ABRI tightens controls on weapon ownership

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) is tightening its controls on the possession of weapons by both active and retired military personnel in order to curb their abuse.

ABRI Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung yesterday instructed the Army, Navy, Air Force and Police to make inventories of guns and other weapons which are used or are still in the possession of active and retired personnel, Antara reported.

"I'm issuing this instruction in order to prevent the misuse of weapons, and so that they won't fall into the hands of unauthorized people," he said.

Feisal also ordered ABRI to seize weapons in the possession of unauthorized people, when speaking with a number of navy officers in the headquarters of the Tanjung Priok Naval Base yesterday.

The general made the instruction in a meeting during which he heard reports from Chief of Western Fleet Rear Admiral Achmad Sutjipto about a recent operation launched by the western fleet. Feisal was accompanied by ABRI chief of General Affairs Lt. Gen. Soeyono and a number of other high ranking military officers.

Feisal also disclosed that there have often been "violations of procedure" in the issuance of guns from the forces to their personnel, especially when people moved from one unit to another.

"There are many officers who already had guns, and got new ones when they moved to other units," he said. "If that system remains their houses would soon turn into arms warehouses."

He cited a number of possible misuses. "What if the guns fall into the hands of those officers' children?" he said.

Last month, in the wake of an armed robbery, the Jakarta military conducted a drive to persuade retired ABRI officers living in the city and its surrounding areas to voluntarily turn in their guns to the Jakarta garrison.

"If they refuse to relinquish their guns, they would get administrative punishments," Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso had said earlier.

By the end of June, the military command had retrieved 426 guns of various makes, from revolvers to FN and AK assault rifles, which were voluntarily handed in by retired Army, Navy, Air Force and Police personnel. (swe)