Questioning of foreigners criticized

Questioning of foreigners criticized

By Emmy Fitri

JAKARTA (JP): The police's recent detention of participants of
a seminar in Sawangan has angered many people both at home and
abroad, with even the immigration office here questioning the
alleged visa violations police claim were committed by foreign
seminar participants.

Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, the chairman of the Institute
for Human Rights Research and Advocacy, said Friday night's raid
was a direct violation of the freedom of assembly.

"Whatever the reason and motive behind it (the raid) and the
questioning of the conference participants, police themselves
have clearly breached one of the important principals of the
Universal Human Rights Declaration," Abdul Hakim said, while also
pointing to such guarantees in Indonesia's Constitution.

"This will only worsen Indonesia's image before the
international community as the conference was attended by
activists from foreign countries," Abdul said.

Police raided the Sawangan Golf Inn on the outskirts of
Jakarta on Friday and arrested 40 participants of the Asia
Pacific Labor Solidarity Conference on Neoliberalism.

Thirty-two foreign conference participants were released on
Saturday and told to report on Monday to the immigration office
for further processing.

According to Abdul, the police could charge the foreign
participants with immigration violations, but "do the police know
that as soon as foreigners arrive in Indonesia they fill out a
form stating the purpose of their visit, which can be business,
to attend a conference or as a tourist"?

"This practice takes place all over the world. We have to fill
out a declaration form and then show our invitation (to the
conference) at the airport, that's all," Abdul said.

In defending their actions, the police have cited Immigration
Law No. 9/1992, under which a foreigner can be deported and
barred from entering Indonesia for a certain period of time.

But a senior official at the Directorate General for
Immigration appeared puzzled by the police's actions.

Directorate general spokesman Mursanuddin Gani told The
Jakarta Post on Sunday his office had not received a report from
police about the questioning of the 32 foreigners.

"The police could have contacted our office prior to the raid,
but as far as I know there was no notification. We have
undertaken a series of joint operations targeting foreigners who
are believed to have breached immigration laws, but not in this
instance," Gani said.

He also doubted whether "any immigration officials were
involved in Friday's raid of the Sawangan seminar".

"If they (the foreigners) really violated immigration laws,
why were they released? They should have been sent to the
immigration office."

Gani pointed out that foreigners visiting Indonesia for
special events like conferences and business meetings were
eligible for the visa-on-arrival facility.

He said the creation of this visa was meant to attract
foreigners to Indonesia, and that the purpose of their visit
could be stated upon arriving in the country.

"The police can only summon the organizers of the seminar for
questioning, not necessarily question the foreigners," Gani
added.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human
Rights Association, Hendardi, blasted the police's actions as a
violation of democratic principles.

Lawyer Apong Herlina also questioned the raid and detentions.
"It is bizarre for the police to take such actions nowadays. I
think they are too sensitive. There are a lot of gatherings and
seminars held here and participated in by foreigners, why was
this one raided?" asked Apong, who is a former chairman of the
Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation.

Meanwhile in Sydney, a four-year-old girl and her mother,
among the foreigners detained during Friday's raid, arrived back
home in Australia on Sunday.

The two were allowed to leave Indonesia for humanitarian
reasons after sustained negotiations by Australian Embassy
officials, a spokeswoman for Australia's Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade told Reuters.

From Auckland, AFP reported that New Zealand activist and
Auckland city councillor Marie Leadbeater was among the
foreigners detained.

New Zealand's Minister of Foreign Affairs Phil Goff said on
Sunday his country's embassy was making efforts to ensure
Leadbeater returned home as planned on Monday.

From Bangkok, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development
said on Sunday the police raid signaled an "imminent danger" to
democracy in Indonesia.

According to the Bangkok Post, Thai academic Ji Ungphakorn was
among those detained in the raid.

Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Surakiart Sathirathai said
Ji's arrest was a "misunderstanding" and that his detention would
not affect relations between Thailand and Indonesia. (emf)