Indonesia is a US ally, but its relations with Washington have deteriorated sharply in recent years over allegations that the US is spying on its leaders.
The US has long denied the allegations, but the government has since tightened security measures and the US has denied that it is spying.
As a sign of growing tensions, Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Thursday urged Washington to withdraw from the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal.
The deal, which was signed in 2012 and aims to create a free trade zone between the US and the Pacific Rim nations, has been widely criticised for its protectionist policies, and the government is concerned that the deal could be a backdoor way to gain access to US financial and political resources.
In a statement, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said Washington has been trying to take advantage of the situation and create the conditions for “imperialist and racist interests”.
“I call on Washington to understand that the situation is not going to go away, it will only get worse,” he said, adding that Indonesia has been concerned about the US spying for decades.
“The situation has not improved in any way,” he added.
“We have seen this in Indonesia from the past.
But now, as a result of this situation, we have to confront it head on and do everything we can to protect our people from any such interference.”
In March, Washington accused Indonesia of spying on foreign leaders after a US-backed military coup in March 2016.
The US has also been accused of spying in the past on leaders of India and Vietnam.
Indonesia is also a key US ally in the region, having fought against the Islamic State group (IS) in the war in Afghanistan.
The country also hosts some of the US’s most advanced nuclear weapons, including the country’s most powerful ballistic missile, the B-61, and is home to a US military base that is part of the countrys “Asia-Pacific defence alliance”.
However, Indonesia has also faced allegations that it engages in human rights abuses against ethnic minorities, and has been accused by rights groups of violating human rights.
Following the arrest of the three men, the Indonesian government said it was investigating the case. (AFP)
