Police set for tasks at vital places

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A top security minister expressed on Thursday his support for the police to take over security job in areas of great economic value, or vital installations, from the Indonesian Military (TNI), except for those in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Thursday that the presence of TNI troops at the U.S.-owned PT ExxonMobil gas company and state- owned oil and gas company PT Arun NGL. Co. in Aceh would be maintained as martial law remains effective in the natural resource-rich province.

Martial law has been in effect since May 19 and the government recently extended it until the middle of next year.

"Principally, the TNI is tasked with guarding vital installations for various considerations, including rampant disturbances. In Aceh, troops are still needed to guard PT ExxonMobile and PT Arun, but in other places, we think the managers of each company have to be held responsible for security of their own plants," Susilo told reporters after a meeting on security and political affairs.

He said the National Police was ready to take over the job from the TNI and reinforcement troops would be sent in only if the police fail to maintain security.

TNI Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto had said the military would withdraw its troops currently guarding several vital installations, including PT Freeport gold and copper mine in Papua, asserting that the job of security was not part of TNI's main tasks according to Law No. 3/2002 on state defense.

Freeport has said it paid TNI about US$5.6 million last year to protect its employees in Papua.

The TNI submitted the proposal to the government on Nov. 4 and expects to hear the government's approval immediately.

Currently, there are some 2,100 TNI troops guarding vital objects across the country.

Siliwangi Military Command overseeing West Java is guarding the steam-powered electricity plant (PLTU) Suralaya and state- owned aircraft company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI), while troops from Sriwijaya Military Command oversee, among other places, while troops in South Sumatra are providing security for oil refineries at the Plaju and Gerong rivers.

Bukit Barisan Military Command overseeing West Sumatra, North Sumatra and Riau provinces is securing the water-powered electricity plant (PLTA) Sigura-gura, U.S.-owned oil and gas PT Caltex in Dumai and metal producer PT Inalum.

The high-valued resources that the Brawijaya Military Command of East Java looks after include the PLTU Paiton and chemical company PT Petro Kimia Gresik.

In Kalimantan, troops from the Tanjungpura Military Command are guarding the operation of PT Badak gas producer in Bontang, PT VICO Muara Badak and PT Unocal Sangata chemical companies and state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina in Balikpapan.

Endriartono denied suggestions that his proposal was linked to a U.S. decision to withhold assistance for TNI unless they cooperated fully with a Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into the ambush that killed two Americans at Freeport in August last year. The military denies any involvement.

Since the formal separation of the police force from the military in 2000, internal security affairs should be the responsibility of the police.