No subject

sick when we arrived at the station and there was a feeling that she was in 
trouble only by virtue of her association with me, whom they accused of 
agitating for the disintegration of Indonesia. In the judge's summing up, he 
sentenced me to one month longer {than Sadler] because he said I was a danger 
to the state! 

This three-month period was also stressful as we had no visitors. Anyone who 
tried to see us would be interrogated, so we told people to stay away. Indeed, 
most were too afraid to come. 

The second stage of my detention — the last seven weeks before being released — 
was spent in prison in [provincial capital] Banda Aceh. The physical living 
conditions there were much worse, but the level of intimidation dropped 
markedly. The staff were locals who were generally sympathetic to the Acehnese 
cause. Finally, we were able to meet with friends. 

The support of local Acehnese was amazing. When Joy was so sick they were able 
to bring her tampons, but the local hospitals refused to treat her because of 
her HIV+ status. When Joy was released, and I was alone for one month, they 
gave me moral and practical support. I really cannot thank them enough! 

GLW: What's your assessment of the peace negotiations. Has it stopped the 
military and police violence? 

LMc:  Since the signing of the new cease-fire agreement on December 9, the 
official number of deaths and arrests have decreased. Even the Legal Aid 
Institute reports that there has been a dramatic decline in the number of new 
cases. 

The problem with the peace agreement is that it can only be part of the 
solution. For example, it doesn't address one of the major demands of the 
Acehnese: justice for past abuses. 

It also seems that the number of violations of the agreement reported by local 
people is much less than the number that are taking place. This is because the 
military and police visit villages and towns after a violation has been 
reported to the Joint Security Control to try to find out who reported it. This 
has understandably created fear and a reluctance by people to report 
violations. 

GLW: How best can Western governments assist the Acehnese people's desire for 
democracy and peace? 

LMc: The British and US governments don't want independence for Aceh, but the 
majority of the Acehnese still desire it. 

The peace agreement and process must remain something the Acehnese feel 
ownership of. The international community should be patient, their role being 
to facilitate a safe environment within which the Acehnese can pursue their own 
agenda. 

GLW: What is the state of the democracy movement in the present difficult 
conditions? 

LMc: The lack of democratic space in Aceh is a serious problem. Many hoped that 
the cessation of hostilities agreement would allow space within which civil 
society could find its voice, something that has been suppressed for so long. 
This has not been the case. Those who agitate for change are still being 
arrested. 

Nazar from the Aceh Referendum Information Centre is a very good example of 
this. He is facing a jail sentence because of his success in mobilising people 
to support a referendum. Kaustar, a leader of the Acehnese People's Democratic 
Resistance Front, is in hiding from the authorities for similar reasons. 

We must help Nazar and Kaustar, and all the others who want to bring about 
peace in Aceh via political means. 
-- [Lesley McCulloch will be addressing public meetings in Sydney and Melbourne 
in March hosted by Action in Solidarity with Asia and the Pacific. Visit 
<http://www.asia-pacific-action.org> for more details.] 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
Features
March 02, 2003
S. Sulawesi now shifts priority to local tourists 
Adianto P. Simamora and Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South 
Sulawesi

Local businesspeople and officials are all saying that South Sulawesi is facing 
difficult times in terms of attracting foreign tourists to the province.

Their reasons are all the same: the series of bombings across the country has 
worsened the already faltering confidence of tourists in the security of the 
country. 

Worse still, the expected political uncertainty ahead of the 2004 general 
election will do further damage to an already struggling tourist sector. 

"This will be a difficult year for us to lure foreign visitors. We are working 
hard just to avoid a further slump in tourist arrivals to South Sulawesi," 
Syamsul Alam, chairman of the South Sulawesi Tourism Agency, told The Jakarta 
Post. 

"But whatever we do seems worthless as long as security concerns continue to 
linger," he said. 

