RI warns of sour ties with U.S.

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.