The Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC) is very alarmed that the United States is resuming military ties to Indonesia.
By waiving conditions pertaining to Foreign Military Financing and defense exports to Indonesia, the U.S is sending a signal that crimes against humanity and human rights violations that are considered short of genocide will be rewarded by America, albeit after some while.
The Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC) is very alarmed that the United States is resuming military ties to Indonesia.
By waiving conditions pertaining to Foreign Military Financing and defense exports to Indonesia, the U.S is sending a signal that crimes against humanity and human rights violations that are considered short of genocide will be rewarded by America, albeit after some while.
The US suspended military assistance to Jakarta amidst international outcry in the wake its brutal withdrawal from East Timor when the occupied nation voted for independence in a UN-sponsored referendum in 1999.
US Undersecretary for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns argued that it is resuming military assistance for Indonesia noting the latter’s significance as the world’s third largest democracy.
But Indonesia’s vaunted democracy is a euphemism considering the fact that human rights violations continue unabated as recently in tsunami- devastated Aceh, in West Papua and other parts of Indonesia. Most significantly, those responsible for the crimes against humanity in East Timor remain free and enjoy impunity and some have in fact been deployed to oversee military operations in conflict areas to perhaps reprise the same atrocities they have sharpened in East Timor.
If Indonesia purports to be thoroughly democratic today and claims to have no external enemies, for what use are these American weapons of mass destruction then?
Obviously, we view with dread that in resuming Foreign Military Financing, the US shall be providing military assistance to Indonesia that can only be used to further suppress its people and commit further human rights violations while justice has yet to be served to the people of East Timor who suffered during Indonesia’s illegal occupation of their country for 24 years. Having those weapons will not in any way ensure Indonesia’s democracy. On the contrary, it will stall, if not, reverse any small step that may be going on today towards such an ideal.
The United States government should reconsider its decision to resume its military reengagement with Indonesia. Any further relations should be pursued based on concrete progress in democratic reforms and human rights accountability.
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