East Timorese youths protest flag burning<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of youths staged a demonstration in
\nfront of the Australian embassy yesterday in protest against the
\nburning of the Indonesian flag in Australia last week.<\/p>\n
Calling themselves the Committee of East Timor Youth, the
\ndemonstrators also protested against what they described as
\nAustralian interference in relation to East Timor.<\/p>\n
The protesters shouted \"long live Indonesia, long live
\nintegration\". They sang the national anthem, Indonesia Raya
\n(Indonesia the Great), and other patriotic songs, such as Bendera
\nMerah Putih (Read-and-White Flag), Padamu Negeri (For You, the
\nMotherland) and Dari Sabang Sampai Merauke (From Sabang to
\nMerauke).<\/p>\n
They waved banners reading \"East Timor the 27th province of
\nIndonesia\", \"Long live integration\" and \"Ramos Horta is a
\ntraitor.\"<\/p>\n
Ramos Horta is the leader of the National Council of the
\nMaubere Resistance, an East Timorese movement opposed to the
\nterritory's integration into Indonesia.<\/p>\n
According one organizer, Angela, 400 East Timorese youths took
\npart in the demonstration, having come from as far away as
\nYogyakarta; Semarang, Central Java; Bandung, West Java; and
\nSurabaya and Malang in East Java. She added that the youths had
\ntaken part in the demonstration voluntarily.<\/p>\n
Police put the number of demonstrators at 200.<\/p>\n
About 100 police and military personnel were on alert in
\nstreets near the embassy and at the embassy gate.<\/p>\n
Regret<\/p>\n
Some 20 demonstrators entered the embassy by climbing the
\nfence, despite army and police efforts to push them back. After
\nembassy officials said they were prepared to meet with three
\nrepresentatives of the protesters, the remainder of those who had
\nentered the embassy grounds returned to the street.<\/p>\n
Aurico Gutares, Henrico Kontes and Angelio, met with Vice
\nAmbassador Allaster Cox and Counselor of Politics Bassim Blazey.<\/p>\n
Gutares told reporters after the meeting that the group had
\nprotested against the burning of the Indonesian flag in Australia
\nand had demanded that Australia not interfere in matters
\nregarding East Timor.<\/p>\n
Cox said that he regretted the burning of the Indonesian flag
\nand hoped that such incidents would not be repeated, Gutares
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Canberra would not interfere in East Timor affairs, Gutares
\nquoted Cox as saying.<\/p>\n
The demonstration lasted 45 minutes, after which the
\nprotesters dispersed.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian flag was burned in Australia last week during a
\ndemonstration against the 20 years during which East Timor has
\nbeen part of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
East Timor became part of Indonesia on Dec. 7, 1975.<\/p>\n
Embassy Spokesman John Milne told The Jakarta Post that the
\nembassy had been concerned about the scaling of the fence by the
\nprotesters, who remained within the grounds for about 25 minutes.<\/p>\n
\"We have orally expressed our concern to the foreign affairs
\nministry here,\" Milne said.<\/p>\n
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Ghaffar Fadyl, however,
\ndenied that the ministry had received any such expression of
\nconcern.<\/p>\n
Ghaffar declined to comment on the demonstration. (29\/01)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/east-timorese-youths-protest-flag-burning-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }