Extract from the Book - The Latham Diaries - by Mark Latham released 19 September, 2005.
page 202
Tuesday, 12 November 2002
Earlier in the day, a classic example of a Young Technocrat in action. Towards the end of Question Time, Rudd asked Downer a legitimate question about Kopassus: have been cooperating with the terriorist outfit, Laskar Jihad? But straight after, Rudd raced up to the Indonesian Embassy to explain himself, petrified they may take offence. He's not in this to win public support for Labor. There is no need to explain himself to the Indonesians. It was just a question, and a good one at that.
Mark Latham Kevin Rudd
Comment: This extract speaks for itself. Should Australian Labor Party member for Griffith in Queensland, Australia and ALP Foreign Affairs spokesman ever become either the Australian Foreign Minister or Prime Minister, there will be no joy for the West Papuan cause. The prospects are slim anyway as Mr Rudd carries much baggage going as far back to his time in China (in the mid 1980's) as a diplomat.
Note:- Mark Latham was leader of the ALP Australian Opposition government and in November, 2004, as leader of the ALP, would be the current Australian Prime Minister if the ALP had won the Federal election.
Questions without Notice
12 November 2002
Foreign Affairs: Indonesia
Mr RUDD (3.20 p.m.) —My question is to the Foreign Minister. Is the minister aware of reports that Kopassus has been actively cooperating with the militant Islamic terrorist organisation Laskar Jihad? Is the minister aware of a report from Dr Damian Kingsbury of Deakin University which states that:
Kopassus members were involved in the training of the notorious Laskar Jihad near Bogor in West Java, a group which has been responsible for the deaths of many thousands in Maluku and Central Sulawesi and further that: many members of Laskar Jihad had previously fought with the Taliban and with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan? Minister, can you unequivocally rule out whether Kopassus has cooperated with the militant Islamic terrorist organisation Laskar Jihad? Minister, if you cannot rule this out, why are you specifically ruling in the possibility of supporting joint operations between Kopassus and the Australian SAS?
Mr DOWNER —First of all, I have never ruled it in. I noticed the other day in a transcript which was sent to me while I was overseas—
Opposition member interjecting—
Mr DOWNER —You would not have clue, frankly—that the opposition spokesman on foreign affairs had claimed that I had been out there campaigning for renewed links between Kopassus and the SAS. As I pointed out on ABC Radio the other day—let us just get this clear—that was the Labor Party's policy when they were in government until we scrapped that policy in 1998.
A government member—That is right. That was the Keating policy.
Mr DOWNER —That was the Keating government's policy. Let us just get that absolutely right. The Prime Minister was asked this on the 7.30 Report last night, I think, and he made it perfectly clear that we have made no decision to reinstitute training between the SAS and Kopassus or links with Kopassus. That is not a decision that the government have made. We have talked on many occasions about a process of gradually rebuilding our links with TNI in a way that is appropriate and significant to our interests.
Mr Rudd —Including Kopassus.
Mr DOWNER —We have made no decision to renew links with Kopassus. This is the point that I am making: links with Kopassus was the Labor Party's policy. We have not made any decision.
Mr Rudd interjecting—
The SPEAKER —The member for Griffith has asked his question, and he will hear the answer in silence.
Mr DOWNER —Obviously, what we do with Indonesia is build links, as best we can, where we think it will advance our own national interests. We will look at opportunities to expand relations with many aspects of Indonesian society where we think that is going to make a constructive contribution not only to the Australia-Indonesia relationship but, above all, to our own national interests. But we have not made any decision to expand links or to reintroduce links with Kopassus.
It always strikes me as quite odd—certainly in recent times—that on the one hand the Labor Party have this line they try to get up, claiming that the Australian government does not put enough energy and enough effort into the relationship with Indonesia but, on the other hand, they say it is an outrage that the Australian government is looking at building relationships with TNI or with Kopassus. They make claims that we are building relations with Indonesia too strongly on the one hand, but that we are doing too little on the other. That sums up the Labor Party and the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr Rudd —Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order on relevance. The question was specifically about whether or not there is a relationship between Kopassus and Laskar Jihad—
Mr DOWNER —There were two parts to the question.
The SPEAKER —I am merely wanting to inquire—
Mr Pyne interjecting—
The SPEAKER —The member for Sturt is warned! I am merely wanting to inquire, as is the custom of the chair, whether or not the minister had concluded his answer.
Mr DOWNER —I would indeed like to answer the first part of his question, having answered the second part.
The SPEAKER —Minister, I am simply asking you a question as to whether or not you had concluded your answer?
Mr DOWNER —No.
The SPEAKER —Then the minister may continue.
Mr DOWNER —The answer to the first part of the question is that there certainly are indications that elements of TNI may have had links with Laskar Jihad—there is no question about that. Whether those elements would have been particular units of Kopassus, or whatever those elements may have been, is another matter. The honourable member quotes some academic research to that effect, but there have been a number of reports that have suggested that there may be links between Laskar Jihad and elements of the TNI—that is well known.
