National Police separates from defense ministry

National Police separates from defense ministry

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid officially announced
on Saturday a separation of the National Police from the Ministry
of Defense and a plan to put the police corps under his direct
supervision from Jan. 1, 2001.

"In the meantime, we are discussing whether the National
Police will be a national institution which has a certain chain
of command system or be regulated through the 1999 Regional
Autonomy Law," Abdurrahman, also known as Gus Dur, said while
addressing a ceremony of the corps' 54th anniversary, held at the
National Police Ceremony Field in South Jakarta.

Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Minister of Defense
Juwono Soedarsono and National Police chief Gen. Rusdihardjo
accompanied Abdurrahman in the main field tribute during the
ceremony.

A few meters to the left of the main tribute, a number of
high-ranking military officers joined the procession, including
Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Adm. Widodo A.S. and Army Chief
of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto.

The President, however, did not disclose further whether the
police corps would have a provincial chain of command system,
should the police's presence be regulated under the autonomy law.

Minister Juwono said recently that the police force, which was
put under the ministry's supervision in April last year, would
fully come under the control of the President in January 2001.

The minister told reporters following a Cabinet meeting last
Wednesday that before January 2001, the police's function and
status would be regulated in a presidential decree.

Juwono said on Saturday that the ministry, the National Police
and the Ministry of Law and Legislation were now preparing a
draft law to lay the foundation for the separation in 2001.

"Hopefully, the law can be completed within the year," he told
reporters after the ceremony.

In his address, the President also expressed hope that the law
could help eliminate militaristic traditions inherited by TNI.

"I am following the progress report of the discussion on the
police's presence with mixed feelings. Some military-style
traditions are good and should be preserved by the police.

"But I am also scared that if such traditions are maintained,
they will create militarism. While at the same time, the
militaristic traditions must be scrapped," he said.

The President said that militarism no longer existed in the
country.

"In political terms, militarism does not exist in the country
anymore. What still exists is professionalism within the
Indonesia Military," he said.

The President expected the people could understand that the
police force needed time to eliminate militaristic traditions
inherited from the Indonesian Military.

"The installment of official insignia may be considered a
militaristic tradition. But it is still maintained as it is an
honor to their (police personnel) services," he said.

In the ceremony, Megawati symbolically granted service honors
to 784 police personnel, represented by Brig. Gen. I Made Mangku
Pastika, secretary of Indonesia's NCB-Interpol.

The awards were made to police personnel who have served the
corps for over 24 years.

The President also said in his speech that the police must
remain focused on their basic duties, instead of concentrating on
preparations for a full separation from TNI.

"The duties of the police force are to keep the sovereignty of
law and to maintain security and order in the country.

"Once those tasks are completed, all other duties can be
carried out automatically," the President said without
elaborating. (asa)