Govt deems Jones a threat to domestic security
Govt deems Jones a threat to domestic security
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Noted American terrorism expert Sidney Jones was a threat to
domestic security, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid
Awaluddin said on Wednesday, explaining the government's decision
to deny her entry to Indonesia.
The minister, whose office oversees the immigration
directorate general that denied Jones entry, said that she had
been barred from entering Indonesia for a second time after a
review by the relevant authorities here found her to be a threat
to domestic security.
"This is our prerogative as a state, but the decision to deny
entry can be changed and reviewed over time, he said.
Hamid did not, however, say why she was considered a threat,
only saying the decision to refuse her entry was based on input
from a number of state agencies, including the intelligence
services, the National Police and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
Speaking to the House of Representatives' defense commission,
Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security Affairs
Widodo A.S. said that Jones had been denied entry due to her
"attitude".
"We have received input from our representatives abroad about
her attitude. Our officials and others in the government's
clearing house discussed this and decided to refuse her entry
from Indonesia due to this attitude," he said without
elaborating.
The clearing house is a special government committee
consisting of officials from the foreign ministry, intelligence
agency, Indonesian military, the police and the immigration
office that has the final say on whether to allow foreign
researchers and journalists to visit Indonesia or conflict-prone
areas across the country.
Widodo said that a further review of Jones' "attitude" could
be carried out to see if she might be allowed to enter Indonesia
again in the future.
Legislator A.S. Hikam said the government should have informed
Jones about the reasons behind the decision in order to avoid
international criticism.
"Don't let this become a reason for the international
community to criticize us, particularly remembering that Jones is
an (NGO) activist," he said.
This was the second time that Jones, who heads the Jakarta
office of the International Crisis Group (ICG), had been
unceremoniously kicked out of Indonesia. She was forced to board
a flight out of Indonesia as soon as she arrived at Soekarno-
Hatta Airport on Thursday after a brief trip to Taiwan.
In May 2004, the Megawati Soekarnoputri administration refused
to extend Jones' stay permit and work visa at the request of the
intelligence authorities following her revealing reports on
Indonesia's poor human rights record and communal conflicts
around the country.
The Brussels-based ICG is also well-known for its in-depth
reports on Jamaah Islamiyah, which has been blamed for a string
of bomb attacks in Indonesia since 2002.
Responding to the second entry ban, Jones said she was
confused as she had previously been allowed to visit Indonesia
again in August after her one-year ban expired in May.