Pubdate: Sun, 28 Aug 2005
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 Philippine Daily Inquirer
Contact:  http://www.inquirer.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1073
Author: Agence France-Presse
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

3,000 AUSTRALIANS IN INDONESIA RECEIVE GOV'T DRUGS EMAIL

SYDNEY -- Thousands of Australians living in Indonesia have been sent
an email from their government warning them against using or
trafficking drugs, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said
Friday.

The unprecedented email, which was sent by the embassy in Jakarta to
more than 3,000 citizens, follows a string of arrests of Australians
on drug charges in Indonesia.

The email warns Australians "about the dangers of being in possession
of, or trafficking in, drugs," Downer said.

Downer said while the government kept in touch with the Australian
community in several countries via email, it had "never really felt it
necessary to send out an email with such a blatantly obvious message
on it."

"I just think it is important that we continue to remind people -- no
matter how obvious I would have thought it was to them -- that being
caught in possession of drugs in Indonesia carries with it very heavy
jail terms and caught trafficking in drugs can even bring the death
penalty," he told reporters. "I think we can't do enough to continue
to remind people of that."

Twelve young Australians face execution or long prison sentences in
Indonesia for drug offences, including two people arrested last week.

Model Michelle Leslie, 24, faces up to 15 years in jail if convicted
of possessing two ecstasy tablets while teacher Graham Clifford Payne,
20, is facing 10 years on heroin charges.

In May, former beauty student Schapelle Corby, 28, was jailed for 20
years for smuggling marijuana from Australia to Bali.

Downer said the email was a reminder that Indonesia, along with other
Southeast Asian countries, had severe penalties for people caught with
illegal substances.

"I think that some people think that they can just get away with it,
that they won't get caught, it won't happen to them," he said.

"But they need to remember the Indonesians are putting a lot of energy
into cracking down on drugs in Indonesia, they are making a major effort.

"So are a number of other governments in South East Asia."
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