Govt under fire over ban on foreign researchers
Govt under fire over ban on foreign researchers
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Domestic researchers lashed out on Thursday at the government's
plan to impose restrictions on foreign scholars who wish to
conduct field studies in the troubled provinces of Papua and
Aceh.
They said that the restriction impinged on academic freedom.
"From the academic point of view, there must be no
restrictions on research activities. If the government insists on
imposing the ban, clear reasons must be given for it," said
Aswatini, chief researcher at the Indonesian Institute of
Sciences (LIPI) here.
Director of the Institute for Economic and Social Research,
Education, and Information (LP3ES) Imam Ahmad concurred, saying
that such a restriction would only discourage scientists who have
good intentions.
Both were commenting on the government's plan to close foreign
researchers' access to field study in Papua and Aceh.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda defended the
stringent policy because he claimed many foreign researchers came
with goals other than research.
The plan to issue the restriction came just after researchers
from the Netherlands and Australian requested a permit to conduct
studies in the provinces.
According to Hassan, the government is not in a position to
reject foreign researchers from entering the country because of
the existing free visa-upon-entry policy granted to visitors from
Western countries, including the Netherlands and Australia.
The minister, however, said that the facility could be
restricted for visits to Aceh and Papua, known for their long-
standing secessionist movements.
Imam suggested that the government drop its plan and let
research activities go ahead wherever they are conducted. If the
government is concerned about the results of a study, Imam said,
the government could conduct a counter study.
Aswatini who heads LIPI's research center for population said
that the government should provide a clear explanation for its
plan to restrict foreign field studies in Papua and Aceh.
Without an explanation, she said, it would only strengthen
suspicions within the international community over what is really
happening in the provinces of Papua and Aceh.
Apart from a broad explanation, an exact time frame for the
restriction, if it is unavoidable, is a must, according to
Aswatini.
"There must be an exact time frame. It is impossible to
restrict foreign research in those areas forever," Aswatini
added.
But both Imam and Aswatini said they could understand the
restriction as long as it was connected with security concerns.
"It would be an understandable restriction," Imam said, adding
that such a strict policy was normal in conflict areas.
Aswatini who frequently assisted foreign researchers who
studied here asserted she would think twice if she was asked to
assist scholars who wished to conduct research in Papua or Aceh.