Indonesia Tercinta

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Government sets target of all areas in RI having broadband access in 2015

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government has set itself the target of making all areas in Indonesia have broadband access for connection to universal internet in 2015, a minister has said.

"At a meeting in Bangkok last week, APEC telecommunications and industry ministers set a target of making all countries in Asia and the Pacific including Indonesia have broadband access in 2015," Communications and Informatics Minister Muhammad Nuh said here Tuesday.

At their 7th meeting on 23-25 April, the telecommunications and industry ministers of APEC (the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) agreed to set a target of raising access to universal internet by three folds from the 2010 target set at a forum of its kind in Brunei Darussalam last year.

Thus, the Indonesian government would soon prepare a roadmap about major strategies and policies on broadband access in the country.

At the meeting, the ministers also touched on the use of sound and safe internet.

"An environ which is able to protect users, mainly children, and guarantee safety for individual and business users, was a main point in the conclusion of the Bangkok Declaration," Nuh said.

The Bangkok Declaration also agreed on global cooperation calling on governments, industries, business community and consumers to make a concerted effort which is universal in nature.

"Indonesia at the meeting presented efforts which have been made like the ID-SIRTII (the Indonesia Security Incident Response Team on Internet Infrastructure) and newly-approved ITE Law," Nuh said.

The Bangkok Declaration also mentioned the exchange of technology information, innovative services and technical cooperation.

"The US specially offered technical cooperation to improve our capability in information on communications and technology," he said.

On the sidelines of the forum, Indonesia held a bilateral meeting with the US Coordinator for International Telecommunications and Information Policy, David Gross. (*)

Indonesia, Australia host regional forum meeting on disaster

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer has welcomed the hosting by Indonesia and Australia of a desk-top exercise to enhance multinational disaster relief responses in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Australian embassy said here on Wednesday the two-day exercise commencing on Thursday aims to improve the speed and effectiveness of multinational, civil and military disaster response capabilities between the 27 participants of the ASEAN Regional Forum and will involve a range of government agencies and regional aid bodies.

Australia`s Minister for Defence Joel Fitzgibbon was quoted by the embassy as saying the initiative built on the valuable contributions the Australian Defence Force had made in regional disaster relief efforts and highlighted Australia`s commitment to its regional partners.

The last few years had seen an increase in multinational responses to regional disasters - most notably the successful international effort in responding to the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. It was important that the region works together to further improve and coordinate their efforts, Fitzgibbon said according to the embassy

"Holding the exercise in Jakarta also ensures regional countries gain maximum benefit from the lessons learned and experience of the Indonesian government and Armed Forces in responding to a range of natural disasters," he said.

"The exercise is an important step in coordinating expertise from across the region and focuses a very broad bank of resources to the critical task of rendering assistance to those who need it most during a natural disaster."

The exercise - a regional cooperation activity conducted through the ASEAN Regional Forum - is to be held at the Indonesian Naval Command and Staff College in Jakarta on May 1-2, 2008.
(*)

Thousands of Indonesian workers rally to mark May Day

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Thousands of workers from Jakarta and vicinity areas rallied here on Thursday to mark the International Workers` Day or May Day.

Before proceeding to the State Palace, the workers, who were coming among other things from Bekasi, Tangerang and Bogor, gathers in several spots such as the Banteng Square and the Proclamation Monument in central Jakarta.

Workers gathering in the Banteng Square were grouped by several labor unions including the Labor Union of Indonesian People (SPRI), the Labor Union of Indonesian Informal Workers (Serbiindo), the Labor Union of Indonesian National Maritime (SBMNI), the Labor Union of National Transportation (SBTN), and the Labor Union of Indonesian Automotive (SPOI).

Earlier Jakarta Metropolitan police chief Inspector Gen. Adang Firman said his office would mobilize at least 15 thousand security personnel and the military to control the mass rallies.

Meanwhile, in the Proclamation Monument, more than 200 workers demanded the improvement of their welfare when celebrating the May Day.

The workers were among others members of the Reform Tourism Labor Union Federation (FSP-PAR-Rev), the Indonesian Automotive Labor Union (SPO), the Indonesian Migrant Worker Union (SBMI), and the Demanding Worker Alliance.

They voiced their demands for the improvement of their welfare, the eradication of contract system and the payment of proper salaries for them.

Other spots in Jakarta where a number of workers gathered for the May Day were the Hotel Indonesia Circle, in front of the Parliament Building, and the Senayan sport stadium.

