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| Southeast Asia |
| Indonesian students attack Dutch consulate |
| 2008-04-03 |
| Dozens of Indonesian students on Wednesday attacked a Dutch consulate in protest against an anti-Islamic film by a far-right Dutch MP, burning a flag and breaking down the gates. Police arrested 20 of the 70 students who protested at the consulate in Medan on Sumatra island, the latest in a series of mostly peaceful rallies in Indonesia against the film made by far-right Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders. The protesters - members of a Muslim student association - tore down the flag and burned it in front of the consulate building before breaking down the gates. Police said the demonstrators also threw stones and eggs at the consulate building, damaging both the gate and fence. “We have arrested 20 students and they are currently being questioned,” Medan city police chief Muis told reporters by telephone, adding that the protest lasted around 45 minutes. Earlier this week, demonstrations were held outside the Dutch embassy in Jakarta and in Magelang, Central Java. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday urged Indonesians not to resort to violence over the film, barred Wilders from entering Indonesia and said screenings of the film would be banned in the former Dutch colony. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 In no way to justify the violence, but by way of explanation, (in part) this is probably in some ways just a continued historical grudge -- since Indonesia was brutally ruled as a colony of the Dutch for about two centuries (i.e., the Dutch East Indies). Post WW II, there was an almost five year war fought for independence, and a lot of anti-West, anti-White sentiment created. It didn't help for the Dutch to use Christian Indonesians as their chief enforcers -- that led to some resentment along those lines too. In other words, any excuse will do when it comes to acting out against the Dutch in Indonesia. Indonesia is a smorgasbord of cultures, religions, and ideologies -- despite being the largest "Muslim" country in the world. Nonetheless, if you'd like to ever see the likes of a Reformation Movement in Islam it's probably going to come out of the likes of organizations such as Indonesia’s Liberal Islam Network. Indonesia's cultural and political climate is not easily reducible to monolithic themes. (See, e.g., this link and comments there.) In part, that's the hope for the country. Melting pots are good. Many Muslims can be our allies in the WOT -- as evidenced by the dead bodies and spilt blood of those Muslims the islamofascists target as “collaborators” -- whether in Palestine, Iraq, or elsewhere in the world. Indonesia has been very active in shutting down islamofascism. (See link and comments there, and this storyU.S.-Indonesia Ties Called Crucial in Struggle Against Extremism.) I can't think of another country that has arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced so many of its own citizens for islamofascist extremism -- including sentencing several of these thugs to death. The tsunami aid was greatly appreciated in Indonesia, and built long lasting good will. Besides that, regardless, it was the right thing to do. And, if no one else (but there were, many, many besides), the Lutherans on Nias appreciated it. |
| Posted by: cingold 2008-04-03 16:58 |
| #2 They also emme to have forgotten how, except for rebuilding mosques, little if any aid came from Muslim countries, even from rich ones like Saudi Arabia. |
| Posted by: JFM 2008-04-03 10:20 |
| #1 aaaa...didn't we send billions to Indonesia afterthe Quake/Tsunami? aaaa...didn't we send an Aircraft Carrier [loaded with helicopters and supplies and Superb Americans] and a small fleet along with it to help Indonesia after the Quake/Tsunami? I know it's the Dutch in this case but these animals [gubmint of Indo] who half ass supported the Bali Bombers and support/ed that toothy son of bitch [cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir] should NEVER get a dime of yours or my money. If only we could D-11 the UN building and the State Dept into rubble, tiny tiny bits..... yaa I kno.. i can dream tho... |
| Posted by: RD 2008-04-03 02:47 |