Indonesia
Full country name: Republic of Indonesia
Area: 1,904,000 square kilometres
Population: 198 million (1.8% annual growth rate)
Capital city: Jakarta (population: nine million)
People: Indonesia has 365 ethnic groups. The principal ones are Javanese, Sundanese (Java); Batak, Minangkabaus, Acehnese (Sumatra); Balinese (Bali); Sasaks (Lombok); and Dani (Irian Jaya)
Language: Bahasa Indonesia (plus 583 dialects), English
Religion: 87% Muslim, 9% Christian, 2% Hindu
Current Focus and Concerns
In Indonesia, terre des hommes Germany has been active in Sumatra and Java since 1982. The second national TDH partner dialogue held in Yogyakarta in August of 1998, however, recommended that Aceh should be a top priority, and TDH has been focussing its work in this area of Northern Sumatra since that time.
This recommendation by TDH partners was raised following the release of several reports concerning gross human rights violations against civilians in Aceh between 1989 and 1998, when the Soeharto regime imposed military rule and placed Aceh under tight military control. During this decade, Aceh was referred to as a ‘Daerah Operasi Militer’ (DOM) meaning ‘Military Operation Zone’.
Although the fall of Soeharto in May of 1998 led to the end of Aceh’s status as a military operation zone, gross human rights violations have continued in the form of mysterious killings, disappearances, rapes, and incidences of shooting on crowds.
Aceh is also home to the Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, or GAM), insurgent guerrillas who have battled for the independence of Aceh from Indonesia since 1976.
The continuing atrocities and armed clashes between the Indonesian army and the armed wing of Free Aceh Movement have brought immense suffering to the people of Aceh, who live their lives in constant fear of being killed, raped, tortured or abducted. The armed conflict has also caused severe refugee problems. Since 1999, there has been a huge increase in the movement of internally displaced people (IDPs), most of whom are women and children. This movement of IDPs corresponds with the military "sweeping" activity in the villages, houses and schools being burned, and the fighting between the Indonesian army and the Free Aceh Movement.
Aside from the continuing armed conflict in Aceh, the prolonged economic crisis has brought significant impact on the poor throughout Indonesia. The year 2001 saw a rapidly growing number of school drop-outs, street children, child workers, prostituted children, and dismissed workers in the manufacturing sector, especially women employed in the labour intensive industries.
TDH's partners are active in the following areas:
-Human rights, especially those of children, women and workers, and their right to education.
-Documentation and dissemination of human rights violations against children and women.
-Alternative education for children in refugee camps, street children and child workers.
-Basic health services in refugee camps.
-Community organising and development.
Area: 1,904,000 square kilometres
Population: 198 million (1.8% annual growth rate)
Capital city: Jakarta (population: nine million)
People: Indonesia has 365 ethnic groups. The principal ones are Javanese, Sundanese (Java); Batak, Minangkabaus, Acehnese (Sumatra); Balinese (Bali); Sasaks (Lombok); and Dani (Irian Jaya)
Language: Bahasa Indonesia (plus 583 dialects), English
Religion: 87% Muslim, 9% Christian, 2% Hindu
Current Focus and Concerns
In Indonesia, terre des hommes Germany has been active in Sumatra and Java since 1982. The second national TDH partner dialogue held in Yogyakarta in August of 1998, however, recommended that Aceh should be a top priority, and TDH has been focussing its work in this area of Northern Sumatra since that time.
This recommendation by TDH partners was raised following the release of several reports concerning gross human rights violations against civilians in Aceh between 1989 and 1998, when the Soeharto regime imposed military rule and placed Aceh under tight military control. During this decade, Aceh was referred to as a ‘Daerah Operasi Militer’ (DOM) meaning ‘Military Operation Zone’.
Although the fall of Soeharto in May of 1998 led to the end of Aceh’s status as a military operation zone, gross human rights violations have continued in the form of mysterious killings, disappearances, rapes, and incidences of shooting on crowds.
Aceh is also home to the Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, or GAM), insurgent guerrillas who have battled for the independence of Aceh from Indonesia since 1976.
The continuing atrocities and armed clashes between the Indonesian army and the armed wing of Free Aceh Movement have brought immense suffering to the people of Aceh, who live their lives in constant fear of being killed, raped, tortured or abducted. The armed conflict has also caused severe refugee problems. Since 1999, there has been a huge increase in the movement of internally displaced people (IDPs), most of whom are women and children. This movement of IDPs corresponds with the military "sweeping" activity in the villages, houses and schools being burned, and the fighting between the Indonesian army and the Free Aceh Movement.
Aside from the continuing armed conflict in Aceh, the prolonged economic crisis has brought significant impact on the poor throughout Indonesia. The year 2001 saw a rapidly growing number of school drop-outs, street children, child workers, prostituted children, and dismissed workers in the manufacturing sector, especially women employed in the labour intensive industries.
TDH's partners are active in the following areas:
-Human rights, especially those of children, women and workers, and their right to education.
-Documentation and dissemination of human rights violations against children and women.
-Alternative education for children in refugee camps, street children and child workers.
-Basic health services in refugee camps.
-Community organising and development.
