I understand Indonesian and I know what I heard, I don't need the media to translate for me. Furthermore, Australians do disagree with Indonesian policies and we do demonstrate against them but we certainly do not bomb their embassies or attack them the way our embassy has been attacked. Yes they were Malaysian terrorists, but how could they do what they did without some help from the local community how did they buy the materials needed for the bomb? How did they transport it?
You use the term non-Anglo loosely if this includes the Greeks and Italians then you may be right, otherwise Sydney has the largest non-white community. 25% of all Australains are born overseas including England, Ireland, Italy, Canada, New Zealand etc to assume just because you are overseas born means you are non white is wrong and narrow minded.
The Chinese population in Australia as a whole is about 2% if you include the Vietnamese population as well it will become 7%. Melbourne does not have 25% non whites unless you include italians and greeks. I can't speak for "whites" in other countries but i can certainly speak of them here.
You have failed to comment if a chinese will ever be president of Indonesia. My sister married a "white" Australian how much more mingling then that can you get. All my chinese cousins born in Aust are dating "white" boys, you may see the overseas Asian students mingling with each outer but if you say that asians and whites mainly don't mingle together then you don't know what you're talking about. And remember multi-culturalism is only new to Australia. How do you know if any companies prefer to hire whites? Have you appilied for a job in Aust, i have gotten every job i've applied for. My sister, brother, father and mother have never had trouble finding a job here. Your "favourable working environment" may apply elsewhere but it does not apply here.
I have stated that Australians in the past have wronged the Aboriginal population here, I don't know if you could describe if we are treating them "well" but we're certainly doing more then most countries to make up for our mistakes. Can Indonesia claim to be treating its minority communities fairly?
I admit Australia has faults and I welcome constructive criticism but if you're going to make broad generalisations and try to paint Australia for worse then what it actually is, you shoud first look at your own backyard.

By the way you still haven't answered the question, as an Indonesian have you felt threathned walking down the streets of any Australian city.

You failed to answer my question: when did Indonesians demostrate calling the "death of Australians"?

Are you so dumb so you don't understand that the attack on Australian Embassy was done by Malaysian terrorists? Are you generalising Indonesians as terrorists? How can a supposedly "educated" person like you not realise that these Malaysian and local terrorists are being hunted down by Indonesian govt and police?



That is why a non-white never will became Australian PM or state premier.



Chinese-Indonesians can be cabinet ministers, MPs, generals, mayors, district chiefs, doctors, popular artists/celeb, and any other occupation they want. I can assure you, intermarriage between races is much more prevalent in Indonesia than in Australia.



Actually, I learn that during Foundation pre-university studies (subject: "Racism in Australia"). I have worked in Australia, but under an Asian boss.



As I said, I will show concrete results before making such claims. And as my evidence suggest, your claims are baseless.



Yes, we can.

Nice story here how Chinese Australian bashing Lebanese Australian, just because right now Lebanese community have problem with white Australian during the beach riot.

Look in two ways, Your are not in better position than those Lebanese in the eyes of the Aussie. For them you just chinese Immigrants loitering around in their country.
Good god! you are just the same shoe like those Lebanese, there is a time for you to come and to deal.

BS as usual.

So much you need to give them "presents" of your sisters and your females cousins just need to get label "mingling".

