Max Lane, Sydney

On the evening of March 2 at Jakarta airport, Dr Ed Aspinall, a lecturer in South East Asian history at the University of Sydney, was prevented from entering Indonesia.

“I was stopped at immigration at the Jakarta airport. The staff there were very polite, indeed almost apologetic”, he told Green Left Weekly. “They showed me a document that said the basis of the ban was a letter sent from the ambassador in Canberra. They didn’t know what reasons there might be for the ban, and I will be seeking clarification from the Indonesian embassy.

“I can only guess that the ban may have something to do with either my writings or public commentary, perhaps on the situation in Aceh, which has been my major research interest for the last couple of years. It is strange, though, because I think my public comments are never more critical than material one would find on a daily basis in the Indonesian press.”

Aspinall is well known in Australia and Indonesia, not only for his academic writing and teaching, but also for his participation in activities aimed at democratisation and ending injustice. In a statement released on March 4 in Jakarta, the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (LBH) said: “Ed Aspinall has also given considerable help to the reform movement in Indonesia through his studies and participation in discussions with student activists during the Suharto era.” It added that his commentary has always been motivated by the desire to help find a solution to the problems of Aceh, noting that he also helped in the humanitarian response to the tsunami crisis in Aceh.

Protesting the deportation, the LBH said that it thought the decision to deport Aspinall was a reflection of conservative elements in the Indonesian government seeking to keep Aceh in a state of isolation. It demanded a re-examination of Aspinall’s case to reinstate his prior status so that he can continue his research activities.

From Green Left Weekly, March 9, 2005.
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