The Sydney Morning Herald, March 23, 2006 - 2:54PM
Jakarta slams govt over asylum seekers
Indonesia has reacted angrily to Australia's decision to grant temporary visas to a
group of asylum seekers from the Indonesian province of Papua, with the threat of a
diplomatic protest.
Jakarta had earlier appealed to Australia to send the 43 asylum seekers back,
warning that to do otherwise could affect the relationship between the two countries.
Australia decided to grant temporary protection visas (TPV) to 42 of the 43 Papuans
who landed at Cape York in January.
The 36 adults and seven children have accused the Indonesian military of conducting
genocide in their homeland, a former Dutch colony taken over by Indonesia in the
1960s following an independence referendum widely dismissed as rigged.
While Indonesian leaders are yet to formally respond to Australia's move, one MP
labelled the decision as unfriendly.
Djoko Susilo, a member of Indonesia's powerful foreign affairs commission in the
parliament, said it meant the government accepted the claims made by the Papuans.
"This is an unfriendly gesture by the Australian government," he said.
The nationalist MP said the group should not be given asylum under any
circumstances.
"The Indonesian government must mount a diplomatic protest," he said.
The federal government was acutely aware the matter would create tensions.
Last month, Indonesia's new ambassador in Canberra, Hamzah Thayeb, warned that
Australia's relationship with Indonesia would be affected if the Papuans were granted
asylum.
On Thursday, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer took the unusual step of personally
informing his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda of the decision, while Michael
L'Estrange, secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, met Mr Thayeb
to advise him of Australia's decision.
Mr Downer called Dr Wirajuda before the decision was made public in what his
spokesman said was the "neighbourly" thing to do.
"Mr Downer did take the step of advising Dr Wirajuda of this decision," Mr Downer's
spokesman added.
"It's a matter of some significance between our two countries.
"It was only neighbourly to inform our neighbours of this decision."
While aware of Indonesia's views, the government says it was not factored into its
decision-making process.
"Each claim has to be considered on its merits and each claim is an individual claim.
It's not a claim about a particular country," Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone
said.
In January, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made a direct request
to Prime Minister John Howard for the group to be returned to Papua.
He gave an assurance they would not be prosecuted.
Pro-independence insurgents have stepped up their campaign for independence over
recent years leading to escalating violence in Papua.
During a clash in Papua's provincial capital Jayapura last week, police arrested 14
people and questioned more than 70 students on charges ranging from destruction of
property to assault and murder.
Some observers claim the situation in Papua has degenerated into another East
Timor, which finally won independence from Indonesia after a bloody struggle.
Peter King, from Sydney University's Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, said the
government had been forced to take the asylum claims seriously because of the
weight of public opinion.
"They couldn't prevaricate on this," he said.
"(Papua) is another Timor.
"Unless the Indonesians respond to that, they must realise they're not only going to
have problems with Australian civil society but the government as well."
Australian Greens senator Kerry Nettle praised the government for ignoring the
appeals from Jakarta.
James Cocking, from the Australia West Papua Association, said he was happy the
government recognised the asylum seekers' claims were genuine.
© 2006 AAP
Copyright © 2005. The Sydney Morning Herald.
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