Around 50,000 workers were expected to gather in the Senayan stadium in the conclusion of the May Day celebration.

Similar rallies were also held in other Indonesian cities such as Yogyakarta, Medan (North Sumatra), Denpasar (Bali), Surabaya and Malang (East Java), Bandung (West Java) and Makassar (South Sulawesi). (*)

Indonesia stresses on every country`s rights to develop nuclear energy

London (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has highlighted the rights of every country to develop nuclear energy, but expressed their high concern over a slow process of the nuclear disarmament by countries which have modernized their nuclear fleet.

In the second preparatory committee meeting of Nuclear weapons non-proliferation treaty held in Geneva, Indonesian Charge d`Affairs to UN in Geneva I Gusti Agung on Wednesday said it was the right of every country to develop nuclear energy already guaranteed by the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).

The double standard of nuclear weapons producing countries which often stressed on non-proliferation policy in one hand while ignoring the obligation of nuclear countries to dismantle their weapon on the other hands, had the potential to weaken the integrity of nuclear weapons non-proliferation treaty, he said.

A big worry about the proliferation of nuclear weapons should not be made as an excuse to block others` rights, he said.

Therefore Indonesia often encouraged the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as the relevant agency in dealing with the challenges in the context of preventing the proliferation and building international cooperation in making use of nuclear energy.

In the meeting, Indonesia also called on countries in possession of nuclear weapons to abide by the protocol on nuclear weapon-free zone.

At present, more than 100 countries have been part of nuclear weapons-free zone including ASEAN member countries known as the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (SEANFWZ).

Indonesia also stressed on the importance of creating nuclear free zone in the Middle East as already agreed in the review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty in 1995.

As a NPT member country, Indonesia had actually met NPT provisions including forging cooperation with IAEA and ratifying comprehensive safeguard agreement and IAEA additional protocol.

Indonesia continued monitoring and learning the proposal on multilateral mechanism to guarantee the supply of nuclear raw materials.

The proposal was expected to be able to support the interest of whole countries wishing to make use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, Gusti Agung said. (*)

NAM calls for nuclear disarmament

London (ANTARA News) - Indonesia on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) called for the disarmament of nuclear weapons as the only guaranty to prevent the danger posed by nuclear weapons to the survival of human beings.

Such an appeal was extended in the second preparatory committee meeting of the nuclear weapons non-proliferation conference in Geneva which happened to be part of a review conference of the non-proliferation of nuclear weapon to be held in 2010.

The Third Secretary of the Indonesian permanent representative office in Geneva, Widya Sadnovic, in a press release made available to Antara News in London on Wednesday said Indonesia in the meeting reiterated the position of NAM on the nuclear disarmament and
non-proliferation as specified in the various documents of the conferences and NAM summits.

The meeting, which started on April 28 and would end on May 9, 2008, was attended by around 190 members countries of the nuclear weapons non-proliferation treaty (NPT) in which the objective was to review the provisions of the NPT implementation, decisions and agreements, thus assessing the adherence of member countries in implementing the NPT chapters.

NAM member countries in the NPT were committed to fulfilling the agreements produced in the review conferences in 1995 and 2000 with an aim to stop the proliferation of the whole nuclear weapons.

According to Widya Sadnovic, all NAM group expressed their agreement to the nuclear disarmament and the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in a balanced manner.

NAM group also expressed their concern over the slow process of nuclear disarmament by countries having nuclear weapons as part of their defense system and they even continued to modernize their nuclear fleet.

In this context, NAM as the biggest group in NPT proposed that the next review conference of the non-proliferation treaty of nuclear weapons should be able to formulate the time frame of the chapter VI implementation and mechanism in a bid to verify the member

Friday, April 25, 2008

Government adamant on limiting Namru-2 staffers having diplomatic imunity

Jakarta, April 24 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government is persisting in its preparedness to grant diplomatic immunity to only two US Namru-2 (Naval Medical Research Unit 2) staff members, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said here on Thursday.

"We are sticking to our stance that not all of Namru-2 officers will be granted diplomatic immunity. We will give the immunity to only two of the 20 US naval officers with Namru-2," he said.

He made the remark after receiving British Armed Forces Commander Marshal Jock Stirrup here on Thursday.

The minister said besides restricting the number of Namru-2 staff having diplomatic immunity, Indonesia was also insisting that doctors of the Indonesian Navy be assigned in Namru-2 as supervisors.

