The 15th INFID CONFERENCE &

The 3rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

ACTIVITY REPORT
INFID’S 15th CONFERENCE AND
3rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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 ACTIVITY REPORT
INFID’S 15TH CONFERENCE AND
3RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

I. INFID Conference

1. Historical Background

INFID (International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development) which was founded in

June 1985 under the name INGI (Inter-NGO Conference on IGGI Matters) is an open and
pluralistic network. Its membership comprises of various NGOs in Indonesia, IGGI (Inter-
Governmental Group on Indonesia) member countries, international organizations and
individuals with the firm commitment and shared concern to advance Indonesia. Since its
inception, INFID has been consistent in providing critical inputs and recommendations to
IGGI member countries regarding distortions in the development agenda implemented in
Indonesia

INFID essentially is intended to facilitate communication between national and international

NGOs, promote policies geared at alleviating structural poverty and building capacity with
the ambition to advance the lives of the poor and the less fortunate in Indonesia. In
addition, INFID strives to ensure that the formulation and implementation of national
policies on development in Indonesia including alternative policies on debt, investment and
trade measures favor the interests of the poorest poor based on the principles of peace and
justice.

INFID therefore aims to create an environment that allows for the strengthening of
democracy in Indonesia through greater public participation in accessing and controlling the
development agenda in Indonesia. It is indeed unquestionable that INFID assumes a crucial
role in the social transformation movement in Indonesia. Its founders projected that a
repressive political climate which Indonesia had experienced in the 1980s will be detrimental
to NGOs in Indonesia in efforts to shape government policies.

In its formative years, INFID’s annual conference and Aide Memoire, that were outcomes
of past conferences, were INFID’s primary lobby efforts. The Aide Memoire was presented
before IGGI members during an assembly in the Netherlands for its annual meeting held in
June. INFID’s first four annual conferences were held in the Netherlands; 1985 in
Amsterdam, 1986 in Noordwijkerhout, 1987 in Zeist and 1988 in Zeewolde. A modest
secretariat was then set up in 1986 to ensure the continuity of these conferences.

INFID’s conference was then relocated outside of the Netherlands since the 1989 meeting
held in April in Nieuwpoort, Belgium. Some 52 participants attended the event, of whom 22
were from Indonesia. The 1989 conference in Belgium resulted in the Brussels incident
where INFID’s aide memoire harshly criticized the human rights violation case of the World
Bank-funded Kedung Ombo reservoir which the government considered to have been an
irresponsible act that blemished Indonesia’s image. At the time, the Indonesian government

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was affronted by INFID’s criticism, declaring it improper for Indonesian NGOs to divulge
the country’s flaws to the international community. As a consequence, many NGOs in
Indonesia were pressured into withdrawing from INFID.

After the 5th conference in 1989 held in Belgium, the next conference was convened in
Bonn, Germany. During the 1991 conference in Washington DC, USA, Abdul Hakim G.
Nusantara, then the director of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI) was
acknowledged by the World Bank and delivered a speech before World Bank officers. The
following year, INFID’s 8th conference was held in Odawara, Japan. Indonesia’s labor
situation then became the focus of the 9th conference in Paris, France held in 1994. In 1996,
land and development was scheduled to be the topic for the 10th conference in Canberra,
Australia but due to the repressive stance of the Indonesian government, Australian NGOs
eventually called off the conference. The same topic however, was finally addressed in Bonn
in 1998. The 12th conference was organized in Bali 1999 which was the first time such
conference was held in Indonesia. In October 2002, INFID organized the 13th conference in
Yogyakarta on "Inequality, Poverty and Impunity: The Challenges of Indonesia in the Era of
Democratization and Globalization". Since early 2005, the position of Executive Secretary
was changed to Executive Director, held by Ivan A. Hadar. Amidst the deteriorating
developmental condition in Indonesia due to poverty, overwhelming debt and large-scale
natural disasters that occurred consecutively across the country, INFID organized the 14th
conference in Jakarta from 16 to 19 November 2005. In line with the situation faced by the
country, the theme aptly chosen for the conference was “Achieving Social Justice through
Poverty Eradication, Debt Relief and Civilian Supremacy in Post-Tsunami Indonesia”.

In the midst of global economic failure with grave repercussions throughout the world –
including Indonesia – signs of Indonesia’s inability to achieve the MDGs (Millennium
Development Goals) are clearly evident as a consequence of ineffective governance as well
as political and economic policies that exclude the poor. In addition, the fragility of
Indonesia’s democracy marked by intensified intolerance amongst the people as well as the
ruthless power struggle of political contenders approaching the impending shift in power as
general elections draws close, became INFID’s concern for the 15th conference on
“Dynamics of Democracy and Economic Development in Indonesia: Reflection of the
Present and Looking Onward to the Future”

2. 15TH INFID Conference

CONFERENCE THEME:

“Dynamics of Democracy and Economic Development in Indonesia: Reflection of

the Present and Looking Onward to the Future”

OBJECTIVES:
1. To review the existing political and economic aspects of democracy in
Indonesia.
2. To look at civil society’s position vis-à-vis democracy and economic
development in Indonesia.
3. To formulate strategies for civil society to strengthen democracy in order to
achieve the substantive objectives for the people.

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 4. To review and re-strategize the role of grassroots movements in developing
people’s economy and democracy.
5. To look at potential cooperation between civil society, government and
private sectors in solving current issues, particularly: poverty, climate change,
and MDGs as a whole.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS:
a. A document on the review of the current democratic situation in Indonesia
formulated by the Conference.
b. A mapping of civil society and an assessment of its role in politics and the
economy of Indonesia.
c. Formulation of a strategy for strengthening civil society to support
democratic consolidation.
d. Formulation of a strategy for developing and strengthening grassroots
movements in support of the development of people’s economy.
e. Formulation of a strategy of engagement and cooperation between civil
society, government and private sector in solving problems related to MDGs
particularly poverty and climate change.

TIME: 25 – 28 OCTOBER 2008

PLACE:
MILLENNIUM HOTEL
JL. FACHRUDIN 3 (KEBON SIRIH)
JAKARTA 10250

3. Conference Preparations

Based on INFID’s articles of association, the organizing of the Conference and General
Assembly (GA) is the responsibility of the Executive Board. The Executive Board meeting
in April 2008 addressed the platform for discussion at INFID’S 15th conference, as well as on
matters pertaining to the time of the event and the formation of the steering committee for
the conference and general assembly. The Executive Board meeting also proposed the
names of resource persons suitable to serve as speakers during INFID’s conference.

ƒ Steering Committee for the Conference:

1. Jhonson Panjaitan 5. Yogie (Yayasan Tanah Merdeka)
2. Titus Odong Kusumajati 6. Wiji (IDEA)
3. Rizal Malik 7. Mathew Easton
4. Saur Tumiur Situmorang 8. Don K. Marut

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The Executive Board meeting in April 2008 also identified the following committee
members for the selection of new Executive Board members:
1. Bob Muntz
2. Pongky Indarti
3. Septer Manufandu (Foker LSM Papua)

Subsequent meetings were more substantive and technical in nature. Substantive meetings
deliberated on speakers for the keynote speech, seminar sessions, round table discussions
and offered a list of changes/inputs. Technical meetings on the other hand were held to
coordinate on all technical aspects related to the conference, the finalization on resource
persons, participants to be invited and job delegation for INFID staff.

