The US has eased restrictions on military aid to Indonesia, much to the dismay of human rights activists and at least one US senator, who say the Indonesian Army has shown no signs of reforming.
On Thursday the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to endorse a proposal by the administration of President George W. Bush to provide Indonesia with $400,000 in military assistance.
The campaign to end the restrictions was led by Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii and Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, who claimed Indonesia needed the military aid to overcome potential threats from radical Muslim groups.
Yeah. Right. Tell that to Vice President Hamzah Haz, who has made a point of ingratiating himself with some of the nation's most prominent Islamic radicals, such as Laskar Jihad leader and Indonesian Mujahidin Council leader Abu Bakar Bashir.
And what's this the Indonesian government and military has been saying? The only terrorists in Indonesia are from the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM)?
So what's the US planning on doing – spending giving $400,000 on the Indonesian military to ensure that ExxonMobil's profits from its exploitation of Aceh's massive natural gas fields will not be threatened by GAM rebels?
Forget the pursuit of human rights and justice. The US hogwash about International Military Education and Training (IMET) is all about the pursuit of money, oil and weapons.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's House of Representatives budget committee has agreed to increased funding for the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) and National Police by 1 trillion rupiah, BBC News reported Friday. The report said the additional funding will be taken from the 2002 state budget general reserve funds.
Although it was unclear how the money would be spent, Finance Minister Budiono said Thursday that TNI would receive 65% of the 1 trillion rupiah, while the police will receive 35% of the fund.
TNI commander General Endriartono Sutarto said the military would use the 65 billion rupiah to upgrade and maintain equipment to promote national security. "Actually our requirements exceed 900 billion rupiah. But we're grateful to receive 650 billion. We'll use this in accordance with a scale of priorities," he was quoted as saying.
"We won't use the funds to buy tanks or fighter planes. But we'll prioritize the funding for maintenance and upgrading equipment," he added. He also claimed the money wouldn't be used for any activities that would endanger the lives of civilians.
National Police chief General Dai Bachtiar pledged the 350 billion rupiah for his force wouldn't be used to buy official vehicles for generals. "The funds will be used to purchase communication equipment, patrol vehicles, bomb detection equipment, helicopters and speedboats," he was quoted as saying.
Hmmm. No mention of using funds to improve respect for human rights and not a squeak about putting rogue generals behind bars.
At least there was one voice of common sense this week – albeit coming from the US – that of Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, who pointed out a few simple facts: the Indonesian military is responsible for massacres, prostitution, funding radical Muslim groups and engaging in drug trafficking, illegal logging and murder.