[Kabar-indonesia] Indo News - 2/22/06 (Part 1 of 2)

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- Bird Flu Human Cases In Indonesia Up To 26, Of Which 19 Fatal
- Are former JI prisoners hibernating?
- Muslims Assault U.S. Embassy in Indonesia
- Protest outside U.S. Embassy spins out of control
- Widow presses for Munir death probe
- Religious minorities wary of revised decree
- Minorities say no room to maneuver in revised decree
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Medical News Today
Bird Flu Human Cases In Indonesia Up To 26, Of Which 19 Fatal
by: Christian Nordqvist
20 Feb 2006 - 17:00pm (UK)

The Indonesian Ministry of Health has confirmed to the World Health
Organization an additional case of human infection with the H5N1 bird flu
virus strain.

The patient was a 23-year-old man, from East Jakarta. He worked as an egg
seller in a wet market. He started showing bird-flu like symptoms on
February 5th and was admitted to hospital two days later. The man died on
February 10th.

Authorities have tested his close friends, relatives and workmates for
bird flu infection and found nothing.

So far, there have been 26 human cases of H5N1 infection, of which 19 have
died.
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The Jakarta Post.com
Opinion
February 20, 2006
Are former JI prisoners hibernating?
Anab Afifi, Jakarta

Two newspapers, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (Feb. 9) and The
Straits Times of Singapore (11/2), reported that Indonesian authorities
would be facing new security challenges caused with the release of dozens
of key Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) members from Indonesian prisons.

Those newspapers mentioned several names, such as Yasir Ibnu (39), Abu
Rusdan (45), Pepen, Zubair and Abu Faruq. The reports were based on the
assessment of an anonymous terrorism expert who argued that these
jihadists would reactivate their cells to rejuvenate the organization.

In a similar vein, Ken Conboy, who just released his book, The Second
Front: Inside Asia's Most Dangerous Terrorist Networks, gives a similar
reading. "Most extremists in South Asia, especially Indonesia, may go into
remission in the coming years, but it is almost certain that they will
return in the future under the different names," he said during an
interview I did with him last year.

The warning is a wake-up call for us to be vigilant. But one also should
understand that the reports were solely based on unverified intelligence
tips. It may sound awkward for some security analysts, but it is important
to give these jihadists a second chance to live a normal life. As Sidney
Jones said, that one should be aware of the fact that not all JI members
agree on violence as a means to achieving their goals. Through careful
examination, Hambali is likely the person most responsible for terrorist
attacks in Indonesia over the last five years.

In an interview last week, Yasir Ibnu vowed that he had changed. Ibnu was
freed last year. He served two years in jail for smuggling explosives and
ammunition to Poso. Ibnu was one of the cohorts of Hambali, sometimes
called "Southeast Asia' s bin laden".

"What they said (that the released terrorists will repeat their terror) is
groundless and reckless. I am retired now and I have been living a normal
life since I was released Oct. 3, 2004," Ibnu said angrily.

Ibnu, a father of four children, is now running a small business. He sells
herbal supplements to make ends meet. He also works as a volunteer for an
NGO, Ampera, which is dedicated to helping farmers in Palu.

Ibnu candidly admitted that the vice director of police intelligence in
Central Sulawesi, Wayan Wicaksono, invited him to Poso last September. But
it was a call to monitor the implementation of law enforcement, especially
for terrorism. This program, dubbed Wasgakum (monitoring and law
enforcement), is aimed at gathering public participation.

"I don't really understand why those terrorism experts mentioned my name
as one of the threats," he said.

Another released JI prisoner is Muhammad Syaifudin. Syaifudin was arrested
in Pakistan for falsifying documents. Security analysts believe that he
was the member of sleeper cell of JI, called al-Ghuroba. The members of
this study group were groomed to be JI leaders in the future. Now,
Syaifudin is in Yogyakarta and may continue his studies there.

