Ministry wants objective inquiry into arrest of environmentalist
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Ministry of Forestry is demanding an objective investigation into the recent arrest of environmentalist Bestari Raden, 50, after the Aceh martial law administration accused him of involvement with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).
The secretary-general of the ministry, Wahyudi Wardoyo, said that his office would provide legal advisors for Bestari even though he already had a legal team for the case.
"Basically, we don't want anything negative to happen without an objective investigation by police officers in Aceh. We've been in contact with the Southeast Aceh Police and the commander of military operations there. They gave positive responses," he said without going into detail.
Bestari was arrested in Southeast Aceh on March 26 by the Aceh martial law administration while visiting the area as a member of a government team assigned to evaluate the feasibility of the controversial Ladia Galaska highway project.
He was appointed through a joint decree issued by the Ministry of Forestry, the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs and the Aceh martial law administrator.
Wahyudi said the team had been trying to promote an objective investigation and provide necessary documents, including the decree, to police to prove that Bestari was working for the government.
Currently, Bestari is represented by a team of legal advisors that include the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI), the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) in Aceh and the legal bureau of the Ministry of Forestry.
The martial law administration has alleged that Bestari served as a GAM leader for the Tapak Tuan area in 2000. GAM spokesman Sofyan Dawood has refuted the allegation, saying that Bestari was not one of his men leading GAM fighters in the war against Jakarta.
A number of activists have lashed out at the arrest, saying that the move was part of systematic attempts to silence those critical of government policies in Aceh.
According to them, Bestari had been active as an environmentalist in the capital and foreign countries since 1999.
Wahyudi confirmed the statement, adding that Bestari's frequent involvement in environmental issues was indeed the main reason behind his appointment.
However, he said the ministry would not investigate the possibility of Bestari being involved with GAM, saying it "was not within the authority of the ministry".
Hasjrul Junadi of the Indonesian Network for Forest Conservation (SKEPHI) told the Post on Monday that they planned to meet with Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno and National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar soon.
"We want to urge them to bring Bestari's case to Jakarta, or at least to the Aceh Police to assure that he is treated fairly and humanely," he said.
Meanwhile, Wahyudi said the government team was still working on its initial assignment for the Ladia Galaska project.
"But they haven't made or sent any reports on their findings so far. Probably in the next few days they'll give us their preliminary findings," he said.
The project, which passes through the protected Leuser National Park, home to many of the country's endangered species, has drawn strong opposition from foreign groups and local environmentalists, as well as the Ministry of Forestry and the Office of the State Minister of the Environment.