Indonesia urged the international community to respect its law, as another round of executions of drug convicts loomed. 
 
The response came after the United Nations human rights chief on Wednesday (July 27) called for an immediate reinstatement of a moratorium on the death penalty. 
 
&quot;The capital punishment is not against regime in international law. For Indonesia, death penalty is a &#39;positive&#39; law that is still effective here, and its not against the human rights under the context of constitution 1945,&quot; Foreign Ministry spokesman Armanatha Nasir told a news briefing in Jakarta. 
 
&quot;The action that Indonesia takes now is just about law implementation and enforcement. Just like how Indonesia respects the law of other nations, we hope all countries will respect the Indonesian law,&quot; he added. 
 
The United Nations and European Union had urged the executions be halted.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Such death sentences are unlawful and tantamount to an arbitrary execution as they are undertaken in contravention of Indonesia&rsquo;s international human rights obligations,&quot; the UN said in a statement on Thursday. 
 
Amnesty International called the executions &quot;a deplorable act that violates international and Indonesian law&quot; and pleaded that the other death sentences not be carried out. 
 
&quot;The injustice already done cannot be reversed, but there is still hope that it won&#39;t be compounded,&quot; the rights group&#39;s regional director, Rafendi Djamin, said. 
 
Fourteen drug convicts, including nationals of Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and India, will be executed in the next round, Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo has said. 
 
The execution is part of President Joko Widodo&#39;s pledge to combat against drugs in the country. Widodo has pledged to increase the number of executions this year and next. 
 
Security has been tightened around the port leading to the prison island of Nusa Kambangan. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Indonesia's foreign ministry asked the international community to respect its law, saying the death penalty is "positive" for the country

Indonesia urged the international community to respect its law, as another round of executions of drug convicts loomed. The response came after the United Nations human rights chief on Wednesday (July 27) called for an immediate reinstatement of a moratorium on the death penalty. "The capital punishment is not against regime in international law. For Indonesia, death penalty is a 'positive' law that is still effective here, and its not against the human rights under the context of constitution 1945," Foreign Ministry spokesman Armanatha Nasir told a news briefing in Jakarta. "The action that Indonesia takes now is just about law implementation and enforcement. Just like how Indonesia respects the law of other nations, we hope all countries will respect the Indonesian law," he added. The United Nations and European Union had urged the executions be halted. "Such death sentences are unlawful and tantamount to an arbitrary execution as they are undertaken in contravention of Indonesia’s international human rights obligations," the UN said in a statement on Thursday. Amnesty International called the executions "a deplorable act that violates international and Indonesian law" and pleaded that the other death sentences not be carried out. "The injustice already done cannot be reversed, but there is still hope that it won't be compounded," the rights group's regional director, Rafendi Djamin, said. Fourteen drug convicts, including nationals of Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and India, will be executed in the next round, Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo has said. The execution is part of President Joko Widodo's pledge to combat against drugs in the country. Widodo has pledged to increase the number of executions this year and next. Security has been tightened around the port leading to the prison island of Nusa Kambangan. (Reuters)

Indonesia urges international community to respect its law

Security at the port near Indonesia&#39;s prison island remained tight today as the country geared up for another round of executions. 
 
A local resident living nearby said ambulances had already entered the Wijaya Pura Port, from which boats set sail for Nusa Kambangan prison island, early today morning. 
 
&quot;This morning around 6 am local time (2300 GMT Wednesday), 17 ambulances went in and there&#39;s an increased number of security forces in the area,&quot; said resident, Subakir. 
 
Family members were also seen visiting the island. &quot;How would you feel if you were the one going to be executed? He doesn&#39;t have an appetite, he is not eating and is very unhealthy,&quot; Nila, the sister-in-law to Nigerian drug convict Michael Titus Igweh, told reporters near the port. 
 
President Joko Widodo has pledged to increase the number of executions this year and next as part of his crackdown on drugs. 
 
Fourteen drug convicts, including nationals of Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and India, will be executed in the next round, Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo said on Wednesday. 
 
There was no official confirmation on when the executions would be carried out, but Prasetyo was quoted by local media as saying that all necessary preparations had been completed. 
 
An official from the Pakistan embassy told Reuters the executions will be carried out on July 29. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

14 drug convicts, including nationals of Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and India, will be executed in the next round, Attorney General said

Security at the port near Indonesia's prison island remained tight today as the country geared up for another round of executions. A local resident living nearby said ambulances had already entered the Wijaya Pura Port, from which boats set sail for Nusa Kambangan prison island, early today morning. "This morning around 6 am local time (2300 GMT Wednesday), 17 ambulances went in and there's an increased number of security forces in the area," said resident, Subakir. Family members were also seen visiting the island. "How would you feel if you were the one going to be executed? He doesn't have an appetite, he is not eating and is very unhealthy," Nila, the sister-in-law to Nigerian drug convict Michael Titus Igweh, told reporters near the port. President Joko Widodo has pledged to increase the number of executions this year and next as part of his crackdown on drugs. Fourteen drug convicts, including nationals of Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and India, will be executed in the next round, Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo said on Wednesday. There was no official confirmation on when the executions would be carried out, but Prasetyo was quoted by local media as saying that all necessary preparations had been completed. An official from the Pakistan embassy told Reuters the executions will be carried out on July 29. (Reuters)

Indonesia prepares to execute 14 drug convicts

Indonesia will hold a round of executions on July 29 which will include a Pakistani prisoner, a Pakistani embassy official said on Tuesday. 
 
Indonesian authorities are preparing to execute by firing squad at least three foreign prisoners, including citizens of Nigeria and Zimbabwe. They are among 16 prisoners who Indonesian officials have said are to be executed this year. 
 
Authorities have not given a breakdown of the numbers of foreigners on death row but citizens of France, Britain and the Philippines are known to be among them. 
 
It is unsure how many convicts will be executed this week, but local media reported at least 14 had been moved to an isolation cell on the high-security prison island of Nusakambangan, a routine practise ahead of executions. 
 
This will be the third time execution carried out under Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who has declared a &quot;drug emergency&quot; in the country, and vowed to show no mercy for drug traffickers. 
 
Last year, Indonesia executed 14 people, mostly foreign drug traffickers, prompting Australia and Brazil to briefly recall their ambassadors. 
 
Indonesia imposed a moratorium on executions for five years before resuming them in 2013. 
 
 
(Reuters)

No breakdown of the numbers of foreigners on death row have been given but citizens of France, Britain and the Philippines are among them

Indonesia will hold a round of executions on July 29 which will include a Pakistani prisoner, a Pakistani embassy official said on Tuesday. Indonesian authorities are preparing to execute by firing squad at least three foreign prisoners, including citizens of Nigeria and Zimbabwe. They are among 16 prisoners who Indonesian officials have said are to be executed this year. Authorities have not given a breakdown of the numbers of foreigners on death row but citizens of France, Britain and the Philippines are known to be among them. It is unsure how many convicts will be executed this week, but local media reported at least 14 had been moved to an isolation cell on the high-security prison island of Nusakambangan, a routine practise ahead of executions. This will be the third time execution carried out under Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who has declared a "drug emergency" in the country, and vowed to show no mercy for drug traffickers. Last year, Indonesia executed 14 people, mostly foreign drug traffickers, prompting Australia and Brazil to briefly recall their ambassadors. Indonesia imposed a moratorium on executions for five years before resuming them in 2013. (Reuters)

Drug charge: Indonesia to execute Pakistani prisoner soon

Indonesia&#39;s most wanted Islamist extremist has been killed in a firefight with troops, police said today, ending a years-long hunt for the Islamic State (IS) group supporter. 
 
Santoso, the leader of the eastern Indonesia Mujahideen, was shot dead on Monday on mountainous Sulawesi island, where he had been hiding out in the jungle with a small band of followers. 
 
His death is a major victory for the Indonesian authorities who had pursued the extremist for five years, sending thousands of security forces to hunt for him. 
 
His group carried out a string of deadly attacks on domestic security forces and was known for training militants from around the archipelago. In 2014 he pledged allegiance to IS and earlier this year was placed by the United States on a list of global terrorists. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s definitely Santoso,&quot; Rudy Sufahriadi, police chief of central Sulawesi province on the island, told AFP after a process to identify the militant&#39;s body. &quot;I have hunted him and I have arrested him before, we have asked people and we have sent people (to identify the body) who fought with him and went on jihad with him - they have confirmed it was him.&quot; 
 
After Indonesia suffered a string of Islamic extremist attacks in the early 2000s, including the 2002 Bali bombings which killed more than 200, authorities launched a crackdown that weakened the most dangerous networks.&nbsp;But Santoso&#39;s group remained a thorn in the side of the government, with the long-haired, gun-toting militant regularly appearing in videos urging extremists to launch attacks on the security forces. 
 
Significant blow 
 
The picture has changed recently, with other cells now considered a greater threat - Santoso was not believed to have played role in an IS-claimed attack in Jakarta in January. But his death will still be seen as a significant blow to Islamic militancy in Indonesia. 
 
