Critics caution over rise in military spending<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Critics of the military are worried that the government's
\nproposal to increase the defense budget this year would be used
\nto expand the Army's much-criticized territorial function.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Defense has proposed to the House of
\nRepresentatives a Rp 5 trillion (US$538 million) increase in the
\n2005 defense spending from the current Rp 21.6 trillion.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Army is planning to establish 22 new
\nterritorial commands nationwide; develop three new military
\ncommands in Riau and Bangka-Belitung, and Merauke in Papua; and a
\nnew division of its Strategic Resort Command (Kostrad) in Sorong,
\nalso in Papua. The plan was unveiled by Army Chief of Staff Lt.
\nGen. Djoko Santoso during a recent meeting with the House of
\nRepresentatives Commission I on political, security, and foreign
\naffairs.<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono seemed to support the
\nplan, saying the expansion was crucial to help ensure security in
\nthe country.<\/p>\n
But human rights activists Usman Hamid and Zoemrotin K.
\nSoesilo were concerned the move would hamper the process of
\ndemocracy in the country and allow the Army to further strengthen
\nits role in the business sector.<\/p>\n
"The presence of more territorial commands will have three
\nconsequences: First, it will endanger the democratization
\nprocess. Second, it will ensure the military continues its
\n(illegal) timber business. Thirdly, it will mean we will continue
\nto be unable to prevent rampant human rights abuses from taking
\nplace," Usman said.<\/p>\n
Military analyst Andi Widjajanto from the University of
\nIndonesia said that the Army's plan to develop more territorial
\noffices was against the military's internal reform drive.<\/p>\n
"If the Army is concerned about the development of defense
\ncapacity, it must develop its strike force units in several
\nstrategic areas instead of establishing (territorial)
\ninstitutions that have a structure parallel with civilian
\nadministrations," Andi said.<\/p>\n
The Army's plan to set up new military base in Papua comes
\namid an ongoing investigation into the involvement of TNI
\nofficials in illegal logging and timber smuggling in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
The investigation comes after a report made by the London-
\nbased Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the Indonesian
\nenvironmental group Telapak last month that accused security
\nofficers and government officials of being involved in the
\nsmuggling of 300,000 cubic meters of timber a month from
\nIndonesia (mostly Papua province) to China.<\/p>\n
The two NGOs identified the Sorong, Manokwari, Fak Fak, Nabire
\nand Serui regencies in Papua as the main illegal logging
\nhotspots, from which the logs are shipped to the Chinese port of
\nZhangjiagang.<\/p>\n
A report by an internal TNI investigation team obtained by The
\nJakarta Post shows that the Army, the Navy and police officers
\nare all involved in the logging.<\/p>\n
According to the report, the several timber companies in Papua
\nare engaged in "a coordination" arrangement with TNI officers,
\npolice personnel, customs officers and forestry officials, who
\nare paid between Rp 50 million and Rp 500 million.<\/p>\n
"This coordination is a various levels, from the commander in
\ncharge of the Navy's ships, commander of the Navy's sea defense
\narea, the operational assistant to the Navy's eastern fleet, the
\nNavy's eastern fleet commander to the Navy chief's operational
\nassistant," the report says.<\/p>\n
In the police, the funds are also distributed at all levels;
\nfrom police precinct commander to the Papuan police chief, it
\nsays.<\/p>\n
Spokespeople from the security forces could not be reached for
\ncomment.<\/p>",
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