Among the first Afghan "alumni" was Yassin Syawal. Syawal recently
graduated from a university in Makassar. Both are leading normal lives.

In his tranquil home in Kudus, Central Java, Abu Rusdan is a free man now.
He was jailed for helping one of the Bali bombers, Mukhlas. He was given
an early release several weeks ago for good behavior after serving less
than two years of his three-year sentence.

Rusdan is a gregarious, well-educated man. Most of the Afghan "alumni"
that I interviewed consider him a charismatic figure. "Even the Arab
fighters (mujahideen in Afghanistan in the 1980s) respected him," said
Yasir Ibnu who fought alongside him from 1987 to 1990.

Would these people return to the life of a jihadi?

To find the answer, I went to see my former schoolmate, Mubarok, the
"money man" of the first Bali bombings, who is still in prison.

"That is a crazy idea to say they would come back. Anybody who has been to
prison will think a thousand times about committing the same mistakes,"
Mubarok said while recalling the tough times he has been through.

Recalling his time in Moro as a trainer, Mubarok said that Syaikh Slamet
Hasyim, the late MILF leader, had advised JI members who came to Moro for
military training not to conduct any attacks in Indonesia. Hasyim said
that Indonesia was different from Moro and the main priority for them
should be to reform the morals of society. "But we made mistakes." Mubarok
said.

The lessons learned here are simple; terrorism experts and security
analysts should not create new fears and prejudices. They should carry out
field research by talking to these ex-jihadists directly and put a real
effort into listening to them. Most of the reports that are gained by
those who claim to be experts are coming from second-hand sources or even
third-hand sources.
-- The writer is an independent researcher on terrorism issues. He can be
contacted at anabafifi at yahoo.com.
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Muslims Assault U.S. Embassy in Indonesia
By Ali Kotarumalos, Associated Press Writer
Sunday February 19, 11:53 PM

Jakarta, Indonesia - Hundreds of Muslims protesting caricatures of the
Prophet Muhammad tried to storm the U.S. Embassy on Sunday, smashing the
windows of a guard post but failing to push through the gates. Several
people were injured.

Pakistani security forces, meanwhile, sealed off the capital of Islamabad
to block a planned mass demonstration and fired tear gas and gunshots to
chase off protesters. In Turkey, tens of thousands gathered in Istanbul
chanting slogans against Denmark, Israel and the United States.

Protests over the cartoons, which first appeared in a Danish newspaper in
September and have been republished in other European publications and
elsewhere, have swept across the Muslim world, growing into mass outlets
for rage against the West in general, and Israel and the United States in
particular.

Christians also have become targets. Pakistani Muslims protesting in the
southern city of Sukkur ransacked and burned a church Sunday after hearing
accusations that a Christian man had burned pages of the Quran, Islam's
holy book.

That incident came a day after Muslims protesting in the Nigerian city of
Maiduguri attacked Christians and burned 15 churches in a three-hour
rampage that killed at least 15 people. Some 30 other people have died
during protests over the cartoons that erupted about three weeks ago.

In Jakarta, about 400 people marched to the heavily fortified U.S. mission
in the center of the city, behind a banner reading "We are ready to attack
the enemies of the Prophet."

Protesters throwing stones and brandishing wooden staves tried to break
through the gates. They set fire to U.S. flags and a poster of President
Bush and smashed the windows of a guard outpost before dispersing after a
few minutes.

The U.S. Embassy called the attacks deplorable, describing them as acts of
"thuggery."

A protest organizer said the West, and particularly the United States, is
attacking Islam.

"They want to destroy Islam through the issue of terrorism ... and all
those things are engineered by the United States," said Maksuni, who only
uses one name.

"We are fighting America fiercely this time," he said. "And we also are
fighting Denmark."

In Pakistan, where protests last week left five people dead, police put up
roadblocks around Islamabad to keep people from entering the capital for a
planned mass protest called by a coalition of six hard-line Islamic
parties, the Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal — United Action Forum.

