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SBY asserts TNI role in terror fight
Susilo “Bang Bang” Yudhoyono: The President poses with a machine gun during a visit to the headquarters of the Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus) in Cijantung, East Jakarta, on Thursday
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span class="inline inline-center">Susilo “Bang Bang” Yudhoyono: The President poses with a machine gun during a visit to the headquarters of the Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus) in Cijantung, East Jakarta, on Thursday. Kopassus awarded Yudhoyono with an Honorary Commander’s brevet in recognition of his efforts to modernize the Indonesian Military. Presidential Office/Abror Rizky
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono confirms the role of the Indonesian military (TNI) to be active in the country’s war against terrorism, saying the move will not jeopardize Indonesian democracy.
“I don’t understand [why people think it’s a setback]. The military’s involvement in the war against terrorism is mandated in the Constitution,” Yudhoyono told TNI officers after receiving an honorary command brevet from the Army Special Force Unit (Kopasssus) at its headquarters in Cijantung, East Jakarta.
“Everybody has to be involved when their country is suffering from crimes of terrorism. This is still a democratic state,” the President said.
A number of ministers and high-ranking military and police officers, including Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono, National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri and Army chief of staff Gen. Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo, attended the ceremony.
Yudhoyono reminded the TNI, however, not to repeat what the military had done in the past with their “dark, bizarre” actions such as the mysterious shooting operation known as Petrus, commonly applied during the New Order era.
“We shall never break the law. You remember the mysterious shooting cases. Don’t let such things happen again. Don’t let the Munir case happen again,” he said, referring to the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib that allegedly involved the intelligence and military.
“We have to be open. We don’t adopt models like Guantanamo, for instance. Security has to be clear and transparent and in line with regulation.”
Defense Minister Juwono said after Yudhoyono’s speech that the TNI could directly take action against people suspected of being involved with terrorism.
“Yes, the TNI can take action, but with the police in the frontline,” he said.
Juwono said the TNI’s duties and authority in the war against terrorism must be clarified in a special regulation so that there would be no conflict with the police.
National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri agreed there should be clear regulations for
TNI involvement in non-war operations, such as counterterrorism activities.
The statements of the President and his minister, however, have drawn criticism from military experts and right activists, who have expressed concern the TNI’s deep involvement will bring the country back to New Order era security measures.
In the wake of recent intense operations against suspected terrorists, police and military officers have raised the needs for stronger anti-terrorism laws, citing Malaysia and Singapore.
In his acceptance speech for his second term in office later in the day, Susilo repeatedly pledged to continue the fight against terrorism.
Anak Agung Banyu Perwita from Parahyangan University in Bandung said that there was a tendency to use the recent bombings to legitimize military deployment in the civilian domain just as in the past.
He said Juwono’s statement could mean the TNI would be given the right to arrest or use violence against terror suspects.
During the 32 years of Soeharto’s regime, the military was given authority to arrest and process anybody accused of subversion against the state. Thousands of people were arrested or abducted by the military without due process of law.
Bantarto Bandoro from the University of Indonesia said the statements implied the country’s leaders considered the police incapable of fighting terrorism.
He said that even if Juwono’s statement gave the TNI the authority to arrest, the police should handle investigations and subsequent processes.
Poengky Indarti of Imparsial said that terrorism was a criminal act, and thus was in the jurisdiction of the police.
“The TNI should only deal with defense. I am afraid this is only about a struggle for a bigger budget,” she said.
Edwin Partogi from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said the TNI's involvement in policing terrorism would endanger demo-cracy. (hdt)
