U.S. school severs ties with Indonesia

U.S. school severs ties with Indonesia

MONTPELIER, Vermont (AP): Norwich University said it would sever ties with the Indonesian military, which pays for 11 students to attend the school and has been accused of human rights abuses in East Timor three months ago.

"We are no longer going to accept payments from the Indonesian military for students to attend Norwich," said Tom Greene, spokesman for the oldest private military school in the U.S.

Norwich has been under pressure to take action regarding the 14 Indonesian students on campus since President Bill Clinton issued a ban on U.S. support for the Indonesian military Sept. 8.

The ban followed an Aug. 30 ballot in East Timor that triggered violence.

Norwich officials have maintained that the presidential ban did not apply to the private school.

But on Monday, university President Richard Schneider said he had concluded the alleged abuses and continued meddling by the military in the Indonesian government justified severing ties.

Greene said Norwich would offer scholarships to the 11 students funded by the Indonesian military, so they could finish their educations. Three other Indonesian students on campus are funded by their families, he said.

"The students who are currently at Norwich have done nothing wrong personally, are valued members of our intellectual community," Greene said. "We will honor our commitment to help educate them."