Fri, 10 Mar 2000

Abolishment of more TNI bodies urged

JAKARTA (JP): Following the decision to abolish the Coordinating Agency to Support the Strengthening of National Stability (Bakorstanas), legislators and observers urged other military-controlled monitoring bodies to also be dissolved.

House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung hailed on Thursday the termination of the agency and screening procedures known as litsus, but said the government should go one step further by excising Posko Kewaspadaan (alert centers).

"The alert centers have the same spirit as Bakorstanas, which is to monitor people's activities," Akbar said.

He said all extra constitutional bodies, such as Bakorstanas, the litsus institutions and alert centers be completely discarded.

According to Akbar, existing intelligence bodies such as the State Intelligence Coordinating Board (Bakin) and the military's Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) were sufficient.

Alert centers were established in January 1997 under the government of former president Soeharto to prevent possible riots.

The centers were set up in almost every military district.

The government announced on Wednesday the liquidation of Bakorstanas, which in past years was chaired by the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief.

It became infamous as part of the military's vehicle to oppress outspoken political activists.

The litsus institution is a government body which screens candidates for government departments.

The screenings usually attempted to trace whether individuals were in any way connected to the banned Indonesian Communist Party.

Legislator Permadi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) warned that while the institution might now be abolished, its function could easily be conducted by other military bodies.

"The functions can easily be taken over by Bakin and BAIS," Permadi said.

Similarly, military observer J. Kristiadi of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) warned that the public should remain wary of these pseudo-military "screening" bodies.

He remarked that it was not impossible for the government to shift this role or establish new bodies under a different guise.

"Gus Dur might create other bodies to replace the dissolved ones but with different names," Kristiadi said, referring to the President by his popular name.

Kristiadi urged the government to accept the differing views prevailing in society instead of fearing them like past regimes did.

"Political distinctions must be appreciated and not repressed, and opposition should also be given space to work," he said on the sidelines of a discussion here.

Kristiadi pointed out that Bakorstanas was established purely for Soeharto's own political interests and therefore it should have been dissolved as soon as the 32-year ruler resigned two years ago along with other military-controlled bodies which could repress political plurality.

People's Consultative Assembly Deputy Speaker Hari Sabarno also welcomed the repeal of Bakorstanas in the current political climate.

He said the Ministry of Defense's two intelligence agencies were sufficient given that currently there were no imminent enemies threatening the country.

However, Hari stressed that if potential threats arose, the government should consider reestablishing them again.

"Although things are normal now, we have to stay alert but right now we don't need an agency like Bakorstanas," Hari of the Assembly's TNI and National Police faction said.(dja/jun/emf)