Jakarta, 11 Rabiul Akhir 1438/09 January 2017 (MINA) – Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi has stressed that the Australian authority should arrest and sentence a trespasser in the Indonesian General Consulate in Melbourne, who had raised the flag of the Free Papua Movement (OPM)..
“The Australian authority must conduct an investigation and immediately take legal action against the perpetrator who had trespassed into the Indonesian Consulate in Melbourne,” Antara reported, citing Marsudi as saying in a press statement received here Monday.
Minister Marsudi emphasized that the trespassing and flag raising incident in Melbourne is a crime that cannot be tolerated.
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To this end, Marsudi reminded that Australia, as a receiver country, has the responsibility and obligation to conduct a legal process against the criminal and provide security guarantee to all members of the Indonesian mission in accordance with the Vienna Convention 1961 and 1963 on Diplomatic and Consulate Relations.
In a separate interview, Indonesian Foreign Affairs spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir noted that Minister Marsudi had spoken to her counterpart Julie Bishop on Saturday morning to urge the Australian authority to investigate and take legal action against the perpetrator immediately.
Indonesian Ambassador to Australia Nadjib Riphat Kesoema has also been communicating with the local authority to step up security for all diplomatic and consulates missions and staffs.
On Friday, January 6, the suspect who is allegedly a sympathizer of the OPM, had trespassed into the Indonesian Consulates neighboring apartment before scaling a 2.5-meter-high gate of the mission and had raised the separatist groups flag.
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The incident occurred when most of the consulates staff members were conducting the Friday prayer.
Indonesia had sent a diplomatic note to the Australian government to voice its protest over the incident and has urged to conduct an immediate investigation and legal process on the perpetrator.
Indonesian Commission I of the House of Representatives (DPR) member Charles Honoris stated that Australia must demonstrate its seriousness to take appropriate action with regard to this incident, as it has the potential to affect relations between Indonesia and Australia. (T/RS05/RS01)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
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