Despite the situation, people in the tourist industry are not giving up, said 
Syamsul. In a bid to help regain the confidence of tourists, the agency -- in 
cooperation with people in the industry -- have taken part in several 
international events to promote the province as a tourist destination. 

"We also invited dozens of travel writers from several countries to look at the 
real condition in South Sulawesi last year," Syamsul said. 

The tourist, restaurant and hotel sectors are key to economic growth in the 
province, ranking in importance only after the agricultural sector. In 1999, 
for instance, those three sectors accounted for 14.77 percent of regional gross 
domestic product. 

Most foreign tourists in South Sulawesi eventually end up in Toraja, meaning 
that this area has suffered the most as a result of the slump in tourism. 

According to data from the Tourism and Culture Agency of Toraja, the number of 
foreign tourists visiting Toraja dropped to 1,408 in December from 2,788 in 
October. The number of domestic tourists reached 2,865 in December, up from 
2,382 in October. 

The agency said the number of foreign tourists reached some 30,058 last year, 
down from 37,142 in 2001, Domestic tourist numbers were 32,638 in 2002 from 
34,218 in 2001. 

The head of the provincial tourist agency, Syamsul, attributed the drop in 
foreign tourist arrivals to the travel warnings issued by several countries 
after the Bali bombings. 

Bali is the main gateway for foreign tourists entering South Sulawesi. 

The Oct. 12 bombings in Bali left some 200 people dead and came just as South 
Sulawesi was beginning to recover from the impact of the Sept. 11 attacks on 
the United States. 

Hotel occupancy rates in Toraja now hover below 25 percent, according to the 
Tourism and Culture Agency of Toraja. 

A front desk officer at the three-star Toraja Misiliana Hotel told the Post the 
number of guests had decreased sharply in recent months. 

"Business is slow these days. We only have six rooms filled right now," he 
said. Misiliana has some 96 rooms. 

Only 44 foreign tourists stayed at the Misiliana in December, but that still 
came only behind the three-star Sahid Toraja Hotel which had 46 foreign 
tourists for the month. 

Currently, Toraja has 12 star-rated hotels with 680 total rooms and some 98 non-
star-rated hotels with 977 rooms. 

Toraja is located about 320 kilometers from Makassar. It takes eight to nine 
hours to reach the district by car. The Torajanese are known for their unique 
culture, particularly their funeral ceremonies and traditional houses. 

With the slump in foreign tourist arrivals to Toraja, the local tourist agency 
has begun to focus its attentions on local tourists. 

"That is our main program, introducing attractions and providing special 
discounts to lure domestic tourists to offset the slump in foreign tourists," 
said Lewaren Rantala'bi, chairman of the Tourism and Culture Agency of Toraja. 

When the Post visited his office in February, not a foreign tourist was to be 
found. 

"This is an unusual view in Toraja, even though it is not the peak season for 
tourist arrivals. We used to receive at least two foreign tourists a day here 
in my office," Lewaren said. 

He said that since November there had only been some 10 foreign visitors to his 
office, mainly from France. 

"It is now difficult to find tourists here," he said. 

He predicted that the situation would continue over the next few months. 

"Even with the road shows we have done worldwide, if the situation remains 
unchanged foreign tourists will remain skeptical about visiting Toraja," he 
said. 

Places of interests in S. Sulawesi 

Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi 
1. Fort Rotterdam: Locally known as Benteng Ujung Pandang, Fort Rotterdam is a 
historical site showing the greatness of a South Sulawesi kingdom. It was built 
in 1945. 
2. Samalona island: It is the most popular place for swimming and diving in the 
province. 
3. Barombong: It is one of the most-visited beaches in Makassar, with black 
sand. 

Gowa regency 
1. Balla Lompoa Museum: Located in one of the oldest palaces in the Gowa 
kingdom. The museum was built in 1936. The museum houses historical artifacts 
from the Gowa kingdom such as manuscripts, musical instruments and traditional 
costumes. 

