Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, 30/7 (ANTARA) - Menghadapi semakin berkurangnya cadangan migas dan harga minyak yang terus melambung di pasaran internasional, Pemerintah Indonesia terus mencari sumber energi alternatif untuk mengurangi ketergantungan pada BBM yang bersal dari fosil.
Salah satu alternatif yang kini sedang digencarkan pemerintah adalah pengembangan bio-energi yang bersumber dari tumbuh-tumbuhan seperti tanaman jarak, singkong, tebu, dan kelapa sawit.
Pengembangan bio-energi tersebut diharapkan akan mengurangi ketergantungan Indonesia pada BBM yang berasal dari fosil sebesar 10 persen pada 2010.
Keseriusan pemerintah dalam pengembangan bio-energi dibuktikan dengan dibentuknya sebuah Tim Pengembangan Bio-energi Nasional yang diketuai mantan Menaker Al Hilal Hamdi.
Keseriusan itu juga ditujukkan Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono yang baru-baru ini mengadakan sidang kabinet terbatas di Magelang, Jateng, untuk membahas kebijakan energi nasional dan program aksi pengembangan bio-energi.
"Kita akan terus melakukan persiapan dan perencanaan tahun ini dan akan mulai melaksanakan program tersebut tahun depan," kata Presiden setelah memimpin sidang kabinet terbatas tersebut.
Disamping mengurangi ketergantungan pada BBM, pengembangan bio-energi yang berasal dari tanaman jarak, singkong, tebu, dan kelapa sawit juga akan mendorong pertumbuhan ekonomi pedesaan.
"Pengembangan bio-energi atau bio-diesel akan memperluas lapangan kerja, mengurangi kemiskinan, membantu pengembangan koperasi, usaha kecil, dan menghijaukan kembali lahan kering," kata Presiden.
Agar rencana pengembangan bio-energi tercapai, pemerintah menugaskan tim pengembangan bio-energi nasional itu untuk merumuskan kebijakan-kebijakan dan program-program yang akan dilaksanakan.
Tim nasional akan merumuskan antara lain kebijakan bidang pengembangan lahan, infrastruktur, pemerosesan produksi, pemasaran, dan pendanaan.
Menurut Ketua Tim Al Hilal Hamdi, untuk pengembangan tanaman jarak, singkong, tebu, dan kelapa sawit sesuai target pemerintah sampai 2010, diperlukan lahan seluas 6,5 hektar dengan investasi sebesar Rp100 triliun yang akan membuka kesempatan kerja bagi sekitar tiga juta tenaga kerja baru.
Dari 6,5 juta hektar itu, tiga juta hektar untuk tanaman kelapa sawit, 1,5 juta hektar untuk tanaman jarak, 1,5 hektar untuk tanaman singkong dan 500 ribu hektar untuk tanaman tebu.
Investasi yang diperlukan untuk setiap hektar sebesar Rp30 juta untuk tanaman kelapa sawit, Rp15 juta untuk tanaman tebu, Rp3 juta untuk tanaman jarak, dan Rp3,5 juta untuk tanaman singkong.
Selain itu, pemerintah juga merencanakan pembangunan 11 pabrik pengolahan tanam bio-energi dengan target produksi sebesar 187 juta liter mulai tahun depan dan sebesar 1,3 miliar liter pada 2010, atau setara tiga persen konsumsi BBM nasional 2005 yang berjumlah 41 juta kiloliter.
Dengan program tersebut, diharapkan Indonesia akan mengurangi ketergantungannya pada BBM fosil sebesar 10 persen untuk sektor transportasi dan 50 persen untuk BBM pembangkit listerik pada 2010. Selain itu, Indonesia juga dapat menghemat devisa sebesar 10 miliar dan mengekspor sekitar 10 sampai 12 kiloliter bio-diesel.
Untuk membuat program ini sukses, sektor pendanaan menjadi sangat penting. Untuk itu pemerintah mengimbau perbankan untuk turut membantu pendanaan pengembagan bio-energi, termasuk pengembangan tanaman jarak, singkong, dan tebu.
"Kita minta dunia perbankan untuk berinvestasi di bidang pengembangan tanaman jarak, singkong, dan tebu untuk mendorong perekonomian pedesaan sekaligus membantu menghijaukan kembali lahan-lahan gundul," kata Menseneg Yusril Ihza Mahendra setelah mengikuti pertemuan yang membahas pengembangan energi alternatif di kantornya baru-baru ini.
Memang bank merupakan sumber pendanaan yang sangat diharapkan membantu program yang sedang digencarkan pemerintah itu. Setidaknya, pemerintah mengharapkan dana sebesar Rp100 triliun dari bank untuk para petani kelapa sawit dan tanaman lainnya yang disiapkan untuk produksi bio-enersi.
"Dana perbankan itu bisa untuk pengembangan kelapa sawit, singkong, dan tebu, sementara untuk pengembangan tanaman jarak pagar, danany bisa dari pemerintah," kata Al Hilal Hamdi.
Menurut dia, pihak perbankan telah mengusulkan agar dana perbankan itu deberi subsidi dari pemerintah, sehingga para petani hanya akan membayar bunga sekitar 10 persen.
Selain itu, pemerintah juga sedang mempersiapkan insentif bagi investasi, perdagangan, dan penelitian untuk mempercepat pengembangan bio-energi. "Kita sedang mempersiapkan insentif seperti pembebasan pajak dan pengurangan pajak bagi kegiatan penelitian serta pengurangan pajak pertambahan nilai," kata Hilal.
Dalam ranka mendukung program pemerintah ini, banyak perusahaan, baik perusahaan dalam negeri maupun asing, telah menyatakan minat untuk berinvestasi di bidang pengembangan bio-energi.
Menurut Hilal, perushaan-perusahaan yang telah berminat itu antara lain Sinar Mas, Agro Lestari, Molindo, dan PT HM Sampoerna, disamping BUMN dan koperasi.
Sementara perusahaan asing yang menyatakan berminat berinvestasi di sektor ini antara lain CITIC dari China, Itochu dari Jepang, Greenenergy dari India, dan perushaan lainnya dari Amerika Serikta dan Italia. Persusahaan minyak dari Jepang, Nippon Oil Corporation juga sudah menyatakan niatnya untuk membangun pabrik bio-diesel di Jambi
Sementar itu, Dekopin juga sedang merencanakan pemgangunan pabrik pengolahan minyak jarak. "Kami sedang mempertimbangkan membangun pabrik pengolahan minyak jarak, misalnya di Sukabumi yang dekat dengan Jakarta," kata Ketua Umum Dekopin Adi Sasono.
Agar program pengembangan bio-energi lebih sukses, pemerintah mengimbau masyarakat untuk tidak ragu mengembangkan tanaman bio-energi. Pemerintah menjamin akan menyerap semua produksi bio-diesel berapapun jumlahnya. "Pertamina dan PLN siap menyerap semua produksi dari masyarakta," kata Menrestek Kusmayanto Kadiman. (T.A014/S005) (T.A014/B/S005/S005) 30-07-2006 22:44:18
Jumat, 02 Mei 2008
INDONESIA TURNING TO BIOFUEL
By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, July 29 (ANTARA) - In the face of its depleting oil reserves and fluctuating world oil prices, Indonesia has launched an intensive biofuel production program aimed at cutting its fossil oil consumption by 10 percent in 2010.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono showed serious attention to development of bio-energy when he convened a limited cabinet meeting in Magelang, Central Java, this month, to discuss national energy policies and bio-energy action plans.