2 days ago.
Read my posts again I never said all Indonesians were terrorists, all I have said is that they must have had some symphatisers and help within Indonesia. I am not making a genaralisation that all Indonesians are terrorists, so far the only person having made generalisations is you eg "all-whites".
I don't know if a Chinese will ever be voted into PM, from my point of view it doesn't matter. The race of a person is less important then his ability to govern. In a few generations time there will be no such thing as "white" or "chinese" because inter-racial marriages are happening so often, we will just be Australians. I know the terrorists are being hunted down I've never said otherwise, its not me who needs education its you. And I understand that the Indonesian authorities will have trouble prosecuting someone like Abu Bakar Bashir, even if he is guilty because of the support he enjoys in Indonesia. I don't know for sure if there are terrorists in Indonesia but it seems in your post you've just said yes, but even so it doesn't mean that I assume all Indonesians are terrorists or that the Indonesian govnt isn't doing all it can to catch them. I wouldn't be surprised if there were terrorists cells in Australia.
Chinese Australians are given equal oppertunity to become doctors, MP's, district chiefs as you've mentioned Chinese Indonesians can, it was you who brought up the point that because of their race Chinese in Australia can never become PM and this is not true, if one never becomes it certainly won't be because of their race. There are Chinese Indonesians in Melb who have migrated to Aust because they don't see themselves as being safe of having an equal oppertunity in Indonesia. Do you see any Chinese Australians trying to leave Australia because of the same reasons?
Agian I don't care what you've read in your books(racism in Australia), these opinions come from the perspective of the author. Again I ask you the same question. Have you felt in danger walking down Australian streets for being an Indonesian. Are you more likely to believe what you read or what you've experienced?
What evidemce have you showed that Australians currently treat Aboriginals poorly. All you've showed is that we've treated them poorly in the past for which i have already agreed with you. My contention is that we are doing what we can to make up for it now. You've not shown me evidence to the contrary.
If you've not worked under an Australain boss then how do you know that they are prejudicial in not hiring non white people. Have you applied for a job in Australia and not got it because of your race?

More BS.

Saying that I am "bashing" Lebanese Australians implies that I am telling lies or I've turned the story around to prejudice the community in some way. I have done neither, do you know what happened? Have you been though the media reports. There has been no denial from the Lebanese community that the bashing of the lifeguard was what started the riots. If the Lebanese community has issues, they have community leaders, there are Muslim parliamentarians they could have brought it up with. By the same token if the "whites" had issues they should have done the same thing. All I've contended is that neither side is blameless and there are issues to be sorted out.
Have you been to Australia Nusantara? Most chinese here feel priviledged to be here, white Australians accepted us as equals when our own home countries have not.


Is the the best you can do, label personal insults at my sister and my female cousins when you have nothing constructive to say. Is this what you do in your spare time, insult women who are not here to defend themselves. I'm sure this is not how your parents brought you up.

Do not so sure with your assimilation theory. I believe integration path is more or likely is the way what most white people believe. Perhaps yes there are assimilitaion going around but if you look at the pattern is more on your female part go to Aussie guy. not the other way around. You also mentioned this in your previous post.

In United States black and white have living together hundred of years together. But the society still divided by line of colors and then come chinese living in US for more than hundred years now but still chinese mostly living on their own society.

White Aussie and Aborigines have living together too for hundred of years, "mingling" happened, intermarried happened too, but still society divided by ethnic or race. Mingling and intermarried also happened too between Chinese and Aussie just like Aborigines case. But do you think every Aussie like marrying you? You got to be kidding me!

Does it matter which way it goes, Chinese women, as "white" women are free to choose whomever they date or marry, as men are. They don't "belong" to any racial group. Incidentally, though my brother is currently single, he has ever only dated "white" girls.
I'm not too concerned with what happens in America.
The Aboriginal problem has been present for 200 odd years, we have only been trying to make up for it in the last 20 odd years. You don't fix something like this overnight.


And this is the difference. You still see people based on their race first and person second while the majority of us see the person, irrespective of race.

You got any Anglo Australian relatives? nah didn't think so, just stirring $hit ay buddy...you are the weakest link...fu-k off!

What a lowlife. Swingdoctors obviously smarter than him and since he couldn't come up with anything smart he resorts to insults like this. How embarrassing.

Mas pur, I think I saw a Somali girl appear in the Neighbours or Home & Away series before... can someone else confirm? She spoke with a thick ozzie accent though...

Do native Papuans field any papuan candidates for these national and regional elections? Is there a Papuan minister in Jakarta taking care of their interests?