2. Sultan Hasanuddin's grave. 
3. Takapala waterfall: It is located amid paddy fields. 
4. Malino forest: It produces fruit and vegetables for sale. 

Maros Regency 
1. Bantimurung waterfall: This spectacular waterfall is located in a valley 
between steep limestone hills. Visitors can observe various types of 
butterflies and birds here. 
2. Dreaming cave: It is located about 15 meters above Bantimurung waterfall. To 
reach the place, visitors have to go through a small path from one waterfall to 
the other. 
3. Leang leang Archeological Park. 

Pangkep regency 
1. Sumpang Bita prehistoric park: This is part of the Leang leang chain of 
limestone hills and has number of caves. In the caves, visitors can view a 500-
year-old cave painting. 

Enrekang regency 
1. Mount Erotic or Buttu Kabobong. 

Bulukumba regency 
1. Bira beach: It is famous for its pristine white beaches. 
2. Beru land: Local people build traditional ships here. Two famous traditional 
ships, Pinisi Nusantara and Ammana Gappa, were built in this place. Pinisi 
Nusantara sailed across the Pacific Ocean, and Ammana Gappa sailed across the 
Indian Ocean to Madagascar. 

Wajo regency 
1. Fishermen's village: There are about 30 houses on stilts here occupied by 
local traditional fisherman. The village is located in the middle of Lake 
Tempe. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New Zealand Herald
Last journey for Bali's bomb dead 
03.03.2003
By Billy Adams 

Bali - It will be a day that lives long in the memory, particularly for the 
ethnic Chinese gravediggers who had never experienced anything quite like this. 

The coffins they were cremating were filled not with bodies, but parts of 
bodies, most of which remained unidentified since being found nearly five 
months earlier among the smouldering ruins of the Bali bomb. 

And if the nature of their workload on a stiflingly hot morning seemed unusual, 
the scene in which it was conducted verged on the surreal. 

Throughout the workers' attempts to load the first of two coffins into a 
blackened outdoor furnace on Saturday, a horde of reporters, cameramen and 
photographers jostled at their shoulders for the best viewing position. 

When the fire finally came swooshing to life, the moment was captured by 
cameras only centimetres away. 

It was a rather chaotic scene, summing up a ceremony rich in symbolism but 
totally bereft of any emotion. 

This was an event serving to close a chapter on a terrorist bomb that, last 
October 12, ripped through a tropical island they still call paradise. 

A line would be drawn under the death and suffering endured by families and 
friends around the world of the more than 200 people killed. Now they could 
move on, the focus shifted to the attempts to bring the bombers to justice. 

Yet for all the good intentions, it's probably just as well no loved ones were 
present at a ceremony where any time for reflection was best left until 
afterwards. 

It took place about 16km southeast of the blast site in a small, outdoor 
crematorium that is part of a large cemetery where the island's ethnic Chinese 
have traditionally been buried. 

On an island where the vast majority of the population is Hindu, the Yasa Setra 
Mandala crematorium has long accepted deceased of all faiths. 

Two large coffins, draped in white linen, arrived from the capital, Denpasar, 
where they had been filled the previous day with envelopes containing the 185 
body parts. 

Twenty-nine of those came from Indonesians, and another 20 from Westerners 
whose families had given permission for them to be cremated after they were 
identified through DNA testing. 

The vast majority - 136 - were still unidentified. 

Around 30 people came to pay their respects, mostly consular staff from the 
affected countries and Balinese government officials. 

A team of embalmers from Australia who helped to prepare the body parts were 
also in attendance. 

Seated on long wooden benches, and shielded from a 30C sun by a crude shelter 
made of corrugated iron, they watched the first coffin hoisted into the furnace 
just after 10am. 

The largest contingent came from Australia, which also lost the largest number 
of citizens, 88. 

"It's very important for the families and anyone who has anything to do with 
the bombings that we have come to this point today," said Australian consul-
general Brent Hall. 

Following the brief media furore, which obscured the view of the others 
present, most people filed away to a backdrop of black, billowing smoke. 

