilometer oil and gas fields in Banyu Urip, Sukowati, Jambaran and Alas Tua.
Discovered in March 2001, Banyu Urip is believed to contain more than 250 million barrels of oil, with the field expected to produce up to 165,000 barrels of oil per day, at peak production.
MCL spokesman Primantoko said his company's corporate social responsibility program looks to improve health, education and economic growth in Bojonegoro regency.
His company is in the midst of studying proposed development programs to help empower local communities in all regencies covered by MCL's core operations, he added.
"The community development program has to be designed jointly with recipients, to make it useful for the public at large. We began it long before the oil and gas fields started production," Primantoko said.
As examples, Primantoko cited MLC's construction of a public clinic in Gayam village and public polyclinics in Ngringinrejo and Sumber Tlaseh villages, the latter requested by locals.
MLC also assists farmers in pumping water from the Bengawan Solo river to irrigate farmlands, in addition to helping them start a traditional market to spur growth in the regency's agriculture sector.
With respect to education, starting this November, MCL will pay for 500 one-year subscriptions to The Jakarta Post and Newspaper in Education (NIE), as part of its contribution to six junior high and high schools in the regency, he added.
MCL's acting public affairs manager Rexy H. Mawardijaya said the CSR program was based on environmental impact studies (Amdal) related to oil and gas exploration that were conducted jointly with the government and an independent institution.
Separately, a local environmentalist criticized the government and ExxonMobil for promoting the minor benefits of oil exploration to locals while hiding its negative impacts on the environment.
"Apart from polluting the air, oil and gas exploration is believed to exacerbate drought because it will require ground and river water to drive pumps in the oil fields," chairman of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment's (Walhi) East Java Branch Bambang Catur Nusantara said.
He urged the government and ExxonMobil's subsidiaries to make all necessary preparations for handling environmental problems caused by exploration.
Bojonegoro Regent Suyoto said his government has prepared for all positive and negative impacts of exploration on the local community, the government's economic programs and the environment.
"We have implemented several regulations on employment, education, health and economic contributions to maximize the benefits and avoid negative impacts from mining," he added, when asked recently to comment on the potential impacts of oil exploration in the regency.
Local communities and administrations are questioning the social benefit of oil and gas exploration on the border between East and Central Java, three years after ExxonMobil Ltd began operations in the region.
Villagers at each of the four exploration sites in Banyu Urip, Ngasem, and Bojonegoro have taken to the streets in protest at employment policies adopted by the Oil and Gas Implementing Agency (BP Migas).
They accuse BP Migas of underemploying local workers in local infrastructure development projects. Supporting the protests, local regency administrations have asked both BP Migas and ExxonMobil to give priority to local workers, in accordance with their skills.
ExxonMobil spokeswoman Deva Rahman asked the public to consider the joint operating agreement carefully. Saying she was shocked by the protests, Deva argued Pertamina and BP Migas were responsible for handling infrastructure development projects in the contract area.
"Physical development is the domain of BP Migas. We handle oil and gas exploration," she told The Jakarta Post recently, adding ExxonMobil was strongly committed to its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, including employing locals and empowering local partners and furthering investment in oil and gas exploration.
"Just as we do in other developing countries worldwide, ExxonMobil will help improve health, education and economic growth in and around our contract areas in the two provinces," she added.
The U.S.-based energy holding company signed a joint operating agreement (JOA) with state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina for the Cepu contract area back in September 2005.
According to the JOA, Pertamina and ExxonMobil each hold a 50-percent interest in the Block Cepu contract, with an eventual 10-percent holding by a regional entity representing the two provinces' administrations.
Two ExxonMobil subsidiaries, Mobil Cepu Ltd. and Ampolex Cepu Ltd. (MCL), are currently exploring the 1.670-square-kilometer oil and gas fields in Banyu Urip, Sukowati, Jambaran and Alas Tua.
Discovered in March 2001, Banyu Urip is believed to contain more than 250 million barrels of oil, with the field expected to produce up to 165,000 barrels of oil per day, at peak production.
MCL spokesman Primantoko said his company's corporate social responsibility program looks to improve health, education and economic growth in Bojonegoro regency.
His company is in the midst of studying proposed development programs to help empower local communities in all regencies covered by MCL's core operations, he added.
"The community development program has to be designed jointly with recipients, to make it useful for the public at large. We began it long before the oil and gas fields started production," Primantoko said.
As examples, Primantoko cited MLC's construction of a public clinic in Gayam village and public polyclinics in Ngringinrejo and Sumber Tlaseh villages, the latter requested by locals.
