Police would regain public trust if 'they avoid political cases'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Police should avoid taking on politically
\nsensitive cases if they want to regain public trust before being
\nseparated from the Armed Forces, a legal scholar said Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Prof. Satjipto Rahardjo of Diponegoro University cited the
\ncases of American scholar Jeffrey Winters, who was named a
\nsuspect for allegedly defaming finance minister Ginandjar
\nKartasasmita, and last year's interrogation of members of the
\nNational Front (Barisan Nasional), who were charged with treason.<\/p>\n
\"Police must be very careful not to get trapped in cases that
\nwill force them to make political choices. Future police in
\nIndonesia must try to disconnect their role from the political
\nmachine,\" Satjipto said.<\/p>\n
The police investigation of Winters and Barisan Nasional has
\ncome under much criticism. In the latter case, it was said that
\nthe group members, including retired generals, had merely
\nexpressed opinions.<\/p>\n
Satjipto was speaking at a one-day discussion on the police
\nagenda in the lead-up to its separation from the Armed Forces
\n(ABRI). The process is to begin on April 1.<\/p>\n
The separation, which will be gradual, was first announced on
\nthe anniversary of the establishment of the Armed Forces on Oct.
\n5 last year.<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense and Security\/ABRI Commander Gen. Wiranto
\nhas said that in the first six months the police would answer to
\nthe defense ministry, instead of the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
After the transition period, an evaluation may determine
\nwhether the police will function under the Ministry of Home
\nAffairs or be directly answerable to the president.<\/p>\n
Satjipto said \"political cases\" were those which involved
\nintervention from those holding power.<\/p>\n
\"Police must disconnect themselves from such cases to avoid
\nthem being forced into making political choices,\" which is not
\ntheir job, Satjipto said, adding this would make them merely \"a
\npolitical machine\".<\/p>\n
After the separation, police must work harder to improve their
\nimage, Satjipto said. \"In the next couple of months, front-line
\nofficers such as traffic police must be reeducated.<\/p>\n
\"They must be trained to be more caring to people. I think
\nmedium rank officers here are open-minded and support reforms.\"<\/p>\n
Another speaker, lawyer Abdul Hakim Garuda, said ABRI leaders
\nin the future must be ready for certain consequences following
\nthe separation of police from the military.<\/p>\n
Hakim said that, during the transition period under the
\ndefense ministry, ABRI leaders would have to consider the
\npossibility of separating the position of the minister and the
\ncommander of the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
Although this decision must be made by the President, \"it is
\nbetter to 'purify' police from decades of combat force
\ninfluences, by having separate leaders to avoid dualism,\" Hakim,
\nfrom the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (Elsam),
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie last year denied that the two roles,
\ncurrently both held by Wiranto, would be split.<\/p>\n
All speakers supported the immediate separation of police from
\nABRI, saying all other necessary changes could follow later.<\/p>\n
\"The most important thing in this separation is to increase
\npolice wages and upgrade their performance,\" said psychologist
\nSarlito Wirawan, who is an adviser assisting police in the
\nseparation.<\/p>\n
He warned the public against high hopes after April 1, saying
\nmany changes were required: \"It could take 10 to 20 years to have
\na decent police corps,\" Sarlito said. (edt)<\/p>",
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