Disgusting Indonesian sports fans

The recent South East Asian Games (SEA Games) was held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang from 11-22 November 2011. The games are aimed at strengthening ties between ASEAN nations and improving regional sporting quality. As I was in Indonesia at the time, I had the privilege of attending several events.

I was shocked to witness the absolute disrespect of Indonesian sports fans towards opposing teams. Indonesians are renowned for their friendliness, politeness and hospitality however it all seems a facade if you attend an international sporting event.

Malaysia and Indonesia have a rivalry in soccer and naturally this was going to be shown at the SEA Games given Malaysia was reigning champion and the two countries were drawn in the same group. The two teams met twice - during the group stages and during the final. At both games the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium was packed beyond capacity - over 100,000 people vying for 85,000 seats. Predictably Malaysia won both matches. And predictably, Indonesia's crowds were despicable. During the Malaysian national anthem, the packed stadium booed, jeered and held up their middle fingers. They persistently chanted obscenities and held up insulting banners. I have never in all my life seen anything quite so disgusting towards a visiting international team at a supposedly "friendly" games. The Indonesian fans also attacked the bus transporting the Malaysian team so much so that there were requests for an armoured car transport for the final. No visiting Indonesian team would ever be treated like this in Malaysia. Of course the police stood by doing nothing as usual. In fact they were helpless when the crowds rushed the gates. Oh and predictably several people died too.

I watched the basketball semi-final where Indonesia played Thailand. It was a close contest with Thailand pulling away in the last few minutes to win the match. As soon as the Indonesian crowds saw they had lost, they began hurling rubbish at the Thai team, spitting on them and shouting at them. The Thai team had to be quickly evacuated from the building. For what? For winning. Disgusting.

Just another example of this ridiculous behaviour was shown during the Pencak Silat martial arts tournament. Indonesia was against Vietnam. When the Vietnamese coach went to the judges' table to complain about something (and yes the judging during the games has been biased as all hell), an Indonesian spectator runs out of the stands and fly-kicks the coach to the head! Of course then a ruckus ensues with other Indonesians joining in.

Watch the clip below.



Indonesian sports fans, you should be ashamed of yourselves! Until you learn how to behave like civilised humans, the world will continue to view you as a sporting backwater.

Enough is enough: Indonesia's human rights abuses in West Papua

The people of West Papua have been fighting for independence ever since Indonesia invaded the territory in 1962 and subsequently (after years of international pressure) in 1969 conducted the sham 'referendum' of 1022 hand-picked collaborators to legitimise their occupation.

I do not express an opinion as to whether West Papua should be granted independence or not but simply that its people (a) be given the right to choose their fate democratically and (b) that the human rights violations and violence perpetrated by the Indonesian government against West Papuans cease immediately.

Leaving aside the issue of a free West Papuan state, the Indonesian government is not doing itself any favours if it is trying to convince Papuans that they are Indonesian. Decades of violence, rape, murder, political detention, forced disappearances, religious persecution, discrimination and racism are the only gifts Indonesia has ever given the resource-rich region, all the while filling Jakarta's pockets with mining money. Indonesia's treatment of Papua only encourages the independence movement.

The provinces of West Papua remain some of Indonesia's poorest and underdeveloped. Yet the region provides significant income to Jakarta.

Recently murders and other violence by the police and military have made headlines, even in Indonesia. In October police opened fire on hundreds of civilians at an independence rally because they declared independence from Indonesia.

I mean what kind of sick country has a police force that systematically kills and intimidates its own people? In response to the shooting of 2 police officers in early December, police attacked villages by burning down houses and churches! Even the National Human Rights Commission of Indonesia is beating round the bush. Deputy Chairperson Ridha Saleh was quoted as saying “The police should not be reckless or foolhardy. They must not act blindly, which can cause more casualties of regular people than perpetrators,”. OF COURSE THEY SHOULDN'T!! What a stupid response. They are violating basic human rights and burning down people's houses. He should be saying "the Indonesian government through its police force and military must be held accountable for their crimes against their own people!" , not "play nice now policemen".

It's interesting to note that Indonesia has carried out far more human rights abuses against its own people than the Dutch colonialists ever did - and it continues. Just look at the Indonesian Genocide of 1965-1966. Or the shooting of unarmed farmers in Jambi by police officers earlier this year. The government of Indonesia has NEVER apologised for committing human rights abuses. Not even after Suharto was kicked out in 1998. Even after the world was shocked at the riots that saw thousands of ethnic Chinese murdered and raped across Java in May 1998, the Indonesian government still refuses to officially acknowledge that it ever happened. This is in stark contrast to the Netherlands who yesterday issued a formal apology and compensation to the victims of the Rawagede massacre.

I feel sorry for West Papua. I can only hope that one day their voices are heard by the world community.