ABRI firm on human rights abuse

ABRI firm on human rights abuse

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung
promised yesterday that no soldier will go unpunished for human
rights violations.

Feisal told a hearing with Commission I of the House of
Representatives that respect for human rights is very much a part
of military regulations.

All past violations were dealt with accordingly, he said,
citing two cases last year in which civilians were killed in
Liquisa, East Timor, and in Timika, Irian Jaya.

"The Timika and Liquisa incidents occurred because of
deviations from standard procedures," he said.

Feisal also reported that the soldiers involved in brawling in
Medan, North Sumatra, last week would be punished.

According to one report from Medan, nearly 120 members of a
cavalry assault battalion attacked a residential area in Medan to
avenge the death of their colleague, who was killed by a gang of
hoodlums. Several people were injured and dozens of houses and
vehicles were damaged in the attack.

Commission member Krissantono used the opportunity to question
Feisal about the recent military violations of human rights in
Liquisa, Timika and Medan as well as in Dili, East Timor, in 1991
and in Madura, East Java, in 1993.

Krissantono, representing the dominant Golkar faction, said he
welcomed the decision of the Trikora Military Regional Command,
which oversees Irian Jaya and Maluku, to produce and distribute a
booklet on human rights for soldiers in the area.

However, he asked why a similar effort had not been undertaken
by the rest of ABRI.

Gen. Feisal said in response that respecting human rights has
always been part of military training.

"It is not necessary to teach ABRI about human rights because
everyone, from the top to the lowest ranks, is already familiar
with the concept," he said.

Booklet

The booklet distributed by the Trikora Command is only to
serve as a reminder. It is up to the others if they want to
follow the example of the Trikora commander, he said.

Feisal was accompanied by ABRI's top brass including Army
Chief of Staff Gen. Hartono, Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Tanto
Koeswanto, Air Force Chief of Staff Marshall Rilo Pambudi and
National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman.

Meanwhile, Feisal confirmed that the United States has agreed
to resume its military education aid program for Indonesian
officers which was stopped in 1992.

"The Pentagon has given the green light to resume the program
starting this year. ABRI will send its officers there," he said.

Maj. Gen. Syamsir Siregar, the chief of ABRI's Intelligence
Agency, said Indonesia will send officers for law and defense
management programs as well as postgraduate studies.

Washington suspended the program under pressure from the U.S.
Congress, which was protesting Indonesia's policy in East Timor.

ABRI's Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs, Lt. Gen. Syarwan
Hamid, was asked during the hearing to elaborate on his earlier
warning about the dangers of a "New Left" in Indonesia.

"This movement, similar to communism which is banned in this
country, thrives on controversies and debates," he said, adding
that the ultimate goal of the New Left is to sow instability and
bring down governments.

The threat, albeit in an embryonic form, is real and not just
a smokescreen, Syarwan explained.

"It will be more difficult to stop it once the movement has
grown big and its activities grown uncontrollable," he said.

Syarwan refrained from naming any individual or organization
identified with the movement.

"If communists used peasants as a base, this new movement is
using workers, youths and students to fight for its goals," he
said. (rms)