Armando Siahaan, Jakarta – Critics on Friday lambasted an international watchdog's demand that Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard discuss the issue of human rights with the Indonesian government during her official visit on Monday.
Gillard is scheduled to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, among others.
On Thursday, Human Rights Watch wrote an open letter to Gillard asking her to "use her upcoming trip to Indonesia to press for accountability of abusive Indonesian security forces."
Earlier this month, a cellphone video dated May 30 showing the brutal torture of two Papuan men became public. Top-level Indonesian government officials have since acknowledged that the torturers are Indonesian soldiers, the group said.
Moreover, it added, in a separate incident in August, police officers of the elite antiterrorist unit Densus 88 reportedly severely beat and tortured peaceful Moluccan independence activists during their arrest and interrogation.
"Prime Minister Gillard should demand that recent cases of torture by Indonesian security forces are credibly investigated, not swept under the carpet," said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at HRW.
Mahfudz Siddiq, the chairman of House Commission I, which oversees foreign affairs, said the Australian government must not let an NGO's request disturb the two countries' relationship.
"What all sides must understand is that Indonesia's record in human rights has greatly improved," he said. "The number of human rights violations by our security forces has decreased."
Mahfudz said that heads of state should not let themselves be pressured into magnifying relatively small violations by organizations such as HRW. "A prime minister represents a country, and not an international NGO," he said.
Bantarto Bandoro, an analyst from the Jakarta-based Center of Strategic and International Studies, said the bilateral meeting is not the right forum to express Australia's concern with the Indonesian military.
"If [Gillard] conveys that message blatantly, then our government could see that as intervention in our country's internal affairs," he said. "Don't let this idea [of HRW] create problems in the relationship between Indonesia and Australia."
Teuku Faizasyah, presidential spokesperson for international affairs, said he was not certain if human rights would be on the meeting's agenda. But he also said that it was not an area the Australian government should be concerned about.
"Indonesia's enforcement of human rights policies is already beyond doubt. The government is committed in ensuring that [human rights are respected], and this has already been recognized internationally," he said.
HRW is particularly concerned about Densus 88 and the special forces unit Kopassus. Australia collaborates closely with both units.
According to Gillard's Web site, she and Yudhoyono will discuss ways to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and increase cooperation across a number of economic, security, development and environment challenges.
It will be Gillard's first trip to the country after she barely won Australia's June elections.