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.