ƒ Organizing Committee

All INFID Secretariat staff are involved in preparations and implementation of INFID’s 15th
conference. The conference organizing committee consists of the entire INFID staff with
assistance from one organizing assistant, of which are listed below:
No Name No Name
1 Don K. Marut 9 Jeckson Robinson
2 Dian Kartikasari 10 Suwarno
3 Wahyu Susilo 11 Lia Nurparida
4 Florence 12 Nikmah
5 Misnawati 13 Sabarno
6 Sri Mulyani 14 Wasiton
7 Yaya Suleman 15 Wagimin
8 Wiwit Siswarini (assistant)

4. Implementation

INFID’s 15th CONFERENCE

ƒ Place and Type of Activity

On 27-28 October 2008, INFID organized its 15th conference at Hotel Millennium Jakarta.
The conference focused on the theme “Dynamics of Democracy and Economic
Development in Indonesia: Reflection of the Present and Looking Onward to the
Future”. The conference discussed on strategic issues for input to INFID members
participating in the General Assembly held on 29-20 October 2008 at the same location. The
conference allows members to better understand the agenda for INFID’s program focus for
the next six years and to help them reformulate joint action strategies among INFID
members. 150 representatives, consisting of INFID NGO members and networks,
delegates from embassies and the World Bank attended the conference. INFID’s 15th
conference was made possible with support from Trocaire, Development and Peace, Oxfam
Novib, Oxfam Australia and Ford Foundation

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INFID Conference is divided into two main activities; seminar sessions and round table
discussions. Discussions on selected issues for seminar sessions were held in plenary
meetings while RTDs were essential in encouraging in-depth discussions and in generating
inputs/recommendations on issues previously discussed in seminar sessions.

INFID’s 15th conference was officially opened by Faisal Hadi, an Executive Board member
for the 2005-2008 office term. The event was then followed with an opening address
delivered by M. Dawam Rahardjo who highlighted on the interaction between democracy
and the economy. Dawam Raharjo was of the opinion that democracy and economic
development are two elements that affect each other. Indonesia’s pre- and post-
independence experience had shown that inequalities in economic development tend to
incite political upheavals. Unremitting poverty will provoke the people to start a revolution.
Dawam further mentioned that Indonesia’s best option for the future is to regain the
people’s sovereignty and be bold enough to initiate shifts in paradigms related to economic
development toward greater independence. He went on to say that economic independence
is possible if the government changes its paradigm on the national budget to no longer be
reliant on debt, restore the people’s sovereignty on food, energy and financial matters.
Indonesia urgently needs a second reformation.

ƒ Agenda

The final agenda distributed to conference participants is attached and contains the
following amendments:
• Opening Speech was delivered by Faisal Hadi (INFID Executive Board member
for the 2005-2008 office term).
• Seminar session 1 featured only two speakers as another speaker, B. Herry
Priyono was unable to attend the conference.
• Seminar session 2 also featured only two speakers as Sri-Edi Swasono was unable
to attend and Satish Misra was represented by Prabowo.
• Seminar session 3 also featured two speakers as Eva Kusuma Sundari had to
attend the working group meeting on the anti-pornography bill held in
parliament.
• Q&A session during seminar session 4 had to be postponed to allow the Minister
of Defence time to present an introduction.
• The RTD in the second day had to be rescheduled as Minister of Defence
Juwono Sudarsono who was expected to arrive at 2.30 pm, came earlier at 11.30
am to present an introductory speech on “Military Presence and Democratic
Governance in Indonesia”. This rearrangement had a bearing on RTD
preparations as the short duration between break and the RTD session allowed
less time for the proper layout of the venue.
• Seminar session 5 was only attended by two speakers as towards the final day of
the conference there was still no response from Martha Tilaar on her willingness
to attend INFID’s 15th conference.
• Each RTD was initially planned to be officially opened by ministers according to
the appropriate theme, but only the Minister of Defence attended the event who
was there not to open the RTD but to deliver a general lecture during the plenary

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 session. The minister’s presence was indeed inappropriate for the RTD as it was
only a small-scale forum.

ƒ Participants

INFID conference was attended by some 185 participants representing INFID

members, INFID board and INFID networks. Of those present at the conference (185
people), at least 31% are women and 69% are men. Based on the area of representation,

8o% are from Jakarta, 5% from Java, 5% from Sumatra , 1% from Kalimantan, 2% from
East Nusa Tenggara and Papua, 1 % from Sulawesi and 5% from the international
community.

Presentase Kehadiran berdasarkan Gender

31%

Perempuan
Laki-laki

69%

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 Presentase Peserta Berdasarkan Wilayah
2% Jakarta
2%
1% Jawa

5% 5%
Sumatera
5%
Kalimantan

Sulawesi
80%
Nusa Tenggara dan
Papua
Luar Negeri

ƒ Speakers – (name of speakers, institution represented, topic/title of material and

key questions)

Below are the name of speakers who were present during the seminar and RTD at
INFID’s 15th conference as well as key questions for each topic of discussion.

Keynote Speech: Prof. Drs. Dawam Rahardjo

Dawam Rahardjo replaced Vedi R. Hadiz who was initially slated to deliver the opening
speech at INFID’s 15th conference. Vedi was absent at the conference as he was in
Australia and had to return immediately to his university in Singapore.

Seminar Session I discussed the theme “Democracy and State Sovereignty” moderated
by Usman Hamid (Kontras).

1. Prof. Dr. Mohtar Mas’oed, Lecturer at Gadjah Mada’s Faculty of Social

and Political Studies: “Bureaucracy in Support of a People-Oriented Governance”?:
A Look at the State’s Role in Economic Development”
• What is the role of bureaucracy in democracy and economic
development?
• What type of bureaucracy is required to tackle current and future
political and economic challenges?

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2. Donatus K. Marut, Executive Director of INFID: “Civil Society in
International Interaction: A Necessity and Challenge for Civil Society”
• To what extent can demands for changes at the global level be
transformed into changes at the national and local levels?
• To what extent can changes at the national and local levels be reflected at
the global level?
• Do actors of civil society in Indonesia have the capacity to participate in
this relatively new opportunity?

Seminar Session II discussed the theme “Political Economy of Government Economic

Policies” moderated by Danang Widoyoko.

1. Ahmad Erani Yustika, Ph.D, MSc, Executive Director of INDEF:

“Political Economy of Government Policies”
• Economic policies during the New Order government.
• Reverse economic reform measures practiced in Indonesia.

The speaker was a substitute for Dradjad Wibowo who had to attend to his
parliamentary duties.

