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Offensive training materials behind Indonesia’s decision to suspend military co-operation with Australia
INDONESIA has farcically suspended military co-operation with Australia after one of its officers took issue with some teaching materials in a room 3000km away from Jakarta.
In the most high-profile spat between the two nations since the Bali Nine execution, phone-tapping scandal and live exports disaster, Indonesia has severed military ties in a move labelled a “massive over-reaction” by one expert.
The Daily Telegraph understands the Australian government was yesterday surprised by both the timing and nature of Indonesia’s response, as it had been under the impression the issue was very close to being settled.
Indonesia’s Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu last night played down the incident, saying the insult to the Pancasila was made by a low-ranking Lieutenant in the ADF who had since been punished and reprimanded.
Kompas quoted the Minister as using an Indonesian word “curut” to describe the Lieutenant meaning a shrew or mouse, a harsh term used to describe someone, a subordinate.
And he said he would travel to Australia at the end of the month to smooth things over. He said he had planned to go to Australia this week but had postponed because the Defence minister here was in hospital.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has suspended the military co-operation between Australia and Indonesia.
And Mr Ryacudu urged for a normalisation of relations, saying: “Don’t make the country relations not good because of those unclear curut, it’s not good.”
He said he was sure the Australian military and Government did not have any intention to insult or harass Indonesia.
“I will talk to to the Defence Minister first. Indeed I should go there yesterday. Not yet because the Defence Minister is at hospital. Maybe in the end of this month I will go there,” Mr Ryacudu said.
Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne yesterday confirmed Jakarta had suspended co-operation after an Indonesian military officer raised concerns “about teaching materials and remarks” at a Perth army language training facility.
“The Australian Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, wrote to his Indonesian counterpart, General Gatot Nurmantyo, giving an undertaking that this matter would be addressed seriously and we would inquire into issues raised,” she said.
“The Australian Army has looked into the serious concerns that were raised and the investigation into the incident is being finalised.”
Ms Payne said Indonesia had let its southern neighbour know co-operation would be suspended but noted that only “some interaction” had been put on hold while “co-operation in other areas is continuing”.
“Australia is committed to building a strong defence relationship with Indonesia, including through co-operation in training,” she said.
“We will work with Indonesia to restore full co-operation as soon as possible.”
According to Indonesian newspaper Kompas, the issue was triggered by a Kopassus special forces trainer, who was teaching in an Australian special forces school in Perth. The newspaper did not quote anyone by name, saying the information had come from a source. It said that when teaching in Australia the Kopassus trainer found lessons that disrespected the Indonesian armed forces. The source claimed that when the trainer met the principal of the training academy to convey their objections, the trainer found further writings that were insulting to the Indonesian state symbol, the Pancasila. It was on laminated paper.
Indonesian Military spokesman Major General Wuryanto said the suspension had begun in mid-December.
“Based on our evaluation it needs improvement. Therefore, temporarily it (co-operation) is suspended,” he said.
“Hopefully after it has been suspended and it has improved, it will start again,”
Mr Wuryanto added that the ADF had “given an active response”, which he described as being “very good”.
He would not comment on the Indonesian newspaper reports.
Mr Wuryanto said that the suspension of co-operation related to many issues, not just one thing.
ANU Indonesia expert Dr Greg Fealy said if all military ties were cut solely on the basis of what was allegedly discovered in Perth, it would be a “massive over-reaction” by Jakarta.
Analysts have suggested the matter arose from a slur regarding Indonesia’s role in East Timor and in quelling West Papua’s calls for independence along with the behaviour of the TNI in the past.
Institute for Defense Security and Peace Studies director, Mufti Makarim, told News Corporation that political issues had no role in teaching forums between the militaries of Australia and Indonesia.
“For example, during the learning session the trainer gave satire about things that in my opinion are more about politics. For example about Papua, Timor Leste and about the individual behaviour of the TNI in the past. We do not say the TNI did not have a problem. But it doesn’t mean the topic about that could be made in that forum,” Mr Makarim said.
He said such forums were not a place for sensitive themes to be discussed.
Mr Makarim said that mutual trust between the two countries now needed to be rebuilt and for the ADF to ensure the TNI can trust them again.
HISTORY OF TENSION
Yohanes Sulaiman, an Indonesian military expert, said the suspension was significant but predicted it would not last long as co-operation between the neighbours was vital on matters such as security and trade.
“Both countries need each other,” he told AFP. “They need to maintain security in the South China Sea especially now that China is becoming more dominant there.” There have been tensions between the Indonesian and Australian militaries in the past.
Australia suspended training with Kopassus over the notorious unit’s alleged role in human rights abuses in East Timor in 1999 as the then Indonesian territory geared up for independence, but it resumed several years later.
http://www.news.com.au/national/off...a/news-story/1c2ae1a5e94c4043dcb9e2a931abfc83
*********
LOL at Indonesia! After so much boasting about being leader of ASEAN and boasting about "need each other" with Australia and to challenge on South China Sea, now Jokowi realized how Aussie see them
- JANUARY 4, 201710:19PM
INDONESIA has farcically suspended military co-operation with Australia after one of its officers took issue with some teaching materials in a room 3000km away from Jakarta.
