Indonesia to repatriate instructors from Australia, urges no speculation until investigation concludes
Record ID:
163193
Indonesia to repatriate instructors from Australia, urges no speculation until investigation concludes
- Title: Indonesia to repatriate instructors from Australia, urges no speculation until investigation concludes
- Date: 5th January 2017
- Summary: JAKARTA, INDONESIA (JANUARY 5, 2017) (REUTERS) ARRIVAL OF INDONESIAN MILITARY CHIEF GATOT NURMANTYO CAMERAMEN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) INDONESIAN MILITARY CHIEF, GATOT NURMANTYO, SAYING: "The curriculum and lessons, have always been the same. It is hurting (our feelings), I don't want to elaborate further as the offending teaching materials have been in place for a long time. The materials include content about Timor Leste (East Timor), saying that 'Papua needs to be independent', and mock Pancasila (the five founding principles of Indonesia) as 'Pancagila' (gila, means crazy in Indonesian). And all the five articles (of Pancasila) are incorrect, so I have withdrawn the teachers and stopped the programme for now." CAMERAMEN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) INDONESIAN MILITARY CHIEF, GATOT NURMANTYO, SAYING: "Marshal Binskin (Chief of the Australian Defence Force) is my good friend and he has sent an apologize letter to me. Also, in the letter he said that the curriculum will be amended, and thirdly he said they (Australia) will conduct an investigation. Lastly, they will send the Australian army chief to apologise to the Indonesian army chief and me," CAMERAMEN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) INDONESIAN MILITARY CHIEF, GATOT NURMANTYO, SAYING: "We have stopped the programme and bilateral talks will continue until the investigation is done." REPORTER ASKING: How long will the investigation last? "The length of the investigation depends on the Australian military." NURMANTYO TALKING TO REPORTERS EXTERIOR OF BIDAKARA HOTEL
- Embargoed: 20th January 2017 05:15
- Keywords: Indonesia military Australia Gatot Nurmantyo. defense
- Location: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
- City: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
- Country: Indonesia
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015XT030N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Indonesia's military chief on Thursday (January 5) said he will withdraw instructors based in Australia after "insulting" teaching materials were found at a west Australian military base.
Australia on Thursday also expressed regret and promised a thorough investigation after Indonesia confirmed on Wednesday (January 4) it had decided to suspend military cooperation between the often uneasy Asia-Pacific neighbours following the discovery in December.
"The curriculum and lessons, have always been the same. It is hurting (our feelings), I don't want to elaborate further as the offending teaching materials have been in place for a long time," Gatot Nurmantyo told reporters in Jakarta.
Nurmantyo said that the teaching materials included content saying that East Timor and Papua, a restive state on eastern Indonesia, should be independent. They reportedly also mocked Indonesia's founding principles, calling them the "crazy five". The country's founding principles, known as "Pancasila", include the belief in god, the unity of Indonesia, social justice, democracy and nationalism.
Nurmantyo said the suspension will continue until the end of an investigation led by Australia.
"We have stopped the programme and bilateral talks will continue until the investigation is done," he said.
This is not the first time Indonesia has suspended military ties with Australia.
The most recent spat was in 2013 over revelations that Australian spies had tapped the mobile telephone of then President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said relations with Australia remained good and that he had asked his defence minister and military chief to investigate. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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