The need to assign Indonesian supervisors was due to the fact that so far the activities carried out by Namru-2 officers were not transparent, he said.

Therefore, Indonesian naval officers must be involved as supervisors in Namru-2 activities in Indonesia, he said.

"We want Indonesian naval officers to be involved in the activities of NAMRU-2," the minister said on Wednesday.

The minister said Indonesia and the United States were still negotiating several points for the resumption of its cooperation with Namru-2.

"The discussions are now focused on the United States request for diplomatic immunity for 20 Namru-2 staff members," the minister said.

He said Indonesia had refused to give diplomatic immunity to all 20 Namru-2 staff members and was prepared to grant it to only 2 of them.

"If we give diplomatic immunity to all of them, we are afraid we will not be able to control or know the things they do or take in the research activities," Juwono said.

He said Namru-2 activities were expected to be transparent and useful for both nations with the involvement of Indonesian naval officers and a restriction in the number of US staffers obtaining diplomatic immunity.

US Health Minister Michael O Levitt during a working visit in Indonesia recently asked the Indonesian government to give diplomatic immunity to Namru-2 staffers.

The US minister`s request was made in connection with a plan to extend Namru-2`s work contract in Indonesia after it expired in 2000.

When the bird flu broke out in Indonesia in June-July, 2005, the Namru-2 cooperation was continued. Namru-2 assisted Indonesia in research on avian influenza virus infection and helped the government send specimens of suspected patients to the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC)laboratory in Atlanta and the WHO collaboration laboratory in Hong Kong.

Namru-2`s contract with Indonesia expired on December 31, 2005 so that all activities with the laboratories were stopped on January 1, 2006. (*)

Indonesia sends diplomatic note to three countries

Pontianak (ANTARA News) - The Foreign Ministry has sent a diplomatic note to Chinese, Vietnamese and Taiwanese embassies following the capture of 17 foreign motor vessels with 151 crew members while poaching in Natuna waters.

Consular affairs director at the Foreign Ministry Indra Kesuma Oesman said here on Thursday he had submitted a diplomatic note to the three countries calling on them to conduct a verification of the existing detainees to smoothen their deportation.

He hoped that after the sending of the diplomatic note, the embassies of the three countries would be able to arrange the deportation of the Indonesians as soon as possible. It was believed that a delay in their deportation will cause new problems such as their meal cost and other social problems.

The quickest process of the deportation will take at least two months if the embassy is proactive in helping their nationals return home as soon as possible.

In the meantime, Pontianak Naval Base Commander Lt Col Taufik Harun said his side had sent 151 crew members from the three countries to Pontianak Immigration office for further legal process. "But till now the whips of the detainees are still berthing at Jeurju TPI port, as the immigration office has no place to accommodate such big number of detainees."

He said that fish confiscated from their vessels could serve as evidence. Based on law No 5.1985 and a ruling of the Supreme Court No 1/2007, the confiscation of the fish caught in Indonesian waters is the authority of the navy and the proceeds of fish auction could be kept as evidence for the court.

"We hope that the deportation can be immediately carried out to prevent other problems," he said.

The Director General for Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision (DKP), Aji Sulasto, on another occasion said his office in 2007 succeeded in saving the state from a loss of about Rp460 billion in addition to Rp295 billion in the January-April 2008 period.

Most of the poachers caught red handed in Indonesian waters came from China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.

It was reported that about 75 fishing vessels had been confiscated in Ranai and another 60 in Pontianak. Those vessels will be declared as state assets on the basis of the court verdict.(*)

President: govt continues to overcome national problems

Batulicin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - The government continues to make every effort of solving all problems in the country, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said here on Thursday.

"All government elements from time to time continue to overcome problems in the country, although it is not easy," President Yudhoyono said when dedicating the Ashar Nurulsallam Mosque in Batulicin, Tanah Bumbu district, South Kalimantan.

On the occasion the president pointed out that the country is currently facing skyrocketing world oil prices and global food crisis.

"No matter how difficult the problems that we are facing at the moment, the government will continue to find the best possible solution," the president in the company of First Lady Ani Yudhoyono said.

But the head of state added that to overcome those problems once and for all, the government also needed the contribution of all public elements in the country.

"on the one hand the government continues to work hard in its efforts to overcome the problems but on the other hand all public elements need to cooperate with the government," Yudhoyono said.

The president arrived here on Thursday afternoon from Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, where he launched a program to create models of disadvantaged villages in Indonesia.

