Indonesia yesterday rejected accusations it has clamped down on freedom of expression and the foreign media in rebellious Aceh, insisting the province was under more scrutiny than ever.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said restrictions imposed on foreigners in Aceh were intended to protect them during a fresh government offensive to crush rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) that was launched on May 19.
"We don't believe recent developments are symptomatic of Aceh being closed. On the contrary, since the combined operation was launched, Aceh has been under more scrutiny than it has ever been before," Natalegawa told a news conference.
"The Indonesian people expect the very best of conduct on the part of the military and police, and that is the ultimate guarantee that human rights abuses do not happen in Aceh."
International media watchdogs have accused Indonesia of trying to close Aceh off to the foreign media, while local rights activists have said they have been warned by the authorities about speaking out during the offensive.
And the US government has said a five-year jail term given to a leading activist in Aceh this week was harsh and heightened the "apparent intimidation" of those trying to monitor abuses.
Natalegawa chided Washington for criticizing the verdict given to Muhammad Nazar, 30, jailed for spreading hatred against the state for calling for a referendum on self-rule.
He said it was inappropriate for other governments to comment on decisions handed down by an independent judiciary.
"To assume that because of certain high-profile cases that somehow democracy is at threat in Indonesia and that Aceh is closed to monitoring I think is a bit exaggerated," he said.
The military has said more than 350 people have been killed in the offensive, mainly rebels. GAM has given a far higher death toll, with the majority civilians and government forces.
China’s military news agency yesterday warned that Japanese militarism is infiltrating society through series such as Pokemon and Detective Conan, after recent controversies involving events at sensitive sites. In recent days, anime conventions throughout China have reportedly banned participants from dressing as characters from Pokemon or Detective Conan and prohibited sales of related products. China Military Online yesterday posted an article titled “Their schemes — beware the infiltration of Japanese militarism in culture and sports.” The article referenced recent controversies around the popular anime series Pokemon, Detective Conan and My Hero Academia, saying that “the evil influence of Japanese militarism lives on in
DIPLOMATIC THAW: The Canadian prime minister’s China visit and improved Beijing-Ottawa ties raised lawyer Zhang Dongshuo’s hopes for a positive outcome in the retrial China has overturned the death sentence of Canadian Robert Schellenberg, a Canadian official said on Friday, in a possible sign of a diplomatic thaw as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks to boost trade ties with Beijing. Schellenberg’s lawyer, Zhang Dongshuo (張東碩), yesterday confirmed China’s Supreme People’s Court struck down the sentence. Schellenberg was detained on drug charges in 2014 before China-Canada ties nosedived following the 2018 arrest in Vancouver of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou (孟晚舟). That arrest infuriated Beijing, which detained two Canadians — Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig — on espionage charges that Ottawa condemned as retaliatory. In January
A sign hanging from a rusty ice-green shipping container installed by Thai forces on what they say is the border with Cambodia reads: “Cambodian citizens are strictly prohibited from entering this area.” On opposite sides of the makeshift barricade, fronted by coils of barbed wire, Cambodians lamented their lost homes and livelihoods as Thailand’s military showed off its gains. Thai forces took control of several patches of disputed land along the border during fighting last year, which could amount to several square kilometers in total. Cambodian Kim Ren said her house in Chouk Chey used to stand on what is now the Thai
NEW RULES: There would be fewer school days, four-day workweeks, and a reduction in transportation services as the country battles a crisis exacerbated by US pressure The Cuban government on Friday announced emergency measures to address a crippling energy crisis worsened by US sanctions, including the adoption of a four-day work week for state-owned companies and fuel sale restrictions. Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Perez-Oliva Fraga blamed Washington for the crisis, telling Cuban television the government would “implement a series of decisions, first and foremost to guarantee the vitality of our country and essential services, without giving up on development.” “Fuel will be used to protect essential services for the population and indispensable economic activities,” he said. Among the new measures are the reduction of the working week in
RSS