Indonesia did not intervene in Manila, Soesilo says

JAKARTA (JP): A senior government official yesterday denied that Indonesia had intervened in domestic Philippine's business when it asked Manila to stop a controversial conference on East Timor from going forth there.

Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman told reporters that Indonesia had simply reminded its northern neighbor of its opposition to the conference and the rest was left to Manila.

"We have not been intervening. Any analysis leading to such a conclusion is incorrect," he said after leading a limited cabinet meeting attended by ministers under his charge.

The Philippine government, responding to Indonesia's protest, has barred some foreigners, including Indonesian scholars and human rights campaigners, from taking part in the congress, which opens today at the state University of the Philippines in Manila.

A Philippine court had also ordered that the meeting be postponed for at least 20 days, but the conference organizers -- mostly private organizations -- vowed to proceed despite the court ruling.

Among the 36 foreigners barred from taking part were France's first lady Danielle Mitterrand, who had been invited to address the gathering on human rights in the former Portuguese colony. She had not planned to attend, but the Philippine immigration included her in its blacklist anyway.

Deportation

The Philippines by yesterday had already deported 10 foreigners who arrived for the conference, including the Irish Nobel laureate Maireed Maguire.

Indonesia has protested against the conference because it provided a platform for people who oppose East Timor's integration with the Republic to attack Indonesia.

Soesilo said yesterday that Indonesia fully appreciated Philippine President Fidel Ramos' actions but stressed that Indonesia had no part in the decision.

"Their actions mean that they are respecting the spirit of ASEAN solidarity," he said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to which both Indonesia and the Philippines belong.

One of the main ASEAN principles is non-interference in the domestic affairs of other members.

Critics of the government, both at home and overseas, said Indonesia was guilty of violating this very principle when it asked the Philippine to stop the congress.

Soesilo said that the government would not try to prevent Indonesians invited to take part in the Manila conference from leaving the country.

"Since Manila has said it will expel foreigners attending the conference ...then I think the decision to attend or not is theirs (the foreigners) to make," he said.

Human rights campaigner H.J.C. Princen and scholar George Aditjondro, both vocal critics of the government, were among those invited to attend.

Blacklist

Both men, speculating that they were on the Philippine's immigration blacklist, said yesterday that they might send representatives who stand a better chance of entering the Philippines instead.

The conference has not only become a major political issue in the Philippines, provoking domestic criticism against Jakarta for its handling of the issue.

The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) yesterday said Indonesia had missed a big chance to turn the conference in its favor.

Instead, Indonesia has given its critics fuel for their attacks over the East Timor issue, YLBHI Executive Director Mulyana W. Kusumah told The Jakarta Post in Yogyakarta.

"The conference could have given us an opportunity to explain our stance in an inoffensive diplomatic manner," he said, criticizing Indonesia's resorting to "ultra defensive" diplomacy.

"Indonesia could easily have provided evidence, arguments and solutions to counter any allegations about human rights abuses in East Timor," he said.

Meanwhile, legislator Theo Sambuaga yesterday denied the accusation that Indonesia had taken the role of ASEAN's big brother, as suggested by some critics, in handling the row with the Philippines, the Antara news agency reported.

"Such an analysis is wrong and totally unfounded," said Theo, a member of the House of Representatives' Commission I on foreign affairs, responding to criticism from the Thai newspaper The Nation.

He pointed out that Indonesia's record in ASEAN shows that it does not try to dictate policy to other members. (pwn/mun/emb)