Indonesia's rights record remains poor: U.S.
Indonesia's rights record remains poor: U.S.
Associated Press, Washington
Just two days after the United States moved to improve
military ties with Indonesia, the State Department said on Monday
the Jakarta government had a poor human rights record last year.
Most of the abuses took place in areas of separatist violence,
the department said in its annual report on human rights
conditions worldwide.
"Security force members murdered, tortured, raped, beat and
arbitrarily detained civilians and members of separatist
movements, especially in Aceh and to a lesser extent in Papua,"
it said.
Police sometimes used deadly force in arresting suspects and
in trying to obtain information or confessions, it said. Past and
present military officers known to have committed abuses were
promoted to senior positions in the government and military.
The report is certain to be used by members of Congress who
oppose the Bush administration's moves to strengthen military
ties with Jakarta.
On Saturday, the State Department announced it had lifted
restrictions on Indonesia's participation in a U.S. military
training program. The restrictions were imposed in 1992 after
massacres of civilian protesters in East Timor, then a breakaway
Indonesian province.
Later, the conditions were tied to Indonesia's cooperation in
the investigation of the murders of two American teachers in
Indonesia's Papua province. The department said on Saturday that
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had determined that Jakarta
has been cooperating.
Monday's report praised Indonesia's move toward democratic
government, the reduced political power of security forces and
efforts to criminalize domestic violence and fight trafficking in
human beings.
It said serious problems remained, however. Indonesian prison
conditions were harsh, the judicial system was corrupt, and the
government has arrested peaceful protesters. Journalists have
come under increased pressure from the government, business
leaders and security forces, it said.