Alumni urge YLBHI to introspect and change
Alumni urge YLBHI to introspect and change
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI)
should introspect and make significant changes to survive its
current financial crisis after three foreign funding
organizations cut their donations, say former YLBHI executives.
Noted lawyer Luhut MP Pangaribuan suggested that the
foundation should first find out why the foreign donors --
Holland-based NOVIB, Sweden-based SIDA and Belgium-based Triple
Eleven -- had cut their funding.
"YLBHI must evaluate whether its programs are still relevant
to the current political situation," he told The Jakarta Post
over the weekend.
Luhut, who had worked for 18 years with the YLBHI, suggested
that the YLBHI change its mission, from fighting for democracy to
law enforcement.
Similarly, Frans Hendra Winarta, who is a former YLBHI
executive and now a member of YLBHI's board of trustees, said the
foundation must start its campaign for law enforcement.
"There is no need to fight for politics or democracy any
longer because there are many other non-governmental
organizations that tackle these issues," he said.
Frans challenged YLBHI to shift its mission and be proactive
in drafting laws, which is less popular than political issues.
Luhut further said that YLBHI must evaluate whether the
foreign donors decided to stop their funding because of the
presence of some "inappropriate officials" in the foundation.
He did not elaborate, however, the foreign donors' decision
was made after cofounder Adnan Buyung Nasution took over the
foundation.
Buyung has been widely criticized for defending Indonesian
Military (TNI) generals accused of involvement in the 1999 East
Timor bloodshed.
"YLBHI must honestly accept the results of the evaluation and
take further steps to save the institute," Luhut asserted.
Both Luhut and Frans believe that YLBHI would continue to
exist and struggle for law enforcement in the country, despite
the presence of similar organizations such as the Indonesia Legal
Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI), the Institute for Policy
Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) and the Women's Association for
Legal Aid (LBH APIK).
The three institutes were set up by YLBHI alumni.
"People will always need assistance in legal disputes," Luhut
commented.
He believed that YLBHI would be able to settle its problems as
long as it stayed consistent in its idealism to fight for law
enforcement and provide free legal assistance for the poor.
"Do not worry about donors. They will disburse the funding if
YLBHI remains consistent," Luhut said.
Frans, on the other hand, said that YLBHI must start to seek
donations from Indonesian donors.
"YLBHI was set up for the poor. Therefore, either the
government, rich Indonesian businesspeople, Indonesian lawyers'
associations or other members of the society are obliged to
donate to the institute," he said.
YLBHI decided in its national meeting in April that as many as
14 Legal Aid Institutes (LBH) across the country, which are under
its supervision, would be permitted to raise their own funds in
the light of its own financial difficulties.
The LBH offices used to be financially dependent on the YLBHI,
the only party previously permitted to raise funds. The YLBHI
used to pay out Rp 500 million (US$61,102) a month to finance the
operational activities of the LBH offices.