Renewed Calls for NZ to Cut Military Ties with Indonesia

Submitted by Indonesia Human Rights Committee (Auckland) (not verified) on 29 June 2009 - 6:41pm
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Indonesia Human Rights Committee,
Box 68-419,
Auckland
 
 
Media Release: Call for New Zealand to end defence ties with the Indonesian military.
 
28 June, 2009
 
The Indonesia Human Rights Committee has written to Minister of Defence, Dr Wayne Mapp, to urge the New Zealand Government to suspend its defence ties with the Indonesian military.
 
Since 2007, New Zealand has had a programme of officer exchanges with the Indonesian military including annual hosting of an Indonesia military officer to attend the 6 month training course at the New Zealand Defence Force Staff and Command College.
 
Speaking for the Indonesia Human Rights Committee, Maire Leadbeater said “The call to suspend defence ties is urgent in the light of the report from Human Rights Watch which indicates that the Indonesian military continues to commit gross human rights violations, particularly in West Papua.  While the report focuses on the offences of the Indonesian Special Forces, Kopassus, we believe that the report is just one further confirmation of the lack of genuine reform in the Indonesian military.”
 
Despite extensive documentation of historic military abuses, since the fall of the Suharto regime in 1998 no high ranking Indonesian military officer has been prosecuted for a human rights crime.  On the contrary, those accused of black crimes in East Timor have been promoted and some have gone on to serve in West Papua. 
 
Kopassus is not the only section of the military involved in current grave human rights abuses.  Only last week a teenage boy was seriously injured when he was reportedly shot by an Indonesian military ranger in the border region. 
 
The Indonesian military has not yet divested itself of its vast business interests, and the military continues to be involved in activities such as prostitution, extortion and illegal logging.
 
New Zealand’s defence ties confer a ‘seal of respectability’ on the Indonesian military and these ties should cease until the military is fully subordinate to the civilian government and upholds international human rights, including respect for the right of self-determination.
 
For further information: Maire Leadbeater 09-815-9000 or 0274-436-957