German weapons have intensified conflicts and human rights violations in Indonesia for decades!

The planned arms cooperation between Germany and Indonesia has aroused sharp criticism from the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) in Göttingen. "Germany should not provide training assistance for an army that is responsible for serious human rights violations in West Papua," said the STP's Asia consultant, Ulrich Delius, on Wednesday. "Indonesian soldiers and riot police have been killing people by means of German weapons for decades. This army should certainly not be reinforced by "Leopard" battle tanks as well, because this would be a violation of arms export regulations. "During her visit to Indonesia on Tuesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel had confirmed that Germany will provide training assistance for the Indonesian army – and that Indonesia is interested in purchasing 100 decommissioned battle tanks of the Bundeswehr.

Delius disagreed with the Indonesian president, who claimed that weapons and helicopters from Germany would never be used against the own people. According to the STP, 19 of the 22 helicopters of the notorious paramilitary BRIMOB units are MBB Bo-105 with a German production license. 46 of these helicopters were built in Indoneisa since 1975 to be used by the police and the army. The BRIMOB units are known for their human rights abuses in West Papua, East Timor and Aceh.

"German weapons have been in use in Indonesia for more than 40 years," accused Delius. About 12,500 G3 rifles produced by Heckler & Koch were exported to Indonesia as early as in 1961. The weapons were used during the East Timor genocide in 1975 and during the illegal annexation of West Papua in 1969. Two submarines delivered by HDW in 1981 were involved in blockades of embattled East Timor in the 80's. Military vehicles by Daimler – built in Indonesia – were used during the genocide of 1982. At least three of the 39 landing craft of the former National People's Navy (GDR) that Germany had sold to Indonesia in 1992 were used for blockades of the Molucca Islands in 2000. The landing craft were also used for military shipments to East Timor and West Papua – although Indonesia had promised Germany to only fight pirates and secure the maritime border with them.

"Despite the democratization in Indonesia, the army and riot police in West Papua are taking brutal action against the indigenous people who are demanding human rights and independence for this part of the island", said Delius. In West Papua, human rights violations have increased significantly especially last year. Raids, executions, arbitrary arrests and torture are quite common.