The extremist, known by several aliases including Abu Wardah, was killed alongside one other militant in Tambarana village in Poso district, an area that has become known as a terror hotbed. 
 
Police said the pair were killed beside a river and a rifle was recovered. Two women, one of whom was suspected to be Santoso&rsquo;s wife, and another man, escaped from the gunfight. 
 
Following a sustained campaign by security forces, authorities believe just 19 members of Santoso&#39;s group now remain on Sulawesi waging a guerrilla campaign against the government. 
 
Santoso also attracted militants from abroad, with several members of China&#39;s mostly Muslim Uighur ethnic minority travelling to Indonesia to join his group.&nbsp;Several were killed fighting with the eastern Indonesia Mujahideen, and in July last year four Uighurs were jailed after being caught on Sulawesi attempting to join the group. 
 
Santoso became involved in Islamic extremism during bloody fighting between Muslims and Christians around Poso from the late 1990s to the early 2000s which left hundreds dead.&nbsp;He went on to form the eastern Indonesia Mujahideen and quickly jumped to the top of the most wanted list after his men began killing police officers. 
 
(AFP)

Santoso, the leader of the eastern Indonesia Mujahideen, was shot dead on Monday on the mountainous Sulawesi island

Indonesia's most wanted Islamist extremist has been killed in a firefight with troops, police said today, ending a years-long hunt for the Islamic State (IS) group supporter. Santoso, the leader of the eastern Indonesia Mujahideen, was shot dead on Monday on mountainous Sulawesi island, where he had been hiding out in the jungle with a small band of followers. His death is a major victory for the Indonesian authorities who had pursued the extremist for five years, sending thousands of security forces to hunt for him. His group carried out a string of deadly attacks on domestic security forces and was known for training militants from around the archipelago. In 2014 he pledged allegiance to IS and earlier this year was placed by the United States on a list of global terrorists. "It's definitely Santoso," Rudy Sufahriadi, police chief of central Sulawesi province on the island, told AFP after a process to identify the militant's body. "I have hunted him and I have arrested him before, we have asked people and we have sent people (to identify the body) who fought with him and went on jihad with him - they have confirmed it was him." After Indonesia suffered a string of Islamic extremist attacks in the early 2000s, including the 2002 Bali bombings which killed more than 200, authorities launched a crackdown that weakened the most dangerous networks. But Santoso's group remained a thorn in the side of the government, with the long-haired, gun-toting militant regularly appearing in videos urging extremists to launch attacks on the security forces. Significant blow The picture has changed recently, with other cells now considered a greater threat - Santoso was not believed to have played role in an IS-claimed attack in Jakarta in January. But his death will still be seen as a significant blow to Islamic militancy in Indonesia. The extremist, known by several aliases including Abu Wardah, was killed alongside one other militant in Tambarana village in Poso district, an area that has become known as a terror hotbed. Police said the pair were killed beside a river and a rifle was recovered. Two women, one of whom was suspected to be Santoso’s wife, and another man, escaped from the gunfight. Following a sustained campaign by security forces, authorities believe just 19 members of Santoso's group now remain on Sulawesi waging a guerrilla campaign against the government. Santoso also attracted militants from abroad, with several members of China's mostly Muslim Uighur ethnic minority travelling to Indonesia to join his group. Several were killed fighting with the eastern Indonesia Mujahideen, and in July last year four Uighurs were jailed after being caught on Sulawesi attempting to join the group. Santoso became involved in Islamic extremism during bloody fighting between Muslims and Christians around Poso from the late 1990s to the early 2000s which left hundreds dead. He went on to form the eastern Indonesia Mujahideen and quickly jumped to the top of the most wanted list after his men began killing police officers. (AFP)

Indonesia's most wanted Islamist militant killed

Astride his white mare, a wide-brimmed hat shielding his eyes, Ridwan Sururi looks more cowboy than librarian as he winds towards the hilltop village, his horse Luna saddled with books. 
 
Their arrival sends ripples of excitement through Serang, a quiet hamlet fringed by rice fields and a volcano on Indonesia&#39;s main island of Java. 
 
&quot;The horse library!&quot; children shriek, sprinting towards the mosque where Luna is tethered. Slung over her saddle are two handmade wooden boxes filled with books. 
 
For many there, this unique mobile library is their only link to books. There is no traditional library nearby, and stores are miles away in big cities. It&#39;s a problem for villages across the sprawling Indonesian archipelago. 
 
Sururi, a 43-year-old professional horse groomer, devised a unique way to encourage reading in his district. 
 
Armed with Luna, one of the several horses under his care, and about 100 books donated from a friend, Sururi began road-testing his novel mobile library in early 2015, unsure if it would succeed. 
&nbsp; 
It was a huge hit. In no time, the father of four was fielding requests from schools and villages further afield, eager crowds greeting him on arrival. 
&nbsp; 
&quot;The kids are always waiting for my horse and I,&quot; Sururi told AFP. 
 
&quot;Sometimes they even form a queue, waiting a very long time just to borrow a book.&quot; 
 
In Serang, enthusiastic youngsters flick through picture books, young adult titles and even some classics in English. 
&nbsp; 
Some shyly pet Luna while waiting their turn to browse. Sururi believes the gentle nature of his six-year-old mare helps attract children, and pique an early interest in the books.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The horse makes me happy,&quot; said ten-year-old Arif, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, before settling in to read a book titled &quot;Wild Animals&quot;. 
 
But it&#39;s not just children discovering a love for reading via this charitable community library. 
 
Adults are almost just as enthusiastic, many pausing work and emerging from their homes as Sururi and Luna pass through the narrow lanes of one village. 
 
17-year-old Warianti, perusing titles alongside her elderly mothers, said villagers of all ages benefited from Sururi&#39;s visits, as most did not have time to source books elsewhere. 
 
&quot;The horse library helps increase the knowledge of local women through reading,&quot; she told AFP. 
 
Adult literacy rates in Indonesia have climbed steadily in recent years, reaching nearly 96 per cent in 2013, according to data from the ministry of education. 
 
But some provinces remain far behind others. Central Java, where Sururi makes his rounds, is lagging in the bottom third nationwide. 
 
Nearly five per cent -- or close to one million -- adults in this mainly rural province remain illiterate. Sururi is aware of this, growing up in Central Java without access to a great deal of books. 
&nbsp; 
But the altruistic stable hand never underestimated the importance of reading, leading to his free-of-charge mobile book loaning service. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s the aim of the horse library, so that everyone can broaden their horizons, gain knowledge, become more intelligent,&quot; he said. 
 
Outside his simple home, Sururi has cleared an area where he dreams of building a permanent library, one stocked with many books and -- perhaps one day -- a computer. 
 
But for now, everything is done by hand. The spines of all books are clearly labelled with a code for identification, and he keeps meticulous records so books are returned on time. 
 
Like a conventional library, books can be borrowed free of charge but cannot be loaned forever.&nbsp; 
In Serang, Sururi checks his notebook and tells one boy he needs to first return an outstanding title before loaning another. The young student sprints off home, returning a short while later clutching the forgotten item, relieved to see his pick of choice remains untouched on the shelf. 
 
Once the flurry of borrowing is over, the children settle down in small circles, bearing their new books with pride as Sururi packs up for another week. 
 
Soon the air is filled with the sound of dozens of children reading aloud, older pupils helping their younger friends with difficult words or phrases. 
 
&quot;When I see kids chasing my horse I feel so proud,&quot; Sururi said. 
 
&quot;I feel like I&#39;m needed, and that&#39;s hugely satisfying.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Armed with Luna, one of the several horses under his care, and about 100 books donated from a friend, Sururi started his library in 2015

