ICG to remain operational without Jones

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The International Crisis Group (ICG) will continue its operations in the country, despite the controversial departure of its Southeast Asia director Sidney Jones.

Criticism, meanwhile, has poured in following the government's decision to expel the American researcher, who replaced Indonesianist Harold Crouch as ICG director in 2002.

"We hope very much that the (ICG) office (in Jakarta) will stay open," Jones told a media conference on Wednesday.

ICG director Todung Mulya Lubis agreed.

"We are not thinking of closing down the office," he said.

Jones and Australian staff member, Francesca Lawe-Davies, will leave the country on Saturday, following the immigration office's deportation order for work permit offenses sent to them on Tuesday. It was a bitter birthday present for Jones, who turned 52 on Monday.

Jones said she would fly home to the U.S. for a week-long break.

The Brussels-based ICG will maintain Jones as its Southeast Asia director, although she is uncertain where she will stay when she resumes her job.

"I can't imagine not living in Indonesia. My life is here. And I hope very much that we will both be back very soon," said Jones, who has been denied entry to several countries, including India, when she worked for international rights group the Human Rights Watch.

The U.S. criticized on Wednesday (Thursday in Jakarta) Indonesia's decision to expel Jones, saying it was a blow to recent improvements in the country's record on freedom of expression.

"We're not aware of any actions by her or other members of her organization that would warrant such a step by Indonesia," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse.

"Such expulsions will be particularly disappointing because this would stand in stark contrast to the impressive progress made by Indonesia in recent years in developing a democratic civil society with freedom of expression," he said.

Chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara accused the government of abusing its power in expelling Jones.

"The government has to be transparent in making a decision, including its policy on granting permits to foreigners to work in the country," Abdul Hakim said on Thursday.

A group of media and human rights activists met House of Representatives legislators on Wednesday in a show of support for Jones.

They said the expulsion of Jones could be perceived as a threat to freedom of expression, therefore it served as "a bad advertisement" for Indonesia in the eyes of the international community.

"What has happened to Sidney can happen to others. This is a setback. The government should bring the case to court if it finds libel in the ICG reports," Todung told members of House Commission I for security affairs.

Also present were rights activist Munir, Ulil Abshar Abdalla of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)'s research group Lakpesdam, and Bambang Harymurti, chief editor of Tempo weekly.

During a closed-door meeting with the lawmakers last week, chief of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) A.M. Hendropriyono hinted at a plan to expel Jones due to her reports that are deemed critical of the government.

Ibrahim Ambong, chairman of the commission, admitted to the delegation on Wednesday that the meeting with the BIN chief discussed the presence of several non-governmental groups that might cause instability in society.

"We agreed that the government should take strong action, but we didn't refer to particular organizations," Ambong said.

Former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the major contender for incumbent Megawati Soekarnoputri in the presidential race, urged the government to clearly explain the reasons for the deportation.

"If it does not, it will become a problem for democracy," he told reporters while campaigning in the South Sulawesi town of Makassar.

ICG president Gareth Evans, a former Australian prime minister, deplored the decision.

"To shoot the messenger doesn't say much for the state of political liberty in Indonesia under the Megawati government," said Evans in a press statement.