U.S. confident over Indonesia's war on terrorism<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Visiting U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed
\nconfidence in Indonesia's determination to fight terrorism with a
\npledge of US$50 million in aid to train security forces in
\ncounterterrorism.<\/p>\n
Speaking to local and foreign journalists after holding talks
\nwith several high-ranking officials here on Friday, Powell
\npraised Indonesia's level of cooperation in fighting terrorism
\nand said President Megawati Soekarnoputri and security
\nauthorities were capable of dealing with terrorist threats.<\/p>\n
"I'm very pleased with the level of our cooperation on a range
\nof bilateral issues, not just counterterrorism.<\/p>\n
"We admire Indonesia so much as a Muslim nation which at the
\nsame time has great diversity within that nation and allows that
\ndiversity to flourish in a way that benefits the whole society,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Powell is on a Southeast Asian tour aiming to boost
\ncooperation with the region in the fight against terrorism, and
\nstopped in Jakarta before flying to Manila as his last stop.<\/p>\n
On his brief visit to Jakarta, he will hold a series of talks
\nwith the President, her political and economic ministers and
\nreligious leaders.<\/p>\n
Despite the promised $50 million in aid, Powell made clear
\nthat the United States had yet to lift the military embargo
\nimposed on Indonesia in September 1999, but said it was expected
\nto pave the way to normalizing the two countries' military ties.<\/p>\n
The United States cut military ties following the postballot
\nviolence in East Timor in 1999. A number of Indonesian former
\nmilitary and police officials are facing prosecution at the ad
\nhoc Human Rights Tribunal for alleged involvement in human rights
\nabuses during the violence.<\/p>\n
Asked what had changed about Indonesia's human rights record
\nto allow aid to flow again to the military, Powell said:<\/p>\n
"We are starting down a path to a normal relationship with
\nrespect to military-to-military. We are not there yet.<\/p>\n
"At the same time the American Congress is watching carefully
\nand expecting action to be taken with respect to past abuses that
\nmight have occurred."<\/p>\n
During the meeting with Coordinating Minister for Political
\nand Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, both sides agreed
\nto hold international military training and education (IMET), as
\nwell as to involve Indonesian officers in a counterterrorism
\nfellowship program.<\/p>\n
"We hope that these program will help the Indonesian armed
\nforces to improve its capabilities, or to improve the performance
\nof military organization in a democratic system," Powell said.<\/p>\n
Of the total funding, $47 million will be granted to the
\npolice for a training scheme and other programs until 2004. Some
\n$16 million, including $12 million to create a new police
\ncounterterrorism unit, has already been approved by Congress,
\nwhile another $400,000 is to provide for a resumption in training
\nof civilian elements of the Indonesian defense ministry next year
\non top of $400,000 for the same programs this year.<\/p>\n
U.S. Congress has signaled that it will not agree to lifting
\nthe military embargo unless the military proves it is strongly
\ncommitted to internal reform, including staying out of politics.<\/p>\n
Powell pointed out that the U.S. Congress was "watching
\ncarefully, expecting action to be taken in regards to past abuses
\nthat might have occurred", before lifting the Leahy amendment.<\/p>\n
The lifting of the embargo would depend on the U.S. Congress
\nand Powell said that his government had successfully convinced
\nCongress that it was very important to improve Indonesian
\nsecurity forces' ability in dealing with terrorist threats.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has denied accusations by neighboring countries that
\nit is a safe haven for terrorists.<\/p>\n
The accusations were prompted by Jakarta's perceive reluctance
\nto take stern action against extreme or radical groups like the
\nLaskar Jihad and the Islam Defenders Front (FPI).<\/p>\n
Foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda said during the talks that
\nthe government had convinced Powell of its determination to fight
\nterrorism but lacked the capability to do so.<\/p>\n
"Indonesia should strengthen its capability to counter
\nterrorism both at home and along its border areas ... We have
\nbeen working with the U.S. toward that end," Hassan said.<\/p>\n
He further defended "the fact is that Indonesia is not
\nAfghanistan... Indonesian Muslims are very moderate and the fact
\nthat there are fundamentalist groups adopting radicalism doesn't
\nmean they are a majority."<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-confident-over-indonesias-war-on-terrorism-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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