Authorities also detained several lawmakers and Islamic leaders during
raids in three cities and announced they would arrest anyone joining a
gathering of more than five people to prevent the demonstration.

Opposition leader Maulana Fazlur Rahman, a senior figure in the Islamic
coalition, was eventually given permission to lead a small rally through a
square in the city center. The protesters chanted "God is great!" and "Any
friend of America is a traitor."

But when about 100 other protesters tried to reach the square, officers
fired tear gas and at least one gunshot to chase them off. More gunshots
were heard later in the city, but it wasn't clear who fired them. At least
two policemen were injured, one bleeding from the head. Several
demonstrators also were hurt.

A crowd of 700 people, some throwing stones at police, tried to march
toward Islamabad's heavily guarded diplomatic enclave about 1.3 miles from
the square but with blocked by troops in armored personnel carriers.

Police also blocked about 1,500 protesters from reaching Islamabad from
the city of Peshawar by putting shipping containers and sandbags on a
bridge along a highway leading to the capital, said Mohammed Iqbal, a key
member of the religious alliance.

Elsewhere in Pakistan, about 600 people staged a protest in Chaman, a town
near the Afghan border, burning Danish flags and an effigy of the Danish
prime minister.

Such protests prompted Denmark on Sunday to temporarily recall its
ambassador to Pakistan, Bent Wigotski, because it was impossible for him
"to perform his job duties during the present circumstances," the Danish
Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
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The Jakarta Post.com
Headline News
February 20, 2006
Protest outside U.S. Embassy spins out of control
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Hundreds of protesters from the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) attacked the
U.S. Embassy on Sunday during a rally accusing Washington of masterminding
the controversy about cartoons of Prophet Muhammad to destroy Islam.

The rally began at about 10 a.m., with demonstrators shouting anti-U.S.
chants and holding placards, including one with the statement "freedom of
expression" above U.S. President George W. Bush depicted as a pig.

However, in what U.S. Ambassador B. Lynn Pascoe later called a
"premeditated act of thuggery" to garner media attention, the group --
estimated at 400-strong by wire services -- began hurling stones and
traffic cones at the windows of embassy security posts outside the
compound's gates.

Others set fire to the U.S. flag and posters of Bush.

Although no injuries were reported, Sunday's protest was one of the most
violent here against the publication of cartoons depicting Prophet
Muhammad in Denmark last September. They have since been reprinted in many
media around the world.

The protesters also demanded the destruction of a relief which they said
depicted the Prophet holding a Koran in one hand and a sword in the other
at the U.S. Supreme Court.

The sculpture is part of a marble frieze depicting 18 influential
lawgivers, including Moses, Confucius and Charlemagne, The Associated
Press reported.

Gambir Police chief Comr. Victor Hutabarat admitted the police were taken
by surprise by the number of protesters.

"They outnumbered the officers deployed to guard the rally. Of course,
they won't get away with this. We will conduct an investigation based on
damage to property," he said.

Pascoe said in a statement the rally was a deliberate act to draw media
attention and affect bilateral relations by attempting to inflame popular
opinion.

"This sort of thuggery is unacceptable and needs to be treated as what it
is. We are confident that their efforts will fail, and we share President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's statements and commitment that the cartoon
issue should not be used as a wedge between cultures," he said.

In one of the earliest protests here, at least 30 FPI members rallied at
the Danish Embassy in Jakarta early this month to demand the embassy
apologize for the printing of the cartoons by Jyllands-Posten newspaper.
Groups of Muslims in Surabaya also protested in front of the U.S.
consulate about the issue, although mainstream U.S. media has not printed
the cartoons.

At least 10 members of the Indonesian Mujahidin Council also went to the
Danish Embassy and demanded Copenhagen punish anyone involved in making
the cartoons or publishing them. Three of the protesters met with the
Danish ambassador.