Astride his white mare, a wide-brimmed hat shielding his eyes, Ridwan Sururi looks more cowboy than librarian as he winds towards the hilltop village, his horse Luna saddled with books. Their arrival sends ripples of excitement through Serang, a quiet hamlet fringed by rice fields and a volcano on Indonesia's main island of Java. "The horse library!" children shriek, sprinting towards the mosque where Luna is tethered. Slung over her saddle are two handmade wooden boxes filled with books. For many there, this unique mobile library is their only link to books. There is no traditional library nearby, and stores are miles away in big cities. It's a problem for villages across the sprawling Indonesian archipelago. Sururi, a 43-year-old professional horse groomer, devised a unique way to encourage reading in his district. Armed with Luna, one of the several horses under his care, and about 100 books donated from a friend, Sururi began road-testing his novel mobile library in early 2015, unsure if it would succeed. It was a huge hit. In no time, the father of four was fielding requests from schools and villages further afield, eager crowds greeting him on arrival. "The kids are always waiting for my horse and I," Sururi told AFP. "Sometimes they even form a queue, waiting a very long time just to borrow a book." In Serang, enthusiastic youngsters flick through picture books, young adult titles and even some classics in English. Some shyly pet Luna while waiting their turn to browse. Sururi believes the gentle nature of his six-year-old mare helps attract children, and pique an early interest in the books. "The horse makes me happy," said ten-year-old Arif, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, before settling in to read a book titled "Wild Animals". But it's not just children discovering a love for reading via this charitable community library. Adults are almost just as enthusiastic, many pausing work and emerging from their homes as Sururi and Luna pass through the narrow lanes of one village. 17-year-old Warianti, perusing titles alongside her elderly mothers, said villagers of all ages benefited from Sururi's visits, as most did not have time to source books elsewhere. "The horse library helps increase the knowledge of local women through reading," she told AFP. Adult literacy rates in Indonesia have climbed steadily in recent years, reaching nearly 96 per cent in 2013, according to data from the ministry of education. But some provinces remain far behind others. Central Java, where Sururi makes his rounds, is lagging in the bottom third nationwide. Nearly five per cent -- or close to one million -- adults in this mainly rural province remain illiterate. Sururi is aware of this, growing up in Central Java without access to a great deal of books. But the altruistic stable hand never underestimated the importance of reading, leading to his free-of-charge mobile book loaning service. "That's the aim of the horse library, so that everyone can broaden their horizons, gain knowledge, become more intelligent," he said. Outside his simple home, Sururi has cleared an area where he dreams of building a permanent library, one stocked with many books and -- perhaps one day -- a computer. But for now, everything is done by hand. The spines of all books are clearly labelled with a code for identification, and he keeps meticulous records so books are returned on time. Like a conventional library, books can be borrowed free of charge but cannot be loaned forever. In Serang, Sururi checks his notebook and tells one boy he needs to first return an outstanding title before loaning another. The young student sprints off home, returning a short while later clutching the forgotten item, relieved to see his pick of choice remains untouched on the shelf. Once the flurry of borrowing is over, the children settle down in small circles, bearing their new books with pride as Sururi packs up for another week. Soon the air is filled with the sound of dozens of children reading aloud, older pupils helping their younger friends with difficult words or phrases. "When I see kids chasing my horse I feel so proud," Sururi said. "I feel like I'm needed, and that's hugely satisfying." (AFP)

Indonesia's horseback library encourages reading in remote village

The United States is using quiet diplomacy to persuade the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and other Asian nations not to move aggressively to capitalise on an international court ruling that denied China&#39;s claims to the South China Sea, several US administration officials said on Wednesday. 
 
&quot;What we want is to quiet things down so these issues can be addressed rationally instead of emotionally,&quot; said one official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private diplomatic messages. 
 
Some were sent through US embassies abroad and foreign missions in Washington, while others were conveyed directly to top officials by Defence Secretary Ash Carter, Secretary of State John Kerry and other senior officials, the sources said. 
 
&quot;This is a blanket call for quiet, not some attempt to rally the region against China, which would play into a false narrative that the US is leading a coalition to contain China,&quot; the official added. 
 
The effort to calm the waters following the court ruling in The Hague on Tuesday suffered a setback when Taiwan dispatched a warship to the area, with President Tsai Ing-wen telling sailors that their mission was to defend Taiwan&#39;s maritime territory. 
 
The court ruled that while China has no historic rights to the area within its self-declared nine-dash line, Taiwan has no right to Itu Aba, also called Taiping, the largest island in the Spratlys. Taipei administers Itu Aba but the tribunal called it a &quot;rock&quot;, according to the legal definition. 
 
The US officials said they hoped the US diplomatic initiative would be more successful in Indonesia, which wants to send hundreds of fishermen to the Natuna Islands to assert its sovereignty over nearby areas of the South China Sea to which China says it also has claims, and in the Philippines, whose fishermen have been harassed by Chinese coast guard and naval vessels. 
 
Unknown Quantity 
 
One official said new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte remains &quot;somewhat of an unknown quantity&quot; who has been alternately bellicose and accommodating toward China. 
 
Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that ahead of the ruling he had spoken to Carter, who he said that China had assured the United States it would exercise restraint, and that the US government made the same assurance. 
 
Carter had sought and been given the same assurance from the Philippines, Lorenzana added. 
 
China, for its part, repeated pleas for talks between Beijing and Manila, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying the it is time to get things back on the &quot;right track&quot; after the &quot;farce&quot; of the case. 
 
Today, the official newspaper of China&#39;s ruling Communist Party said China had shown it can fix territorial issues via talks, pointing to agreement reached with Vietnam over their maritime boundary in the Gulf of Tonkin and ongoing talks with South Korea. 
 
&quot;China is a faithful defender of the principle that countries large and small are equal and has consistently upheld using consultations to resolve border issues on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect,&quot; the People&#39;s Daily said in a commentary. 
 
Meanwhile, two Chinese civilian aircraft landed on Wednesday at two new airports on reefs controlled by China in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, a move the State Department said would increase tensions rather than lower them. 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t have a dog in this fight other than our belief ... in freedom of navigation,&quot; State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a briefing on Wednesday. &quot;What we want to see in this very tense part of Asia, of the Pacific, rather, is a de-escalation of tensions and we want to see all claimants take a moment to look at how we can find a peaceful way forward.&quot; 
 
Contingency Plan 
 
However, if that effort fails, and competition escalates into confrontation, US air and naval forces are prepared to uphold freedom of maritime and air navigation in the disputed area, a defence official said on Wednesday. 
 
Democrat Ben Cardin of Maryland, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said confrontation is less likely if the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and other countries work with the United States rather than on their own. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think China wants a confrontation with the United States,&quot; he told reporters. &quot;They don&rsquo;t mind a confrontation with a Vietnamese fishing boat, but they don&rsquo;t want a confrontation with the United States.&quot; 
 
The court ruling is expected to dominate a meeting at the end of July in Laos of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand.&nbsp;US Secretary of State John Kerry, and his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang, will attend the ministerial. 
 
Sino-American relations suffered two fresh blows on Wednesday as a congressional committee found China&#39;s government likely hacked computers at the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the United States challenged China&#39;s export duties on nine metals and minerals that are important to the aerospace, auto, electronics and chemical industries. 
 
(Reuters)

Confrontation is less likely if the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and other countries work with the United States rather than on their own

The United States is using quiet diplomacy to persuade the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and other Asian nations not to move aggressively to capitalise on an international court ruling that denied China's claims to the South China Sea, several US administration officials said on Wednesday. "What we want is to quiet things down so these issues can be addressed rationally instead of emotionally," said one official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private diplomatic messages. Some were sent through US embassies abroad and foreign missions in Washington, while others were conveyed directly to top officials by Defence Secretary Ash Carter, Secretary of State John Kerry and other senior officials, the sources said. "This is a blanket call for quiet, not some attempt to rally the region against China, which would play into a false narrative that the US is leading a coalition to contain China," the official added. The effort to calm the waters following the court ruling in The Hague on Tuesday suffered a setback when Taiwan dispatched a warship to the area, with President Tsai Ing-wen telling sailors that their mission was to defend Taiwan's maritime territory. The court ruled that while China has no historic rights to the area within its self-declared nine-dash line, Taiwan has no right to Itu Aba, also called Taiping, the largest island in the Spratlys. Taipei administers Itu Aba but the tribunal called it a "rock", according to the legal definition. The US officials said they hoped the US diplomatic initiative would be more successful in Indonesia, which wants to send hundreds of fishermen to the Natuna Islands to assert its sovereignty over nearby areas of the South China Sea to which China says it also has claims, and in the Philippines, whose fishermen have been harassed by Chinese coast guard and naval vessels. Unknown Quantity One official said new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte remains "somewhat of an unknown quantity" who has been alternately bellicose and accommodating toward China. Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that ahead of the ruling he had spoken to Carter, who he said that China had assured the United States it would exercise restraint, and that the US government made the same assurance. Carter had sought and been given the same assurance from the Philippines, Lorenzana added. China, for its part, repeated pleas for talks between Beijing and Manila, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying the it is time to get things back on the "right track" after the "farce" of the case. Today, the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party said China had shown it can fix territorial issues via talks, pointing to agreement reached with Vietnam over their maritime boundary in the Gulf of Tonkin and ongoing talks with South Korea. "China is a faithful defender of the principle that countries large and small are equal and has consistently upheld using consultations to resolve border issues on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect," the People's Daily said in a commentary. Meanwhile, two Chinese civilian aircraft landed on Wednesday at two new airports on reefs controlled by China in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, a move the State Department said would increase tensions rather than lower them. "We don't have a dog in this fight other than our belief ... in freedom of navigation," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a briefing on Wednesday. "What we want to see in this very tense part of Asia, of the Pacific, rather, is a de-escalation of tensions and we want to see all claimants take a moment to look at how we can find a peaceful way forward." Contingency Plan However, if that effort fails, and competition escalates into confrontation, US air and naval forces are prepared to uphold freedom of maritime and air navigation in the disputed area, a defence official said on Wednesday. Democrat Ben Cardin of Maryland, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said confrontation is less likely if the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and other countries work with the United States rather than on their own. "I don't think China wants a confrontation with the United States," he told reporters. "They don’t mind a confrontation with a Vietnamese fishing boat, but they don’t want a confrontation with the United States." The court ruling is expected to dominate a meeting at the end of July in Laos of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. US Secretary of State John Kerry, and his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang, will attend the ministerial. Sino-American relations suffered two fresh blows on Wednesday as a congressional committee found China's government likely hacked computers at the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the United States challenged China's export duties on nine metals and minerals that are important to the aerospace, auto, electronics and chemical industries. (Reuters)

US launches quiet diplomacy to ease South China Sea tensions

Twelve people have died during a massive three-day traffic jam in Indonesia that stretched more than 20 kilometres (13 miles) and brought thousands of holidaymakers to a complete standstill, an official said Friday. 
 
