Ending bombings lies with police

Ending bombings lies with police

By Mulchis Anwar

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Jakarta has now become a city of terror
involving bombs. The explosion at the Jakarta Stock Exchange
(JSX) followed an earlier one with limited damage at the Attorney
General's Office and the one at the residence of the Philippine
envoy which took a few victims. There were dozens of victims at
the JSX and further explosions could hurt more people if they are
not properly anticipated.

Inhabitants of Jakarta and other large cities in the country
must apparently start learning to live with this terror. Bomb
threats in some other countries have become common. Residents of
many advanced countries such as the United States, Japan and
those in Europe, and also in developing countries such as the
Philippines, are accustomed to such threats. Their police forces
have largely been able to handle the problems as soon as possible
and things get back to normal.

But what has happened here is different. The bomb threats have
come simultaneously with evolving political issues. People are
still doubtful of the capability of the police. People aren't
sure our police force can find either those responsible or the
background which led to the bombings.

What people do know is the immediate drop of the rupiah and
other impacts. They can only speculate that the bombings are
related to the ongoing trial of former president Soeharto while
the police have not been able to come up with satisfactory
explanations.

Why do our police lack the ability to handle these bomb
threats? The answer is because they weren't trained to -- because
during the New Order, the orientation of security keeping was not
toward the police but the soldiers, mainly those in the Army.

Because security, and not only defense, came under the
military, it followed that all equipment against terrorism and
riots was for military access, not police.

The police have a bomb squad but as far as I know their
equipment is conventional. Another indicator of the lack of
police ability against terrorism is the continued inadequate
guarding of offices and important facilities, even though there
were earlier explosions in a number of places.

It is indeed ironic that while the police must now be
independent of the military, they have become in charge of
security while they lack the resources.

If this condition continues, it is most likely there will be
more victims of bombs. It can only be imagined what would happen
if a bomb exploded in the midst of a crowd.

Of course there is a solution. If the problem of handling
terrorism depends on police ability, the National Police must
immediately be strengthened. If antiterrorism equipment lies with
the Army and other security units, the government, in this case
the President, could order the transfer of antiterrorism
equipment to the police. No additional funds for the police would
be needed.

The capability of police personnel must also be improved. In
the short-term, many of them should be sent overseas for
antiterrorism training. Three countries have international
recognition for the best such training: Germany, Britain and the
United States, apart from Israel.

The number of those with antiterrorism skills must also be
increased. In the race against time, the police need not take on
new people with such skills. They could instead use skilled
personnel in the military, such as the special forces of the
Army.

If we want a smaller, special force, now is the right time.
Part of those with antiterrorism skills could become members of
the police. Special force members joining the police is not a
strange thing.

In advanced countries such as the United States, many members
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation are former special force
members.

However, in Indonesia, special force members joining the
police would need some training to change their mentality. They
must become antiterrorism experts with the spirit of the police.
This would not be too difficult if the special forces members
were united.

There is something else that the National Police should do
immediately: the inventory of former members of the military and
the police who were fired for desertion and various other
violations. As far as I know, there are about 1,000 members with
sophisticated antiterrorism skills who have been dishonorably
dismissed on various grounds. The police must list them as part
of anticipation measures.

Data on who they are, their ethnicity, religion, place of
residence, current occupation and other information must be given
by their respective units to the police. This does not mean they
would be automatically targeted as suspects or that they would
become mere scapegoats. In advanced countries, apart from data of
those who have deserted their units and those who were
dishonorably dismissed, the data also include retired people with
antiterrorism skills. Their skills could be used in the cases of
bombings or other terrorist acts.

The bombings, which will hopefully not continue, contain a
lesson for the National Police. As keepers of security, they
cannot consider the selection of officers who are less than
worthy.

The position of a police chief, for instance, must be filled
by one who has an adequate education and experience, and the
necessary leadership qualities. A police chief can no longer be
someone relying on his track record as a president's former
adjutant. A provincial police chief must also be the best of
officer.

With better quality police officers of better integrity,
people can feel safe, even though acts of terrorism.

Maj. Gen. Mulchis Anwar , a political and military observer, was
assistant for personnel affairs to the army chief of staff from
1995 to 1997. He now resides in Yogyakarta.