U.S. military assistance may increase risk of state terrorism

Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The United States offer of aid to Indonesia to fight terrorism may backfire and see an increased incidence of state terrorism instead, a human rights activist said on Friday.

Hendardi of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) said the U.S. should remain cautious in extending aid to fight terrorism as Indonesia suffered more from state terrorism than conventional terrorist attacks.

Five Indonesian middle-ranking officers will participate in the U.S. counterterrorism fellowship program next month, marking the first cooperation of this kind since Washington suspended military ties in the aftermath of the East Timor violence in 1999.

Hendardi warned the Indonesian Military (TNI) might misuse the counterterrorism training its members receive. "We have had our share of experience (of these abuses)."

He was referring to the 1997/1998 kidnapping of political activists by elite Indonesian soldiers. At that time officers who had undergone antiterrorism training in the U.S. were in charge of the elite troops. Many of the victims never returned, and the senior officers have never been tried for the kidnappings.

"The (antiterror) training will give the TNI justification to label someone a terrorist ... and this could lead to more human rights abuses," Hendardi added.

The U.S. government has indicated its intention to normalize military relations with the TNI. However, the road there is still long, with opposition coming from the U.S. Congress and human rights groups.

TNI retains its image of an abusive force, four years after the downfall of Soeharto's iron-fist regime. Reports of human rights violations implicating the Army keep flowing in from conflict zones in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, Maluku and Papua.

Visiting U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, on behalf of his government, has offered Indonesia US$50 million to combat terrorism, but indicated restoring full ties was still a long way off.

Powell visited several Southeast Asian countries to promote the U.S. war on terrorism, and in that capacity wants Indonesia's military to play a greater role.

Part of this venture is next month's counterterrorism training in California where Indonesian Army officers will learn about postconflict situations.

Hendardi said the training may be useful in thwarting terrorist threats at home, but questioned how far this could help TNI improve its human rights record. "What Indonesian Army officers need are lessons on democracy and human rights."

Military and foreign affairs analyst at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Rizal Sukma said the counterterrorism program could open the way for resuming full military cooperation.

"I think the U.S. realizes that in order to help the TNI reform itself, there needs to be military-to-military relations," he said.