Govt to curb foreign NGOs in Aceh

Govt to curb foreign NGOs in Aceh

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights is drafting tough
regulations to limit the presence of foreign non-governmental
organization (NGO) activists in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, further
closing the province to independent scrutiny.

The regulations, which only allow activists to stay in the
war-torn province for 14 days and a maximum extension of 30 days
depending on the approval of the martial law administration,
follow a presidential decree restricting foreigners' activities.

Ministry director general Iman Santoso said foreign activists
could only enter the province through the capital of Banda Aceh
and must immediately report themselves to the local immigration
office as well as to the police.

"The Ministry will issue permits to foreign activists to visit
Aceh province by examining their organizations and their terms of
stay.

"During their presence there, we, along with the military
authorities, will also monitor their activities to determine
whether they violate the conditions stipulated in the permit or
not.

"They also have to inform the Ministry on the amount of funds
to be donated to local people," Iman said after chairing a
meeting on Aceh issues at the Office of the Coordinating Minister
for Political and Security Affairs on Wednesday.

The government will likely only allow foreign NGOs dealing
with humanitarian issues to visit Aceh, while others have
reportedly been involved in "sponsoring secessionist movements in
Aceh as well as the country's other regions, including Papua."

Iman, however, said the government had yet to reregister
foreign NGOs concerned with Aceh issues.

Present at the meeting were officials from related ministries,
including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Police.

Last week, President Megawati Soekarnoputri issued a decree
that restricts foreigners from traveling to Aceh during
implementation of martial law to "prevent foreigners from
becoming victims in the Aceh conflict."

The decree also stipulates that the government will supervise
the presence of foreign activists and journalists to promote
"transparency" during the ongoing military operation.

Foreigners must secure a permit from the Ministry of Justice
and Human Rights should they insist on traveling to the restive
province.

NGO activists must obtain a permit from the Office of the
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare while journalists,
including locals working as correspondents for foreign media,
need to obtain a permit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The restrictions come after two German tourists were shot, one
of them fatally, two weeks after Jakarta imposed martial law in
Aceh on May 19. On Tuesday, American freelance journalist William
Nessen gave up to Indonesian authorities after embedding himself
with the rebel's without obtaining government permission.

Three journalists working for foreign media have been expelled
from the province by the military.

"The regulation will come into effect soon after the Minister
signs the decree," Iman said, referring to Yusril Ihza Mahendra.