In the most high-profile spat between the two nations since the Bali Nine execution, phone-tapping scandal and live exports disaster, Indonesia has severed military ties in a move labelled a “massive over-reaction” by one expert.
The Daily Telegraph understands the Australian government was yesterday surprised by both the timing and nature of Indonesia’s response, as it had been under the impression the issue was very close to being settled.
Indonesia’s Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu last night played down the incident, saying the insult to the Pancasila was made by a low-ranking Lieutenant in the ADF who had since been punished and reprimanded.
Kompas quoted the Minister as using an Indonesian word “curut” to describe the Lieutenant meaning a shrew or mouse, a harsh term used to describe someone, a subordinate.
And he said he would travel to Australia at the end of the month to smooth things over. He said he had planned to go to Australia this week but had postponed because the Defence minister here was in hospital.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has suspended the military co-operation between Australia and Indonesia.
And Mr Ryacudu urged for a normalisation of relations, saying: “Don’t make the country relations not good because of those unclear curut, it’s not good.”
He said he was sure the Australian military and Government did not have any intention to insult or harass Indonesia.
“I will talk to to the Defence Minister first. Indeed I should go there yesterday. Not yet because the Defence Minister is at hospital. Maybe in the end of this month I will go there,” Mr Ryacudu said.
Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne yesterday confirmed Jakarta had suspended co-operation after an Indonesian military officer raised concerns “about teaching materials and remarks” at a Perth army language training facility.
“The Australian Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, wrote to his Indonesian counterpart, General Gatot Nurmantyo, giving an undertaking that this matter would be addressed seriously and we would inquire into issues raised,” she said.
“The Australian Army has looked into the serious concerns that were raised and the investigation into the incident is being finalised.”
Ms Payne said Indonesia had let its southern neighbour know co-operation would be suspended but noted that only “some interaction” had been put on hold while “co-operation in other areas is continuing”.
“Australia is committed to building a strong defence relationship with Indonesia, including through co-operation in training,” she said.
“We will work with Indonesia to restore full co-operation as soon as possible.”
According to Indonesian newspaper Kompas, the issue was triggered by a Kopassus special forces trainer, who was teaching in an Australian special forces school in Perth. The newspaper did not quote anyone by name, saying the information had come from a source. It said that when teaching in Australia the Kopassus trainer found lessons that disrespected the Indonesian armed forces. The source claimed that when the trainer met the principal of the training academy to convey their objections, the trainer found further writings that were insulting to the Indonesian state symbol, the Pancasila. It was on laminated paper.
Indonesian Military spokesman Major General Wuryanto said the suspension had begun in mid-December.
“Based on our evaluation it needs improvement. Therefore, temporarily it (co-operation) is suspended,” he said.
“Hopefully after it has been suspended and it has improved, it will start again,”
Mr Wuryanto added that the ADF had “given an active response”, which he described as being “very good”.
He would not comment on the Indonesian newspaper reports.
Mr Wuryanto said that the suspension of co-operation related to many issues, not just one thing.
ANU Indonesia expert Dr Greg Fealy said if all military ties were cut solely on the basis of what was allegedly discovered in Perth, it would be a “massive over-reaction” by Jakarta.
Analysts have suggested the matter arose from a slur regarding Indonesia’s role in East Timor and in quelling West Papua’s calls for independence along with the behaviour of the TNI in the past.
Institute for Defense Security and Peace Studies director, Mufti Makarim, told News Corporation that political issues had no role in teaching forums between the militaries of Australia and Indonesia.
“For example, during the learning session the trainer gave satire about things that in my opinion are more about politics. For example about Papua, Timor Leste and about the individual behaviour of the TNI in the past. We do not say the TNI did not have a problem. But it doesn’t mean the topic about that could be made in that forum,” Mr Makarim said.
He said such forums were not a place for sensitive themes to be discussed.
Mr Makarim said that mutual trust between the two countries now needed to be rebuilt and for the ADF to ensure the TNI can trust them again.
HISTORY OF TENSION
Yohanes Sulaiman, an Indonesian military expert, said the suspension was significant but predicted it would not last long as co-operation between the neighbours was vital on matters such as security and trade.
“Both countries need each other,” he told AFP. “They need to maintain security in the South China Sea especially now that China is becoming more dominant there.” There have been tensions between the Indonesian and Australian militaries in the past.
Australia suspended training with Kopassus over the notorious unit’s alleged role in human rights abuses in East Timor in 1999 as the then Indonesian territory geared up for independence, but it resumed several years later.
http://www.news.com.au/national/off...a/news-story/1c2ae1a5e94c4043dcb9e2a931abfc83
*********
LOL at Indonesia! After so much boasting about being leader of ASEAN and boasting about "need each other" with Australia and to challenge on South China Sea, now Jokowi realized how Aussie see them
