The Australian Government has introduced legislation to create a tsunami partnership with Indonesia to rebuild Aceh. The Treasurer, Peter Costello, says the one billion dollars Australia will spend in Aceh in the next five years will mark a new chapter in relations with Indonesia. The one billion dollars for the tsunami work will be on top of an existing aid programme for Indonesia, budgeted at eight hundred million dollars over the next five years. Australia also announced other funding worth 131-million dollars to pay for emergency work already undertaken in Aceh.

Presenter/Interviewer: Graeme Dobell (ABC Radio Australia)
Speakers: Imron Cotan, Indonesia's ambassador to Australia

COTAN: Indonesia had a very bitter experience of colonisation, that is why I could not imagine personally to see foreign military personnel openly operating in Indonesia, and I believe my feelings were also shared by Indonesians. But this tragedy opens up our eyes that indeed we need the help of outsiders. That also includes military personnel.

DOBELL: Indonesia has warned foreign aid workers working in Aceh not to have any contacts with separatist movements. How much is the Australian side of the partnership going to have to be careful in Aceh that it doesn't bump up against this separatist issue?

COTAN: Well again let me clarify the point that the Indonesian government requires foreign humanitarian workers not to get in contact with the rebels, especially in order to be able to protect them from any unfortunate circumstances. And second of all the Australian government has issued what they call a code of conduct, which clearly stipulates that those organisations financed by the Australian government should not get involved in separatism, in evangelism, in labour disputes, as well as those things that are contrary to the national interests of the two countries.

DOBELL: If Australians are going to be working on the ground in Aceh for at least the next five years though, isn't it inevitable that some of those Australians are going to be dealing with Indonesians who have some sympathy for the separatist movement?

COTAN: Well again as long as they are not promoting any idea of say separatism I think it is quite sensible to say that they are free to do their humanitarian works, as long as they are not involved in advocating separatist movement in Aceh.

DOBELL: Do you see that the separatist issue though will be a tension point for Australia and Indonesia in conducting this partnership?

COTAN: I don't think so, because the Australian government has firmly stated that it will honour the territorial integrity of Indonesia. So separatist movement in Aceh will not stand in the way in our efforts to rebuild Aceh.

DOBELL: President Yudhoyono has given several speeches where he's talked to Indonesians about the dangers of corruption, how corruption eats at the Indonesian economy and affects Indonesia's ability to be a modern economy. How confident can Australia be that these loans and these projects will be properly used, will not be subject to corruption?

COTAN: First of all recently the President has decided to open the office of supreme audit ward, which is independent in our system in Banda Aceh. One of the tasks entrusted to this office is simply to make sure that every cent of the aid is accounted for, and second of all we are determined to make sure that the international standard of accountability will be implemented. And don't forget as well that the partnership will be directly supervised by the President as well as the Prime Minister of Australia.

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/asiapac/programs/s1319787.htm

Canberra, 9 March 2005