Aussie attitude toward Indonesia

I refer to Mr. Jusuf Wanandi's article (The Jakarta Post, Nov. 15) and Australian Ambassador R.C. Smith's reply (Nov. 17).

I wish to agree with Mr. Wanandi and thank Mr. Smith at the same time for his elaborate explanation. Although Mr. Smith means well, Australians are famous for their lack of tolerance toward non-Caucasians. Mr. Smith should convince Australia's government to change its attitude toward Indonesia, as this country is their largest neighbor and they cannot change the map.

Despite the fact that Australia has a proud record of refugee resettlement, that is contrary to recent occurrences, where Australia paid tiny Pacific countries to accept refugees. If Mr. Smith names Australia as one of the world's most successful multicultural societies he is mistaken, because that country is Holland. Although tiny Holland's boundaries are bursting at its seams, it still accepts hundreds of refugees each year.

LYNNA VAN DER ZEE-OEHMKE

Bogor, West Java