If you think that this picture is the prelude to deep and meaningless comments about cartoons of dogs and dingoes, then you are right.The latest diplomatic tiff between Australia and Indonesia is, I conjecture, another sign of a power play here in Indonesia. With unconfirmed rumours of a massacre of students in Papua, which would, if true, have been conducted by maverick military groups, following the granting of temporary asylum by Australia to 43 mostly pro-independence activists and their families from Papua fearing further physical intimidation, then we are witnessing a bunch of toadies brown-nosing SBY with their mock umbrage.
As for the cartoons, which you can see here, I agree with Yusuf Ardi who writes: These (sub-standard) cartoons managed to divert the focus of Papua issue, justice for Papuan. Indonesia government, instead of blaming Australian and the 43 Papuan-asylum seekers, should ask itself of whether the revenue from Papua's mining, fishing, oil and gas, or forestry operations have been returned fairly according to the Special Autonomy Law.
Another display of pomposity is centred on Poso in Central Sulawesi where Fabianus Tibo, Marinus Riwu and Dominggus da Silva, the Poso 3, are awaiting execution, obstensibly for master-minding sectarian violence there.
The three men in Poso were jailed in April 2001 for allegedly inciting clashes between Christians and Muslims that left some 200 people dead. The men were to be put to death in late March but the executions were delayed due to "technical difficulties", according to Central Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office head M. Jahya Sibe. No new date has been given for the executions.
What makes this case of particular concern is that their lawyer advised them to say little at their trial. It was only when they were sentenced to death that they decided to name names, 16 of them. And suddenly there seems to be a rush to execute (silence?) the three.
There have been many instances of violent outrages since they were jailed, not least the beheading of three schoolgirls last year and a bomb exploded on March 22nd in the village of Toini, the eighth bomb explosion in the area this year.
Opposition to the executions has caused concern among some people that maybe the wrong people have been arrested and imprisoned, which is the story of In the Name of the Father (available on pirated DVD) and the Guildford Four, who were scapegoated by police eager to put someone in jail for a bombing that outraged the public.
Any evidence that did not fit the police's version of the bombing was ignored, until the convictions were overturned thanks to a public campaign by people who refused to allow the injustice to stand. The movie version is a powerful portrayal of the weak being victimized by the strong. We sincerely hope what is happening in Poso is not about victimizing the weak, even though the parallels are tempting.
The three men awaiting execution are poor farmers.
And now for something completely different.
If you prefer pictures of cute dogs to my ranting, then do look here. (If pastel shades are not your thing, then prepare to puke.)
My mate Del sent me the blue poodle link and the Reveller sent me the other one. I'm not sure why, unless they were appealing to my feminine side.
