Tue, 14 Sep 1999

Foreign missions vandalized

SURABAYA (JP): Protesters vandalized the U.S. consulate office and the Western Australia trade representative office here on Monday, venting their anger at what they perceive to be foreign meddling in Indonesia's domestic affairs.

Several groups of protesters also marched to the Australian Embassy in Jakarta on Monday in the latest backlash against foreign missions after Indonesia suffered the international indignation of having to accept an international peacekeeping force in East Timor.

Some 1,000 people brought down the fence of the U.S. consulate office on Jl. Dr. Soetomo, lowered the Old Glory flag from the mast and then burned it.

They also burned the United Nations flag.

The demonstrations caused massive traffic congestion on Jl. Raya Darmo.

The protesters, calling themselves the Youth Front Against Foreign Interference, forced their way through the cordon of outnumbered security forces.

The group's leader, identified as Hasan Basri Usman, addressed the protesters standing on a becak, yelling anti-American slogans as he urged them to continue marching toward the consulate offices.

"Crush the American colonialists," he screamed.

He gave the order to vandalize the fence, but cautioned the crowd against entering the compound.

The protesters later marched four kilometers to the World Trade Center building, which houses the Western Australia trade representative office.

They were met with a cordon of security officers, who allowed 10 protesters to enter the building to make their point.

The protesters, who found the office empty, smashed the glass doors and vandalized computers, office equipment and files.

Surabaya and Perth, the capital of Western Australia, have a sister city arrangement.

The protesters later marched to the East Java Legislative Council building before they dispersed.

Police refused to comment on the incident.

In Jakarta, the Australian Embassy, on Jl. Rasuna Said, was the target of demonstrations by four separate groups on Monday, all but one denounced Canberra's policy in East Timor.

The three anti-Australian protesters were the Young Renewal Generation of Indonesia (AMPI) with 50 people, Kosgoro Students Movement with 12 people and Kosgoro Management School with 30 people.

They accused Australian Prime Minister John Howard of using the East Timor crisis for his own political ambitions.

"We reject Australia's involvement. Its government has turned East Timor into a political commodity," Eko Sulistio Santosa of the Kosgoro Management School said.

Protesters burned an effigy of a man wearing a T-shirt with "I am Howard Australia" written on it.

The fourth group of protesters, Human Rights Support for Indonesia (HRSI), came with 40 people, with the message that all countries, including Australia, should promote peace.

"The use of force is not a solution," HRSI coordinator Budijono said.

The group, carrying a large banner with a message of peace, earlier visited the United Nations building on Jl. Thamrin with the same message. (nur/03)