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Next police chief promises counterterrorism squad will respect human rights
The top counterterrorism official who received approval from the House of Representatives on Thursday to become the next National Police chief has made assurances that Densus 88, the police's counterterrorism squad, would respect human rights.
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National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) chief Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian waves his hand following the fit and proper test of his nomination to be National Police chief at the House of Representatives' Commission III overseeing legal affairs. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
T
he top counterterrorism official who received approval from the House of Representatives on Thursday to become the next National Police chief, Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian, has made assurances that Densus 88, the police's counterterrorism squad, would respect human rights.
"I will hold a special briefing with senior officials of Densus 88 so that they will take precautions when using their authority, which tends to get violent," Tito said on Thursday.
Tito, who served as Densus 88 chief in 2009, said the force would get assistance from the National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) in order to gain a better understanding of the importance of upholding human rights in counterterrorism operations.
Densus 88 would get a stronger control mechanism, not only from the National Police, but also from the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), House Commission III overseeing legal affairs and the media, Tito said, adding that every operation that resulted in the death of prisoners would be carefully assessed through an internal investigation.
However, he asserted that efforts to embody the principles of human rights should not penalize the Densus 88 personnel themselves, especially when they faced terrorist groups that used weapons and violence in their operations.
Currently serving as the chief of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), Tito passed screening by the House of Representatives on Thursday and has been named as Indonesia's next top cop. He will succeed the current National Police chief, Gen. Badrodin Haiti, who is scheduled to retire on July 24.