The Danish mission has temporarily left the country.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
National News
February 21, 2006
Widow presses for Munir death probe
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Suciwati, the widow of murdered human rights activist Munir, met with
legislators Monday, a week after an earlier call on the House of
Representatives from a former intelligence deputy chief implicated in the
case.

Urging the House to keep up its pressure on the government for a new
investigation into the murder, Suciwati said she regularly called National
Police chief Gen. Sutanto to find out what the police were doing.

"However, Pak Sutanto has not returned my calls," she said.

In December, the Central Jakarta District Court sentenced Garuda pilot
Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto to 14 years' jail for the murder of Munir,
who according to an autopsy report died after being given a massive dose
of arsenic.

In their verdict, however, the judges said evidence had surfaced in
Pollycarpus' trial that proved "he did not act alone" and they urged a
further investigation into the murder.

The activist was found dead aboard a Garuda Airways flight bound for
Amsterdam on Sept. 7, 2004.

In a statement read out at Monday's meeting, the secretary of the Munir
Solidarity Group, Usman Hamid, referred to the Jakarta court's ruling.

The court noted that during the weeks before the murder, Pollycarpus had
frequently called a cell phone number registered to former National
Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy chief Muchdi Purwopranjono.

Muchdi testified in court he loaned out his cell phone to subordinates and
had no recollection of the calls.

The former BIN officer met with House Speaker Agung Laksono last week to
protest his innocence in the case.

On Monday, Suciwati met with Agung and Taufikurrachman, the chairman of
the House team set up to look into the case.

Andi Widjajanto, a former colleague of Munir and a defense analyst, said
resolving Munir's case "would be the entry point to reforming the
country's intelligence system".

So far the investigation into Munir's murder has only proved that BIN is
unprofessional, non-transparent and cannot be held accountable, Andi said.
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The Jakarta Post.com
Headline News
February 20, 2006
Religious minorities wary of revised decree
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Although the government has completed the revision of the controversial
decree on the establishment of places of worship, Christians are skeptical
it will succeed in its aim of improving interfaith relations.

The joint ministerial decree, issued in 1969 by the then home and
religious affairs ministers, requires consent of local administrations and
residents to build houses of worship. Religious minorities claim the
requirement has been used against them in practicing their faith.

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), long an ardent supporter of the
decree, welcomed the new version, which is set to be presented to
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono this week.

The revised version maintains the basic requirement of the original
decree, but defines specific prerequisites. It mandates the establishment
of the Communication Forum for Religious Harmony (FKUB), consisting of
representatives of all religious faiths, to review requests for permits to
build places of worship and then provide recommendations to the local
government.

The minimum number of congregation members for a proposed house of worship
is set at 100, and the plan should be approved by at least 70 local
residents of other faiths.

Religious Affairs Minister M. Maftuh Basyuni claimed Friday that
"everything has been settled" and there was across-the-board agreement on
the revisions. A public awareness campaign about the revisions will begin
soon.

Priest Weinata Sairin of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) said
his organization was opposed to the decree because practicing religion was
every citizen's basic right and should not involve interference from the
state.

"We sincerely hope that the joint ministerial decree would not be hastily
passed because it remains just as discriminative," Weinata said Sunday.

He said there were issues stipulated in the revised decree which the PGI
had yet to agree on. The group proposed that the minimum number of
congregation members be set at 60 and the approval of 40 locals of other
faiths was sufficient.

Weinata also took issue with the requirement that existing places of
worships with no permits -- as well as those inside malls, hotels,
shop-houses and other public places -- secure the permit.

"As for the existing places, why don't we just let them proceed with their
activities? And if the owners of the buildings are fine with it, then why
should they obtain another permit?"

The communion, he said, appealed to the government to be more considerate
because there were many minorities.

"Don't reduce the right to worship to a mere regulation. The 1945
Constitution clearly stipulates that the government should protect the
citizens' religious freedom," he said.

The secretary-general of the Indonesian Committee on Religion and Peace
(ICRP), Theophilus Bela, urged the government to revoke the joint
ministerial decree because, he said, it was responsible for attacks
against churches.

