BIN suspects foreign NGOs 'crossing the line' in Aceh

BIN suspects foreign NGOs 'crossing the line' in Aceh

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Aside from conducting humanitarian work in tsunami-stricken Aceh,
a number of overseas non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
operating in the province are abusing their original mission,
says the head of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN).

BIN Chief Syamsir Siregar told The Jakarta Post the agency was
closely monitoring a number of foreign NGOs for their activities
in Aceh which he said could disturb reconstruction work in the
province.

"There are one or two NGOs which are engaged in tasks outside
humanitarian work," said Syamsir at the State Palace.

Syamsir, however, refused to specify whether the NGOs were
conducting espionage activities or provoking local people to
cause instability in the province which has been plagued by a
separatist movement.

"I can only say that their activities can harm the security
situation in Aceh as well as national unity," he said, adding
that the issue had been discussed during his meeting with
Coordinating Minister for Security and Political Affairs Widodo
Adi Sucipto recently.

Currently there are some 180 registered foreign NGOs helping
tsunami victims in the province.

The government had reregistered foreign NGOs before screening
them to decide which groups will be allowed to stay in Aceh. Only
NGOs linked to the United Nations and donor countries will be
allowed to continue their humanitarian work there.

Syamsir said BIN was currently monitoring the work of all the
NGOs to ensure they "do not cross the line", with some of them
already blacklisted.

"We are now still studying the possibility of banning some
NGOs that have violated their original purpose," said Syamsir, a
retired Army general who spent most of his military career in the
intelligence unit.

Before the tsunami devastated Aceh on Dec. 26, 2004, Aceh was
under a civil emergency. Foreigners, including journalists, were
barred from entering the province as the military went all out to
crush the Free Aceh Movement, which has been fighting for
independence since 1976.

However, the December disaster, which left more than 230,000
people killed or missing and feared dead, forced the government
to ease the restriction as it was unable to tackle the disaster
alone.

The government reopened the door to foreigners, including
military personnel, to assist tsunami survivors.