Australia: Army chief to meet with Indonesian military leaders following row
Indonesian National Army at Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta. The military have suspended cooperation with Australia. Source: ardiwebs/Shutterstock.com
5th February 2017
FOLLOWING the suspension of the defence cooperation between Indonesia and Australia, Australia’s army chief Angus Campbell is due to meet Indonesian military (TNI) chief, Gatot Nurmantyo and army chief of staff Mulyono, TNI spokesman Wuryanto said discuss the investigation into the row.
Indonesia announced the suspension after “offensive” material was seen at an Australian base, which reportedly insulted Indonesia’s founding principles of ‘Pancasila’, which includes belief in God, the unity of Indonesia, social justice, and democracy.
“All forms of cooperation have been suspended,” Indonesian military spokesman Major General Wuryanto said. “There are technical matters that need to be discussed.” However, he added that it is “highly likely” cooperation would resume once the issues have been resolved.
Campbell will be discussing the findings of an investigation by the defence department. Both governments moved quickly to try to cool tensions and Indonesia’s chief security minister, Wiranto, later said only cooperation related to the military’s Australia-based language training programme had been suspended.
Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne said at the time: “We have indicated our regret that this occurred and that offence was taken. I think that’s appropriate when a significant counterpart raises their concerns with you.”
Indonesian President Joko Widodo reassured his neighbours, saying relations “remain in good condition”, and clarifications were necessary so that the situation would not escalate.
Indonesia and Australia are allies in the region and are highly valuable in policing border control and counter terrorism in both nations.
The countries have extensive military cooperation, which ranges from counter-terrorism cooperation to border protection.
But they have had a rocky military relationship in recent years. Australia stopped joint training exercises with Indonesian special forces (Kopassus) after accusations of abuses by the unit in East Timor in 1999 as the territory prepared for independence.
Ties resumed when counter-terrorism cooperation became imperative after the 2002 nightclub bombings on the resort island of Bali that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.
Indonesia most recently suspended military ties in 2013 over revelations that Australian spies had tapped the mobile telephone of then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Additional reporting by Reuters
