TNI ready to leave conflict zones: Chief<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military (TNI) said it was ready to withdraw its
\ninvolvement in settling armed conflicts in the country, provided
\nthat this decision came from the people.<\/p>\n
\"I leave it to their consensus. If we are to withdraw from the
\nconflict zones, we would be happy to do so. The more tasks taken
\naway from us, the happier we will be because we can just rest at
\nhome, but still get a salary,\" TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
\nsaid on Monday during a meeting with House of Representatives
\nCommission I for security affairs.<\/p>\n
Endriartono was responding to a proposal from the Brussels-
\nbased International Crisis Group (ICG) that the military withdraw
\nfrom Papua and that the police should take full responsibility of
\nsecurity in the province.<\/p>\n
In a report published in this newspaper on Monday, the ICG
\nsaid the military's involvement in the easternmost province of
\nIrian Jaya should be questioned. The ICG said the presence of
\nmilitary forces on the island worsened the security situation.<\/p>\n
Endriartono said that the TNI had been pushing for a clear-cut
\nguideline for its responsibility in security to avoid an overlap
\nwith police duties.<\/p>\n
\"I am expecting to have a discussion with the National Police
\nchief about the draft, so that it will be legally clear what
\nactions need to be taken to cope with the violence,\" said
\nEndriartono.<\/p>\n
\"We need to set up such a law,\" Endriartono said.<\/p>\n
The National Police became separated from TNI in 1999 and with
\nthe separation, internal security matters come under full police
\nresponsibility as stipulated in People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR) Decree No. VI\/1999. However, the decree does not provide
\nclear-cut guidelines on TNI's responsibility in internal
\nsecurity.<\/p>\n
According to the existing defense law, TNI shares security
\nresponsibility in, among other things, guarding vital
\ninstallations and projects.<\/p>\n
Legislators, meanwhile, defended TNI's presence in conflict
\nareas.<\/p>\n
\"The number of police officers is limited. Police personnel
\nare also not as well trained as their military counterparts to
\ncope with conflicts,\" Amris Hassan from the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tni-ready-to-leave-conflict-zones-chief-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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