Government to give more power to TNI

Government to give more power to TNI

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In a response to the rampant terror attacks plaguing the country
in the past year, the government has decided to give the
Indonesian Military (TNI) some of its pre-reform era powers back.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Thursday that the government
would empower the military to detect and find possible terror
threats that needed an immediate response.

"There has been a long-standing impression that the TNI should
only handle external defense while internal security is in the
hands of the police. This is not exactly consistent with the
law," Susilo said without elaborating at a press conference after
presiding over a ministerial meeting on political and security
affairs.

In the spirit of the reform movement, the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) decided in 2000 to restrict the
military to a defense-of-the-borders only role and entrusted
internal security to the police. The ensuing police law and
defense law confirmed the clear-cut division of the forces, which
marked at least a symbolic end to the military's leading role in
the country's affairs.

The National Police fell under the armed forces, or ABRI,
before that.

Susilo said the government intended to provide the TNI with a
greater role in internal security due to the police's lack of
personnel, and because the military had some of its personnel
underutilized.

"The government will give a greater role, or appropriate
space, for the TNI to carry our their duties as long as it is
related to national interests, although the focal point remains
the police," Susilo said.

He did not elaborate on the extent of the military's role in
the fight against terrorism, or how terror would be defined.

The government, Susilo said, would still consult the House of
Representatives or the MPR over the issue.

It remains unclear whether the military's greater role in
security affairs will be part of the amendment to the
Antiterrorism Law No. 15/2003, which was discussed during a
meeting hosted by Susilo.

Also attending the meeting were TNI chief Gen. Endriartono
Sutarto, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, justice
minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra, defense minister Matori Abdul
Djalil, Attorney General M.A. Rachman and National Intelligence
Body chief Hendropriyono.

Endriartono, Matori and Hendropriyono had thrown their weight
behind a proposal to adopt a Singapore-like internal security act
in a bid to combat terrorism. Hendropriyono is also apparently
seeking greater authority for intelligence officers to make
arrests, similar to the way they did just that during the New
Order regime of former president Soeharto.

Susilo said that the antiterrorism law needed revising. It was
passed in the wake of the Bali bombings, but, according to the
retired army officer, needed to be made "more effective" in
preventing terror attacks.

"We will do it as soon as possible. We cannot wait because
terrorism is a real threat and we should not be in a weak
position," he said, saying that the government had evaluated the
application of the law following the Bali bombings.

As many as nine articles in the law are expected to be revised
in a bid to make it stronger, Susilo said.

The articles deal with preemptive action against any form of
terror and the use of intelligence reports as evidence to charge
suspects.

Susilo said they also discussed the need for a drastic
improvement of human resources, training, systems, infrastructure
and funds in the country's efforts to fight terrorism.

All the suggestions will be brought before the full Cabinet
next week.

Yusril added that the revision of the law would provide more
room for the police to investigate people based on allegations,
without having to wait for a court order or a warrant.

Separately, Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Syafii Ma'arif said
that he agreed with the government's plan to revise the law, but
he warned against the adoption of an internal security act, as it
could infringe on human rights.

Muhammadiyah is the second largest Muslim organization, which
claims 30 million followers.

Another noted Muslim figure, Ulil Abshar Abdalla, called on
people to remain vigilant about the planned revision of the law
as it was prone to human rights abuses.

The country used to have a draconian antisubversion law, which
was widely abused by the New Order administration to oppress and
imprison anyone it considered a political opponent.