ABC AUSTRALIA, 02/06/2004 22:55:18
Terrorist expert says her expulsion from Indonesia comforts
extremists
A leading expert on terrorism in South East Asia says her expulsion from Indonesia
will comfort supporters of extremist groups like Jemaah Islamiyah.
Our Indonesian correspondent Tim Palmer reports Sidney Jones, from the
International Crisis Group, has been told to leave Indonesia as soon as possible.
Sidney Jones' work on Jemaah Islamiyah is considered the most authoratative
compiled, but it seems research she did on Indonesia's troubled Aceh and Papua
provinnces may have irritated the country's intelligence chief Hendropriyono, who has
driven the expulsion moves.
After the government suggested suspension of her work visa was a routine matter,
Sidney Jones and an Australian colleague were last night given orders to leave
Indonesia as soon as possible.
Sidney Jones says while she can't say her work on terrorism and JI helped spark the
expulsion, extremists will be encouraged by it.
"I'm sure that Abu Bakar Bashir and others will be quite happy at my departure," she
said.
Rights group concerned about Indonesia's crackdown on critics
Human Rights Watch says Indonesia's decision to expel Sidney Jones raises
concerns about the country's crackdown on critical observers ahead of the July 5
presidential election.
In a statement, the US based group says the order appears directly related to her
criticial reporting on Indonesia.
During the last two years, the International Crisis Group has criticized Indonesian
authorities about their response to the ongoing activity of al Qaeda-linked militant
group Jemaah Islamiyah, as well as alleged government human rights violations during
armed conflicts in the provinces of Aceh and Papua.
Human Rights Watch says the Indonesian government has also placed 20
international and local nongovernmental organisations on a "watch list" as threats to
the country's security.
Ms Jones is a former director of Human Rights Watch's Asia Division.
02/06/2004 22:55:18 | ABC Radio Australia News
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