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)