JP/5/KORAMIL

JP/5/KORAMIL

Bukit Barisan to set up new district military bases

Apriadi Gunawan
The Jakarta Post/Medan

The Bukit Barisan military command, overseeing security in North
Sumatra, Riau and West Sumatra, plans to establish three new
district military commands (Koramil) in areas considered hot
spots of smuggling activities.

The three Koramil units are to be set up on the islands of
Tanjung Balai Karimun, Natuna and Matang, Bukit Barisan military
commander Maj. Gen. Tri Tamtomo said.

He said the planned Koramil offices were crucial in fighting
unchecked smuggling on the three islands near the Strait of
Malacca.

Smuggling activities on the Tanjung Balai Karimun, Natuna and
Matang islands had reached very alarming levels and could pose a
threat to security in the area, Tri added.

"The areas are rife with smuggling and infiltration. The three
new Koramil units will be operative in 2005," Tri told
journalists on Tuesday after presiding over a ceremony marking
the 59th anniversary of the Indonesian Military (TNI) at Benteng
Square in Medan, North Sumatra.

He said the Koramil plans did not contravene the new military
bill endorsed last week by the House of Representatives, as the
bill allowed the military to establish district commands in areas
rife with criminal activity.

During its deliberation, the controversial bill drew strong
criticism from pro-democracy and human rights activists for
maintaining the TNI's territorial role in regions.

Under former president Soeharto's regime, the military had
used its territorial function to stifle democracy and human
rights.

Tri said the Army had teamed up with the Navy and Air Force to
conduct regular operations against smuggling on Sumatra.

Belawan Naval Base commander Rear Adm. Purbojo said the Strait
of Malacca was highly vulnerable to smuggling activities.

"The Malacca Strait is the most crowded waterway for foreign
ships, and the potential for smuggling is immense. But the
security forces here have been integrated, and we are constantly
operating together at sea," he said.

Local aerial defense chief Vice Marshal Irawan Supomo made a
similar comment, saying his unit had continually implemented
various measures to curb smuggling, focusing on surveillance.

He said the unit had often detected several foreign military
aircraft entering Indonesian territory, particularly North
Sumatra, but stressed they had requested permission to fly
through Indonesian air space.

"None of the foreign military aircraft could be said to have
infiltrated our space," Irawan said.

He said Australian Air Force planes frequently crossed over
North Sumatran air space to fly to Malaysia.