2. Prabowo, Strategic Asia: “Corruption, Economic Growth and Anti Corruption

Policy: Lessons for Indonesia”
• What lessons can be drawn from today’s anti-corruption movement
and efforts?
• What strategy is required in the future in order to build good
governance in all levels in Indonesia to eradicate corruption?
• What is the role of civil society organizations?

Prabowo was speaking on behalf of Satish Misra from Strategic Asia to

present Strategic Asia’s policy brief on corruption in Indonesia.

Seminar Session III discussed on the theme “Civil Society and Substantive
Democracy” moderated by Antarini Arna

1. Nur Imam Subono (DEMOS): “From ‘Civil Society’ to a ‘Democratic Political

Block’: Problems and Challenges for Indonesia”
• Does the public accept and respond to political parties?
• What is the public’s perception of civil society’s involvement in politics
at the local and national levels?
• What options are most suitable for actors of civil society?

2. Masruchah, Indonesian Women’s Coalition (KPI): “Women’s Position in

Indonesian Politics: Reflection on Political Education for Women”
ƒ Are women’s aspirations and interests being voiced or represented by
women chosen in general elections?

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 ƒ What key challenges should be overcome to encourage more women in
politics?

Seminar Sessions IV discussed the theme “Grassroots Movement” moderated by

Daniel Lasimpo.

1. Erpan Faryadi, AGRA Coordinator (Agrarian Reform Movement

Alliance): “Reasons Behind Farmers’ Involvement in the Politics of Land Reform”
• What are the failures of agrarian reform in Indonesia?
• What must farmers do to bring about agrarian reform in years to
come?
• What are examples of farmers’ actions in tackling changes and in their
fight to survive?

2. Dr. Meuthia Gani Rochman, University of Indonesia: “Corporate Social

Responsibility as a Social Movement”
ƒ Why is CSR regarded as a social movement?
ƒ The role and relationship of the government and civil society
associated with CSR.

3. Keni Mayabubun, FOKER LSM Papua: “Investment and Land Appropriation of Papua’s
Indigenous Societies”
• Are there other more effective strategies to improve the economic condition of
indigenous communities in Papua?
• What is the role of civil society?
• What is the role of international bodies and the private sector?
• What are the failures of agrarian reform in Indonesia?

Seminar Session V discussed the theme “People’s Economy: Challenges and

Opportunities” moderated by Wahyu Susilo

1. Kholiq Arief, District Head of Wonosobo: “Empowerment of Micro, Small

and Medium Enterprises: The Experience of Wonosobo District”
• Experience of Wonosobo District in empowering micro, small and
medium business units.
• Economic potential of Wonosobo District.

2. Drs. Bambang Ismawan, MS, Founder of Bina Swadaya Foundation

and Practitioner of Micro-and Mini-Finance: “Micro-and Mini-finance:
Financing for the Sustainable Livelihood of the Poor”
• Experiences that can be shared on initiatives aimed at
eradicating poverty through the availability of financing for the
poor and in ensuring the continuity of their institutions.
• What is your in-depth analysis of policies and programs on
poverty eradication?

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Round Table Discussions: (Parallel Meetings)

Round Table 1 discussed the issue of “Climate Change and Poverty”

moderated by Chalid Muhammad

1. Timothy H. Brown, Sr. Natural Resource Management Specialist,

World Bank: “Indonesia, the World Bank and Climate Change”
• What are World Bank policies on climate change at the global
level and in particular in Indonesia?
• How can these policies be implemented through partnerships
with other sectors?

2. Dr. Ir. Dwi Andreas Santosa, MS, Lecturer from the Bogor
Institute of Agriculture: “Lessons from International Negotiations
on Climate Change: Neglected Farmers in Developing Countries”
• What is your analysis of the process and substance of
international negotiations on climate change?
• What can civil society, the local government and the business
community do?

3. Berry N. Furqan, Executive Secretary of WALHI: “Climate

Change and Challenges for the Poor”
• Analysis on the impact of climate change on the poor.
• What is the impact of mitigation and adaptation policies for the
poor?
• What are the strategies devised by civil society for the poor in
relation to climate change?

Round Table 2 discussed the issue of “Progress in Security Sector

Reform” moderated by Dr. Makmur Keliat

1. Matthew Easton, Human Rights First, New York: “Human

Rights and Security Sector Reform”
• What is your analysis on security sector reform seen from the
perspective of international human rights?
• What is your analysis on the integration of human rights into
U.S. foreign policy in relation to the support for the security
sector?

2. Lieutenant General (Retired) Agus Widjojo, Advisor to the

President: “Civilian Oversight of Indonesian Security Sector”
• What is the conceptualization and operationalization of civilian oversight
of the security sector in Indonesia?

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 • What are the possible methods for the strengthening of civilian
oversight?
• What are the requirements for civil society?
• What is the legal underpinning required for civilian oversight of the
security sector?

3. Inspector General Hasjim Irianto, SH, KADITBANKUM,

Indonesian Police Force: “Indonesia’s Police Reform”
• What are the concepts and strategies for reform measures in
the Indonesian police force?
• What policies have been adopted?
• Policies that need to be proposed in the future?

4. Poengky Indarti, IMPARSIAL: “Indonesia and ICCPR”

• How is the implementation of ICCPR in Indonesia?
• What can be observed and learned from the implementation of ICCPR in
Indonesia?

5. Natsuko Saeki, Sophia University: “Mineral Resources, Security Sector Reform in

Indonesia: Japanese Role and Position”

• Role and position of Japan in relation to mineral resources and security

sector reform in Indonesia.

Round Table 3 discussed the theme “Bilateral, Regional and

Multilateral Economic Cooperation: Challenges and Opportunities”
moderated by Binny Buchori

1. Sam Pormes (former Senator of the Netherlands): “European

Union and Indonesia: What Mutual Benefits?”
• What are EU policies toward Asia particularly Indonesia?
• What benefits can be derived by Indonesia in forging relations
with the European Union?

2. Dr. James Riker (University of Maryland): “US Foreign Policy and

Indonesia, focusing on the Barrack Obama Effect”
• What is the latest debate and trend in U.S. foreign policy?
• What benefits and opportunities are available to Indonesia?
• What is the impact of US-Indonesia relationship in light of the presence
of new US President Barrack Obama?

3. Filomena Sta. Ana III (Social Watch, Philippines): “ASEAN

Regional Cooperation: the Way Forward”

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 • What are the benefits and drawbacks of greater integration among
ASEAN countries?
• Who benefits and loses the most from such integration?

4. Robert Muntz (Green Party, Australia): “Indonesia and Australia:

a New Phase of Cooperation”

• What new developments in Australian foreign policy and developmental

cooperation particularly concerning Australia’s new “Asia-oriented”
policy?

Round Table 4 discussed the theme “Food Crisis and Future Food
Self-Sufficiency Policy in Indonesia” moderated by Ayi Bunyamin

1. Prof. Dr. Ir. Tien R. Muchtadi, Ms (IPB). “Indonesian Food

Policy: External Challenges and Opportunities”
• What is the food policy in Indonesia?
• How can Indonesia deal with external challenges and seize
opportunities?

