Balibo case is closed, says Indonesia

24 Jul 2009, 6:12 pm   -   Source: AAP
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The new feature film about the Balibo Five may stir up fresh controversy in Australia but as far as Indonesia is concerned the case is closed.

The new feature film about the Balibo Five may stir up fresh controversy in Australia but as far as Indonesia is concerned the case is closed.

Robert Connolly's film, which depicts Indonesian troops murdering the five Australia-based journalists in the East Timor border town of Balibo in 1975, will open the Melbourne International Film Festival on Friday.

The film's release comes nearly two years after NSW deputy coroner Dorelle Pinch found Indonesian forces deliberately killed the journalists to cover up their invasion of East Timor.

The inquest dismissed claims by successive Australian and Indonesian governments that Greg Shackleton, Brian Peters, Malcolm Rennie, Gary Cunningham and Tony Stewart were accidentally killed in crossfire.

The film has reignited debate about the killings and there are hopes it will lead to legal action against the alleged leader of the attack team, Yunus Yosfiah.

Yosfiah, who is now a politician, has repeatedly declined to comment on the film's release and could not be contacted on Friday.

But Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah was maintaining the crossfire explanation.

"The film may stir some controversy in Australia," he told reporters.

"But for us, it's a finished problem, case closed."

Indonesia regarded the film as a work of fiction, he said.

"Because the fact is the Australian government itself has stated it was an accident, that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Controversy stemming from the film would not harm bilateral relations between the countries, he said.

"This case has been up and down from time to time but it's never bothered the bilateral relationship of our two countries."

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