Besides reducing dependence on fossil fuels, the cultivation of biofuel crops such as oil palm, cassava, sugar cane and jatropha curcas crops was also seen as a way to help boost local economies.
"The development of biofuel or bio-diesel will create more jobs, reduce poverty, develop cooperatives and small businesses and re-green denuded land," the President said.
In order to carry out the program, the Indonesian government decided to set up a national team in charge of formulating policies for the development of bio-diesel or biofuel program.
Chaired by former manpower minister Al Hilal Hamdi, the national team will formulate policies, including on matters relating to cultivation of land, infrastructure, processing, marketing and funding.
With the program, Indonesia expects to be able eventually to reduce the use of fossil fuel oils by 10 percent in 2010, namely using bio-fuel to replace premium, kerosene, diesel oil and fuel oils used to generate electricity.
According to Al Hilal Hamdi, the kind of plantations which would be developed to produce bio-fuel would include oil palm, jatropha curcas, cassava and sugar cane.
He said some 6.5 million hectares would be made available for the development of bio-fuel. Thus it would provide employment for about three million workers and boost rural economies.
Of the 6.5 million hectares, three million hectares will be developed for oil palm, 1.5 million hectares for jatropha curcas, 500,000 hectares of sugarcane and 1.5 million hectares for cassava.
The investment per hectare was estimated at Rp30 million for oil palm, Rp15 million for sugarcane, Rp3 million for jatropha curcas and Rp3.5 million for cassava.
Hilal said that the program needed an estimated investment of Rp100 trillion (US$10.8 billion) in the sector within the next five years.
The government also unveiled a crash program to build 11 biofuel plants, with production targets of 187 million liters next year and 1.3 billion liters by 2010, or equivalent to 3 percent of the country's total fuel consumption of 41 million kiloliters in 2005.
Therefore, up to 2010, the use of fossil oils for the transportation sector is expected to be cut by 10 percent and by 50 percent in the power generation sector.
With the reduction in the use of fossil oils, the foreign exchange that could be economized would reach some 10 billion dollars, Hilal said.
Besides, he added, Indonesia would also export some 10 to 12 kiloliters of bio-fuel. "With this program, arid lands could be cultivated and self-reliant villages could be developed," he added.
Funding
In order to make the program a success, the government called on the banking world to help provide funds for bio-energy development, including the cultivation of jatropha curcas, cassava and sugarcane.
"Banks are requested to invest in the cultivation of jatropha curcas, cassava, sugarcane so as at the same time green arid land and help boost rural economic growth," Minister/State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra said after a meeting held at his office to discuss the development of alternative energy.
The government said it was optimistic that banks are potential institutions to provide funding. The government was seeing the possibility of raising Rp100 trillion from general banks to be allocated as loans to oil palm farmers.
"The funds are also available for cassava and sugar cane farming if it is commercial while the fund for development of jatropha curcas oil plantation will be made available by the government," Al Hilal Hamdi said.
According to the chief of the National Team for Bio-energy Development, the banks have asked for a government subsidy for the loans so that the farmers would only be required to pay around 10 percent interest.
Besides, the government is preparing fiscal incentives for investment, trade and research to expedite bio-energy development.
"We are preparing fiscal incentives such as tax holidays, tax allowances and reductions for research activities and value-added taxes," Hamdi said.
He said there were many companies that had expressed an interest to develop bio-energy including Sinar Mas, Argo Lestari, Molindo and PT HM Sampurna besides state-owned agro-companies and cooperatives.
Among foreign investors interested in it are CITIC from China, Itochu from Japan, Greenenergy from India and companies from the US and Italy. Japanese oil company Nippon Oil Corporation has also expressed interest to develop a bio-diesel plant in Jambi.
Besides, the Indonesian Cooperatives Board (Dekopin) was planning to construct jatropha curcas processing plants. Dekopin Chairman Adi Sasono said Dekopin would build the processing factories in an effort to produce an energy source that can replace fossil fuel oils.
"We are considering the building of jatropha curcas oil factories for instance in Sukabumi, West Java, which is near Jakarta," Adi Sasono said.
To make its program a success, the government called on the public not to hesitate to cultivate biofuel crops. It gave the assurance that it would absorb biofuel production no matter how much.
"We have two major stand-by buyers, namely state-owned Pertamina for the transportation sector and state power firm PLN for the electricity sector," Research and Technology Minister Kusmayanto Kadiman said.
(T.A014/A/HAJM/B/O001) 19:00/ ) (T.A014/A/A014/A/H-AJM/O001) 29-07-2006 19:48:34
Jakarta, July 29 (ANTARA) - In the face of its depleting oil reserves and fluctuating world oil prices, Indonesia has launched an intensive biofuel production program aimed at cutting its fossil oil consumption by 10 percent in 2010.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono showed serious attention to development of bio-energy when he convened a limited cabinet meeting in Magelang, Central Java, this month, to discuss national energy policies and bio-energy action plans.
Besides reducing dependence on fossil fuels, the cultivation of biofuel crops such as oil palm, cassava, sugar cane and jatropha curcas crops was also seen as a way to help boost local economies.
"The development of biofuel or bio-diesel will create more jobs, reduce poverty, develop cooperatives and small businesses and re-green denuded land," the President said.
In order to carry out the program, the Indonesian government decided to set up a national team in charge of formulating policies for the development of bio-diesel or biofuel program.
Chaired by former manpower minister Al Hilal Hamdi, the national team will formulate policies, including on matters relating to cultivation of land, infrastructure, processing, marketing and funding.
With the program, Indonesia expects to be able eventually to reduce the use of fossil fuel oils by 10 percent in 2010, namely using bio-fuel to replace premium, kerosene, diesel oil and fuel oils used to generate electricity.
According to Al Hilal Hamdi, the kind of plantations which would be developed to produce bio-fuel would include oil palm, jatropha curcas, cassava and sugar cane.
He said some 6.5 million hectares would be made available for the development of bio-fuel. Thus it would provide employment for about three million workers and boost rural economies.
Of the 6.5 million hectares, three million hectares will be developed for oil palm, 1.5 million hectares for jatropha curcas, 500,000 hectares of sugarcane and 1.5 million hectares for cassava.
The investment per hectare was estimated at Rp30 million for oil palm, Rp15 million for sugarcane, Rp3 million for jatropha curcas and Rp3.5 million for cassava.
Hilal said that the program needed an estimated investment of Rp100 trillion (US$10.8 billion) in the sector within the next five years.
The government also unveiled a crash program to build 11 biofuel plants, with production targets of 187 million liters next year and 1.3 billion liters by 2010, or equivalent to 3 percent of the country's total fuel consumption of 41 million kiloliters in 2005.
Therefore, up to 2010, the use of fossil oils for the transportation sector is expected to be cut by 10 percent and by 50 percent in the power generation sector.
With the reduction in the use of fossil oils, the foreign exchange that could be economized would reach some 10 billion dollars, Hilal said.
Besides, he added, Indonesia would also export some 10 to 12 kiloliters of bio-fuel. "With this program, arid lands could be cultivated and self-reliant villages could be developed," he added.
