Susilo warns against attacks on Thais

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered the police on Monday to take stern measures against a group of people that allegedly searched and raided non-Muslim Thais recently.

"(The order) was the President's response to such an action," Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Monday after accompanying Susilo to meet nine ambassadors from members of the Association Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to Indonesia.

Reports are rife that a group of people in Surakarta, Central Java, conducted checks on non-Muslim Thais in protest to last week's tragedy in southern Thailand in which at least 87 Muslim Thais were killed.

Hassan said that Thai Ambassador Atchrara Ceriputra had explained the incident, which occurred after hundreds of protesters were arrested and packed into four military trucks.

The minister also said he had heard rumors of a group of people doing searches for non-Muslim Thais here, but quickly said such a thing had to be verified.

"It needs to be cross-checked first," he was quoted as saying by Antara.

Hassan said that the National Police deputy chief had been advised of the President's instruction, since National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar was visiting Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province.

"Such actions would definitely threaten the safety of and inconvenience foreign residents in Indonesia," added Hassan.

During the meeting, Ambassador Ceriputra also credited the Indonesian government for immediately responding to secure his residence and the Thai Embassy following last week's incident and a string of rallies by Indonesian Muslims.

Hassan said the President fully understood the right of citizens to express themselves in a democratic country, but they should do so in a peaceful manner.

"Even the President himself could be protested. But the measures to provide security to foreign people and their acquaintances needs to be given attention too," he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Datok Hamidon Ali explained during a meeting with the President the repatriation process of hundreds of illegal Indonesian workers from Malaysia to Indonesia.

The Malaysian administration has granted amnesty to hundreds of Indonesians illegally working in the country. The amnesty offer will be valid only until Nov. 14, after which a major crackdown will be carried out.

The ambassador also said that a number of Malaysian businesspeople were willing to help finance the repatriation process.