RI lobbies foreign politicians<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Secretary general of the defense ministry Rear Marshal Suprihadi,
\nsaid on Tuesday that his ministry had lobbied politicians in
\nEurope and the United States against supporting separatist groups
\nin Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He also said that his office had improved coordination with
\nIndonesian representatives in foreign countries for a similar
\npurpose.<\/p>\n
\"We lobby members of the European parliament and U.S. congress
\nwho back separatism to reduce their support,\" Suprihadi told a
\nhearing with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I for
\ndefense and security affairs here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He made the statement in response to legislators' concerns
\nover the increasing activities of separatist groups from Aceh and
\nPapua in foreign countries, in their bids to gain international
\nsupport.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri said earlier that some
\nforeign countries were actively supporting separatist movements
\nin the country.<\/p>\n
The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been fighting for
\nindependence for the resource-rich province since 1976, while the
\nFree Papua Movement (OPM) has been fighting for independence for
\nthe country's easternmost province Papua since the 1960s.<\/p>\n
Suprihadi dubbed the joint activities of Aceh and Papua
\nseparatist groups as the \"Axes of Aceh-Papua\".<\/p>\n
According to Suprihadi, the ministry had also been
\ndisseminating information to the global community on the stance
\nof the Indonesian government on handling separatism in Aceh and
\nPapua.<\/p>\n
He said the ministry would continue dialogs with politicians,
\nscholars, media, and non governmental groups, both domestic and
\nfrom abroad.<\/p>\n
Suprihadi said that his ministry would try to convince foreign
\ncountries that the extension of martial law in Aceh would create
\na conducive situation ahead of the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
Alluding to the readiness of government troops to combat
\nAcehnese guerrillas, Suprihadi said that the lack of helicopters
\nwas to blame for the poor performance of the troops in Aceh, as
\nair assaults against separatist guerrillas were restricted.<\/p>\n
The military operates 18 helicopters to assist integrated
\noperations in Aceh, 8 of which are Bell, 3 Puma, and 7 Bolco.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said
\nlast week that Libya had promised to assist Indonesia with
\nmilitary equipment to fight against the Acehnese rebels.<\/p>\n
He also said that Libya would send a number of trainers and
\ninstructors to help TNI.<\/p>\n
Some rebel leaders, now fighting government troops in Aceh,
\nare believed to have undergone military training in Libya.
\nHowever, during a meeting with President Megawati in Tripoli in
\nAugust, Libyan President Moammar Khadafy denied the allegation.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-lobbies-foreign-politicians-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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