Indonesia negotiates with US for more arms
The Indonesian military, often criticised for committing human right abuses and encouraging corruption, may well be given more money and guns by the United States Senate. The Foreign Operations Appropriation Bill, which controls the amount and kind of assistance the USA offers Indonesia in foreign military finance is under review and it, appears while minimal restrictions such as the direct sale of lethal weapons are set to remain in place, many other clauses are up for negotiation. The US senate which first voted to impose limitation on Indonesian military assistance in 1991 after the Santa Cruz massacre in East Timor, that killed more than 270 civilians, is taking a strong stand against the House of Representative proposed bill which would see no restrictions imposed.