Rights groups join chorus against militia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Human rights groups joined on Friday the chorus
\nof opposition to the Armed Forces' (ABRI) plan to establish a
\n70,000-strong civilian militia.<\/p>\n
The groups, including the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute, the
\nInternational NGO Forum on Indonesian Development, the Institute
\nfor Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) and the Jakarta Social
\nInstitute, said in a joint statement that the plan to establish
\nthe militia was fraught with political interest.<\/p>\n
\"The plan to establish the militia, which is unilaterally
\ninitiated by ABRI and not through deliberation in the House of
\nRepresentatives, indicates a hidden agenda,\" said Ifdhal Kasim of
\nELSAM, reading from a statement.<\/p>\n
The groups also criticized ABRI Commander Gen. Wiranto's
\nearlier statement that the militia would be authorized to make
\narrests and interrogate people.<\/p>\n
\"With these authorities, the use of violence by the militia
\nwould be justified. The militia would be prone to human rights
\nviolations,\" the statement said.<\/p>\n
They said that the plan would only heighten the potential for
\nconflict within a society which has in recent months seen
\nrioting, clashes and protests. Other critics have also questioned
\nthe timing of such a plan.<\/p>\n
Jakarta, where a large concentration of security forces are
\nbased, has since last month seen deadly clashes between soldiers
\nand students, looting, violent brawls between neighborhood groups
\nand riots with religious overtones which left scores dead and
\nseveral buildings, including 22 churches, burned or damaged.<\/p>\n
Four civilian security volunteers were killed by mobs during
\nstudent clashes with security personnel on Nov. 12 and Nov. 13.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, Central Java, Minister of Justice Muladi,
\nhowever, said on Friday that people should not hastily oppose the
\nformation of the militia, adding they should first see whether
\nthe militia would be professionally trained or not.<\/p>\n
He also said that the ABRI commander should further explain
\nthe plan to the public.<\/p>\n
Muladi had expressed reservations about the plan, saying
\nearlier this week that Article 20 of the 1982 law on national
\ndefense stipulates that a law should be issued before a civilian
\nmilitia was established.<\/p>\n
House Speaker Harmoko had said Wiranto would be asked to
\noutline the plan after legislators returned from their year-end
\nbreak. Wiranto had earlier said recruitment was expected to begin
\nin January.<\/p>\n
Wiranto, who argues that the plan is both constitutional and
\nnecessary because of the low ratio of police to the population,
\ncame under strong criticism from human rights groups here and
\nabroad when ABRI used 125,000 civilians to boost security at last
\nmonth's Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
Students have demonstrated against the plan here and in
\nseveral cities, including in Semarang on Friday. Similar
\nopposition has also been raised by popular reform leader Amien
\nRais. (byg\/har\/44)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rights-groups-join-chorus-against-militia-1447893297",
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