Civilian militia delayed until House debate

Civilian militia delayed until House debate

JAKARTA (JP): Following days of public uproar, the government
decided on Monday to postpone the establishment of a civilian
militia until at least a law on trained civilians is issued.

Minister of Justice Muladi confirmed the delay and announced
that the government had completed the draft law, which would be
submitted to the House of Representatives next month.

"The draft law on the establishment of a civilian militia will
be submitted to the House in January," he told reporters after a
limited ministerial meeting on political and security affairs.

Citing law No. 20/1982 on Security and Defense, the minister
said a separate legislation was needed before a civilian militia
could be established.

"Law No. 20/1982 suggests the creation of a separate law to
regulate the establishment of the civilian militia," he said.

He had earlier acknowledged a legal shortcut to the lengthy
lawmaking process, namely the issuance of a governmental decree
in lieu of a law. This alternative, however, is warranted only in
a state of emergency.

An earlier attempt to invoke this legal shortcut -- when
President B.J. Habibie's administration wanted to regulate
freedom of expression in July -- was met with great public
resistance.

Now, Muladi also dismissed the suggestion that the government
use such an approach. "The public would immediately oppose it,"
he said.

Muladi said that the government would deploy the Kamra, an
acronym for Kemanan Rakyat (People's Security), while awaiting
completion of the law on the civilian militia.

"Unlike the civilian militia, the establishment of Hansip
(civil defense) and Kamra have legal grounds in Presidential
Decree No. 55/1972," he said.

He said that the civilian militia had a different function
from Hansip and Kamra.

"The civilian militia's main duty is the security of the
people, while Hansip and Kamra are responsible for security in
the neighborhood," he explained.

The planned establishment of the civilian militia was
introduced by Minister of Defense and Security Gen. Wiranto
earlier this month.

Wiranto, who argued that the plan is both constitutional and
necessary because of the low ratio of police to the population,
came under strong criticism from human rights groups here and
abroad when the Armed Forces used 125,000 civilians to boost
security at last month's Special Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly.

Students have demonstrated against the planned civilian
militia here and in several cities. Similar opposition has also
been raised by popular reform leader Amien Rais' National Mandate
Party and the Justice Party.

The ministerial meeting on political and security affairs also
recommended that security officers be continuously deployed in
strategic and important areas, including the State Palace, the
House of Representatives/People's Consultative Assembly complex
and several government offices.

"We can withdraw our troops from the important and strategic
scenes, but who can guarantee that the demonstrators will not
turn anarchic," I Wayan Karya, spokesman for the office of the
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, told
reporters after the meeting.

The office recorded 903 street demonstrations from January to
December of this year, with the peak coming during the months of
September, October and November. (imn)