Indonesian leader postpones Australia trip after protests

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JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo has postponed a trip to Australia due to start today after violence broke out at a mass rally against a Christian governor accused of insulting Islam, the government said.

Around 50,000 people marched in Jakarta on Friday to protest comments made by governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, with clashes erupting between police and demonstrators – one of whom reportedly died of an asthma attack.

“Current development has required the President to stay in Indonesia,” a statement released yesterday by the foreign ministry said.

Widodo visited Australia in 2014 for the G20 shortly after being elected as president, but this month’s trip would have marked his first official bilateral visit.

The statement added that Widodo had called Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to inform him that the trip, scheduled for Nov 6-8, would be delayed.

Turnbull responded in a statement: “We were sorry we would not be able to welcome him to Australia tomorrow but entirely understood the need for him to remain in Indonesia at this time.”

— AFP