These two posts were sent to me by a friend in Indonesia. Evidently the source is located in the Philippines, and they seem to be in contact with quite a few NGOS in Indonesia. The "bulletins" are only distributed in a "coded" format to very specific individuals and organizations. Evidently they publish about every three months or so, and getting on their mailing list is about nigh impossible..

Pity..I hear they did a superb piece regarding the "BODY SHOP" and Anita Roddicks.... :(

Jonathan

INDONESIAN AID & THE LOCAL MILITARY ===================================

by

Alan Taylor & Ralph Peterson Martin Kirk

PGPBOARD COMMENTARY

PGPBOARD, Angeles City, Philippines 1/25/2005 8:44 AM CST

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pgpboard

PREAMBLE ========

This is our second commentary regarding tidal wave aid resources and Indonesia. Here we pass on some of the concerns of on the ground NGO's, who have to be, for the sake of those in need, "politically correct" in their every day operations in Indonesia. Some of the issues are known, and some go unreported for reasons of maintaining a working relationship with the Indonesian military.

========

With most NGO's shifting their focus from the initial emergency aid to a more long term and less scrutinized reconstruction programs, the Indonesian military is trying to take over some local administration and distribution tasks. This unwanted intrusion into the day to day functions of many respected NGO's operating in Sumatra is being attempted under the guise of what currently are non existent security concerns.

Within the last 30 days, there have been some very major verbal confrontations between NGO managers, and the Indonesian military. The most serious being a confrontation between an American helicopter aircrew and Indonesian military personnel. The confrontations occurred when fully armed, and in one case, this included Indonesian soldiers with fixed bayonets, trying to board a US helicopter under the excuse of assisting to distribute food aid and to act as translators. It was only resolved when the pilot of the helicopter requested assistance, which arrived in the form of another US helicopter loaded with fully armed US military personnel.

One has to keep in mind, that it has been US policy not to arm their flight crews during Indonesian aid delivery operations.

Another issue to keep in mind, is that many of the Indonesian military personnel currently in Sumatra were relocated from East Timor. Some Indonesian military commanders who are now attempting to convince the world media that they only have the well being of the people at heart, are the same individuals responsible for the butchery that occurred in East Timor.

The helicopter incident led to a rebuke from the US Sate Department, this in turn led to the Indonesians issuing a statement that they expected all foreign troops to be out of Indonesia by the end of March. This issue was "clarified" during the recent visit of US Secretary of State Collin Powell, where it was made abundantly clear that until the Indonesian government could demonstrate that they had the capability to distribute the aid and assistance donated by the international community, that it "would be unwise" to attempt to expel foreign military units dedicated to aid distribution. In addition, if the Indonesian government persisted with this policy, the United States would oppose any form of debt relief for Indonesia, and that they would remain indefinitely on the US arms embargo list.

(Many in US military circles estimate that about 40% of any debt relief granted to Indonesia by the Paris Club would end up being diverted to repayments on past and recent weapons purchases).

Indonesia later declined a debt relief package stating that any such package "would compromise" its international credit ratings. (Already D-)

The Indonesians then issued a statement concerning the "misunderstanding" their foreign military out statement had apparently caused. This was along the lines that foreign military units are welcome in Indonesia, and that they could remain until the local authorities were in a position to effectively "assume responsibility" for the long tern relief effort. (Note that the word "control" has been carefully avoided.)

So where does this leave the civilian NGO's who do not have such political clout.

Many are unhappy about having to accept Indonesian military assistance in the form of fully armed soldiers riding "shotgun" on their aid delivery vehicles. In addition to this, many are suspicious that some of the areas identified by the Indonesian military for aid delivery "seem inappropriate", and that these relief supplies are being diverted to the black market, only to be sold to the highest bidder in more deserving areas.

In short, there is a massive credibility issue associated with the Indonesian military, which remains largely mistrusted by almost all of the "on the ground" NGO's in Sumatra. And there are concerns that as aid programs become more long term and "reconstruction" biased, then the situation will become even worse.

NGO's are currently actively lobbying their respective governments to insist that aid donations to Indonesia are fully audited and accounted for.

Recent revelations of the widespread mismanagement and corruption surrounding the United Nations Oil For Food Program in Iraq lead many NGO managers to question the United Nations credibility, and ability to audit and financially manage such large scale aid disbursements. Many believe that the only credible solution would be to engage an internationally recognized accounting and auditing firm to audit the financial aid given to Indonesia.

The NGO's have good reason to be concerned, in previous less intensive aid operations in Indonesia, it is estimated that only 40 cents in the dollar actually reach the intended recipients.

Alan Taylor Ralph Peterson Martin Kirk

PGPBOARD, ANGELES CITY, PHILIPPINES 1/25/2005 8:44 AM CST Copyright © This article may be freely reproduced, with due credit to the source.

TROUBLING DEVELOPMENTS IN MYANMAR =================================

by

Alan Taylor Ralph Peterson Yeng Hou

PGPBOARD COMMENTARY

PGPBOARD, Angeles City, Philippines 1/9/2005 12:09 PM CST

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pgpboard

Back in 1986, the Philippines first post Marcos government refused to commission their brand new 600MW General Electric nuclear power plant located in the province of Bataan, citing safety concerns ranging from geological issues, build quality, operational procedures, and openly the questioning the role of nuclear technology in a developing country with more pressing social needs.

The military junta in Myanmar does not seem to share any of these concerns, and whilst the United States et al have been occupied with 9/11, Iraq, and the "war on international terrorism" Myanmar (Burma) has slipped quietly off the international radar screen.

The military junta have made no secret of its "North Korea" wannabee aspirations, and when in 1998 Pakistan exploded its first atomic bomb, the military junta was not slow in cultivating relationships with Pakistani government officials.

A close relationship was formed with two Pakistani nuclear scientists Suleiman Asad and Muhammed Ali Mukhtar. These two individuals were later linked by several Western Intelligence organizations to the sale of Pakistani nuclear weapons technology. The United States requested the Pakistani government access to Asad, and Muktar in order to question them concerning their links to international terrorist organizations, and the apparent illegal sale of Pakistani nuclear weapons technology and hardware.

Both Asad and Muktar fled to Myanmar.

This was not their first visit to Myanmar, they had been actively assisting the military junta to kick start their stalled nuclear program; masquerading under the guise of a medical infrastructure development project.

The junta, long time associates of the USSR (Russia), and a buyer of 10 MIG-29 fighter aircraft (a deal estimated to be worth $200+ million USD), then turned to the Russians for the purchase of a new 10MW research reactor.

In March 2003, two freighters, the Mandalay, and Pinya loaded with 5,000 tons of Russian nuclear reactor and control hardware were trans-shipped via Singapore to Myanmar, docking at the naval base at Zadetkyi Kyun in Kawthaung Township.

Originally surveyed by a team of 50 or so Russian scientific "advisors", the ultimate destination of this shipment was Kalagok Kyun (Island) in Mon State, where 300 acres of farm land had been confiscated by the junta to make way for the reactor complex.

The location of this facility is a puzzle in itself, why an island? This is a small research reactor (10MW) supposedly for medical research, not needing vast quantities of cooling water, then why not inland, at a more central and accessible location?

Why in the aftermath of the recent Asian Tidal Wave is the military junta so paranoid about letting international relief organizations survey damage along its Mon coastline? And why is the Myanmar Navy enforcing a virtual exclusion zone around the island of Kalagok Kyun?

PGPBOARD Angeles City, Philippines,

1/9/2005 12:09 PM CST

Copyright © This article may be freely reproduced, with due credit to the source.

bump

cannot comment... However, if correct, it is disturbing.

jonathan