VP, activist oppose proposed bill on state intelligence<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Vice President Hamzah Haz and human rights activist criticized on
\nTuesday a proposed bill on state intelligence, slated to be
\ndiscussed by the government, saying that it was an affront to
\ncivil rights.<\/p>\n
Hamzah said the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) should not
\nhave the authority that rightfully belongs to the police as law
\nenforcers.<\/p>\n
"The request for the authority to detain and arrest people
\nencroaches on the task of the police force and would create legal
\nuncertainty," Hizbut Thahir spokesman Muhammad Ismail Yusanto
\nquoted Hamzah as saying during their meeting.<\/p>\n
Yusanto also disclosed that the Vice President expressed
\nconcern that the bill would create further public controversy
\nover a possible return to a more repressive regime.<\/p>\n
Human rights activist Hendardi concurred saying that BIN
\nshould only have the authority to provide information, not to go
\nfurther to arrest or detain people.<\/p>\n
"This is like asking to legalize past repressive practices and
\nfor greater authority for the military community," Hendardi told
\nThe Jakarta Post on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
At almost the same time the Indonesian Military submitted a
\ncontroversial bill to regulate itself, BIN chief Lt. Gen. (ret)
\nHendropriyono presented a bill on state intelligence to the
\nOffice of the State Secretary.<\/p>\n
The two bills would be further discussed with President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri and would be examined by the Ministry of
\nJustice and Human Rights before they could be submitted to the
\nHouse of Representatives (DPR) for deliberation.<\/p>\n
The process could take months, and with the current intensive
\npreparations for the 2004 election, it is unlikely that the bills
\nwill be deliberated by the current administration.<\/p>\n
Analysts have warned that the two bills, which clearly ask for
\nwider authority for both institutions, symbolized the intention
\nof the military community to grab power from civilian leaders.<\/p>\n
Under the state intelligence bill, BIN is allowed to detain
\npeople for seven x 24 hours for questioning without being
\naccompanied by a lawyer.<\/p>\n
The detention could be prolonged for up to 90 days, and for
\nfurther investigation it could be extended up to three times the
\n90-day period.<\/p>\n
The place and reason for such practices would be determined
\nsolely by the BIN chief.<\/p>\n
Another article in the draft bill also authorizes the BIN
\nchief to provide firearms for its intelligence community, outside
\nTNI and police procedures.<\/p>\n
Similar practices are also applied in Malaysia and Singapore
\nwith their Internal Security Acts, which legalize people's
\ndetention for up to one-year without solid evidence.<\/p>\n
BIN had tried to insert these articles in government
\nregulation in lieu of law No. 1\/2002, which was issued to deal
\nwith terrorism following the Oct. 12 Bali bombing.<\/p>\n
Such regulations have caused anxiety among the Muslim
\ncommunity as most of arrested terror suspects were connected to
\nradical Muslim groups.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/vp-activist-oppose-proposed-bill-on-state-intelligence-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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