Australian Embassy expresses concern over its safety
Australian Embassy expresses concern over its safety
JAKARTA (JP): The Australian Embassy expressed concern
yesterday over its safety following a rowdy demonstration on
Friday during which protesters managed to enter the embassy
grounds and vandalized a flag pole.
"We note that this occurred despite the presence of Indonesian
police," Embassy Spokesman John Milne told The Jakarta Post. He
added that there was also concern about the safety of the
embassy's staff.
Some 60 demonstrators gathered in front of the Australian
Embassy in Kuningan on Friday in what was, apparently, a reprisal
against repeated burnings of the Indonesian flag by demonstrators
in several Australian cities.
The demonstrators here burned two Australian flags and scaled
the embassy's fence to get to the flag pole.
"Just as, in the last week, the Australian government has
devoted considerable resources to protecting Indonesian
diplomatic and consular premises in Australia, we are expecting
Indonesian authorities to reciprocate in relation to our
embassy," Milne said.
When asked, Milne also confirmed another small demonstration
at the Jakarta residence of Australian Ambassador Alan Taylor on
Friday evening.
Taylor has thus far declined to comment on either one of the
incidents here.
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas expressed
regret after hearing of the incident at the Australian embassy.
Alatas said he could understand the ire of people over the
burning of the Indonesian flag, but said that retaliatory flag
burnings were unnecessary.
Though she did not condone Friday's flag burning, Aisyah
Amini, chairperson of the House of Representatives Commission I
on foreign affairs, also said she fully understood the anger
which motivated the demonstrators.
"Just as we are celebrating and giving thanks for our
independence, our flag which we won with blood and tears was
burned," she said.
As Indonesia celebrated its 50th anniversary, a slew of
demonstrations and flag burnings occurred on Wednesday and
Thursday.
Apart from Australia, there was also a flag burning incident
in Manila and demonstrations in Madrid and Wellington.
Business
Meanwhile in Canberra, a spokesman for Australian Trade
Minister Bob McMullan said Australia is taking seriously a threat
by Indonesian businessmen to halt imports over the flag-burning
controversy.
"The government takes any threat to our trade with Indonesia
seriously," the spokesperson was quoted as saying by AFP
yesterday.
"While we are not familiar with this organization, or the
trade interests it represents, we have the (Jakarta) embassy and
the department investigating the claims," he said. He added,
however, that no official protest had been lodged.
The Indonesian Association of Importers (GINSI) threatened to
stop Australian imports as of Sept. 18 unless East Timor
activists in the Fretilin separatist group were expelled from
Australia.
The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated as
part of Indonesia in 1976. Though Canberra recognizes the
integration, Australia has become a refuge for many anti-
integrationists.
Australia stands to lose more than A$1.5 billion (US$1.1
billion) in annual trade if Indonesian importers go ahead with
the threat, according to analysts. (mds)