Army ready to give up vital role

Army ready to give up vital role

JAKARTA (JP): Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
asserted on Friday that the Army was prepared to hand over its
territorial function to the National Police and provincial
administrations.

"There is no problem for us in handing over our territorial
function if it is considered to have obstructed democracy, on the
condition that both the regions and the police are deemed ready
to take over the function," he told reporters when accompanying
Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Adm. Widodo A.S. on a visit
to the Jakarta Military Command.

Endriartono said the Army had no objection to the consequent
dissolution of district military commands (Kodim) at the regency
level and all military units at lower levels, including
subdistrict military commands (Koramil) and military officers in
charge of village security (Babinsa).

He said the Army would even be willing to abolish regional
military commands (Kodam) at the provincial level, but there must
be substitute military organizations -- without territorial
functions -- to accommodate military officers with certain
structural positions.

"However, it has yet to be decided when the territorial
function will be handed over to the regional administrations,"
Endriartono said.

He, nevertheless, acknowledged that the plan to abolish the
military's territorial role was in line with a 2000 decree of the
People's Consultative Assembly on the role of the TNI and the
National Police.

The plan to abolish the military's territorial role was first
disclosed by Lt. Gen. Agus Widjojo, chief of the Indonesian
Military's Territorial Affairs.

Agus said on Tuesday that the military would gradually hand
over its territorial affairs to local administrations and focus
on defense affairs.

The military's territorial function has long been criticized
for having hindered the development of democracy.

With its territorial function, the military has been deeply
involved in civil affairs, especially during the administration
of former president Soeharto, who used military networks down to
the village level to silence its critics and maintain the status
quo.

Nevertheless, the military's territorial work has in some
cases brought about improvements in the physical development of
local areas such as in helping to build infrastructure and
improve the people's social welfare.

Observers have generally welcomed TNI's plan to abolish its
territorial function and focus on defense matters, saying that it
would improve its professionalism.

The National Police, however, are unsure whether they are
ready to assume the territorial functions, together with the
local administrations.

Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi, chief spokesman for the National
Police, declined to comment, saying that "it is quite a sensitive
issue."

Didi's deputy, Brig. Gen. Edward Aritonang, was also cautious
to comment on the issue, saying that "it's not final yet. Just
wait for the final decision."

When pressed further, Aritonang said that principally the
police were ready to heed any calls to maintain security and
public order.

However, if the police had to assume the military's
territorial role in preparing the people's defense system,
Aritonang said the police would not be able to do so alone,
saying that it would need the support of the people and the
military. (rms/emf)