U.S.-RI military ties still need strings attached: Report<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An international think tank, in its report on
\nmilitary ties between the United States and Indonesia,
\nrecommended that albeit seeking various positive engagements and
\ndialog, Washington should continue attaching conditions to the
\nprovision of military assistance and training to the Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI).<\/p>\n
Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) argue, in its
\nrecently issued report, that TNI's recent track record and strong
\nopposition in some corners of Washington warrant such conditions.<\/p>\n
Among them is the insistence that any future U.S. assistance
\nor training be predicated on Indonesia making the entire military
\nbudget a public record.<\/p>\n
\"Such transparency is a bare minimum to be expected from any
\nmodern military operating in a democratic system and could be
\nachieved in the short term,\" the report said.<\/p>\n
\"The handling of the military budget remains central to any
\nlasting military reform effort. No substantial progress toward
\nmilitary reform is really possible without support of budget
\nreform.\"<\/p>\n
The ICG is a private, multinational organization that
\nregularly issues extensive analysis and recommendations on
\nvarious international issues.<\/p>\n
It has issued several reports on Indonesia this year covering
\nissues that include Aceh, Irian Jaya and the political crisis.<\/p>\n
The ICG includes former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari,
\nformer Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans, Nobel Peace
\nLaureate Oscar Arias Sanchez and former Indian prime minister
\nInder Gujral.<\/p>\n
The report was issued as the Bush Administration completed a
\npolicy review of military assistance toward Indonesia, which
\ncited that despite being limited, military cooperation has
\nsymbolic significance and is often viewed as a barometer of ties
\nbetween Jakarta and Washington.<\/p>\n
The ICG said that, in the short term, U.S. assistance should
\nstill include progress on accountability for human rights abuses.<\/p>\n
\"Longer-term provision of support would need to revolve around
\nthe reform and possible eventual dismantling of the territorial
\nforce structure, conducted in concert with efforts to strengthen
\nthe professionalism of police forces in dealing with internal
\nsecurity,\" it said.<\/p>\n
It argued that while it was not unreasonable that the TNI
\ninsist that the territorial structure be gradually taken apart
\ndue to the police's inability to maintain international security,
\nit was ultimately self-serving.<\/p>\n
\"The police will never develop the skills and capability they
\nneed to do their job unless resources for internal security are
\nincreasingly channeled to them rather than the military,\" the ICG
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"The territorial structure does need to be phased out and the
\nlogical transfer of responsibility for internal security from the
\nTNI to the police needs to be accomplished in a coordinated
\nfashion.\"<\/p>\n
On large transfers of arms, the ICG felt that until Indonesia
\nshows major improvements in stemming human rights abuses, such
\nsales were not justified with exemptions for spare parts of
\nexisting equipment judged on a case-by-case basis.<\/p>\n
The group, however, claims that the Bush Administration \"is
\nreceptive to improving ties with the Indonesian military, albeit
\nrealistic about some of the U.S. Congressional hurdles\".<\/p>\n
The U.S. has supplied more than US$148 million worth of
\nweapons and ammunition to Indonesia since 1993, including
\ntechnical support and spare parts for previously sold U.S.
\naircraft and armored vehicles.<\/p>\n
It all but ceased, however, following the crisis in Timor in
\nlate 1999.<\/p>\n
Slowly, limited cooperation has been renewed but the 2001
\nForeign Operations appropriations bill still contains clear
\nprovisions regarding potential military assistance to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Neither International Military Education Training (IMET) nor
\nForeign Military Financing (FMF) can be made available to
\nIndonesia unless Bush submits a report to a Congressional
\ncommittee that states Jakarta has met a number of basic standards
\nwith regards to human rights and its accountability.<\/p>\n
These conditions include taking effective measures to bring to
\njustice members of the TNI guilty of human rights abuses in East
\nTimor.<\/p>\n
As of 9 July, no Congressional certification had been
\nsubmitted by the Bush Administration. The ICG said that in
\ninterviews with both administration officials and Congressional
\nstaff, none is expected before the end of the fiscal year on
\nSept. 30,<\/p>\n
But the ICG also said that the Bush administration has
\nsubmitted a budget request for the fiscal year 2002 that includes
\n$400,000 for IMET funding for Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"However this money may well come with strings attached as
\nwell.\"<\/p>\n
\"The Administration will likely let the smoke clear from the
\nongoing Indonesian presidential crisis and see if some progress
\ncan be made on accountability issues, before it decides whether
\nto move forward with any certification in the future.\"(mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-ri-military-ties-still-need-strings-attached-report-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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