A rchive Date
[ 01-11-2002 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Indonesia ]
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[http://www.islam-online.net/english/news/2002-11/01/article04.shtml
Indonesia Questions Australia About ‘Reckless’ Raids on Citizens
By Kazi Mahmood, IOL Southeast Asia Correspondent
KUALA LUMPUR, November 1 (IslamOnline) – The recent house to house search of Indonesian immigrant houses in Australia has raised the ire of several people in Indonesia, with experts warning the Australians not be arrogant.
Indonesia summoned an official from the Australian embassy Friday, November 1, to explain the 'heavy-handed' and 'reckless' raids on its citizens suspected of links to terrorism in that country, Indonesian national Tempo magazine reported.
The raids were "misplaced" and done in an arrogant manner, observers told IslamOnline Friday, adding that the Australian "spy" agency manhandled many people, treated them as real terrorists while carrying the searches.
Observers in Jakarta are asking why only Indonesians were targeted in the search and not other nationalities.
A law expert, Prof Dr. Muladi SH, told Republika newspaper that Australia should not have carried the raids in the manner they did, though the Australians were looking for suspects linked to the Jemaah Islamiyah.
Muladi said the Australian government should not make proof of arrogance and mistreat the Muslims on its soil, particularly Indonesian Muslims.
Indonesia feels the Muslims were victims of the Bali bombing aftermath, sources told IslamOnline, adding that this incident will again put severe strain on the relationship between both countries.
Australia and Indonesia had a temperamental bilateral relationship before the Bali bombing, which saw extremely unexpected cooperation between the two countries.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard defended Friday the raids by the nation's spy agency on homes of Indonesian Muslim families, warning that that sleeper cells of terrorists may already be in Australia.
He also warned the raids by the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (Asio), would continue despite a growing backlash in Indonesia over Australia's anti-terrorist crackdown, the Straits Times of Singapore said.
Another Indonesian expert criticized Howard for commenting on "sleeper cells", which means cells of terrorists in sleeping mode, saying that shows the carelessness with which the "war against terror" is being carried by several nations.
"They inform in advance of the existence of cells, sleeper cells, possibility of bombings and so on, then the events prove them right. Is this how we want to be wise before the events?" said the expert on Australian affairs working for a University in Yogyakarta.
Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa told a press conference in Jakarta that Mr Hassan Wirayuda, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Indonesia, on Friday morning summoned the Australian embassy to reiterate "concerns about the treatment of our fellow citizens in Australia. "
Natalegawa did not name the embassy representative, but a source at the Foreign Ministry said Wirayuda met Deputy Ambassador Neil Mules, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
Natalegawa said Australian authorities 'ignore the basic rights' of Indonesian citizens by subjecting them to harsh treatment.
Muladi added on his part that Indonesia has never been emotional in its tackling of issues regarding Australia or any other nations. He said that Australia should follow that example.
 World Fact Book (CIA)
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