Pot – Kettle – Black? Yudhoyono's wiretapping is not limited to Papua. In 2011 by WikiLeaks, revealed that Yudhoyono had used his own intelligence services to spy on political opponents and at least one of his cabinet ministers.

Australian intelligence officials are believed to have tapped the phones of the Indonesian president, his wife, and various ministers in 2009.  Indonesia is cutting off cooperation on initiatives to combat people-smuggling, as well as military exercises and intelligence exchanges in retaliation.

However, the watch group Human Rights Watch disclosed documents that reveal Indonesia has done the same.  The Indonesian government had a massive spying operation in the province of Papua from 2006 to 2009, where separatists have been active since Indonesia's independence.

But Yudhoyono's wiretapping is not limited to Papua.  In 2011 by WikiLeaks, revealed that Yudhoyono had used his own intelligence services to spy on political opponents and at least one of his cabinet ministers.  Earlier this year, opposition party leader Megawati Sukarnoputri issued similar accusations against the president.

Many analysts say the suspension in relations with Australia is posturing and that two countries will renew relations shortly.  They add that this may actually result in more transparency between the two countries with regard to their surveillance activities.  The same may not be true, however, for Indonesia's president's political revivals.