The Jakarta Post, 9/14/2006 11:41:47 AM
Howard rules out rift with RI over television crew's visit
CANBERRA (AP): Australia's leader on Thursday played down the possibility of a
diplomatic rift with Indonesia over a popular Australian TV host and four of her film
crew being accused of illegally arriving in the restive province of Papua posing as
tourists.
"I would be amazed if it did, it certainly shouldn't," Prime Minister John Howard told
Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio when asked if the incident would damage the
delicate bilateralrelationship.
Presenter Naoim Robson of the public affairs program "Today Tonight" and her team
were detained Wednesday at the Papuan capital Jayapura, where they arrived on a
flight from the Indonesian tourist island of Bali, an Indonesian Foreign
AffairsDepartment official said.
"They entered Indonesia using the on-arrival visa which is for tourism, while we do
have some information and other indications that they are going to do some kind of
journalistic activity," department spokesman Desra Percaya said.
"That's why they were being questioned by the localauthorities, by the police," he
said.
The five have been questioned but are not detained, and will be staying at a hotel
while authorities decide how to deal with them, he said.
Newspaper reports said they were likely to be deported Thursday. Their employer,
Seven Network television, said "the crew are on a special assignment" and "are in a
difficult situation."
Papua was the source of a diplomatic rift between Indonesia and Australia this year
when Canberra accepted 43 Papuans as refugees, including supporters of the
province's secessionist movement. (**)
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