The Ministry of Defense Helps the US Find the Bodies of World War II Soldiers in Indonesia

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Defense (Moeldoko) has helped the United States (US) government to search for the bodies and skeletons of soldiers who died in World War II in Indonesia.

The assistance was provided based on a memorandum of understanding or MoU signed by the Ministry of Defense and the US military in Washington D.C., Monday (13/4).

"In principle, it is a form of humanitarian and historical cooperation for research, search, recovery, identification, and repatriation of the remains of the skeletal remains of US military personnel from World War II," said the Head of the Defense Information Bureau (Karo Infohan) of the General Staff of the Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, April 14.

Rico explained that the MoU between the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) was signed by the Director General of Defense Strategy of the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, Major General TNI Agus Widodo, with the Director of DPAA, Kelly K McKeague, in the presence of the Indonesian Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Rico considers this cooperation to be a form of commitment and respect for soldiers who have fallen in battle. Through this agreement, both parties have the opportunity to repatriate the remains to their families in the United States.

However, Rico emphasized that this cooperation does not automatically give the United States authority to enter Indonesian territory.

"The cooperation is carried out only upon the written consent of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia through the Ministry of Defense and must be fully in accordance with Indonesian laws and regulations," said Rico.

He said in his practice, this activity must not be in the interests of the local community and must protect the environment, historical values, and provide social, academic, and economic benefits for the area where the activity takes place.

With this cooperation agreement, Rico hopes that bilateral relations between Indonesia and the United States will strengthen.