Radzie, Banda Aceh — The Aceh chapter of the
Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) has been
included in a list of illegal or banned
organisations that was issued by the governor of
Aceh through Decree Number 235/13246 dated June 21,
2006.
Walhi activists believed that the governor’s
decision has no legal grounds, moreover Walhi is
already registered nationally with the Department of
Justice and Human Rights. "We regret that the
presence of the name Walhi in the governor’s
decree", said Aceh Walhi executive director Cut
Hindon at a press conference in Banda Aceh on Monday
July 17.
The decree, which was signed by Aceh governor
Mustafa Abubakar has been submitted to the senior
Indonesian government representative on the Aceh
Monitoring Mission. The decree states that the Aceh
provincial government (through a verification team)
conducted a verification of a number of social
organisations in Aceh on June 9. It also said that
the verification team made persuasive approaches by
inviting the directors of the illegal organisations
and groups to provide an explanation about their
organisation.
Based on the meeting on June 9, the verification
team concluded that there are 16 illegal
organisations in Aceh. Ranked number one as a banned
organisation in the Aceh Referendum Information
Center (SIRA). SIRA is followed by the Functional
Youth Association (IPK), the Indonesian Islamic
Institute for Proselytization (LDII), Student
Solidarity for the People (SMUR), the Action
Coalition of Acehnese Students (Karma), the Aceh
Humanitarian Volunteer Association (Pemraka),
Rajawali Cipta, Cardova and the All Indonesia
Association of Street Vendors (APKLSI).
Also included in the list is the Mission Foundation
for the Reclasseering (purification/cleansing) of
the Republic (located in East Aceh and Gayo Lues),
the Independent Peoples Forum (FRI), the Front for
the Struggle Against GAM (FPSG), the Anti Separatist
Bulls Peoples Front (FBRAS), the Red and White
Garuda Peoples Struggle Front (FPRGMP) and the Front
for the Defense of the Fatherland (FPTA).
Hindon said that Walhi was never invited to
straighten out the regional government’s erroneous
views — in this case the Inter Community National
Unity and Social Protection Agency (Kesbang Linmas)
— about their organisation. Because of this
therefore, on July 24 Walhi will be sending letter
of protest to the regional government and Kesbang
Linmas. "We will be seek clarification from the
governor, what legal grounds and criteria was it
that that resulted in including Walhi as an illegal
organisation", said Hindon.
In addition to seeking a clarification, Walhi is
also demanding that the governor revoke the decree
and present a public apology to Walhi though the
mass media. If this demand is not heeded, Walhi
intends to resolve the case through the courts. "We
will give [the governor] a deadline of three days",
said Hindon. "If there is no response, Walhi will
take legal action at the national level".
Hindon asserted that decree issued by the governor
has damaged Walhi. "When meeting with government
agencies, for example, they say what is the point of
having discussions with an illegal organisation",
explained Hindon.
According to Hindon, Walhi has been registered with
the Department of Justice and Human Rights since
1988 through Certificate of Registration Number
11/1983. Then in May 2005 they renewed the
certificate and were recorded under Certificate
Number 1/2005. The corporate body Walhi is not a
social organisation (ormas) under the guidelines of
Law Number 8/1986. "Walhi is a foundation, so it
follows the guidelines of the law on foundations",
explained Hindon.
Walhi has been present in Aceh since before the
tsunami. Hindon noted they had already reported
Walhi’s presence to the courts, the regional offices
of the Department of Justice and Human Rights and
the national police. [dzie]
[Translated by James Balowski.]