United States commander urges reforms to Indonesian Military

United States commander urges reforms to Indonesian Military

Reuters, Canberra

A United States defense commander said on Friday that Indonesia
must show it had taken steps to reform its military for
resumption of aid and arms sales, held back because of concerns
of human rights abuse by troops.

Washington revived a small military training program with
Indonesia in February in a sign of thawing defense ties with the
world's most populous Muslim nation.

But it maintains a ban on arms sales imposed after troops shot
dead dozens of protesters in 1991 in Dili in East Timor, which
was then an Indonesian province.

Admiral William Fallon, the U.S. Pacific Commander, said U.S.
politicians had serious concerns about the past activities of the
Indonesian troops and it was necessary to demonstrate real reform
in the military.

"I am working to try to have demonstrated action that I can
take back to show some of the political leadership in my country
that there has been enough change to merit some infusion of aid,"
he said.

"People in my country are looking for performance. They want
to see deeds in addition to words," Fallon told reporters in
Canberra, where he is on a visit for talks with Australian
defense chiefs.

But Indonesia's transition to democracy and a visit by
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Washington in May have
helped thaw relations, he said.

The mood had also improved after the Dec. 26 tsunami, which
brought the two militaries together in relief work in the
devastated Indonesian province of Aceh. The United States sent a
large contingent of naval vessels, helicopters and troops in
emergency relief.

Fallon said there was a lot of potential in military ties with
Indonesia, which he described as significantly more moderate than
many other Islamic nations.

"It is an opportunity we have to take advantage of," he said.

Fallon, who has held talks with Yudhoyono and military chiefs
in Jakarta, said he would initially look at the sale of non-
lethal military supplies, such as spare parts for Indonesian
military transport aircraft.