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US House of Representatives calls for human rights accountability and military reform in Indonesia

ETAN Media Release - June 22, 2007

The US House of Representatives today signaled continued congressional concern for human rights, accountability, and military reform in Indonesia and justice for East Timor. Several provisions in the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2764) require reporting on progress in these areas prior to the release of certain military assistance funds, including reporting on the impact of US assistance on Indonesian security forces and any connections between US assistance and human rights violations by these forces.

"Military reform in Indonesia remains stalled and human rights accountability lacking," said John M. Miller, National Coordinator of the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN). "The Bush administration's policy of nearly unrestricted military assistance to Indonesia has clearly failed."

"The House appropriations bill highlights many of the most needed reforms. In contrast, the Bush administration appears to have no real strategy to promote basic reform of the Indonesian military (TNI)," added Miller. "Jakarta's failure to pursue effective reform underscores the need for the US to use the only real leverage it has to press for change – strong and binding restrictions on military assistance."

"After the dictator Suharto fell in 1998, Indonesia took important steps toward reform. However, once the US began to re-engage with the Indonesia military, such efforts have all but stopped," according to Miller. "Historically, the Indonesian military's (TNI) worst abuses took place when the US was most engaged."

Background

In November 2005, the State Department pledged that the Bush administration would "carefully calibrate" any assistance to the Indonesian military. Instead, the administration's actions have demonstrated a policy of nearly unrestrained engagement with the TNI.

Efforts to break up the military's legal and illegal business empire appear to have failed. Indonesia's Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono confirmed recently that according to the government criteria, only six military enterprises out of a total inventory of 1500 qualify as businesses to be turned over to the government. The military will retain control of its foundations and cooperatives.

Colonel Burhanuddin Siagian, regional military commander in West Papua, recently threatened to "destroy" any Papuans seeking their political rights. He has been twice indicted for crimes against humanity by the UN-supported serious crimes court in East Timor. Recently, Indonesian marines killed four civilians engaged in a protest over a land dispute with the Indonesian navy in East Java. In addition, human rights defenders in Jakarta are currently protesting the promotions of two military officers involved in the 1998 forced disappearances of democracy advocates.

This past April, representatives from ETAN and other human rights groups met with Sudarsono. Many of his comments demonstrated a lack of urgency about key issues of military reform and the failure to address past human rights violations. Despite Mr. Sudarsono's assertions, shortfalls in the military budget do not excuse the failure to take decisive action based on Indonesian and international law.

In the name of counter-terrorism, the TNI has sought to strengthen the territorial command system, which places soldiers in every Indonesian community. At the same time, its close association with domestic militias – which have terrorized civilian populations in East Timor, Aceh, West Papua and elsewhere – raises serious questions about its anti-terror bona fides. Under Indonesian law, the police – not the military – are to take the lead in addressing terrorist threats.

Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), chair of the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Subcommittee, is currently leading the effort in the House of Representatives to emphasize human rights in US-Indonesia relations.

ETAN advocates for democracy, justice and human rights for East Timor and Indonesia. ETAN calls for an international tribunal to prosecute crimes against humanity committed in East Timor from 1975 to 1999 and for continued restrictions on US military assistance to Indonesia until there is genuine reform of its security forces. For additional background, see www.etan.org.

Highlights of the Bill (H.R. 2764)

The bill would cut the administration's request for Foreign Military Finance (FMF) funds nearly in half from $15.7 million to $8 million and would delay the release of $2 million of those funds until the State Department reports on: "steps taken by the Government of Indonesia" to prosecute and punish, "in a manner proportional to the crime," members of the Armed Forces who have been credibly alleged to have committed gross violations of human rights; cooperation with "civilian judicial authorities and international efforts to resolve cases of gross violations of human rights in East Timor and elsewhere"; and military reforms "to increase the transparency and accountability of their operations and financial management."

The bill would also delay provision of International Military Education and Training (IMET) until the Secretary of State reports on steps taken by Indonesia to "to deny promotion to and to remove from service military officers indicted for serious crimes"; Indonesian government responses to East Timor's Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in Timor-Leste; implementation of the 2004 Indonesian law requiring the Indonesian military to divest itself of businesses; and the removal of restrictions on travel to the provinces of Papua and West Irian Jaya.

The House Appropriations Committee has also requested from the State Department a report on the impact of US-provided equipment and training on human rights violations since 2000 by the police, military and other security agencies and "any strategy linking United States military assistance to Indonesia to progress on human rights."

The Senate has yet to take up its version of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill. Before becoming law, any differences between the House and Senate bills must be reconciled.

For more information contact John M. Miller (718) 596-7668; (917) 690-4391

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