Indonesia "protects" the punks

Aceh police are currently having a crackdown on punks. How bad is it?

Listen to Gustav Leo, police spokesperson, explaining how they're just helping:

Mr Leo stressed that no-one had been charged with any crime, and there were no plans to do so.

They have now been taken to a remedial school in the Seulawah Hills, about 60km (37 miles) away from the provincial capital Banda Aceh.

"They will undergo a re-education so their morals will match those of other Acehnese people," says Mr Leo.[...]
"We didn't arrest them, they haven't committed any criminal offence," he says.

"They are Aceh's own children - we are doing this for their own good. Their future could be at risk. We are re-educating them so they don't shame their parents."

So, happily admitting they've broken no law, and will not be given a trial, the police are carting off punks for enforced behavioural change.

Here's the contact details for the Indonesian Embassy in London:

Indonesian Embassy
38 Grosvenor Square
London W1K 2HW

Tel. (020) 7499 7661
Fax. (020)7491 4993

email: kbri@btconnect.com

If you're in America, you can speak directly to the Indonesian ambassador through a webform.

You might want to tell them that it's the police, not punks, who need their attitude changed.

[Thanks to Laura Brown]