Certain police officers protect hoodlums, Koesparmono says

Certain police officers protect hoodlums, Koesparmono says

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A former prominent police officer said on Thursday that certaian
officers in the force were providing security for high level
gangster figures and warned that the widespread organized crime
in the country was getting out of control.

"I think there are (many police officers in collusion with
organized crime gangsters). But, I don't think the entire police
force is," said Maj. Gen. (ret) Koesparmono Irsan, former
National Police chief deputy for operational affairs, after a
discussion on organized crime hosted by 68H news radio station on
Thursday.

Koesparmono, who served with the police for over 30 years,
admitted, however, that it was hard to pinpoint each of the
officers who were part of the criminal underworld.

Koesparmono believed that in most developing countries,
organized crime could only survive with the help of the
authorities, such as the police, or other law enforcers or
government officials.

Anton Medan, a gangster-turned-preacher, concurred, saying
that many police, government officials and legislators regularly
become protectors of the gangs throuhgout the country.

"That is particularly true in the provinces," said Anton,
citing rampant illegal logging in several provinces in the
country by organized gangsters who are in direct collusion with
the authorities.

Anton said during the New Order era, there was only one really
powerful thug organization, the youth wing of the then ruling
Golkar party. The organization, he said, squeezed protection
money from businesspeople.

"Currently, the condition is getting worse because most big
political parties have such an organization. Police usually back
them because they are close to power," he said, adding that
flourishing 'private gangster organizations' are also backed by
police.

He suggested that all political parties disband their so-
called youth wings or task forces which often are offically
described as a private security group for campaign rallies and
other large party functions.

However, criminologist Adrianus Meliala, who is also an
adviser to Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, suggested that the
police should just work to control, to an acceptable level each
of these organized crime gangs rather than trying to liquidate
them.

"I don't think we can afford the social costs (if the
authorities disbanded the gangster groups)," he said, referring
to the current uncontrolled thuggery exemplified by the recent
attack by several of businessman Tomy Winata's men and apparently
the youth wing of the current ruling party against Tempo magazine
offices.

Koesparmono, Anton and Rasyid Harsuna Loebis of the Indonesian
Police Watch, strongly urged the National Police to investigate
the Tempo incident and prosecute to the fullest extent of the
law, all the perpetrators and their bosses.

"The police must be honest about investigating this case.
Otherwise, it will serve as another bad precedent. The police
have no other option but to investigate this case seriously,"
Koesparmono said.

Separately, the Press Council urged Da'i to get more serious
about managing the increased violence against the press.

Press Council Chairman Atmakusumah Astraatmadja said there had
been four cases of violations against the press reported to the
council in recent weeks.