Kontras objects to new TNI commands

Kontras objects to new TNI commands

JAKARTA (JP): The planned establishment of new military
commands across the country will only serve to increase the
potential for violence and the helplessness of the bureaucracy,
an activist said on Tuesday.

Munir, the coordinator of the independent Commission for
Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), questioned the
military's plan to establish more military commands from the
current 11, including in Aceh.

"The use of coercion will only lead to new social conflicts,
rather than solving already existing problems," he said.

Under the New Order government, Munir added, "the weakness of
the bureaucracy was caused by excessive military dominance."

He was a speaker in a seminar on the issue of national
integration following the June 7 general election.

Other speakers included the Indonesian Military's assistant
for general planning, Maj. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah,
agricultural expert H.S. Dillon, Sabam Sirait of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Khofifah Indar
Parawansa of the National Awakening Party (PKB). The event was
held by the Indonesian Anthropology Association.

Munir reiterated his criticism of the military's decision to
reestablish the Iskandar Muda Military Command in Aceh, saying it
was an ill-suited answer to solve the problems in the troubled
province.

"Aceh needs a new method to solve the problem, not a new
military institution." He questioned the military's plan to
increase the number of military commands to 21.

Agus denied the number was correct.

"In fact, the military is going to reduce the number of
military commands, especially those in the more developed areas,"
Agus said.

"Military commands will be established in more remote areas to
accelerate development in those areas.

"What do we need military sector commands (Koramil) for in
Jakarta?" He said the military facilities would be better used in
remote areas to help development programs.

The military announced plans in May to add eight more military
commands (Kodam) by 2004 for a total of 17. The latest is the
Pattimura Military Command, established on May 15 with
headquarters in Ambon, Maluku.

Munir, Sabam and Khofifah blamed the military's domination of
civil society as "a threat to the nation's integration".

Munir said the military's involvement in civil society
ignited social conflicts in several areas, such as Aceh, Maluku
and Irian Jaya.

"The use of violence, together with undemocratic practices,
threaten integration in Indonesia rather than upholding it."

Agus urged the use of nonviolent methods to solve problems in
society.

Khofifah said that conflicts were intentionally created. "The
conflicts are to justify military presence and to provide
legitimacy for repressive actions done by the military," she
said.

Sabam also appealed to the military to stop meddling in
civilian affairs.

"When the military places trust in the people to decide things
on their own, everything goes smoothly," Sirait said. He cited
the orderly congress involving thousands of his party's
supporters in Bali, which entailed minimal supervision from the
military.

Separately, the chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human
Rights Association (PBHI) Hendardi also appealed to Gen. Wiranto
to drop the plan to reestablish the military command in Aceh and
to immediately follow up on the announcement to withdraw all
Crack Riot Troops from Aceh.

"The substance of establishing a military command is to create
a military territory in a country which is not in a state of
war," Hendardi said in a written statement made available to The
Jakarta Post" last Thursday. (05)