Monday, June 10, 2002 03:57:31 PM

US encourages Indonesian military

Two factors have contributed to the more aggressive role of the Indonesian military, not only in West Papua but also against the separatist movement in Aceh and throughout the country.

The first was the ousting of President Abdurrahman Wahid and the installation of Megawati Sukarnoputri last year after a protracted political brawl in which the generals played the role of kingmaker. The TNI top brass now feels that it has an administration that is not only beholden to it but supports its repression of separatist movements. One of the main criticisms of Wahid was that his negotiations with independence groups were paving the way for more East Timors and the breakup of Indonesia.

The second is the US administrations determination to reestablish close ties with the Indonesian military. In 1999, in the aftermath of the TNIs involvement in atrocities in East Timor, the US Congress imposed a ban on any links between the US and Indonesian armed forces until such time as
those responsible were brought to justice. The Bush administration, however, has repeatedly stated its intention to restore the ties with the TNI, which, for more than three decades under Suharto, served Washingtons interests in Indonesia and throughout the region.

A trial is currently underway in Jakarta of 18 soldiers and civilians alleged to have been involved in the East Timor violence. The legal process is a farce with the TNI top brass attending the court and making public statements of support for the accused in a crude attempt to intimidate the judges. As in the case of Eluays murder, none of the top generals have been called to account. Yet, the Bush administration has seized on the trial to argue that, as US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld declared recently, Indonesia was dealing with human rights
issues in an orderly, democratic way.

At an Asian security conference in Singapore in late May, Rumsfelds deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, expressed the hope: Id like to figure out ways in which we wouldnt always use, as the means of expressing displeasure, isolating the Indonesian military from contacts with the West and the
United States. Answering criticisms that Indonesia was slow in supporting the US war against terrorism, he pointed out that the two countries already have close security ties. The cooperation is really very good, both with the CIA and FBI, he stated.

The Bush administration has all but openly repudiated the Congressional ban. Since the terror attacks on New York on September 11, the US has resumed non-lethal military sales to Indonesia, obtained Congressional approval for an $US18 million anti-terrorist training program mainly 
for Indonesia, and resumed regular contacts between US and Indonesian military officials.

In a particularly sinister development, the Bush administration has asked Congress for $8 million to train a security force for peacekeeping operations inside Indonesia. In other words, a special military force is to be established, outside the control of the police, to suppress
internal opposition, including in West Papua. 

These US moves will only encourage the TNI to take a more aggressive stance and to dispense with the cosmetic reforms instituted since the fall of the Suharto dictatorship.