SBY's postponing of Netherlands visit linked to issues on arrest

The postponement of a plan by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyonoto visit the Netherlands was caused by information that he will be arrested during the visit due to alleged human rights violations.

The visit was postponed only moments before the President and his entourage left for the Netherlands from the Halim Perdana Kusumah Airport on Tuesday afternoon.

The President was originally scheduled to visit the Netherlands on the invitation of the Dutch Queen and Prime Minister.

“There has been a... movement in The Hague where demands have been raised for lawsuits at The Hague Court in connection with alleged human rights violations in Indonesia. There has even been a request to the court to arrest the President during the visit,” Yudhoyono said.

The Indonesian government, he said, had sent a letter to the Dutch Prime Minister informing of the postponing.