The remains of each coffin took two hours to be cremated. Afterwards, cemetery 
worker Bian Te separated the bones from the ashes, a job normally reserved for 
members of the deceased's family. 

"But obviously today that can't happen so I will do it. We feel very privileged 
to be participating in this." 

The ceremony, although Balinese in tradition, was in stark contrast to a 
typical Hindu cremation that is lavish in spectacle and can last for more than 
a day. 

But the aims are broadly the same. 

Through cremation Balinese people believe the soul departs for heaven while the 
ashes return to Earth for reincarnation. 

In this case, said the ceremony's organiser, Dr Made Molin Yudiasa, the 
cremation would allow the separated body parts to once again become one with 
the rest of the original body. 

Later in the afternoon, Yudiasa, the head of Bali's health department, 
scattered the ashes in the sea off the nearby resort of Sanur. 

He was joined there by David Cockram, the Australian Federal Police's national 
chaplain, who offered Christian prayers. 

"It takes a long time for people to get over a tragedy of this magnitude and I 
think it is important that people know there are those who are praying for them 
and supporting them," he said. 

"The prayer brings a Christian aspect to the service." 

Last October two bombs tore through a packed bar and nightclub, devastating a 
sizeable area of Kuta, a town that until then had been a tourist haven. Trials 
of suspects are expected to begin in the next few weeks. 

After months of forensic examination, the official death toll now stands at 202 
people from 21 countries. 

Most of the victims were holidaymakers whose repatriation enabled families to 
hold their own funerals. 

The bodies of three unidentified Indonesians remain in the morgue in Denpasar. 
Another 43 identified body parts - belonging to victims from France, the 
Netherlands, Denmark, Taiwan, Ecuador, Germany and Italy - are also there. 

Yudiasa said some families had agreed that their relatives' remains could be 
buried, and consultations over more cremations were continuing with foreign 
diplomatic staff. 

And the Chinese cemetery workers - who were working free of charge - will be 
called into action again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
Headline News
March 01, 2003
Elections, Bali and Aceh projects boost U.S. aid to Indonesia 
Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Preparing for next year's elections, recovering Bali from the terrorist 
attacks, and building peace in the war-torn province of Aceh have made the case 
for a US$10 million increase in funds to Indonesia from the United States 
Agency for International Development (USAID) this year. 

Outgoing USAID director in Jakarta, Desaix Terry Myers, said on Friday that the 
agency's 2003 budget for Indonesia had grown to $130 million from $120 million 
last year. 

"For this year, our main priority is support for the election, support for 
Aceh, and the recovery of Bali," said Myers, who has worked in Indonesia for 
almost 10 years. 

USAID's budget for Indonesia had increased by more than twice the amount in 
1998, which he said was $53 million. 

Depending on its need, the agency has prepared another $10 million in food aid 
assistance, making a total budget of $140 million. 

This year's increase of $10 million was approved by Washington in support of 
USAID's new priorities this year, Myers explained. 

USAID assistance to Indonesia has been steadily rising since 1998, the year 
after the financial crisis in Indonesia broke out. 

"They (Washington) have been remarkably supportive, if you think that in 1999 
we were suppose to have a budget of $33 million. Instead, we had a budget of 
$70 million, and now we have a budget of $130 million," said Myers. 

"I think a number of people watch Indonesia closely, and are impressed by the 
ambition of the reform you are trying to undertake," he said, adding, however, 
that frustration over the slow pace of reforms persist. 

Indonesia amended its 1945 Constitution last year to pave the way for the 
country's first ever direct presidential election in 2004. 

Myers said that USAID had set aside $18 million for this year to help prepare 
for the election. 

"The KPU (General Elections Commission) is faced with a huge administrative 
challenge, so we would like be able to help the KPU," he said, referring to the 
semi-independent commission which is in charge of organizing the elections. 

Drawing upon its experience in assisting Indonesia in its 1999 landmark 
election, USAID means to help train the election monitors. 

