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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Unfriendly Indonesia-Singapore Relations?

PICTURE: Welcoming the bodies of  Usman and Harun, after executed in Singapore 1968.
Singapore showed its anger on Indonesia's decision to designate name for three newly purchased Indonesian frigates from UK, which  one of three warship will be named with 'Usman-Harun'. Then, what's the problem? Usman-Harun actually was two Indonesian marines who had been sent to Singapore to sabotage vital targets in this former Malaysian region during Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation. In 1965, Usman and Harun have blown up The McDonald House at Orchard Road. The McDonald House was considered as important target for Indonesia.  At that time, this building was used as office complex as well as representative office of High Commission of Australia and also Japanese Consulate. (Detik Magazine, 17 February 2014).

Singapore found Indonesia as mastermind behind 'terror' attack in Singapore. Finally, Singaporean authority captured Usman and Harun, but those two Indonesian marines weren't treated as prisoners of war. In 1968, Usman and Harun were sentenced  to death by Singaporean courthouse and their bodies sent to Jakarta afterward.

For Singaporean, Usman and Harun are terrorists, because they did bombing that killed three civilians. While Indonesians regard them as hero, because their action is 'justified' by confrontation time that was realized by both parties. Indonesia and Singapore agreed to close this confrontation, which is marked by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew visited Indonesia in 1973 and scattered flowers on the graves of the two marines.

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Coretan Mahasiswa, Berkarya dalam tulisan, Melawan arus utama media, Revolusi dunia, Students scratches, Work in writing, against mainstream media, world revolution