Indonesia is not the only country in South East Asia with separatism problem. Thailand has it's problem with the Pattani muslims in the South, and Philippines also has separatism problem. But we do not interfere into each other domestic problem. When we say we respect other countries's soverignty, we really mean it, that's not just empty words.

Imagine if Indonesia let Indonesians support Moro separatism.
Or if Malaysia let Malaysians openly support Pattani's struggle for independence. Or if the Philippines let Filipinos support separatism in Southern Maluku in Indonesia. The region will not be as stable. Fortunaletely ASEAN countries do respect one another.

During Aceh conflict, there were also many Acehnese who fleed to Malaysia. But we did not hear Malaysia let them to make Malaysia as a base for their campaign. And look at what those Papuans do in Australia with the support of some Australians, that's totally a defferent story!

Now our national integrity is in danger, and we try to protect it, and you call us "arrogance"? What a joke.
We support our govt in this difficult time. We prefer to lose friendship with Australia now if we have to even if it's very very difficult, than to see our country breaking apart later.
President Yudhoyono resisted a demand from the nationalists to cut ties with Australia. He quoted as saying, "politicians may come and go, but Indonesia Australia relations will always be there."
But there is no point to continue the so-called close-cooperations with Australia, if Australia let Australians make Australia as a base to dismantle our country. We do not need to hear that empty words that Australia support Indonesia sovereignty...

Ningtyas

Is Australia supporting Papuan separatism?

Is Australia likely to become a base for a mass exodus of Papuans?

Is Australia in any way a base for support for the dismantling of Indonesia?

No, no, no, of course not.

So what ARE you on about?

Some Australians (a tiny [absolutely minute] portion of the populace) have strong concerns about human rights in West Papua, and the totally bodgy referendum that saw them go under Indonesian rule. That is not to say that they shouldn’t stay under Indonesian rule, if they so choose and if they are treated with due respect and humanity.

It is about human rights, not separatism.

@Ludwig:

Is it rational for Australians to expect Indonesians to trust your claims of not supporting separatism, while so many Australians like Perseus, Kekendika, Philo, etc are openly calling for the disintegration of Indonesia?

Is it rational for Australia, the biggest human rights violator in Asia-Pacific region, who've committed genocide on Aborigines, stole their land, refuse citizenship for Aborigines until recently, and who implemented the blantantly racist White Australia Policy, to suddenly pretend to care about "human rights"?

Is it rational for Australia, a "country" established illegally without consulting the Aborigines whatsoever, to ignorantly accuse an internationally-recognised and UN-supervised referendum as "sham"?

Is it rational for a weakling country Australia, who have neither economic, military, nor political clout, to try intervering in the internal affairs of a much stronger neighbour Indonesia?

@Ningtyas:

Australia is white country. Our ASEAN neighbours are fellow Asians. Whites are always racist towards non-whites and act like colonialists. It is Indonesia's misfortune to be neighbours with a white country like Australia, especially since Australians are famous for being cannabis-smoking delusional dummies, even amongst Americans or British. That is why some Ozzies manage to concoct the delusion that existence of Indonesian is somehow dependent on Australian support! I remember the joke:

An Englishman went to a brain surgeon and says, "I want to become an Irishman. Please remove half of my brain as Irishmen is known of being only half as smart as Englishmen".

"No problem", the doctor says.

After the operation, the doctor realised he had made a mistake.

"I'm sorry, sir. I've accidently removed all of your brain".

The Englishmen woke up and says, "That's alright, mate! I'm now an Australian!"

~~

I agree with you, we should cut all ties with Australia, there is no need whatsoever to have fake "friendship" of untrustworthy Australians. If they don't respect us, we don't need to respect them.

Ningtyas,
It's not true that people in ASEAN countries never supported the human rights struggle of those in neighboring countries. In the Philippines many people supported human rights in East Timor in the past. In Malaysia there was even a conference held to discuss East Timor in 1997 I think, but it was broken up by Mahathir's party thugs. Indonesians and other ASEAN people have demonstrated against the government of ASEAN member Myanmar and some Indonesians (eg AJI journalist members) were even arrested for doing this. There have been so many demonstrations by Indonesian people outside the Malaysian Embassy in Kuningan (Jakarta) it would be hard to count them. Even more than against the Aussie embassy across the road!

Now do be careful with the accusations of racism, Proud TBI. You see, I have an asian mother in law. And any Lo Faan with an asian mother in law knows a great deal more about racism than you will ever admit. My nephew actually has an Indonesian mother in law so spare us the diatribes. And especially, spare us all the blatant crap about how you regard the West Papuans as your Indonesian brothers.

proud to be Indonesian, are Westerners really the only RACISTS? Read your own posts buddy---with two eyes if that is possible.
You sound quite immature. Grow up.