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)