No martial law in Maluku: VP

No martial law in Maluku: VP

JAKARTA: Vice President Hamzah Haz denied here on Monday that
the government's plan to form a new security command body in
Maluku is an attempt to impose martial law in the conflict-torn
province.

According to Hamzah, the new command would be working along
with the local civil emergency government to compliment its
infective line of command.

"There should be no more excuses of misunderstanding among the
governor, the Police chief, and the military commander in
executing their duties (with the establishment of the new
command," Hamzah told reporters.--JP

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Ambassador-EastTimor-Relations
Harmony with E. Timor beneficial: Lopez
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Harmony with E. Timor beneficial: Lopez

JAKARTA: Indonesia would reap more benefit in the future
should it decide to cooperate harmoniously with East Timor
instead of constantly being at odds with its former territory,
the Indonesian ambassador for Greece said here on Monday.

Lopez Da Cruz, an East Timor descendant, who is currently
serving as Indonesian ambassador told reporters at the State
Palace that Indonesia could benefit East Timor's support in the
United Nations when it needs to pursue a certain issue in the
future.

However, the government should asses the private assets of
Indonesian nationals in the tiny territory and returned to the
respective owners.--JP

Nine more killed in restive Aceh

BANDA ACEH: Despite the recent agreement between the
government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), nine more people,
including three rebels, were killed in separate gunfights in the
conflict-ridden province over the weekend.

Lt. Col. Supartodi, chief of the Pidie Military District, said
here on Monday that three rebels were killed in separate
gunfights between soldiers and rebels in Pidie, North Aceh on
Saturday and Monday.

The local office of the Indonesian Red Cross confirmed on
Monday that it evacuated six bodies on Friday and Saturday which
were believed to be victims of the prolonged conflict between the
Free Aceh Movement and security authorities.

A rebel, locally known as Captain Nu, was killed in a gunfight
with a group of soldiers in Mila Subdistrict, Pidie, some 100
kilometers east of the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, on
Saturday and two other rebels were killed in a gunfight in Pidie
at the same day.

Early last week, 17 people, including a soldier, were killed
in separate gunfights between the local military and rebels in
the province. -- JP

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Govt urged to stop foreign health aids

House of Representative's Commission VII on population and
welfare urged Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi to stop receiving
foreign health loans which it said did not benefit the nation.

"The ministry must accept only foreign aids in the forms of
grant and donations which are not binding because such loans have
burdened the people and benefitted the donor countries because a
bigger part of the loans are used to purchase their products and
pay their experts," Laope Moekoe, a member of the commission,
said in a hearing with the minister here over the weekend.

Sujudi admitted that it was possible that 80 percent of money
gained under the soft-loan scheme returned to the donor
countries.

"The recipient country must use the loan for local medical
workers' training in the donor countries and the purchasing of
medical equipment and expert for consultation services from the
donor countries," he said.

The ministry's budget for health development this year is Rp
3.53 trillion, of which around Rp 2.4 trillion from national
budget while some Rp 1.13 trillion from foreign debt.

The World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Japan, South Korea,
West Germany, and Australia have been financial sources of
multilateral and bilateral loans for the ministry. -- JP