Posted on 01/13/2005 4:09:46 AM PST by kattracks
The Indonesian government yesterday showed its appreciation to U.S. soldiers who have been risking their lives helping tsunami victims by ordering them to get out of the country by the end of March.
"Three months are enough," Vice President Jusuf Kalla told the official Antara news agency. "In fact, the sooner [they leave] the better."
Kalla's government also forced the Abraham Lincoln, from which Navy pilots have flown dozens of food supply missions to the hard-hit Aceh Province, to steam out of Indonesian waters because they refused to let U.S. pilots fly training missions in their air space.
The Indonesians also refused to let the Marines coming ashore rebuild roads, establish a base camp or carry arms.
Lynn Pascoe, the U.S. ambassador to Indonesia, reacted to Kalla's ingratitude by declaring that American troops will help as long as they were needed and "not a minute later."
But in Washington, White House spokesman Scott McClellan demanded "further clarification from Indonesia about what this means."
"We hope that the government of Indonesia and the military in Indonesia will continue the strong support they have provided to the international relief efforts so far," he said.
Although most Indonesians have expressed thanks for U.S. help, nationalist politicians in the world's most populous Muslim country have been grumbling about "American interlopers."
Indonesia's new president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, is a former general in a country that has been under martial law for much of its recent history.
Always wary of America, Indonesia reluctantly allowed U.S. soldiers in when it became clear it could not deal with the aftermath of the Dec. 26 tsunami on its own.
Yudhoyono's government also moved to reassert control over wave-walloped Aceh by ordering aid workers and journalists to declare their travel plans - or face expulsion.
"It is important to note that the government would be placed in a very difficult position if any foreigner who came to Aceh to assist in the aid effort was harmed through the acts of irresponsible parties," the government said in a statement.
The Indonesian government was referring to the rebels who have largely stayed out of the way as the international rescue missions have been mounted.
With News Wire Services
Originally published on January 13, 2005
It's everybody - they want all western influence out including the UN. Our (Aussie) Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Downer said that he was not offended as he believed that the government needed to keep a fairly large minority of Fundamentalists happy by doing this. The political situation in Indonesia is often very tense and support for the major parties still must be garnered from the fundies or it's out of Government for whoever is in power. All that said I am truely offended at the way this was handled. A country with a bit of decency would have put it to those countries helping that they believe they would be ready to take over the relief and rebuilding projects in 3 months and then thank the countries for their help. I for one am now making sure my money goes to India through a mission.
It's too late however for those people in the region - they have already been subjected to the help, generousity and spirit of Aussies and Americans. This will have an impact on many Indonesians and, Please God, here's hoping that many of them come to believe in Jesus because of it.
Mel
Well this is pretty clear and not so veiled.
On Thursday, the Indian Red Cross Society said relief supplies it had in Port Blair, the territory's capital, had disappeared from the docks and were later found to have been taken by government workers.
"They hijacked our relief material. They robbed it," said Basudev Dass, joint secretary of the Indian Cross Society. "They want to take all the relief material and distribute it. We are very clear that we will go and distribute it to the real beneficiaries."
Lt. Gov. Ram Kapse, the territory's head of government and the head of the Red Cross Society in the Andamans, declined to comment on his organization's complaint.
"Not only us, but all NGOs are facing this," said Dass. He also said that 12,000 liters (3,170 U.S. gallons) of mineral water intended for tsunami victims had been used as bath water by a district official.
they sure went to alot of trouble to re-supply the terrorists
Sometimes I wish I was Jewish so I could go live in Israel. (Probably safer than here). Think they'd accept a protestant Dutch family there?
A "perfect 10" would be "get out now".
In the Indonesian situation, as in many other predominantly Muslim societies, the Gov't either accommodates and cooperates with this religion or the religion IS the government (Iran, Pre War Afghanistan, etc.). In such cases the people have little if any choice in the matter. It is the Mullahs who control the populace from cradle to grave.
A good alternate approach:
Acknowledge there are lots of people in need, and help them. When corrupt pols insist aid workers leave, just point at the USS Abraham Lincoln and observe "we're here to help - and ain't nobody gonna stop us."
A good alternate approach:
Acknowledge there are lots of people in need, and help them. When corrupt pols insist aid workers leave, just point at the USS Abraham Lincoln and observe "we're here to help - and ain't nobody gonna stop us."
Although, really I'm not.
There is obviously waaaay more to this than meets the eye. Judging by the circumspect way the White House handled this.
Either there's internal political pressure for the national spokepeople to eschew American help. Although that bit about not allowing our planes to fly over their air space is real anough.
Every day the world gets a little bit wiser about these Muslim freakazoids. Which is that there are a bunch of thugs and genetic misfits running those countries and they've been ripping off the world (read-America)for many years.
I think they're afraid we might witness the many problems in that area by the crazies they cannot control. They might well be afraid that many of Indonesia's citizens will come forward and tell their stories, perhaps ask for asylum. They don't want their citizens getting used to being treated properly and human as they might take a liking to it.
I'm just overwhelmed by it all. Sometimes things go too slow when it all seems so obvious to me.
Another thought that keeps dawning over my marble head: Surely, surely, surely, as God is in His heaven and the earth rotates and the waters remain in the oceans, someone form the Clinton era knew all about this?
Surely SOMEONE knew the UN was a den of thieves and was robbing the world blind? EIGHT YEARS! And no one suspected a thing?
The lessons we should learn but probably won't.
A dangerous understatement.
Islam can't coexist with the government. History, tradition and a simple look around tells you that if religion is not the government, it's not an islamic state.
I just couldn't agree with you more. Please read my post.
See my post 109 it's pretty much what you say.
Show them the soles of our shoes (an insult to a muslim) and depart imediately, taking troops, supplies, and funds.
I think ST Peter had something to say about a town that does not welcome you...
I am a frequent traveler to Indonesia too...and the military there are nothing more that "government approved terrorists"...and they are out reforming the leftover refugees to join their cause so they can over throw the government...one island at a time.
Hard to riot and terroize when the USA is sitting on the back step...
Amen
Sad.
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