More police personnel sent to conflict area during polls
More police personnel sent to conflict area during polls
Abdul Khalik
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
The National Police have deployed over 7,000 reinforcement
personnel to three conflict-prone areas to help the existing
forces there maintain security and order, prior to and during the
elections.
Of the reinforcement troops, 5,000 have been sent to Nanggroe
Aceh Darussalam (NAD), with 800 personnel sent to Central
Sulawesi and the rest to Maluku, the last two were rocked by
sectarian conflict between 1999 and 2002.
"We sent the reinforcements in anticipation of incidents that
could disrupt the elections," National Police spokesman Brig.
Gen. Soenarko said.
Currently, Aceh Police have 7,181 personnel, excluding around
15,000 personnel who are now backing the military operation to
quell rebellion in the natural resource-rich province. Central
Sulawesi, which is still plagued by sporadic violence in Poso,
has 4,999 personnel, and Maluku has 3,525.
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar had said previously
that two thirds of the existing police force would devote their
time and energy to secure the elections. Indonesia has around
280,000 police personnel.
National Intelligence Body (BIN) chief A.M. Hendropriyono has
dismissed fears of chaotic elections, but asked the security
authorities to remain on alert.
Soenarko said the police would also upgrade their equipment
for the elections period.
"We will add vehicles, such as patrol cars and motorbikes, as
well as telecommunications devices, such as walkie-talkies, for
each police station," said Soenarko.
To cope with security problems in conflict-prone areas, the
police have ordered 37,000 rifles from the Army Industrial
Affairs Center (Pindad) in Bandung. The new weapons are expected
to be delivered at the end of March.
Only 80,000 police in the country currently carry guns.
Soenarko said each police station had already been equipped
with at least one patrol car and four motorbikes, as well as
communication devices to enable the station to keep in touch with
Jakarta headquarters. Each police precinct has been provided with
at least two vans and one truck.
Apart from police personnel, the National Police have trained
around 1.2 million civilians to help maintain security in their
neighborhoods.
"At least one police personnel and two neighborhood guards
will be deployed to each polling station, but in conflict-prone
areas the combination could be increased to four police and six
neighborhood guards. Regional police chiefs have the discretion
to decide," Soenarko said.
Riot squads would also assist each regional police personnel.
Squad members would only be armed with sticks and shields.
Soenarko said the Indonesian Military (TNI) would provide
back-up troops upon request.
"Each military command will allocate some of its soldiers for
the elections. Of course TNI will pay special attention to
conflict-prone areas," Soenarko said.
He said 3,622 TNI soldiers would support the police in Aceh,
667 soldiers in Central Sulawesi and 500 in Maluku. Nationwide,
TNI has reserved 38,515 personnel for elections security.
Indonesia will hold the legislative election on April 5 and
the unprecedented direct presidential election on July 5., with
the runoff on Sept. 20.