Jakarta – The USA, according to US-Indonesia (USINDO) society President Alphonse Laporta, might impose a new military embargo on Indonesia because every year the Congress has a different budget committee that will discuss the new legislation.

Laporta said that the Congress might propose another military embargo on Indonesia. "The Senators might impose or try to impose another embargo," Laporta said in the seminar discussing the US Congress policy on Indonesia.

However, Laporta hoped that the military embargo would not be enforced again. In addition, the US Congress is focusing on the problem of Papua. What was revealed in the US policy on Papua is that the US Congress is convinced of how 'the freedom to choose' applied in Papua has been manipulated and even sounds unfair and unjust. The US Congress has tried to minimize the human rights violations in Papua.

The Indonesian government, Laporta said, must try hard to improve the welfare of the Papuans and the USA in delivering maximum support. "This is the time for Indonesians to act in solving the problems in Papua," stated Laporta.

The US Congress also plans to support health, education and local government capability in Papua by giving training to local officials, Papuan police and civil defense units that defend human rights.

The issue of Papua in the Congress comes from academicians and various human rights organizations. "The local people of Papua for the most part join religious and human rights organizations,' stated Laporta.

According to Sumadi Brotodiningrat, former Indonesian Ambassador for the US who ended his term two months ago, said that support for Papua by the US was valid. However, it must first be coordinated with the central government in Jakarta. "Any support must be according to the Decentralization Law. If it is not compatible, then it should not be allowed," said Brotodiningrat.

Regarding the imposed embargo, Brotodiningrat said that this all depended on the US budget next year.

(Marulli Ferdinand-Tempo News Room)