the shape of things to come.

[Davo]

I long for unity with oz and indo.
despite the media hipe and bu**sh*t the goverments seem to be a bit more mature, i hope?


Families gather at Nias
From: AAP

April 02, 2006


A MEMORIAL service for the nine Australians killed in a mercy mission on the Indonesian island of Nias a year ago has begun with 28 family members greeted by locals.
The local community staged a "fondronihia" dance of welcome singing songs and shaking traditional spears and shields.

Senior Australian military officials and Deputy Defence Minister Bruce Billson were met by the Indonesian military's chief of staff, Lieutenant General Endong Suwarya, quashing fears that the ceremony would be boycotted by Jakarta over the row over refugee visas for 42 Papuans.

Nationalist anger in Indonesia is running high after Australia last month granted temporary visas to 42 Papuan asylum seekers who arrived by boat.

The relatives will move to the stone memorial site past a rotor wing from the crashed Sea King helicopter, Shark 02, which has been turned into a memorial for the dead Australians.

They have been accompanied by about 10 local soldiers, while an Indonesian navy frigate is positioned offshore near the Australian ship, HMAS Tobruk.

Advertisement:
Six RAN and three RAAF personnel died when their Sea King helicopter, from HMAS Kanimbla, crashed on Nias off Sumatra on April 2 last year while on a rescue mission.

A memorial service is also being held at defence headquarters in Canberra this afternoon.

The Australian government warned on Friday of intelligence pointing to a possible terrorist attack in Indonesia today.

[Roy]

Yup, it would appear that tensions between Indo and OZ are on the rise again.

It's seems a newspaper in OZ published its own cartoon of SBY, and that has many Indos upset as well as other current issues...the Papua refugees in particular.

Indo's ambassador to OZ in Canberra has still not returned. Howard's planned visit to Jakarta is still "on hold."

Metro TV reported that OZ issued another travel warning for Aussies to not visit Indo, and that has folks over here really pissed off.

I agree with you Davo. It all seems a bit silly doesn't it?

I don't know what's going on. Maybe Indo would rather play the US and British cards, viz Tony's and Ms. Rice's recent visits and say the hell with OZ? It is strange how this climate seems to change so quickly.