Attempted attack on McCarthy deplored

Attempted attack on McCarthy deplored

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid expressed
regret on Wednesday over the attempted attack by East Timorese
refugees on Australia's outgoing ambassador to Jakarta John
McCarthy.

"The President deplores the incident in Makassar, which has
tarnished Indonesia's image and spoiled McCarthy's last days in
office," presidential spokesman Wimar Witoelar said, quoted by
the detikcom news portal.

McCarthy is about to end his tenure as ambassador after more
than three years in the post.

Some 20 East Timorese tried to attack McCarthy as he attended
the opening ceremony of an Australian insurance company, Mutual
Life Citizens (MLC), on Tuesday.

The refugees were part of 250,000 East Timorese who fled
violence that ravaged their homeland days after people in the
territory voted for independence last year.

Tuesday's assault attempt came 24 hours after Australian
newspaper the Sydney Morning Herald quoted the ambassador as
suggesting that former Indonesian Military chief Gen. (ret.)
Wiranto had prior knowledge of the impending destruction in East
Timor.

Wiranto, who visited Makassar to promote his musical album on
Monday, dismissed the allegations.

Wimar said Gus Dur, as the President is called, was convinced
the incident would not change McCarthy's "appreciation" of the
country.

"McCarthy has been on good terms personally with the President
and other officials," Wimar said.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard Wednesday described the
attack by the mob opposed to Australia's role in overseeing East
Timor's transition to independence as "regrettable and
unacceptable."

But he said the relationship between Canberra and Jakarta was
improving, despite a rift caused by Australia's support for East
Timorese independence.

"I am pleased to note that the Indonesian government is
apologizing for the incident. I welcome that," Howard said as
quoted by AFP.

McCarthy also played down the incident.

"They tried to get into the compound where I and the people I
was with were standing," he said.

"Nobody actually tried to attack me but there was some minor
violence.

"There were three Australians there besides myself. None
suffered any injuries. One suffered a kick and the other a
punch."

Relations between the two countries took another blow when
some Indonesian officials and politicians accused Australia of
supporting the rising separatism in the remote province of Irian
Jaya.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan
Jacoeb said police had questioned four staff members of the MLC
insurance company in connection with the incident.

Sofjan added no arrests had been made, including on the East
Timorese refugees.

"How could we make an arrest if Ambassador McCarthy took the
incident lightly and told us he had no plan to claim losses or
injuries," Sofjan said, adding that police contacted the
ambassador on Monday evening.

Sofjan said he had also reprimanded the organizers of the
function for failing to notify the police of the presence of a
VIP beforehand.

While joining the chorus of regrets, chief of State
Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Bakin) Lt. Gen. (ret.) Arie J.
Kumaat said the incident should give foreign diplomats a lesson
that understanding people's emotional and psychological condition
is crucial. (27/edt)