On Friday morning, President Yudhoyono, First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, Central Kalimantan Governor Rudy Arifin and Home Affairs Minister Mardiyanto would attend a function to mark the 12th anniversary of regional autonomy.

After performing Friday prayers, the president and the first lady would dedicate a smart house at 3 p.m. , before returning to Jakarta.(*)

Indonesia still questioning "elements" having links with Reinado

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government is still waiting for clarifications about whom Timor Leste President Ramos Horta meant when he said "elements in Indonesia" had had contacts with rebel leader Alfredo Reinado.

Ramos Horta was quoted by the Associated Press as saying in Dili recently there was a possibility rebel army officer Alfredo Reinado, who had tried to assassinate him in an armed attack on his residence but was himself killed in an ensuing shootout, had "a lot of contacts ... with elements in Indonesia".

Horta was shot in the stomach during the pre-dawn attack on February 11, 2008 on his Dili home by rebel soldiers led by Alfredo Reinado.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda who earlier challenged Horta to provide evidence on his statement said on Monday Indonesia was waiting for explanations from Timor Leste on who were the `elements` referred to by the Timor Leste president.

"We want to hear whether the problem referred to as `elements` by President Ramos Horta has been overcome," Wirajuda said referring to the arrest by Indonesian police of three Timor Leste citizens last Friday.

The arrest was made based on information provided by the Timor Leste government.

"We rely on the information given by the Timor Leste government as to what it has meant by `elements`. We don`t know whether or not the elements meant are the ones we have arrested or whether there are others," the minister said.

The three Timor Leste citizens who were arrested by the Indonesian police were Egidio Lay Carvalho, Jose Gomes and Ismail Sansao Moniz Soares. They had entered Indonesia illegally.

Last week, in New York, Wirajuda challenged Horta to provide evidence on his allegation. "If Timor Leste can provide evidence, we will be ready to take follow up actions on the allegation," he said.

He said the Indonesian government had an open mind. If there was information, for instance on phone calls or money transfers, it should be given to the Indonesian government. With such information it`s easy to trace the people involved, he said.

Also in reaction to Horta`s allegation, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked Timor Leste leaders not to issue any statement that could be interpreted as if there had been elements in Indonesia possibly involved in the shooting on February 11, 2008 of President Jose Ramos Horta.

Yudhoyono said he talked with Ramos Horta on April 10 when the Timor Leste leader was being treated in Australia for gunshot wounds.

"In the phone talk, Ramos Horta briefed me on the investigation being conducted into the shooting incident and asked for assistance from the Indonesian government," Yudhoyono said.

Indonesia sent two high-ranking police officers to Dili on April 13 and April 15 to collect information from the Prosecutor General of Timor Leste and to analyze the information together.

Based on the information, the Indonesian police acted swiftly to locate the suspects. Everything happened quickly, professionally and in a high spirit of cooperation, he said.

"That is why, I was a bit surprised to hear President Ramos Horta`s statement because it was my understanding that the telephone conversation on April 10 was not for public knowledge yet. I instructed my ministers and police chief not to disclose the information to the public in order to give an opportunity to the Indonesian police to hunt the suspects," he said.

The three suspects, identified as Egidio Lay Carvalho, Jose Gomes, and Ismail Sansao Moniz Soares, are all members of the military of Timor Leste, who have been involved in rebellious activities, and suspected of involvement in the shooting incident.

Yet, it is not clear who were the `elements` Horta referred to in his statement when he arrived in Dili from Australia last week.

According to Australian television and radio station ABC on Friday last week, Ramos Horta also accused Indonesian Metro TV journalist Desi Anwar of having assisted Alfredo Reinado to visit Indonesia for an interview in May 2007.

The station in a report quoted Horta as saying he had strong evidence that Anwar, in cooperation with officials in East Nusatenggara (NTT), had helped Reinado obtain fake documents to travel to Indonesia.

Desi Anwar denied the president`s allegation, however, saying it was absolutely ridiculous and nonsense. "This is ridiculous, illogical and not true," she was quoted by ANTARA News Agency as saying.

She expressed regret that a president had made allegations without evidence and accurate data. As a head of state, Horta should have obtained accurate information. "As a president, Horta should have been given accurate inputs," Anwar said adding she hoped the Timor Leste president was convalescing well. "I wish him a speedy recovery," she said.

Horta said what Metro TV and "other elements in Indonesia" had done had also contributed to the attempt on his life last February 11.