2. Fransiskus Welirang, MBA, General Manager of PT Indofood.

“Food Self-Sufficiency: The Role of the Business Sector”
• How can the business community advance food self-
sufficiency?
• How can the business sector contribute?
• What are the key challenges and opportunities in establishing
cooperation between the business community and farmers?

3. Dr. Bustanul Arifin (INDEF Economist): “Indonesia’s Food

Policy: Bringing the Farmers Back-in”
• Does the food policy in particular and the agricultural policy in
general still position farmers as the central actors?
• What can be observed and learned from food and agricultural
policies in terms of domestic production and distribution in
relation to food export and import policies?

4. Riza T. Tjahjadi, Biotani Indonesia “Farmers’ Rights to

Invention: Intellectual Property Rights of Farmers”

1. What can be observed and learned from infringements to the

intellectual property rights of farmers particularly in relation to
the adoption of local wisdom and knowledge as well as
proscriptions imposed on farmers in their efforts to innovate.

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Round Table 5 discussed the theme “Foreign Debt and Development
Financing” moderated by Dr. Ivan A. Hadar
1. Novel Anwar, Indonesian Supreme Audit Agency
2. Iman Sugema, Intercafe
3. A. Prasetyantoko, Atmajaya University
4. Don K. Marut, INFID

Speakers were requested to elaborate further on the extent to which the

private sector in Indonesia relies on foreign funding sources and how
this will affect national economy and the necessary government
measures to control foreign financing, both public and private debts.

Discussion on the “Response toward Global Economic Crisis and its

Impact on Indonesia”

Discussions centered on the global economic crisis and its ramifications

specifically related to capital markets worldwide and in Indonesia. Issues covered
the insolvency of several established financial investment corporations in the
world and in Indonesia, the stock exchange situation in Indonesia as well as
government policies in dealing with the crisis particularly regarding the
plummeting share prices in capital markets and banking.

Resource person:
1. Yanuar Rizky
2. Iman Sugema
3. Prasetyantoko
4. Dawam Rahardjo.

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ƒ Seminar and RTD

The conference is divided into two main sessions: seminar and round table discussion. Key
topics of discussion raised in these sessions included:

Central Ideas in Seminar:

¾ THE ECONOMY AND STATE SOVEREIGNTY

™ Two options in world economic development is either to embrace the neo-liberal
approach or follow the path of the democratic socialist. These two choices
however, are not entirely failure proof. Examples are the collapse of the
democratic socialist-driven Russian economy and the failure of the U.S. economy
in adopting the neo-liberal approach.
™ Indonesia must choose its own bearing and the path forward for the country is
economic democracy.
™ The two pillars of economic democracy are:
o The widest possible participation for all people.
o Emancipation (liberating the people from poverty, exploitation and
discrimination toward greater equality).
™ Two factors that contribute to the U.S. economic failure:
o political imperialism (world hegemony through military engagement
including Iraq’s invasion)
o creation of a bubble economy known in Islam as riba (interest).
™ To free Indonesia from the crisis, both political and economic aspects must
undergo fundamental changes.
™ The ontology of a self-reliant economy and politics essentially is dependent on:
o Finance and capital,
o Knowledge and technology,
o Market or trade,
o Food, energy and ecology.
™ To return to the path that leads toward democracy, Indonesia must take a step
backward in order to gain full speed ahead en route for economic revival that will
elevate Indonesia into an emerging economic powerhouse.
™ Indonesia must build its own pillars of economic independence:
o Revert to a sustainable natural resource-based development strategy that
underscores agricultural progress in its broadest meaning, covering field-
farm-based agriculture, plantation, animal breeding, land and maritime fishery
as well as forestry, as part of efforts to ensure food self-reliance and
sovereignty, energy self-sufficiency and environmental replenishment.
o Initiate social and economic transformations based on the combined
principles of comparative advantage and competitive advantage through
technological edge and quality human resource.
o To pull the country out from capital entrapment and the financial crisis,
development in Indonesia must first release itself from any form of
financial dependence which is the core of capitalism and move on to

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 alternative capital such as natural capital or natural resources, human
capital, financial capital, social capital, knowledge capital or intellectual
capital, cultural capital and spiritual capital.
o Reach financial independence by creating a surplus budget system by
exploring local funds through the banking and financial systems in
replacement of foreign debt.
o In this respect, a new national banking structure needs to be established
by substituting the centralized banking system with a more decentralized
arrangement. Under this transformation, national banks will be replaced
by regional banking headquartered in the capital of provinces with
branches at the district level and supported by micro-financial institutions
at the sub-district level.
o Promote industrialization driven by micro, small and medium enterprises.
o Build a network of cooperatives from the village to city levels including
financial and marketing cooperatives as well as production, consumption
and service cooperatives. Micro, small and medium business units should
be strengthened with people’s economy empowerment programs.

The economic democracy system is essentially a substitute for the market sovereignty
system towards people-based economic sovereignty reinforced by two principles:
economic participation and social economic emancipation supported by people’s
economic empowerment with a regulated financial market system. This strategy is
intended to eliminate all tendencies toward exploitation, discrimination and
predation which are the traits of a free market economy.

SEMINAR SESSION 1.

State Sovereignty :

Mochtar Mas’ud :
™ Bureaucracy is an inevitable part of the government.
™ Democracy ensures that bureaucracy works for the people. The people’s
grievance however is clear, as bureaucracy remains unresponsive toward the
needs and wants of citizens.
™ Most bureaucratic systems place priority on doing the thing rightly instead of
doing the right thing.
™ Three models of government bureaucracy: activist, liberal and republican.
It can be concluded that the public is active in the economic, industrial
and commercial aspects while the government actively protects a strong
and outstanding presidential leadership. A defence mechanism that
maintains national economic development and is protectionist in nature.
o Bureaucratic objective of each model: effectiveness as well as a strong
and sustainable organization.
™ The fundamental questions are:

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 o Has bureaucracy been truly responsive toward the demands of the
people?
o Has democracy allowed the people to participate in discussions on shared
concerns and in the decision-making process?
o A recurring issue is when matters related to democracy is being dealt with
the use of technocracy.
o What can civil society do to achieve democracy and change the
bureaucratic system?

International Cooperation

Don K. Marut
™ The government is a representation of the state in contributing to the
formulation and reaching of agreements on governance at the international
level.
™ Agreements at the international level bring consequences that are unfair for
Indonesia and other developing or poor countries as they provide more
benefit and advantages to advanced nations.
™ National interest should be protected by the government of Indonesia in
each and every international gathering.
™ Indonesia’s national interest, in reality is not protected by the government in
international negotiations. Every representative from government
departments/institutions determine their own stance due to the absence of a
standard formulation on national interest related to issues/topics being
discussed.
™ Reform measures in the UN firmly emphasized on the need to expand civil
society participation in all fields. Civil society engagement in global
governance is not a choice but a necessity.
™ Global economic and political powers however, have set up their own
NGOs aligned with their vision and objectives, and to vote for their causes
during deliberations at the international decision-making level.
™ Civil society at the national and global levels must orchestrate their efforts in
order to shape global agreements that are more in favor of the common
people, uphold human rights and serve overall national interests (in the
economic, political, social, cultural and environmental sectors).
™ In Indonesia, however there are now efforts to control civil society in
Indonesia, such as through the Home Affairs Ministerial Decree No 3/2008
that requires the approval of the Home Affairs Department or the local
government if civil society plans to establish cooperation with civil societies
from other countries.

