Rakyat Merdeka dingo cartoon controversy
Encyclopedia
The Rakyat Merdeka Dingo cartoon controversy began after a front page editorial cartoon
depicting the Australian Prime Minister John Howard
and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer
as dingo
es were published in the Indonesia
n newspaper Rakyat Merdeka
on 27 March 2006 to protest the acceptance by Australia of refugees from the Indonesian province of West Papua.
A retaliatory cartoon apparently depicting Indonesian President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
as a dog copulating with a Papuan
native was published in the Weekend Australian newspaper on 1 April, 2006.
s to 42 of 43 Papuan proponents of an independent West Papua who arrived in its territory by sea, despite a personal request from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for the asylum seekers to be returned. This incident led to the withdrawal of Indonesia's Ambassador to Australia. John Howard subsequently reassured Indonesia that Australia had not changed its support for Indonesian sovereignty over Papua, saying that Canberra
's processes for dealing with asylum seekers were independent of foreign policy considerations .
The Australian government later warned Australians to avoid its embassy in Jakarta
because of demonstrations outside on Monday, 27 March, during which demonstrators painted obscenities on the embassy walls and carried banners of an eagle swooping to grasp the bloodstained neck of a kangaroo, shouting "Die kangaroo" . Protests continued on 29 March.
The "tit-for-tat" Weekend Australian cartoon, by well known artist and cartoonist Bill Leak
, depicts President Yudhoyono as a dominant dog, tail wagging as he mounts a Papuan with bone in nose, saying: "Don't take this the wrong way..." The caption reads: "No Offence Intended". Howard told media that he was not offended by the cartoons, but Downer said that it "fell way below standards of public taste".
Editorial cartoon
An editorial cartoon, also known as a political cartoon, is an illustration containing a commentary that usually relates to current events or personalities....
depicting the Australian Prime Minister John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer
Alexander Downer
Alexander John Gosse Downer is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was Foreign Minister of Australia from March 1996 to December 2007, the longest-serving in Australian history...
as dingo
Dingo
The Australian Dingo or Warrigal is a free-roaming wild dog unique to the continent of Australia, mainly found in the outback. Its original ancestors are thought to have arrived with humans from southeast Asia thousands of years ago, when dogs were still relatively undomesticated and closer to...
es were published in the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n newspaper Rakyat Merdeka
Rakyat Merdeka
Rakyat Merdeka is an Indonesian daily tabloid newspaper, owned by the country’s largest media group Jawa Pos. The newspaper has gained prominence as a result of its controversial headlines and its "gritty, often abrasive, style" , with articles and caricatures that frequently strongly criticize...
on 27 March 2006 to protest the acceptance by Australia of refugees from the Indonesian province of West Papua.
A retaliatory cartoon apparently depicting Indonesian President
President of Indonesia
The President of the Republic of Indonesia is the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Indonesia.The first president was Sukarno and the current president is Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.- Sukarno era :...
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono AC , is an Indonesian politician and retired Army general officer who has been President of Indonesia since 2004....
as a dog copulating with a Papuan
Papua (Indonesian province)
Papua comprises most of the western half of the island of New Guinea and nearby islands. Its capital is Jayapura. It's the largest and easternmost province of Indonesia. The province originally covered the entire western half of New Guinea...
native was published in the Weekend Australian newspaper on 1 April, 2006.
Background
The cartoon was published in response to the granting by the Australian government of three-year temporary protection visaTemporary protection visa
A Temporary Protection Visa was an Australian visa document introduced by the Howard Government on 20 October 1999, which was issued to persons who had been recognised as refugees fleeing persecution. The scheme was controversial, with the government claiming it was a necessary response to the...
s to 42 of 43 Papuan proponents of an independent West Papua who arrived in its territory by sea, despite a personal request from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for the asylum seekers to be returned. This incident led to the withdrawal of Indonesia's Ambassador to Australia. John Howard subsequently reassured Indonesia that Australia had not changed its support for Indonesian sovereignty over Papua, saying that Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
's processes for dealing with asylum seekers were independent of foreign policy considerations .
The Australian government later warned Australians to avoid its embassy in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
because of demonstrations outside on Monday, 27 March, during which demonstrators painted obscenities on the embassy walls and carried banners of an eagle swooping to grasp the bloodstained neck of a kangaroo, shouting "Die kangaroo" . Protests continued on 29 March.
Events
The original cartoon, entitled "The Adventure of Two Dingo" [sic], depicts Downer and Howard as dingoes, with Howard's front paws on Downer's back. Howard is saying: "I want Papua!! Alex! Try to make it happen!"The "tit-for-tat" Weekend Australian cartoon, by well known artist and cartoonist Bill Leak
Bill Leak
Bill Leak is a cartoonist and painter, primarily of portraits. He is the daily editorial cartoonist on The Australian newspaper. He has won the Walkley Awards nine times....
, depicts President Yudhoyono as a dominant dog, tail wagging as he mounts a Papuan with bone in nose, saying: "Don't take this the wrong way..." The caption reads: "No Offence Intended". Howard told media that he was not offended by the cartoons, but Downer said that it "fell way below standards of public taste".
External links
- Embassy on alert for cartoon backlash, NineMSNNineMSNninemsn is an Australian 50/50 joint venture between Microsoft and Nine Entertainment Co.. It effectively acts as the website for both the Nine Network and MSN, and is one of Australia's most popular websites...
, 1 April 2006 - Tasteless, offensive and of no merit at all, Sydney Morning Herald, 2 April, 2006
- Australian cartoon irks Indonesia, BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 1 April 2006