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Another incident showed Kopassus burning a Papuan village. The West Papuan Advocacy Team (WPAT) criticized Washington's "limp" response, including downplaying clear evidence of torture and resisting calls for accountability and ending appalling atrocities. This "demonstrates an even greater willingness than the Bush and Clinton administrations to provide diplomatic cover for human rights violations by" Kopassus.
For example, video evidence showed a burning ember applied to a man's genitals, then suffocating him, while a knife was held to his face and throat. Another man was stabbed to death, video showing his agonizing last minutes during which Kopassus taunted him before inflicting a death wound.
For many years, Indonesian security forces have tortured, robbed, and murdered Papuans, their homes, gardens, other property, and livestock then torched. Thousands fled to forests and died of starvation. Others were shot dead before they could escape.
ETAN expressed outrage that:
"The Obama Administration, rather than simply condemning the torture of Papuans by Indonesian security personnel....suggested a specious silver lining - prais(ing) Indonesia for its upfront approach," for acknowledging some abuses, but saying they "would not affect military ties, which form one component of a comprehensive partnership agreement President Obama (solidified) in Jakarta."
In late October, ahead of his arrival, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Bob Scher told the Singapore Straits Times that "The TNI has made great strides in addressing human rights issues and accountability." He also defended the administration's decision to resume close ties with Kopassus, including providing military aid.
In fact, Kopassus abuses never stopped, including in Papua against independence movement (OPM) separatists and others challenging government authority. Among them, ETAN lists the following outstanding cases:
(1) During pro-democracy activism leading up to President's Suharto's 1998 ouster, students were intimidated, beaten, disappeared, and never found.
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