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SEMINAR SESSION 2

Political Economy of Government Policies

Ahmad Erani Yustika

™ The administration of the state requires legitimization in two aspects:
pragmatic and ethical.
™ Pragmatic legitimization in the economic sector refers to the presence of
rational economic models such as economic growth, inflation target, income
percapita and others considered capable of stimulating higher economic
growth, curbing inflation, increasing income percapita and boosting export.
™ One important political philosophy when discussing economic issues is on
how to create social justice where shared values such as social well-being or
better income should receive higher priority.
™ The economic strategy already introduced in Indonesia is to push for
industrialization and in pragmatic terms entail the need to strengthen
economic variables.
™ In ethical terms, it is crucial to observe the relationship between the
government as the agent responsible for producing regulations on
governance including in the economic sector, with the people and the
portion set aside for the people.
™ Despite the encouraging progress toward democracy in Indonesia, there is
still the absence of truly credible legal institutions.
™ The State has yet to assume an ideal role in relation to legal policies due to
the strong influence of capital in legal institutions.
™ Market forces play a vital role in stabilizing the economy.
™ Government-run companies are expected to thrive when competing with
other state-owned enterprises in all sectors.
™ The private sector is further encouraged through the lifting of restrictions on
import licenses.
™ Foreign investment and foreign debt are crucial instruments in stimulating
domestic investment.
™ Through proper economic policies, the agricultural sector and small-scale
business units can become sources of benefit for the people.
™ The assumption that a free market will proceed rapidly is indeed a fallacy.
™ A significant portion of the economic sector should indeed be handed over
to the private sector (private-owned companies). The issue here is not in the
handing over of economic activities to the private sector but on how to
establish a governance system for state-owned enterprises similar to the
mechanism adopted by private-run companies.
™ Export-oriented trade policies have proven to be effective in increasing the
efficiency and competitiveness of the people in a particular country and thus
help bolster investment opportunities and better growth.
™ The government concentrates on making drastic changes to the ownership
rights of economic sources toward greater access to private property rights.
There are many examples of this including in relation to water resource.

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™ The agricultural sector is inclined toward liberalization by having no control
of prices and failing to initially set up robust production and distribution
systems and as a consequence a much lower bargaining position of farmers.
™ Liberalization is extensively carried out on all commodities with implications
on economic reform in Indonesia. The sector affected by economic reform is
the agricultural sector where its condition continues to deteriorate and
prompts economic marginalization particularly on small-scale economic
players including the case of traditional markets.
™ Growth in the financial sector that fails to boost the real sector. In reality, the
growth of a credible economic sector (agriculture, industry and trade) has
experience a downward spiral from year to year whereas the non-credible
sector (finance, transportation, service and telecommunication) is marked by
an incremental growth rate.
™ Land reform should not be a discourse but must be dealt with seriously as
Indonesia is now experiencing an imbalance in land ownership at a level of
0.7- 0.8%.
™ To produce a statute that ensures equality in the relationship between
economic actors. This concept in extremely relevant for the agricultural
sector where farmers are relegated to an inferior level compared to other
economic actors.
™ Transparency in the policy-making process is increasingly at a worrying state
as capital interests have become the key factor in influencing the shape and
nature of policies where no other instruments can prevent capital from
interfering with the decision-making process.
™ The need to develop a comprehensive social security mechanism that ensures
the actual realization of social justice as embodied in the country’s political
philosophical mandate.

Economic Growth and Anti-Corruption Policies

Prabowo
™ There are several short-lived evidence which concluded that corruption does
not entirely obstructs economic growth rate.
™ Democracy is not a given condition. Democracy continually evolves and
transforms in line with challenges faced by a country.
™ The transitional process leading towards democracy instead weakens
economic growth.
™ The anti-corruption movement at present is still incapable of effectively
curbing corrupt practices because its agenda is now targeted more on
corruption with large-scale impact.
™ Anti-corruption activities are now geared more toward the issue of
accountability which in truth has become a severe problem. A whole set of
problems emerge in relation to accountability particularly when
accountability is regarded only as being accountable to accountants.

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™ An open dialogue should be initiated on available resources that can help
deal with these issues.
™ Multi-loan projects are no longer permitted as they result in the breaking
down of multi-year projects into at least five to six months each year to allow
for checks and balances which will only create an ineffective governance
system.
™ A national debate on a broad scale has never been held to explore on ways to
manage and implement the democratic process.
™ The partial interpretation of issues on democracy will only open up
opportunities that will impede the achievement of good governance.
™ It is now more important to address the need to empower civil society in
attaining greater social well-being.

Discussion
™ Indonesia is currently still in the transition process and has yet to develop an
appropriate concept or order to shape the future of the country.
™ In any country, corruption cannot be surmounted in a short span of time.
Even to this day, not a single political party has seriously and wholeheartedly
showed support for anti-corruption programs.
™ Democracy is not simply about freedom but also means effective
governance. If democracy fails to bring about an effective governance then a
dictator will emerge from this process of democratization.
™ Our joint concern is to work towards ensuring that stakeholders share the
same vision to push for government policies that are more advantageous to
middle-to-lower economic groups. A proposed strategy is to multiply
investment for community empowerment which will allow the people greater
participation in the decision-making process. If this fails then we will
continue to become witnesses to government measures and policies that will
never fend for the common people.
™ Providing there are no tangible changes to asset ownership rights, then the
exploitation of one economic actor by another will be unavoidable and hence
poverty will persists and hard to curtail. Projects intended to eradicate
poverty are cause for celebration for irresponsible policy makers as well as
those who profit from each poverty-eradication program.
™ Efforts should be made to further encourage and empower civil society as
there will come a time when political parties will eventually crystallize and
targets must be set on which direction to take.
™ Although systems may repeatedly change or altered in any form and shape,
nothing can completely eradicate corruption.
™ Absence of a new concept in the economic sector system in Indonesia.

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SEMINAR SESSION 3

Civil Society & Politics

Nur Iman Subono

™ Civil society in reality is:

o Unorganized
o Fragmented
o Cynical toward political parties (non partisan)
™ Four conclusions from the Demos research (presentation):
o Democracy deficit
o Quasi representation
o Oligarchic democracy
o Ambiguous democracy
™ The realities during one decade of reform:
o Democracy is accepted as part of an instrument that help shape the
political framework.
o An end to the repressive tactics of the state.
o Emergence of a new form of repression not inflicted by the state but by
thugs and militias.
™ Presence of a national political community.
™ Presence of an adequate and functioning national political framework for the
democratization process.
™ Within the local political context, the presence of local communalism is
clearly noticeable. In regional head elections and on the issue of the
restructuring of local governments, one’s identity as a member of a certain
faith- or ethnic-based community unmistakably counts.
™ An elitist form of democratic consolidation that leads to the politics of order.
™ Involvement in the reform of political parties or decision makers.
™ Importance of affiliation with a political block.