In the meantime, the Indonesian Army stressed on Tuesday that no serviceman in Indonesia had had any contact with Alfredo Reinado.

"None of them have had any contact with him. Indonesian army members (in East Nusatenggara bordering Timor Leste) only have the duty to guard the border and they are not allowed to enter the neighboring country," Indonesian Army Chief of Staff General Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo said.

He said all soldiers of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) always followed regulations, including in carrying out government policies to uphold national sovereignty and secure the borders with Timor Leste.

"No Indonesian military man is involved. Soldiers follow rules. They only guard the border areas," Agustadi said.
(*)

RI reporter accused by Ramos Horta to report to press council

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Metro TV journalist Desi Anwar who was accused of involvement in an attempt to assassinate Timor Leste President Ramos Horta has called for support and protection from Indonesia`s Press Council and journalist associations.

"Ramos Horta`s accusation against me is unfounded and irresponsible . It has also created a bad perception harmful to me as a journalist and an individual. I will take the matter to the Press Council and professional organizations," she said here Thursday.

Desi was also expected to tell the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) about the Timor Leste President`s false accusation and ask for IFJ protection.

"The accusation is damaging my reputation at home and abroad. I could be banned from entering a country due to the accusation. As a journalist, I often cover events abroad," she said.

A member of the Press Council, Wina Armada, said he was ready to receive information from Desi about her problem and give moral support to her.

"The Press Council is obliged to help and protect every member of the press community. We will receive Desi Anwar and our friends from Metro TV (an Indonesian private TV satiation) tomorrow (Friday/ April 25)," he said.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Indonesian Journalist Association (PWI)`s foreign affairs section, Saiful Hadi, told newsmen that PWI would help defend Desi Anwar as according to information he had received, the Metro TV journalist was not wrong.

"We will hear about Ramos Horta`s accusation directly from Desi. If the accusation is unfounded and not supported by evidence, PWI will urge Ramos Horta to withdraw his accusation. Horta must also apologize to Desi, Metro TV and the Indonesian people," said Saiful Hadi who is also Chief Editor of ANTARA news agency.

According to Saiful, nobody, not even a president, could level an accusation against someone else without evidence. "The accusation against Desi could disrupt her journalistic works and threaten her life," he said.

On Ramos Horta`s accusation against Desi Anwar, Metro TV made a clarification on the matter.

It was untrue that Metro TV journalist Desi Anwar was involved, either directly or indirectly, in an attempt to assassinate Timor Leste President Ramos Horta.

It was also untrue that, as a journalist, Desi Anwar had facilitated Major Alfredo Reinado`s trip to Jakarta or other places in the world.

In her professional history as a journalist, Desi Anwar did not know Major Alfredo Reinado as an individual and did not make any direct or indirect contact with Reinado.

Thus, according to Metro TV, Ramos Horta`s accusation against Desi Anwar was unfounded, irresponsible and had a created a bad perception harmful to Metro TV as an institution and Desi Anwar both as a journalist and an individual.

Metro TV has been looking forward to giving chances to President Ramos Horta to make corrections on his statement which was declared openly and quoted by media worldwide, and till April 22, 2008, at 2 pm, he did not make any correction, Metro TV needed to issue an official denial.

Metro TV urged President Ramos Horta to soon make a rectification on the unfounded accusation. (*)

No Indonesian arrested over Ramos Horta`s shooting

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - National Police Chief Gen Sutanto said not a single Indonesian citizen was arrested and being questioned in connection with the shooting of Timor Leste President Ramos Horta last February.

"Not a single Indonesian citizen has been arrested. All the people we are now questioning (in relation with Horta`s shooting) are Timor Leste citizens," he told the press here on Thursday.

He said the police were questioning four Timor Leste nationals who were arrested near the Indonesia-Timor Leste border on suspicion of involvement in the attempt on Horta`s life in Dili last February. All four were Timor Leste military men who had entered Indonesia without the required legal travel documents.

Sutanto said the police were now legally processing the cases of the four Timor Leste men, adding the Timor Leste government had earlier asked for Indonesia`s assistance to take action against anybody suspected of involvement in the attempt on Horta`s life who had fled to Indonesia.

The police chief expressed hope other members of the network that had perpetrated the attack on Horta could be nabbed.

Sutanto also denied rumors that a Timor Leste-born youth figure residing in Jakarta was linked with the plot to kill Horta.

"There is no such link," he said.