MLC also assists farmers in pumping water from the Bengawan Solo river to irrigate farmlands, in addition to helping them start a traditional market to spur growth in the regency's agriculture sector.
With respect to education, starting this November, MCL will pay for 500 one-year subscriptions to The Jakarta Post and Newspaper in Education (NIE), as part of its contribution to six junior high and high schools in the regency, he added.
MCL's acting public affairs manager Rexy H. Mawardijaya said the CSR program was based on environmental impact studies (Amdal) related to oil and gas exploration that were conducted jointly with the government and an independent institution.
Separately, a local environmentalist criticized the government and ExxonMobil for promoting the minor benefits of oil exploration to locals while hiding its negative impacts on the environment.
"Apart from polluting the air, oil and gas exploration is believed to exacerbate drought because it will require ground and river water to drive pumps in the oil fields," chairman of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment's (Walhi) East Java Branch Bambang Catur Nusantara said.
He urged the government and ExxonMobil's subsidiaries to make all necessary preparations for handling environmental problems caused by exploration.
Bojonegoro Regent Suyoto said his government has prepared for all positive and negative impacts of exploration on the local community, the government's economic programs and the environment.
"We have implemented several regulations on employment, education, health and economic contributions to maximize the benefits and avoid negative impacts from mining," he added, when asked recently to comment on the potential impacts of oil exploration in the regency.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Resource-rich Bojonegoro relies on non-oil commodities
Ridwan Max Sijabat and ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Bojonegoro | Fri, 09/05/2008 11:30 AM | East Java
Pasiran, a resident of Banyu Urip village in Ngasem subdistrict, some 110 kilometers from the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya, is deeply disappointed with the central government.
The 40-year-old strongly regrets the government's decision not to employ him in a local infrastructure development project led by Cepu Mobil Ltd, a unit of the US-based mining giant ExxonMobil Ltd.
Expecting employment from recent exploration activities in the area, Pasiran said he and his sons -- like many other villagers -- had been refused a part in the project, forcing him to migrate to the city amid the province's prolonged drought.
"I know I'm uneducated and unskilled, but I can contribute something to the infrastructure development project," Pasiran told The Jakarta Post recently.
Ngasem is one of the least-developed subdistricts in the regency, with a majority of its inhabitants living in poverty.
The subdistrict has a four-hectare oil and gas field in Banyu Urip, where the Oil and Gas Implementing Body (BP Migas) is still putting infrastructure in place, including a road.
The oil field is part of the Block Cepu fields, a contract for which has been won by ExxonMobil.
Villagers have several times taken to the streets in protest over employment practices related to the project, closing the road leading to the project site. They blame BP Migas for failing to uphold its social responsibility to empower locals.
BP Migas employed several local senior high school graduates and undergraduates as security guards for the project, but it was done merely to meet minimum ethical requirements and not to empower residents, Pasiran said.
Bojonegoro Regent Suyoto, who supports the protests, said BP Migas and Cepu Mobil have agreed to pave the road in Ngasem and other subdistricts to help accelerate development in the regency.
He warned his constituents, however, not to assume planned exploration of the large oil and natural gas fields in the region would improve their standards of living, as the fields belong to the central government and foreign company.
Speaking to the Post recently at his office, Suyoto said vast teakwood forests and oil fields were not necessarily something to be proud of.
Neither will make the regency more economically prosperous, because the regency will receive only a relatively small share of the profits, he added.
"The teakwood forest belongs to state forest concession PT Perhutani, whose profits go directly to the state while the oil fields belong to the central government," Suyoto said.
Once Cepu Mobil Ltd. starts operation, with a capacity of 400,000 barrels of oil a day -- according to Suyoto -- Bojonegoro will receive 1.5 percent of the profits or about Rp 2 trillion (US$217 million) a year.
"This will not make this regency, with 1.3 million inhabitants, rich," said Suyoto, who is entering his second year in office.
The regent would not elaborate, though the additional funds are certain to boost Bojonegoro regency's current Rp 812 billion budget.
He added his administration is concentrating on repairing the regency's poor roads and on developing irrigation ditches along the Bengawan Solo river, to revitalize the agricultural sector.
Bojonegoro is the second poorest regency in the province, after Trenggalek, Suyoto said. Half of Bojonegoro's budget went to public works projects, including for infrastructure development, particularly an irrigation system and roads.
"A better irrigation system and road networks are two key factors in solving our many social problems including poverty, unemployment and an unhealthy environment," he added.
To assist the poor, the administration has been trying to maximize the central government's health and education programs, Suyoto said.
More than 48 percent of the poor (572,000 individuals) have enjoyed the benefits of the public health program (Jamkesmas), received cash assistance and taken part in the national anti-unemployment program, he added.
