President endorses civilian `guards'<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Citing the lack of police personnel, President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri threw her support behind the establishment of armed
\ncivilian groups on Tuesday, saying their existence helped defend
\nthe people from lawlessness, especially in conflict-torn areas.<\/p>\n
\"We should consider giving proper recognition to the public's
\ndemands to be allowed to defend themselves and their property,
\nespecially those living in conflict areas,\" Megawati said during
\na ceremony marking the 57th anniversary of the National Police on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
According to the President, the existence of armed civilian
\ngroups was mandated by the newly amended 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
\"The demand to be allowed to defend one's life and property is
\nnot only natural, but also right and constitutionally
\nlegitimate,\" she stressed.<\/p>\n
Article 30 of the 1945 Constitution states that the country
\napplies a defense system that requires popular participation.<\/p>\n
\"In facing armed civilians that extort, torture and even kill
\nother civilians, the people's participation is increasingly
\nnecessary given the lack of security personnel,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, a sprawling nation with around 210 million people,
\nhas about 200,000 police officers and 300,000 military personnel.<\/p>\n
Since the downfall of former dictator Soeharto in 1998, crime
\nhas been on the increase because the military has reduced its
\nrole in policing the civilian population.<\/p>\n
Critics say the police force is understaffed and
\nunder-equipped, and incapable of maintaining law and order. The
\nforce is also widely believed to be riddled with corruption.<\/p>\n
This has led to vigilante groups in villages and cities often
\napprehending and punishing alleged wrongdoers. People suspected
\nof stealing or other crimes are regularly burned or beaten to
\ndeath in public.<\/p>\n
Megawati said the presence of such civilian guards would not
\nonly help with security, but also allow the police to focus on
\nother major problems.<\/p>\n
A former member of the National Commission on Human Rights
\n(Komnas HAM), meanwhile, said that the establishment of civilian
\nguards or task forces would only create fears among the people as
\nsuch groups did not have the ability to assess whether their
\nactions were legal or not.<\/p>\n
\"There is no legal basis for seeking their accountability,
\nincluding when they carry out security tasks that are normally
\nassigned to the military or police,\" Asmara said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
According to Asmara, the establishment of such groups
\ndemonstrated that the country's security forces were still
\ntempted to use proxies whenever possible.<\/p>\n
Criminologist from the University of Indonesia (UI), Airlangga
\nMasdia, said the existence of vigilantes reflected the public's
\ndisappointment with law enforcers such as prosecutors, the police
\nand judges.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and
\nMinister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil said last year that all
\ncivilian guards and task forces should be dissolved as they were
\nof no service to the country.<\/p>\n
This, however, was before the military operation in Aceh,
\nwhere military-backed militias and \"people's defense\" groups are
\nwidely reported to be operating.<\/p>\n
During her speech, President Megawati also urged the police to
\nchange their approach so as to regain the trust and respect of
\nthe public.<\/p>\n
\"Many of our police officers are said to protect criminals
\nfrom the law, and some police officers are even involved in
\ncriminal activities ... they have to be expelled from the police
\nforce,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The celebration involved thousands of police personnel with a
\nhigh-profile antiterrorist squad demonstrating its prowess in
\nfront of the President.<\/p>\n
Vice President Hamzah Haz and almost all the members of the
\nCabinet attended the function, which lasted for more than three
\nhours.<\/p>\n
The National Police were officially separated from the TNI in
\n2000, and became an independent state agency directly under the
\nsupervision of the President.<\/p>\n
Since the separation, the police have played a greater role in
\nstate affairs, and have emerged as an equal partner of the TNI,
\nwhich was the dominant group during the Soeharto regime.<\/p>",
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