October 29, 2003
The President
The White House
Washington, DC
Dear Mr. President:
I am writing to you today out of concern over your recent remarks in
favor of restoring military-to-military relations with Indonesia. Your
continued dialogue with Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri about
the potential for normalizing our military relationship with Indonesia was
troubling, to say the least.
As you are aware, on August 31, 2002, Rick Spier, a resident of
Colorado's Sixth Congressional District, and the entire staff of the
International School of Tembagapura in West Papua, Indonesia, were
attacked on their way home from a picnic outing. The attack occurred in
the middle of the day, less than a half mile from an Indonesian military
position, and lasted for approximately 45 minutes. In addition to Mr.
Spier, another American teacher, Ted Burgon, was also killed. Other
victims, including Mr. Spier's wife, Patricia, were shot, severely wounded
and left to fend for themselves.
The Indonesian police began an investigation of the attack and issued a
report concluding that there was a strong possibility that it had been
carried out by members of the Indonesian National Army Force.
Subsequently, the case was turned over to the Indonesian military police,
which exonerated the military of any involvement.
We appreciate the efforts put forth by the FBI, the State Department
and the Administration regarding this case, and we are aware that FBI
agents have been to Indonesia to investigate this crime. However, we are
concerned about the signal that will be sent to the Indonesian government
if the United States continues to fund the Indonesian military. This is
the time to add pressure to the Indonesian government to cooperate in the
investigation, not to continue to educate and train its forces.
Furthermore, assistance to the Indonesian military in the name of
fighting the war on terror is a misnomer. Hardliners within the TNI are
suspected to have ties to extremist Islamic groups in Southeast Asia,
including the Laskar Jihad and the Jemaah Islamiah, the group that has
been implicated in the Bali and Marriott hotel bombings. Supplying the TNI
with funds, even for training in "civilian relations," sends the wrong
message at a time when Indonesia has yet to confront terrorism within its
own ranks.
A 2002 study for the US Naval Postgraduate School noted that the
Indonesian army had become "a major facilitator of terrorism" due to "the
radical Muslim militias they had organized, trained, and financed" (Dr.
Gaye Christoffersen, "Strategic Insight: The War on Terrorism in Southeast
Asia," Center for Contemporary Conflict, National Security Affairs
Department, Naval Postgraduate School, March, 2002).
Even our own Congressional Research Service, in a December 2002 report,
stated that "[r]adical groups such as Laskar Jihad and the Islamic
Defenders Front (FPI) also reportedly have received assistance from
elements within the Indonesian military in organizing, securing arms, and
transport to locales throughout the Indonesian archipelago" (Congressional
Research Service, "Terrorism in Southeast Asia," December 13, 2002).
I hope that you will take this perspective into consideration as you
weigh decisions about the future of our relationship with Indonesia. I
believe that Congress has communicated clearly, through Representative
Joel Hefley's amendment to the House Foreign Operations bill, and Senators
Allard and Feingold's amendments to the Senate Foreign Operations bill,
restricting IMET funding to Indonesia, that Congress is not prepared to
restore military relations with Indonesia until Indonesia complies with
the ongoing FBI investigation into the murder of two Americans in West
Papua and cuts ties with extremist Islamic groups.
Sincerely,
Tom Tancredo
Member of Congress
