Understanding Near Neighbors Fellowships: study tour to Indonesia May 2010, Indonesia (Aceh, North Sumatra, Java)

PARTICIPANTS APJC fellows: Mr John Cheetham, training editor Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney Ms Christine Flatley, Australian Associated Press, Brisbane Ms Jennifer Macey, current affairs and The World Today reporter ABC, Sydney Ms Selma Milovanovic, legal affairs reporter The Age, Melbourne Ms Victoria Shepherd, health reporter/ columnist The Advertiser, Adelaide Ms Margaret Smithurst, presenter/ journalist Australia Network, Melbourne Ms Courtney Trenwith, journalist Brisbanetimes.com, Brisbane Indonesian participants: Mr Winston Rondo, freelance journalist and refugee advocate CIS Timor, West Timor, Indonesia Ms Diah Pitaloka, adviser, Indonesian Democratic Party, Bandung THE PROGRAM The program started at Melbourne Zoo with fellows going on the Trail of the Elephants and receiving a pre-tour briefing on the zoo's work in Sumatra from Mr Chris Banks, Coordinator of Conservation Partnerships, in preparation for a visit there. Other pre-departure briefings took place next day at the Asia Pacific Journalism Centre secretariat in Melbourne. The group, which included two European guests, travelled first to Aceh, where they were able to report on the implementation of sharia law and reconstruction efforts in Aceh five years after the December 2004 tsunami. They visited tsunami-affected areas Uleuleu and Kapal Apung, and the Babuunajah orphanage, run by the Organisation of Islamic Countries and the Islamic Relief Project, and which cares for the victims of the tsunami and the Aceh conflict. In Medan, the group discussed elephant conservation issues at the head office of Flora and Fauna International (FFI), before travelling to Tangakahan, home of the elephant project run by FFI and Melbourne Zoo in Gunung Leuser National Park. In Jakarta, the group attended a briefing at the Australian embassy chaired by Charge d'Affaires Paul Robilliard. The Fellows visited Detik.com, the first online media/ private news provider in Indonesia in the wake of the Suharto era, and Radio 68H, a national broadcaster, content provider and influential training organisation. The group then travelled to Bogor to participate in a one-day peer-to-peer dialogue with Indonesian journalists from Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung and Kupang. They visited the world-famous Kebun Raya (botanical gardens). In Jogjakarta, the group attended a dinner hosted by World Bank to mark the fourth anniversary of the Jogja region earthquake. The group then joined the press tour of relief projects run by the Java Reconstruction Fund (JRF), international donors and local government. Indonesian journalists at Bogor dialogue: Mr Mustaqim Adamrah, journalist Jakarta Post Mr Hazmirulah Aminudin, journalist Pikiran Rakyat, Bandung Mr Andreas Harsono, board member of PANTAU (media training organisation), freelance journalist and human rights commentator Ms Diah Pitaloka, journalist, community organiser and political staffer, Bandung Mr Tomy Ristanto, news producer Metro TV Mr Winston Rondo, freelance journalist and refugee advocate, West Timor Ms Sirikit Syah, founder of the Media Consumers Agency, chair of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission Mr Zaky Yamani, journalist Pikiran Rakyat, Bundung European journalists: Ms Ulla Knudsen, freelance journalist, Horning, Denmark Ms Vivien Marsh, Asia Pacific regional desk editor, BBC, London, England APJC personnel: Mr Gustav Eden, European project officer Ms Alex Kennedy, project officer Ms Helen Musa, 2010 tour leader In-field study tour leaders: Aceh and Jakarta: Ms Lina Nursanty, Indonesian tour leader, APJC and journalist, Pikiran Rakyat, Bandung Bogor and Jogjakarta: Mr MMI Ahyani, Indonesian tour leader, APJC, freelance journalist and chairman and founder of Delta Media Foundation, Bandung Briefing session speakers: Prof. Michael Leigh, director Aceh Research Training Institute an the University of Melbourne's Asia Institute Mr Waleed Aly, lecturer at Global Terrorism Unit Monash University and political commentator Ms Dewi Anggraeni, correspondent for Tempo news magazine and contributor to The Jakarta Post Mr Richard Young, humanitarian support unit manager Oxfam Mr Pablo Brait, director strategic planning Beyond Zero emissions Ms Ellen Roberts, climate justice campaigner Friends of the Earth ASSISTANCE WITH PROGRAM Financial support: The Myer Foundation (major supporter) Australian Associated Press Australian Broadcasting Commission British Broadcasting Corporation John Fairfax Limited News Limited Other assistance: The APJC would like to acknowledge the hospitality and/or assistance provided by organisations and individuals in Australia and Indonesia. AUSTRALIA Australian Associated Press Australian Broadcasting Commission British Broadcasting Corporation Mr Chris Banks, coordinator of conservation partnerships Melbourne Zoo Mr Pablo Brait, director strategic planning Beyond Zero emissions Ms Ellen Roberts, climate justice campaigner Friends of the Earth Mr Richard Young, humanitarian support unit manager Oxfam INDONESIA Aceh Mr Tengku Faisal Ali, spokesperson Himpunan Ulama Dayah Aceh (HUDA) Babuunajah Orphanage Mr Yarmen Dinamika, editor in chief Serambi Indonesia Mr Simon Field, Aceh manager OCHA/ UNDP Mr Pak Yakob Ishadamy, chief of Aceh Green movement Mr Tengku Yahya Muaz, party secretary member of Partai Aceh Organisation of Islamic countries and Islamic relief project Mr Ilarius Wibisono, member Green Aceh secretariat North Sumatra Mr Pindi Patana, Medan project coordinator Flora and Fauna International Mr Edy Sunardi, site manager Melbourne Zoo and Flora and Fauna International elephant project, Tangakahan Tangakahan village community Mr Wahdi, elephant conservation expert Jakarta Australian embassy Mr Fitrian Ardiansyah, director World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Mr Taufik Andrie, senior researcher International Peace Building Institute Dr Anies Baswedan, rector (president) Paramadina University, research director Indonesian Institute Centre for Public Policy Analysis Ms Jenny Dee, counsellor (public affairs) Australian embassy Detik.com Ms Citra Dyah Prastuti, Journalist KBR68H Radio 68H and Green Radio Mr Paul Robilliard, charge d'Affaires Australian embassy Mr Andreas Harsono, board member PANTAU, freelance journalist, human rights commentator Mr Ade Wahyudi, program manager KBR68H, Jakarta Ms Yenni Wahid, director of National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Faith The World Bank Bogor Dr Sofi Mursidawati, botanical officer Kebun Raya (Botanical Gardens) Dr Ligaya Tumbelaka, scientist and auditor of endangered species in Indonesia Jogjakarta Sri Paku Alam XIV, the vice governor of Jogjakarta Mr Nasruddin Anshory, headmaster of Pesantren Ilmu Giri GTZ (German international development agency) Java Reconstruction Fund (JRF) Mr Romo Kirjito, Catholic priest, pluralist, environmentalist for Merapi area Mr Emha Ainun Nadjib, influential pluralist activist, who combines music from different cultures and religions