Women’s Position in Indonesian Politics

Masruchah
™ Inequality in the role and position of women in politics. A gap acknowledged
worldwide.
™ These are injustices that prevail in all systems: bureaucracy, apparatus,
political party, parliament, village representative council and others.
™ In 2004, provisions on affirmative action and quota have been adopted in the
Law on General Elections, although these are non-binding in nature.
Women’s representation in politics remains insignificant as political parties
abide by a patriarchal system and voters are predisposed to elect male
politicians.
™ The strategy adopted by the civil society movement is to increase the
representation of women:

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 o Political education for the people Æ to shift the mind-set of the public
on women’s leadership and women’s political representation.
o Hierarchical political education for cadres.
o Encourage members to participate in strategic areas such as the General
Elections Commission, Elections Supervisory Agency, political parties,
development planning meetings and others.
™ A common issue today concerns the emergence of a large number of women
political cadres but who are defeated for the lack of financial means.
™ The main challenge is on how to put an end to money politics including in
the recruitment of legislative candidates by political parties.

Discussion
™ The law provides the framework for the realization of political rights but
citizens remain reluctant to make full use of available opportunities.
™ NGO activists who enter political parties often do not set boundaries and
thus many affiliate themselves with any political party without inquiring into
its history and background.
™ Many political parties remain ambiguous and there should be institutions that
can encourage political parties to become more democratic.

The inclusion of civil society into the political domain should be regarded as an
advantage for democracy. Aversion and skepticism will only revive past
suppressive practices and norms. Potential women in terms of number and
capacity must be encouraged to assume a greater role in ensuring democratic
consolidation.

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DAY II

SEMINAR SESSION IV

Farmers and the Politics of Land Reform

Erpan Faryadi
™ The enactment of the Agrarian Law is in response to inequalities in land
ownership.
™ It was based on existing social class composition that started off the
organizing of politics instigated by one party known as PKI through BTI.
™ The organizing of politics according to social class brought about the
radicalization of the 1960s.
™ Our perspective in examining today’s agrarian structure could either be the
same or different from the standpoint of the 1960s. If such perception has
changed then the organizing strategy must also be adjusted accordingly and
its political structure modified.
™ Four factors that hampers the implementation of the Agrarian Law since
1962 are: (i) the slow pace of government measures in exercising the right of
the state to take control; (ii) the demands of the farmers’ community
(organization) for the immediate redistribution of land and thus results in a
one-sided course of action; (iii) anti-land reform elements have mobilized a
contesting power with the ploy to circumvent and even thwart land reform
measures – which can also be considered as a one-sided action; and (iv) acts
of violence between pro- and anti-land reform advocates.
™ The dominance of landowners is the cause for land reform failures between
1962-1965. The power of land proprietors has aborted plans to seize control
of lands as the result of failed politics where the organizing of politics should
be able to produce a well-functioning political system. The struggle to bring
victory to farmers is currently the supremacy of political cleavage instead of
class politics.
™ Three manifestations of the emergence of farmers’ movement notably in 3
areas are plantation, forestry and mining.
™ Forest concessions are intensely exploited by concession holders and as a
result have compelled farmers to band together in the hope of taking control
of forest areas or as a form of resistance particularly among indigenous
societies inhabiting areas in proximity to mining sites.
™ Restlessness among farmers is always evident in the weakening of their
economy and in farmer’s politics.
™ The agrarian structure of the New Order administration is a continuation and
strengthening of the colonial-era system which inevitably incited the farmers’
movement.
™ What remains dormant to this day is the potential of political
movements to capitalize on the farmers’ movement.

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Investment and the Appropriation of Papua’s Communal Land
Kenny Mayabubun

Three factors that prompt land appropriation in Papua:

™ Abundance of land and natural resource potential in Papua.
™ Papuans are considered to be backward and dense people (in terms of health
and education and they are economically and politically deficient).
™ Papua is perceived to be a backwater province.

Supporting factors:
a) Central government policy (development oriented towards economic growth
as well as sector-based laws insensitive to the people)
b) Local government policy (absence of sectoral-based laws on special
autonomy; governor’s policy to build a new Papua do not include for
instance special provisions on natural resources)
c) Papua as a frontier and conflict zone (military engagement) is often used as
justification for military presence that endorses the release of Papuan natives’
control over their own communal land as is the case in Kerom.
d) Investment (mining, oil palm and others); transmigration program;
development of infrastructure and facilities as well as the restructuring of
administrative areas where Papua now has 36 regencies from the previous 10
regencies. Of the 36 regencies, more than half local governments maintain
their offices in Jayapura and only make an appearance once a month. This is
due to the lack of office facilities and other supporting infrastructure.
Establishing these administrative facilities require swathes of land which will
in turn entail the need to take control of communal land. The situation
therefore is not only an investment issue but also a government policy.
e) In favor of development and progress, the people and province of Papua
must be raised from the depths of “backwardness and underdevelopment”.
For this purpose, Papua is in dire need of oil palm plantation, a transPapua
network, free ports, embankments and other vital infrastructure. The
government believes that all these will elevate Papua’s well-being.
f) Natural resource exploitation has used up much of Papua’s land notably by
forest concession holders operating across the province particularly West
Papua. Almost 1 million hectares under the control of companies are located
in Merauke and another 1 million hectares are spread over Timika and other
areas.

Corporate Social Responsibility as a Social Movement

Meutia Gani-Rochman
™ Social movement involves masses of people rooting for change, therefore
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a form of social movement.
™ CSR is a corporate policy that takes into account its impact on the social and
economic welfare of the people beyond mere considerations of production
profitability.
™ CSR is still much discussed and developed in business schools and through
public communication. As companies continue to grapple with the issue of

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 managing its own demands, CSR is far from becoming a fundamental
movement capable of bringing constructive changes to the people.
™ The role of civil society in most countries is confined to criticism, facilitation,
partnerships and endorsements.
™ CSR should evolve from being a voluntary act to an obligation.
™ In many countries, CSR has forged partnerships with civil society. In
Indonesia, this is not the case.
™ Critique: CSR development associated with the theory of development.
™ The case for Indonesia reveals that CSR is encumbered by many obstacles.

Juwono Soedarsono, Indonesian Minister of Defence

™ The government’s vision on defence and security includes the separation of
the Indonesian armed forces and the police force.
™ Defence sector reform aims to ensure that the police and legal institutions
are capable of serving the interests of both the privileged and the deprived as
well as allow greater economic and legal access and fair treatment for all.
™ The social and economic platform must be improved upon to allow the less
fortunate with proper access and capacity on par with the more affluent.
™ The Department of Defence only supports the political agenda but places
civil rights at the lowest priority. Sub-district and village-level governments
should ensure effective administration based on economic strength.
™ The Defence Department should demonstrate the firm commitment to help
strengthen civil rights from the lowest level to the highest authority.
™ In addition, there is also the urgent need to involve and empower civil
society.
™ Security is not measured from the number of tanks or armed weapons but on
the extent to which civil society feels secure.

