ADF investigating teaching materials after Indonesia suspends military ties

Military co-operation between Indonesia and Australia has been temporarily suspended after 'offensive training materials' were seen at a Perth Army language training facility.

Members Indonesian Army's Special Forces

Members Indonesian Army's Special Forces Commandos (KOPASSUS) march during a ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, April 16, 2004. Source: AP

The Australian Army is investigating offensive "training materials and remarks" that caused Indonesia to suspend all military co-operation with Australia.

Indonesia temporarily suspended all military co-operation between the two countries on December 29 after a member of the Indonesian Special Forces, also known as Kopassus, saw the offensive training material at the Special Air Service base in Perth.

Kompas, an Indonesian newspaper, reported the material ridiculed the Indonesian military and that the Indonesian army had sent a letter to Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, on December 9 about discontinuing the military ties.

A telegram was then sent on December 29 to Air Chief Marshal Binskin calling for the temporary suspension of military co-operation between the ADF and Indonesian National Armed Forces.

"All forms of co-operation have been suspended," Indonesian military spokesman Major General Wuryanto told AAP on Wednesday.
He said a broad range of activities will be affected.

"There are technical matters that need to be discussed," Wuryanto said.

“[The co-operation], this termination is temporary," Wuryanto told another Indonesian media outlet Koran Sindo.

"Only temporary, it’s not a total termination of co-operation between Indonesia and Australia.

"The reason for the cessation is only a technical problem. The usual bilateral co-operation of the armed forces is no more or no less. It’s only that affairs need to be refined, just that.”

Defence Minister Senator Marise Payne said in a statement the Army was concluding an investigation into the teaching materials.

"Late last year concerns were raised by an Indonesian TNI officer about some teaching materials and remarks at an Army language training facility in Australia," she said in the statement.

"The Australian Army has looked into the serious concerns that were raised and the investigation into the incident is being finalised."

Senator Payne said "some interaction between the two defence organisations has been postponed until the matter is resolved", but said co-operation in other areas was continuing.

Kompas quoted the director of the Institute for Defence, Security and Peace Studies in Indonesia, Mufti Makarim, saying it was wrong of the Australian military to enter into Indonesian politics.

"The negative discussion about Indonesian politics in the forum of military exchange education between Indonesia and Australia is surely offensive in regards to the mutual respect between the Indonesian and Australian military," he told Kompas.

"Therefore it is appropriate for Indonesia and Australian co-operation to be temporarily suspended and for the Indonesian defence ministry to officially object."

Senator Payne said she and Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard "had discussions about the issues that are important to both of our defence organisations and our future areas of co-operation".

The government's , released in 2016, said Australia was committed to deepening the "defence partnership with Indonesia through: navy, army and air force co-operation; expanding our comprehensive pattern of training, exercises, and operations; more frequent policy and planning dialogue; and intelligence exchanges".

Relations between Indonesia and Australia have been frosty in recent years with revelations in 2013 Australia tapped the phone of former Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as well as those of many people close to him, including his wife.

Military co-operation was suspended at that time as well and Indonesia's ambassador to Australia was recalled.

- with AAP

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3 min read
Published 4 January 2017 2:47pm
Updated 5 January 2017 6:08am
By Kerrie Armstrong


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