Yusril urged to apologize to Dutch<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
An expert on international relations urged Minister of Justice
\nand Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra on Thursday to officially
\napologize to the Dutch over his recent statement expressing his
\nantipathy for the nation.<\/p>\n
Bantarto Bandoro of the Centre for Strategic and International
\nStudies (CSIS) said it was inappropriate for a minister to
\nexpress his or her personal sentiments against other countries or
\ntheir citizens.<\/p>\n
\"In diplomatic relations, words expressing antipathy are not
\nappropriate for ministers who represent the state administration.
\nTo prevent a possible rift in our bilateral relationship, Yusril
\nhimself has to give an explanation and offer an apology to the
\nDutch,\" Bantarto said.<\/p>\n
Yusril has come under fire following his interview with the
\nJakarta-based correspondent of a Dutch television station who
\nquestioned the minister's plan to revise the Criminal Code (KUHP)
\nfrom the human rights point of view.<\/p>\n
Yusril responded by saying \"the Netherlands always criticizes
\nIndonesia for its human rights record. But how many Indonesian
\npeople were killed by the Dutch when they were in this country.
\nCapt. Westerling killed thousands of Indonesian people in
\nSulawesi, but the massacre was never investigated. I hate them\".<\/p>\n
The statement sparked strong reaction in the Dutch parliament
\nand prompted the ruling party, VVD, which is a coalition partner
\nof the Christian Democratic Party (CDA), to urge the government
\nto sever diplomatic ties with Indonesia and to recall its
\nambassador from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Yusril said on Thursday that he was ready to clarify his
\nstatement and even challenged the Dutch Embassy to an open debate
\n\"to give some understanding to the young generation of the Dutch
\nand their brutality toward the Indonesian people\".<\/p>\n
He also warned the Netherlands administration against
\nintervening in Indonesia's internal affairs.<\/p>\n
\"Why do the Dutch intervene so much in our internal problems,
\nincluding the plan to revise our Criminal Code. Do they think
\nthat this country is still their colony?,\" Yusril asked reporters
\non the sidelines of a human rights seminar held by his ministry.<\/p>\n
Earlier, foreign affairs minister Hassan Wirayuda said that
\nJakarta was ready to clarify Yusril's statement, saying that
\nthere was probably some misinterpretation within the Dutch
\nparliament and among Dutch citizens over the remark.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the sidelines of the newly concluded ASEAN Summit
\nin Nusa Dua, Bali on Wednesday, Hassan asked the Dutch parliament
\nnot to react strongly because \"Pak Yusril had not meant to say he
\nwas anti-Dutch but anti-injustice\".<\/p>\n
\"We will clarify it,\" Hassan said, adding that such
\nclarification would hopefully end the dispute.<\/p>\n
Under the administration of former president Soeharto,
\nrelations between the two countries had been tested following
\nSoeharto's rejection of aid from Dutch-sponsored donor countries
\nunder the Inter-Governmental Group on Indonesia (IGGI) in 1992
\nfor what he claimed was the Netherlands interference in
\nIndonesia's internal affairs.<\/p>\n
The donor countries later on agreed to set up the Consultative
\nGroup for Indonesia (CGI) to replace the IGGI.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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