Indonesian activists said yesterday that official threats to crack down on analysts and human rights workers was a throwback to the Suharto dictatorship era.
Intelligence chief Abdullah Hendropriyono issued a thinly veiled warning Thursday that Sidney Jones, Jakarta-based director of the International Crisis Group (ICG), could face deportation due to her sometimes critical reports.
"Sidney Jones works here to monitor human rights abuses and she made reports published overseas which are not entirely true," Hendropriyono said.
He said action must be taken against "those who are disliked by Indonesians."
"If their activities are not favorable and are detrimental to the Indonesian people, why do we have to let them extend their stay in our country? I think it's only logical," he said.
The intelligence agency says it is gathering more information of Jones and on other non-government organizations whose exposes are considered to damage the country.
Human rights lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis said expelling Jones would only tarnish Indonesia's image overseas.
"I'm concerned about the government threat. I think in the current democratic era we should be more ready to respect differences in opinion and accept criticism," said Lubis, who is also a member of ICG's international board.
"This situation is reminiscent of the New Order," he said, referring to Suharto's 32 years in power that ended in 1998.
Jones said Wednesday that Indonesian authorities had threatened to expel her because of her reports on human rights abuses.
She said authorities had refused to extend work permits for ICG's foreign staff members, based on a complaint which the officials refused to specify.
Another human rights lawyer, Hendardi, said the government was "recycling" Suharto's policy.
"They are treating rights workers who have different views from the government as enemies, not only Sidney Jones but other critical rights workers," he said.
He said nothing had changed in the repressive way the national intelligence agency does its work.
"They should learn to deal with many new things which have become problems in Indonesia, such as terrorism and communal conflicts," he said.
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