| NEW YORK
- September 18 -
As Indonesian president Megawati Sukarnoputri
prepared to meet President Bush, the Indonesia Human Rights Network (IHRN)
and the East Timor Action Network (ETAN) urged the Bush administration not
to strengthen ties with the Indonesian military. Citing ongoing human
rights abuses and lack of accountability for violations, the groups said
renewing military relations with Indonesia would set back reform efforts
and democracy in Indonesia while undermining East Timor's security.
"In its drive to build an international coalition in response to the
horrible attacks in New York and Washington, the U.S. must not sacrifice
the rights of Indonesians and East Timorese," said Kurt Biddle, Washington
Coordinator for IHRN. "Renewal of military ties with the brutal Indonesian
military will only encourage their terror tactics against the people of
Aceh, West Papua and elsewhere."
Since Megawati assumed Indonesia's presidency in late July, the Bush
administration has stepped up efforts to restore a closer relationship
between the Pentagon and the Indonesian military (TNI). She is scheduled to
meet President Bush on Wednesday.
"Megawati has belatedly recognized East Timor's independence and recently
met its leaders. However, the Indonesian military, which played an active
role in the destabilization of her predecessor, continues to thwart
attempts at democratic reform," said John M. Miller, spokesperson for ETAN.
"We feel great sorrow for the loss of life in New York, Washington, DC, and
Pennsylvania. We also mourn the loss of East Timorese and Indonesian lives
at the hands of the Indonesian military. At this time, the U.S. government
must continue to withhold aid for this deadly force. Increased assistance
for the TNI by the U.S. military will only lead to further loss of innocent
civilians," said Biddle.
Due to the horrific attacks on September 11, IHRN canceled its planned
public demonstration at the Indonesian Embassy during President Megawati's
visit to Washington. The group stressed, however, that their message to Ms.
Megawati remains the same.
"The Indonesian military has answered to no one for their crimes against
humanity and they continue to kill hundreds of civilians. Nothing has
changed as far as human rights are concerned. Now is not the time to reward
this brutal force," said Biddle.
The United States has withheld most military assistance from Indonesia
since the TNI and its militia proxies razed East Timor in September 1999
after it voted overwhelmingly for independence. Congress restricted most
military assistance through the "Leahy conditions," first passed in late
1999. These conditions include the safe return of East Timorese refugees,
prosecution of those responsible for atrocities in East Timor and
Indonesia, and security for East Timor from military and militia activity.
None of these conditions have been met. The full U.S. House of
Representatives and the Senate Appropriations Committee recently voted to
renew these restrictions, with the Senate committee adding additional
conditions.
Last spring, James Kelly, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia, told
Congress, "To date, the Government of Indonesia has not met the
requirements of the Leahy amendment in pursuing accountability for human
rights abuses by the TNI in East Timor or elsewhere."
The Indonesian military and police continue to commit atrocities throughout
the island nation. In Aceh, the armed forces' campaign against the local
population continues. On August 9 in the town of Julok, armed men lined up
local civilians and shot to death at least 30 men, wounding another nine.
Eyewitnesses say the killers were TNI troops. Over 1,200 people, mostly
civilians, have been killed in Aceh since the beginning of the year.
Although some refugees recently returned to East Timor, up to 80,000 remain
trapped in poor conditions in Indonesian West Timor under the control of
militia. Last week's return of refugees is the result of ongoing
negotiations with militia leader, Cancio Lopes de Carvalho, who has
declared his acceptance of East Timor's independence and offered to tell
what he knows about the generals who ordered the 1999 violence. Other
militia leaders, backed by elements of the Indonesian military, are
reported to be biding their time in West Timor, awaiting a U.N. draw-down
or withdrawal, before launching additional military raids across the border.
"East Timor has experienced terror of its own. Hundreds of thousands were
killed, most of its infrastructure destroyed, and one-quarter of its
population forcibly deported. The perpetrators of these crimes are well
known," said Miller. "An international tribunal is the only way to bring
to justice those who committed crimes against humanity in East Timor for so
long."
"The Megawati administration's recently-amended decree establishing a
special human rights court on East Timor in Indonesia falls far short of
fully addressing the military's role in orchestrating the violence and
devastation. Without an international tribunal, those most responsible for
Indonesia's scorched earth campaign in East Timor will escape punishment,"
he added.
In April, former Indonesian president Wahid issued a decree limiting the
jurisdiction of the special court to crimes committed after the August 30,
1999 popular consultation in East Timor. Megawati's expanded decree
restricts the court's jurisdiction to crimes committed in Liquica, Dili,
and Suai in the months of April and September 1999.
IHRN also pointed to the rise of political detainees and prisoners.
"Indonesia has regressed to the Suharto-era practice of arresting and
imprisoning peaceful political dissidents," said Kurt Biddle. "The military
is attacking villagers as the police target the activists."
In August, Acehnese student activist Faisal Syaifuddin was arrested in
Jakarta. In July, Kautsar [ed: one name] was arrested at a peaceful
demonstration against ExxonMobil's human rights abuses in Aceh. Both
activists are charged with "inciting hatred" against the government and are
awaiting trial. Since mid-June, police have held 19 activists in Bandung,
West Java for their involvement in protests of oil price increases. Eight
people are being detained for distributing leaflets in Surabaya, East Java,
including two provincial parliament representatives.
The East Timor Action Network/U.S. (ETAN) supports human dignity for the
people of East Timor by advocating for democracy, sustainable development,
social, legal, and economic justice and human rights, including women's
rights. ETAN, which has 28 local chapters throughout the U.S., calls for an
international tribunal to prosecute crimes against humanity which took
place in East Timor since 1975. For additional information see ETAN's web
site (http://www.etan.org).
The Indonesia Human Rights Network (IHRN) is a U.S.-based grassroots
organization working to educate and activate the American public and
influence U.S. foreign policy and international economic interests to
support democracy, demilitarization, and justice through accountability and
rule of law in Indonesia. IHRN seeks to end armed forces repression in
Indonesia by exposing it to international scrutiny. IHRN works with and
advocates on behalf of people throughout the Indonesian archipelago to
strengthen civil society. See www.IndonesiaNetwork.org for more information.
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