Military might withdraw from Freeport security

Military might withdraw from Freeport security

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen. Endriartono
Sutarto said Monday that he would withdraw troops currently
deployed at several vital installations, including PT Freeport
gold and copper mine in Papua, saying that the security duties
were "not part of our main tasks."

Speaking in a press conference at TNI headquarters,
Endriartono, nevertheless, said that for the time being, troops
would still guard ExxonMobil gas operations in Aceh province due
to security concerns. Aceh has been under martial law since May
19, when the government launched a military operation to crush
separatist rebels.

"Based on the Law No. 3/2002 on state defense, guarding vital
installations is not part of our duties. We are not mercenaries
either and the decision to guard the vital objects did not come
from us, but from the government due to security considerations,"
Endriartono said. "We do not wish to be a scapegoat should
something happen to the companies."

Endriartono only said the company managements would be
responsible for security. Since the formal separation of the
police force from the military, internal security affairs should
now be the responsibility of the police.

The TNI submitted the proposal on troops withdrawal to the
government in Nov. 4, which it expects would be immediately
approved.

"Basically we will pull out all our personnel at national
vital objects such as in Freeport, Soroako, Bontang and so on,"
the TNI Commander said, referring to mining and energy sites.

He denied suggestions that his proposal was linked to a U.S.
decision to withhold assistance for TNI unless they cooperate
fully with a Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into the
ambush killing of two Americans at Freeport in August last year
which killed two Americans and an Indonesian.

The military denies any involvement.

"We never introduce changes for the sake of US$400,000,"
Endriartono said, referring to the aid planned to fund military
education program for one year.

Freeport has said it paid the Indonesian military about $5.6
million last year to protect its employees in Papua.

Military spokesman Maj.Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsuddin said some 1,800
troops are being stationed at 12 mining sites across the country.

Former defense minister Juwono Sudarsono said earlier this
year that TNI should not have funding sources other than the
state, and that collecting payments from other sources would
erode their loyalty to the state.