Ian MacKenzie, Jakarta – Indonesia struck back at U.S. congressional critics on Friday, dropping its participation in an American military training program and scrapping plans to buy nine U.S.-made F-16 warplanes.
Foreign Minister Ali Alatas told a news conference he hoped the move would ease friction with the United States to allow cooperation on "the many economic, political and security issues that have to be faced in the years to come."
"The government of Indonesia has decided to forego its participation in the Expanded International Military Education and Training (E-IMET) program offered by the United States government as well as its planned purchase of nine F-16 planes from the United States government," Alatas said in a statement.
He said President Suharto had conveyed the decision to President Clinton in a letter dated May 26 but only delivered on June 2 for technical reasons.
Alatas denied there was a link between the move and criticism from the U.S. State Department over the conduct of Indonesia's May 29 general elections, which the ruling Golkar party won with a sweeping majority.
Jakarta has come under fire from some U.S. senators and congressmen, particularly over its human rights record and East Timor, the former Portuguese colony that Indonesia occupied in 1975 and annexed the following year. "This has been brewing for a while. It is more the congressional criticism of Indonesia in general over East Timor, human rights and democracy issues," a senior Asian diplomat said.
In his letter, Suharto cited "wholly unjustified criticisms in the United States Congress against Indonesia that are linked to its participation in the (E-IMET) program and the planned purchase of the F-16 planes" as a factor.
The U.S. embassy said in a statement: "While we regret this decision, it is of course up to Indonesia to determine its own defence requirements.
"The United States and Indonesia have cooperated closely on a broad range of regional and global issues in the past, and we look forward to working closely with Indonesia in these areas in the future."
Over a period of years the United States has been the major arms supplier to Indonesia, military sources said.
A diplomatic source said the E-IMET courses "are generally considered professional military courses for senior military members as opposed to technical courses."
The United States barred Indonesia from participating in the program in 1992 after security forces fired into demonstrating mourners in the East Timor capital of Dili in 1991. Witnesses said up to 200 people died.
In late 1995, Washington reinstated Indonesia's participation in the program, which covers about 20 senior officers annually at a cost of $600,000.
The United States had initiated the sale of the F-16s to Indonesia after their original sale to Pakistan was blocked by Congress over Islamabad's nuclear policy, but Congress has also held up their release to Jakarta.
Diplomatic sources said the decision over the F-16s could adversely affect other U.S. military sales to Indonesia.
Anti-Indonesian activists in Britain have assailed the sale of Hawk jets by British Aerospace Plc to Jakarta, which currently has over 20 Hawks and 10 F-16s bought earlier.
Military analyst Salim Said told Reuters he believed Suharto had been angered over the congressional criticism. Alatas specifically named Congressman Patrick Kennedy, who visited East Timor last new year and is a strong critic of the country. "Suharto is angry, but he has not let his emotions take control. Suharto has many alternatives, because the U.S. is not the only country (that can supply aircraft)," he said.
Suharto's letter to Clinton said Indonesia wanted to "remove any possible stumbling block that could come in the way of efforts by both countries to expand and enhance their relationship or which could cause difficulties to the Clinton administration."
The U.S. administration also came under fire during last year's presidential election campaign over campaign donations from Asia, including Indonesia's Riady family.