Pacific

Indonesia's anti terrorism bill threatens NGO and pro-independence groups

17:43 pm on 24 July 2002

The Indonesian government is trying to push through an anti-terrorism bill which military analysts say could be dangerous for Papuan pro-independence groups.

Dr Kusnanto Anggorro from the Centre of Strategic Studies in Jakarta says under the bill, pro-independence groups and non-government organisations can be prosecuted as terrorists.

He says despite widespread public opposition against it, President Megawati Sukarnoputri will probably rush the bill through parliament.

Dr Anggorro says this is because of a recent announcment by the United States that it would lift its military ban on Indonesia as part of its war on terrorism.

The anti-terrorism bill also comes amid allegations of Special Kopassus military force being implicated in harrassing non-government organisations and pro-independence leaders.

Dr Anggorro says the bill is anti-democratic and would give the military too much power.

"Many articles in the bill, are very anti - democratic. Secondly of course there are some definition which is quite loose. It's almost everything actually, can be catagorised as terrorist activities, so anti-terrorist bill, can be very dangerous to democracy in Indonesia, but the United States would like to have Indonesia have such a bill"

Dr Kusnanto Anggorro