Indonesian Army to upgrade training
By Lela A. Madjiah
BANGKOK (JP): The Indonesian Army has pledged to improve its training on and application of international humanitarian law as part of its commitment to uphold the 1949 Geneva Conventions for the protection of victims of war.
Brig. Gen. Kiki Syahnakri, deputy assistant for operations to the Army Chief, said that as a first step, the army would focus on training soldiers being sent on (combat) operations, to ensure that they understood the law of war and, most importantly, complied with it.
"As a second step, we will review current training programs on the subject to find a more suitable method of disseminating the (information about the) law among members of the Army to improve their understanding and awareness of the law. Only then can we expect them to practice the law in daily life as well as in combat situations," Syahnakri told The Jakarta Post here yesterday.
He was speaking at the closing of a five-day seminar on international humanitarian law, also known as the law of war, for east Asian military instructors.
Fifteen east Asian countries took part in the seminar that was organized by the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC).
One way to improve compliance with the law is through simulating real-life situations in which soldiers have to make split-second decisions by taking the rules of law into account without sacrificing tactical goals, said Syahnakri.
"What we have so far is good, but there is always room for improvement, especially with regard to our role as a member of the international community. It is important that we speak and act on the same platform as other members of the international community," he said.
Syahnakri stressed that the law of war was not a new thing for ABRI. In 1994, for example, the Dili Resort Military Command, in cooperation with the local ICRC office, organized a seminar on international humanitarian law for battalion commanders.
That same year the Dili military command issued an operation manual that included a detailed directive on how to uphold human rights in combat situations.
"The Trikora Regional Military Command in Irian Jaya is even more progressive, for it has integrated the law of war into its operation procedures," said Syahnakri.
Brig. Gen. P. Lt. Sihombing, deputy military chief prosecutor at the Armed Forces headquarters who also attended the seminar, said that ABRI members adhered to national laws and traditional military values that were similar to the law of war.
Maj. Gen. Louis Geiger of Switzerland, the ICRC military adviser, warned Thursday that military activities were subject to international scrutiny and should be conducted carefully if the armed forces wanted international support for their actions.
According to Geiger, there are five humanitarian rules governing the conduct of hostilities in armed conflicts that must be imposed in all circumstances.
These are the obligation to distinguish between combatants and civilians; the immunity of the civilian population; the prohibition of attacks on civilians; the prohibition of causing superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering; the prohibition of recourse to perfidy; and, finally the obligation to respect and protect medical and religious personnel, medical units and means of transport.