Previously, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said police arrested three people from Timor Leste, namely Egidio Lay Carvalho, Jose Gomes, and Ismail Sansao Moniz Soares last Friday.

"I need to clarify that the three suspects are all members of the Timor Leste Military involved in the unrest and shooting," he said.

The arrest was a follow up on the request Horta had made to him via telephone on April 10,2008, he added.
(*)

Friday, April 11, 2008

RI delegation attends UN rights council`s meeting in Genewa

London (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian delegation to a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Wednesday briefed the session on Indonesia`s efforts to improve respect and protection of human rights at home.

"Delegates from all other countries at the meeting appreciated the progress achieved by Indonesia in promoting respect for and protection of human rights," a staffer at the office of the Indonesian Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Yasmi Adriansyah, said.

The Indonesian delegation was led by Director General for Multilateral Cooperation at the Foreign Ministry, Reslan Izhar Djenie, and further consisted of officials from the ministries of law and human rights, social affairs, manpower and transmigration, women`s empowerment and the Indonesian Permanent Representative`s office in Geneva.

Yasmi said Indonesia was among 16 countries attending the UN Human Rights Council`s first UPR meeting which would run until April 18.

The other countries are Bahrain, Ecuador, Tunisia, Morocco, Finland, Britain, India, Brazil, the Philippines, Algeria, Poland, the Netherlands, South Africa, the Czech Republic and Argentine.

The second UPR meeting would be held in May and December, she said, adding that Indonesia would be a member of a troika that would review reports from India and Japan.

The UPR mechanism was agreed on by UN member nations as an effort to intensify protection of human rights in each member country through dialog and cooperation based on the Council`s resolution on Institutional Building.

The mechanism, she said, would eventually result in the issuance of recommendations and inputs from all UN member countries and observers an efforts to intensify protection of human rights in UN member countries, including Indonesia.

At Wednesday`s UPR meeting, the Indonesian delegation provided explanations and information on the human rights situation in Indonesia to complement a report the government had submitted to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights last February.

The Indonesian delegation also elaborated on Indonesia`s first and second national action plans on human rights as a follow up of the Vienna Declaration and the Action Program adopted in 1993.

It reported the Indonesian government was completing a process to revise the country`s Penal Code in consultation also with some non-governmental organizations.

The Indonesian delegation also told the session Indonesia would ratify the Optional Protocol I of the International Convention against Torture by 2009, withdraw some of the reservations it had once put forward on some articles in the International Convention on Children`s Rights and try to adjust its national laws with those convention articles.

About the Law on Public Information which was passed by the House of Representatives (DPR) on April 4, the delegation said based on the law, the state and all public institutions were obliged to make their financial reports public.
(*)

US praises TNI`s internal reforms

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The US government has once again praised the Indonesian military (TNI) for its success in implementing internal reforms.

The TNI`s respect for human rights was also getting better, Commander of US Pacific Command Admiral Timothy J Keating said at a meeting with TNI Chief Gen Djoko Santoso at the latter`s office here on Thursday.

"We also praise the Garuda military contingent (Konga) XXIII-B for its performance while joining the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon," he was quoted by Head of the TNI Headquarters` Information Service Rear Marshal Sagom Tamboen as saying.

Even, the UN had also praised the Konga XXIII-B for its remarkable performance while joining the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), he said.

He further said the TNI and the US Pacific Command had also agreed to step up the existing cooperation and to expand the areas of cooperation.

Under the cooperation agreement signed in 2007, the US offered 138 programs to Indonesia. The programs were divided into five categories, namely training and exercise working group (64 activities), logistics working group (10 activities), communication and intelligence working group (7 activities), high level visit working group (15 activities), and special education and program working group (42 activities).

In 2008, both sides had agreed to implement all programs of which cooperation agreements were signed in the previous years, he said.(*)

Navy nabs foreign tramp ship in Papua waters

Surabaya, E Java (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian warship KRI Arun-903 of the Eastern Fleet has arrested a tramp ship belonging to a Chinese national in the Fak-Fak waters, Papua province, a navy spokesman said.

"The arrest of MV Fuyuan Yu F 80 was made recently in the Papua waters which is rich in tuna fish," Eastern Fleet Spokesman Lt Col. Toni Saiful said here on Thursday.

The 1,344 GT vessel was skippered by Cheng Kong Zhang and had served as a tramper to collect fish catch. It was reported to have the capacity of carry 1,000 tons of fish catch.