NGO stands for Non-Governmental Organisations. These organisations basically are alternatives to the formal channels in solving various problems (not only problems, they can also represent/promote cultures, for example). Many of these organisations get formal and informal funding from different sources, formal and informal.

NGOs are often seen as "saviours", especially that they struggle "on behalf" of the minorities or oppressed. It's quite easy, furthermore, to understand the sentiment. Anyways, standing against the legitimate government is often regarded as heroism.

In some countries, NGOs do play an important role. However, many NGOs actually behave an an informal political platform.

What independent observers you have in mind? UN obeservers? Well, allowing them to come in to Papua means internationalising the whole matter. Indonesia regards this as a interference to its sovereignty.

BS, where is the proof?



BS, you are the one always making generalisations. Like a minx, you seek to blame Australian Embassy bombing on all Indonesians, while the fact is the perpetrator are Malaysian terrorists.



LOL, if you really believe Australian whites are going to vote for a Chinese PM, you need more education. There is not even a single ethnic-Chinese cabinet minister or state premier.



Some Indonesians (not only ethnic-Chinese) migrate to Australia because Indonesia is already overcrowded with people, while in Australia salary levels relatively high, you have social security, and there is less competition in every field. However, your tax rate is so high and so strict it is quite impossible to make it rich in Australia compared with Indonesia.



Racial discrimination does not take necessarily mean physical violence. White Australians aren't so uneducated or financially depressed or mentally dreanged to beat-up foreign students who are supporting their education system after cutting of education subsidies by Howard.



LOL, read the other thread about the Aborigines' poor health, high poverty & unemployment, high jailing level, and daily racism copped by Aborigines from whites.



From my Foundation pre-university studies and from anecdotal stories from some Asian-Australians I know.




Never heard this, maybe this is so long ago or her appearance is so short. What everybody knows Neighbours and Home & Away have 100% white cast.



Don't you read what I posted before? I said by law, ALL governors and district chiefs (bupati) in Papua province MUST be native Papuan, as determined by Papuan tribal body MRP (Majelis Rakyat Papua). Governor of Papua today is Barnabas Suebu, an agitator for integration with Indonesia during Dutch rule, governor of Irian Jaya under Suharto, and former Indonesian ambassador to Mexico. Current governor of Irian Jaya Barat is a retired brigadier-general in Indonesian Marines, Abraham Octavianus Ataruri.

There is no special cabinet post for Papua in national cabinet, but there is a native Papuan Minister of Maritime Affairs, Rear Admiral (Ret.) Freddy Numberi.

There are around ten native Papuans in national Parliament, while majority of regional legislative members in Papua and Irian Jaya Barat provinces are native Papuans.

Thanks mas, tf the Papuans have representatives in the government, they should agitate through these channels for change rather than through the might of a foreign country. Unless of course, it's like my own country where any serious form of agitation will be crushed and suppressed by the govt and judicial machinery without a second thought.



I am sorry to mention this anecdote but my own brother went surfing in australia and was coming out of a mall when he got head-butted and punched in the face by two skin-heads for no reason other than the fact that he was carrying the national amblem - a friggin' surfboard - in his hands.

I don't mean this as an indictment that all Aussies are racists, but my brother needed 12 frigging stitches to his face!

Thanks.
I was watching Lateline today(basically a show that discusses current affairs) and there was an article on Papua, they were discussing the similarities and differences between Papua and East Timor. Basically the consensus from the "experts"(only because they are journalists who specialise in Indonesia) was that Papua would never gain independence but something still needed to be done about the problems the Papuans were experiencing there. The consensus again was that that was the responsibility of the Indonesian Govnt but that countries like Aust and the US along with organisations like the UN should be ready to help should the need arise. It was in their opinion that any insurgance would be futile and only end in bloodshed. Bearing in mind that these are journalists comments. I thought their comments would be intereting and should be shared on this forum.

