Indonesia urged to respond effectively to people's needs
JAKARTA (JP): A group of Indonesian and foreign non- governmental organizations (NGO) has urged the government to pay more attention to the needs of the people, saying the government should not merely concern itself with the management of economic development.
The International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID), in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post yesterday, said the principles of good government also include guaranteeing the social, cultural, economic and political rights of people through the allocation of resources by the state.
"In this, the Indonesian government is not responding effectively to the needs and aspirations of its people. INFID believes that the Indonesian government should implement principles of good government equitably and unequivocally throughout the country," the forum said.
The forum also believes that the dangers of social and economic insecurity will be far greater for the Indonesian people if a just and balanced relationship between the central government and the regions is not achieved.
"INFID does not accept the argument that decentralization will lead to a fragmentation of Indonesia," it said.
These points of view are the result of the ninth General Assembly of NGOs, held from April 22 to 24 in affiliation with a similar forum held in Paris. The assembly, in preview of the next meeting of the Consultative Group for Indonesia (CGI) to be held in Paris next June, primarily discussed the impact of government and donor policies on the regions of Indonesia.
CGI is a World Bank-led consortium of creditors comprising the industrialized nations and international financial institutions.
The forum said people living in the outer regions have become poorer relative to the central region, especially Java.
Regarding the plan to construct a nuclear plant here, INFID urged the government and donor governments to support a free and open debate in order to ensure the safe and efficient use of natural resources. The forum said the economic and environmental costs of nuclear power are very high; thus, a thorough investigation of alternative energy sources is necessary.
"Moreover, emphasizing locally appropriate sources of energy will promote regional development and a more balanced allocation of resources throughout Indonesia." it said.
"INFID strongly supports the recommendation that the Bank will not finance projects involving large resettlement operations, unless policies and legal frameworks are adopted apt to lead to resettlement with income restoration," said the forum.
Regarding the recent workers' riots in Medan, North Sumatra, which claimed one life, INFID said they exemplify the problems of the labor movement in Indonesian in general, and, in particular, the restrictions on the right to organize and the dangers of the security approach to labor unrest. (par)