Funding
In order to make the program a success, the government called on the banking world to help provide funds for bio-energy development, including the cultivation of jatropha curcas, cassava and sugarcane.
"Banks are requested to invest in the cultivation of jatropha curcas, cassava, sugarcane so as at the same time green arid land and help boost rural economic growth," Minister/State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra said after a meeting held at his office to discuss the development of alternative energy.
The government said it was optimistic that banks are potential institutions to provide funding. The government was seeing the possibility of raising Rp100 trillion from general banks to be allocated as loans to oil palm farmers.
"The funds are also available for cassava and sugar cane farming if it is commercial while the fund for development of jatropha curcas oil plantation will be made available by the government," Al Hilal Hamdi said.
According to the chief of the National Team for Bio-energy Development, the banks have asked for a government subsidy for the loans so that the farmers would only be required to pay around 10 percent interest.
Besides, the government is preparing fiscal incentives for investment, trade and research to expedite bio-energy development.
"We are preparing fiscal incentives such as tax holidays, tax allowances and reductions for research activities and value-added taxes," Hamdi said.
He said there were many companies that had expressed an interest to develop bio-energy including Sinar Mas, Argo Lestari, Molindo and PT HM Sampurna besides state-owned agro-companies and cooperatives.
Among foreign investors interested in it are CITIC from China, Itochu from Japan, Greenenergy from India and companies from the US and Italy. Japanese oil company Nippon Oil Corporation has also expressed interest to develop a bio-diesel plant in Jambi.
Besides, the Indonesian Cooperatives Board (Dekopin) was planning to construct jatropha curcas processing plants. Dekopin Chairman Adi Sasono said Dekopin would build the processing factories in an effort to produce an energy source that can replace fossil fuel oils.
"We are considering the building of jatropha curcas oil factories for instance in Sukabumi, West Java, which is near Jakarta," Adi Sasono said.
To make its program a success, the government called on the public not to hesitate to cultivate biofuel crops. It gave the assurance that it would absorb biofuel production no matter how much.
"We have two major stand-by buyers, namely state-owned Pertamina for the transportation sector and state power firm PLN for the electricity sector," Research and Technology Minister Kusmayanto Kadiman said.
(T.A014/A/HAJM/B/O001) 19:00/ ) (T.A014/A/A014/A/H-AJM/O001) 29-07-2006 19:48:34
SOEHARTO'S HEALTH AND LEGAL CASE
By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, May 20 (ANTARA) - While former president Soeharto is still going through a critical stage in his treatment at Pertamina hospital, a public controversy is raging outside the hospital about his fate as a leader accused of massive corruption.
The former Indonesian strongman who was facing critical political stage these weeks eight years ago is struggling for his life at the hospital. Outside the hospital, those discontented with the handling of his legal case are calling for his trial in absentia.
Calls for his trial in absentia were among others made by former president Abdurrahman Wahid and former chairman of the People?s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amin Rais. The same call was also made by the ranks of law enforcers and other quarters.
On the opposite side, there are also suggestions that Soeharto be given amnesty, pardon or clemency. Soeharto's case should well be closed. Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati Soekarnoputri, two most harmed parties when Soeharto was in power did nothing to settle Soeharto's legal status when they were president. This means that Soeharto's case can basically be closed," Jimly Asshidiqie, chairman of the Constitutional Court, said.
In the meantime, Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh, who vowed to reopen Soeharto's case last month, earlier this week issued a stop-investigation letter, dropping his office's charges against the former Indonesian leader because he was seriously ill.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called his ministers on Friday to discuss the recent health development of Soeharto who underwent a second operation to remove a blood clot inside his abdomen. Two weeks earlier, doctors had to cut off 40 cm of his colon to stop intestinal bleeding.
The ailing former president, who turns 85 on June 8, 2006, is charged with graft and gross human rights violations during his 32 years in power. He was accused of unlawfully collecting Rp1.3 trillion and US$419 million through seven foundations he had led while he was president.
Efforts to take Soeharto to court were made a year after his downfall from power. He stepped down when a reform movement, socio-political chaos, mass demonstrations and students shooting engulfed Indonesia in May 1998.
But efforts to prosecute him always failed as the octogenarian's health was not good for trial. He has suffered several strokes. Now he also has heart and kidney problems.
Health And Legal Case
He made headlines when he had a mild stroke and was rushed to Pertamina hospital on July 20, 1999. He was hospitalized for ten days. He returned to the same hospital for six-days on August 14, 1999 because of digestive bleeding.
Soeharto underwent medical tests at the Gatot Subroto hospital in August 1994 where it was discovered he had kidney stones. He also underwent a three-day medical checkup at a cardiac hospital in the German spa town of Bad Oeyhausen in July 1996 and in December 1997 suffered from exhaustion and was forced to cancel his planned overseas trips.
On October 11, 1999, Attorney General Ismudjoko, due to lack of evidence, issued an order to stop his office's inquiry into alleged acts of corruption, particualry in Soeharto's past position as head of a number of charity foundations.
Ismudjoko's successor, Marzuki Darussman, revoked his predecessor's `stop-investigation'order and reopened Soeharto's alleged case.
On February 10, 2000, Darusman named Soeharto a suspect in a widening corruption and power abuse probe, and summoned him for questioning on February 14, 1999 but the former general failed to show up due to ill health.
Soeharto had several times defied attorney general's office summonses citing health reasons. His medical team said the former president was unfit for investigation. This prompted the attorney general's office to request a team of doctors from the Cipto Mangungkusumo hospital to examine his health.
The team said that Soeharto was fit for investigation but underlined that it could not guarantee that he was verbally able to speak.
Thus, on April 3, 2000, a team of investigators from the attorney general's office questioned Soeharto in his Cendana residence but the team had to stop its questioning as Soeharto's blood pressure was increasing.
The attorney general's office team of prosecutors also backed down on April 10, 2000 when it came to Soeharto's home to question him as the medical team said Soeharto's blood pressure had gone up to 180/90-95.
On April 13, 2000, President Abdurrahman Wahid who was on a visit in Cuba to attend a G-77 meeting asked Attorney General Marzuki Darusman to put Soeharto under house arrest if he refused to be examined.
The attorney general's office had earlier in the day put him under city arrest for a period of 20 days and on the previous day it imposed a travel ban, preventing him from leaving overseas for one year.
Darusman's office's efforts to questioned Soeharto had always faced difficulties for his health reason. In the second week of June, 2000, a team of investigators of the AGO posed 32 questions to Soeharto at his Cendana residence but the former president answered most of the questions with " I do not remember it."
He was then sent to the "Yayasan Harapan Kita" cardiac hospital to have his brain checked in case he was suffering from brain disorder or to assure that he was not pretending to be unable to answer a question.
Meanwhile, Soeharto's team of lawyers had requested the UN's High Commissioner on Human Rights to check whether Soeharto's investigation and house arrest by the attorney general's office had violated his human rights.
Three weeks later, Soehato's lawyer Juan Filix Tampubolon said the medical tests of his team of 24 personal doctors indicated he had suffered brain damage. His brain power was recorded at 15, lower than the normal figure of 36.
He could not associate one matter with another and could not answer complicated questions.