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SEMINAR SESSION V

Empowerment of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Lessons from

Wonosobo District

Kholiq Arief, District Head of Wonosobo

™ Advancing micro, small and medium business units require political
commitment in decision-making at the government (executive) level and in
parliament. This commitment should be reflected in concrete programs and
budget allocation. Priority on micro, small and medium enterprises also
touches on the issue of supporting infrastructure, alternative sources of
financing and improving human resource, all of which are geared at
eradicating poverty.
™ Promoting these business units will help raise the economic status of
households, bolster the role of community-based groups for the
advancement of democracy and the economy including the role of women.

Bambang Ismawan
Small- and medium-sized enterprises as well as micro-finance are potent forces
that can help support the economy of the people.

A large number of departments carry out programs for small- and medium-sized
enterprises as well as micro-credit but are mostly project-based and non-
sustainable.

Some elements of civil society also run programs on small- and medium-scale
business units as well as micro-finance which can be developed further to help
sustain the economy, promote democracy and become a driving force for
economic resilience.

Challenges
™ Lack of understanding and knowledge on opportunities associated with
micro-credit as well as small- and medium-scale enterprises as instruments
for empowerment.
™ Low level expertise on financial management.
™ Restrictions in accessing capital sources.
™ Absence of a legal framework and the necessary regulations.

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¾ CENTRAL IDEAS IN ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION (RTD)

RTD I : Climate Change and Poverty

9 Climate change is a certainty with serious repercussions to the people.
9 Climate change is the effect of global scale development models that
prioritizes purely on economic gain (investment, deforestation, agricultural
schemes) that contribute to global warming.
9 Climate change may trigger a whole range of disasters: floods, famine,
epidemics as well as geographical and weather changes.
9 Tackling climate change necessitates fundamental policy changes on a global
and national scale related to politics, the economy, social, culture, agriculture
and the environment.
9 The importance of organizing efforts and education on climate change.
9 Civil society at the local, national and global levels need to build solidarity in
order to shape future policies that are impartial and emphasize on the
negative impact of climate change.

RTD II: Progress of security sector reform

9 Actors in the defence and security sector consider that reform measures
introduced in this sector have had significant positive impact on efforts to
build democracy and strengthen human rights.
9 Civil society as the external party observing this sector sees a different picture
as there are no substantial changes and impact from the security sector
reform. This is apparent in widespread violations and or tolerant attitude of
state apparatus in allowing the persistent repressive acts of non-state actors.
9 Successful reform measures will influence democracy and the realization of
human rights (particularly civil and political rights)
9 It is crucial to establish a shared understanding on clear targets to achieve
objectives and the timeframe of security sector reform.
9 The use of a benchmark in introducing reform measures.
9 Strengthening of the role of civil society in carrying out security sector
reform.

RTD III. Bilateral and regional ties

9 Indonesia cannot exist on its own but is one of the many countries in the
world needing regional and international relationships.
9 Indonesia needs to prioritize within the geopolitical context.
9 The financial crisis is recognized as the cause for the erosion in international
solidarity as each and everyone are preoccupied with overcoming problems
faced by the respective countries. It is important for civil society
organizations to be mindful of this.
9 This crisis is the result of the absence of regulation, but which type of
regulation?

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9 Indonesia’s bilateral relationship with Europe and the U.S. is important
because Indonesia plays a central role in forging such ties; thus the reason for
us to enhance our bargaining position.
9 We must soon view ASEAN as an institution that deserves advocacy by civil
society organizations and also continue to provide public education and
consolidation with the grassroots.
9 Strengthen the people of Indonesia in assuming a broader role in bilateral
and regional cooperation.
9 Strengthen civil society to participate/intervene in dialogues as well as in
bilateral and regional cooperation.

RTD IV Food Crisis and Food Self-Sufficiency

9 Food crisis at the global level is the result of economic policies that sides
more with industrialization and unfair food trading.
9 Food crisis at the national level (Indonesia) is actually due to the prevailing
perception of rice as the only source of food when in fact there is also all
kinds of tubers to rely on for food. It is therefore necessary to build food
diversity.
9 Ineffective policies related to agriculture, agrarian, water management and
food trading are implemented at the national level.
9 The need for accurate policies to be free from reliance on food import.
9 Dual choices in ensuring the protection of farmers’ intellectual
creativity must be developed.

RTD V Debt
9 Initiatives have been carried out to ease debt burden through debt relief
(illegitimate debt) and debt swap.
9 Consolidation with civil society to align perception on illegitimate debt.
9 The importance of conducting audits on central and local governments’ debt.
9 The need to perform various forms of debt audits: thematic audit,
performance audit and loan agreement-based audit.

¾ Special Discussion on the Economic Situation

ƒ The global economic crunch which started in the U.S. is the result of the
failure to pay off housing loans, financial miscalculations among others in
determining bank interest rates as well as information inaccuracies on the
business and financial situation.
ƒ The collapse of the economy has forced the U.S. government to bailout
businesses on the brink of bankruptcy.
ƒ In Indonesia, the economic crisis specifically in the stock markets has
resulted in the plunging of the share value of various companies.
ƒ The Bakrie corporation owns repurchase agreements and government
measures shield domestic investors by using funds from the national
budget.
ƒ The crisis situation in the U.S. and Indonesia is different; where more
than 60% of the American population are engaged in share trading while
in Indonesia, only 2% are involved in stock buying and selling.

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 ƒ The global economic slump has resulted in lower export level for
Indonesia and the price hike of commodities that rely on imported
materials and components.

5.Media Advisory
Throughout the conference, INFID’s information officer has issued three media
advisories on:
b. 15th INFID Conference: Dynamics of Democracy and Economic Development
in Indonesia – Reflection of the Present and Looking Onward to the Future.
c. 15th INFID Conference: Indonesia at a Crossroad
d. 15th INFID Conference: Is Indonesia Still a Sovereign State?

The three media advisories are accessible at INFID’s website at www.infid.org

6. Lesson Learned

Preparations for INFID’s 15th Conference was relatively brief with many valuable
lessons drawn from the experience. Among the lessons learned from organizing the
conference include:

a. Link between the process and substance of the seminar with the round table
discussion according to objectives spelled out in ToR:
• Discussions that examine the present situation associated with democracy
and the economy.
• Discussion on the role of civil society in today’s democracy and the
economy.
• Initiatives to reformulate strategies devised by civil society to strengthen
democracy in order to achieve objectives set out by the people.
• Initiatives to heighten the role of civil society based on counseling and
assistance or membership aimed at reinforcing civil society movement that
contribute to economic development and democratic consolidation.
• Initiatives to foster cooperation between civil society, the government and
private sector in dealing with the economic crisis and today’s democratic
situation particularly in tackling poverty and achieving MDGs, impact of
climate change and security sector reform.
Through these outcomes, ToR objectives can be achieved.
b. Link between process and substance with the expected output includes: result of
discussions and reviews in seminars and RTDs are reexamined and agreed upon
as an organizational mandate.
c. The majority of conference participants are from Jakarta due to budget
constraints in providing adequate facilities for participants coming from outside
of Jakarta. Not all invitees from outside of Jakarta were able to attend the
conference as INFID could only cover for one-trip expenses for members and
other participants.
d. Women’s participation is disproportionate to men’s attendance in the seminar.
This is due to the small number of women’s organizations in INFID’s
membership.

