RI committed to fighting terrorism, says Matori<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil says Indonesia is
\ncommitted to fighting against terrorism and it can do it without
\nassistance from the United States.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia has a strong commitment to fight terrorism because
\ninternal stability is required to promote a democratic country,\"
\nMatori said during a press conference ahead of U.S. Secretary of
\nState Colin Powell's visit on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Powell, who started a six-nation visit to Southeast Asia in
\nBangkok on Monday, will arrive here later Thursday. On Friday, he
\nis scheduled to meet with President Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nForeign Minister Hassan Wirayuda and economic and security
\nministers.<\/p>\n
In Singapore on Tuesday Powell said he would give Indonesia
\n\"some ideas and some initiatives\" to help in the anti-terror
\ncampaign.<\/p>\n
\"I think they recognize the danger that we all face. I think
\nthat they have been cooperating more fully with us as time goes
\nby, and I'm quite sure that Mrs Megawati is committed to this
\ncause,\" Powell said.<\/p>\n
U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph Boyce said Tuesday that
\ncooperation between Indonesia and the U.S. in the war against
\nterror was taking place without much media publicity.<\/p>\n
\"We are pleased with the cooperation that we have had to date
\nwith Indonesia,\" Boyce said.<\/p>\n
Matori said Indonesia's Military (TNI) was one of the
\nstrongest in Asia and so there was no need to ask for military
\nassistance to crack down on suspected terrorist groups here.<\/p>\n
\"But if the U.S. wants to offer military assistance to
\nIndonesia, it should be based on our needs,\" Matori said.<\/p>\n
He further said that recent bomb attacks across the nation and
\nsectarian conflicts in Maluku and Poso were indicative of terror
\nactivities in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
However, he refused to say if such terror activities had links
\nwith international terrorist groups.<\/p>\n
\"Several neighboring countries have accused us of harboring
\ninternational terrorist groups,\" Matori said.<\/p>\n
A U.S. official said Wednesday that the U.S. government had
\ndevised a formula for helping Indonesia fight terrorists without
\nviolating congressional limits on military assistance by giving
\naid to Indonesia's police, rather than its military.<\/p>\n
The administration of President George W. Bush is planning to
\nprovide US$16 million for counterterrorism exercises, but the
\ntraining will be for Indonesia's police force rather than its
\nmilitary, as is normally the case with such aid, the official
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The Bush administration also planned to spend $400,000 during
\nthe current fiscal year and next year to train civilians in anti-
\nterrorism activities, said the senior U.S. State Department
\nofficial, who is accompanying Secretary of State Colin Powell on
\nhis Asia tour.<\/p>\n
Indonesians were also expected to be major participants in a
\n$17 million Pentagon-administered program for what are known as
\n\"counterterrorism fellowships,\" the official said, speaking on
\ncondition of anonymity.<\/p>\n
U.S. legislation bars normalization of military ties between
\nthe two countries until the army demonstrates a commitment to
\ngreater civilian control and accountability. The curbs were first
\nimposed by Congress in 1992 and strengthened in 1999 after the
\nIndonesian military committed savage abuses against the East
\nTimorese.<\/p>\n
Powell said that a U.S. role in training the Indonesians could
\nhelp the soldiers be more respectful of human rights
\nconsiderations.<\/p>\n
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted late last month to
\nlift curbs on U.S. military education programs. The Indonesian
\nhigh command has welcomed the move.<\/p>\n
But Kontras, Indonesia's most prominent human rights
\norganization, called it dangerous.<\/p>\n
Indonesian officials have acknowledged that al-Qaeda
\noperatives began operations in Indonesia earlier this year.<\/p>\n
Several of Indonesia's neighbors have complained that
\nterrorists who have turned up on their shores have traveled there
\nfrom Indonesia.<\/p>\n
A senior administration official accompanying Powell
\nacknowledged irritation this week over Indonesia's recent release
\nof a Muslim militant leader who has acknowledged meeting Osama
\nbin Laden.<\/p>\n
He was ordered to await trial on charges of inciting religious
\nviolence.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-committed-to-fighting-terrorism-says-matori-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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