LBH offices across the country on the brink of collapse

LBH offices across the country on the brink of collapse

Muhammad Nafik and Ainur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Surabaya

Legal Aid Institutes (LBH) across the country are on the brink of
collapse as the once respected non-governmental organization is
suffering from financial difficulties following a bitter internal
rift.

All of their international funding agencies had reportedly
ceased assistance early this year after senior lawyers linked to
the Indonesian Military (TNI) and corruption suspects took
control of their parent organization, the Indonesian Legal Aid
Institute Foundation (YLBHI).

Deddy Prihambudi, executive director of LBH Surabaya, said his
office and 13 other LBH offices across the country would likely
reduce or even cease operations as a consortium of foreign
agencies had stopped their assistance.

He said his office and the other 13 LBH offices had been
running short of funds for operational activities, including
salaries.

"October is the last month that YLBHI will help finance LBH
operations. YLBHI has apparently given up. Some LBH offices in
Aceh, Medan, Padang, Palembang and Lampung will possibly be
closed," Deddy told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

He said that since January the operational funds from YLBHI
for LBH offices had been gradually reduced.

Foundation chairman Munarman confirmed that YLBHI was facing
financial shortages amid an internal rift, but denied the
consortium of international funding agencies had completely
ceased aid.

"What happens now is that the funding agencies have changed
their contract of providing assistance from a four-month period
to only three months," he told the Post on Tuesday.

But Munarman, who was appointed as the new YLBHI chairman on
Sept. 23, 2002, admitted that it remained uncertain whether the
consortium would be committed to extending assistance later this
year.

Critics however doubted Munarman's statement that the
international funding agencies were still providing funding for
the foundation.

The four-member consortium that used to fund the rift-ridden
YLBHI, comprised Novib of the Netherlands, Fida of Sweden, NCOS
of Belgium and USAID. Another funding agency from the European
Union had also extended aid in recent years.

Munarman said that if YLBHI no longer received funds from
foreign donors, it would not close down its office and the 14 LBH
offices.

Deddy's colleague Anshori said the halt of aid by the funding
agencies was linked to the internal conflict and the taking
control of the foundation by senior lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution.

"Changes proposed by young activists have not been adequately
accommodated (by Buyung). So far, the YLBHI has depended on
foreign financiers," Anshori added.

Former senior YLBHI activists confirmed on Tuesday the
consortium was "refraining" from extending aid to the foundation.

"Some (agencies) have told us: Why should we give funds to
those who already have the money?" said a former senior YLBHI
leader, who wished to remain anonymous, referring to Buyung who
currently chairs the organization's powerful board of trustees.

Buyung served as a lawyer for military officers charged with
human rights abuses in East Timor after the territory voted for
independence from Indonesia in 1999.

The foundation is also under fire for its inclusion of lawyer
Muhammad Assegaf in the board of trustees, who is one of the
lawyers of former president Soeharto's family, some members of
which currently find themselves mired in corruption scandals.

Many have expressed doubts that the rift-ridden YLBHI would
remain independent in its struggle for justice and democracy
under the leadership of Buyung and with the inclusion of Assegaf
in the board of trustees.

Buyung, a YLBHI cofounder, was officially named chairman of
the board of trustees early last month, even though he had been
suspended as a member in 2000 for defending military officers
involved in the East Timor mayhem.

His appointment followed the resignation of his inactive
predecessor Ali Sadikin, a former Jakarta governor, for health
reasons.

Todung Mulya Lubis, a respected human rights lawyer, has
reportedly resigned as a member of the organization's board of
trustees. However, he could not be reached for confirmation as he
is visiting the United States.