In the face of public pressure to bring the former ruler to court, the government on August 3, 2000 formally charged him with graft, having him sign a document acknowledging his case was now in the hands of prosecutors.
The decision was taken only four days before MPR opens its annual session to hear President Abdurrahman Wahid's progress report in August 2000.
His first trial was held by the South Jakarta district court at the auditorium of the Ministry of Agriculture on August 31, 2000. But he failed to show up at the court proceedings for health reason.
The court proceedings were held three times on August 31, Sept 14 and Sept 28. The Attorney General's Office team of doctors even told the Sept 28 court session that Soeharto was physically and mentally unfit to stand trial.
He was also declared to suffer permanent brain damage. Thus, the court decided to halt the trial and return the dossiers to the prosecutors office. It also freed the former strongman from city arrest.
Several years later
After several years, Soeharto began to appear in public and looked physically healthy. The most recent appearances included his attendance at the marriage of one of his grand-daughters and a meeting with his long-time friend, former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad last month.In February, Soeharto also met with former Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.
While calls for his prosecution surfaced once again, Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh said last month he would reopen Soeharto?s case and recheck his health. The attorney general said he would think of other legal avenue to arraign the former president in court if the health check found him unfit for trial.
However, the attorney general had to wait once again because about two weeks after he made the statement, Soeharto was rushed again to the hospital for intestinal bleeding. This time, his digestive problem was serious. He was forced to undergo intestinal surgery and to have 40 cm of his colon cut off to stop the bleeding.
Soeharto is now lying in hospital while his legal case is still in limbo. Over a half decade has passed without a consensus on his definitive status. This is because the problem belongs to all. The problem clearly speaks volumes of his case having become a "political commodity". If all remain unwise and continue to "squabble", then this problem will continue to hang over as well.
"I have chosen to put this issue on hold until a truly appropriate time has come. I call on society to be calm again so that we can think together later on how to settle this matter correctly, justly and wisely," President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said last week. (T.A014/A/HAJM/A/E002) (T.C/A014/C/H-AJM/E002) 20-05-2006 20:32:03
Jakarta, May 20 (ANTARA) - While former president Soeharto is still going through a critical stage in his treatment at Pertamina hospital, a public controversy is raging outside the hospital about his fate as a leader accused of massive corruption.
The former Indonesian strongman who was facing critical political stage these weeks eight years ago is struggling for his life at the hospital. Outside the hospital, those discontented with the handling of his legal case are calling for his trial in absentia.
Calls for his trial in absentia were among others made by former president Abdurrahman Wahid and former chairman of the People?s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amin Rais. The same call was also made by the ranks of law enforcers and other quarters.
On the opposite side, there are also suggestions that Soeharto be given amnesty, pardon or clemency. Soeharto's case should well be closed. Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati Soekarnoputri, two most harmed parties when Soeharto was in power did nothing to settle Soeharto's legal status when they were president. This means that Soeharto's case can basically be closed," Jimly Asshidiqie, chairman of the Constitutional Court, said.
In the meantime, Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh, who vowed to reopen Soeharto's case last month, earlier this week issued a stop-investigation letter, dropping his office's charges against the former Indonesian leader because he was seriously ill.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called his ministers on Friday to discuss the recent health development of Soeharto who underwent a second operation to remove a blood clot inside his abdomen. Two weeks earlier, doctors had to cut off 40 cm of his colon to stop intestinal bleeding.
The ailing former president, who turns 85 on June 8, 2006, is charged with graft and gross human rights violations during his 32 years in power. He was accused of unlawfully collecting Rp1.3 trillion and US$419 million through seven foundations he had led while he was president.
Efforts to take Soeharto to court were made a year after his downfall from power. He stepped down when a reform movement, socio-political chaos, mass demonstrations and students shooting engulfed Indonesia in May 1998.
But efforts to prosecute him always failed as the octogenarian's health was not good for trial. He has suffered several strokes. Now he also has heart and kidney problems.
Health And Legal Case
He made headlines when he had a mild stroke and was rushed to Pertamina hospital on July 20, 1999. He was hospitalized for ten days. He returned to the same hospital for six-days on August 14, 1999 because of digestive bleeding.
Soeharto underwent medical tests at the Gatot Subroto hospital in August 1994 where it was discovered he had kidney stones. He also underwent a three-day medical checkup at a cardiac hospital in the German spa town of Bad Oeyhausen in July 1996 and in December 1997 suffered from exhaustion and was forced to cancel his planned overseas trips.
On October 11, 1999, Attorney General Ismudjoko, due to lack of evidence, issued an order to stop his office's inquiry into alleged acts of corruption, particualry in Soeharto's past position as head of a number of charity foundations.
Ismudjoko's successor, Marzuki Darussman, revoked his predecessor's `stop-investigation'order and reopened Soeharto's alleged case.
On February 10, 2000, Darusman named Soeharto a suspect in a widening corruption and power abuse probe, and summoned him for questioning on February 14, 1999 but the former general failed to show up due to ill health.
Soeharto had several times defied attorney general's office summonses citing health reasons. His medical team said the former president was unfit for investigation. This prompted the attorney general's office to request a team of doctors from the Cipto Mangungkusumo hospital to examine his health.
The team said that Soeharto was fit for investigation but underlined that it could not guarantee that he was verbally able to speak.
Thus, on April 3, 2000, a team of investigators from the attorney general's office questioned Soeharto in his Cendana residence but the team had to stop its questioning as Soeharto's blood pressure was increasing.
The attorney general's office team of prosecutors also backed down on April 10, 2000 when it came to Soeharto's home to question him as the medical team said Soeharto's blood pressure had gone up to 180/90-95.
On April 13, 2000, President Abdurrahman Wahid who was on a visit in Cuba to attend a G-77 meeting asked Attorney General Marzuki Darusman to put Soeharto under house arrest if he refused to be examined.
The attorney general's office had earlier in the day put him under city arrest for a period of 20 days and on the previous day it imposed a travel ban, preventing him from leaving overseas for one year.
Darusman's office's efforts to questioned Soeharto had always faced difficulties for his health reason. In the second week of June, 2000, a team of investigators of the AGO posed 32 questions to Soeharto at his Cendana residence but the former president answered most of the questions with " I do not remember it."
He was then sent to the "Yayasan Harapan Kita" cardiac hospital to have his brain checked in case he was suffering from brain disorder or to assure that he was not pretending to be unable to answer a question.
Meanwhile, Soeharto's team of lawyers had requested the UN's High Commissioner on Human Rights to check whether Soeharto's investigation and house arrest by the attorney general's office had violated his human rights.
Three weeks later, Soehato's lawyer Juan Filix Tampubolon said the medical tests of his team of 24 personal doctors indicated he had suffered brain damage. His brain power was recorded at 15, lower than the normal figure of 36.
He could not associate one matter with another and could not answer complicated questions.
In the face of public pressure to bring the former ruler to court, the government on August 3, 2000 formally charged him with graft, having him sign a document acknowledging his case was now in the hands of prosecutors.
The decision was taken only four days before MPR opens its annual session to hear President Abdurrahman Wahid's progress report in August 2000.
His first trial was held by the South Jakarta district court at the auditorium of the Ministry of Agriculture on August 31, 2000. But he failed to show up at the court proceedings for health reason.
