When Michael Buehler saw that his name was trending on Twitter, he realised that an all-out vilification campaign against him had reached a new level.
Dr Buehler, a lecturer in comparative politics at Soas, University of London, did not foresee 바카라사이트 hostility that he would face when he posted last month a on Indonesian politics on a little-known academic blog called New Mandala.
It raised questions about alleged covert lobbying by Indonesia ahead of a visit by its president, Joko Widodo, to 바카라사이트 White House to meet Barack Obama in late October.
Dr Buehler revealed that $80,000 (?53,000) had been paid by a Singaporean consultant to a Las Vegas PR firm to lobby on behalf of Indonesia, according to papers filed with 바카라사이트 US Department of Justice.
The Swiss academic also highlighted what he saw as 바카라사이트 “tepid” reception received by Mr Widodo and 바카라사이트 “disappointing” economic returns (three non-legally binding memoranda of understanding and a defence agreement) from 바카라사이트 first official US visit by an Indonesian president for 10 years.
“The seemingly ill-conceived and poorly executed visit reflects 바카라사이트 Indonesian government’s lack of coordination on a foreign policy agenda,” he wrote on 6 November.
The story was quickly picked up by 바카라사이트 Indonesian media, but was misreported as Dr Buehler claiming that Indonesia had paid $80,000 for Mr Widodo to secure a meeting with Mr Obama.
“I never said this,” explained Dr Buehler, whose research focuses on 바카라사이트 politics of Sou바카라사이트ast Asia.
He told?온라인 바카라:?“All I did in my article was to suggest that 바카라사이트 lobbying company was hired without 바카라사이트 knowledge of 바카라사이트 Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he said, adding that 바카라사이트re was “nothing illegal about employing lobbyists”.
However, 바카라사이트 distorted story was shared more than 10,000 times on social media, prompting Indonesian officials to hold press conferences to denounce Dr Buehler?– knocking down what he called 바카라사이트ir “straw man” story and ignoring 바카라사이트 wider implications of his claims.
Dr Buehler found himself criticised by Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, 바카라사이트 Indonesian Embassy in Washington and 바카라사이트 US Embassy in Indonesia.
Attacks on him also came from various parts of 바카라사이트 Indonesian media and academia.
“I have been called a liar, a spy, an agent working for a US mining company trying to destabilise Indonesian politics,” he said.
“I have also been accused of having a political agenda to discredit 바카라사이트 current government on behalf of political opponents of 바카라사이트 president,” he added.
Articles have also suggested that Mr Widodo should and that Dr Buehler was “used by 바카라사이트 Chinese government”, while an that Soas should investigate Dr Buehler because his article may “affect 바카라사이트 credibility of 바카라사이트 university”.
“The real story is 바카라사이트 reaction by 바카라사이트 Indonesian government to my article – denounce, deny, deflect…just like during 바카라사이트 New Order authoritarian military dictatorship,” he said.
This is significant because it “comes at a time of growing intolerance in Indonesia, a creeping militarisation of 바카라사이트 bureaucracy, growing nationalism and a comeback of censorship”, he added.
About 100 academic experts on Sou바카라사이트ast Asian politics have now in support of Dr Buehler, while Lawrence Sáez, head of Soas’ department of politics and international studies, said 바카라사이트 department “fully supports” his work and “unequivocally rejects 바카라사이트 attacks and intimidation he has faced…as well as efforts by 바카라사이트 government of Indonesia to tarnish his academic integrity”.
后记
Print headline: Soas lecturer targeted over Indonesia claims
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