The horrible traffic at a major highway junction at Brebes, a city on the main island of Java, was so bad that Indonesians dubbed the disastrous toll gate &quot;Brexit&quot;, from the words &quot;Brebes exit&quot;. 
 
Roads across the world&#39;s most populous Muslim-majority country are choked every year at the end of the holy month of Ramadan, as millions head to villages to celebrate Eid, which fell on Wednesday. 
 
But the chaos at the &quot;Brexit&quot; junction this year was particularly acute in the three days before Eid, as tens of thousands of cars crammed the arterial highway, transport ministry spokesman Hemi Pramuraharjo told AFP. 
 
&quot;In terms of this Brexit case, there has been a total of 12 victims over different days,&quot; he said. The deaths occurred between July 3 and July 5, not a single day as earlier reported, he said. 
 
Pramuraharjo said several of the victims were elderly, while others died from fatigue and other health complications. Local media reported that a one-year-old suffering from fume poisoning was also among the deceased. 
 
More than 400 motorists had died on Indonesia&#39;s roads so far this holiday season, including those in the &quot;Brexit&quot; jam, Pramuraharjo said. 
 
Accidents are not uncommon during the holiday odysseys, particularly on the potholed roads of overcrowded Java, home to more than half of Indonesia&#39;s 255 million people. 
 
Frustrated motorists vent ire on social media&nbsp; 
 
At the &quot;Brexit&quot; snarl, frustrated motorists posted pictures to social media showing cars snaked back for miles. Aerial shots captured a sea of motionless vehicles, with some drivers seeking respite on the roadside. 
 
Pramuraharjo said roadside vendors and crowded markets near the junction compounded the chaos, leading to traffic snarls &quot;more than 20 kilometres&quot; in length. 
 
&quot;There is a bottleneck there, where there&#39;s a petrol station very nearby and many people queue,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s no space on the road. We don&#39;t have a solution,&quot; he added saying.&nbsp; 
 
Responding to the controversy, the health ministry denied earlier reports the &quot;Brexit&quot; victims died in a single day, and urged motorists planning a long journey to rest and take all necessary precautions. 
 
The ministry&#39;s Achmad Yurianto said in a statement the heavy use of air conditioning could also lead to an increase in carbon dioxide within the cramped confines of the car. 
 
(AFP)

Those who died include the elderly, some with fatigue or health complications and even a one-year-old who succumbed to fume poisoning

Twelve people have died during a massive three-day traffic jam in Indonesia that stretched more than 20 kilometres (13 miles) and brought thousands of holidaymakers to a complete standstill, an official said Friday. The horrible traffic at a major highway junction at Brebes, a city on the main island of Java, was so bad that Indonesians dubbed the disastrous toll gate "Brexit", from the words "Brebes exit". Roads across the world's most populous Muslim-majority country are choked every year at the end of the holy month of Ramadan, as millions head to villages to celebrate Eid, which fell on Wednesday. But the chaos at the "Brexit" junction this year was particularly acute in the three days before Eid, as tens of thousands of cars crammed the arterial highway, transport ministry spokesman Hemi Pramuraharjo told AFP. "In terms of this Brexit case, there has been a total of 12 victims over different days," he said. The deaths occurred between July 3 and July 5, not a single day as earlier reported, he said. Pramuraharjo said several of the victims were elderly, while others died from fatigue and other health complications. Local media reported that a one-year-old suffering from fume poisoning was also among the deceased. More than 400 motorists had died on Indonesia's roads so far this holiday season, including those in the "Brexit" jam, Pramuraharjo said. Accidents are not uncommon during the holiday odysseys, particularly on the potholed roads of overcrowded Java, home to more than half of Indonesia's 255 million people. Frustrated motorists vent ire on social media At the "Brexit" snarl, frustrated motorists posted pictures to social media showing cars snaked back for miles. Aerial shots captured a sea of motionless vehicles, with some drivers seeking respite on the roadside. Pramuraharjo said roadside vendors and crowded markets near the junction compounded the chaos, leading to traffic snarls "more than 20 kilometres" in length. "There is a bottleneck there, where there's a petrol station very nearby and many people queue," he said. "There's no space on the road. We don't have a solution," he added saying. Responding to the controversy, the health ministry denied earlier reports the "Brexit" victims died in a single day, and urged motorists planning a long journey to rest and take all necessary precautions. The ministry's Achmad Yurianto said in a statement the heavy use of air conditioning could also lead to an increase in carbon dioxide within the cramped confines of the car. (AFP)

12 in Indonesia die in 20 km-long, three-day traffic jam

More than half of workers in five Southeast Asian countries are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation in the next two decades, an International Labour Organization study found, with those in the garments industry particularly vulnerable. 
 
About 137 million workers, or 56 per cent of the salaried workforce from Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, fall under the high-risk category, the study showed. 
 
&quot;Countries that compete on low-wage labour need to reposition themselves. Price advantage is no longer enough,&quot; said Deborah France-Massin, director for the ILO&#39;s bureau for employers&#39; activities. The report said workers have to be trained to work effectively alongside digitalised machines. 
 
Southeast Asia is home to more than 630 million people and is a hub for several manufacturing sectors, including textiles, vehicles and hard disk drives. 
 
Of the nine million people working in the region&#39;s textiles, clothing and footwear industry, 64 per cent of Indonesian workers are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation, 86 per cent in Vietnam, and 88 per cent in Cambodia. 
 
Garment manufacturers in Cambodia, who take orders from retailers such as Adidas, Marks and Spencer and Wal-Mart Stores Inc, employ about 600,000 people. 
 
Neighbouring Vietnam is seeing record investment in its footwear and textiles industries, due to new free-trade pacts with major markets, including the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is the second-largest garment supplier behind China to the United States. 
 
The United Nations agency said technologies including 3D printing, wearable technology, nanotechnology and robotic automation could disrupt the sector. 
 
&quot;Robots are becoming better at assembly, cheaper and increasingly able to collaborate with people,&quot; the ILO said. 
 
The textiles, clothing and footwear sector is at the highest risk of automation out of five industries analysed in the study, including automotive and auto parts, electrical and electronics, business process outsourcing and retail. 
 
In the automotive and auto parts industry, more than 60 per cent of salaried workers in Indonesia, and over 70 per cent of those in Thailand face the risk of their jobs being displaced. 
 
Southeast Asia&#39;s automotive sector, the seventh-largest producer of vehicles in 2015 globally, employs more than 800,000 workers, the report said. 
 
Known as the &quot;Detroit of Southeast Asia&quot;, Thailand is a regional production and export hub for the world&#39;s top carmakers. The auto sector accounts for around 10 per cent of Thai GDP and employs a 10th of its workers in manufacturing. 
 
(Reuters)

The textiles, clothing and footwear sector is at the highest risk of automation out of five industries analysed in the study

More than half of workers in five Southeast Asian countries are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation in the next two decades, an International Labour Organization study found, with those in the garments industry particularly vulnerable. About 137 million workers, or 56 per cent of the salaried workforce from Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, fall under the high-risk category, the study showed. "Countries that compete on low-wage labour need to reposition themselves. Price advantage is no longer enough," said Deborah France-Massin, director for the ILO's bureau for employers' activities. The report said workers have to be trained to work effectively alongside digitalised machines. Southeast Asia is home to more than 630 million people and is a hub for several manufacturing sectors, including textiles, vehicles and hard disk drives. Of the nine million people working in the region's textiles, clothing and footwear industry, 64 per cent of Indonesian workers are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation, 86 per cent in Vietnam, and 88 per cent in Cambodia. Garment manufacturers in Cambodia, who take orders from retailers such as Adidas, Marks and Spencer and Wal-Mart Stores Inc, employ about 600,000 people. Neighbouring Vietnam is seeing record investment in its footwear and textiles industries, due to new free-trade pacts with major markets, including the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is the second-largest garment supplier behind China to the United States. The United Nations agency said technologies including 3D printing, wearable technology, nanotechnology and robotic automation could disrupt the sector. "Robots are becoming better at assembly, cheaper and increasingly able to collaborate with people," the ILO said. The textiles, clothing and footwear sector is at the highest risk of automation out of five industries analysed in the study, including automotive and auto parts, electrical and electronics, business process outsourcing and retail. In the automotive and auto parts industry, more than 60 per cent of salaried workers in Indonesia, and over 70 per cent of those in Thailand face the risk of their jobs being displaced. Southeast Asia's automotive sector, the seventh-largest producer of vehicles in 2015 globally, employs more than 800,000 workers, the report said. Known as the "Detroit of Southeast Asia", Thailand is a regional production and export hub for the world's top carmakers. The auto sector accounts for around 10 per cent of Thai GDP and employs a 10th of its workers in manufacturing. (Reuters)

Millions of Southeast Asian jobs may be lost to automation in next two decades

Indonesian parents are being advised today to consult their doctors and consider re-inoculating their children as a massive counterfeit vaccine scandal sweeps the country. 
 
