Di bawah ini saya sampaikan artikel dari HKStandard (Hongkong). Ini
sekaligus untuk memperkuat klaim saya bahwa Australia memang mencari jalan
untuk menjadi kekuatan utama di Asteng. Biasa lah...kalau yg ngomong orang
melayu singkong biasanya nggak digubris atau dianggap baseless dan penuh
asumsi. Kalau yg ngomong dari pihak LN baru rada didengerin. Ini kebiasaan
yg terjadi di kita lho. Jadi tidak bermaksud menunjuk ke siapa-siapa, dengan
demikian jangan ada yg GR lho.
Denger-denger Australia ngeper untuk masuk ke Timtim ya? Malahan mereka mau
konsolidasi dulu barang beberapa hari, setelah berkoar 'alert 24 hours'.
Kalau harian nasional memberitakan bahwa Aussie membujuk Thailand untuk
menjadi pemimpin bersama Multinational Force ini. Untung saja Thai nggak
mau.
Selain itu Howard (boleh dibaca coward) bilang untuk siap-siap bertahan di
Timtim selama 4 tahun untuk merestore law and order. Kok lama amat.
Memangnya mau menjadikan Timtim bagian dari Australia atau gimana ya?
Restoring atau occupying?
Yah, Indonesia selama 23 tahun tidak mampu menerapkan law and order karena
aksi gerilya. Kaum WASP ini terlalu arogan bahwa 7000 prajurit (dan
berintikan 4500 Crocodile dundee) sudah cukup untuk mengganti 24,000
prajurit & polisi RI (pasukan unyil kali?). Ceilee... arogan bener deh...
Saya sih berharap agar pemerintah segera menginstruksikan TNI agar menarik
pasukan dengan segera. Ingat lho, Aussie ini pinter banget, mereka bilang
Indonesia mesti bertanggung jawab kalau ada apa-apa. Jadi kalau ada rusuh
dan jatuh korban Indonesia mesti tanggung jawab. Lho lalu mereka datang
fungsinya apa? Mau mengamankan atau ingin menjadi beban TNI dg menjagai
mereka (bayi kali). Makanya mending tarik saja TNI, sehingga kita nggak kena
getah lagi. Cukup tinggalin 100-200 orang sebagai observer saja. Kan sudah
urusan international.
Sayang Habibie nggak ikutin milis ini, sehingga nggak bisa nurutin saran
orang melayu ini. Pull 'em back right now lah. Kena getah lagi baru nyaho
lho..hehehe....;)
+anjas
-----------------
Peace role to test Australia's place in Asia
STORY: AUSTRALIA'S aspirations to become a leading
power in Asia are being tested by the East Timor
crisis as it presses to spearhead a UN peacekeeping
force to the troubled territory off its northern
coast.
Australia, which is expected to lead a UN force into
East Timor later this week following the UN Security
Council's approval of the mission yesterday, has long
wanted to increase its influence in the region and the
peacekeeping operation could help improve its standing
in Asia in the long run.
But Australia's aggressive push for Indonesia to
accept peacekeepers, which has been backed by UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan and US President Bill
Clinton, has not been welcomed by all.
It has faced fierce opposition in Indonesia from both
officials and members of the public, with angry
demonstrations against any Australian military
presence in East Timor.
And Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has
accused Australia of bullying Indonesia into accepting
its leadership of the peacekeeping mission, saying
Southeast Asian nations should be at the fore.
``But it is clear that other countries such as
Australia are keen to send their soldiers to East
Timor,'' Dr Mahathir was quoted as saying in
Malaysia's The Star newspaper yesterday.
``That is their habit. They really love it when they
have the chance to pressure their neighbours, to
condemn their neighbours. That is their way.''
However, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer
said he had met his Indonesian counterpart Ali Alatas,
who had accepted the need for an Australian-led force
despite his previously stated preference for Asian
troops.
``The Indonesians accept that for the force to be
deployed very quickly, it has to have Australian
leadership,'' Mr Downer said at the UN.
``Otherwise, it can't be deployed quickly.''
The peacekeeping mission to East Timor follows years
of work by Australia to increase its influence in
Asia, which hosts most of its major trading partners.
Australia's role in the formation of the Apec regional
trade grouping and recent pushes for better governance
of financial institutions have already made it a
genuine player in the Asian region, one Western
diplomat said.
However, ``in terms of peacekeeping this is certainly
a much higher profile than Australia had on recent
events. But then this is, after all, Australia's neck
of the woods.''
The discrepancy between Australia's aggressive
criticism of Indonesia over the situation in East
Timor and the reluctance of most Asian leaders to say
anything against Indonesia publicly did not mean a
clash of opinions was taking place outside the public
spotlight.
``Australia is not alone in being concerned about East
Timor,'' he added.
``There's a fair amount of disquiet in Asia. (But)
it's not the Asian way to be publicly critical of
other countries.''
That opinion was backed up by a prominent Asian human
rights leader yesterday, who said Australia's conduct
in the East Timor crisis had been admirable.
Basil Fernando, executive director of the Asian Human
Rights Commission, said support in the region for
Australia's leadership of a UN peacekeeping force in
East Timor was strong, despite the silence of many
Asian leaders.
``People are putting a lot of faith in Australia,'' he
said. ``It is a unique opportunity for Australia and
it will enhance Australia's reputation.''
Australia, which has had troops in its northern
reaches on 24-hour standby for weeks for the
peacekeeping mission, has committed an initial
contingent of 2,000 troops, to grow eventually to
4,500.
- AFP
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