Yeah you see thats the problem, anything you don't want to believe is BS, the truth is that the only person full of BS is you. I have said many times and I'll say it again I don't blame all Indonesians for our embassy bombing. What of what I'm saying do you not understand . If you still don't understand read it again. Show me my post where I've said that all Indonesians are terrorists. If thats the way it came across I apologise I didn't mean it that way and I feel I've certainly corrected myself many times over.
Again I wouldn't care less if a Chinese made it as an Australian Premier or PM or Cabinet Minister, I'm more concerned about the person's ability to do the job then the colour of their skin. It is only to you that a Chinese not being voted PM or Premier equals racial discrimination, I've not been to Indonesia so I don't know, but if this is the case in Indonesia, it doesn't mean that its the same in Aust. Otherwise I don't know why you keep insisting that if a Chinese doesn't get elected to govnt is because of racial discrimination. The only Chinese I know who has remotely been interested in politics is Bill O'Chee, former NT parliamentarian. Otherwise not even John Soo is interested in politics(other ten bing mayor of Melbourne) as he has pubically stated. But for your information there are Vietnamese parliamentarians, if race is such an issue to you.
People who choose to live in Aust do it for quality of life and not to get rich. You're right if you want to get rich Australia is probably not the country to come to. Australia is a country you come to if you want a generally better quality of life for the "average" person. If you come to Aust and decide you don't like it here, go back. We would not be offended, we understand that the way of life here is not for everyone.
Then I ask you again, have you in general experienced discrimination in Aust. Yes Aust Universities do partially rely on foreign student to help prop up their budgets, but remember they also get the majority of their funding from the federal govnt. But if you don't like it here or feel discriminated against you are welcome to study in another country. I recommend NZ or the UK.
I don't know the stories your Asian Australian friends have experienced but I know that the discrimination as you've mentioned does not exist in Aust. I can vouch personally that for me and all the people I know, no one has been discriminated against for being Asian when it comes to employment. If your friends did not get a particular job and are Asian, it does not mean that the reason they didn't get the job is because they are Asian. White Aust also don't always get the jobs they apply for. I've applied for 5 jobs in my career and have gotten every one of them. I'm not silly or blind enough to say that discrimination does not exist in Aust. Whenever you have 2 or more different racial groups coming togeter there will always be discrimination by a minority, particularly when the have nots see what the other racial group "has". but in Aust it is not as widespead or generalisd as you make it seem. Tell me discrimination does not exist in Indonesia.
I've not denied what you've written about the Aborigines, read my posts again, all I've said is that the current Australia is trying to rectify the wrongs that have been commited, this is the third time I'm saying this do you still not understand? Is Australia not entitled to apologise(which our current PM has done) and try to make up for its mistakes? If you think that apologising and trying to fix things is not good enough, then I suggest rather then simply critisizing, tell us something constructive that we could do better. We cannot change history but we certainly can work towards a better future.
I have read that Islam preaches terrorism, should I believe this completely to be true? Do you believe everything you read without question(foundation Pre university studies)? I would be more impressed with your argument if you could tell me that you were personally racially vilified. If you've read that Australians are racists but have not experienced it yourself, have you considered that what you have read may not be totally accurate or that the situation may have changed since the book was written?
If you want to know if there are Chinese people in the Australian entertainment industry, look up High 5 and the Wiggles, they are the 2 highest earning bands in Australia.

Sorry about your brother tangawizi, unfortunately there are skinheads who attack innocent people, sometimes racially motivated sometimes not. Fortunately in my experience anyway they are in the minority.
Hope he is better. Where did he go surfing?
I hope this would not dissuade him from returning to Aust.

Banyak amat tulisannya.....

Singapore is indeed a dictatorial country, while Indonesia is the world's third-largest democracy.



There are lots of Australian white-superiority skinheads.

Here's an online forum that reflects their views:
http://www.stormfront.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=38

Yes when someone is unfairly prejudicial I tend to have a lot to say.


