Experts back Poso plan, doubt TNI capacity<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Military analysts threw their weight on Thursday behind the
\ngovernment's plan to impose a state of emergency to end the
\nsectarian fighting in Poso, Central Sulawesi, but cast doubt on
\nthe military's professionalism.<\/p>\n
The conflict is spinning out of control and a state of
\nemergency is the likely choice of action but the analysts suggest
\nthat the military should learn from neighboring Maluku where the
\ncivil state of emergency in force there has been far from
\neffective.<\/p>\n
The government is expected to impose a state of emergency in
\nCentral Sulawesi, be it civil or military, in the next few days.
\nCoordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono and new Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar were in
\nPoso Thursday to assess the situation.<\/p>\n
The observers stressed the need for the government to explore
\noptions on how to minimize the excesses of the security approach,
\nhighlighted by events in Aceh and Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
Ikrar Nusa Bakti of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences
\n(LIPI) said the government should not hesitate to impose a state
\nof civilian emergency.<\/p>\n
"As long as it is implemented properly and the operation is
\nunder good control of the governor," Ikrar told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
But in the latest developments, Central Sulawesi Governor
\nAminuddin Panulele rejected calls for a state of emergency in
\nPoso. He said that the escalating conflict over the past two
\nweeks was not strong enough grounds to take the measure.<\/p>\n
Back in 2000, the Aceh governor begged the central government
\nto impose a civil state of emergency but the local legislative
\ncouncil rejected it.<\/p>\n
Ikrar said one reason why the state of emergency in Maluku was
\nineffective was that the governor was not in command.<\/p>\n
Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of houses,
\nmosques and churches have been burned down in a wave of violence
\nthat has swept through Central Sulawesi over the last two weeks.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, six residents of Toyado village who went missing
\nover the weekend were found dead in the Poso River. The six went
\nmissing and were believed to have been kidnapped by security
\npersonnel who, along with militiamen, attacked the predominantly
\nChristian village.<\/p>\n
Sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians erupted in
\n1998, triggered by fierce competition during regency elections.
\nThe current cycle of violence broke out following the arrival of
\narmed civilian forces from Central Java and East Java, which
\ncoincided with the withdrawal of security personnel after the
\nsituation in the regency was deemed to have returned to normal.<\/p>\n
Kusnanto Anggoro of the Center for Strategic and International
\nStudies (CSIS) stressed the need to carefully consider how to
\nminimize military and police excesses.<\/p>\n
The lack of professionalism among the military and police
\nraises concern over rampant abuses of human rights, he warned.<\/p>\n
"Soldiers are trained to go to war where they will have to
\nkill or be killed. The problem is that they will go on an
\noperation where they face civilians," said Kusnanto.<\/p>\n
Emotional ties, resulting from religious or ethnic sentiments,
\nwere a major factor feared to affect soldiers partiality. In
\nMaluku, this is a major problem. Muslim soldiers take sides with
\nthe Muslim camp and the Christians with Christian camp.<\/p>\n
Hermawan Sulistyo, another LIPI military commentator, proposed
\nthat soldiers on duty should come from other provinces and be
\nrotated on a regular basis.<\/p>\n
"Anybody can't stay neutral if they see their families or
\nfriends killed during the conflict, therefore for the time being
\nthey may be assigned to other regions and be replaced by security
\nforces from elsewhere," he told the Post.<\/p>\n
The first thing the security forces in Poso should do was to
\ndisarm the groups as there were still many weapons and explosives
\nthere, Hermawan added. The next step would be to cut the weapons
\nsupply to the region.<\/p>\n
When regions in state of emergency
\n * East Timor, Sept. 7 to Sept. 27, 1999, (military)
\n * Maluku, Since June, 2000, (civil)
\n * North Maluku, Since June, 2000, (civil)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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