Anti-Western protests causing new crisis
Anti-Western protests causing new crisis
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said on Wednesday that protests
and threats against Westerners had prompted unprecedented numbers
of business travelers and holiday-makers to spend their tourist
dollars somewhere other than Indonesia.
Akbar pointed out that a gloomy future in the tourism sector
was imminent and that the government's target of 5.4 million
visitors this year will not be achieved.
The recent waves of anti-Western street protests have forced
30 percent of the tourists who had already formally booked
Indonesian trips to cancel their visit, he said.
"As a result, the government will lose about US$2 billion in
potential revenues from the tourism sector alone," Akbar said in
response to data from tourist agencies which does not consider
the number of would-be travelers without reservations.
Anti-Western demonstrations and ethnic "sweeping" threats have
subsided over the past week as many leaders including Vice
President Hamzah Haz have repeatedly called on hardline Muslim
groups to halt their destructive actions and to create a
conducive atmosphere for the economy to recover.
Hamzah said that the drop in capital flows to Indonesia and
the slowing economic activity in general would definitely impede
economic recovery.
"The pressure (on the economy) will become even greater
because the global economy is also suffering a recession," Akbar
said after officially closing the House of Representatives'
annual session.
Over the past three months, the House passed four bills into
law for Papuan Special Autonomy, the state budget, an oil and gas
law and an amendment to the anti-corruption law.
In addition, the House also passed its Internal Code of Ethics
and Regulations, which is expected to improve its performance and
image.
Akbar also raised concerns about the unchecked trafficking of
women and children, which he said was a result of the rising rate
of unemployment since the economic crisis began in 1997.
The thriving flesh trade, Akbar said, was only the tip of the
iceberg in the social crisis arising from prolonged economic
hardship.
"Our direct observation is that the House needs to push for
Indonesia to ratify the 1949 UN Convention on Trafficking of
Women and make our own laws banning trafficking of women and
children," he said.
Akbar also promised to make a law which provides legal
protection for Indonesians working overseas, which has become a
national concern.
"Many Indonesians working overseas report mistreatment and
Indonesia cannot do anything to protect them," he said.