The court proceedings were held three times on August 31, Sept 14 and Sept 28. The Attorney General's Office team of doctors even told the Sept 28 court session that Soeharto was physically and mentally unfit to stand trial.
He was also declared to suffer permanent brain damage. Thus, the court decided to halt the trial and return the dossiers to the prosecutors office. It also freed the former strongman from city arrest.
Several years later
After several years, Soeharto began to appear in public and looked physically healthy. The most recent appearances included his attendance at the marriage of one of his grand-daughters and a meeting with his long-time friend, former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad last month.In February, Soeharto also met with former Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.
While calls for his prosecution surfaced once again, Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh said last month he would reopen Soeharto?s case and recheck his health. The attorney general said he would think of other legal avenue to arraign the former president in court if the health check found him unfit for trial.
However, the attorney general had to wait once again because about two weeks after he made the statement, Soeharto was rushed again to the hospital for intestinal bleeding. This time, his digestive problem was serious. He was forced to undergo intestinal surgery and to have 40 cm of his colon cut off to stop the bleeding.
Soeharto is now lying in hospital while his legal case is still in limbo. Over a half decade has passed without a consensus on his definitive status. This is because the problem belongs to all. The problem clearly speaks volumes of his case having become a "political commodity". If all remain unwise and continue to "squabble", then this problem will continue to hang over as well.
"I have chosen to put this issue on hold until a truly appropriate time has come. I call on society to be calm again so that we can think together later on how to settle this matter correctly, justly and wisely," President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said last week. (T.A014/A/HAJM/A/E002) (T.C/A014/C/H-AJM/E002) 20-05-2006 20:32:03
INDONESIAN MOUNT MERAPI ERUPTING
By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, May 15 (ANTARA) - Efforts to evacuate villagers from risky areas in the slopes of Mount Merapi have been intensified after the dangerous volcano in Indonesia began to erupt at around 5.40 a.m., early Monday.
The fall of a clod of lava dome from its peak as well as the emergence of 'Wedhus Gembel' (hot clouds) since Sunday are believed by locals as a sign of imminent eruption.
Sunday's increased volcanic activities followed the steps to upgrade the status of Merapi from 'alert' to 'red alert' on Saturday.
"We continue to monitor the volcano which is now erupting," Head of the Yogyakarta-based Vulcanology Research and Development Center, Dr A Ratdomopurbo.
Until 12.00 on Sunday, Merapi had spewed hot clouds 51 times and the biggest flow of hot cloud was seen at 7.30 a.m streaming to the northwest down to the upstream of Kraska river and Boyong river.
At 10.30 a.m, the hot cloud was emitted and streamed down to the Gendol river.
The lava dome which emerged as a result of magma pressures from inside has come to the highest point of Merapi's peak.
Shaped like coconut shell, the dome has covered the whole surface of the Gendol plateau which so far held the lava fallouts.
"That is why lava fallouts now were sliding down the slopes and the glowing volcanic materials are seen falling constantly," Ratdomopurbo said.
He said that the temperature of the clouds on the surface was predicted to reach 950 degrees Celsius but it could drop to 300 decrees Celsius when they reached the slopes because of weather and wind effect.
Up to now, the volcanic materials that had been emitted were estimated at 200,000 cubic meters. It means that there were about 2.3 million cubic meters of lava were still being kept in crater, he said.
The status of Mount Merapi was upgraded from 'alert' to 'red-alert', the highest level on Saturday as the volcano's eruption was seen as imminent.
Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, speaking at the Mount Merapi disaster mitigation center, said here on Saturday that all people living in danger zones had to be evacuated.
As of Saturday 08.30 a.m., the volcano's status was raised to `"caution" after being on "alert" status since April 12, 2006.
The 2,965-meter high Merapi, about 450-kilometers of southeast of Jakarta, is one of the 65 volcanoes listed as the most dangerous in Indonesia.
On Sunday, a clump of Merapi's new dome was seen falling down from its peak together with clods of hot clouds at 10.45 a.m.
Before it fell down, a part of the dome was seen hanging on the east side of the mount's peak and it could clearly be observed by villagers as far as 10 km from the mount's peak.
At the time when a clump of the dome fell, the weather was clear so that villagers could clearly observe the event but a moment later, the peak of Merapi was covered by thick fogs that obstructed the eyesight.
In order to anticipate undesired things, the locals have been intensely evacuated on Sunday.
A total of 2,877 villagers of the targeted 7,000 had been evacuated until Sunday. Some others still refused to be relocated, however.
"We cannot force them because they said they could not leave their animals and other properties. But we would eventually force them if the situation has become very critical," Suwandi, Klaten regional government official for social affairs, said.
There are about 20,000 people living within the radius of 12 km from the slopes. Already relocated to temporary shelters were locals from three villages of Sioderjo, Balerante and Tegalmulyo. Evacuation Command Posts were set up in the villages of Dompol, Ngemplak Seneng and in the Kemalang district head office.
Previously, Vice President Jusuf Kalla asked all people living at the slopes of Mount Merapi to move away as the volcano's status had been raised to the highest level.
The caution status meant the mountain located between Central Java and Yogyakarta was showing signs it will erupt soon, he said here on Saturday evening after attending the commemoration of the Buddhist holy day of Waisak at the Borobudur temple.
Jusuf Kalla said the central government through the Natural Disaster Management Coordinating Board would spend Rp20 billion in funds on efforts to evacuate people.
"We have just transferred Rp15 billion to Central Java and Rp5 billion to Yogyakarta based on the proportion of the number of refugees," Jusuf Kalla said here on Thursday after chairing a meeting discussing efforts to anticipate a Mount Merapi eruption.
The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has also prepared emergency assistance for about 20,000 local people in anticipation of the volcano's eruption, PMI chairman Mar'ie Muhammad said recently.
"We have prepared assistance for about 20,000 refugees and about 400 PMI volunteers have been sent to the disaster prone area in Sleman, Magelang, Boyolali and Klaten districts," he said.
He said PMI had also prepared 10 thousands of food packages ready to be consumed by refugees before public kitchens were set up.
PMI has sent one unit of open truck, one unit of Ford Ranger jeep, eight units of platoon tents, more than 20 thousand masks, nine quintals of rice, 50 cartoons of instant noodles, 5000 packages of family kits and medicines.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla said it was possible Merapi's eruption this year would be bigger than those in 1994 and 2001.
Merapi, about 450-kilometers of southeast of Jakarta, is one of the 65 volcanoes listed as dangerous in Indonesia.
It has erupted several times, of which the most deadly took place in 1930 killing 1,370 people. It also erupted in 1994, claiming the lives of at least 66 people.
(T.A014/A/f001/a/f001)
(F.A014/A/A014/A/F001) 15-05-2006 09:39:20
Jakarta, May 15 (ANTARA) - Efforts to evacuate villagers from risky areas in the slopes of Mount Merapi have been intensified after the dangerous volcano in Indonesia began to erupt at around 5.40 a.m., early Monday.
The fall of a clod of lava dome from its peak as well as the emergence of 'Wedhus Gembel' (hot clouds) since Sunday are believed by locals as a sign of imminent eruption.
Sunday's increased volcanic activities followed the steps to upgrade the status of Merapi from 'alert' to 'red alert' on Saturday.
"We continue to monitor the volcano which is now erupting," Head of the Yogyakarta-based Vulcanology Research and Development Center, Dr A Ratdomopurbo.
