Kamra problem to be brought to the House
Kamra problem to be brought to the House
JAKARTA (JP): Instead of fulfilling its promise to dissolve
the People's Security Militia (Kamra), the government on
Wednesday said that it planned to seek help from the House of
Representatives (DPR) in settling the case.
One of the five Kamra representatives from Central Java, who
have been in the capital along with some 1,000 fellow members
since Saturday, said after a meeting with Minister of Defense
Mahfud M.D. at the latter's office on Wednesday evening that
Mahfud, together with Minister of Manpower and Transmigration
Alhilal Hamdi and National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro,
would meet with House deputy speaker, Sutardjo Soerjoguritno, to
discuss the fate of Kamra nationwide.
"Pak Mahfud said that based on the contracts, all of the
administrative matters concerning Kamra should be completed on
Friday," Putut Edi Sutrisno, a senior Kamra leader from
Surakarta, told The Jakarta Post.
"Pak Mahfud also promised to give Rp 1 million (US$105) each
to Kamra members as compensation, and again promised to employ us
in the TNI (the Indonesian Military), National Police, or other
government agencies," Putut said.
The minister, he added, asked Kamra members all across the
country to be patient as their future would be further discussed
with the House.
The meeting between the House representatives and top
government officials will be held at around 2 p.m. on Thursday.
Putut and the other four Kamra representatives met with Mahfud
for about 15 minutes starting at around 7 p.m. after the minister
chaired a ministerial meeting on the same matter.
The meeting, which also took place in his office, was attended
by -- among others -- Gen. Surojo, minister Alhilal, Coordinating
Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, Minister of Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy
Surjadi Sudirdja, TNI Territorial Affairs chief Lt. Gen. Agus
Widjojo, and a number of governors.
Unfortunately, none of the officials, including Mahfud, were
willing to reveal the outcome of the meeting to waiting
journalists.
The press were even ordered by Mahfud's staff not to get any
closer to the venue of the meeting.
"Are you all deaf?" one of his military staffers shouted at
the journalists, who then left the site immediately.
Contacted separately, Lt. Gen. Agus Widjojo said there would
be no special treatment for the Kamra personnel who wanted to
joint the military.
"They should undergo a series of tests just like other
applicants," Agus told the Post later by phone.
Kamra members in some major cities have staged separate
protests, asking for a clear-cut decision from the government
about their future as their contracts are officially to end on
Dec. 31.
The biggest demonstration was held in Yogyakarta last month
when about 4,000 Kamra members from Java, Bali, East Nusa
Tenggara and South Sumatra gathered, demanding that the
government accept responsibility for their fate.
Some rallies even turned ugly with destructive acts being
perpetrated.
Kamra was established in 1998 based on Law No. 56/1998 on the
civilian militia. The government initially recruited 41,000 Kamra
members but the number has since declined to 36,000 due to
desertion, dismissal and various other reasons.
In November the government announced that it had found new
jobs for some 8,000 of the 12,000 members of Jakarta's Kamra
contingent, of which 2,500 would be employed by the Jakarta
administration as public order (Tramtib) officers while another
5,500 were to be employed in private companies, such as PT Astra
Motors, as security guards. (02)