Lawmakers oppose TNI territorial role

Lawmakers oppose TNI territorial role

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

House of Representatives lawmakers have warned that the
government's plan to revive the military's territorial function
in the fight against terrorism would undermine internal reform
within the armed forces and put democracy in jeopardy.

Muhammad A.S. Hikam, chairman of the House's legislation body,
urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to postpone his plan,
which he deemed a setback to democracy in the country.

"Most legislators have expressed objections to the plan
because it will not only disrupt the military reform process but
will also threaten our democracy. Military reform is already
final and, therefore, the government should not wake a sleeping
tiger," Hikam told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

In his speech at the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of
the Indonesia Military (TNI) early this month, the President
called on the military to revive their territorial function to
help police launch preemptive actions against terrorists.

During the authoritarian New Order regime, the territorial
function enabled military involvement in the political realm.

Hikam from the National Awakening Party (PKB) said the
proposal violated Law No. 34/2004 on the Indonesian Military
(TNI), which allows military operations only in conflict-
affected, remote or border areas.

"Police will be unable to counter terrorism and people will
live in fear if soldiers return to rural and urban areas. This
will lead the military back to the political stage," he said.

He suspected that the plan was aimed at restoring the Army's
previous dominant role in the nation's politics.

Yuddy Chrisnandi, a Golkar Party legislator, said the
government should uphold civilian supremacy over the military.

"The President should be consistent with the national reform
agenda and understand that people are still traumatized by the
military-style government of the past," said Yuddy, whose party
formed the backbone of the New Order regime that reigned until
1998.

Yuddy, also a member of the House's Commission I on defense,
security and foreign affairs, said the House would continue to
encourage the President to enforce the TNI law and for the
military to continue its internal reform.

"The TNI has to be encouraged to gradually phase out its
military presence in districts, regencies and provinces," he
said.

Another PKB legislator, Nursyahbani Katjasungkana, said the
House would not mind the military assisting the police in
counter-terrorism. "But this must be strictly regulated in
separate legislation that emphasizes that the military are
subordinate to the police," she said.

"In the United States, military personnel can be deployed for
certain operations to counter terrorism because most terrorist
groups are armed, but the military's involvement must be under
police coordination and their role limited to early detection
measures."

She said a law on military deployment to help police was more
realistic and urgent than reviving the old territorial function.

Hikam and Yudi suggested that in accordance with the TNI law,
the President should issue a government regulation that would
allow the deployment of military personnel to help police counter
acts of terrorism.