Until 12.00 on Sunday, Merapi had spewed hot clouds 51 times and the biggest flow of hot cloud was seen at 7.30 a.m streaming to the northwest down to the upstream of Kraska river and Boyong river.
At 10.30 a.m, the hot cloud was emitted and streamed down to the Gendol river.
The lava dome which emerged as a result of magma pressures from inside has come to the highest point of Merapi's peak.
Shaped like coconut shell, the dome has covered the whole surface of the Gendol plateau which so far held the lava fallouts.
"That is why lava fallouts now were sliding down the slopes and the glowing volcanic materials are seen falling constantly," Ratdomopurbo said.
He said that the temperature of the clouds on the surface was predicted to reach 950 degrees Celsius but it could drop to 300 decrees Celsius when they reached the slopes because of weather and wind effect.
Up to now, the volcanic materials that had been emitted were estimated at 200,000 cubic meters. It means that there were about 2.3 million cubic meters of lava were still being kept in crater, he said.
The status of Mount Merapi was upgraded from 'alert' to 'red-alert', the highest level on Saturday as the volcano's eruption was seen as imminent.
Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, speaking at the Mount Merapi disaster mitigation center, said here on Saturday that all people living in danger zones had to be evacuated.
As of Saturday 08.30 a.m., the volcano's status was raised to `"caution" after being on "alert" status since April 12, 2006.
The 2,965-meter high Merapi, about 450-kilometers of southeast of Jakarta, is one of the 65 volcanoes listed as the most dangerous in Indonesia.
On Sunday, a clump of Merapi's new dome was seen falling down from its peak together with clods of hot clouds at 10.45 a.m.
Before it fell down, a part of the dome was seen hanging on the east side of the mount's peak and it could clearly be observed by villagers as far as 10 km from the mount's peak.
At the time when a clump of the dome fell, the weather was clear so that villagers could clearly observe the event but a moment later, the peak of Merapi was covered by thick fogs that obstructed the eyesight.
In order to anticipate undesired things, the locals have been intensely evacuated on Sunday.
A total of 2,877 villagers of the targeted 7,000 had been evacuated until Sunday. Some others still refused to be relocated, however.
"We cannot force them because they said they could not leave their animals and other properties. But we would eventually force them if the situation has become very critical," Suwandi, Klaten regional government official for social affairs, said.
There are about 20,000 people living within the radius of 12 km from the slopes. Already relocated to temporary shelters were locals from three villages of Sioderjo, Balerante and Tegalmulyo. Evacuation Command Posts were set up in the villages of Dompol, Ngemplak Seneng and in the Kemalang district head office.
Previously, Vice President Jusuf Kalla asked all people living at the slopes of Mount Merapi to move away as the volcano's status had been raised to the highest level.
The caution status meant the mountain located between Central Java and Yogyakarta was showing signs it will erupt soon, he said here on Saturday evening after attending the commemoration of the Buddhist holy day of Waisak at the Borobudur temple.
Jusuf Kalla said the central government through the Natural Disaster Management Coordinating Board would spend Rp20 billion in funds on efforts to evacuate people.
"We have just transferred Rp15 billion to Central Java and Rp5 billion to Yogyakarta based on the proportion of the number of refugees," Jusuf Kalla said here on Thursday after chairing a meeting discussing efforts to anticipate a Mount Merapi eruption.
The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has also prepared emergency assistance for about 20,000 local people in anticipation of the volcano's eruption, PMI chairman Mar'ie Muhammad said recently.
"We have prepared assistance for about 20,000 refugees and about 400 PMI volunteers have been sent to the disaster prone area in Sleman, Magelang, Boyolali and Klaten districts," he said.
He said PMI had also prepared 10 thousands of food packages ready to be consumed by refugees before public kitchens were set up.
PMI has sent one unit of open truck, one unit of Ford Ranger jeep, eight units of platoon tents, more than 20 thousand masks, nine quintals of rice, 50 cartoons of instant noodles, 5000 packages of family kits and medicines.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla said it was possible Merapi's eruption this year would be bigger than those in 1994 and 2001.
Merapi, about 450-kilometers of southeast of Jakarta, is one of the 65 volcanoes listed as dangerous in Indonesia.
It has erupted several times, of which the most deadly took place in 1930 killing 1,370 people. It also erupted in 1994, claiming the lives of at least 66 people.
(T.A014/A/f001/a/f001)
(F.A014/A/A014/A/F001) 15-05-2006 09:39:20
JAKARTA BRACING FOR MASS WORKERS RALLIES
By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, April 30 (ANTARA) - If trade unions do not cancel their plans, Jakarta will see masses of workers taking to the streets on Monday to celebrate World Labour Day which falls on May 1.
At least 10,000 workers have plans to hold rallies in the capital city to demand the cancellation of the government's plan to revise the labour law - a plan the workers think will harm their interests.
Though intelligence officials have given the assurance that there will be no rioting, authorities seem to have high concern that the massive labour rallies could turn violent or be marked by anarchic acts.
In order to secure the capital city, security officials will be deployed in three locations in Jakarta before and during the planned rallies on Monday.
The Jakarta city administration will deploy about 21,000 security troops consisting of 12,000 policemen; 5,000 military soldiers and 4,000 municipal policemen as well as officials of the Health and Transportation offices.
Jakarta military command chief Maj. Gen. Agustadi said the military would concentrate security personnel in three locations, namely at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, the House of Representatives (PR) building and the presidential palace.
Agustadi said the 5,000 military men who will secure the mass labour demonstration will include personnel of the Army's air defense units, military policemen, marines and the Air Force's special troops.
"All of the security personnel (of the Indonesian military) will be put on standby in their respective posts until the Jakarta Police and the Jakarta city Administration need them. We will concentrate them in three locations," he said.
It is reasonable for the Jakarta administration to prepare security measures considering the large number of workers planning to take to the streets, although intelligence officials have guaranteed that there will be no violence.
National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Syamsir Siregar said here on Friday there was no indication riots will take place in the country during the observance of World Labour Day on May 1.
"No, there is no indication that the celebration will trigger riots. Who says so?," he said after attending a cabinet meeting chaired by Vice President Yusuf Kalla at the Vice Presidential Office.
He said there was no intelligence information that a riot would take place so that workers who were willing to celebrate the labour day were pleased to do it in an orderly and peaceful manner.
"Hopefully, it will proceed well and securely," he added. He called on those planning to demonstrate on May 1 to conduct the rally well and not to turn anarchic.
He also denied reports that the authorities had issued a shoot-on-the-spot order for demonstrators found taking anarchic actions.
"There is no need for a shoot-on-the-spot order," he added.
Despite the BIN?s assurance, Vice President Yusuf Kalla called on the people not to celebrate World Labour Day out of proportion.
So, the world labor day should be celebrated with joy, not with uncertain rallies or demonstrations because they could be abused by outside elements.
The Vice President said laborers should not plan rallies on Monday if what they were demanding was the cancellation of the government's plan to revise the manpower law because they had held similar demonstrations some time ago and the government was responding to their demand.
According to House Speaker Agung Laksono, the labourers should not be worried because the House would not deliberate the bill in the current session?s period.
The House Speaker said the House had completed its recess and would commence its sessions to deliberate 29 of the 58 bills in the coming 2.5 months.
