Indonesia's unreformed military

Indonesia's unreformed military

American military cooperation with Jakarta, suspended during
the Soeharto dictatorship over the Indonesian Army's human rights
abuses, should not be resumed without strict conditions and
careful controls. Unfortunately, the Bush administration is in a
hurry to restore ties with the Indonesian military and seems
willing to overlook misconduct in the name of strengthening the
war against terrorism. The Senate Appropriations Committee, which
is planning to consider the administration's request tomorrow,
should block it, as urged by Senator Patrick Leahy and other
critics.

Despite the coming of electoral democracy, the Indonesian
military remains a law unto itself. Its past crimes remain almost
entirely uninvestigated and unpunished. Its current practices in
places like Aceh and the Maluku Islands are as brutal as ever.
And its extensive business interests make it a major obstacle to
needed economic reforms. Nor is it a very promising partner
against terror.

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, is an
important battleground in the struggle against terrorism.
Traditionally, the variety of Islam practiced there has been
moderate and tolerant. In recent years violent extremist groups
have emerged, some with foreign connections. For now, these
radicals have only a limited following.

The best defense against further radicalization is to
encourage the transition to civilian democracy that began with
the overthrow of the Soeharto regime in 1998. Civic groups such
as human rights organizations, local development associations and
independent trade unions have played a vital role in building
democratic institutions.

The United States needs to strengthen these groups and nudge
the government of President Megawati Soekarnoputri away from its
current dependence on the armed forces. The administration argues
that the proposed training program will also help by teaching
young Indonesian officers the importance of democracy and human
rights. In the context of real military reform, it might.
Resuming military cooperation under present conditions would
instead signal that Washington no longer cares much about the
human rights performance of Indonesia's armed forces.

-- The New York Times