TNI asks for tipoffs to help nab bombers<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto urged
\nthe people on Monday to help the country's intelligence agencies
\nin the fight against terrorism by providing more information
\nabout suspected terrorism activities in their neighborhoods.<\/p>\n
Endriartono said it was unfortunate that since the fall of the
\nSuharto regime seven years ago, people were now more reluctant to
\nshare information with intelligence units.<\/p>\n
\"Intelligence (officers) can only maximize their roles in
\npreventing terror attacks if the people provide support and
\ninformation. In the past, people would come to military offices
\nand share information about suspicious things around them.<\/p>\n
\"But nowadays ... the military and its intelligence activities
\nare frequently condemned by the people. And, indeed, sharing
\ninformation with intelligence officers has become (seen as)
\nsomething cheap,\" Endriartono said on the sidelines of a
\nrehearsal for the commemoration of Wednesday's TNI Day at the
\nHalim Perdanakusuma military air base in East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
His remarks came amid criticism of the poor performance of
\nintelligence agencies in the wake of the weekend bomb blasts in
\nBali, which killed at least 22 people and injured more than 100.<\/p>\n
\"In many (terrorism) cases, we see that residential areas have
\nbecome camps where members of certain groups make homemade bombs.
\nI don't understand why the communities (in these areas) have
\nfailed to inform security officers when they witness such
\nsuspicious activities,\" Endriartono said.<\/p>\n
The remarks drew criticism from civil rights activists, who
\nsaid military intelligence officers should not be able to
\nmobilize civilians to spy for them because it was not their role.<\/p>\n
\"We must, from the very beginning, guard a system which
\nenhances the roles of the police to deal with terrorism issues.
\nAlso, the recent Bali blasts should not pave the way for the
\nmilitary to enter the police's domain and to take away people's
\ncivil liberties,\" said Rachland Nashiddik, an executive director
\nof Indonesian human rights watch Imparsial.<\/p>\n
Usman Hamid of the National Commission on Missing Persons and
\nVictims of Violence (Kontras) said that civilian participation in
\nthe war against terrorism was possible but should depend on the
\ncondition that \"they were involved as members of a team
\ninvestigating a terror attack, and not as informants to
\nintelligence officers.\"<\/p>\n
\"The involvement of civilians in the investigation process
\nwill help ensure security forces carry out their jobs seriously.
\nThis seriousness is necessary to (help) prevent more attacks,\"
\nUsman said.<\/p>\n
Usman called on the National Police and the State intelligence
\nAgency (BIN) to provide transparent data about the use of
\nmillions of dollars in funds provided by donor countries aimed at
\nsupporting efforts to curb terrorism nationwide.<\/p>\n
\"If the intelligence community has properly allocated the
\nfunds, there is no reason for them to complain about their
\nweaknesses by blaming civilians for not supporting them. They
\n(the intelligence agencies) have adequate funding and also
\nlegislation that grants them extra powers,\" Usman said, referring
\nto the Antiterrorism Law which enables the police to arrest
\nsuspected terrorists for up to 72 hours without charging them.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly,
\nHidayat Nurwahid, urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to
\nevaluate the performance of BIN and other intelligence units in
\nthe wake of the Bali blasts, arguing that the incidents could
\nhave been prevented if the intelligence system was working
\nproperly.<\/p>\n
However, Hidayat also warned that any moves to rashly increase
\nthe powers of intelligence agencies in the country would likely
\nundermine democratic and civil liberties.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tni-asks-for-tipoffs-to-help-nab-bombers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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