Army won't send troops to Perth due to rallies

Army won't send troops to Perth due to rallies

Tiarma Siboro and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta

The Indonesian Army has turned down Australia's invitation for
some of its Special Forces (Kopassus) officers to talk about
antiterrorism training in Perth.

Spokesman for the Indonesian Military (TNI) Maj. Gen. Sjafrie
Sjamsoeddin said on Monday the Army decided to decline the
invitation following demonstrations by several non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) in the neighboring country against the visit
of Kopassus chief Maj. Gen. Sriyanto Muntarsan.

Sriyanto should have lead six Kopassus officers during the
week-long trip upon the invitation of the Australian government
to the Australian Special Air Service Regiment's Swanbourne base
in Perth slated to begin on Oct. 6.

"The Army's leadership has decided to postpone the trip to
Australia due to the rallies," he told The Jakarta Post on
Monday.

"It is impossible for the team to leave without the commander.
Therefore, the Army postponed the visit to avoid causing problems
for the Australian government."

Sjafrie did not identify the NGOs.

He said no arrangement had been set for the overseas training
yet as the visit was only for "observation purposes" to learn the
possibility of sending Kopassus members to the neighboring
country.

We have not received a response from the Australian government
after we rejected the invitation, he added.

Sriyanto has been named a suspect in connection a trial over
gross human rights violations in Tanjung Priok in 1984, which
claimed at least 14 lives.

Australian daily Sydney Morning Herald reported that the
objection came from the Australian Defense Force for Sriyanto to
join the Kopassus team to attend the talks.

The daily quoted Australian Defense Minister Robert Hill as
indicating last week possible problems resulting from the
decision to provide training for Kopassus soldiers. Australian
media had asked whether Hill could guarantee that the Indonesian
soldiers would not use their new skills to act against civilians.

"That presents certain difficulties in light of the history of
Kopassus and we have... put restraints on ourselves in terms of
individuals that we're able to deal with.

We're still working through those issues, so exercises haven't
yet started," Hill was quoted by the daily as saying.

The antiterrorism talks were supposed to be followed by the
training for Kopassus members in Australia later this year, he
added.

Australia has attempted to resume its military ties in
accordance the global antiterrorism drive after a series of
bombings, including the Bali bombings that claimed the lives of
88 Australians.

It had earlier cut its training for Kopassus soldiers
following the secession of East Timor from Indonesia in 1999.
Some military officers had been prosecuted for their involvement
in the bloodshed. However, most of them were acquitted of all
charges.