Put Human Rights at Center of U.S.-Indonesia Relations

President Obama must emphasize human rights and the rule of law in U.S.-Indonesia relations. The president is scheduled to travel to Indonesia this weekend. “The U.S. must not ignore injustice and human rights violations to advance narrow strategic and economic interests that have little to do with the well-being of the U.S. or Indonesian people,” said ETAN National Coordinator John M. Miller. “While much has changed in Indonesia since the Suharto dictatorship, U.S. security assistance does not promote further change. Instead it encourages impunity and further violations of human rights.”

“We are calling for a new relationship between the two countries built on an honest assessment of the bloody past,” said Miller. “Instead of offering more weapons and more training to Indonesia’s military, President Obama should suspend this assistance until there is an end to abuses and real accountability for past human rights crimes.” Since Obama’s last visit to Indonesia, the human rights situation has deteriorated in West Papua and religious intolerance has grown. “President Obama can send a strong message against impunity by making clear he and and other senior U.S. officials will not to meet with any Indonesian politicians — including likely presidential candidates, such as retired generals Prabowo and Wiranto — who have been credibly accused of human rights and other crimes,” said Miller.

Background During his planned trip to Bali, Indonesia, Obama will attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and engage in bi-lateral talks with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ETAN has raised issues related to human rights and Timor-Leste at APEC, since the first APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting near Seattle in 1993. When in 1994, APEC last met in Indonesia, East Timorese protesters seized the spotlight when they climbed the fence of the U.S. embassy in Jakarta.

Presidential Politics One of the top contenders for next year’s presidential election, former General Prabowo Subianto, is notorious for directing crimes against humanity in Timor-Leste, Jakarta, and elsewhere. Prabowo headed Indonesia’s notorious Kopassus special forces and was commander of Indonesia’s strategic forces Another candidate is former General Wiranto, indicted for crimes against humanity related to his command responsibility for atrocities in Timor-Leste as defense minister and army commander in 1999. Both are barred from travel to the U.S. Indonesia will hold parliamentary elections next April 9. The first round of the presidential election will be held in early July 2014.

West Papua Indonesian security forces continue to suppress of freedom of expression in West Papua and to engage in deadly “sweeps” to drive villagers from their homes. The Indonesian government continues to jail peaceful protesters. It holds dozens of political prisoners from West Papua and elsewhere. Access to West Papua by international journalists, rights investigators and others remains restricted. West Papuans are seeking internationally-mediated negotiations with Jakarta on their political status and other human rights issues.

(2013-10-05/etan)