Carter and military aid

With reference to Zatni Arbi's article in The Jakarta Post on Sept. 12, 1999 on What can our leaders learn from Carter?, it might be useful to refresh the author's memory. While he was president, Carter described human rights as the soul of American foreign policy while increasing American arms supplies to Indonesia at the height of the civil and "integration" war in East Timor.

During his first year in office, Carter ordered a 79 percent increase in military aid to Indonesia. The United States repeatedly voted with a minority of countries in the United Nations to oppose putting the question of East Timor's self- determination on its official agenda.

IDRIS KYRWAY

Jakarta