'Military graduates must abide by the law'

Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto told career officers on Saturday to firmly uphold the military code of conduct, human rights principles and the law when performing their duties.

Addressing the graduation ceremony of hundreds of university graduates participating in a seven-month training program in Magelang, Central Java, Endriartono said the country faced serious security problems and that: "The military must not hesitate to do everything possible to maintain the country's integrity.

"As the country is in a transitional period (toward democracy), various conflicts, involving both the government and its people or between one group of people and another, are taking place in several regions of our country.

"These conflicts occur as many people try to force their beliefs on others for the sake of their own interests, by ignoring the values of democracy, and even driving the country toward disintegration," Endriartono said, apparently referring to the ongoing conflicts in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and Papua provinces, where people have for years struggled for independence.

Saturday's ceremony was to inaugurate 461 male and 58 female graduates of various universities across the nation who wished to have a career in any three of the military forces -- the Navy, the Air Force and the Army.

The newly graduated officers will be assigned to various posts, including in TNI's combat units.

Endriartono has repeatedly stated that he will take a firm position against any struggle challenging the legitimate government, saying military operations would be launched to deal with such acts and claiming that the government had been patient enough in dealing with rebels.

During the 32 years of the New Order regime, then president Soeharto used a repressive approach to crush separatist movements in several of the country's provinces, including Papua (formerly Irian Jaya), Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and the former Indonesian province of East Timor.

At the time, thousands of civilians reportedly become victims of the operations in incidence of rape, torture, intimidation and killings by the military.

The military approach was later condemned for its failure to address separatist demands in the country, particularly after East Timor gained its independence in 1999 following a UN- sponsored self-determination vote.

The TNI has also been blamed for conducting gross human rights violations in its military operations, with some of its officers currently being tried at the Human Rights Tribunal.