Sweeping issue and reality

Sweeping issue and reality

It is refreshing to read a letter from Soemarsono
Sastrowardoyo (The Jakarta Post, Oct. 31, 2001). Sastrowardoyo
described Jakarta as safer than New York, despite several
peaceful Muslim protests against the U.S. recently.

Through his letter, Sastrowardoyo has given sharp and very
fair accounts of what is truly going on in Indonesia, especially
in Jakarta. I am disappointed with some baseless reports in some
media in Indonesia. Since four weeks ago, we have been reading
exaggerated and excessively repeated reports on the possible
sweeping of foreigners by what are called extremist Muslim
groups. However, we haven't even seen a single case to prove that
the sweeping truly occurred. For some, sweeping is still an
enigma.

In fact, tortures and killings have occurred in countries
which claim to be champions of human rights -- Australia and the
United States -- following the September terrorist attacks on New
York and the Pentagon. Some mosques were set ablaze recently in
some parts in Australia. Some Arab people were harassed here
(since many people perceived them as Muslims), despite the fact
that they were innocent people and they had nothing to do with
the terrorist attack. In the U.S., at least three people were
beaten to death by locals because they had Arabian
characteristics.

In Australia, the Australian leaders have failed to act
properly. John Howard comments that sweeping moves by Australian
locals were disappointing. He implies that the sweepings were a
fair consequence of the terrorist attack, while at the same time
he refused to strongly condemn the violation of human rights in
his own country. This contradicts his blunt criticism of the
Indonesian military's human rights violations in East Timor.

A'AN SURYANA

Canberra, Australia