USAID stops cooperation with Jatam

Coordinator of Participative Work Mapping Networks Restu Achmaliadi expressed concern over the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) decision to stop cooperation with the Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) because it was considered to have hindered American investors, Tempo Interaktif reported on Tuesday.

"This a one-sided decision. It is inappropriate to put the blame only on Jatam," Ganden, as Restu is popularly known, said in Manado, North Sulawesi, on Monday.

Ganden said that Jatam only wants better exploitation of existing natural resources. "USAID's decision to stop the cooperation is baseless. We will surely criticize our government if it makes mistakes. How can we be treated like this in our own country?" he asked.

Jatam's coordinator Chalid Muhammad said in April that Jatam refused to take part in activities funded by USAID because of its double standard. "On the one hand USAID supports democratization process, but on the other hand it bans advocacy on American companies which cause problems in Indonesia," Chalid said.

Meanwhile, a source at USAID said that USAID was pressured by the American ambassador to Indonesia in Jakarta. "The ambassador has asked USAID to stop its cooperation with Jatam," the source who asked not to be named said. USAID has no other choices, he said. Moreover, Jatam was considered to have affected American investment in Indonesia, he added. (*)