"Our main goal is to provide clean water, irrigation facilities and paved roads within three years. Then we will move toward intensifying our education program," said Suyoto, a former lecturer at the August 17, 1945, University in Surabaya.
He admits to an obsession with improving the regency's human development index (HDI) by doubling farmers' per capita income and by improving their health conditions and education.
"We will continue introducing new varieties of rice, melon, soybean, corn and other plants to improve farmers' productivity," he added.
To help realize the regency's goal of raising 400,000 cows a year, he has encouraged his constituents to use harvested rice stems as feed, he said.
"We have also invited a number of state and private banks to provide soft loans to farmers to support the regency's program to promote non-oil commodities," Suyoto added.
Pasiran, a resident of Banyu Urip village in Ngasem subdistrict, some 110 kilometers from the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya, is deeply disappointed with the central government.
The 40-year-old strongly regrets the government's decision not to employ him in a local infrastructure development project led by Cepu Mobil Ltd, a unit of the US-based mining giant ExxonMobil Ltd.
Expecting employment from recent exploration activities in the area, Pasiran said he and his sons -- like many other villagers -- had been refused a part in the project, forcing him to migrate to the city amid the province's prolonged drought.
"I know I'm uneducated and unskilled, but I can contribute something to the infrastructure development project," Pasiran told The Jakarta Post recently.
Ngasem is one of the least-developed subdistricts in the regency, with a majority of its inhabitants living in poverty.
The subdistrict has a four-hectare oil and gas field in Banyu Urip, where the Oil and Gas Implementing Body (BP Migas) is still putting infrastructure in place, including a road.
The oil field is part of the Block Cepu fields, a contract for which has been won by ExxonMobil.
Villagers have several times taken to the streets in protest over employment practices related to the project, closing the road leading to the project site. They blame BP Migas for failing to uphold its social responsibility to empower locals.
BP Migas employed several local senior high school graduates and undergraduates as security guards for the project, but it was done merely to meet minimum ethical requirements and not to empower residents, Pasiran said.
Bojonegoro Regent Suyoto, who supports the protests, said BP Migas and Cepu Mobil have agreed to pave the road in Ngasem and other subdistricts to help accelerate development in the regency.
He warned his constituents, however, not to assume planned exploration of the large oil and natural gas fields in the region would improve their standards of living, as the fields belong to the central government and foreign company.
Speaking to the Post recently at his office, Suyoto said vast teakwood forests and oil fields were not necessarily something to be proud of.
Neither will make the regency more economically prosperous, because the regency will receive only a relatively small share of the profits, he added.
"The teakwood forest belongs to state forest concession PT Perhutani, whose profits go directly to the state while the oil fields belong to the central government," Suyoto said.
Once Cepu Mobil Ltd. starts operation, with a capacity of 400,000 barrels of oil a day -- according to Suyoto -- Bojonegoro will receive 1.5 percent of the profits or about Rp 2 trillion (US$217 million) a year.
"This will not make this regency, with 1.3 million inhabitants, rich," said Suyoto, who is entering his second year in office.
The regent would not elaborate, though the additional funds are certain to boost Bojonegoro regency's current Rp 812 billion budget.
He added his administration is concentrating on repairing the regency's poor roads and on developing irrigation ditches along the Bengawan Solo river, to revitalize the agricultural sector.
Bojonegoro is the second poorest regency in the province, after Trenggalek, Suyoto said. Half of Bojonegoro's budget went to public works projects, including for infrastructure development, particularly an irrigation system and roads.
"A better irrigation system and road networks are two key factors in solving our many social problems including poverty, unemployment and an unhealthy environment," he added.
To assist the poor, the administration has been trying to maximize the central government's health and education programs, Suyoto said.
More than 48 percent of the poor (572,000 individuals) have enjoyed the benefits of the public health program (Jamkesmas), received cash assistance and taken part in the national anti-unemployment program, he added.
"Our main goal is to provide clean water, irrigation facilities and paved roads within three years. Then we will move toward intensifying our education program," said Suyoto, a former lecturer at the August 17, 1945, University in Surabaya.
He admits to an obsession with improving the regency's human development index (HDI) by doubling farmers' per capita income and by improving their health conditions and education.
"We will continue introducing new varieties of rice, melon, soybean, corn and other plants to improve farmers' productivity," he added.
To help realize the regency's goal of raising 400,000 cows a year, he has encouraged his constituents to use harvested rice stems as feed, he said.
"We have also invited a number of state and private banks to provide soft loans to farmers to support the regency's program to promote non-oil commodities," Suyoto added.
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