"We have new election laws, and you are talking about increasing from 100,000 
polling places to 300,000, so (consider) the amount of training that people 
will have to do," he said. 

On Bali, the focus is on helping it recover from the Oct. 12 terrorist bombings 
that shattered the resort island's image as a safe tourist haven in Indonesia. 

Recovery has been made difficult, as several countries like Australia and the 
U.S. have maintained travel advisories against coming here. 

The U.S. plans for a war on Iraq further dims prospects for a speedy recovery, 
with one industry expert predicting Indonesia to lose about 200,000 tourists 
and around $200 million in revenue this year. 

"We have developed a program in Bali that is about $1 million in value for 
local groups and universities to identify their needs and to try and help 
people cope with Bali," Myers said. 

USAID has also raised assistance to help build peace in Aceh. 

The province has seen almost three decades of war waged by the local rebel 
group, the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) against the government. More than 10,000 
died during the war. Now, hopes for a return to lasting peace run high, 
following the signing of the peace accord last December. 

USAID, Myers said, had developed a more active program, including helping 
widows' associations with selling machines, providing fishing nets to fishermen 
cooperatives and working with the Red Cross on blood donations. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
Headline News
March 01, 2003
Court delays verdict for Noer Muis 

Jakarta: The human rights tribunal delayed on Friday its verdict on former East 
Timor military commander Brig. Gen. Noer Muis, one of 18 Indonesian nationals 
prosecuted for crimes against humanity in East Timor in 1999.

"The judges are yet to agree on the verdict. Accordingly, the tribunal will 
require more time," said presiding judge Andriani Nurdin to the court. The 
trial was adjourned until March 12. 

She denied suggestions that the delay was triggered by the Serious Crimes Unit 
in East Timor's decision to indict seven TNI officers, including Noer Muis, 
with crimes against humanity. 

Aside from Noer Muis, former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto 
and former Udayana military commander Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri were also indicted. 

Prosecutors have sought a ten-year jail sentence for Muis for his failure to 
prevent violence by pro-Jakarta militias that claimed the lives of hundreds of 
innocent people and drove around 250,000 East Timorese into refugee camps in 
West Timor. 

The Indonesian ad hoc court has acquitted 11 defendants, sentenced three 
defendants to between three and ten years in jail, while three more are still 
awaiting their verdicts, including Muis. 
--JP 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
Headline News
March 01, 2003
Gusmao uneasy about indictments of RI generals 
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

East Timor President Xanana Gusmao voiced disappointment over the court's 
issuance of dozens of indictments of senior Indonesian officials for serious 
crimes committed in the territory in 1999, fearing that it could undermine 
ongoing reconciliation between the two countries.

He, however, admitted that he could not legally intervene against the 
independent legal system in his country. 

"I will meet this afternoon (on Friday) with the Prime Minister and the 
Parliament Speaker. I can only say that a (prosecutorial) decision has been 
made, I can't do much about it," Gusmao conceded. 

He said his government could not interfere with the decision, however he said 
he was surprised that he was not informed earlier about it. "I have a right to 
state my views on that decision." 

Prosecutors in East Timor indicted on Friday another 50 Indonesians, including 
former East Timor police chief Brig. Gen. Timboel Silaen and thee ex-militia 
leaders, for serious crimes committed during and after the 1999 independence 
ballot. 

Earlier they indicted former Indonesian military chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto and 
seven other senior officials, for similar crimes including murder, rape and 
mass deportation. 

A confused Gusmao expressed surprise and regret that the decision was made 
before he returned from a trip where he was meeting with Indonesian leaders. 

"The chief prosecutor should have asked for my opinion first. That didn't 
happen. That's a mistake," he told reporters in Bali on his way back from the 
Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) summit in Kuala Lumpur. 

Xanana said he met on Monday President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Foreign 
Minister Hassan Wirayuda without knowing prosecutors in Dili were about to 
indict Indonesia's top senior officers. 

