Jakarta – As the UN Human Rights Commission approved a probe into allegations of abuse by Indonesian-backed militias in East Timor, newspapers here were screaming about "atrocities" committed by Australian troops in the territory. "Australian troops torture militias," read a headline in the Indonesian Observer [article included below - JB] Tuesday. Another front-page headline in the same newspaper said "Interfet troop tears RI (Republic of Indonesia) flag."

Television stations, which show endless clips of East Timorese being disarmed and tied up at gunpoint by the Australian troops, interview militia leaders lamenting "atrocities" by the International Force in East Timor (Interfet).

Although Major General Kiki Syahnakri, the outgoing Indonesian martial law commander in East Timor, has denied a report of Interfet burning a militiaman to death, the state Antara news agency continues to treat it as fact. Australian ambassador to Indonesia, John McCarthy, whose embassy has been shot at twice and is the target of daily demonstrations in which the Australian flag is burned, calls it a "misinformation campaign."

"There's clearly a misinformation campaign which some elements in this country are engaging in which is meant to discredit Australia and Australian membership of the multinational force," he said. McCarthy described the situation as "discomfort ... but it's not acute peril."

Few analysts think the situation is aimed at whipping up such nationalistic fervor that the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) will refuse to ratify the result of the East Timor August 30 vote for independence.

But most admit there is a danger of it getting out of hand. "I think this reaction is common from early times, when it is we against the foreigners," said senior Indonesian journalist Firki Jufri.

"Even amongst some intellectuals, they now feel that kind of anti-Australian, although it's still a minority," he said pointing to the few dozen who picket the Australian embassy compared to the 10,000 who turned out on Jakarta's streets to protest the passage of a law that would give the military sweeping powers.

Kastorius Sinaga, a political analyst and secretary general of Gempita, an independent anti-corruption watch called the situation a "typical case" of Indonesian overreaction.

"It is some sort of a game played to cover up one's own mistake, and shift the burden of the mistakes on somebody else," he said. "I personally do agree that Australia, as our closest neighbour should be more sensitive to our different culture but to go as far as our government and media have is a pure overeaction. We should not fall into that trap. "Australia is there under the UN banner, not as a government."

Antara meanwhile continued to detail "the latest victims of alleged atrocities by Australian troops," saying six men had been "detained and tortured."

"A massive crackdown is underway against anti-independence militias, a move which many Indonesian analysts claim to be as brutal as the TNI (Indonesian army) did in East Timor," Antara said.

Analysts are reluctant to say who they think is paying the demonstrators outside the Australian embassy, some of whom have told journalists they receive 20,000 rupiah (2.50 dollars) and lunch for a few hours of invective.

But those who do point the finger suggest the Indonesian military. "If the anti-Australian sentiment is being ignited by the government ... followed by individuals or groups who have always been its supporters ... I wouldn't be too annoyed," said Melbourne-based political analyst Arief Budiman.

"However, it turns out that some of my friends ... activists and critical intellectuals ... have also become anti-Australian. Didn't they see television viewings of savagery beyond humanitarian limit in East Timor?"

"Didn't they also realize that the anti-Australian sentiment was just an effort by the government and the TNI to distract their political weaknesses into something else?"

"By using Australia [as a scapegoat] is very beneficial for the Habibie's government and TNI," Budiman was quoted by the Kompas daily as saying.