'RI being undermined by foreign groups'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A senior cabinet minister alleged yesterday that
\nsome foreign interest groups were trying to sabotage Indonesia's
\nefforts to become a prosperous and influential nation.<\/p>\n
\"They are undermining Indonesia in a systematic way,\" Minister
\nof Transmigration and Resettlement of Forest Squatters Siswono
\nYudohusodo said at a seminar.<\/p>\n
With a population of 200 million, Indonesia is the world's
\nlargest archipelagic state and its fourth most populous. It is
\nseen to have tremendous potential to become a powerful country,
\nSiswono said.<\/p>\n
Quoting futurist Hamish McRae and the International Monetary
\nFund, Indonesia may enter the world's 15 top economies in the
\nsecond half of the 21st century.<\/p>\n
The prediction will come true if Indonesia is able to maintain
\nits security and stability, he said.<\/p>\n
\"But the road to glory is not all that smooth because there
\nare foreign interests that do not want to see Indonesia develop.
\nThey want to see us weak,\" Antara quoted him as saying.<\/p>\n
Then he held up a book titled Poisoned Arrows written in 1989
\nby a British journalist, George Monibot, as an example of how
\nsome \"foreign interests\" tried to undermine Indonesia.<\/p>\n
In his book, written in an investigative reporting style,
\nMonibot accuses Indonesia of destroying Irian Jaya's forests and
\nexterminating its local indigenous people.<\/p>\n
\"This book shows how foreign interests are trying to weaken
\nthe nation,\" Siswono said.<\/p>\n
He said that the many photographs in the book were meant to
\ndeceive the public on the recent history of Irian Jaya, which is
\nIndonesia's most eastern province and acclaimed for its
\nbiodiversity.<\/p>\n
Anyone with a good grasp on Indonesia would understand that
\nthe book has been written to create the impression that Indonesia
\nis full of injustice, Siswono said.<\/p>\n
\"It also tells readers that there is no justice in Irian
\nJaya,\" he said.<\/p>\n
To support his argument, Siswono said that \"foreign interests\"
\nalso lent a hand to the Democratic People's Party (PRD), a
\nleftist group which the government has accused of inciting the
\nJuly 27 riots in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
According to the minister, PRD activists have contacts with
\nforeign groups which are anti-Indonesia. That is why, he said,
\nthe PRD did not include East Timor and Irian Jaya as provinces of
\nIndonesia in their manifesto.<\/p>\n
The authorities arrested 10 PRD executives and activists in
\nits investigation of people suspected of being involved in the
\nriots that followed the brutal takeover of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party headquarters by government-backed breakaway
\nparty members.<\/p>\n
At least four people died in the July 27 riots. Government
\nbuildings were also set alight, public facilities were vandalized
\nand over 200 people were arrested.<\/p>\n
Siswono said youngsters were easily dazzled by \"foreign ideas\"
\nthat encouraged revolutionary change of the political system
\nirrespective of its price.<\/p>\n
\"They don't even know what to do to replace the system. They
\ncan't see what will become of their actions,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Siswono, who was a successful businessman before he assumed
\nhis cabinet post, also warned of foreign values that may erode
\nlocal culture. (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-being-undermined-by-foreign-groups-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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