|
|
We, more than one hundred Indonesian and
non-Indonesian
non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) participating in the International NGO Forum
on
Indonesian Development (Infid), are deeply concerned about the
ongoing
economic turmoil in Indonesia which many fear may lead to
political turmoil
as well. We believe that the crisis of confidence in Indonesia's
leadership
has become so acute that efforts to stabilise the rupiah without
simultaneous
steps toward political reform will be ineffective.
We call upon the government of Indonesia and Abri to
refrain from
applying repressive measures against those who increasingly and
peacefully
make use of their right to freedom of expression.
We also call upon the pro-democracy groups and the
Indonesian people in
general to join in efforts to peacefully and in a constitutional
way prepare
for immediate political change in Indonesia.
Furthermore, we urge the International Monetary Fund
and the government
of Indonesia to immediately release the full terms and conditions
of the
agreement between them, and to establish a social impact
assessment team,
including representation from leading Indonesian NGOs, to monitor
the impact
of the reform package on the country's most vulnerable
groups.
We urge the International Monetary Fund and the World
Bank to examine the
social and environmental costs of all economic reforms proposed,
to minimise
the impact on the urban and rural poor, women and children,
migrant workers,
tribal and upland communities, and the unemployed, estimated as
at least seven
million by the end of 1998.
We urge the members of the Consultative Group on
Indonesia (CGI) to use
their leverage not only to see that the Indonesian government
implements
economic reforms but to also impress upon the government of
Indonesia that
economic reform without political reform will be insufficient to
stem the loss
of international confidence in Indonesia.
Jakarta and The Hague, 13 January 1998.
Asmara Nababan
Eva
Phillips
|
