Indonesia vs Australia in cartoons: Shifting the core issue
On Monday Indonesian newspaper Rakyat Merdeka ran a front-page caricature showing Mr Howard being mounted on Downer with the Prime Minister saying: "I want Papua!! Alex! Try to make it happen."Mr Howard dismissed the Indonesian cartoon, although Mr Downer described it as grotesque and "way below standards of public taste".
On Friday, The Australian published the counter cartoon with Indonesia president SBY riding a black man (symbol of a Papuan, the focus of diplomatic tension) saying 'Don't take this the wrong way' with foot note of 'no offence intended' . Indonesia government commenting on The Australian cartoon as a disgusting media war and below standards of public taste. So, both sub-standard cartoons!
These 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.
Local politicans should also start with auditing the implementation of special autonomy for Papua, not the rhetoric on Freeport. I'm sure Freeport might have committed wrong-doings in tax, environmental, or real production of copper, gold or silver. Indonesia surely has every authority to conduct the comprehensive audit on these issues. And then we could summon Freeport and renegotiate a better deal, especially for Papuan.
The cartoon issue and the diplomatic tension between Indonesia and Australia should be treated as secondary and derivative issue than the justice for Papuan.
That's why I supported an analyst at local investment bank who is willing to conduct a research on Freeport's financial report, tax issue, and royalty system applied to forestry, fishery, and mining operation in the eastern most province.
"I just want people have better understanding about what's going on from the financial perspective. My heart is with Papuan. I just don't want politicians keep fooling them around," he said last Wednesday.
Great effort, isn't it?
Link to previous articles:
1) Fairer share of Freeport
2) Freeport Politics
3) Timber Barons
4) Mining Companies
5) Oil and gas players in Papua
6) Decentralization of corruption
These 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.
Local politicans should also start with auditing the implementation of special autonomy for Papua, not the rhetoric on Freeport. I'm sure Freeport might have committed wrong-doings in tax, environmental, or real production of copper, gold or silver. Indonesia surely has every authority to conduct the comprehensive audit on these issues. And then we could summon Freeport and renegotiate a better deal, especially for Papuan.
The cartoon issue and the diplomatic tension between Indonesia and Australia should be treated as secondary and derivative issue than the justice for Papuan.
That's why I supported an analyst at local investment bank who is willing to conduct a research on Freeport's financial report, tax issue, and royalty system applied to forestry, fishery, and mining operation in the eastern most province.
"I just want people have better understanding about what's going on from the financial perspective. My heart is with Papuan. I just don't want politicians keep fooling them around," he said last Wednesday.
Great effort, isn't it?
Link to previous articles:
1) Fairer share of Freeport
2) Freeport Politics
3) Timber Barons
4) Mining Companies
5) Oil and gas players in Papua
6) Decentralization of corruption
Labels: FREEPORT, President SBY
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posted by yosef at 5:15 PM
4 Comments:
Of course Alex would take offence, since he was on the bottom. Little Johnny, on the other hand, is on top probably for the first time in many years, which is why he's not offended.
Most juvenile thing I've ever seen.
The cartoons are indeed substandard and lack the incisiveness of the Danish ones, but all that's immaterial to what really underpins current events. Well done, Yosef, in noting that the cartoons are a side issue being served up to manipulate and divert public opinion from the real issues.
I wish I knew what they are; I can only conjecture but I smell something rotten in the power plays for the wealth of the country. I look for your details to fill out the big picture and to enlighten us further.
well considering indonesia could take over all of northern australia in about 24 hours, australia shouldnt be talking.
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