18 June 2003
INDONESIAN PRESIDENT OFF TO BANGLADESH, MONGOLIA, JAPAN, VIETNAM
Jakarta - President Megawati Soekarnoputri left Jakarta on Wednesday morning to begin a series of state visits to Bangladesh, Mongolia, Japan and Vietnam in the hope of improving Indonesia's bilateral ties with these countries.
Boarding a Garuda Indonesia Airbus A-330, the president took with her entourage, who included First Gentleman Taufik Kiemas and Industry and Trade Minister Rini Suwandi.
Other cabinet ministers will follow. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, State Minister for State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi and Indonesian Police chief will join the president in Japan, while Forestry Minister Prakosa will meet her in Mongolia and go with her to Japan.
The president's first stop is Bangladesh, where she will stay until June 20 to meet with Bangladeshi President Iajuddin Ahmed and Prime Minister Khalida Zia, as well as the Indonesian community in Dacca.
From Bangladesh, she will proceed to Ulan Bator to hold meetings with Mongolian President Natsag Bagabandi and Prime Minister Nambar Enkhbayar, establish a joint commission between Indonesia and Mongolia, and visit a textile factory.
Megawati is expected to arrive in Tokyo on June 22, where she will hold talks with Prime Minister Yunichiro Koizumi and other political leaders, and make an honorary courtesy call on Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.
The Japanese government invited the president to stay at the Akasaka Palace.
Megawati's other major agenda in Japan include talks with ambassadors from Southeast Asian nations.
She will also witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation to combat illegal logging.
Megawati will leave Japan on June 25 for a two-day visit to Vietnam, where she will meet with Vietnamese President Trand Duc Luong and Prime Minister Phan Vankhai. She will also hold talks with the leadership of the local communist party.
Megawati is expected to return to Jakarta on June 27. (Antara)
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ACEH MARTIAL LAW ADMINISTRATOR TO PUT TO ORDER JOURNALISTIC COVERAGE
Jakarta - The administrator of martial law in Aceh will soon revise the operational mechanism of journalistic activities in the Indonesian province, it was reported on Wednesday.
Spokesman for the provincial martial law administrator, Col Ditya Soedarsono, told ANTARA in a telephone interview that the revision would be necessary, following the issuance of the Decree of the President as Central Martial Law Administrator No 43/2003.
The presidential decree deals with the supervision of the activities of foreign nationals, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and journalists in Aceh.
"Any journalistic coverage in Aceh will require permit from the provincial martial law administrator, which is expected to issue the mechanism within one or two days after application," Ditya said.
According to him, under the new mechanism, the provincial martial law administrator will be the only agency authorized to issue permits to all journalists, foreign and domestic, as well as those given basic military training by the Information Center of the Indonesian Defense Force (TNI).
The presidential decree stipulates that domestic journalists working for the Indonesian press can carry out journalistic activities in Aceh after they are issued permits from the provincial martial law administrator.
Meanwhile, the provincial administrator will only issue permits to foreign journalists or correspondents of the foreign press to carry out journalistic activities in Aceh after approval from the Indonesian foreign affairs minister, on behalf of the president as central martial law administrator.
Ditya said his office will immediately reregister all journalists, foreign as well as domestic, currently active in Aceh.
"They will be asked to submit applications for new permits to the provincial martial law administrator," he said. (Antara)
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INDONESIAN GOV'T ALLOWS 20 FOREIGN REPORTERS TO VISIT ACEH
Jakarta - The Indonesian government has given permits to 20 foreign journalists to visit troubled Aceh province, chief of the Indonesian Defense Force (TNI), Gen Endriartono Sutarto, said here Wednesday.
"The government has allowed the journalists to visit Aceh without special protection," he said after seeing off President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the Halim Perdanakusuma airport on her way to a nine-day state visit to Bangladesh, Mongolia, Japan and Vietnam.
The government has banned foreigners from going to Aceh following the death of a German tourist, who recently visited the restive province with his wife.
The tourist died and his wife was injured after Indonesian troops opened fire at them, mistaking them for rebels.
Endriartono said the government cannot guarantee the safety of journalists or other foreigners who visit Aceh.
He however could not state the number of foreigners who are still in Aceh.
"Members of the Henri Dunant Center are still there," he said.
The center facilitated the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between Indonesia and the Aceh Separatist Movement (GSA) in Geneva on Dec 9 last year.
The two warring sides however failed to implement the peace pact.
The Indonesian government has sent thousands of troops and policemen to Aceh to crush the GSA, which has been trying to set up an independent state in the oil-rich but underdeveloped province since 1976.
