Indonesia to look for new arms suppliers

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian government will have to look for alternative arms suppliers with the U.S. appearing likely to extend its military embargo against the country, according to a senior minister.

"We have many strategic alternatives ... for developing our military strength. We will not be depending solely on the U.S.," Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto said following a Cabinet meeting on Monday.

He was commenting on reports that U.S. lawmakers recently renewed their campaign to convince the administration to extend a 13-year military embargo imposed on Indonesia. The U.S. lawmakers claim the Indonesian government has not done enough to bring to justice the perpetrators of a 2002 ambush in Papua that killed two American citizens and one Indonesian citizen. The lawmakers have also required that the U.S. State Department must first certify that Indonesia is being cooperative in the global fight against terrorism before full military ties can be resumed.

"We need to face this reality by preparing other alternatives," Widodo said.

Indonesia's military equipment has been steadily deteriorating as a result of the arms embargo by the U.S., which was imposed following the gross human rights violations in the former province of East Timor.

But a dispute earlier this year between Indonesia and Malaysia over territory and resources made some quarters see the urgency of modernizing the country's military equipment.

Government officials and Indonesian Military (TNI) officers have done some "window-shopping" in several countries, including China, India, South Korea and a number of eastern Europe countries. Indonesia has also purchased jet fighters and helicopters from Russia.

The TNI is unlikely to purchase new arms for another two years because of the government's current financial difficulties, but it could start expanding its equipment purchases in 2007 if the country's economy continues to strengthen.

Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, needs a strong military force not only to address threats at home, such as separatist movements, but also as a deterrent against neighboring countries, most of which have updated their military capacity.

Widodo, however, said military cooperation with the U.S. had already been revived in certain areas, pointing out the U.S. assistance for training TNI personnel and the resumption of spare parts supplies for Hercules aircraft.

"As an example, the U.S. recently disbursed some US$1 million worth of assistance for a joint training program between the navies of the two countries," Widodo said.

Widodo added that the failure to revive full military ties with the U.S. was not due to the government's weak diplomatic efforts, as suggested by some critics.

"The extension of the embargo is not due to any failure on the part of our diplomacy. The U.S. must have its own considerations (for maintaining the embargo)."