The arrest of the Chinese ship began when KRI Arun detected a ship with a foreign name and flag. Suspicious that something was wrong with the foreign vessel, KRI Arun intercepted and searched it, he said.

It turned out that the Chinese ship had no legal documents and the number of its 39 crew members (including the skipper) did not match the vessel`s manifest.

"The manifest mentioned only 18 people, while in fact there were 39, which is a violation of the law," he added.(*)

RI Consulate in Sydney, Garuda to organize `Discover Indonesia`

Brisbane (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian consulate general in Sydney and national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia will jointly organize a tourism promotion event called "Discover Indonesia" for Australian tourism operators and mass media.

Intended to support the Visit Indonesia 2008 program, the promotional event would be held for two weeks starting late July 2008, Pratito Soeharyo, minister counselor at the consulate, said here Friday.

Representatives of 20 Australian travel bureaus and a number of newspaper and television reporters would be invited to take part in the program, he said.

They would be given the opportunity to visit and see some of Indonesia`s eco-tourism potentials outside Bali, especially on Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua islands.

Garuda would among other things fly them to the Bunaken marine park in North Sulawesi, the center for orangutan protection in Kalimantan, and Toba Lake in North Sumatra.

Most Australian tourists visiting Indonesia so far stay mainly in Bali.

For 2008, Indonesia had set a target of attracting seven million foreign tourists and earning around US$6.7 billion in foreign exchange from them.

A total of 5.5 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia last year. Topping the list of countries where the tourists came from were Singapore with 1.46 million tourists, Malaysia (941,202), Japan (593,784), Australia (313,881), South Korea (423,098), China (335,172), Europe (528,171), and the United States (154,846). (*)

VP assures S Korean bizmen Indonesia seriously fighting corruption

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice President Jusuf Kalla here Friday assured South Korean and Indonesian businessmen that the government was seriously fighting corruption in the country.

"As we all know, two days ago, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested a legislator at this hotel for alleged corruption," Kalla said when opening an Indonesia-South Korea Business Forum at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.

The vice president said the arrest on Wednesday of Al Amin Nasution, a member of the House of Representatives` Commission IV, by the KPK at the Ritz Carlton Hotel was an example of Indonesia`s serious efforts to combat corruption.

Kalla said the arrest of Al Amin Nasation as a suspect in a bribery case was part of the government`s efforts to change the perception that Indonesia was one of the most corrupt countries in the world.

He said eradication of corruption and other law enforcement efforts were badly needed to encourage investment growth.

"Our government system is now more democratic and transparent and therefore we invite foreign investors to invest in Indonesia," the vice president said.

Kalla said Indonesia was at present in need of investment in infrastructure facilities such as seaports, airports and toll roads.

"We also have abundant natural resources, and a big population which is a potential market for South Korean businessmen investing in our country," Kalla said.
(*)

Govt to issue regulation on rice export soon

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government, through the Ministry of Trade, will soon issue a decree to regulate rice exports.

"I am preparing a rice export regulation and hope it can be issued within the next few days," Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said after a coordinative meeting on economic affairs here on Friday.

The minister said the decree would ban export of rice conducted by any party other than the National Logistics Agency (Bulog).

"It is only Bulog that will be authorized to carry out rice exports but before it does so it should first get the green light from the government through the Food Stability Team," she said.

The minister said Bulog could carry out rice exports only if there was a surplus in rice production. "So, there will be no export if there is no rice surplus," she added.

The government is planning to export rice as this year the country is expected to experience a rice production surplus of over 1.30 million tons.

Director General for Food Crops Sutarto Alimuso said recently production in 2008 was estimated to reach 58.26 million tons of dry unhusked rice or equivalent to about 33 million tons of rice.

If the population was 227.78 million with a per capita rice consumption of 139.15 kg, the national need for rice was about 31.68 million tons, he said.

So this year there would be a rice surplus of about 1.30 million tons, excluding year-end left-over stocks in the warehouses of Bulog and rice stored by the people, the director general said.

At present, March and April, Indonesia is in a rice harvest season. "Indonesia`s dry unhusked rice production this season is estimated at 19.3 million tons," Sutarto Alimuso said.

The 19.3 million tons will come from harvests on a total of 4.12 million hectares of paddies in West Java, Central Java, East Java, Banten, South Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, Lampung and South Sumatra provinces. (*)

UNICEF hands 49th rehabilitated school building to Aceh govt

Banda Aceh (ANTARA News) - The United Nations Children`s Fund (UNICEF) on Friday handed an elementary school building in Kajeung, Sungai Mas sub district, to the people and government of West Aceh District.

