President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono waves to journalists while walking to his official car at Halim Perdana Kusuma airport in East Jakarta, on Tuesday. The President canceled an eagerly awaited state visit to the Netherlands after a Dutch-based South Moluccan separatist group filed a court request to have the President arrested. Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono canceled his three-day state visit to the Netherlands on Tuesday on indications human rights groups in Holland were planning to raise human right issues against Indonesia.
"I have decided to cancel this visit," President Yudhoyono told newsmen at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, East Jakarta, on Tuesday afternoon.
He said his state visit to Holland had to be postponed until a yet to be determined time frame.
The head of state and his entourage had been scheduled to leave Jakarta by the Indonesian Air Force One (Garuda Indonesia`s Airbus 330-200) on Tuesday at about 01:30 pm local time.
As a result of the movement of certain elements in Holland that would file lawsuit on human rights issues in Indonesia, President Yudhoyono said he decided to cancel his state visit.
"More than that, there has even been a demand for the arrest of Indonesia`s president," he said.
A spokesman of the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague, Firdaus Dahlan, said earlier that the Dutch government would fully ensure the security of President Yudhoyono during his visit.
The Dutch government`s assurance was issued following a threat from John Wattilette, the self-styled president of the separatist "Republic of South Maluku" (RMS) movement in exile.
Firdaus Dahlan said the Dutch government had reiterated it did not recognize the RMS.
He said Indonesian ambassador to the Netherlands JE Habibie had contacted political elites in the country to fully ensure security for President Yudhoyono.
In the meantime, a number of media publications reported that RMS elements in the Netherlands had asked for the arrest of President Yudhoyono during his state visit to the Netherlands on October 5-9.
The demand for the arrest of the Indonesian president was made by John Wattilette in a teletext statement to the Dutch broadcasting network Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) on Saturday.
Wattilette also demanded that the Indonesian president explain the place where former RMS leader Soumokil was buried.
But Firdaus Dahlan said President Yudhoyono`s much awaited visit to the Netherlands would go undisturbed because the Dutch government had expressed its full commitment to ensure the president`s security.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, right, reviewing a military parade during the 65th anniversary of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) on Tuesday. The same day, he called off a trip to the Netherlands after taking offense to a protest there. (JG Photo/Yudhi Sukma Wijaya)
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