Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Indonesia has no desire to fight its own people, says Ambassador

Posted at 00:38 on 22 October, 2012 UTC

The Indonesian Ambassador to New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga says Indonesia has no desire to fight its own people.

Agus Sriyono’s comments follow reports of an intensifying crack down by Indonesian Security Forces against pro-independence activists in Papua.

Mr Sriyono says there are security issues in some villages in Papua and those calling for independence make up a small part of the whole population.

“We don’t have any design to fight our own people. But of course in some remote villages it happens some time between the military and the police and the people there. But it is still manageable.”