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| Down Under |
| Indonesian MP warns Australia not to be 'silent enemy' |
| 2006-06-15 |
| A delegation of visiting Indonesian MPs has warned Australians of the dangers of becoming Indonesia's silent enemy. Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer says the Australian and Indonesian governments are doing a good job of patching up problems in their relationship. Australia is angry and disappointed by the release of Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir from jail, after serving two years for his part in the 2002 Bali bombing that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians. Indonesia is concerned about Australia's decision to grant temporary asylum to 42 arrivals from the Indonesian province of Papua. The group has urged the Federal Government to be understanding and sensitive when it comes to Indonesian policies. Mr Downer says there is no comparison between the two issues. "At the government-to-government level, we're doing a very good job in patching things up and, as you know, the Prime Minister [John Howard] and the President [Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono] will be meeting soon," he said. "But of course Members of Parliament are not part of the executive, but having said that, my meeting with the parliamentary delegation was a friendly and positive meeting." A member of the Indonesian delegation, Yuddy Chrisnandi, told a forum in Melbourne last night that Australia should practise sensitivity. "Is Australia a good neighbour for Indonesia, is Australia a true neighbour or is Australia just a silent enemy," he said. Yesterday the United Nations (UN) cancelled a contract with an Indonesian organisation founded by the cleric, which had been given food to distribute to victims of the Yogyakarta earthquake. The Federal Government had lodged complaints with the UN's World Food Program, after a spokesman for the organisation Majelis Mujahideen Indonesia (MMI) revealed Bashir would hand out 95 tonnes of donated food. Mr Downer welcomed the UN's decision to cancel the contract. "A spokesman for MMI has said that Abu Bakar Bashir himself will come and distribute food - well, that would obviously be a great propaganda win for a political extremist and the UN shouldn't be associated with that," he said. "It's good news that they clearly don't want to be and that they've cancelled the arrangement." Meanwhile, Dr Yudhoyono says his country's legal process against the cleric has been exhausted. Dr Yudhoyono made the announcement about the alleged spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah on Indonesian television. However, he says his country's commitment to the fight on terrorism should not be measured by the end of legal action against the cleric. |
| Posted by:Oztralian |