CAAT, along with TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, mounted major campaigns against arms sales to Indonesia. Particularly under the Presidency of General Suharto between 1966 and 1998, the Indonesian Army had an appalling human rights record, and consistently used its foreign-supplied military equipment against its own civilians and the people of East Timor. Even after Suharto's downfall, the equipment was in action in the northern province of Aceh.
Arms exports agreed by Conservative and Labour governments
UK-made 'Stormer' armoured personnel carrier in Aceh province on election day 2004, during widespread voter intimidation.
When the Labour government came to power in 1997, it had to decide what to do about the export licences for the, as yet undelivered, British Aerospace Hawk aircraft and Scorpion tanks and Stormer armoured personnel carriers manufactured by Alvis. (Both companies are now part of BAE Systems.) Export licences for the equipment had been granted by John Major’s Conservative government. The decision on whether or not to revoke the licences was seen as the test of the new Foreign Secretary Robin Cook's pledge to put human rights at the centre of the foreign policy - ethics lost out to the arms companies and the exports went ahead.
Despite committing crimes against humanity in East Timor, prosecuting brutal wars in the provinces of Aceh and West Papua, and using UK equipment against civilians, the Indonesian Army continued to receive a steady supply of weapons from the UK, until it was unable to pay for them.
Arms debt
In 1998, Indonesia became one of the victims of the Asian financial crisis and subsequently defaulted on its payments. It had built up very large debts as a result of its arms purchases from the UK over the previous 20 years. In February 2007, Indonesia still owed the UK's Export Credits Guarantee Department £757million, of which three-quarters related to military equipment.
Corruption allegations
In December 2004, The Guardian newspaper took successful legal action to get documents in a case about the Scorpion and Stormer deals made public. These documents revealed that Alvis Vehicles Ltd employed a company called PT Surya Kepanjen (PTSK) to secure the contracts for the Scorpions and Stormers. According to the witness statement of Rini Soewondho (a General's daughter who ran PTSK) her ability to secure the support of the Indonesian army and President Suharto’s inner circle was crucial in sealing the two contracts. To do this she employed a company called Global Select (owned by Suharto’s daughter) which reportedly collected £16.5 million of the sale price. The payments to Suharto’s daughter were described in court by Alvis executives as an “incentive” and a “tax”.
Further Reading
Arms to Indonesia, CAAT/Tapol Factsheet, December 2005.
Arms Exports to Indonesia, CAAT report, October 1999.
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