Yes there are some white supremecy skinheads in Australia, tell me there are no radicals in Indonesia or any other country in the world.
Again if these skinheads have threathened you personally or you are in fear of your life, or feel unfairly treated, reject our hospitality, there are other countries who could provide as good as if not better education for you then Australia.

I might read this reply of yours later, for now stop avoiding answering my question:

Prove Indonesians demonstrate for the "death of Australians" two days ago!

I am very proud to see 2 ex-Chinese fellowmen; Pur and Swing assimilate so well to the host countries. Keep up the good works.

I have lived in both Australia and Indonesia for many years in my younger days and I am now residing in Canada for the past 30 plus years.

I cannot say anything about the present; but in those days, there were good and bad memories in both countries.

I love where I am now, however I would not say Canada is better than Indonesia or Australia, just because from my life experiences, civilization or good time is only paper thin; anything can happen overnight.

However, concerning the Chinese politicians or inter racial marriage matters, I tend to have the same door as Swing, just because we Chinese have learnt so much in the past 50 years and we have come long ways to gain more confidences ourselves and more respects from others.

In Canada, my white friends are jokingly complaining that it is now reverse discrimination and Chinese girls are the hottest at the moment, especially those speak more than one language. As for Chinese politicians, please come and see for yourself and you just might stay! Hahaha! 2

I did not say that were demonstrating for the "Death of Australains" what I said was the there were people there calling for death to Aust, I understand that they were there demonstrating against Australia granting visa's to Papuans, there is a difference. I don't know what you do with your spare time but I don't go aroung taping everything that I watch on TV,as you, I have a life. And I certainly don't belive that many Indonesians want Aust to die. Like Aust I believe the vast majority of Indonesians are good people, my best friend and my best man at my wedding will be Indonesian.

I have asnwered every question you have put to me, yet you still avoid my one question, have you been discriminated against or felt threathened for being Indonesian while you have been in Aust.

LIST OF ENEMIES OF INDONESIA IN AUSTRALIA WHO SUPPORTS PAPUAN SEPARATISTS ACCORDING TO INDONESIAN PARLIAMENT'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMISSSION:

1. Bob Brown (Green Party leader and senator)
2. Kerry Nettle (Green Party senator)
3. Andrew Bartlett (Democrat Party senator)
4. Natasha Stott-Despoja (Democrat Party senator)
5. Stuart Rees (West Papua Project leader and Sydney University lecturer)
6. Chris Richards (New Internationalist magazine editor)
7. Duncan Kerr (Labour MP from Tasmania)
8. Greg Sword (former Labour Party president and Socialist Left member)
9. Susan McConnelly (Mary MacKillop Institute)
10. John Barr (former executive-secretary of Uniting Church of Australia)

Aust has about 20 mil people there will be a few who will support Papuans Independence particularly when reports from Papua arrive of killings and torture. John Howard and Our Foreigns Minister has pubically stated that Aust does not support Papuan independence. Virtually all Australians though, if its true(and there are many Papuans giving interviews here to that effect) are against killings and torture of any race. No one from Papua so far has stood up to deny this.

You still haven't answered my question!!

^ These people better beware. A few years ago, when Indonesia was facing lots of difficulties in the post-Suharto era, these evil Australian predators smell blood. Thinking Indonesia is about to collapse, they embarked on a vicious campaign of lies and hate against Indonesia in order to speed-up our disintegration.

Now, Indonesia has recovered. We are not going to take anymore of the abusive bull$hit of these predators. The Indonesian people are not going to tolerate the activities of these self-proclaimed enemies of Indonesia, they can only bully Indonesians around SO FAR!



Yes you did, you forget that all the deaths from this embassy bombing are Indonesians.

Gosh Pur! I suddenly have this image of a bloodthirsty war-monger! Yikes! Calm down on your rhetorics, u r beginning to spout what smells like facism.