The revision of the manpower law ould not be deliberated yet in the next session period because its revised draft had not yet been submitted by the government.
Agung Laksono called on all sides to restrain themselves in the face of the planned massive demonstrations by workers during the World Labour Day celebration in the country on May 1, 2006.
"Don't react in an exaggerated way to the rallies. There should be no shoot-on-the spot order," the House Speaker said at a meeting with media editors here Saturday night.
He said people needed to give opportunities to labourers to express their aspirations but as House Speaker he also called on the labourers to restrain themselves and not to allow their rallies be marred by anarchc acts.
"Make sure no violence will take place," he requested.
He said the workers and their leaders should be able to organize themselves so that violence and anarchic acts would not occur.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is on an overseas trip, appeared to be not too worried about the planned nation-wide rally by workers on Monday.
The impression that Yudhoyono was unperturbed was gained by Vice President Jusuf Kalla when seeing off the President on the latter's departure for a tour of a number of Middle Eastern countries at Halim Perdanakusumah airport.
"Labor Day on May 1 is also observed in socialist countries but there is nothing special about it. If you want to commemorate it, go ahead," Kalla said when asked what President Yudhoyono's directives were in relation with Labour Day.
The President is to make state visits to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Jordan from April 25 to May 4.
Workers organizations were reported to be planning to mobilize 10,000 of their members in a massive protest in Jakarta on Labour Day, May 1.
Meanwhile, Police Chief Gen. Sutanto said at Halim Perdanakusumh airport that the police would ensure freedom of the workers to express their aspirations.
However, he warned that the protestors should not violate legal regulations and existing norms by forcing their own will on those who do not want to join them in the demonstration. (T.A014/A/HAJM/A/E002) (T.C/A014/C/H-AJM/E002) 30-04-2006 00:33:27
Jakarta, April 30 (ANTARA) - If trade unions do not cancel their plans, Jakarta will see masses of workers taking to the streets on Monday to celebrate World Labour Day which falls on May 1.
At least 10,000 workers have plans to hold rallies in the capital city to demand the cancellation of the government's plan to revise the labour law - a plan the workers think will harm their interests.
Though intelligence officials have given the assurance that there will be no rioting, authorities seem to have high concern that the massive labour rallies could turn violent or be marked by anarchic acts.
In order to secure the capital city, security officials will be deployed in three locations in Jakarta before and during the planned rallies on Monday.
The Jakarta city administration will deploy about 21,000 security troops consisting of 12,000 policemen; 5,000 military soldiers and 4,000 municipal policemen as well as officials of the Health and Transportation offices.
Jakarta military command chief Maj. Gen. Agustadi said the military would concentrate security personnel in three locations, namely at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, the House of Representatives (PR) building and the presidential palace.
Agustadi said the 5,000 military men who will secure the mass labour demonstration will include personnel of the Army's air defense units, military policemen, marines and the Air Force's special troops.
"All of the security personnel (of the Indonesian military) will be put on standby in their respective posts until the Jakarta Police and the Jakarta city Administration need them. We will concentrate them in three locations," he said.
It is reasonable for the Jakarta administration to prepare security measures considering the large number of workers planning to take to the streets, although intelligence officials have guaranteed that there will be no violence.
National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Syamsir Siregar said here on Friday there was no indication riots will take place in the country during the observance of World Labour Day on May 1.
"No, there is no indication that the celebration will trigger riots. Who says so?," he said after attending a cabinet meeting chaired by Vice President Yusuf Kalla at the Vice Presidential Office.
He said there was no intelligence information that a riot would take place so that workers who were willing to celebrate the labour day were pleased to do it in an orderly and peaceful manner.
"Hopefully, it will proceed well and securely," he added. He called on those planning to demonstrate on May 1 to conduct the rally well and not to turn anarchic.
He also denied reports that the authorities had issued a shoot-on-the-spot order for demonstrators found taking anarchic actions.
"There is no need for a shoot-on-the-spot order," he added.
Despite the BIN?s assurance, Vice President Yusuf Kalla called on the people not to celebrate World Labour Day out of proportion.
So, the world labor day should be celebrated with joy, not with uncertain rallies or demonstrations because they could be abused by outside elements.
The Vice President said laborers should not plan rallies on Monday if what they were demanding was the cancellation of the government's plan to revise the manpower law because they had held similar demonstrations some time ago and the government was responding to their demand.
According to House Speaker Agung Laksono, the labourers should not be worried because the House would not deliberate the bill in the current session?s period.
The House Speaker said the House had completed its recess and would commence its sessions to deliberate 29 of the 58 bills in the coming 2.5 months.
The revision of the manpower law ould not be deliberated yet in the next session period because its revised draft had not yet been submitted by the government.
Agung Laksono called on all sides to restrain themselves in the face of the planned massive demonstrations by workers during the World Labour Day celebration in the country on May 1, 2006.
"Don't react in an exaggerated way to the rallies. There should be no shoot-on-the spot order," the House Speaker said at a meeting with media editors here Saturday night.
He said people needed to give opportunities to labourers to express their aspirations but as House Speaker he also called on the labourers to restrain themselves and not to allow their rallies be marred by anarchc acts.
"Make sure no violence will take place," he requested.
He said the workers and their leaders should be able to organize themselves so that violence and anarchic acts would not occur.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is on an overseas trip, appeared to be not too worried about the planned nation-wide rally by workers on Monday.
The impression that Yudhoyono was unperturbed was gained by Vice President Jusuf Kalla when seeing off the President on the latter's departure for a tour of a number of Middle Eastern countries at Halim Perdanakusumah airport.
"Labor Day on May 1 is also observed in socialist countries but there is nothing special about it. If you want to commemorate it, go ahead," Kalla said when asked what President Yudhoyono's directives were in relation with Labour Day.
The President is to make state visits to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Jordan from April 25 to May 4.
Workers organizations were reported to be planning to mobilize 10,000 of their members in a massive protest in Jakarta on Labour Day, May 1.
Meanwhile, Police Chief Gen. Sutanto said at Halim Perdanakusumh airport that the police would ensure freedom of the workers to express their aspirations.
However, he warned that the protestors should not violate legal regulations and existing norms by forcing their own will on those who do not want to join them in the demonstration. (T.A014/A/HAJM/A/E002) (T.C/A014/C/H-AJM/E002) 30-04-2006 00:33:27
JAKARTA KICKS OFF BIRD SWEEPING PROGRAM
By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Feb 24 (ANTARA)- Jakarta launched on Friday a two-month bird sweeping program to contain the spread of the avian influenza virus (H51N) that has infected some 170 people in at least 19 countries all over the world.
The drive was launched after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono summoned last week the governors of six most affected provinces, namely Jakarta, West Java, Banten, Central Java, Lampung and South Sulwesi.
The Jakarta administration fielded 50 teams of 600 strong task forces to undertake door-to-door checks on commercial and backyard fowls in 44 urban districts and 267 villages.
There are about 200 poultry farms, each with about 1,000 fowls in Jakarta. Besides the commercial farming, thousands of neighborhoods also raise a range of between 300 and 400 backyard birds each, Head of Jakarta Animal Husbandry Office Edi Setiarto said.
Indonesia, the fourth most populous county with 220 million, has been ranked by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the second largest nation, after Vietnam, affected the by the fast spreading H5N1 bird flu virus.
