Terrorism war benefits military, intelligence<\/p>\n
A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Intelligence
\nAgency (BIN) have taken advantage of the global war on terrorism
\nto regain the power they had exercised previously to suppress the
\npolitical rights of the people, a human rights activist said on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
\"The war on terrorism has given them legitimacy,\" said Munir,
\nexecutive director of the Indonesian Human Rights Watch
\n(Imparsial), during the book launch of Terrorism, Definition,
\nAction and Regulation.<\/p>\n
The 160-page book was published by Imparsial and the Coalition
\nfor the Safety of the Civilian Community, which groups dozens of
\nnon-governmental organizations opposing the 2003 Antiterrorism
\nLaw.<\/p>\n
Munir said the military had persisted in maintaining its
\nterritorial function using the threat of terrorism as a pretext.<\/p>\n
He deemed the recent proposal by BIN to expand its presence to
\nmayoralties and regencies was an effort to regain power.<\/p>\n
\"Instead of monitoring terrorist activities, they would use
\nits power to curb political activities,\" said Munir, who is a co-
\nfounder of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of
\nViolence (Kontras).<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri is due to sign a decree
\nauthorizing BIN to open offices in all provinces, regencies and
\nmunicipalities across the country, but the time frame for its
\nendorsement has not yet been specified.<\/p>\n
BIN chief Lt. Gen. (ret) A.M. Hendropriyono has confirmed the
\nplan, but said it was intended merely to revitalize the agency.<\/p>\n
Following the Bali bombing on Oct. 12, 2002, which claimed 202
\nlives, national intelligence has been under constant fire for its
\nfailure to detect terrorist activities, especially as more blasts
\nhave rocked the country since Bali.<\/p>\n
The government is also proposing an amendment to the
\nAntiterrorism Law that will authorize BIN to arrest suspected
\nterrorists without a warrant.<\/p>\n
International law expert Andi Widjajanto of the University of
\nIndonesia warned that BIN would be prone to abuse such power.<\/p>\n
\"The task of an intelligence agency is to collect information;
\nthe police must investigate and arrest any suspected terrorists,\"
\nsaid Andi at the book launch.<\/p>\n
During Soeharto's New Order regime, the military and
\nintelligence oppressed the people and denied their political
\nrights through a policy of terror, including abducting activists
\nand incarcerating outspoken literary figures.<\/p>\n
The State Intelligence Coordinating Board (Bakin) of the time
\nwas synonymous with terror and oppression, and was replaced by
\nBIN in 2000, two years after the fall of Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Kontras was founded in part to investigate and trace the
\nwhereabouts of those who \"disappeared\" under the New Order, many
\nof whose fates remain unknown, and are presumed dead.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/terrorism-war-benefits-military-intelligence-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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