U.S. aid revival to TNI wins support: Reports

U.S. aid revival to TNI wins support: Reports

Dow Jones, New York

The Bush administration's effort to re-establish military ties
with Indonesia, which has been curtailed for nearly a decade
because of its army's widespread human rights violations, has
some unexpected support among Indonesians, The New York Times
reported in its Friday editions.

Many who suffered under the military in the past, and who are
still critical of the army for its continuing rights abuses, say
that the best hope for eventually developing an army whose
conduct is appropriate for a democracy is to send officers to
schools in the United States.

They add that restoring aid would require a delicate balancing
act. Somehow, the United States would have to make clear that it
was not condoning past abuses and must keep up pressure on the
Indonesian military for fundamental reforms.

The Times reported that this would require tight conditions on
the aid, they say. American officials say they are aware that a
resumption of aid would be cited as approval by the Indonesian
military. But they say that, on balance, the benefits to the
United States and to Indonesia of restoring the military
relationship, and of working to create an army with high
professional standards, outweigh the disadvantages.

The Bush administration wants to finance a new Indonesian
military unit to deal with civil conflict, and to lift the ban on
Indonesian soldiers attending American military schools as part
of the International Military Education and Training program, The
New York Times article pointed out.