Opposition mounts over new security bill<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): More opposition has been voiced against the bill
\non state security, currently being deliberated by the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR), with some observers calling it a trick to
\nreturn to military rule.<\/p>\n
Observers interviewed separately in Jakarta Yogyakarta and the
\nSouth Sulawesi capital of Ujungpandang, insisted that the bill,
\nwhich was initiated by the Ministry of Defense and Security,
\nwould trample on civilian's rights if endorsed.<\/p>\n
\"The bill would effectively kill freedom of the press,\" Leo
\nBatubara of the Association of Indonesian Publishers (SPS) told
\nthe media after attending a session on a new bill on a free
\npress.<\/p>\n
Batubara argued that by introducing the bill on state
\nsecurity, the government nullified whatever good it was doing by
\nlaunching the press bill. \"The press bill promises freedom of the
\npress, which the bill on state security would again take away,\"
\nhe said as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
He demanded that chapters in the bill on state security that
\nseek to grant the government and the military the ability to gag
\nthe press in the event of perceived threats to state security be
\nabolished.<\/p>\n
The existence of such chapters would allow the power holders
\nand the military to do whatever they wanted to do, whatever they
\ndeemed was right, without any control from the media, Batubara
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"What would then emerge is a fascist country with power
\nholders and the military tending to violate human rights,\" he
\nsaid. \"We are effectively returning to the New Order era.\"<\/p>\n
Human rights activist Bambang Widjojanto said in Ujungpandang
\nthe House should drop the bill altogether, or run the risk of
\nendorsing a document which would only justify past and present
\natrocities by the military, be they in Aceh or elsewhere in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"I have the feeling the military is consolidating its forces
\nwith and through this bill. Therefore, we must reject the bill,\"
\nBambang urged.<\/p>\n
\"Many people don't understand the content of the bill, which
\nwill actually lead to more repression of the people,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The bill stipulates the president has the authority to declare
\na state of emergency in troubled territories. The president also
\nis allowed to delegate his or her authority to the military,
\nwhich is given a free rein to handle threats to state security.<\/p>\n
It allows the military to carry out investigations and raids,
\nand take over all mail, telecommunications and electronic
\nfacilities. An emergency also allows a ban or limitation on
\ndemonstrations and public exposure through print and electronic
\nmedia.<\/p>\n
In the event of a state of emergency, the bill says, the
\nmilitary chief would be permitted to resort to any measures, such
\nas barring demonstrations, which violates existing laws.<\/p>\n
The military would have the full authority to prevent
\nindividuals from entering or leaving the country, isolate
\n\"troubled individuals and areas\" and set curfews.<\/p>\n
Also in Ujungpandang, legal expert Achmad Ali at the
\nHasanuddin University agreed the public should be united in their
\nstance and reject the bill.<\/p>\n
\"We should establish a People's Security Bill rather than a
\nState Security Bill which clearly does not side with the people's
\ninterests,\" Achmad said.<\/p>\n
Minister of Security and Defense\/Indonesian Military (TNI)
\nCommander Gen. Wiranto argued on Monday that state security acts
\nare common in many other countries including the United States,
\nMalaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Pakistan, Japan and China.<\/p>\n
Military observer Samsu Risal Panggabean of the Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity's Center for Peace and Security Studies said in
\nYogyakarta on Tuesday the bill was irrelevant to the current
\nsocial and political developments.<\/p>\n
\"People are talking about the need to reduce military
\nintervention in politics, and to place the military under the
\ncontrol of the democratic accountability principle,\" he said.
\n\"Now why would they talk about giving greater authority to
\nsoldiers? This is really disappointing.\"<\/p>\n
He speculated the bill was introduced more because the House
\nwas racing to reach a certain target before its tenure expires.
\n\"If the bill later becomes just another addition to the existing
\nstack of papers, that's another problem.\"<\/p>\n
He said people should not expect unrest and social conflicts
\nto be solved by mobilizing greater numbers of military personnel,
\nbacked by legislation. The problem, he said, was more complicated
\nthan a mere security problem.<\/p>\n
\"Look at the unrest that took place over the past two years.
\nThe military has not even been able to control its soldiers who
\nmay have been 'playing games' during the unrest,\" he said.
\n\"What's the use of establishing a bill on state security when the
\nreal matter is not the military but the succession of a regime.\"<\/p>\n
Support<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military's assistant for general planning, Maj.
\nGen. Agus Wirahadikusumah, defended the bill as a replacement for
\nthe 1959 Law on Subversion, which was revoked by the People's
\nConsultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
\"The military needs a legal umbrella to protect the troops
\ndeployed to areas of unrest or conflict,\" Agus said,
\nacknowledging there were differences of opinion between the
\ngovernment and public on the matter.<\/p>\n
\"Don't assign troops with uncertain duties to areas of
\nunrest,\" Agus said. Once deployed, he said, the soldiers only had
\ntwo options: to kill or be killed.<\/p>\n
Munir, of the independent Committee for Missing Persons and
\nVictims of Violence (Kontras) said he did not oppose the bill, as
\nlong as limitations were clearly defined in the bill.<\/p>\n
\"The use of violence in a martial law condition is approved by
\ninternational conventions, with clear limitations,\" Munir said,
\nadding that the conventions also regulated the military's
\nresponsibility in the event of martial law being imposed.
\n(05\/27\/edt\/swa\/swe)<\/p>",
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