Indonesia suspends Australia military cooperation
INDONESIA has suspended military cooperation with Australia after training materials deemed offensive were found at an Australian army centre, officials said yesterday, in a fresh flare-up of tensions between the neighbours.
Cooperation including joint exercises and education and exchange programmes were put on hold last month after an Indonesian officer raised concerns about the materials at an Australian army language training facility, officials from both countries said.
It was unclear what exactly in the materials had caused offence.
“Military cooperation with Australian forces has been suspended temporarily due to technical matters,” Indonesian military spokesmanWuryanto said, but added that he hoped the problem would “be resolved soon”.
It was just the latest row between the allies, whose relationship has been beset in recent years by disputes over Jakarta’s execution of Australian drug smugglers and Canberra’s policy of turning migrant boats back to Indonesia.
Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne confirmed the suspension, saying: “Some interaction between the two defence organisations has been postponed until the matter is resolved.”
She said it related to “some teaching materials and remarks” at the language training centre, without giving details.
Indonesian newspaper Kompas said the row erupted after an instructor from Indonesia’s special forces found training materials he thought were disrespectful towards his country’s armed forces during an exchange program.
The instructor also came across materials he deemed insulting to “Pancasila”, a set of principles that are the philosophical foundation of the Indonesian state, the paper reported. The report did not say what the materials consisted of.
Payne said the chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, wrote to his Indonesian counterpart, General Gatot Nurmantyo, vowing the matter would be addressed.
But Indonesia decided to push ahead with the suspension last month, said Wuryanto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.
Payne said an investigation was ongoing and pledged: “We will work with Indonesia to restore full cooperation as soon as possible.” Warramunga