Jakarta – Arriving in two Metromini busses at around 11.30am, scores of demonstrators calling themselves the Alliance Against Rotten Non-Government Organisations demonstrated at the offices of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) on Jalan Cisadane in Central Jakarta on Friday February 20. They rejected interference by foreign parties in the resolution of issues being handled by a number of NGOs which they said have become an extension of these foreign parties.

During the demonstration held under a light drizzle, the demonstrators called for the rotten NGO activists to be arrested and tried. They also warned that legal proceeding would be brought against foreign lackeys who had damagedthe state and the nation. They also called for hidden practices carried out in the name of justice and human rights be stopped.

“There is no need for foreign interests to [interfere in] the resolution of problems in Indonesia. We reject interference by foreign parties in the resolution of domestic issues”, said a demonstrator who was not prepared to give their name. The statement was greeted by cheers from a number of the demonstrators and shouts of “Reject rotten NGOs who have become foreign tools”.

The head of Kontras’ operational division, Mufti Makarim A, said that demonstrations such as this represent a discourse launched by unspecified parties. However he questioned the context of the demonstration. “If it’s rotten politicians the context is clear because we are facing a general election. But suddenly [the issue of] rotten NGOs has come up, what’s the context”, asked Mufti while saying that he had invited the demonstrators to discuss the issue but they had refused.

Mufti also questions the criteria which was being used by the demonstrators to refer to a rotten NGO. “Come on, they must have some kind of concrete criteria”, said Mufti. He also said he did not understand what the correlation was between people who have been victimised [and are being assisted by NGOs] and calling [these NGOs] foreign tools.

Mufti said that the demonstration which was held today was the same as one held on January 30. The protesters also held a demonstration at the office of the Indonesian Legal Aid Association (PBHI).

[Translated by James Balowski.]