2006年VOA标准英语-Rights Group: Indonesian Military Threatens Hum

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Jakarta
21 June 2006
 

Indonesian Army soldiers watch from their armored vehicles during a security preparation in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, May 8, 2006  
  
A new report by a human-rights group says the Indonesian military's business operations put human rights in the country at risk.

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The report by Human Rights Watch, a New York group, says the Indonesian military's involvement in business ventures fuels human-rights abuses in the country and leaves the military beyond government control.

Human Rights Watch Asian Division Executive Director Brad Adams says the military, known as the TNI, businesses are harming the government's efforts to reform and professionalize the institution.

"Our report documents how the military continues to commit human-rights abuses in the name of making money. This is not surprising," he said. "In fact, in our discussions with the Ministry¹ of Defense² and the TNI, no one has disputed this central finding, that military financing as it currently exists does lead to human rights abuses."

The Indonesian military has long raised money outside the government budget. Many Indonesian and international-rights groups have said the military's business networks include illegal ventures such as protection rackets, mining, logging, and extortion. These are areas where abuses of civilians³ are likely.

The government passed a law in 2004 requiring the military to withdraw from all business by 2009, but have not yet adopted regulations on how the government will take over legal businesses.

In March, the military declared that it owned more than 15-hundred businesses, many of them collapsing⁴ after years of mismanagement.

The military says its budget is too low and meets only about half its needs. Military leaders also deny most allegations of human-rights abuses by troops and say they are working to halt corruption⁵ in the ranks.

Human Rights Watch agrees the defense budget is low. But the group says the problem is not as severe as the military often states, because the military draws funds from other government accounts, but not in a transparent⁶ manner.

The main researcher and author of the report, Lisa Misol, says the people of Indonesia pay a price for the military's activities - because troops often use violence and intimidation⁷ to protect the military's business interests. She called on the government to enforce the 2004 law.

"We call on the Indonesian government to take a serious look and to address this question full square and eliminate the exceptions and enforce the ban, address the defense budgeting in a transparent and accountable way, and stop military business once and for all," said Misol.

The report says the government must agree on an appropriate defense budget that is strictly monitored and reported accurately

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

4 collapsing   

压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

7 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。