Indonesia defends antiterrorism fight, Powell supportive

Indonesia defends antiterrorism fight, Powell supportive

Simon Cameron-Moore and Elaine Monaghan, Reuters, Bandar Seri
Begawan/Singapore

Indonesia on Tuesday defended its record in fighting terrorism as
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell lent support, hinting
Washington was ready to consider resuming military ties.

The United States cut military links with Jakarta, including
training of officers and arms sales, in 1999 when the Indonesian
military was implicated in the murderous wave of violence that
swept East Timor after the territory voted for independence.

Powell, on his way to a regional security forum in Brunei,
told a news conference in Singapore that he was carrying ideas to
help Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri fight militancy
in the world's most populous Muslim nation.

He heads to Jakarta on Thursday.

"I think they recognize the danger that we all face and I
think they have been cooperating more fully with us as time goes
by and I'm quite and sure that Mrs Megawati is committed to this
cause," Powell told a news conference in Singapore.

"We have some ideas and some initiatives that we will present
to them that I think will help them in their efforts in the
campaign against terrorism," he said.

Powell will attend the Association of South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN) Regional Forum on Wednesday along with foreign ministers
from 21 other countries and the European Union.

Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and a senior Philippine
diplomat urged the United States to restore military ties to help
Indonesia counter the threat of militancy.

Powell responded by saying he saw no inconsistency with the
restoration of military cooperation through training and the
United States' desire to reduce instances of human rights abuse.

"If you get young officers, expose them to a military
organization that is within a democratic political institution
such as the United States... that rubs off on them," he said.

Domingo Siazon, Philippine ambassador to Japan and ASEAN
envoy, told reporters in Brunei that support for Indonesia was
crucial for the whole region.

"I think it is necessary to re-establish these ties...
Indonesia is very important to the security of the whole of East
Asia. More than 80 percent of the oil going to Japan is going
through the Strait of Malacca," said the diplomat, whose country
is Washington's staunchest ally in the region.

Neighboring countries have been frustrated by Indonesia's
failure to hunt down Islamic militants they say are hiding out in
its vast archipelago, but Jakarta defended its record.

"We did what we can within our ability. For example, we
captured two suspected terrorists," Foreign Minister Hassan
Wirajuda told reporters at the end the ASEAN foreign ministers'
meeting.

"Of course, I know you wanted us to arrest radical groups, but
radical is not equal to terrorism," he said.

Since the advent of democracy in 1998, no less than 29 Islamic
political parties have emerged in Indonesia, where the vast
majority of its 210 million people are Muslim.

The government also has to contend with militant groups like
Laskar Jihad, which is mainly active in the strife-torn Maluku
islands where a bomb wounded more than 50 people on Saturday.

Thousands have died in Muslim-Christian violence over the past
several years.

Malaysian and Philippine security officials feel Indonesia is
the weak link in a three-way pact to fight terrorism they sealed
earlier this year. But there is political understanding for
difficulties Megawati faces managing her unwieldy nation while it
comes to grips with democracy.

Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore have arrested dozens
of members of Jemaah Islamiah, a militant group which their
intelligence agencies say has ties with Osama bin Laden's al-
Qaeda network. Indonesia has made no arrests even though a group
leader is said to be hiding out in the country. related stories
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