The school building, the 49th UNICEF had reconstructed in Aceh under its post-tsunami assistance program, was handed by the head of the UNICEF Representative Office in Meulaboh, Frederic Sizaret, to West Aceh District Chief Ramli MS.

Earlier, on Thursday, UNICEF also handed two buildings to house the Islamic Elementary Boarding School of Peulanteu Lembalek and state elementary school of Suak Ie Beusou in Arongan Lembalek sub district to the West Aceh district head.

The three buildings are among 18 school buildings rebuilt by UNICEF in West Aceh.

The school buildings each consist of a number of class rooms and also offer sports facilities, Sizaret said.

Up to April 10, he added, UNICEF had rebuilt 49 school buildings and handed them over the local people and administrations, consisting of 25 units in Aceh Jaya District, 18 units in West Aceh District and six units in Nagan Raya District.

He said UNICEF would always try to support the Indonesian government in making basic education affordable by the people.

Therefore, he added, UNICEF was committed to rebuilding 109 school buildings across the west cost of Aceh as part of the rehabilitation of 346 school building units in Aceh and Nias damaged by the quake and tsunami on December 26, 2004 or due to the past armed conflict in the province.

He said UNICEF would also help to improve the quality of education in these schools along with the local education office by giving training to school principals and community figures on program creating learning communities for children (CLCC).
(*)

RI, UNODC hold meeting on combating illicit trafficking in forest products

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and the United Nations shrugs and crime agency UNODC organized an international experts group meeting on International Cooperation in Preventing and Combating Illicit International Trafficking in Forest Products, in Jakarta, recently.

The forest products included timber, wildlife and other forest biological resources, according to a press statement of the Indonesian forestry ministry here on Friday.

The meeting was attended by 47 experts from 15 member countries and observers from ASEAN-WEN, AFP, FLEGT, UNEP, UNFF, World Bank, and CIFOR.

In the two-day meeting officially opened by Indonesian Forestry Minsiter MS Kaban on March 26, the participants emphasized the importance of international cooperation in combating and preventing illicit international trafficking in forest products.

The international cooperation in environmental crime could be carried out by using legal instruments of the UN Conventions against Transnational Organized Crime and Corruption (UNCTOC), the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), or the UN model Treaties on Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance.

The (UNODC) is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime. Established in 1997 through a merger between the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Center for International Crime Prevention, UNODC operates in all regions of the world through an extensive network of field offices. (*)

Monday, January 28, 2008

Govt recognizes Soeharto`s meritorious services

Karanganyar, Central Java (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on behalf of the government Monday recognized the late former president Soeharto`s meritorious services during Indonesia`s struggle for independence and in leading the country.

President Yudhoyono made the acknowledgment in his address at the state funeral of the former president at Astana Giri Bangun cemetery with state officials and respresentatives of friendly countries attending.

He said Soeharto had dedicated his life to the service of the state and nation. In the 1945-1949 period, he led a struggle to expel the colonial ruler to uphold the sovereignty of the fledgling nation and state.

On March 1, 1949, he again led a general armed attack and succeeded in liberating Yogyakarta which was the provisional capital of the Republic of Indonesia, Yudhoyono said.

In 1962, Soeharto acted as commander of the Mandala Command, a mission which was considered successful in diplomatic and military terms, he said.

Three years later, Soeharto succeeded in rescuing the nation from a communist coup on September 30, 1965 (G30S/PKI) and in maintaining peace and order since then, he said.

Since he came to power on March 27, 1968, Soeharto had tried his best to implement national development based on a concept he called `Development Trilogy` which put emphasis on stability, growth and equitable distribution of the fruits of development, according to Yudhoyono.

The government, in all honesty, recognized the meritorious services rendered by Soeharto to the nation and state during his lifetime, he said.

"As a nation that upholds the principle of fairness, the government expresses its greatest possible gratitude and appreciation to the late Soeharto," he said.

As a human being, Soeharto had shortcomings and was not free from mistakes for which the entire nation should forgive him, Yudhoyono said, adding the nation should also pray for the deceased leader.

"Farewell, Father of Development," the president said.

During his lifetime Soeharto received 27 medals of merit from domestic institutions, 38 medals of merit from foreign countries and awards from seven world organizations.

Soeharto died of multiple organ failure at Pertamina Hospital on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in South Jakarta after being treated for more than three weeks. (*)