[nasional_list] [ppiindia] Military aid to Indonesia

From: "Ambon" <sea@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <"Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@freelists.org>
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 05:13:33 +0100
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**http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/01/09/opinion/edlet.php


      Military aid to Indonesia  
      International Herald Tribune

      MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2006


     


     
      Michael Vatikiotis's paean to the Bush administration for lifting the ban 
on U.S. military sales to Indonesia ("Washington's turnaround on Indonesia," 
Views, Jan. 6) completely misses the mark. His repeated claims that the 
Indonesian military is fighting terrorism doesn't make it so: The Indonesian 
police, no longer part of the military, is the body fighting terrorism in 
Indonesia. 

      The military engages in and fosters terrorism and the violation of human 
rights. Witness, among other atrocities, the killing of two Americans in Papua 
to try to increase the army's bribes from the mining company Freeport-McMoRan, 
the army-supported militia reign of terror in East Timor, the terrorist 
bombings and beheadings in Central Sulawesi and the Malukus, and the bloody 
persecution of Papuans for exercising free speech. 

      Congress imposed the ban on military sales to pressure the Indonesian 
Army to stop its blatant and continued violation of the human rights of 
innocent Indonesians (and Americans). There was no reason to lift the ban, for 
the military has not reformed. 

      Will Jourdin Penestanan Kelod, Indonesia 

      It is difficult to see how U.S. aid to the Indonesian military supports 
democracy or opposes terrorism in the region, as Michael Vatikiotis says. By 
waiving restrictions on such assistance last November, the State Department 
abandoned its best leverage to press for reform. 

      The recalcitrance and corruption of the military remains a major 
roadblock to democratic advances in Indonesia. A number of initiatives to bring 
the military under civilian control remain stalled, including bringing its 
expenditures fully under the official budget. 

      The proposal to introduce thousands of troops into Aceh in the guise of 
helping with tsunami reconstruction risks undermining the success of the peace 
accord there. Additional troops, far in excess of any threat, real or imagined, 
are to be sent to West Papua, already rife with repression and largely closed 
to outsiders. 

      The military plans to reinsert itself into communities throughout 
Indonesia under the pretense of fighting terrorism. Its links to radical Muslim 
groups are well documented. Generals and other senior officials responsible for 
terror campaigns in East Timor and elsewhere have largely escaped prosecution 
and entirely escaped punishment. 

      American weapons and training will only embolden the Indonesian military, 
not encourage reform. An end to military impunity would be an important step to 
ending terror. 

      John M. Miller, New York 

      Doing business in China 

      Regarding the report "Microsoft shuts site of blogger in Beijing" (Jan. 
6): Long a vanguard for social progress in China, Microsoft - and the Bill and 
Melinda Gates Foundation - cannot rationalize its action as the Chinese 
government's agent in the name of "complying with global and local laws." 

      Part of the responsibility of American technology companies in gaining 
Chinese market share is to educate the Chinese government and people and help 
bring peculiar Chinese practices toward greater conformity with global norms. 

      Multinational companies must not break the promises they made when 
lobbying for "most favored nation" status and World Trade Organization 
membership for China. 

      Vincent Wei-cheng Wang Richmond, Virginia 

     
         


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[nasional_list] [ppiindia] Military aid to Indonesia

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