Endriartono has expressed hope that American journalist, William Nessen, who has reportedly gone into hiding in GSA hideouts, would emerge and approach security personnel in Aceh. (Antara)
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SEPARATIST MOVEMENT IN PAPUA SPREADING, SAYS COMMUNITY FIGURE
Jakarta, - Separatism in Papua province is spreading and assuming disturbing proportions due to its widening networks and international lobbies, a Papuan community said.
"Separatist activities in Papua are on the increase due to the increasing expansion of their networks and lobbies, especially in Australia," said Isaac Sanjag, general chairman of the West Irian Jaya Community Association.
Speaking to the press after a meeting with Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono here Tuesday, he said the government, in this case the coordinating ministry for political and security affairs, should remain aware of separatist developments in Papua.
Isaac said the government should do its best to maintain the Unitary State of Indonesia.
"Only with high awareness and strong intention to maintain the Unitary State of Indonesia, can separatist activities in Indonesia, in Papua in particular, be contained," he said.
On Yudhoyono's response to the separatist issue in Indonesia's easternmost province, Isaac said, "The government's commitment on the issue is very clear that it won't give any space to separatist movement in Indonesian territory, including Papua," he said. (Antara)
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PRESIDENT ISSUES DECREE ON FOREIGNERS' VISITS IN ACEH
Jakarta, - President Megawati Soekarnoputri has issued a decree on visits to Aceh by foreigners, including journalists, during the time the province is under martial law.
The decree (No. 43/2003) stipulated foreign journalists must obtain a permit from the foreign affairs minister on behalf of the president as the head of martial law, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudoyono said here Tuesday.
It also said the government will not be responsible for any risks and consequences foreign journalists may run or suffer during the performance of their journalistic work in the province.
The decree also stipulated local journalists must also posses a permit from the administrator of martial law to carry out journalistic coverage in the territory.
The government also does not allow foreign tourists to come to Aceh as long as Aceh is under martial law.
Other activities which are against the purpose of martial law in the territory are also not allowed.
Foreigners however remain able to visit Aceh if their activity in the region is in accordance with the integrated operations being implemented in the province since May 19.
They, however, must also have a permit from the justice and human rights minister on behalf of the president as the head of martial law, the decree said.
The decree also said expatriates who are working in the province must also inform the martial law administrator about their presence.
The decree also affects the role of international and local non-governmental organizations in Aceh. These organizations are not allowed to conduct activity, which are against martial law.
Humanitarian aid coming from neighboring countries and international organizations must be under the coordination of the Coordinating Minister of Political and Security Affairs
By the issuance of the decree, Susilo said, the international community will acknowledge the government's regulation about foreigners in the province.
"I have spoken with the Japanese and US ambassadors to Indonesia that the government has no intention to ban foreigners' visit to Aceh except for tourism," he said.
The decree was signed by the president on Monday (June 16) and takes effect on the same date.
Earlier this month, a German tourist, Hendrik Albert Engel, become the first foreigner to get killed in Aceh during the imposition of martial law.
His wife, Elizabeth Engel, survives and had been evacuated to her home country.
Another foreigner, William Nessen, an American free-lance journalist, was reportedly staying with the rebels. He has yet decided to leave the separatist camp. (Antara)
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BPEN INVITES EXPORTERS TO JOIN ISE 2003
Bandung, W Java, - The National Agency for Export Development (BPEN) is inviting national exporters to promote their products in Indonesia Solo Exhibition (ISE) 2003 to be held in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, on Sept 16-20.
Through the ISE 2003, the BPEN would try to expand the African and Middle Eastern markets for Indonesian exports, Head of the BPEN for the Development of African and Middle Eastern Markets H. Agus Tjahjono said on Tuesday.
He said Indonesia's exports to traditional markets in Europe, the United States and Japan had reached a saturation point.
The ISE 2003 was a follow-up to a meeting between Indonesian Industry and Trade Minister Rini M Suwandi and UAE Trade Minister Sheik Fahem al Qassimi when the former visited Dubai in December 2002, he said.
During the meeting, BPEN Chief Diah Maulida representing Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding with Chairman of the Sjarjah Chamber of Commerce and Sjarjah Expo Center Sheik Ahmed Mohamed Al Midfa to organize the ISE 2003, he said.
As the biggest and busiest port city in UAE, Dubai served as a gateway for the entry of export goods into Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iran and Iraq, he said.
"Nowadays, many businessmen in the Middle East are fond of Indonesian goods particularly because of cultural and religious proximities. In fact, our neighbors like Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia have benefited from the proximities," he said. (Antara)
Copyright@2003, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Canberra