JP\/4\/MILITARY<\/p>\n
RI to get credit facility to buy U.S. Hercules hardware<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The United States has granted Indonesia a credit facility to
\nprocure spare parts for its Hercules aircraft to be used for
\nrelief efforts in tsunami-hit Aceh province, a defense official
\nsaid on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Ministry of Defense's director general of defense strategy
\nMaj. Gen. (ret.) Sudrajat said Washington would open a so-called
\nForeign Military Sale Account for Jakarta to be able to buy
\nHercules hardware directly from the U.S. in installments.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Wednesday, Indonesian presidential spokesman Dino
\nPatti Djalal quoted visiting U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
\nas saying that restrictions on equipment to mend a fleet of
\ngrounded military cargo planes would be eased.<\/p>\n
Sudrajat clarified that the U.S. embargo imposed on non-lethal
\nequipment had actually been lifted in 2002, so Indonesia's
\nmilitary cargo planes could airlift aid for victims in conflict
\nareas, such as Ambon in Maluku, and Poso regency in Central
\nSulawesi.<\/p>\n
Despite the lifting of the ban, Jakarta had not been allowed
\nto purchase spare parts for Hercules directly from Washington,
\nbut had to procure them from third countries, such as Singapore,
\nMalaysia and Europe, which used similar hardware to the U.S.,
\nSudrajat said.<\/p>\n
All transactions, however, had to be with the consent of U.S.
\nauthorities, he added.<\/p>\n
\"This forced us to shop for double prices, while there was no
\nguarantee that other countries wanted to merchandise their U.S.
\nspare parts,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Sudrajat urged Washington to ease its standing embargo on
\nlethal equipment for Jakarta to assist the Indonesian military
\n(TNI) restore security and stop disturbances across the country.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has two squadrons of Hercules planes, with only 40
\nof them airworthy. This is often used by the TNI as a reason for
\nbeing late in sending troops and humanitarian aid to remote areas
\nhit by security disturbances or natural disasters.<\/p>\n
According to Sudrajat, the military needs at least US$1
\nmillion to $2 million to repair each of its grounded cargo
\nplanes.<\/p>\n
Military analyst Andi Widjajanto from the University of
\nIndonesia asked the government not to be reactive in responding
\nthe U.S. move to further ease the military embargo that was
\nimposed on Indonesia in the wake of alleged gross human rights
\nabuses in East Timor in 1999.<\/p>\n
It could just be a \"political gesture\" rather than a
\nwillingness to revive permanent military to military relations,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"The U.S. administration is unable to address the issue
\nbecause any bilateral cooperation in arms and technology transfer
\nmust be endorsed by the U.S. Congress,\" Andi said.<\/p>\n
Andi was pessimistic that the decision to lift the embargo
\ncould happen immediately.<\/p>\n
\"We should not change our policy of looking for new suppliers
\nof military equipment,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp4military-1447899208",
"image": ""
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