Over 4,000 Kamra members question their future<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): More than 4,000 members of police-sponsored
\ncivilian militia, known as Keamanan Rakyat or Kamra, took to the
\nstreets in Yogyakarta on Friday querying about their future as
\ntheir working contract with then Ministry of Security and Defense
\nwill terminate on Dec. 31.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators representing Kamra members in Java, Bali,
\nEast Nusa Tenggara and South Sumatra gathered at the Yogyakarta
\nprovincial legislative council building yard, urging the central
\ngovernment to pay attention to them.<\/p>\n
Many of the protesters from outside Java arrived in Yogyakarta
\non Thursday and had spent the night at the legislative council
\nbuilding compound.<\/p>\n
The non-violent protest started at 9 a.m. with requests for
\njobs. They carried banners reading We want certainty, We are
\ndreaming of becoming policemen, servicemen or civil servants.<\/p>\n
National Coordinator of Kamra Rubiyanto said he and his fellow
\nKamra members would stay at the compound until the government
\nfulfilled their demands.<\/p>\n
\"We pledge to stay to the end,\" said Rubiyanto.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile the Central Java Kamra coordinator Prihanto said the
\nKamra members were ready for selection tests to become policemen
\nor servicemen. \"We had passed certain tests before being
\ninaugurated as Kamra members. Nevertheless, we are ready for
\nanother test. The promise to give us first priority in police or
\nmilitary recruitment was just lip service,\" Prihanto said.<\/p>\n
Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X met with the
\nprotesters and provided drinks.<\/p>\n
A Kamra member of Central Java said that the government owed
\neach Kamra member between Rp 5 million to Rp 6 million in monthly
\nsalaries and other allowances which had not yet been paid. \"We
\ndon't want the money. We just want jobs for our future.\"<\/p>\n
The sultan promised to accompany the protesters'
\nrepresentatives to convey their aspirations to the central
\ngovernment in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"I and other provincial officials will set up a special team
\nfor this,\" he said, which drew applause from the protesters.<\/p>\n
\"Please, I request each unit chief to make official letters
\nauthorizing me to represent you all, and write down clearly what
\nyou want,\" said the sultan.<\/p>\n
In the West Java capital of Bandung hundreds of Kamra members
\nalso protested the government's lack of attention to them.<\/p>\n
The protesters spokesman, Dadang, told reporters that they had
\nlodged a complaint about their future to the provincial
\nlegislature, but no response had been made by the legislators.<\/p>\n
The history<\/p>\n
Kamra was established early last year under the initiative of
\nthen Minister of Security and Defense Gen. Wiranto.<\/p>\n
Wiranto argued at that time that the Armed Forces (ABRI)
\nneeded help in enforcing law and restoring a sense of security
\namong the public.<\/p>\n
Wiranto is no longer heading the ministry and the police force
\nis no longer under the auspices of the Ministry of Security and
\nDefense.<\/p>\n
Hot debates had taken place between Wiranto's office and the
\nHouse of Representatives about the plan on Kamra.<\/p>\n
Wiranto once told a hearing with the House that the plan was
\npart of ABRI's anticipatory action to help create feeling of
\nsecurity in society as well as to maintain stability.<\/p>\n
\"Crimes, including riots, looting and arson are expected to
\nsoar because of economic hardship and people's ignorance of the
\nlaw,\" the general said in a hearing in January last year.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Wiranto told reporters in Yogyakarta that he no
\nlonger had the right to say anything about Kamra.<\/p>\n
Interviewed by reporters during his tour to promote his
\ncassette at UNISI Radio Station, Wiranto recalled that the idea
\nto set up the civilian militia was due to the fact that the
\nnumber of police officers was too small compared to the
\npopulation.<\/p>\n
\"Ideally the ratio between police officers and the people is
\n1:300, while it is now 1: 1,100 in Indonesia. If riots erupt,
\nwhat could we do? Furthermore, many unemployed people have a good
\neducational background. The Kamra project was expected to help
\ncurb the high unemployment rate,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said however that it would not be practical to channel
\nmembers of Kamra into the police or military. \"There was not any
\npromise to do that. They just have priority when the military and
\nthe police force want to recruit new members.\" (23\/sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/over-4000-kamra-members-question-their-future-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}