TNI accused of prolonging regional conflicts<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Military personnel in conflict areas have worked to escalate
\nviolence there in order to maintain their control over business
\nactivities, experts said on Monday.<\/p>\n
They said military personnel in conflict areas were often
\ninvolved in weapon smuggling, illegal logging, and car smuggling.<\/p>\n
Sri Yanuarti of the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI),
\nIchsan Malik of Conflict Resolution Baku Bae Maluku and analyst
\nOtto Syamsuddin urged military personnel to stop their business
\nactivities and concentrate on their duties.<\/p>\n
\"The trend is that when clashes ease, unidentified military
\nofficers always try to escalate the conflict again to ensure they
\ncan continue their business activities,\" Sri Yanuarti said.<\/p>\n
She said as an institution the military didn't directly
\npromote such an escalation of conflict but it took no measures to
\nprevent or stop it.<\/p>\n
\"High-ranking military officers in Jakarta know that their
\nsubordinates in Maluku have control over various business
\nactivities, but they don't stop them,\" Ichsan said at a seminar
\non military business interests in conflict areas.<\/p>\n
\"This makes conflict resolution very difficult to achieve,\"
\nIchsan said.<\/p>\n
Major businesses in Maluku controlled by the military are
\nsecurity services, weapon smuggling, illegal logging, spice
\ntrading, and the trade of endangered animals, according to
\nIchsan.<\/p>\n
Military personnel generally market their services to business
\nfirms or to people traveling to Ambon's Pattimura Airport, said
\nIchsan, adding that they charge between Rp 400,000 and Rp 80,000
\nper person.<\/p>\n
\"The rate can double if you want to go to the airport by
\nboat,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Regarding gun smuggling, weapons like AK-47 rifles, Ruger
\nrifles, SS1, SKS and M-16 rifles can be bought from the military
\nfor between Rp 15 million (US$1,660) and Rp 30 million, according
\nto Ichsan.<\/p>\n
Pistols, he said, could be bought for between Rp 1 million and
\nRp 2 million.<\/p>\n
Military officers also brought endangered animals as gifts
\nwhen they returned to their hometowns, he said.<\/p>\n
The military had also forced coffee and spice producers to
\nsell their produce to military personnel at low prices, Ichsan
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"They are enjoying the business, so there is no reason to pull
\nout of the conflict areas,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Otto said military officers in Southeast Aceh were
\ninvolved in illegal logging, which often sparked gun fights
\nbetween the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police.<\/p>\n
Military officers were also involved in automobile smuggling,
\nhe said, with smugglers charged between Rp 2 million and Rp 15
\nmillion to ensure the cars reach their buyers in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Military officers also collect fees from vehicles passing by
\nsecurity posts, the amount of which could reach Rp 18 billion a
\nyear, according to Otto.<\/p>\n
\"Even dead bodies also have a price. If your family member is
\nmissing or dead, you must pay at least Rp 2 million to military
\nofficers to get the body,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sri urged the government to audit military foundations and
\ncooperatives to find out the source of their funds.<\/p>\n
According to Sri, military business entities should be put
\nunder the auspices of the Office of the State Minister for State
\nEnterprises, and the profit should be distributed to the military
\nthrough the state budget.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tni-accused-of-prolonging-regional-conflicts-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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