Pubdate: Sun, 28 Aug 2005
Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Copyright: 2005 The Sydney Morning Herald
Contact:  http://www.smh.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/441
Author: AAP

DOWNER SUPPORTS BALI DRUGS CRACKDOWN

Drugs Wrong: Alexander Downer

The Federal Government supports Indonesia's move to introduce random drug 
testing of tourists in Bali, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

Mr Downer said he was not opposed to the Indonesian Government's anti-drugs 
crackdown on nightclubs and other popular tourist spots visited by Australians.

"I think the Indonesians are right to crack down on drug use in Indonesia 
and drug trafficking," Mr Downer told reporters in Adelaide.

"I support the Indonesian Government - they have their own measures for 
doing this.

"I agree with the Indonesians in this respect, in that I think drugs are 
wrong."

Mr Downer said Australians caught with illegal drugs would not be given any 
special treatment under the new testing regime.

"People should be absolutely vigilant in Indonesia or anywhere else for 
that matter," Mr Downer said.

"If they are going to travel abroad [they should be] making sure that they 
have no association with drugs whatsoever.

"These are the laws, there will not be special laws for Australians in 
Indonesia."

Mr Downer did not elaborate on the methods to be used by Indonesian 
authorities to conduct the drug tests. AdvertisementAdvertisement

However when asked if the new laws would deter tourists from visiting 
Indonesia, Mr Downer said the recent horror stories about Australians 
caught with drugs in Bali were bad enough.

"The real deterrent is going to be the media stories there have been about 
recent cases of people being arrested for drugs," he said.

"We've had the Bali Nine, we've had Schapelle Corby, we've had Michelle 
Leslie ... there have been an enormous number of cases in recent times.

"In East Asia they are cracking down on drugs and Australians have to 
understand that."
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman