Indonesia... A little more...

K, this is will be one of the last posts on my kitchen, sorry to bore you with it again. But I was pretty happy last night when I finished the area where the kitchen will be going. Grouting and all. I will do a quick wipe down tonight to get rid of the little bits of excess grout, but besides that, the kitchen floor is ready for the kitchen installation (tomorrow).

Now, back to Indonesia. Let's see, where to begin....

It seems that there are some Indonesian politicians here in the country right now, and they have stated that it would be "impolite" for them not to be able to meet with the Papuans who have been granted temporary protection VISAs by this great land. Question which I feel begs to be asked, is that Australia feels these people require protection from their government, thus the granting of "protection" VISA, so why would it be impolite for us to say "No, we don't think it is wise for us to let you meet with people we formally feel need protection from you." Also, our immigration minister has admitted in a televised interview that we have tailored our immigration policy to appease the Indonesians. Re-reading this makes me think I should have a gripe with the Australian ruling party, which I do, but that is another issue...

I think Indonesia should keep its nose out of our business.

The other issue that I am really upset about, deals with the Bali bombings in 2002. To refresh: 2 Bali night clubs were bombed killing alot of people by Islamic militants, on October 12 (1 year, 1 month, and 1 day after Sept 11).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Bali_terrorist_bombing

So, the "spiritual leader" and likely organizer was captured and imprisoned. So far the story is ending happy. But yesterday, he was released, having served a total of something like 2 years in jail for his part in the bombings. 2 Bloody years for over 202 deaths and a further 209 injured. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1648303.cms

Is this a country who is telling us that it is IMPOLITE for us to not let them meet some people who clearly feared the Indonesian government? 2 years!!!!! And then we have Schapelle Corby, convicted on openly discredited and scetchy evidence and testimony who will be serving 20 years because someone picked her as a drug mule. Her only "fault" is that she will not confess to something that she did not do. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schapelle_Corby Read this link.

So let's do the math: Scetchy evidence, but heaps of drugs found in her boogie board bag, not even really hidden, (but if possesion is 9/10's) = 20 years.

Spiritual leader (and terrorist) and planner of bombings that killed and injured heaps of people indiscriminately = 2 years.

Where is the justice?

Let's say Corby's guilty, 20 years may be fair, but the 2 years I still have a problem with.

Final conclusion: A personal ban on Indonesia.

I just can't bring myself to support a country who behaves in this manner.

I apologize for the highly political nature of this post, but we're surround by it, and it affects more things in our life than I believe we realize.

But keep smiling, there is a (peaceful) cure for this disease.