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Dipo skips clarification of Twitter comments

Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam failed to show up at the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) on Wednesday to clarify his controversial Twitter comments regarding Catholic priest Franz Magnis Suseno

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Wed, May 29, 2013 Published on May. 29, 2013 Published on 2013-05-29T19:19:57+07:00

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C

abinet Secretary Dipo Alam failed to show up at the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) on Wednesday to clarify his controversial Twitter comments regarding Catholic priest Franz Magnis Suseno.

'€œHe did not come. We just received a letter from Pak Dipo,'€ said Komnas HAM commissioner, Natalius Pigai, on Wednesday as quoted by Kompas.com.

Dipo, in his letter, instead asked the commission to clarify what part of his Twitter comments where controversial with regard to ethnic, religious or race relations.

'€œWe think that it is important to first ask for clarification about allegations that our statements in Twitter and Facebook with regard to Rev. Franz Magnis Suseno related to matters pertaining to ethnic, religious or race relations or that they specifically violated Law No.40/2008 on the elimination of race and ethnic discrimination,'€ said Dipo in his letter.

He said that none of his statements were deliberately intended to cause racial or ethnic discrimination.

Commenting on Dipo'€™s response, Natalius said Komnas HAM would not summon the cabinet secretary again.

'€œThere is no need to send second or third letters as this has had a deterrent effect so that he will not do the same thing again in the future,'€ he said.

On May 21, Dipo criticized an open letter written by Rev. Magnis to the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (ACF), which is due to give the World Statesman Award to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Komnas HAM also summoned special assistant to the President for disaster mitigation Andi Arief regarding his comments on Facebook. (nai/ebf)

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