Yes, Indonesia is one of the world's largest democracy. I hope to see your government listen to the peoples' hopes and desires and keep a check on the division between the haves and the have-nots. In SG, although we seemingly live in a totalitarian state and fear the wrath of the Lees, our government does tackle our hopes and desires headon in good faith and deliver the results. How long this can last, god only knows. that's why a growing number of us are vigilant and agitating for more accountability and openness in the state.

It's quite galling that there is international pressure on Indonesia not to crush the call for sovereignty of the papuans in Irian Jaya, especially coming from Australia which sent troops to invade Iraq and crushed their peace and sovereignty.

In politics, hypocrisy and double standards abound.

You're paranoid. Nobody wants instability in Indonesia, instable Indonesia=instable region, bad for everyone. If there was fighting in Indonesia, a population of about 250 million people it would be bad for everyone, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia etc.Stability = Prosperity for everyone. We want a stable Indonesia. By the same token, if the alleged abuses in Papua are true, how can any decent human being stand by and ignore the problem. Having said that the only thing Aust has done so far is provide temporary refuge to people who claim to have been abused, why is this wrong? Australia does not support an independent Papua, as our govnt has said a few times already.
I did not forget that all the deaths in the embassy bombing were Indonesian as were most of the deaths in Bali. But it was still meant as an attack on Australia. I do not see all Indonesians as terrorists and I hope that the Indonesian govnt does catch and persecute successfully anyone involved in terrorists activity in Indonesia b/c it does cause instability to the region.
Australia does not hate Indonesia, we sent more then a billion dollars in aid to Aceh and why our Armed Forces personnel died helping Indonesians.

^ Re-read my post, Indonesia's stern warning is meant for our enemies as mentioned in that list!

I don't know how you see it, but the bombings in Bali and Jakarta (where the number of Indonesian deads outnumber greatly the Aussies and foreigners) were not really targeted at Australia but rather to polarise the mainstream muslims in Indonesia and turn them against the western powers. The whole idea is to turn the tide of opinions against any secular and western governments and peoples at large. And bloody hell, it's working!

That is correct

Are you a mainstream muslim, Pur?

I am Roman Catholic

Oh boy! These mahdists in the Middle East are really working their magic on you! hehe..

LOL, actually I view fundamentalist Islam as the biggest threat to Indonesia. My political view is pure Indonesian secular nationalism!

OK, so I was still right... u veer towards mild facism.

Hiazzz...whatever the hell label we give each other, we are all humans under the same sun. Juz take it easy bro downunder!

Australia - is it still necessary to possess a criminal record in order to migrate there?

I'm sorry , I couldn't resist this jibe everytime I talk abt Australia after what happened to my little brother in Brisbane..

Defending my country's unity and integrity is NOT fascism!

The only fascists here are Papuan separatists who are intolerant of brown-coloured non-Melanesians.



I'm sorry for your brother. I lived in Brisbane for 3.5 years and did not experience trouble. I guess you'll never know.

Thanks for the info. I do agree there are huge problems in Papua. Lots of huge problems, but mainly based on poverty of the "indigenous" people. And there is this infamous Indonesian corruption, which mostly done by non-"natives" (remember, there's a number of people originating from different parts of the country and now live in Papua for generations). Don't get me wrong: I HATE CORRUPTION!

But, again, this is an Indonesian domestic issue. The government does accept foreign assistance, as far as its sovereignty is out of question. I can assure you, though, that with all its limitations, the Indonesia govt is doing quite well. Actually, I'm glad there's a lot of information about problems that Indonesia is facing. At least, we know how much work has still to be done.

LOL Very funny.
BTW did LKW give you permission to crack that joke?

