---------------------------------------------------------- FREE Subscribe/UNsubscribe Indonesia Daily News Online go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 -0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 Free Email @KotakPos.com visit: http://my.kotakpos.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------- ANTARA, DECEMBER 13, 1999 GOVT TO CONSISTENTLY REJECT DEMANDS FOR SEPARATION FROM RI Jambi, Dec 10 (ANTARA)--The Indonesian government will consistently reject demands from people in any province to separate from the unitary state of Indonesia, Home Affairs Minister Soerjadi Sudirdja said here Friday. "If there are demands threatening the nation's soveregnity, the goverment will not tolerate them and take stiff measures regardless of the consequences or risks involved," he said after presiding over a ceremony marking the installation of Zulkifli Nurdin as the governor of Jambi. In an effort to stave off such demands, the government would hold some dialouges as a manifestation of its commitment to freedom of expression which had been suppressed for years during the New Order era. "If the dialogue continues, we will know what option is exactly voiced by all the people or by a certain number of irresponsible people aiming at dividing the nation's unity," he added. He said the issuance of Law No. 22/1999 on wide-ranging regional autonomy, is the best option the government could offer to make all the regions self-sufficient in managing and developing their own economic potentials. "The occurrence of unrest and separatist demands by people in the regions is a sign they are losing patience in waiting for the implementation of the law," he added. On the spreading idea to change Indonesia's status from unitary into a federal state, he said the governmnet does not want to prohibit anyone to discuss federalism and hopes thereby to prevent emotional clashes," he said. At least three provinces, namely Aceh, Riau and Irian Jaya, have demanded separation from the unitary state of Indonesia. (U.JBI-PKO1/JBI-02/NN-04/15:08/INT-AJM-17:20/ri1/TB02) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 16 Dec 1999 jam 09:37:43 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
