Jakarta Globe, Jan 20, 2015
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| An ambulance carrying the body of one of those executed on Sunday, in Cilacap, Central Java. (Antara Photo/Idhad Zakaria) |
Jakarta. In
an apparent effort to play down the international fallout of the recent
execution of six drug convicts, the Foreign Affairs Ministry stressed on
Tuesday that the ambassadors of the Netherlands and Brazil were only called
back for consultation — and not withdrawn — and that Indonesia “respects”
Australian efforts to save the lives of two of its citizens on death row here.
Ministry
spokesman Armanatha Nasir said that both Brazil and the Netherlands – whose
governments have expressed their serious disappointment over Indonesia’s
decision to kill their nationals despite high-level requests to commute their
death sentences — still have a diplomatic presence in Jakarta.
“I have to
stress again that this is not a withdrawal of ambassadors but a recall for
consultation. Last week they sent us a letter informing us of this recall. If
you say ‘withdraw’ that means severing diplomatic ties, and it’s not like
that,” Armanatha said.
The
spokesman added that such a diplomatic move should not be considered as very
unusual, that the relations with Brazil and the Netherlands would not be harmed
by this measure, and that Indonesia still considered its ties with both as
friendly.
“The
Foreign Affairs Ministry is of the opinion that every government has the right
to recall their ambassador for consultation,” Armanatha said. “We keep our lines of communication open with
these two countries, and we try to maintain good bilateral relations with the
Netherlands and Brazil.”
Nigeria
The
spokesman already made similar comments on Sunday, but since then the Nigerian
government also summoned the Indonesian ambassador over the execution of two of
its nationals.
It was
previously reported that one of those executed was a citizen of Malawi, but the
Nigerian government said the man identified as Namaona Denis based on the
Malawian passport he was using, was in fact one of its nationals.
Six people
were executed for drug offenses on Sunday, one Indonesian national, a Dutchman,
a Brazilian, a Vietnamese woman, and the two Nigerians.
Australia
Armanatha
also said that Indonesia respected the efforts by Australian Prime Minister
Tony Abbott to get Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan off death row, but that the
supremacy of Indonesian law should be honored.
The
spokesman said he was confident ties with Australia would not be damaged over
the execution of the two men who were part of the so-called Bali Nine heroin
smuggling network.
“What we
know is that the Australian PM has said that the ties between Indonesia and
Australia are very strong and they have also said that this factor [the planned
executions] will not disturb diplomatic relations,” Armanatha said.
Chan is
still waiting for a response from President Joko Widodo to his clemency
request. His execution, or that of Sukumaran, has not been scheduled yet, but
the Indonesian government has stressed it plans to put to all drug convicts on
death row before the firing squad, regardless of nationality.
 |
Attorney
General H.M. Prasetyo, left, talks with journalists at the
Attorney General's Office about the execution of six
death row
inmates on Jan. 18, 2015.(Antara Photo/Muhammad Adimaja)
|
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