'No to military comeback'

'No to military comeback'

Tiarma Siboro and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Observers are opposed to the Army's suggestion it regain roles in
handling domestic security in the country, saying it should focus
on defending the country against external threats.

Yahya Muhaimin, an analyst with Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada
University, criticized Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu
for demanding the military's powerful role in security be
reinstated to deal with rising threats of separatism and other
disturbances across the country.

The police should continue to be in charge of dealing with
domestic security problems, including separatism, and should
strengthen coordination with the military if they deemed it
necessary, Yahya said Friday.

"There are several factors that can spur disintegration
problems, such as foreign intervention and domestic matters. Once
the disintegration issue surfaces due to domestic matters, it is
the police that must handle it."

Yahya said the military should assist domestic security
affairs only if foreign parties were involved. "These rules of
the game are acknowledged anywhere."

"Of course the country's disintegration problems can be part
of the military's task if foreign threats are involved."

Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said
the military had been involved in handling domestic security
affairs when called on by the police.

"I think we have done it. The most important thing is to
define to what extent National Police need our help," Endriartono
said Friday.

Commenting on the meeting held by Ryamizard with active and
retired Army officers on Thursday, Endriartono defended Ryamizard
saying the meeting was "a forum for sharing ideas".

Endriartono said Ryamizard had revealed his plan to boost the
capability of soldiers in every provincial-level military
command.

"Professionalism is just one aspect of the character of the
Indonesian military. For example, in the sense of professionalism
we may follow the U.S. military, but in other aspect we can
follow Vietnam," he said.

Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) military observer
Ikrar Nusabakti said the TNI could only become involved in
handling separatism problems once the rebellion started an armed
uprising in the form of military activities.

Ikrar said the Army's view of its domestic security role was
not surprising as it has intensively defended its territorial
role and called for increased authority to deal with security
disturbances.

Ikrar doubted whether the incumbent Army hierarchy had a clear
concept of internal reform, as demonstrated by the latest Army
doctrine and strategy, which defends its much criticized
territorial role.

During the new order regime, the TNI maintained its power by
developing military commands ranging from provincial level to
village level.

The TNI bill is full of controversial articles, including
sections regulating to the military's deployment as well as the
military's authority to declare emergencies in areas hit by
security disturbances.

In regard to military deployment, proposed Article 19 of the
bill states the military can immediately dispatch troops to
strife-torn regions in order to minimize losses even before
securing approval from the president. The proposed article only
requires that the president be informed 24 hours after any
deployment.

The Article implies that the TNI holds the power to declare
emergency status.