Cohen tells Indonesia to shackle military or face sanctions
Cohen tells Indonesia to shackle military or face sanctions
JAKARTA (Agencies): United States Defense Secretary William
Cohen arrived here Wednesday to discuss how to avert a
humanitarian disaster in East Timor and Washington's stance on
the crisis.
Cohen, on the second leg of a five country tour of the region,
was welcomed by the secretary general of the defense ministry,
Lt. Gen. Fachrul Razi at the Halim Perdanakusuma airport, AFP
reported.
He is due to meet with Minister of Defense and Security
Affairs and Commander of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Gen.
Wiranto on Thursday, President B.J. Habibie, Foreign Minister Ali
Alatas, opposition leader Megawati Soekarnoputri and several
human rights activists.
Before leaving Darwin in northern Australia earlier on
Wednesday, Cohen said Indonesia's government must shackle its
military and advance democracy or face the prospect of political
isolation and economic sanctions.
"There must be civilian control over the military and the
world is watching," Cohen was quoted by Reuters as saying.
"We are committed to helping the Indonesian people to achieve
their own dream that they voted for, and that is democracy," he
said in an interview on Australia's Channel Nine television.
"This is very important to Indonesia and they have to
understand this," Cohen said, adding that failure to advance
democratic reforms begun last year and to bring the military
tightly under civilian control would have "serious consequences".
"I think to the extent that the government does not
cooperate...then I think that Indonesia itself will have to face
up to consequences which will certainly involve some isolation
diplomatically and perhaps economic consequences as well."
Cohen also echoed warnings by U.S. Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright that Jakarta must end "collusion" between its
military and anti-independence militias in East Timor and disarm
the militias.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said the death toll
probably ran into thousands, although the Indonesian army says
about 90 died.
Washington has suspended all joint military exercises and
exchanges and other support for Indonesia on Sept. 9 to protest
against the killings, looting and burning in East Timor.