Indonesia

Indonesia has been at the centre of controversy over UK arms exports for decades. Indeed, the 1997 Labour government's first important arms export decision was to refuse to revoke licences for Hawk jets and Scorpion tanks to Indonesia, ditching the brand new 'ethical foreign policy'.

East Timor

Opposition to arms exports focussed on the massive human rights abuses in East Timor by the Indonesian military and surged during the orchestrated violence surrounding an East Timorese independence referendum in 1999. It is generally accepted that the Indonesian Army created, financed, and ran paramilitary death squads which carried out the majority of the violence against civilians (though Indonesian Army and Police units were also directly involved in violence).¹

Eventually, at the peak of this violence, the UK supported an EU arms embargo, though it lasted a mere four months and was conveniently situated in a gap between Hawk deliveries. The licences affected by the embargo were extended by four months. Two weeks after the embargo was lifted, the UN-backed International Commission of Enquiry² and the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission (KOMNAS HAM) both reported that grave violations of human rights abuses had taken place in 1999, and KOMNAS HAM described them as crimes against humanity.³

Continued conflict

Following East Timorese independence there was optimism surrounding other Indonesian conflicts. But human rights abuses continued unabated in West Papua⁴ and peace moves relating to Aceh, where Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels have been fighting for independence since 1976, collapsed in 2003. More than 12,000 people, mostly civilian victims of the TNI, have died in the Aceh conflict.⁵ In early May 2003 more than 2,000 Indonesian government troops were deployed to Aceh to reinforce a 26,000-strong force already there. On May 19th the Indonesian government placed the province under martial law and the Indonesian army, or TNI, launched an all-out offensive against GAM.

UK exports to Indonesia

In the 1990s, the Conservative government licensed the sale of 40 Hawks (24 in 1993 and 16 in 1996) and 50 Scorpion light tanks (worth £100m). After coming to power in 1997, Labour honoured these deals despite introducing new export criteria that stated the government would 'take into account respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the recipient country'.⁶

From 1997 to the end of 2002, the Labour government has issued a total of 377 arms export licences for Indonesia. According to the government's Annual Reports on Strategic Exports Controls, the value of licences granted to Indonesia increased from £2m in 2000 (29 licences issued) to £15.5m in 2001 (60 licences issued) to £41m in 2002 (184 licences issued).⁷ Items covered by the 2002 licences include aircraft cannons; components for missile launching equipment; components for combat aircraft, combat helicopters, and tanks; and armoured all wheel drive vehicles.

UK arms used in Aceh

UK-built Scorpion tanks⁸ and Hawk aircraft⁹ are in use in Aceh despite assurances by the Indonesian military that UK-supplied equipment would not be used offensively or in violation of human rights anywhere in Indonesia. On June 1st 2003 Jakarta rejected UK appeals not to use Hawk aircraft in its current military offensive against GAM rebels, saying it has a right to do so. On June 22nd 36 Scorpion tanks were deployed to Aceh.¹⁰ Moreover, the senior military spokesman in Aceh, Col. Ditya Sudarsono, said the Scorpions will be used offensively as "a key part of our campaign to finish off the [GAM]".¹¹ A useful overview of the use of UK equipment in Aceh has been provided by Tapol, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign.¹²

DSEi

The two major UK suppliers to Indonesia are BAE Systems, which make the Hawk, and Alvis which has supplied several types of armoured vehicle including the Scorpion tank. There may be many other supplying companies, but official secrecy means we do not know. Both BAE Systems and Alvis are exhibiting at DSEi. Indonesia received an official invitation for DSEi 1999, though not for DSEi 2001.

1 etan.org/news/2001a/04dunnrl.htm, accessed 15.8.03
2 www.unhchr.ch/huridocda/huridoca.nsf/ (Symbol)/A.54.726,+S.2000.59.En, accessed 15.8.03
3 www.etan.org/action/issues/smh.htm, accessed 15.08.03
4 tapol.gn.apc.org/st020717.htm accessed 17.8.03
5 tapol.gn.apc.org/st020131.htm, accessed 15.8.03
6 Hansard 28.7.97
7 tapol.gn.apc.org/st030702.htm
8 Observer, 'British-made tanks lined up against rebels in Indonesia', 11.5.03
9 Times, 'British-made jets used in attack on Indonesian villages', 26.5.03
10 Jakarta Post, 'TNI deploys British tanks to Aceh', 23.6.03
11 Guardian, 'Scorpions move in on rebels as Indonesia reneges of weapons pledge to Britain'
12 www.tapol.gn.apc.org/st030702.htm accessed 17.8.03