Students demonstrate at two embassies over flag burning<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): More than 80 youths staged demonstrations
\nyesterday at the embassies of Australia and the Philippines,
\nprotesting against flag burning incidents which reportedly
\noccurred in those countries during the celebration of Indonesia's
\n50th independence anniversary.<\/p>\n
About 60 angry youths, some wearing their organizations'
\nuniforms, tore, kicked and burned two Australian flags in front
\nof the Australian embassy.<\/p>\n
Others sang Indonesia's national anthem and carried banners
\nsaying \"Burning means War,\" \"Don't tarnish our dignity,\" and \"Mr.
\nAmbassador go home.\"<\/p>\n
Indonesian flags were reportedly again burned by Australian
\ndemonstrators in Darwin on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
One protester tried to climb the embassy's flagpole but was
\nprevented by his colleagues.<\/p>\n
Anti-riot police and military officers watched the noisy
\nprotest at the Australian embassy but they did not intervene.
\nPolice blocked the street in front of the embassy.<\/p>\n
The protesters represented 15 youth organizations, including
\nthe Indonesian Youth Committee and the Organization of Children
\nof Retired ABRI Members.<\/p>\n
\"We want the Australian government to take action against
\nthose who have burned the Indonesian flags, otherwise we will
\nurge the Indonesian government to reconsider the Indonesia-
\nAustralia relationship,\" Tubagus Haryono, leader of the youth
\ncommittee, said.<\/p>\n
According to him, flag burning means heart burning, \"We very
\nmuch regret the incident. In addition to that, it happened during
\nthe celebration of 50th anniversary of Indonesia's independence,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The four representatives failed to meet with the Australian
\nambassador, Alan Taylor. They refused to meet with the deputy-
\nambassador.<\/p>\n
The Australian ambassador would be willing to meet the
\nprotesters next Monday, Tubagus said.<\/p>\n
Philippine embassy<\/p>\n
At the Philippine embassy another 25 youths from Jakarta,
\nBogor and South Sumatra, who called themselves the Youth
\nCommittee of the Red and White Defenders, staged a more peaceful
\nprotest later in the afternoon.<\/p>\n
They sang the Indonesian national anthem and read poems. Some
\nhung out banners, declaring \"Philippines, what do you know?\" and
\n\"East Timor protest, OK, Flag burning, NO\", on the embassy's
\nfences.<\/p>\n
They urged the Philippine government to apologize over the
\nflag burning incident and to respect the rights of the Moro
\npeople to determine their own fate as an independent nation.<\/p>\n
The Philippine press reported yesterday that a group of pro-
\nEast Timor protesters burned the Indonesian flag in front of the
\nIndonesian embassy in Manila, beat an Indonesia official and
\nthrew rotten eggs at the office. They urged the Indonesian
\ngovernment to get out of East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"If they (the Philippines' protesters) urge Indonesia to get
\nout from East Timor, we also urge the Philippines to get out of
\nMoro,\" a protester, Asep, said.<\/p>\n
\"We regret the incident, considering how good relations
\nbetween Indonesia and the Philippines are,\" Asep said.<\/p>\n
Four representatives were received by Philippine Ambassador
\nEusubio Abaquin.<\/p>\n
According to Asep, the ambassador promised to investigate the
\nManila incident.<\/p>\n
\"I told the ambassador that this first protest will be
\nfollowed by others because we will be waiting for word of
\ndevelopments from the embassy,\" Asep said.<\/p>\n
About ten police officers watched but did not intervene in the
\nprotest.<\/p>\n
Separately, when confronted by reporters, Australian
\nAmbassador Allan Taylor refused to comment on the incident,
\nsaying he was busy that afternoon and thus could not meet with
\nthe demonstrators.<\/p>\n
\"I was out on an Australian ship this afternoon,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He added that an officer from the Australian embassy received
\nthe petition from the demonstrators and that it would be
\nforwarded accordingly. (mds\/01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-demonstrate-at-two-embassies-over-flag-burning-1447893297",
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