"The joint ministerial decree is against the Pancasila state ideology and
1945 Constitution, as well as human rights. It isn't just but instead has
the potential to tear apart religious harmony and limit people from
worshiping," he said.

The Indonesian Bishops Conference refused to comment, saying its members
would meet before taking an official stance.

Meanwhile, an official of the MUI, Amidhan, said the joint decree was
intended to regulate social interaction.

"If we don't limit the places of worship, they will be abundant. There
would be competition from different religions or sects, and it would
create public disorder," he said.

Within the past year, 23 churches (some sources put the number as high as
35) have been closed down in the West Java capital of Bandung and
neighboring areas by Muslim hardline groups.

The churches did not have permits as required in the joint decree, but had
obtained operational licenses from the West Java Religious Affairs Office.

Data released by ICRP showed that more than 1,000 churches nationwide have
been destroyed or vandalized because they failed to meet the requirements
of the decree.
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The Jakarta Post.com
National News
February 21, 2006
Minorities say no room to maneuver in revised decree
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A revised version of a controversial ministerial decree on the
establishment of places of worship has won grudging acceptance from
minority religious groups, who say they have little choice in the matter.

These groups say all they can do is rely on the goodwill of the government
in handling the delicate matter of issuing building permits for houses of
worship once the decree is passed.

The joint ministerial decree, originally issued in 1969 by the home and
religious affairs ministries, requires the consent of local
administrations and residents before a place of worship can be built.
Under the revised regulation, this basic requirement will be maintained,
with several new prerequisites for construction being added.

As part of the new decree, the Communication Forum for Religious Harmony,
made up of representatives from the major religions in the country, will
be established to provide recommendations to local administrations on new
houses of worship and to oversee construction.

The decree sets the minimum number of congregants for a new place of
worship at 100, with construction requiring the approval of at least 70
local residents of faiths other than that of the congregation of the
proposed house of worship.

Representatives of religious minority groups involved in the revision
process said there was not unanimous agreement on the revisions, despite
the claims of Religious Affairs Minister M. Maftuh Basyuni.

"Details on legal protection, the composition of the forum and its
responsibilities, and other details have yet to be worked out. Even with
the minimum number of congregants, it was said to be 90 at our last
meeting," said Benny Susetyo, executive secretary of the Bishops Council
of Indonesia's Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.

He said that in the revised decree, if the requirement on the minimum
number of congregants was met, but a proposed house of worship was unable
to secure the approval of residents, the government would be obliged to
provide an alternative facility for the congregation.

"But this point has never been made public for some reason. Nor has it
been synchronized with other articles. Which of the articles will apply
has never been discussed.

"The most important thing for us is legal certainty. Everything must be in
accordance with state ideology and the Constitution. If local
administrations refuse to grant a permit (for the construction of a house
of worship), then they have violated the Constitution," he said.

Weinata Sairin of the Indonesian Communion of Churches said his
organization wanted the decree to be more accommodating in approving new
places of worship.

The group proposed the minimum number of congregants be put at 60, with
the approval of 40 locals of other faiths being sufficient.

"We have yet to reach an agreement. Don't set targets just to ensure the
decree is passed. This issue is too big and sensitive to be rushed," he
said.

Soedjito Kusumo of the Council of Buddhist Communities said his group had
proposed no limit on the number of congregants required for approval.

"But for the sake of religious harmony, we accept the decree. If we are
limited in some regions, maybe the regulation will be in our favor in
other regions. We believe in good karma and bad karma," he said.

Agus Mantik of the Indonesian Hindu Religious Council said the group was
extremely aware of its position as a religious minority, and thus accepted
the decree.

"Within a democratic country, there should be regulations. Every party
must give up some of their individual rights. It's not the decree that
encourages violence against people of other religions, but a weak
government that cannot control (hard-line) groups," he said.
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