Govt seeks action against GAM<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri will send a special team to
\nStockholm this week to try and convince Sweden to take action
\nagainst Aceh rebel leaders who have obtained Swedish citizenship.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Monday
\nthat the team, led by the President's special envoy Ali Alatas,
\nwould provide evidence of the GAM leaders' involvement in
\nseparatist and terrorist acts in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"We are giving (Sweden) another chance and will send the team
\nas soon as possible, to provide them with the evidence they
\nrequested," Hassan said after a Cabinet meeting.<\/p>\n
Stockholm has rejected Jakarta's requests to take action
\nagainst GAM leaders Hasan Tiro, Zaini Abdullah and Malik Mahmood,
\nsaying the three have not broken any Swedish laws.<\/p>\n
In response, Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has drawn
\nup several options, including downgrading, freezing or cutting
\nbilateral ties with Sweden.<\/p>\n
Hassan said Sweden had asked Indonesia to provide evidence of
\ncrimes committed by the GAM leaders.<\/p>\n
"They (Sweden) admit that the GAM leaders are responsible for
\nthese acts of violence, but they need more concrete evidence, so
\nwe have to convince them," Hassan said.<\/p>\n
The United Nations Declaration on the Principles of
\nInternational Law concerning Friendly Relations States underlines
\nthat a sovereign country had the obligation to prevent its
\ncitizens from creating problems in another country.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Sweden closed its embassy in Jakarta on Monday
\nafter receiving an e-mail threat, Swedish officials said.<\/p>\n
"We have today received by e-mail a specific threat against
\nSwedish citizens and Swedish interests. At the present we do not
\nknow who is behind the threat, but advise everyone to exercise
\ncaution," a message posted on the web page of the Swedish Embassy
\nin Jakarta read.<\/p>\n
"The embassy will remain closed until further notice," it
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said the Swedish
\nEmbassy had informed the foreign ministry office of the closure
\nof its mission in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"They informed us about the perceived threats and we have
\nensured them that we will carry out our responsibility to protect
\nforeign diplomatic missions here," Marty told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Police, according to Marty, also have been
\ninformed and have taken steps to ensure the safety of the
\nembassy.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-seeks-action-against-gam-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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