| Home > South-East Asia >> Indonesia | |
US groups oppose training of Indonesia's notorious Kopassus special forces
East Timor and Indonesia Action Network - July 23, 2009
"Restrictions on US military assistance to Indonesia are needed to support democracy and human rights in Indonesia. Supporting Kopassus, which has a long history of terrorizing civilians, would send the worst possible signal to those fighting for justice and accountability in Indonesia and East Timor," said John M. Miller, National Coordinator of ETAN.
The letter, signed by human rights, religious, peace and other groups, states, "The history of Kopassus human rights violations, its criminality and its unaccountability before Indonesian courts extends back decades and includes human rights and other crimes in East Timor, Aceh, West Papua and elsewhere."
A recent Human Rights Watch report documents how Kopassus soldiers "arrest Papuans without legal authority, and beat and mistreat those they take back to their barracks."
In 2008, the Bush administration proposed to restart US training of Kopassus. the State Department legal counsel reportedly ruled that the ban on training of military units with a history of involvement in human rights violations, known as the Leahy law, applies to Kopassus as a whole.
"The previous administration was forced to conclude that training Kopassus was both illegal and bad policy. The Obama administration should maintain this restriction," said Miller.
For more information contact: John M. Miller on +1-718-596-7668
See also:
 |
Indonesia News Digest News services on Indonesia Reports & articles on Indonesia ASIET Publications & videos on Indonesia Statements & press releases on Indonesia Indonesia links Indonesia resources