The Indonesian government rejected the request of a group of United States Congressmen to release two convicted sympathizers of the outlawed separatist Free Papua Organization (OPM), a spokesman said here on Tuesday.
(Indonesian) President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would not reply to the request made in a letter signed by 40 U.S. Congressmen, presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said.
"But the Foreign Affairs Ministry will do so (reply to the letter) through the Indonesian ambassador in Washington D.C.," Dino said.
According to the presidential spokesman, the U.S. Congressmen lacked balanced information about Indonesia and had been influenced by anti-Indonesian groups in the U.S. capital.
In their letter sent to President Yudhoyono late last month, the U.S. legislators asked for the "immediate and unconditional" release of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage who were sentenced to 15 years and 10 years imprisonment respectively in May 2005 for hoisting the "Bintang Kejora" (Morning Star) flag of the OPM in Abepura, Papua, on Dec. 1, 2004.
He said no country in the world was supporting the separatist movement in Papua, while all UN members recognize the Unitary State of the Indonesian Republic (NKRI) including Papua.
Source:Xinhua
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