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Indonesian gov't responds sharply to Australia's statement over tsunami aid

Xinhua, February 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Indonesian government on Monday responded sharply to Australia's statement over its tsunami aid in 2004, as the execution of two Australian drug convicts looms.

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Monday that the government is ready to return the aid, saying Australia was among the 56 countries giving the humanitarian assistance at that time.

"If the aids are not considered as humanitarian assistance, we are ready to pay it back. Australia is one of the 56 countries," Kalla said at his office.

The vice president made the statement after Australian Prime Minister Tony Abott said last week that Indonesia should remember Australia's 781 million U.S. dollars of tsunami aid to Indonesia.

Abott has attempted to appeal to Indonesian President Joko Widodo to cancel the execution of the two Australians, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, for drug violation.

Indonesian people in a number of cities, such as Jakarta and Banda Aceh, collected coins on Monday for returning the Australian aid, so called "coins for Abott."

Kalla said it was an expression of people's emotions against Abott's statement.

So far, there has been no sign of cancellation of the execution of the two drug convicts. Endi