Conflicts worsen despite troop deployments

Conflicts worsen despite troop deployments

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The deployment of 50,000 troops in restive areas has largely
failed to restore order because elements in both the government
and the military have vested interests in keeping the conflicts
alive, observers said Saturday.

Syamsuddin Haris of the National Institute of Sciences (LIPI)
said that the government's lack of a comprehensive policy to
handle the widespread unrest had created an opportunity for
certain parties, including the military and police, to prolong
the conflicts.

"I see that the existing conflicts most likely constitute
"projects" on the part of those who don't want to see successes
in the struggle for reform and democracy in this country,"
Syamsuddin said.

"The military and police need to keep the conflicts alive so
as to bring their own agendas to fruition," Syamsuddin added.

Syamsuddin expressed pessimism as to whether the government
would be able to settle the problems as "the President herself is
part of the compromise."

Separately, M. Rifqie Muna of the Research Institute for
Democracy and Peace (RIDeP) blamed the government for not having
a mechanism or early warning system for anticipating such
conflicts.

"The central government also does not have a thorough policy
for handling unrest so that it is actually confused whether it
should be the police or the military who are sent in to help curb
disturbances in certain regions," Rifqie told The Jakarta Post.

The government said earlier that about 50,000 military and
police personnel had been deployed to several troubled provinces,
such a Aceh, Irian Jaya and Maluku, to maintain order.

According to the government, the troops were also expected to
do their best to help maintain the unity of the state and quell
separatist movements.

Data reveals that the largest troop deployments are in Aceh
and Maluku, where some 22,000 personal are now stationed. The
remaining troops are stationed in several other regions such as
Kalimantan, Irian Jaya and Poso (Central Sulawesi).

Despite the large troop deployment, however, sectarian
conflicts continue to intensify in certain regions. The
government, for example, has just sent fresh troops to Poso,
where Muslim paramilitary groups have reportedly driven thousands
of Christian villagers from their homes. The fresh deployment,
however, has so far failed to curb the conflict there.

"The confusing regulation stating that the police have the
authority to decide whether they need military assistance or not
has worsened the security situation. The involvement of the
military in handling disturbances must be clearly determined by
the government as a political decision," Rifqie said.

Rifqie admitted that the military itself had problems in
strictly punishing its members who were involved in the conflicts
due to emotional reasons, or even for economic reasons by
supplying arms and weapons to separatist movements in the
country.

"The deployment of troops in several restive regions is not
the only solution as the government must also put in place
comprehensive policies on politics, economics and social affairs
in respect of the regions," Rifqie said.