Defense pact seen favoring Singapore

The Jakarta Post, May 26, 2007
by Abdul Khalik



A new defense treaty would allow Singapore to launch missiles in Indonesian waters and bring in troops from outside countries for military training in Indonesian territory.

The Indonesia-Singapore Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA), a copy of which was received by The Jakarta Post on Friday, also says Singapore can conduct military training four times a year in three areas in Riau province.

These three areas are called Alpha One, Alpha Two and Bravo. Alpha One, which includes mainland Riau, including Pekanbaru, would be used for technical tests and flight training for Singapore's air force.

Alpha Two and Bravo, which include Riau island and Natuna Islands, would be used for comprehensive military training, including joint training with other countries.

Article 3 (c) of the treaty specifies that Indonesia will afford military personnel and equipment from these third countries the same treatment that it affords Singaporean personnel and equipment under the treaty.

"This is ridiculous. We have an agreement with Singapore, not with other countries. So why should we treat third parties the same as we treat Singapore. This is a bilateral agreement, not a multilateral treaty," P. Hari Prihatono, executive director of military think tank Pro Patria, told the Post.

Hari, who has studied the treaty, said if ratified it would undermine Indonesian sovereignty.

"Remember that we can't match Singapore's military funds and equipment. So, although we can join them in the training, we can only watch them because we have to pay our own for expenses during the training. This is a very unequal treaty."

The treaty, which contains 13 articles, was signed by Indonesia Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono and his Singaporean counterpart Teo Chee Hean on April 27 in Bali.

The document does not place limits on what military equipment Singapore would be allowed to bring into Indonesian territory for military exercises.

"The very broad terms of the treaty will open the possibility for Singapore to take advantage. It does not specify whether Singapore's submarines can enter Indonesian territory and what kinds of missiles it can launch," said Kusnanto Anggoro of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

He said the military training could have many negative impacts, including on the environment as Singapore could launch and destroy its expired missiles, polluting Indonesian seas.

Both agreed the House of Representatives should not ratify the treaty.

An international law expert from the University of Indonesia, Hikmahanto Juwana, said the House should ask the government to provide the implementing arrangements for the treaty, so lawmakers could better judge how the defense pact would be applied.

"Lawmakers should refuse to be hijacked by the government. Just because we want an extradition treaty, we shouldn't accept a defense treaty that undermines our sovereignty."