ISN SECURITY WATCH (26/05/05) - The US announced on Wednesday that it would partially lift its decade-old arms embargo on Indonesia by allowing the sale of non-lethal military items, in a move rights groups have condemned in light of Jakarta’s poor human rights record.
The move will allow the sale of non-lethal items such as transport vehicles and communications equipment to Indonesia.The US announced it would ease the arms embargo in recognition of visiting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s efforts to curb military abuses.
Susilo is visiting the White House this week for the first time since taking the helm of the world’s largest Muslim-populated nation last October.
US President George Bush has reportedly praised the Indonesian president for his “great courage” in leading his country through last year’s tsunami disaster. Bush also promised US$400 million for tsunami relief.
The US has promised a total of US$857 million for tsunami-related aid to help countries hit by the giant waves in December that killed 228,000 people.
Bush also endorsed closer military ties with Indonesia.
Indonesia opposed the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but closely cooperated with the US in its so-called war on terror.
Susilo, known for his Pro-US/West policy, also pledged greater cooperation with Washington.
Although Indonesia was a major recipient of US military aid during the height of the Cold War, an arms embargo was imposed in 1992 following the death of hundreds of pro-independence protesters in East Timor. In 1999, sanctions were tightened when the Indonesian military imposed a reign of terror to prevent East Timor’s people from voting to split from Indonesia. The military was blamed for about 1,500 deaths during the territory’s separation that year.
Washington had earlier indicated that full military ties would not be restored until Indonesia had accounted for the violence in East Timor and the killing of two US teachers in remote Papua in 2002.
Rights groups have criticized the move as Indonesia’s war crimes tribunal has failed to imprison any high-ranking officials for their participation in atrocities in East Timor.
In February, Washington decided to resume training members of the Indonesian armed forces after easing an embargo on the supply of US military hardware to help boost tsunami relief efforts.
Meanwhile, the US on Thursday closed all of its diplomatic enclaves in Indonesia, citing an unspecified security threat.