Police smashed a criminal syndicate last week accused of selling fake vaccines for more than a decade to health clinics across Indonesia, a vast archipelago of 255 million people. 
 
Sixteen people, including a married couple believed to have masterminded the scheme, have been arrested over their alleged involvement. They are accused of distributing fake boosters for diseases including tuberculosis, hepatitis B and tetanus. 
 
Indonesia&#39;s health ministry is working with police to determine the scale of the problem. The national food and drugs agency has confiscated vaccines from nearly 30 health clinics, but it is not yet known how far the syndicate reached. 
 
&quot;We are working with the national food and drugs agency to collect data and take all measures necessary,&quot; health ministry spokesman Oscar Primadi told AFP. 
 
&quot;If vaccinations need to be redone then we will do it, it&#39;s not impossible.&quot; 
 
The Indonesian Pediatric Association said parents unsure if their child could be affected should ask their hospital or health clinic about the origin of their vaccines. 
 
&quot;If you`re still unsure, you can redo the vaccination. It does not have any negative impacts on a child&#39;s health,&quot; association chairman Aman Bhakti Pulungan told AFP. 
 
The scandal was brought to light after a major pharmaceutical company alerted Indonesian authorities that some of its products had been counterfeited. 
 
The case has caused nationwide concern and condemnation, with Indonesian President Joko Widodo demanding the harshest punishment possible for this &quot;extraordinary crime&quot;. 
 
(AFP)

'If vaccinations need to be redone then we will do it' the health ministry said after compromised vaccines from 30 clinics were confiscated

Indonesian parents are being advised today to consult their doctors and consider re-inoculating their children as a massive counterfeit vaccine scandal sweeps the country. Police smashed a criminal syndicate last week accused of selling fake vaccines for more than a decade to health clinics across Indonesia, a vast archipelago of 255 million people. Sixteen people, including a married couple believed to have masterminded the scheme, have been arrested over their alleged involvement. They are accused of distributing fake boosters for diseases including tuberculosis, hepatitis B and tetanus. Indonesia's health ministry is working with police to determine the scale of the problem. The national food and drugs agency has confiscated vaccines from nearly 30 health clinics, but it is not yet known how far the syndicate reached. "We are working with the national food and drugs agency to collect data and take all measures necessary," health ministry spokesman Oscar Primadi told AFP. "If vaccinations need to be redone then we will do it, it's not impossible." The Indonesian Pediatric Association said parents unsure if their child could be affected should ask their hospital or health clinic about the origin of their vaccines. "If you`re still unsure, you can redo the vaccination. It does not have any negative impacts on a child's health," association chairman Aman Bhakti Pulungan told AFP. The scandal was brought to light after a major pharmaceutical company alerted Indonesian authorities that some of its products had been counterfeited. The case has caused nationwide concern and condemnation, with Indonesian President Joko Widodo demanding the harshest punishment possible for this "extraordinary crime". (AFP)

Decade-long counterfeit vaccine scam scares Indonesian parents

Forest fires that blanketed Southeast Asia in thick haze last year released the greatest amount of climate-changing carbon since record blazes in 1997, producing emissions higher than in the whole of the European Union, scientists said on Tuesday. 
 
Singapore, Malaysia and northern Indonesia choked under a layer of toxic smog in September and October last year, caused by thousands of fires started in Indonesia to cheaply clear land for palm oil crops and for pulp and paper plantations. 
 
The fires and resulting haze, an annual occurrence, pushed up pollution levels, caused schools to close, flights to be disrupted and people to fall sick across the region. 
 
Last years blazes were the worst for years with El Nino, a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific, causing tinder-dry conditions. 
 
The study by scientists from the Netherlands, Britain and Indonesia, published in the online journal Scientific Reports recently, was the first scientific report calculating greenhouse gas emissions from the fires using measurements on the ground combined with satellite observations. 
 
&quot;There have been some isolated studies before where people artificially set fires in the lab to try to understand the chemical characteristics of peatland fire smoke in Indonesia,&quot; said Martin Wooster, one of the scientists and a professor of earth observation science at Kings College London. 
 
&quot;But no one had done this on natural fires, and especially not on the kind of extreme fires seen in 2015,&quot; he added. 
 
The researchers first measured the ground-level smoke composition from peatland burning in the region, including in Indonesias Central Kalimantan province, one of the worst-hit areas. 
 
They combined the data with satellite information to work out greenhouse gas emission estimates from the fires. They concluded that 884 million tonnes of carbon dioxide was emitted in the region last year, with 97 per cent originating from forest fires in Indonesia. 
 
The results showed that regional carbon dioxide emissions from the fires were 11.3 million tonnes per day in September and October 2015, more than the 28-nation EUs daily emissions of 8.9 million tonnes during the same period. 
 
The researchers also said the emissions were worse than during the 1997 fires, considered the worst on record.&nbsp;At that time, there was an even longer drought and widespread burning due to a stronger El Ni?o. 
 
The researchers said they hoped the findings would contribute to a better understanding on the need for fire prevention and improved ways of managing the land. 
 
&quot;What is important is the applicability of a study like this in helping policy makers to use more accurate fire emission factors to design policy and act to prevent further fires and greenhouse gas emissions,&quot; said scientist Daniel Murdiyarso from the Indonesia-based Center for International Forestry Research. 
 
The Indonesian fires have prompted criticism from green groups and other Southeast Asian nations, accusing Jakarta of not doing enough to crack down on the slash-and-burn forest clearing techniques. 
 
In a bid to tackle the issue, President Joko Widodo announced in April plans for a moratorium on new palm oil concessions and asked firms to raise yields on existing plantations instead of clearing forests. 
 
(Reuters)

Thousands of fires started to cheaply clear land for palm oil crops and for pulp and paper plantations disrupted flights and caused sickness

Forest fires that blanketed Southeast Asia in thick haze last year released the greatest amount of climate-changing carbon since record blazes in 1997, producing emissions higher than in the whole of the European Union, scientists said on Tuesday. Singapore, Malaysia and northern Indonesia choked under a layer of toxic smog in September and October last year, caused by thousands of fires started in Indonesia to cheaply clear land for palm oil crops and for pulp and paper plantations. The fires and resulting haze, an annual occurrence, pushed up pollution levels, caused schools to close, flights to be disrupted and people to fall sick across the region. Last years blazes were the worst for years with El Nino, a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific, causing tinder-dry conditions. The study by scientists from the Netherlands, Britain and Indonesia, published in the online journal Scientific Reports recently, was the first scientific report calculating greenhouse gas emissions from the fires using measurements on the ground combined with satellite observations. "There have been some isolated studies before where people artificially set fires in the lab to try to understand the chemical characteristics of peatland fire smoke in Indonesia," said Martin Wooster, one of the scientists and a professor of earth observation science at Kings College London. "But no one had done this on natural fires, and especially not on the kind of extreme fires seen in 2015," he added. The researchers first measured the ground-level smoke composition from peatland burning in the region, including in Indonesias Central Kalimantan province, one of the worst-hit areas. They combined the data with satellite information to work out greenhouse gas emission estimates from the fires. They concluded that 884 million tonnes of carbon dioxide was emitted in the region last year, with 97 per cent originating from forest fires in Indonesia. The results showed that regional carbon dioxide emissions from the fires were 11.3 million tonnes per day in September and October 2015, more than the 28-nation EUs daily emissions of 8.9 million tonnes during the same period. The researchers also said the emissions were worse than during the 1997 fires, considered the worst on record. At that time, there was an even longer drought and widespread burning due to a stronger El Ni?o. The researchers said they hoped the findings would contribute to a better understanding on the need for fire prevention and improved ways of managing the land. "What is important is the applicability of a study like this in helping policy makers to use more accurate fire emission factors to design policy and act to prevent further fires and greenhouse gas emissions," said scientist Daniel Murdiyarso from the Indonesia-based Center for International Forestry Research. The Indonesian fires have prompted criticism from green groups and other Southeast Asian nations, accusing Jakarta of not doing enough to crack down on the slash-and-burn forest clearing techniques. In a bid to tackle the issue, President Joko Widodo announced in April plans for a moratorium on new palm oil concessions and asked firms to raise yields on existing plantations instead of clearing forests. (Reuters)

