Pentagon prepares to welcome once-banned Indonesian minister, despite rights concerns
15 October, 2020
President Donald Trump's administration will welcome Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto to the Pentagon on Friday (Oct 16) after dropping a de facto ban on his entry into the country imposed over accusations of human rights abuses.
Prabowo, a 68-year-old former special forces commander, is definitely a controversial figure in Indonesia, accused of involvement with military crimes in places like East Timor that have earned him scorn among human rights advocates.
But since being named defense minister this past year, Prabowo, who denies any wrongdoing, in addition, has to turn into a key figure as the Trump administration attempts to deepen defense ties with Indonesia, the world's major Muslim-majority country.
Of particular concern to Washington, Indonesia's military can be being courted by Russia and China.
A senior US defense official strongly defended your choice to welcome Prabowo to the Pentagon, where he'll meet Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
"Minister Prabowo may be the appointed minister of defense of the now twice duly-elected president of Indonesia, which is the third-largest democracy on earth," the state said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"He is our counterpart, of an essential partnership, and it is important that we build relationships with him and treat him as somebody."
Prabowo will receive official briefings elsewhere in the Washington DC-area on Thursday as Jakarta weighs a fighter jet purchase which has also attracted interest from Moscow.
Amnesty International and other rights advocates condemned your choice by the US STATE DEPT. to grant him a visa, something it had denied years back, including when Prabowo's son graduated from Boston University.
Prabowo told Reuters in 2012 he was refused a US visa due to allegations that he previously instigated riots that killed hundreds following the overthrow of Indonesia's then-president Suharto in 1998.
"The State Department’s recent decision to lift the ban on Prabowo Subianto is an abrupt, complete reversal of longstanding US foreign policy," said Amnesty International USA's National Director of Advocacy and Government Relations, Joanne Lin, calling his visit "catastrophic for human rights in Indonesia".
Senator Patrick Leahy, the writer of a law that prohibits US military aid to foreign military units that violate human rights with impunity, condemned the Trump administration's decision and said Prabowo was "ineligible to enter this country".
"By granting a visa to Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo, the President and Secretary of State have proven once more that for them ‘law and order’ can be an empty slogan that ignores the value of justice," Leahy told Reuters.
Prabowo enlisted in the military aged 19 and six years later joined Kopassus, the army special forces. He led Team Mawar, or the "Rose Team", which is accused of kidnapping student activists who were mixed up in the movement to overthrow Suharto. Thirteen activists from that point remain missing.
Prabowo has constantly denied his involvement in virtually any alleged human rights abuses, including in Jakarta, East Timor, and in addition West Papua.
Still, he is becoming an influential political player, who has repeatedly sought the presidency and may stand again in the coming years.
The United States is likely to renew warnings to Jakarta against major arms purchases from Moscow, a refrain that arises often with partners all over the world. Purchasing Russian fighter jets could trigger US sanctions beneath the US Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), professionals say.
"We raise CAATSA risk in every one of our conversations with the Ministry of Defense," the U.S. official said.
Indonesia's defense ministry declined to touch upon Prabowo's trip.
On Jakarta's wish-list is a "roadmap" to procuring the F-35 fighter jet, an Indonesian government official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding officials weren't optimistic.
"We don’t expect much in all honesty," the Indonesian official said.
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