RI lobbies foreign politicians
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Secretary general of the defense ministry Rear Marshal Suprihadi, said on Tuesday that his ministry had lobbied politicians in Europe and the United States against supporting separatist groups in Indonesia.
He also said that his office had improved coordination with Indonesian representatives in foreign countries for a similar purpose.
"We lobby members of the European parliament and U.S. congress who back separatism to reduce their support," Suprihadi told a hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I for defense and security affairs here on Tuesday.
He made the statement in response to legislators' concerns over the increasing activities of separatist groups from Aceh and Papua in foreign countries, in their bids to gain international support.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri said earlier that some foreign countries were actively supporting separatist movements in the country.
The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been fighting for independence for the resource-rich province since 1976, while the Free Papua Movement (OPM) has been fighting for independence for the country's easternmost province Papua since the 1960s.
Suprihadi dubbed the joint activities of Aceh and Papua separatist groups as the "Axes of Aceh-Papua".
According to Suprihadi, the ministry had also been disseminating information to the global community on the stance of the Indonesian government on handling separatism in Aceh and Papua.
He said the ministry would continue dialogs with politicians, scholars, media, and non governmental groups, both domestic and from abroad.
Suprihadi said that his ministry would try to convince foreign countries that the extension of martial law in Aceh would create a conducive situation ahead of the 2004 elections.
Alluding to the readiness of government troops to combat Acehnese guerrillas, Suprihadi said that the lack of helicopters was to blame for the poor performance of the troops in Aceh, as air assaults against separatist guerrillas were restricted.
The military operates 18 helicopters to assist integrated operations in Aceh, 8 of which are Bell, 3 Puma, and 7 Bolco.
Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said last week that Libya had promised to assist Indonesia with military equipment to fight against the Acehnese rebels.
He also said that Libya would send a number of trainers and instructors to help TNI.
Some rebel leaders, now fighting government troops in Aceh, are believed to have undergone military training in Libya. However, during a meeting with President Megawati in Tripoli in August, Libyan President Moammar Khadafy denied the allegation.