Kontras objects to new TNI commands<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The planned establishment of new military
\ncommands across the country will only serve to increase the
\npotential for violence and the helplessness of the bureaucracy,
\nan activist said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Munir, the coordinator of the independent Commission for
\nMissing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), questioned the
\nmilitary's plan to establish more military commands from the
\ncurrent 11, including in Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"The use of coercion will only lead to new social conflicts,
\nrather than solving already existing problems,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Under the New Order government, Munir added, \"the weakness of
\nthe bureaucracy was caused by excessive military dominance.\"<\/p>\n
He was a speaker in a seminar on the issue of national
\nintegration following the June 7 general election.<\/p>\n
Other speakers included the Indonesian Military's assistant
\nfor general planning, Maj. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah,
\nagricultural expert H.S. Dillon, Sabam Sirait of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Khofifah Indar
\nParawansa of the National Awakening Party (PKB). The event was
\nheld by the Indonesian Anthropology Association.<\/p>\n
Munir reiterated his criticism of the military's decision to
\nreestablish the Iskandar Muda Military Command in Aceh, saying it
\nwas an ill-suited answer to solve the problems in the troubled
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
\"Aceh needs a new method to solve the problem, not a new
\nmilitary institution.\" He questioned the military's plan to
\nincrease the number of military commands to 21.<\/p>\n
Agus denied the number was correct.<\/p>\n
\"In fact, the military is going to reduce the number of
\nmilitary commands, especially those in the more developed areas,\"
\nAgus said.<\/p>\n
\"Military commands will be established in more remote areas to
\naccelerate development in those areas.<\/p>\n
\"What do we need military sector commands (Koramil) for in
\nJakarta?\" He said the military facilities would be better used in
\nremote areas to help development programs.<\/p>\n
The military announced plans in May to add eight more military
\ncommands (Kodam) by 2004 for a total of 17. The latest is the
\nPattimura Military Command, established on May 15 with
\nheadquarters in Ambon, Maluku.<\/p>\n
Munir, Sabam and Khofifah blamed the military's domination of
\ncivil society as \"a threat to the nation's integration\".<\/p>\n
Munir said the military's involvement in civil society
\nignited social conflicts in several areas, such as Aceh, Maluku
\nand Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
\"The use of violence, together with undemocratic practices,
\nthreaten integration in Indonesia rather than upholding it.\"<\/p>\n
Agus urged the use of nonviolent methods to solve problems in
\nsociety.<\/p>\n
Khofifah said that conflicts were intentionally created. \"The
\nconflicts are to justify military presence and to provide
\nlegitimacy for repressive actions done by the military,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Sabam also appealed to the military to stop meddling in
\ncivilian affairs.<\/p>\n
\"When the military places trust in the people to decide things
\non their own, everything goes smoothly,\" Sirait said. He cited
\nthe orderly congress involving thousands of his party's
\nsupporters in Bali, which entailed minimal supervision from the
\nmilitary.<\/p>\n
Separately, the chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human
\nRights Association (PBHI) Hendardi also appealed to Gen. Wiranto
\nto drop the plan to reestablish the military command in Aceh and
\nto immediately follow up on the announcement to withdraw all
\nCrack Riot Troops from Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"The substance of establishing a military command is to create
\na military territory in a country which is not in a state of
\nwar,\" Hendardi said in a written statement made available to The
\nJakarta Post\" last Thursday. (05)<\/p>",
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