Indonesia regrets Canadian protest
Indonesia regrets Canadian protest
JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday summoned Canadian Ambassador Lawrence Dickerson to express Indonesia's deep regret at Ottawa's protest last week alleging Indonesian government pressure on the mother of an East Timor activist residing in Canada.
Ministry chief spokesman Ghaffar Fadyl confirmed that Director General for Political Affairs Izhar Ibrahim conveyed the Indonesian position to Ambassador Dickerson.
"The government greatly regrets the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's decision to issue a verbal note without first consulting the Indonesian ambassador in Ottawa on the validity of the charges against him," Fadyl said.
The Canadian foreign ministry on Thursday sent the note to Indonesian Ambassador Benjamin Parwoto to protest at his visit to Theresa Galhos, the mother of Isabel Galhos who is now a Canadian resident, at her home in East Timor on Jan. 20.
Ottawa said that Parwoto's actions "were inappropriate".
Isabel claimed that Parwoto was intimidating her mother to stop her anti-Indonesian activities in Canada.
A similar verbal note was delivered by Ambassador Dickerson to the Indonesian foreign ministry in Jakarta last week.
The Canadian move came a few days after two Canadian diplomats based in Jakarta visited Theresa in Dili.
The government has refuted the claims and Theresa Galhos in Dili has also reportedly denied receiving any threats from Ambassador Parwoto.
Ghaffar lamented that Ambassador Parwoto's visit had been misconstrued by the Canadian media and said that it was "most regrettable" that Ottawa choose to believe the media accusations against the Indonesian ambassador.
Indonesia's objections were delivered yesterday in an aide memoire to Ambassador Dickerson during his meeting with Izhar, ministry sources said.
Ghaffar expressed concern that good relations between Jakarta and Ottawa were being undermined by certain parties.
"The Indonesian government is very concerned over the activities of certain parties in Canada on the issue of human rights and East Timor, which could disrupt relations between Indonesia and Canada," he warned.
He reiterated that Parwoto's visit had been made into an issue by the Canadian media following the visit of Prime Minister Jean Chretien to Indonesia.(mds)