Extract from The Guardian website:
General Moeldoko denies backing Australia’s towback policy as opposition in Indonesia builds
Indonesia’s opposition to Australia’s boat turnback policy is
building, with the country’s military chief rejecting reports that said
he backed the policy.
General Moeldoko said reports in the Jakarta Post that quoted him saying he understood the policy were “twisted”, according to the ABC.
Moeldoko said the Indonesian military follows the government’s view and does not have its own policy.
"My response was not approving it. I said 'I understand the tactical steps’, that's my standpoint," he said.
Moeldoko said his job was to obey the Indonesian government and he was reflecting that if he was in the Australian military he would have towed back the boats, as those were the orders of the government.
"I did not speak about foreign policy, instead I spoke about tactical decisions in the field. My statement should not be twisted," he said.
The general’s statement came as Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono described the towback policy as “unhelpful” days after the foreign minister Marty Natalegawa criticised it.
“On the pushback policy itself, let me put on the record our rejection to the policy. Pushing back the boats is not a solution,” he said on Tuesday.
On the same day Moeldoko was reported saying he understood the policy.
“Following [our] halted military co-operation with Australia, the country’s defence force chief called me to discuss several issues, including how to deal with the boat people,” Moeldoko said.
“Therefore, we do not need to feel offended.”
Prime minister Tony Abbott has refused to confirm reports that two boats carrying asylum seekers have been towed back to Indonesia with allegations the navy have treated the asylum seekers harshly.
On Wednesday Abbott said he had a “closed book” approach to border operations.
“The point is to stop the boats," he said in a radio interview on 2GB.
He added: "I'm pleased to say it is now several weeks since we've had a boat, and the less we talk about operational details on the water the better when it comes to stopping the boats."
The ABC has aired allegations from two men, who were travelling on separate boats as asylum seekers, that they were mistreated then abandoned at sea.
One man named Yusuf, identified as a Sudanese asylum seeker, said he was on a boat with about 40 other people that reached a small island close to Darwin on New Year’s Day before two Australian naval ships, HMAS Parramatta and HMAS Glenelg, arrived.
He said some people on the boat were manhandled by naval officers as they were transferred on to a navy boat where they were told they were being taken to Christmas Island and they were then left in rough seas off Indonesia’s Rote Island.
The second man, Marke, identified himself as Somali, and said he was on the first boat reportedly towed back to Indonesian territory on 10 December. He said personnel from HMAS Parramatta and HMAS Maitland had treated asylum seekers roughly. He also said that Australian naval personnel told the people on the boat that they would be taken to Christmas Island.
"They told us a lie," Marke told the ABC. "When we reach, when we were nearby the island of Indonesia, they … fix one of our machines.
"They start our machine. They say: 'Go, you can land over there. It's about 15km.' And then they seemed to run away and disappeared."
ABC said the stories were difficult to verify but “strikingly similar”.
Chief of the Australian Defence Force David Hurley has rejected the claims
General Moeldoko said reports in the Jakarta Post that quoted him saying he understood the policy were “twisted”, according to the ABC.
Moeldoko said the Indonesian military follows the government’s view and does not have its own policy.
"My response was not approving it. I said 'I understand the tactical steps’, that's my standpoint," he said.
Moeldoko said his job was to obey the Indonesian government and he was reflecting that if he was in the Australian military he would have towed back the boats, as those were the orders of the government.
"I did not speak about foreign policy, instead I spoke about tactical decisions in the field. My statement should not be twisted," he said.
The general’s statement came as Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono described the towback policy as “unhelpful” days after the foreign minister Marty Natalegawa criticised it.
“On the pushback policy itself, let me put on the record our rejection to the policy. Pushing back the boats is not a solution,” he said on Tuesday.
On the same day Moeldoko was reported saying he understood the policy.
“Following [our] halted military co-operation with Australia, the country’s defence force chief called me to discuss several issues, including how to deal with the boat people,” Moeldoko said.
“Therefore, we do not need to feel offended.”
Prime minister Tony Abbott has refused to confirm reports that two boats carrying asylum seekers have been towed back to Indonesia with allegations the navy have treated the asylum seekers harshly.
On Wednesday Abbott said he had a “closed book” approach to border operations.
“The point is to stop the boats," he said in a radio interview on 2GB.
He added: "I'm pleased to say it is now several weeks since we've had a boat, and the less we talk about operational details on the water the better when it comes to stopping the boats."
The ABC has aired allegations from two men, who were travelling on separate boats as asylum seekers, that they were mistreated then abandoned at sea.
One man named Yusuf, identified as a Sudanese asylum seeker, said he was on a boat with about 40 other people that reached a small island close to Darwin on New Year’s Day before two Australian naval ships, HMAS Parramatta and HMAS Glenelg, arrived.
He said some people on the boat were manhandled by naval officers as they were transferred on to a navy boat where they were told they were being taken to Christmas Island and they were then left in rough seas off Indonesia’s Rote Island.
The second man, Marke, identified himself as Somali, and said he was on the first boat reportedly towed back to Indonesian territory on 10 December. He said personnel from HMAS Parramatta and HMAS Maitland had treated asylum seekers roughly. He also said that Australian naval personnel told the people on the boat that they would be taken to Christmas Island.
"They told us a lie," Marke told the ABC. "When we reach, when we were nearby the island of Indonesia, they … fix one of our machines.
"They start our machine. They say: 'Go, you can land over there. It's about 15km.' And then they seemed to run away and disappeared."
ABC said the stories were difficult to verify but “strikingly similar”.
Chief of the Australian Defence Force David Hurley has rejected the claims
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