INFID
INFID | TAPAK Ambon | AKUI
| PosKo Zwolle | Diverse Artikelen
INFID News Workshop INFID is co-organising an
international workshop "Indonesia – Between Regional Autonomy and
Military Rule" at the European Parliament. The workshop will be held on
April 25, 2002. Information and registration are available at
http://www.sadankomitea.org/indonesia/ Virus Warning Since the last weekend, INFID has
been receiving, and apparently also sending, emails infected with virus known
as Klez. If you receive emails with attachments from us, please check first
the subjects before you open them. You will easily recognise them as these
are absolutely unlikely materials we would send to you. If the subjects seem
fine, please check .the extension name of the attached files. Do not open the
attachments when you find the extension unfamiliar. Thrash and delete them
immediately from your thrash bin. If your computer is already infected, you
can download a program from the link provided below to have it cleaned: http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/FixKlez.com INFID Related Issues Debt The economic crisis costs
Indonesia more than Rp700 trillion. The collapse of the financial system
alone has cost Indonesia Rp650 trillion. The debt of the state-owned electric
company (PLN) contributes Rp50 trillion to the burden. This is not yet
including the government external debt which amounts to US$75 billion. Vice
President Hamzah Haz mentioned on Apr. 20 that Indonesia,s total debt had
reached Rp1.300 trillion, of which Rp700 trillion were domestic debt. He also
said that although Indonesia borrowed a lot, it has done little in elevating
people from poverty. The day before Finance Minister
Boediono stated that the government would not return to the Paris Club
anymore. But he quickly added that it depended on the economic performance
and the overall situation at the time. "What is clear is: we are
determined", he said. Meanwhile, on Apr. 23 rating
agency Standard and Poor’s cut Indonesia’s sovereign foreign currency credit
rating to selective default. The decision followed the government’s plan to
hold talks with the London Club. Indonesia won the rescheduling of US$5.4
billion in debts to official creditors at the Paris Club and is seeking
comparable treatment with private lenders in the London Club. Co-ordinating
Minister for Economic Affairs Dorodjatun Kuntjoro Jakti said the downgrade
was only temporary and would not affect international confidence in
Indonesia. Rival rating agency Moody’s maintained Indonesia’s country risk
rating in spite of the upcoming London Club talks. Source: Kompas, 22/04, 24/04, JP
24/04 IBRA Syafruddin A. Temanggung replaces
I Putu Gede Ary Suta and becomes the seventh IBRA chief within four years.
State Minister of State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi confirmed the reshuffle
on Apr. 19, saying it was a routine to ensure "built-in control".
The outgoing chairperson had been in disagreement in various issues with
Laksamana. He drew fire for policies that appear to favour conglomerates,
something analysts have long said would cost him his job one day. Tumenggung
now has the authority over some US$63 billion worth of state assets under
IBRA. In addition to meeting the state budget target of raising cash from
assets sales to help finance the state budget deficit, Temenggung is expected
to move quickly to resolve the US$10 billion debt owed by former bank owners
to the government. Laksamana said that in resolving this Temenggung must
always follow existing regulations and that his decisions should not benefit
the conglomerates at the expense of the public. IBRA target this year is to
raise Rp42 trillion from sales of assets and non-performing loans. Sources: JP 22/04, 23/04, DJN 19/04 General News Reshuffle in TNI TNI Commander Adm. Widodo AS confirmed
on Apr.24 that Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Indroko Sastrowiryono and Air Force
Chief of Staff Marshal Hanafie Asnan would soon be replaced. He said that
Indroko would be replaced by TNI Inspector General Vice Adm. Bernard Kent
Sondakh while the current TNI Academy Commandant General, Air Vice Marshal
Cheppy Hakim, would take over from Hanafie. The two new chiefs of staff will
be installed by President Megawati Soekarnoputri during a ceremony at Merdeka
Palace on Apr. 25. Widodo said the replacement was not a hasty decision
though he admitted the announcement was a bit sudden. Concerning a reshuffle
of the Army’s top brass, Widodo said it would take place at a later date. He
did not specify when. Sources at the TNI Headquarters said there would be a reshuffle
in the Army, but chief of staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto would keep his post,
probably until Megawati names him the new TNI commander replacing Widodo. Sources: JP 24/04, Kompas 24/04 Women: Quantity or Quality? Speaking on the occasion of
Kartini Day (Apr. 21), President Megawati Sukarnoputri implored Indonesian
women to stop agitating for a quota of high positions to avoid "pseudo
advances". She asked women’s movement leaders to work to increase
women’s capability and roles to be equal with those of men, but in "ways
that don’t create a new discriminations which ultimately will only give birth
to new problems". Her call has received fiercely
conflicting responses from female activists. One camp strongly supported
Megawati’s idea on the grounds that women would be better off focusing on how
to improve themselves, while the other was fully against her, insisting that
better representation of women in senior positions was a must. Feminist Ratna
Sarumpaet fully agreed with Megawati. Basic changes, like cultural
modification, were more helpful in dealing with discrimination against women
rather than merely seeking structural changes at the top level, Ratna said.
Chusnul Mar’iyah, a feminist and political observer, said that women must be
willing to fight for the sake of a better quota, especially in the House. If
women were well-represented in the House, they could play active roles in
helping their fellow women fight against sexual discrimination in the
country, Chusnul said. More on the "Merit Vs Action"
arguments: http://www.infid.be/meritvsaction.html Sources: AFP 21/04, JP 23/04 Regional News Aceh The next negotiation between
Indonesian government and GAM will be held on 8-9 May, 2002 in Geneva. Co-ordinating
Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said
that the dialog was a part of the solution and would only have a clear end if
GAM accepted the special regional autonomy option. He also said that if the
meeting in Geneva does not deliver any agreement, the next one would take
place in Indonesia. Indonesia sent 1,800 fresh troops
on Apr. 2 to Aceh to fight the separatist movement. ICG report issued a week
before estimated that the security forces in the province total 25,000-30,000,
of whom 17,000 are army. The military estimated rebel numbers at 2,000 active
guerrillas. Source: KCM 23/04, AFP 02/04 Abbreviations AFP Agence France-Presse Stichting TitanE |