Debate marks Kostrad's anniversary<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): In a rare candid debate with human rights
\ncampaigner Bambang W. Suharto, soldiers from the Army's Strategic
\nReserves Command (Kostrad) explained why the public often accused
\nthem, and the Indonesian Military as a whole, of being serial
\nhuman rights abusers.<\/p>\n
"Why does public opinion always perceive there are human
\nrights abuses in every military operation?," cried out someone
\nfrom a sea of 100 battle-fatigued Kostrad soldiers.<\/p>\n
A series of questions were directed at Bambang, inquiring why
\nmost people outside the military were prejudiced toward soldiers
\nwho were merely carrying out their duty.<\/p>\n
While many of Bambang's responses were diplomatic, not
\ncontaining any hint of cynicism toward his audience, the
\ninteraction displayed the divergence between the frequently
\nvoiced public opinion and the views of the very soldiers often
\nprejudged to be rights abusers.<\/p>\n
It was also a revealing glimpse of the soldiers' lack of
\ncomprehension of the fears ingrained in society.<\/p>\n
Bambang himself craftily remarked on the soldiers' own
\ninfamous reputation.<\/p>\n
"I feel honored to be invited before Kostrad troops who all
\nthis while have been regarded as one of the main human rights
\nabusers in the country," he said.<\/p>\n
"But this is what the public thinks, not me" he quickly
\nquipped to, oddly, resounding applause.<\/p>\n
The dialog on Saturday was part of a series of events to mark
\nKostrad's 39th anniversary which falls on Monday.<\/p>\n
"I believe a good understanding of human rights issues should
\nbe gradually introduced to soldiers to help eliminate their (bad)
\nimage," Bambang remarked during the dialog in Mandala hall at the
\nKostrad Headquarters, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The audience was a challenge for Bambang, the deputy chairman
\nof the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).<\/p>\n
It was clear he needed to win them over on the validity of a
\nconcept usually accepted as self-evident in other public forums.<\/p>\n
One soldier asked why human rights abuses buried in the past
\nshould be dug up again.<\/p>\n
"It seems that the work of Komnas HAM is just opening up old
\nwounds. Will they still be responsible for patching up these
\nwounds once they are open?"<\/p>\n
Bambang replied that the intention was not to merely aggravate
\nold wounds. "What we do is listen to pleas of the people, the
\nvictims, to find out who are the masterminds behind all this," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"We should actually be thankful because we have an opportunity
\nto correct past mistakes. The core reason is so such incidents
\nwill not reoccur."<\/p>\n
One of the most contentious issues to be brought up was the
\naccusations that the commission and its various committees
\ninvestigating rights abuses from East Timor to Maluku had
\ndisplayed bias against the military.<\/p>\n
No less than former military chief Gen. Wiranto and other top
\nbrass have challenged the objectivity of the commission, which
\nhas repeatedly accused the military of being responsible for
\nnumerous offenses.<\/p>\n
In the words of one soldier: Why does Komnas HAM always
\n"attack (TNI) and one-sidedly accuse (it) of violating human
\nrights?"<\/p>\n
Bambang retorted that Komnas HAM was merely an "instrument" to
\ncarry out the general's public aspirations. He contended that the
\ncommission never purposely set out to besmirch TNI.<\/p>\n
"It's crystal clear that the government has a strong will to
\naccommodate public demands and I think this nation should abide
\nby the international human rights convention as soon as we will
\nratify it," he said.<\/p>\n
Bitter<\/p>\n
One middle-ranking officer questioned whether the TNI as an
\ninstitution could be held responsible for rights abuses since
\nsoldiers accused of such violations in many cases were merely
\ncarrying out orders.<\/p>\n
"Even generals and troops only carry out their duty. All
\noperations are part of TNI's official duties."<\/p>\n
Bambang skirted his question saying that by nature TNI was not
\na human rights abuser, but those holding the authority of command
\nshould be aware of the risks and excesses of military operations.<\/p>\n
"Don't lose your esteem because of the numerous accusations of
\nrights abuses. We're only after the masterminds. TNI as an
\ninstitution would not commit such a crime but those inside it
\nshould be cautious of the operations they design," Bambang
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
During the three-hour discussion outgoing Kostrad chief Lt.
\nGen. Djadja Suparman remain glued to his front row seat.<\/p>\n
The three-star general, who has expressed some degree of
\nresentment at being replaced after just three months in command,
\nclosed the dialog with the hope that it had shown that Kostrad
\nwas not inattentive to human rights issues.<\/p>\n
But while he was all smiles during the official proceedings,
\nlater with journalists Djadja again sounded bitter at the
\nprospect of leaving the strategic command.<\/p>\n
"My wife, my parents and the 30,000 Kostrad personnel are hurt
\nby this decision. I've tried to calm them down," he said.<\/p>\n
In what could be perceived as a veiled threat, Djadja even
\nwarned that such resentment could spillover.<\/p>\n
"It's dangerous, very dangerous if (Kostrad) soldiers get mad
\nas now they are deployed in every corner of the country. In Ambon
\nand everywhere," he claimed.<\/p>\n
When asked on how he controlled the thousands of reportedly
\ndisappointed Kostrad personnel, Djadja said: "I just told them
\nnot to get offended (by my replacement)." (emf)<\/p>",
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