Land-clearing forest fires choking Southeast Asia in 2015 release record carbon

The declining number of foreigners working in Indonesia due to the slump in commodity prices is causing a parallel job shortage for locals

Foreign workers are increasingly leaving Indonesia due to the slump in commodity prices that has forced resource companies to slash jobs at a time when the government has also introduced tighter regulations on expatriates in Southeast Asia's biggest economy. The number of temporary residential permits issued to foreigners, including renewals, has fallen for the past few years to 171,944 in 2015 from 194,162 in 2013. In the first five months of this year, there were 72,399 issued but many of those who provide services to expats say they expect a further drop over the whole of 2016 as they are seeing very few new arrivals. As a result, rents on upmarket homes in Jakarta have plummeted and enrolment at international schools has fallen. "The expat drought has been really noticeable in 2016," said Deborah Minicola, a Jakarta-based technical advisor at international relocation company Allied Pickfords. "This time the expat community has been hit from so many angles." The outflow is likely to dent higher-end consumption and drive up unemployment, economists say, as big-spending expats tend to hire multiple workers ranging from housemaids and drivers to gardeners and bodyguards. Some workers who recently lost their jobs are finding it difficult to get new employment. Christiana Ambar Putriani is one example. She has been looking for a job as a part-time housekeeper in Jakarta after her former bosses left for South America a few weeks ago. She hopes to work for an expat family again, as foreigners tend to pay higher wages, but it is getting tougher to find such jobs, she says. The Australian Independent School in Balikpapan, a city in Indonesia's resource-dependent province of East Kalimantan, expects a 36 per cent reduction in its student body this year, said human resources officer Ni Ketut Novia. Three international schools in the city have shut over the past two to three years due to the mass layoffs at mining contractors and a drastic cut in expat allowances, she said. The expat exodus will also create skill shortages that could hold the country back when the commodity downturn is reversed. Low resource prices and a slowdown in demand from China, one of Indonesia's top export markets, have reduced the incentive for exploration or production in the oil and gas and mining sectors, forcing companies to hack back on staff costs. The mining, oil and gas and geothermal sectors accounted for 7.62 per cent of Indonesia's gross domestic product in 2015, down from 11.81 per cent in 2011. Drilling contractors and exploration site surveyors are among the worst-hit, industry experts say. Oil and gas companies operating in the country include Chevron Corp, Total SA and Exxon Mobil Corp . Total's Indonesia spokesman said the company has "manpower planning which is in line with our evolution of activities". Chevron, which is selling assets in Asia including some in Indonesia, declined to comment. Exxon also did not comment. POLICY CONFUSION A PricewaterhouseCoopers survey of 53 firms in the oil and gas sector, released in May, found that almost three-quarters of respondents expected a smaller expat workforce in future, partly because of tighter controls on hiring foreigners. Indonesia opened up dozens of business sectors recently to foreign investors in a move described by President Joko Widodo as a "Big Bang" liberalisation of the economy. Yet business groups say there are mixed signals from the government, which imposes restrictions apparently under pressure from protectionist voices around the president. The manpower ministry is encouraging companies to hire more Indonesian workers, and is tightening its scrutiny of the work permit applications from foreigners, said Ratna Agustina, a director at a firm that provides services to expats. The government also sets an age ceiling of 55 years for foreigners employed by oil and gas contractors, downstream businesses and supporting service providers - with certain exemptions for top executives or those with skills deemed crucial. "If they are above 55, the assumption is that many have ailments and are less productive," said Taslim Yunus, a spokesman for the energy regulator. Adding to the regulatory uncertainty, the government last year introduced requirements for foreigners to be proficient in Indonesian and for companies to hire 10 locals for every expat, only to backtrack less than 12 months later after businesses raised strong protests. The manpower ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The expat exodus hasn't hit the rest of the region as hard. In neighbouring Singapore, the number of foreign professionals, managers and executives earning at least S$3,300 ($2,500) a month actually rose 5 per cent to 187,900 as of December 2015 from a year earlier, the latest official data show. Banks are hiring more compliance professionals in the city-state, but many condominium units have been left empty and office vacancy rates are near their highest level in almost a decade, partly due to the departure of expats from the energy and commodities sector, property agents say. EMPTY HOUSES The gloom is evident on the streets of Kemang, a ritzy neighbourhood in south Jakarta where opulent homes are now festooned with "for-rent" signs. The rental price of one house there, with a garden and swimming pool, has fallen by a third to $3,000 per month, says property broker Julizar. "I've been trying to market this house for six months but there has been no taker." A British national who provides training for energy executives in Indonesia has been hit by a 60 per cent decline in revenue over the past 18 months. This slump, he says, is the most pronounced throughout his 20 years in the industry. He declined to be named, citing company policy. The long-term impact of the restrictions in hiring foreign workers will be "an exacerbation of an existing acute skills shortage", said Lin Neumann, managing director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia. Widodo has taken steps to move the economy away from its dependence on commodity exports and build a manufacturing base, but Neumann said that isn't enough to offset the shrinkage in mining and oil and gas. (Reuters)

Empty houses and jobless housekeepers: Indonesia's expat exodus harms the economy

Jakarta banned today any Indonesian-flagged vessels from sailing to the Philippines, the transport ministry said, after yet another violent kidnapping in the strife-torn waters between the two nations. 
 
The ruling was issued after the government confirmed seven Indonesian sailors were kidnapped at gunpoint earlier this week, and were being held hostage by an unknown group. 
 
It&#39;s the third time this year Indonesian sailors have been abducted in the Sulu sea, a vital waterway that&#39;s seen a spike in seaborne crime like armed robberies and kidnappings. 
 
In response to the latest incident, the transport ministry issued a notice informing all harbour masters they were &quot;strictly prohibited from issuing permits to all Indonesian-flagged vessels bound for the Philippines, without exception&quot;. 
 
&quot;This hijacking issue is a serious matter and cannot be tolerated anymore,&quot; the ministry&#39;s water transport director general A Tonny Budiono said in a statement. 
 
To prevent any commercial vessels from breaching the ban, Indonesia will also ramp up marine patrols in its waters bordering the southern Philippines, Budiono added. 
 
It&#39;s not yet clear how significantly trade will be affected by the ban, but it could severely disrupt the flow of goods from Southeast Asia&#39;s largest economy -- including natural resources like coal -- to the Philippines. 
 
The Sulu and Celebes seas form a key waterway between Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, and are used for the passage of 55 million metric tonnes of goods and over 18 million people per year. 
 
Last month, the three countries agreed to launch a coordinated patrol of the waters after the recent surge of kidnappings. 
 
The Indonesian sailors abducted this week were towing a coal barge through the Sulu sea when their tugboat was attacked by gunmen. 
 
&quot;The government will do everything possible to free these hostages,&quot; foreign minister Retno Marsudi told reporters. 
 
Sulu, a southern archipelago, is a known hideout of Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants who have earned millions of dollars from kidnappings in recent years. 
 
A spokesman for the foreign ministry said he could not confirm whether a ransom demand had been made, or if Abu Sayyaf was responsible for the abductions. 
 
Earlier this year the group kidnapped 14 Indonesian sailors, holding them in their stronghold in the southern Philippines. They were later freed but there was no information on whether a ransom was paid. 
 
(PTI)

Ban comes after gunmen abduct Indonesian sailors in Sulu sea, a hideout of Abu Sayyaf militants known for kidnappings

Jakarta banned today any Indonesian-flagged vessels from sailing to the Philippines, the transport ministry said, after yet another violent kidnapping in the strife-torn waters between the two nations. The ruling was issued after the government confirmed seven Indonesian sailors were kidnapped at gunpoint earlier this week, and were being held hostage by an unknown group. It's the third time this year Indonesian sailors have been abducted in the Sulu sea, a vital waterway that's seen a spike in seaborne crime like armed robberies and kidnappings. In response to the latest incident, the transport ministry issued a notice informing all harbour masters they were "strictly prohibited from issuing permits to all Indonesian-flagged vessels bound for the Philippines, without exception". "This hijacking issue is a serious matter and cannot be tolerated anymore," the ministry's water transport director general A Tonny Budiono said in a statement. To prevent any commercial vessels from breaching the ban, Indonesia will also ramp up marine patrols in its waters bordering the southern Philippines, Budiono added. It's not yet clear how significantly trade will be affected by the ban, but it could severely disrupt the flow of goods from Southeast Asia's largest economy -- including natural resources like coal -- to the Philippines. The Sulu and Celebes seas form a key waterway between Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, and are used for the passage of 55 million metric tonnes of goods and over 18 million people per year. Last month, the three countries agreed to launch a coordinated patrol of the waters after the recent surge of kidnappings. The Indonesian sailors abducted this week were towing a coal barge through the Sulu sea when their tugboat was attacked by gunmen. "The government will do everything possible to free these hostages," foreign minister Retno Marsudi told reporters. Sulu, a southern archipelago, is a known hideout of Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants who have earned millions of dollars from kidnappings in recent years. A spokesman for the foreign ministry said he could not confirm whether a ransom demand had been made, or if Abu Sayyaf was responsible for the abductions. Earlier this year the group kidnapped 14 Indonesian sailors, holding them in their stronghold in the southern Philippines. They were later freed but there was no information on whether a ransom was paid. (PTI)

Jakarta bans all Indonesian-flagged vessels from sailing to Philippines

Making a bold move to assert sovereignty over the area in the southern reaches of the South China Sea after Beijing stated its &quot;over-lapping claim&quot; on nearby waters, Indonesia&#39;s president visited the Natuna Islands aboard a warship on Thursday.&nbsp; 
 
President Joko Widodo&#39;s visit along with his chief security minister and foreign minister was described by Indonesian officials as the strongest message that has been given to China over the issue. A presidential palace statement said Widodo intended to hold a cabinet meeting aboard the warship. 
 
