Terrorists down under

The past fortnight has been a revealing experience for two neighbors whose relationship remains wrought by political and societal indifference. Apparently proximity does not necessarily breed thoughtfulness -- at least not in the case of Indonesia and Australia.

It shows once again how easily ignorance, arrogance, and ideological chauvinism breeds a minority of bigots who look condescendingly down on others refusing to conform to their worms-eye view of the world.

Indonesia has had more than its fair share of these crackpots -- those who pretend to speak to God by bombing innocent civilians, or conduct "sweepings" based on skin color or faith.

More than a bane of society, they are a blight disfiguring the nation as a whole.

But prejudice and conceit knows no territorial boundaries. Perpetrators of the threats and security scares against the Indonesian Consulate and Embassy in Australia are made from the same mold as those crackpots here. They may be spurred by a misplaced sense of injustice and warped nationalism -- with no immediate cost to life or property, yet -- they are akin to terrorists just the same.

Indonesians should be genuinely concerned about being in Australia at present, and the foreign ministry in Jakarta should seriously consider issuing a travel advisory -- the same way Canberra frequently warns Australians in Indonesia -- warning its citizens of a potential backlash as a result of the disproportionate reaction to the Schapelle Corby verdict.

The move is not designed with the intention of diplomatically escalating this regrettable situation. But it is the obligation of the government here to ensure the safety and security of Indonesians abroad.

We are appreciative of the Australian government's reaction to the situation. Prime Minister John Howard has apologized to Indonesia and publicly condemned the latest threat to the Indonesian Embassy, while senior Australian officials in the preceding weeks have also persistently urged calm in reacting to the Corby case.

We are also convinced that the narrow-mindedness of a few does not represent the empathy of a majority of Australians toward their northern neighbors.

Indonesians themselves have been repeatedly guilty of emotive and irrational responses on issues involving other nations. While wholly supporting the government's position against Malaysia's false claims on the Ambalat issue, we are often embarrassed by the absurd reactions displayed by our fellow countrymen toward their Malaysian kin.

Hence we can sympathize with the profound embarrassment many Australians must feel in response to the criminal acts of "Corby zealots".

Nevertheless the latest threat against the embassy in Canberra has pushed what was initially a rather insignificant issue to most Indonesians menacingly down a slippery slope, which if not dealt with could sour relationships. It is our hope that Indonesians here respond with the wisdom and understanding that some Australians have lacked. To show that despite being a poor Third World Asian nation, we can be just as sensible, if not more sensible, as a country which considers itself a developed northern hemisphere state stuck in the south.

We should respect Australia's efforts in its legal appeal on behalf of Corby without undermining our own judicial processes and show that in spite of all the shortcomings, this nation does have a functioning law enforcement and judicial system which should be respected -- the same body which succeeded in apprehending the accomplices of last year's blast in front of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, and the same court which convicted the murderers of Australian tourists in the Bali bombings of 2002.