"I was very shocked, because we had just spoken to Ibu Megawati about a lot of 
things and suddenly the news came out," he said. 

Minister Hassan met East Timor Ambassador Arlindo Marcel on Thursday morning 
for an explanation over the indictment. 

Quoting the ambassador, Hassan said the East Timor government had not made the 
decision on the indictment and that it was just a recommendation. 

"They (East Timor) seem to be divided over the issue," explained the spokesman 
from Indonesia's foreign ministry, Marty Natalegawa, when asked about the 
latest indictments. 

He said the Indonesian government would stick to the position of the East Timor 
government as outlined by its ambassador. 

But Gusmao did say that the East Timor prosecutors with the UN-mandated court, 
could not force Indonesian citizens to face trial in East Timor. 

Indonesia and East Timor do not have an extradition agreement. 

The United Nations' Serious Crimes Unit, now a section of the East Timor 
prosecutors' office in the capital city of Dili, filed the indictment against 
50 people, including former police chief Timbul Silaen, and former pro 
Indonesia militia chief Eurico Guterres, AFP reported. 

Aside from Wiranto, Maj. Gen. Zacky Anwar Makarim, Lt. Gen. (ret) Kiki 
Syahnakri, Maj. Gen. Adam Rachmat Damiri Brig. Gen. Suhartono Suratman, and 
Brig. Gen. Mohammad Noer Muis were also reportedly indicted on Tuesday. 

Pro Indonesia militias, allegedly backed by the Indonesian military went on a 
violent rampage in Dili, after East Timorese voted overwhelmingly for 
independence in a UN backed ballot in 1999. Thousands died and over a hundred 
thousand took refuge or were forcibly deported to West Timor. 

Indonesia set up its own human rights court but acquitted virtually all senior 
military officers indicted, including the former police chief Timbul. Wiranto 
escaped indictment. 

Activists said the indictment from East Timor came in response to Indonesia's 
failure to prosecute the alleged right abusers. 

Analysts have blamed the failure on fear of a backlash from the military, 
citing its deep rooted influence among Indonesia's political elite. 

Pressurizing the military could stir a diplomatic rift with East Timor, and 
Xanana said the indictment was not in his country's national interest. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Film paints Kissinger as war criminal, liar
By Frazier Moore, AP Television Writer
March 2, 2003

Dr. Henry A. Kissinger abruptly resigned last December as chairman of a 
commission investigating the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, just two weeks after 
his appointment. The 79-year-old Kissinger cited demands by some Democratic 
lawmakers that he make public the names of all of his business clients. 

Some see Kissinger's secrecy as a long-life habit, part of the working style 
that won him the Nobel Peace Prize and made him one of the most famous American 
diplomats in history. 

But a disturbing documentary, "The Trials of Henry Kissinger," paints a darker 
picture of the man who was national security adviser and then secretary of 
state under Presidents Nixon and Ford. 

"I believe he's a war criminal, a liar, responsible for kidnapping and murder," 
declares journalist Christopher Hitchens, who wrote a book critical of 
Kissinger on which this 2002 film, by Eugene Jarecki and Alex Gibney, is based. 

Making its TV debut on the Sundance Channel Monday at 9 p.m. EST, "The Trials 
of Henry Kissinger" presents official transcripts and interviews with former 
U.S. diplomats to back up contentions that Kissinger orchestrated secret and 
illegal U.S. bombing in Cambodia that prolonged the Vietnam War. 

The film links Kissinger to Indonesia's use of U.S.-supplied weapons in the 
1975 invasion of East Timor, in which 100,000 people died. And he is portrayed 
as having encouraged the kidnap and killing of a Chilean general who stood in 
the way of a CIA-backed coup against leftist President Salvador Allende. 

Should he be brought to trial, as Hitchens and others argue? A verdict, of 
sorts, can be handed down by each viewer of this remarkable film, which repeats 
through the month on Sundance.