Look Purnomor for my part I'm sorry if I have offended you in any way, I admit I get very passionate when people say bad things about Aust particularly those that I feel are not true.
Australia has its problems, like every other country.
I have not met anyone in Aust who generalises Indonesians as bad people and I don't know anyone here who blames all Indonesians for the bombings in Jakarta or Bali. I'm sure there are such people here but they are few and far between, mainly people who just don't know any better.
Aust does want a stable Indonesia, it makes our northern border much safer. We want Indonesians to be better off as well. A rich, stable Indonesia benefits Aust in terms of security and trade.
In spite of what some Indonesians may think, the vast majority of Aust will try to help Indonesians any way we can. We still visit Bali eventhough we know we may be targeted. We gave generously when a terrible trajedy struck Indonesia, and we will continue to do so if it is needed.
It does make us feel like we're an unappreciated neighbour when the help we've provided is soon forgotten and in a diplomatic point of view, recieved a "slap in the face" when all we feel we've done, is provide a humanitarian gesture.

Hitler was seized with paranoia about Prussian unity and integrity...facism can creep up on you and spring its claws on you before you know it.




No, but we'll need his permission to let rip a fart in the general elections though... mwahaha 2

err.. Hitler is actually from Austria and spend his formative years in Bavaria. He actually hated the "arrogant" Prussians, particularly the Prussian aristocratic Junker class who always look down on him as "little corporal". In 1944, the Prussian aristocratic generals even plotted an assassination attempt on Hitler (led by Count Claus von Stauffenberg).

OK, nitty gritties aside, when Hitler got voted into power, he decreed in 1934 that the German states cease to exist as political units, and it was by then no longer possible to distinguish Prussia from the rest of Germany.

You get the gist of megalomania at work.

It is funny how many great dictators in world history are relative outsiders. Hitler was actually not from Germany, but from Austria. Napoleon was not ethnic-French, but an Italian from Corsica. Stalin was not Russian, but from Georgia.

Hahaha...true. LKY was born in Semarang, could u believe that? And u? Family originally from China, no?

LKY = Lee Kuan Yew rite? He was born in Singapore, though his mother was born in Indonesia.

Me? Well, I am just a common student. My family has been in Indonesia for several generations, though from mother's side, my grandmother's older brother is now in Kunming, China, since he was brought back to China by my great-great-grandmother back in 1930. From my father's side, we don't know anybody back in China anymore.

Australia reviews asylum policy

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has launched a review of asylum policy, following a bitter row with Indonesia.

Mr Howard said any changes would ensure Australia would continue to fulfil its obligations under international law.

But he said Canberra would "pay proper regard" to the importance of the ties between Australia and Indonesia.

Jakarta has strongly protested against last month's decision by Australia to grant temporary visas to 42 people from Indonesia's restive Papua province.

Papua was integrated into Indonesia in 1969, but a small separatist group has battled for independence ever since.

Indonesian authorities are frequently accused of human rights abuses in the province.

'Important relations'

Mr Howard announced the review at a news conference in Melbourne, saying that the government was "looking at the process".

"Whatever comes out of that review, you can be certain that it will meet our international obligations," he said.

"But it will also... pay proper regard to the importance of the relationship between Australia and Indonesia."

Mr Howard reiterated his support for a united Indonesia, saying that "the best path forward for West Papua is to be part of a more prosperous, more democratic Indonesia".

The row began after Canberra granted temporary visas to the 42 Papuans - some of whom are reported to be leading pro-independence activists.

The Papuans arrived in Australia by boat in January, saying they were fleeing abuses by Indonesia's military.

They have been granted temporary protection visas - three-year renewable permits which allow immigrants to work.

The news has angered Indonesians who see the decision as Australian interference in Indonesian national affairs.

Protests have been held outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta.

Indonesia has also recalled its ambassador for "consultations" on the issue.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4886674.stm

Congratulations, swingdoctor! I haven't read such mature comment about such a sensitive issue. Keep it up!

As everybody hopes, I do also hope that the relations among the two countries improves soon. I guess this isn't going to be easy at all, but we can make it.

Indonesia owes a lot to the Australians. But, again, what do you think to handle this misinterpretation and, possibly, "extremism" from these groups?