&quot;In the course of our history, we&#39;ve never been this stern (with China). This is also to demonstrate that the president is not taking the issue lightly,&quot; Chief Security Minister Luhut Pandjaitan told The Jakarta Post newspaper. 
 
On Monday, it may be recalled, Beijing said that while China does not dispute Indonesia&#39;s sovereignty over the Natuna Islands, &quot;some waters of the South China Sea&quot; were subject to &quot;overlapping claims on maritime rights and interests&rdquo;.&nbsp; 
 
Indonesia&#39;s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, however, Wednesday rejected China&#39;s stance, saying the waters around Natuna are in Indonesian territory.&nbsp; 
 
There have been a series of face-offs between Indonesian and Chinese vessels in the area but both sides have denied that the matter is a territorial or diplomatic dispute. 
 
&quot;We want to show that Indonesia is a big country and we have to show this physically,&quot; Widodo said in a statement, referring to those infrastructure ambitions.&nbsp; 
 
Widodo&#39;s visit to the remote island chain, which lies over 340 kilometres (212 miles) off the northwest tip of Kalimantan - Indonesia&#39;s portion of Borneo island - was also aimed at promoting infrastructure development in Indonesia&#39;s border areas, asserted official sources.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Even after a series of face-offs between Indonesian and Chinese vessels, both sides deny there's a diplomatic dispute

Making a bold move to assert sovereignty over the area in the southern reaches of the South China Sea after Beijing stated its "over-lapping claim" on nearby waters, Indonesia's president visited the Natuna Islands aboard a warship on Thursday. President Joko Widodo's visit along with his chief security minister and foreign minister was described by Indonesian officials as the strongest message that has been given to China over the issue. A presidential palace statement said Widodo intended to hold a cabinet meeting aboard the warship. "In the course of our history, we've never been this stern (with China). This is also to demonstrate that the president is not taking the issue lightly," Chief Security Minister Luhut Pandjaitan told The Jakarta Post newspaper. On Monday, it may be recalled, Beijing said that while China does not dispute Indonesia's sovereignty over the Natuna Islands, "some waters of the South China Sea" were subject to "overlapping claims on maritime rights and interests”. Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, however, Wednesday rejected China's stance, saying the waters around Natuna are in Indonesian territory. There have been a series of face-offs between Indonesian and Chinese vessels in the area but both sides have denied that the matter is a territorial or diplomatic dispute. "We want to show that Indonesia is a big country and we have to show this physically," Widodo said in a statement, referring to those infrastructure ambitions. Widodo's visit to the remote island chain, which lies over 340 kilometres (212 miles) off the northwest tip of Kalimantan - Indonesia's portion of Borneo island - was also aimed at promoting infrastructure development in Indonesia's border areas, asserted official sources. (Reuters)

Aboard warship, Indonesia President sails to South China

Indonesia&#39;s Vice President today voiced concerns over US presidential candidate Donald Trump&#39;s comments on Muslims, saying &quot;discrimination according to religion&quot; could prompt retaliatory policies from other countries. 
 
Jusuf Kalla told Reuters in an interview that the government was &quot;not happy with Trump&#39;s opinions&quot; - the first critical remarks from a top official in the world&#39;s most populous Muslim-majority nation, which come as Trump called for more profiling in the US to battle crime. 
 
&quot;Any country, especially big countries, seen making policies about &#39;radicalism&#39; or discrimination according to religion will be a bad issue,&quot; Kalla said in an interview with Reuters. 
 
&quot;There will be &#39;vice-versa&#39; policies from other countries,&quot; he said, adding an impact would be felt on economy and trade. 
 
Trump&#39;s inflammatory remarks on Muslims, including wanting to temporarily ban them from entering the United States, on foreign policy and on international trade ties have raised concerns in some Asian countries over a potentially &quot;isolationist&quot; United States. 
 
In Indonesia, Southeast Asia&#39;s biggest economy, politicians and lawmakers are already thinking about restricting US trade and investment if Trump becomes President. An online petition, urging a ban on the billionaire and his businesses from the country, has received nearly 47,000 signatures. 
 
The real estate developer also has partnerships to operate luxury resorts on Bali and in Java, which Indonesian officials have said could be threatened by his rhetoric. 
 
Trump Hotel collection last year announced a partnership with Indonesia&#39;s PT. Media Nusantara Citra to manage new luxury hotels on Bali and in West Java, Trump unit&#39;s first foray into Asia. 
 
&quot;Of course there will be an impact, not for Indonesia, but for his business,&quot; Kalla said, when asked about Trump&#39;s involvement in the resorts. 
 
But the Indonesian government was in wait-and-see mode, Kalla said, adding Trump&#39;s comments could be seen as posturing as part of his presidential campaign. 
 
&quot;We still see this as campaign strategy. Campaigning is one thing and realisation is another thing,&quot; he said. 
(Reuters)

Indonesia already thinking about restricting US trade and investment if Trump becomes President

Indonesia's Vice President today voiced concerns over US presidential candidate Donald Trump's comments on Muslims, saying "discrimination according to religion" could prompt retaliatory policies from other countries. Jusuf Kalla told Reuters in an interview that the government was "not happy with Trump's opinions" - the first critical remarks from a top official in the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, which come as Trump called for more profiling in the US to battle crime. "Any country, especially big countries, seen making policies about 'radicalism' or discrimination according to religion will be a bad issue," Kalla said in an interview with Reuters. "There will be 'vice-versa' policies from other countries," he said, adding an impact would be felt on economy and trade. Trump's inflammatory remarks on Muslims, including wanting to temporarily ban them from entering the United States, on foreign policy and on international trade ties have raised concerns in some Asian countries over a potentially "isolationist" United States. In Indonesia, Southeast Asia's biggest economy, politicians and lawmakers are already thinking about restricting US trade and investment if Trump becomes President. An online petition, urging a ban on the billionaire and his businesses from the country, has received nearly 47,000 signatures. The real estate developer also has partnerships to operate luxury resorts on Bali and in Java, which Indonesian officials have said could be threatened by his rhetoric. Trump Hotel collection last year announced a partnership with Indonesia's PT. Media Nusantara Citra to manage new luxury hotels on Bali and in West Java, Trump unit's first foray into Asia. "Of course there will be an impact, not for Indonesia, but for his business," Kalla said, when asked about Trump's involvement in the resorts. But the Indonesian government was in wait-and-see mode, Kalla said, adding Trump's comments could be seen as posturing as part of his presidential campaign. "We still see this as campaign strategy. Campaigning is one thing and realisation is another thing," he said. (Reuters)

Trump's comments on Muslims could prompt retaliatory policies: Indonesian VP

Flash floods and landslides killed 24 in Indonesia&#39;s Central Java province, officials said today, forcing residents to evacuate to safer areas as torrential rains damaged thousands of homes. 
 
Rescue teams searched for 26 others who remained missing after the region, among the most densely populated parts of the country, saw heavy rainfall overnight. 
 
&quot;Heavy rain has caused floods and landslides in 16 regencies in Central Java,&quot; Sutopo Nugroho, spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency, said in a statement. 
 
&quot;Rescue teams from the military, police, NGOs and volunteers, are contributing to the handling of the emergency and the search continues for those still missing,&quot; he added. 
 
(Reuters)

Rescue teams searched for 26 others who remained missing after the densely populated region saw heavy rainfall overnight

Flash floods and landslides killed 24 in Indonesia's Central Java province, officials said today, forcing residents to evacuate to safer areas as torrential rains damaged thousands of homes. Rescue teams searched for 26 others who remained missing after the region, among the most densely populated parts of the country, saw heavy rainfall overnight. "Heavy rain has caused floods and landslides in 16 regencies in Central Java," Sutopo Nugroho, spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency, said in a statement. "Rescue teams from the military, police, NGOs and volunteers, are contributing to the handling of the emergency and the search continues for those still missing," he added. (Reuters)

24 killed in flash floods, homes damaged in Indonesia

Sri Lankan migrants who were stranded on a boat off Indonesia were allowed to come ashore on Saturday, easing a tense stand-off with local authorities that drew international condemnation. 
 
