Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Indonesia's improved human rights record and efforts to reform its armed forces appear to have not been enough to stop a US House of Representatives panel from proposing cuts in military aid to the country.
The US House of Representatives on Tuesday advanced legislation aimed at pressuring Indonesia to prosecute and punish military personnel involved in gross human rights violations by withholding 25 percent of military aid until progress is made.
The House Appropriations Committee, which approved a US$34.2 billion foreign aid bill for the 2008 fiscal year, which starts on Oct. 1, put conditions on $2 million out of a total of $8 million in military assistance to Indonesia.
Earlier, the Bush administration announced that it intended to give Indonesia $15.7 million in military aid for the next fiscal year. The bill must be debated by the full House and the Senate to become a law some time in September.
Indonesian Foreign Ministry Director General for European and American Affairs Eddhi Hariyadhi expressed hope Wednesday that military aid to Indonesia would not be withheld.
"It's not a final decision yet as it has to be discussed at the plenary session and with the US Senate. We are continuing to lobby many members of the House and the Senate. Many of them have expressed support for us so we are confident that we will get the full aid," he told The Jakarta Post.
The US Congress began to discuss last week the aid-cut proposal from Democratic Party Congresswoman Nita Lowey, the head of the powerful Appropriations Sub-committee, over alleged violations of human rights by Indonesian Military (TNI) officers.
Observers said Lowey had traditionally held a hostile view of the Indonesian Military, influenced by human rights activists who linked aid to the issue.
Their main complaint is the lack of progress in prosecuting senior TNI officers, such as former military chief Gen. Wiranto for his alleged complicity in the violence that followed the 1999 independence referendum in East Timor (now Timor Leste).
Concerns were heightened after the murder of noted Indonesian human rights campaigner Munir last year and the recent incident in Pasuruan, East Java, in which Navy officers shot dead four civilians. "I heard that the Pasuruan case was also one of the reasons for the cut," Eddhi said.
Earlier, Indonesian Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono branded calls to cut US aid to the country's military as superficial because they only represented the interests of a few human rights groups. He said the human rights groups and the US congresswoman who proposed the aid cut had not taken into account recent reform progress made by the TNI.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the panel also took similar action against Egypt and is withholding $200 million in military funds from the country until the close US ally takes steps to curb police abuses, reform its judicial system and stop weapons smuggling from Egypt to Gaza.
Overall, Egypt would receive $1.3 billion in grants next year, out of $4.5 billion to all countries, to help Cairo buy military hardware and finance military training from the United States.
"The $200 million cut is substantial," James Moran, a Virginia Democrat was quoted as saying by Reuters. "Our ally is not upholding the principles that define us."
For Pakistan, another controversial US aid recipient, $300 million in military grants will be provided next year, the same level as this year and matching Bush's request for fiscal 2008.