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II. INFID’S 3rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1. Activity

The General Assembly (GA) is held once in every 3 (three) years. The agenda for the
3rd General Assembly included:
1. Accountability report of the Executive Board for the 2005-2008 period.
2. Commission meeting of INFID members to discuss on issues related to the
accountability of the Executive Board, programs and strategies for 2008-2011,
institutional development and recommendations.
3. Discussions on the structure of the new Executive Board and the criteria of
Executive Board members.
4. Selection of Executive Board and Supervisory Board members for the 2008-
2011term of office.

2. Process

GA was officially opened by Poengky Indarti acting as the Chair of INFID’s

Executive Board for the 2005-2008 office term and followed with the election of
Antarini Arna as the assembly’s Chair, Kenny Mayabubun for Vice-Chair and
Valentina Sri Wijiyati for Secretary.

The assembly’s agenda then continued with the accountability and financial reports
from the Executive Board for the 2005-2008 period and carried on with a
presentation by Bob Muntz on the proposed new structure of the Executive Board.
Recommendations covered the role and position of the International Board in
INFID’s executive structure. Bob Muntz proposed that board members must come
from organizations that are members of INFID. The Executive Board will carry out
its role and function in compliance with INFID’s article of association which is to
oversee the execution of the GA’s mandate and the duties of the Secretariat.

International board members shall act as advisors on advocacy substance and

strategy at the international level as well as to assist in international lobbying and will
be positioned as the Advisory Board.

GA participants were then divided into four commissions where each commission
discussed on INFID’s narrative and financial reports (Commission I), mandate
formulation for INFID’s 2008 – 2011 programs (Commission II), the institutional
aspect of INFID such as changes to the articles of association, membership and
financial matters (Commission III), and recommendations on INFID’s end of the
year statements as well as on the results of RTDs (Commission IV). The result of
each commission meeting is then reviewed in the plenary session.

Once agreements have been reached during discussions on the result of commission
meetings, the agenda then moved on to matters related to the procedure and criteria
for the election of Executive Board members for the 2008-2011 office term.

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The selection of new board members could only be made after an agreement has
been reached on candidates who have met the list of requirements and INFID’s
articles of association. During this stage in the election process, the following two
issues took more time to deliberate on:
• Ensure that the number of women candidates meet the 30% quota from
the composition of Executive Board and Supervisory Board members.
• Encourage greater representation from the regions in the Executive
Board.

The next agenda was the handing over of the mandate from the former Executive
Board to the newly appointed members. The new Board then convened to decide on
its Chair, Vice-Chair and Treasurer as well as to determine the Executive Board
meeting for the 2008-2011 period which is scheduled to be held in early December
2008.

3.Outcome

Outcomes of the General Assembly are as follows:

1. Acceptance of INFID’s accountability report with the inclusion of notes and
remarks.
2. Agreement on the role and position of INFID as well as recommendations and
strategies for advocacy work for the next three years.
3. Endorsement of three new INFID members:
™ AMAN (Asian Moslem Action Network, Jakarta)
™ RUMPUN (Ruang Mitra Perempuan, Malang)
™ KPS (Kelompok Pelita Sejahtera, Medan)
4. GA has reached an agreement to accept the proposal for the new
Executive Board structure which will comprise of the Executive Board (9
members) and Supervisory Board (3 members), all members of whom are
representatives from INFID members. Membership of the Executive Board
and Supervisory Board must consider an appropriate gender balance (at least 3
women in the Executive Board and at least 1 woman in the Supervisory Board).
5. Criteria for Supervisory Board: (1) has been a member of INFID for at least 3
years, (2) has a good grasp of the organization’s articles of association/bylaws as
well as INFID’s strategic issues, (3) has never been involved in activities in
conflict with INFID’s advocacy work, (4) is not an executive member of any
political party.
6. GA arrived at the decision to accept Bob Muntz’s proposal where the
international Executive Board shall only function as the Advisory Board
(for advocacy issues) and to be appointed by the Executive Board with 3-5
people from INFID’s members or non-members who meet the following
criteria:
a. Possess the skills and expertise on countries relevant to Indonesia’s
development;
b. Will commit to meet at least once a year to discuss on the development
and implementation of international programs;

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 c. Capable of providing recommendations and specific information on
international events and developments when required;
d. Able to collaborate on specific program activities appropriate to the
international environment.
7. Acceptance of recommendations for both national and international levels (in
areas related to the economy, poverty eradication, environment and food
production, law and human rights as well as democracy and civil society).

8. Executive Board members for the 2008-2011 office term are:

1. Antarini P Arna (Vice-Chair)
2. Sartiah Yusran
3. Suryati Simanjuntak
4. Farah Sofa (Chair)
5. Danang Widoyoko (Treasurer)
6. Titus Odong Kusumajati
7. Septer Manufandu
8. Faisal Hadi
9. Josef Purnama Widyatmadja
9. Executive Board members (for day-to-day operations) consist of:
i. Farah Sofa (Chair)
ii. Antarini P Arna (Vice-Chair)
iii. Danang Widoyoko (Treasurer)

10. Supervisory Board members for the 2008-2011 office term are:
1. Poengky Indarti
2. Anton Pasaribu
3. Risma Umar

4. Reflection
1. Due to thorough preparation and clarity in the formulation of the mandate execution
report in the form of narrative and financial reports, the General Assembly has
approved the accountability report of the Executive Board for the 2005-2008 period.
This is in contrast to the previous accountability report in the 2005 General
Assembly which was not approved, required corrections and had to be rewritten.
2. Greater awareness on gender equality resulted in a balanced representation of
women in the Executive Board where 4 in 9 members are women, while 2 in 3
Supervisory Board members are women.
3. Heightened awareness on equal representation based on region in the Executive
Board has also managed to create a balanced composition with representatives from
Papua (1 person) , Southeast Sulawesi (1 person), Aceh (1 person), Siantar – North
Sumatera (1 person), Yogyakarta (1 person) , Solo (1 person ) and Jakarta (3
persons). A representable mixture of members from different regions is expected to
help ensure that strategic issues in the respective regions will be accommodated in
INFID’s advocacy work.

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Appendix :

1. Term of Reference

2. Agenda Schedule

3. Official Report of Decisions from the Final Plenary Session

4. Attendance List of Conference Participants

5. Financial Report

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