Police set for tasks at vital places<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A top security minister expressed on Thursday his support for the
\npolice to take over security job in areas of great economic
\nvalue, or vital installations, from the Indonesian Military
\n(TNI), except for those in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Thursday that the presence of
\nTNI troops at the U.S.-owned PT ExxonMobil gas company and state-
\nowned oil and gas company PT Arun NGL. Co. in Aceh would be
\nmaintained as martial law remains effective in the natural
\nresource-rich province.<\/p>\n
Martial law has been in effect since May 19 and the government
\nrecently extended it until the middle of next year.<\/p>\n
\"Principally, the TNI is tasked with guarding vital
\ninstallations for various considerations, including rampant
\ndisturbances. In Aceh, troops are still needed to guard PT
\nExxonMobile and PT Arun, but in other places, we think the
\nmanagers of each company have to be held responsible for security
\nof their own plants,\" Susilo told reporters after a meeting on
\nsecurity and political affairs.<\/p>\n
He said the National Police was ready to take over the job
\nfrom the TNI and reinforcement troops would be sent in only if
\nthe police fail to maintain security.<\/p>\n
TNI Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto had said the military would
\nwithdraw its troops currently guarding several vital
\ninstallations, including PT Freeport gold and copper mine in
\nPapua, asserting that the job of security was not part of TNI's
\nmain tasks according to Law No. 3\/2002 on state defense.<\/p>\n
Freeport has said it paid TNI about US$5.6 million last year
\nto protect its employees in Papua.<\/p>\n
The TNI submitted the proposal to the government on Nov. 4 and
\nexpects to hear the government's approval immediately.<\/p>\n
Currently, there are some 2,100 TNI troops guarding vital
\nobjects across the country.<\/p>\n
Siliwangi Military Command overseeing West Java is guarding
\nthe steam-powered electricity plant (PLTU) Suralaya and state-
\nowned aircraft company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI), while troops
\nfrom Sriwijaya Military Command oversee, among other places,
\nwhile troops in South Sumatra are providing security for oil
\nrefineries at the Plaju and Gerong rivers.<\/p>\n
Bukit Barisan Military Command overseeing West Sumatra, North
\nSumatra and Riau provinces is securing the water-powered
\nelectricity plant (PLTA) Sigura-gura, U.S.-owned oil and gas PT
\nCaltex in Dumai and metal producer PT Inalum.<\/p>\n
The high-valued resources that the Brawijaya Military Command
\nof East Java looks after include the PLTU Paiton and chemical
\ncompany PT Petro Kimia Gresik.<\/p>\n
In Kalimantan, troops from the Tanjungpura Military Command
\nare guarding the operation of PT Badak gas producer in Bontang,
\nPT VICO Muara Badak and PT Unocal Sangata chemical companies and
\nstate-owned oil and gas company Pertamina in Balikpapan.<\/p>\n
Endriartono denied suggestions that his proposal was linked to
\na U.S. decision to withhold assistance for TNI unless they
\ncooperated fully with a Federal Bureau of Investigation probe
\ninto the ambush that killed two Americans at Freeport in August
\nlast year. The military denies any involvement.<\/p>\n
Since the formal separation of the police force from the
\nmilitary in 2000, internal security affairs should be the
\nresponsibility of the police.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-set-for-tasks-at-vital-places-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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