Separatist movements are main threat to RI, not terrorism<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia's defense white paper puts terrorism behind separatism
\nas the main security threat to the country, a policy that prompts
\nthe need of maintaining the military's territorial function, an
\nofficial said.<\/p>\n
Director-General for Strategic Defense Planning of the
\nMinistry of Defense Maj. Gen. Sudrajat said that the territorial
\nintegrity of Indonesia found its relevance now that the general
\npublic was concerned about the existence of the unitary state of
\nIndonesia, while terrorism remained the center of controversy in
\nthe country.<\/p>\n
"There is misunderstanding among neighboring countries and the
\nU.S. toward Indonesia's perception of threats. We perceive
\nIndonesia's integrity as the primary concern, while other
\ncountries may presume terrorism is their main concern," Sudrajat
\ntold the general conference of the Council for Security
\nCooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) here on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is currently launching a major offensive to quell
\nthe prolonged separatist movement in Aceh and has sent
\nreinforcement troops to Papua to deal with the threat of
\nseparatism there.<\/p>\n
The post-New Order administrations have granted the two
\nprovinces special autonomy status in order to appease the outcry
\nfor independence there.<\/p>\n
Traditional threats, which may manifest themselves in the
\nforms of invasion or aggression from other countries, look very
\nunlikely to materialize for quite a long time in the future,
\nSudrajat said.<\/p>\n
"Such threats won't come from our neighbors because according
\nto our calculations, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines or even
\nAustralia are not in a position to invade Indonesia. The only
\ncountry that can invade Indonesia is the United States, in the
\ncondition that we are proven to harbor terrorists," he said.<\/p>\n
Separatism, he said, has emerged as the real threat, as well
\nas cross-border crimes, sea piracy, hijacking, the problems
\nexperienced by migrant workers and drug trafficking.<\/p>\n
"Eradicating these domestic issues requires the police and
\nIndonesian Military to work together," said Sudrajat.<\/p>\n
Sudrajat highlighted the necessity of maintaining the
\nterritorial function of the Indonesian Military (TNI) in order to
\nkeep soldiers close to society.<\/p>\n
"The understanding that the military should be contained to
\nmilitary bases and barracks, for the time being, is not our
\nparadigm. We can't treat Indonesian Military the same way as the
\nwestern countries treat their soldiers. Here the military
\noriginated from the people, fought together with the people and
\nfor their interests," he said.<\/p>\n
Rights and pro-democratic activists have been calling for an
\nend to the military territorial function, on the ground that the
\nrole, inherited from the New Order, has justified its wide-
\nranging involvement in the sociopolitical field.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/separatist-movements-are-main-threat-to-ri-not-terrorism-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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