Police force told to defend offices

Police force told to defend offices

BANDUNG (JP): National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi has
instructed his personnel across the country to defend their
headquarters, offices and outposts, 180 of which have been
seriously vandalized or burned during recent outbreaks of
violence.

"All headquarters, at either police posts or precinct level,
have to have rubber bullets ready in anticipation of attacks,"
Roesmanhadi told a meeting on budget and planning at the School
of Police Staff and Officers here on Monday. He added that the
180 damaged buildings have not yet been repaired due to a lack of
funds. Dozens of other police offices only suffered from slight
damage.

In addition to having to rebuild the offices, he said, police
also had to replace a lot of equipment that was damaged during
efforts to disperse mobs. "About 100 to 200 shields at each
police station have to be replaced," he said.

Conceding that limited funds hampered efforts to replace
damaged equipment, Roesmanhadi announced that the police
department would terminate contracts with private companies in
certain public services, such as the processing of drivers'
licenses and number plates.

Had the two services been handled well, the National Police
could have earned Rp 72 billion per year, he said. "But until
now, the National Police have only received a small portion of
this revenue from the cooperation with those private companies."

Roesmanhadi told the deputy police chiefs attending the
meeting that the destruction of police property had not only
hindered police service for the community, but also tarnished the
image of police.

"This is why all (police) leaders have to be prepared for such
attacks. Those who are not prepared will be replaced," he warned.
"Being leaders only gives us two choices: either we go up, or we
go down."

He also spoke of a plan to beef up the Mobile Brigade as the
forefront of the National Police force. There are now 120
branches of the Mobile Brigade across the country, however, only
70 have adequate personnel and equipment.

"We are going to improve the remaining 50 companies," he said.

Also during his address, Roesmanhadi called on the media to
help reveal the instigators of recent unrest if police were
unable to overcome the legal hurdle of proving their involvement.

"There are only two ways to reveal the provocateurs. First,
bring them to court in accordance with legal procedures. Second,
cases that cannot meet legal procedures, expose them to public
opinion."

Indonesia has over the past several years been affected by
major spates of violence triggered by various causes, sometimes
as petty as squabbles between villagers.

The most and deadly unrest took place in Maluku, where 61
people were killed and hundreds of buildings were vandalized or
burned, according to official figures.

Meanwhile Antara reported Monday that seven were injured
following a clash on Sunday between two groups of fishermen in
Teluk Segara in the capital of Bengkulu province in southern
Sumatra. The injured included two security officers and was
triggered by misunderstanding.

A group of fishermen thought some 70 fishermen approaching
them were going to attack them, while the latter had come to
inspect the remains of their burnt boat.

Also on Sunday in Central Java, unrest occured in at least
five of the 46 villages holding simultaneous elections of their
villages. The two worst affected places were Kaladawa village in
Talang district and Sindang Barang in Dukuhwaru district.
Villagers burnt ballots, vandalized and burned houses of elected
chiefs.

Local military chief Col. M. Noer Muis said, "This is not
reform. This is destruction, and a violation of the ideals of
democracy that they spoke of," he said. Most of the unrest were
triggered by suspicions that the elections were rigged.

An official in Tegal regency, Marzuki, said the elections
would be repeated. (43/45/swe)