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Military exercise goes on amid 'bribery' claim

Jakarta Post - June 15, 2015

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Kupang – Against the background of recent claims that Australian authorities paid an Indonesian ship's crew to transport dozens of migrants back to Indonesia, the Indonesian Navy and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) have continued their joint military exercise held in sea border areas between the two countries.

Australia has been in the media spotlight after the crew of an Indonesian ship admitted that they had received thousands of dollars from personnel aboard an RAN ship to transport 65 migrants from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar back to Indonesia following the crew's failed attempt to take them to Australia.

Kupang naval base commander Marine Brig. Gen. Denny Kurnia, however, said the allegation did not affect military cooperation between the two countries. "This joint military exercise has nothing to do with the recent expulsion of 65 migrants [by the RAN]. This is a regular exercise," he told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.

The exercise, named Exercise Cassowary 2015, held from June 8 to June 16, has involved two Indonesian warships, KRI Hiu-634 and KRI Tombak-692, and two Australian warships, HMAS Wollongong and HMAS Glenelg.

A follow-up exercise will also be held between June 18 and June 28 in Darwin under the name of Corpat Ausindo 2015.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/06/15/islands-focus-military-exercise-goes-amid-bribery-claim.html.