In early 2006, a furore erupted in Indonesia over the Australian government's decision to grant temporary protection visas to 42 Indonesian asylum seekers from West Papua region.
The controversy caused diplomatic tension as well as a "war of cartoons", with newspapers in Indonesia and Australia trading hits over a decision that the Indonesians say questions the sovereignty that they officially have over West Papua.
[1][2][3] The issue was caused by the Australian Government's decision through the immigration department to allow visas to 42 refugees that arrived in January.
On 27 March 2006, Indonesian newspaper Rakyat Merdeka published a front-page editorial cartoon depicting the then Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer as dingoes.
[4] The Weekend Australian published a retaliatory cartoon by Bill Leak on 1 April 2006, apparently depicting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as a dog, copulating with a Papuan native.