Government decides not to tackle Australia over raids

Government decides not to tackle Australia over raids

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has refused a request from the House of
Representatives to send a team to conduct further probes into
possible human rights abuses against Indonesians in Australia,
saying the case was an internal affair of the neighboring
country.

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on
Friday that most of the raids were against Indonesians that had
become Australian permanent residents, so it would be difficult
for Jakarta to follow up the case.

"Almost 70 percent of the 23 Indonesians targeted in the raids
are no longer full Indonesian citizens. We would like to help but
it would be difficult," Hassan said at the State Palace after
meeting President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"There are only two full Indonesian citizens who suffered from
the raids. One was trying to claim back his computer disk as his
thesis was inside. And the other one is married to an Australian
citizen, Jack Roche. So it's mostly a case of humanity and not a
legal one," he added.

He emphasized that the government would continue to provide
legal help and monitor the condition of the 23 Indonesians, but
that would be the maximum support the government could provide.

For all Indonesian citizens abroad the government is able to
provide legal assistance and possibly other kinds of aid. "But in
this case that is all we can do," the minister said.

Australian security forces conducted heavy-handed raids
against suspected terrorists or members of the outlawed Jamaah
Islamiyah group in the wake of the Bali bombing, which killed
over 190 people, many of whom were Australians.

Reports said that the raids affected 23 Indonesians living
there. Some of these Indonesians told visiting Indonesian
legislators that they were treated by Australian security forces
as criminals, held at gunpoint and handcuffed.

Coming back from Australia, the legislators from the House of
Representatives' Commission I on defense and foreign affairs
summoned Minister Hassan and demanded that the government request
a through investigation by the Australian side or send its own
team to Australia to help investigate allegations of human rights
violations against Indonesians living there.

The Indonesian government officially launched a protest
against the mistreatment to Canberra, however underlined that
Jakarta would not interfere in the legal process.