Most cases in Indonesia, where WHO has confirmed 26 human cases with 19 deaths of H5N1 infection, are found in Jakarta. This has prompted Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso to take stern measures to fight the virus.
I will see to it whether it is possible to ban poultry farming in Jakarta, the governor said. He appealed to the people to stop raising backyard flocks. They usually only have two or three chickens but this is even more dangerous as the chickens always wander around, the governor added.
In view of the spread of the virus, Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari has expressed concern over the possibility of the disease to be transmitted from human-to-human victims. Human-to-human transmission of the disease is more obvious as the number of cluster cases or cases of infection affecting close areas have risen, the minister said.
Therefore, Sutiyoso appealed to the people to kill their birds or chickens if they are suspected to have contracted the bird flu virus. He called on the Jakarta resident to give priority to human life then fowls.
I hope that Jakarta residents would be aware of the importance of and choose human life than their fowls, the Jakarta Governor said when he launched the bird sweeping program at the City Hall on Friday.
In the mean time, Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono observed the execution of the bird flu operations in the Pramuka Bird Market in East Jakarta. We are launching the war against bird flu today, the minister said.
Sutiyoso who also conducted an impromptu visit to the Pramuka Bird Market called on bird traders to surrender their birds if found tested positive to be culled.
In conducting door-to-door checks on birds, the task force teams would make an inventory on residents fowls and would check them to find out whether they were tested positive or negative.
Fowls tested negative would be vaccinated and their coops and the surroundings would be sprayed with disinfectant. Birds tested positive would be culled. Those in the area of one kilometer radius from the affected poultry would also be culled, while those found in the area of some three kilometers radius from the outbreak would get vaccination and disinfectant.
According to Edi Setiarto, chief of Jakarta Animal Husbandry Office, owners would receive Rp10,000 or about US$0.9 in compensation for each of birds killed. The amount is set by the central government, he said. We hope that owners would not look at the value of the compensation but the dangerous threat of pandemic of bird flu virus, he added.
There is a fast spreading trend of the virus in the world. WHO recorded that the bird flu virus had spread to 13 countries since the beginning of February 2006, apart from the previous six countries where human deaths as a result of H5N1 virus were found.
The WHO has recorded at least 170 cases in 19 countries. Of the 170 people infected with the H5N1 virus, 92 were dead. WHO reported only laboratory-confirmed cases.
The Sulianti Saroso Infection Hospital in Jakarta, on of the 45 reference hospitals tasked with handling bird flu patients, has up to Friday recorded 27 deaths of bird flu suspects. But not all of the figures had been confirmed by the WHO.
WHO indicated that Indonesia, with 26 cases (19 deaths) was ranked second after Vietnam which had 93 cases (42 deaths).
Thailand came third in the list with 22 cases (14 deaths), followed by China with 12 cases (8 deaths), Turkey with 12 cases (4 deaths) and Cambodia with 4 cases (4 deaths).
According to WHO, the 13 countries where new cases of bird flu were found since early this month are Iraq, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Iran, Austria, Germany, Egypt, India and France. (T.A014/A/A018/a/a018) (U.C/A014/C/A018) 24-02-2006 11:58:37
Jakarta, Feb 24 (ANTARA)- Jakarta launched on Friday a two-month bird sweeping program to contain the spread of the avian influenza virus (H51N) that has infected some 170 people in at least 19 countries all over the world.
The drive was launched after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono summoned last week the governors of six most affected provinces, namely Jakarta, West Java, Banten, Central Java, Lampung and South Sulwesi.
The Jakarta administration fielded 50 teams of 600 strong task forces to undertake door-to-door checks on commercial and backyard fowls in 44 urban districts and 267 villages.
There are about 200 poultry farms, each with about 1,000 fowls in Jakarta. Besides the commercial farming, thousands of neighborhoods also raise a range of between 300 and 400 backyard birds each, Head of Jakarta Animal Husbandry Office Edi Setiarto said.
Indonesia, the fourth most populous county with 220 million, has been ranked by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the second largest nation, after Vietnam, affected the by the fast spreading H5N1 bird flu virus.
Most cases in Indonesia, where WHO has confirmed 26 human cases with 19 deaths of H5N1 infection, are found in Jakarta. This has prompted Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso to take stern measures to fight the virus.
I will see to it whether it is possible to ban poultry farming in Jakarta, the governor said. He appealed to the people to stop raising backyard flocks. They usually only have two or three chickens but this is even more dangerous as the chickens always wander around, the governor added.
In view of the spread of the virus, Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari has expressed concern over the possibility of the disease to be transmitted from human-to-human victims. Human-to-human transmission of the disease is more obvious as the number of cluster cases or cases of infection affecting close areas have risen, the minister said.
Therefore, Sutiyoso appealed to the people to kill their birds or chickens if they are suspected to have contracted the bird flu virus. He called on the Jakarta resident to give priority to human life then fowls.
I hope that Jakarta residents would be aware of the importance of and choose human life than their fowls, the Jakarta Governor said when he launched the bird sweeping program at the City Hall on Friday.
In the mean time, Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono observed the execution of the bird flu operations in the Pramuka Bird Market in East Jakarta. We are launching the war against bird flu today, the minister said.
Sutiyoso who also conducted an impromptu visit to the Pramuka Bird Market called on bird traders to surrender their birds if found tested positive to be culled.
In conducting door-to-door checks on birds, the task force teams would make an inventory on residents fowls and would check them to find out whether they were tested positive or negative.
Fowls tested negative would be vaccinated and their coops and the surroundings would be sprayed with disinfectant. Birds tested positive would be culled. Those in the area of one kilometer radius from the affected poultry would also be culled, while those found in the area of some three kilometers radius from the outbreak would get vaccination and disinfectant.
According to Edi Setiarto, chief of Jakarta Animal Husbandry Office, owners would receive Rp10,000 or about US$0.9 in compensation for each of birds killed. The amount is set by the central government, he said. We hope that owners would not look at the value of the compensation but the dangerous threat of pandemic of bird flu virus, he added.
There is a fast spreading trend of the virus in the world. WHO recorded that the bird flu virus had spread to 13 countries since the beginning of February 2006, apart from the previous six countries where human deaths as a result of H5N1 virus were found.
The WHO has recorded at least 170 cases in 19 countries. Of the 170 people infected with the H5N1 virus, 92 were dead. WHO reported only laboratory-confirmed cases.
The Sulianti Saroso Infection Hospital in Jakarta, on of the 45 reference hospitals tasked with handling bird flu patients, has up to Friday recorded 27 deaths of bird flu suspects. But not all of the figures had been confirmed by the WHO.
WHO indicated that Indonesia, with 26 cases (19 deaths) was ranked second after Vietnam which had 93 cases (42 deaths).
Thailand came third in the list with 22 cases (14 deaths), followed by China with 12 cases (8 deaths), Turkey with 12 cases (4 deaths) and Cambodia with 4 cases (4 deaths).
According to WHO, the 13 countries where new cases of bird flu were found since early this month are Iraq, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Iran, Austria, Germany, Egypt, India and France. (T.A014/A/A018/a/a018) (U.C/A014/C/A018) 24-02-2006 11:58:37
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| Oleh Andi Abdussalam |
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