RI warns of sour ties with U.S.
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government warned on Monday that the U.S. Congress decision to withhold military aid to Indonesia -- reportedly because of a failure to bring the perpetrators of last year's killing of two U.S. teachers to justice -- could jeopardize bilateral ties.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called the action by the U.S., "a dramatic decision" and questioned how the U.S. House of Representatives could come to such a conclusion while investigation process was still going on.
"The FBI (Federal Bureau Investigation) is still working with us on the (Timika, Papua) shooting incident," he complained.
"The investigation process is still underway for our mutual interests because we realize that two Americans were also killed.
"Such a dramatic step taken by the U.S. House of Representatives could damage our bilateral relations," Susilo warned.
The attack in August last year also resulted in the death of an Indonesian teacher and injured a dozen other people including a six-year-old American girl. The dead were teachers working for the giant U.S. gold and copper mining company, Freeport in Papua.
Relations between Jakarta and Washington had been put to another test earlier this month when five American F-18 Hornet jets were detected maneuvering over Bawean island in East Java while escorting a U.S. aircraft carrier, two frigates and a tanker.
A dog fight almost ensued after the Indonesian Air Force, which had not been told of the F-18's permission to conduct maneuvers, dispatched a pair of F-16 jets to confront the U.S. planes.
Jakarta expressed regret over the incident, but has never asked for an apology from Washington, after they reportedly submitted notification that the fighters would be engaged in maneuvers above the island.
The U.S. is the largest market for Indonesian products after Japan. Washington is also very instrumental when it comes to multilateral financial institutions which have become Indonesia's sources of foreign assistance.
Susilo further said that there was no immediate explanation from the U.S. government nor its embassy here over the decision by Congress.
"There should be an explanation from the U.S. government on the U.S. stance in relation to the postponement of military aid, as well as the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, for Indonesia," he said.
The U.S. House approved an amendment last week to deny the military assistance funds for Indonesia as part of a bill it passed on the State Department programs for the next two years, until "the Indonesian government decides to cooperate with U.S. investigators and provide credible and honest answers about the Aug. 31, 2002 shooting incident in Timika, Papua."
The George W. Bush administration has opposed the amendment, which will bar it from disbursing US$400,000 in military aid for the IMET program -- the first effort taken by President Bush to restore military ties between the two countries after they were cut off by his predecessor following the 1999 East Timor rights abuses blamed on the Indonesian Military (TNI).
Besides conducting two investigations first the police, then the military, the Indonesian government has also bowed to U.S. pressure to accommodate its own investigators to conduct an inquiry. A team of FBI special agents went home last week after visiting Papua and "taking evidence from last year's killing."
It was the FBI's second visit to Indonesia in regard to the Timika incident and was held only days after a senior U.S. official made a remark essentially blaming the Indonesian army for the attack on his countrymen.
The FBI team, nevertheless, refused to disclose their preliminary results to the authorities here.
Matthew P. Daley, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs said following the investigations that "the preponderance of evidence indicates to us that members of the Indonesian Army were responsible for the murders in Papua."
Earlier, TNI Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto played down the U.S. House decision, saying that "we have never asked for any assistance from the United States."
Endriartono said that the TNI was proven innocent after its own investigation and blamed the incident on the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM). The first investigation, by the police reportedly pointed to possible TNI elements, so the military took the reins of the investigation from there and pinned it on OPM, but has not officially charged anyone.
"The Timika case was purely an unfortunate incident and no one planned or organized it. If the investigation has yet to name a suspect, it is merely because we have yet to complete the process," Susilo asserted.
Indonesia has received other funds from the U.S. According to an Asian Wall Street Journal report, since the Papua attack on Aug. 31, 2002. The U.S. Defense Department has given $4 million to the Indonesian military and police for counter-terrorism training.