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

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.