The Wire

Following a meeting between US President George Bush and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last week, the United States has lifted a ban on the government sale of non-lethal defense equipment to Indonesia. This is part of a step-by-step process to restore full military ties that were originally frozen because of human rights abuses, the State Department announced. The US said its decision was aimed at enhancing democratic military reforms and helping to achieve key security objectives, such as humanitarian relief and counterterrorism. However, it will depend on Indonesia agreeing to continued counterterrorism cooperation and punishment of Indonesia’s armed forces for its alleged human rights violations. President Yudhoyono reaffirmed his commitment to President Bush to reforming the military. He said, “We will only have professional soldiers. In Indonesia, the days of impunity among the crooked are over”. Yet human rights groups aren’t convinced by his promises. They say US military aid to Indonesia will prop up the undemocratic Indonesian military. And they say that the provision of military aid goes against US anti-terrorism policy, claiming elements of the Indonesian military coperate with and assist jihadist militia. The Wire’s Anja Kueppers spoke to Dr Greg Fealy, a research fellow and lecturer in Indonesian politics at The Australian National University, to find out why President Bush is so keen to re-build links with Indonesia.