The 44 migrants, who include many women and children, had been stuck on a boat off Aceh province for a week as authorities in the western province refused to allow them to disembark. 
 
But Indonesian officials gave way on Saturday&nbsp;and allowed the migrants -- who were adrift after their Indian-flagged vessel broke down en route to Australia -- to take refuge in tents set up along the beach. 
 
Police had begun taking photographs of those brought ashore in a bid to establish identities, an AFP journalist at the scene said. 
 
Authorities had previously said the boat would be towed out to international waters to continue on its journey after repairs were completed and the weather improved. 
 
Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla had ordered Aceh officials to allow the migrants to disembark the vessel, which washed up by a beach in the town of Lhoknga. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re happy to see that is finally being implemented,&quot; said Lilianne Fan, international director of Aceh NGO the Geutanyoe Foundation, whose team on the ground witnessed the disembarkation. 
 
&quot;At this point the most urgent thing from our point of view is that immediate access is given to the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees),&quot; Fan added. 
 
The week-long impasse boiled over&nbsp;Thursday&nbsp;when police fired a warning shot to disperse a crowd that had swarmed around the vessel. 
 
Amnesty International accused local authorities of employing &quot;crude intimidation tactics&quot; against the migrants, and called for UN refugee teams in Aceh to be granted immediate access to the group. 
 
&quot;The immigration office and security forces in Aceh are flouting the authority of their own Vice President and not letting the UNHCR do its job,&quot; Josef Benedict of Amnesty International said in a statement. 
 
Hundreds of Myanmar Rohingya came ashore in Aceh last year during a regional boat people crisis and were warmly welcomed by residents of the staunchly Islamic province, who felt sympathy for their plight as a persecuted Muslim minority. 
(AFP)

International condemnation was piled on local authorities, who for a week kept many women and children adrift

Sri Lankan migrants who were stranded on a boat off Indonesia were allowed to come ashore on Saturday, easing a tense stand-off with local authorities that drew international condemnation. The 44 migrants, who include many women and children, had been stuck on a boat off Aceh province for a week as authorities in the western province refused to allow them to disembark. But Indonesian officials gave way on Saturday and allowed the migrants -- who were adrift after their Indian-flagged vessel broke down en route to Australia -- to take refuge in tents set up along the beach. Police had begun taking photographs of those brought ashore in a bid to establish identities, an AFP journalist at the scene said. Authorities had previously said the boat would be towed out to international waters to continue on its journey after repairs were completed and the weather improved. Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla had ordered Aceh officials to allow the migrants to disembark the vessel, which washed up by a beach in the town of Lhoknga. "We're happy to see that is finally being implemented," said Lilianne Fan, international director of Aceh NGO the Geutanyoe Foundation, whose team on the ground witnessed the disembarkation. "At this point the most urgent thing from our point of view is that immediate access is given to the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)," Fan added. The week-long impasse boiled over Thursday when police fired a warning shot to disperse a crowd that had swarmed around the vessel. Amnesty International accused local authorities of employing "crude intimidation tactics" against the migrants, and called for UN refugee teams in Aceh to be granted immediate access to the group. "The immigration office and security forces in Aceh are flouting the authority of their own Vice President and not letting the UNHCR do its job," Josef Benedict of Amnesty International said in a statement. Hundreds of Myanmar Rohingya came ashore in Aceh last year during a regional boat people crisis and were warmly welcomed by residents of the staunchly Islamic province, who felt sympathy for their plight as a persecuted Muslim minority. (AFP)

Migrants in Indonesia stranded for days on boat finally brought ashore

Indonesia today briefly detained more than 1,000 pro-independence demonstrators in its eastern province of Papua, ahead of a visit by chief security minister to look into claims of human rights violations. 
 
Papua has been gripped by a long-running and often violent separatist conflict since it was incorporated into Indonesia after a widely-criticised UN-backed referendum in 1969. Dutch colonial rule ended in 1963. 
 
Security forces still maintain a strong presence and are often seen as taking a heavy-handed approach to peaceful demonstrations, activists say. 
 
The protesters took to the streets in Sentani, near Papua&#39;s provincial capital, to demand that an independent body conduct human rights investigations rather than the Indonesian government. They were detained for protesting without a permit. 
 
&quot;We localised them so their movements were limited,&quot; said Papua police spokesman Patridge Renwarin. &quot;We did not arrest anyone.&quot; 
 
The police action was backed by Atmadji Sumarkdijo, an aide of chief security minister Luhut Pandjaitan, who is set to visit the province on Thursday. 
 
Asked about the police response at a time when President Joko Widodo wants to reduce tension in the region, Sumarkdijo said, &quot;It doesn&#39;t mean you can do anything you want. Rallies need police permits.&quot; 
 
The protesters also called for an internationally monitored referendum for independence. 
 
Widodo faces an uphill battle in attaining his key goal of easing the tension in Papua, aimed at through measures such as stepping up investment, freeing political prisoners, and resolving cases of human rights violations. 
 
Although there were no reports of violence, activists fear growing numbers of detentions over the last six weeks could change the picture. 
 
&quot;Tensions are getting high now,&quot; said Veronic Koman, a lawyer for the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, which focuses on Papuan issues. &quot;More police are arresting them and more of them are fighting back.&quot; 
 
Last month, more than 2,000 Papuan activists were detained on the anniversary of Dutch New Guinea&#39;s 1963 integration into Indonesia. 
 
Papua province and West Papua make up the western half of an island north of Australia, with independent Papua New Guinea to the east. 
(Reuters)

Protests need permits, says aide of chief security minister, who backed the police action

Indonesia today briefly detained more than 1,000 pro-independence demonstrators in its eastern province of Papua, ahead of a visit by chief security minister to look into claims of human rights violations. Papua has been gripped by a long-running and often violent separatist conflict since it was incorporated into Indonesia after a widely-criticised UN-backed referendum in 1969. Dutch colonial rule ended in 1963. Security forces still maintain a strong presence and are often seen as taking a heavy-handed approach to peaceful demonstrations, activists say. The protesters took to the streets in Sentani, near Papua's provincial capital, to demand that an independent body conduct human rights investigations rather than the Indonesian government. They were detained for protesting without a permit. "We localised them so their movements were limited," said Papua police spokesman Patridge Renwarin. "We did not arrest anyone." The police action was backed by Atmadji Sumarkdijo, an aide of chief security minister Luhut Pandjaitan, who is set to visit the province on Thursday. Asked about the police response at a time when President Joko Widodo wants to reduce tension in the region, Sumarkdijo said, "It doesn't mean you can do anything you want. Rallies need police permits." The protesters also called for an internationally monitored referendum for independence. Widodo faces an uphill battle in attaining his key goal of easing the tension in Papua, aimed at through measures such as stepping up investment, freeing political prisoners, and resolving cases of human rights violations. Although there were no reports of violence, activists fear growing numbers of detentions over the last six weeks could change the picture. "Tensions are getting high now," said Veronic Koman, a lawyer for the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, which focuses on Papuan issues. "More police are arresting them and more of them are fighting back." Last month, more than 2,000 Papuan activists were detained on the anniversary of Dutch New Guinea's 1963 integration into Indonesia. Papua province and West Papua make up the western half of an island north of Australia, with independent Papua New Guinea to the east. (Reuters)

Indonesia detains 1,000 pro-independence protesters before visit by minister looking into human rights violations

An earthquake of magnitude 6.2 struck off the Indonesian island of Lombok today, the United States Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. 
 
The earthquake, which hit 234 km (145 miles) south of Lombok, at a depth of 29 km (18 miles), also briefly startled tourists on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. 
 
The quake was strong, with tremors lasting for three to four seconds, but did not trigger a tsunami alert, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman of Indonesia&#39;s Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). 
 
&quot;The quake went on for quite a while,&quot; said a witness in Lombok. &quot;People ran out from houses in panic.&quot; 
 
In December 2004, a strong earthquake off the Indonesian Island&nbsp;Sumatra&nbsp;had triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in 14 countries.Indonesia was the worst hit, followed by Sri Lanka, Thailand and India.&nbsp;

The quake was strong, but did not trigger a tsunami alert

An earthquake of magnitude 6.2 struck off the Indonesian island of Lombok today, the United States Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The earthquake, which hit 234 km (145 miles) south of Lombok, at a depth of 29 km (18 miles), also briefly startled tourists on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. The quake was strong, with tremors lasting for three to four seconds, but did not trigger a tsunami alert, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman of Indonesia's Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). "The quake went on for quite a while," said a witness in Lombok. "People ran out from houses in panic." In December 2004, a strong earthquake off the Indonesian Island Sumatra had triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in 14 countries.Indonesia was the worst hit, followed by Sri Lanka, Thailand and India.

6.2 quake strikes Indonesia, no casualties reported

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