Flag-burning incident never happened: ABRI

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) yesterday categorically denied that an Indonesian national flag was burnt during an anti- Indonesian government demonstration in Melbourne on Monday, as has been reported by a local newspaper.

The report upset many senior government officials deep enough to prompt them to demand action and warn of deteriorating relations between the two countries.

"Indonesian missions in Canberra, Darwin, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth and all defense attaches posted in Australia stated that there was never an incident in which the Indonesian flag was set afire," ABRI said in a statement last night.

It said that none of the Australian papers had reported such an incident, which would be unusual given their propensity to report anti-Indonesian government activities in great detail.

There were demonstrations in Melbourne and Darwin on Monday to protest against Indonesia's participation in an Australian- sponsored international military exercise, but none involving the burning of an Indonesian flag, the statement said.

Many senior government and military officials reacted strongly to the rumor about the flag burning, stating that they were offended by the incident.

Coordinating Minister of Political Affairs Soesilo Soedarman was still calling it "an act of provocation" yesterday afternoon, while Minister of Defense and Security Edi Sudradjat insisted Indonesia send a strong protest note to the Australian government.

"The report was likely to have been thought up by some irresponsible people," the ABRI statement said. (rms/emb/har)