Yossi Sarid
Aug 28th, 2006, in News, by PatungA journalist was refused a visa because he is Israeli.
Yossi Sarid, who has worked on a number of newspapers in Israel, had planned to visit Bali to attend an international conference on freedom of expression but was refused a visa, because of “the existing circumstances”. Ironically the conference, called “Global Inter-Media Dialog in Bali”, which is being co-sponsored by the prime minister of Norway and the president of Indonesia, has the stated goal of “bridging gaps between different religions, cultures and peoples.” Sarid was among 60 journalists invited to take part in the conference.
In an attempt to get around the Indonesian visa refusal the Norwegian government went so far as to offer Yossi Sarid Norwegian nationality. Yossi Sarid, however, was not impressed, and in a letter addressed to president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the prime minister of Norway he said:
I almost fell out of my chair with astonishment. The more thought I gave to the offer, the angrier I became. I have no other country and I have no other nationality. No self-respecting person in the world, no person who respects his nationality, would accept such a twisted offer.
Sarid urged other participants invited to the conference in Bali to decline their invitations in protest at his rejection. No gaps are being bridged in this affair, it would seem.
September 2nd
The Global Inter-Media Dialog in Bali has gotten underway, opened by president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and during a press conference attended by the Foreign minister Hasan Wirajuda and his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store a number of journalists asked Wirajuda some pointed questions about the non-appearance of Yossi Sarid. Wirajuda, it seems, was visibly annoyed when asked a question by Sabam Sirait of the Jakarta Post newspaper on why Yossi was the only journalist among the 80 invited who had failed to attend. Wirajuda’s terse response was only to say that not all Indonesians were (as annoying?) like Sabam.
In response to other questions Wirajuda said the issue of Israel was sensitive in Indonesia. He also claimed that Indonesian officials had been informed of Yossi’s invitation in a tardy fashion.
8 Comments on “Yossi Sarid”
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johnpaul says:
Look, Indonesia and Israel have no diplomatic relationship between them… then why does that IsraelI think that he can obtain a visa???
I reminds me of a spoiled kid who thinks he can do anything he wants (ignoring rules and circumstances). Does it reflect Israeli society in general???
I’m neither Jew, Moslem, or Christian. I despise those semitic belief systems.
Such a stoopid war provoking, terrorism justifying cults. -
eko says:
I wonder how come, a journalist like Sarid, didn’t know that Indonesia had no diplomatic relationship with Israel.
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Hassan says:
I bet he’s lost. he wanted to go to india, but got stranded in Indonesia instead.
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DianDoank says:
Once I went to one of the Central America country and as far as I know in 2000 there were no this country’s embassy in Indonesia (even the representative) that’s why I should apply visa at the Guatemala embassy in Brussels (take a flight to amsterdam and from there to brussels then travel to Guatemala from amsterdam) yep the most expensive visa ever.
As far as I understood that Yossi Sarid could ask visa at any Indonesia embassy in neighbouring country. just like what I did with Guatemala. And I think this is what he did. Of course whether his visa was granted or not that’s another challenge. By the way, there’s quite a lot of Indonesian that I know visiting Israel anyway for visit to holy places despite of no diplomatic relationship. So in this case I really think it is not a problem of there’s no diplomatic relationship. With the point of view that the meeting is should be to understand each other perspective (not only Indonesia but globally) I guess the guy is right…better just say up front to Norway that you don’t want to have any Israeli due of political reason attended the meeting than later made a fake excuse on not granted him any visa.
And that’s what Sarid’s try to point out. -
James Carella says:
My grandfather always uses to say that it is better to tell the truth as hurtful as it sometimes maybe than to lie. The reason is that after a while lying which may have occurred on occasion will if done often become part of human nature. This is the Indonesia of today, one big Lie.
Maybe there is justice for Muslims but for no one else. Recent court cases and commuted cases prove that if you kill 200 mostly non-Muslims you may serve 2-5 years. If you are non-Muslim and carry a little pot figure on spending 20-life years in jail. Also if you behead 3-school girls who are Christian Indonesians count on a sentence of 14 years that eventually should be commuted down to 2-5.
Indonesia is a disgrace of double standard. It showcases the motions of justice without at the heart having any. It is no bridge to any gate. For all of us who follow these shame trials and attempts of justice clearly realize they have neither.
All non-Muslims should leave Indonesia. They certainly deserve each other.
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Laura says:
This world should operate more on individual basis and less on mass discriminations. the confrence was about GLOBAL DIALOUGE!
Show peace and peace will spread. -
Felix Sharieff says:
yossi sarid..as your profile saying that you are an international journalist but it’s weird that you didn’t know that between israel and indonesia do not have a diplomatic relations and of course as an international journalist you had attended several international events don’t you?and don’t you know that you have to be invited for an international event like this?not just come without an invitation?well,if you were not invited then apply for an invitation,and you get it,you apply the visa in jordan/egypt (a special one for a country that doesn’t have a diplomatic relations with indonesia).
think twice before you get mad 🙂
Comment on “Yossi Sarid”.
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You’re so right. Both the Indonesian and Norwegians have in fact made a mockery of the whole conference. very sad.