All TNI soldiers from cadets to high-ranking officers have been given understanding about respecting human rights.Jakarta, Jan 18 (ANTARA) - Indonesia has a commitment to respect human rights including the implementation of state defense, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said here on Tuesday night.
"All TNI soldiers from cadets to high-ranking officers have been given understanding about respecting human rights," Purnomo said at a gathering with media leaders on Tuesday night.
But the defense minister did not denied that human rights violations did occur in the past.
"Human rights violations tend to occur but in general we are committed to having it upheld," Purnomo said, suffering to the rejection of the Dutch Parliament in the purchase of 100 Leopard Main Battle Tanks by Indonesia.
Purnomo said the Netherlands rejected Indonesia`s plan to buy the Leopard tanks because the country was of the opinion that Indonesia had violated human rights.
But Defense Deputy Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said the Indonesian and Dutch governments had agreed to process the planned purchase of the Leopard Main Battle Tank.
"Even a technical team from the Defense Ministry will be leaving for the Netherlands in late January to obtain first hand information on the real condition of the battle tank and negotiate the price," Sjafrie said.
He said the Indonesian Army would equip its defense system by purchasing new military hardware from five factories in Europe and the United States at a cost of Rp14 trillion from the 2011 state budget.
(O001)
Editor: Ella Syafputri
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