Govt renews vow to closely watch NGOs

JAKARTA (JP): The government has renewed its vow to keep a close watch on local non-governmental organizations it has branded "problematic."

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. told journalists after attending a hearing session with the House of Representatives' Commission II for foreign and domestic affairs yesterday that the surveillance "will go on".

Yogie said measures would be taken in accordance with 1985's Law No. 8 on mass organizations, which gives the government power to ban unrecognized NGOs.

Yogie was elaborating on his remarks earlier on the day that the government would continue to closely monitor "problematic" NGOs.

The law says, among other things, that the government will ban an unrecognized NGO if it fails to heed its warnings twice. It also says the government can directly ban NGOs after a consultation with the court.

The government said last year there were at least 31 recalcitrant NGOs, which allegedly campaigned to undermine the state ideology Pancasila. The government did not identify the NGOs but said it was preparing to take strong action against them.

The statement came on the heels of a crackdown on some NGOs for involvement in several riots. Human rights campaigners criticized the statement and said it could create unrest among NGOs because the government never identified the problematic organizations.

Late last September, the government banned an NGO called the Democratic People's Party, known locally as PRD, several months after jailing their leaders for between one-and-a-half-years and 13 years.

During yesterday's hearing, Yogie also told the House that his ministry had put on hold Rp 11,265,264,000 (US$3 million), or 21.18 percent of its total 1997/1998 planned spending, due to the recent economic crisis.

Yogie said programs which had been rescheduled included funds for the ministry's official tours, meetings and studies. (aan)