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Indonesia to barter palm oil, coffee for Russian fighter jets

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coffee for JetSoutheast Asia’s largest economy sees US and European sanctions on Russia as an opportunity to boost trade. The value and timeframe of the barter, swapping palm oil and coffee for warplanes, remains unknown.

Indonesia said it would trade palm oil, coffee and other commodities for Russian fighter jets.

The barter deal to exchange 11 Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35 jets for key commodities was signed on August 4 in Moscow between Russia’s Rostec and PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia, both state-owned companies.

“The idea was proposed last year and some people suggested Indonesia should trade the jets with our main commodities,” Indonesia’s trade ministry spokesman Marolop Nainggolan told news agency AFP.

The European Union and United States have slapped sanctions on Russia for alleged meddling in the US presidential election and its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea.

Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said the sanctions were an opportunity for Indonesia to revive trade with Russia which has fallen since 2012.

Lukita said the barter agreement could open up further bilateral trade deals extending to energy and aviation.

Indonesia already operates 16 Sukhoi jets. The southeast Asian nation made its first purchase in 2003 while it was subject to a US embargo on arms sales due to the military’s human rights abuses.

Details of the barter came as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was to was due to arrive in Indonesia for two-day visit later Tuesday.

ap/se (AP, AFP)

Indonesia cracks down on pro-caliphate Islamic hardliners Hizbut Tahrir

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The Jakarta government has decided to disband the Hizbut Tahrir organization that seeks to establish a global Islamic caliphate. The movement claims to be nonviolent, and has active chapters in Australia and the UK.

The activities of Hizbut Tahrir were not in line with the pluralistic state ideology in Muslim-majority Indonesia, the nation’s top security minister said on Monday.

“After careful consideration, the government deems it necessary to take legal action to disband [the group] throughout Indonesia,” said Chief Security Minister Wiranto.Hizbut Tahrir wants to unite all Muslims in a global caliphate under Sharia law, but the movement insists it only uses non-violent means.

‘Grand plan’ to undermine government

Hizbut Tahrir was “causing friction in society,” according to Wiranto. He added that the move to disband it did not mean that the government was against Islamic movements in general.

The organization has chapters in Australia and Great Britain, but is banned in several Middle Eastern and Asian countries. Their representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a rare 2011 interview with the news agency AP, the movement’s Indonesian chairman Rochmat Labib said his groups “grand plan” was to undermine trust in the government in the following decade.

“That’s what we are doing now: converting people from democracy, secularism and capitalism to Islamic ideology,” he said.

Role in governor’s downfall

The group was involved in mass rallies against the Christian governor of Jakarta over his alleged blasphemy last year.

Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama previously criticized his opponents by saying they used a Quran verse against him. The quote from the Muslim holy book implies that Muslims should not choose non-Muslims as leaders. The governor, who is better known under his nickname of Ahok, later clarified his remarks by saying that he did not criticize the verse itself.

However, the incident was enough to trigger rallies in Jakarta and see Ahok go on trial for blasphemy. The verdict is expected on Tuesday. Ahok has since lost the election to a Muslim rival.

dj/rt (AP, dpa)