Christian Science Monitor

Commentary > Letters to the Editor from the September 03, 2004 edition

Letters US support increases impunity of Indonesia's military

Regarding your Aug. 25 article "Debate reignites over US aid to Indonesia": US military assistance to Indonesia sends the worst possible message to a military that continues to violate human rights with impunity.

General Wiranto, former armed forces commander and failed presidential candidate, was trained in the US. He has been indicted by a UN-backed court in East Timor based on evidence of his role in the destruction of East Timor in 1999.

In Aceh, West Papua, and elsewhere, the Indonesian military continues to use the same terror tactics - often directed by the same commanders - as it used in East Timor. The Bush administration's current efforts to step up training and other assistance to Indonesia's security forces have only encouraged more violations and legitimized continued impunity throughout the archipelago.

John M. Miller Brooklyn, N.Y. Media and Outreach Coordinator East Timor Action Network