Rights campaigners warn of abuses by domestic spy agency

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The government's plan to revive its domestic spy agency, which former dictator Soeharto used to watch critics and stifle dissent, drew fire on Friday from human rights activists.

The rights campaigners expressed fear the agency would be misused by security forces, which they said enjoyed impunity despite their alleged rights abuses.

"It sounds scary," Agung Yudhawiranata of the rights group Elsam told The Associated Press. "We worry that the Soeharto era has returned and that the agency will use the pretext of fighting terrorism to violate individuals' rights. It's a step backward in our efforts to limit the powers of the police and military."

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked for the revival of the Regional Intelligence Coordinating Agency to help track down terrorist suspects by improving cooperation among the police, military and State Intelligence Agency.

Rights activist Hendardi acknowledged that the government's ability to fight terrorism was weak. "But we don't want any government to use this agency to detain people who have different political opinions," he said.

Former Army general Soeharto used the notorious internal spy network -- known by its Indonesian acronym as Bakorinda -- to watch his opponents down to the village level.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla asserted on Friday the need for a regional intelligence body, due to the fact that terror suspects had been roaming free.

"Dr. Azahari (a Malaysian fugitive wanted for his alleged involvement in a series of deadly bombings in the country) turns out to have frequently lived in residential areas. If he lives next door and one of his bombs explodes ... you will be the victim," he told a media conference.

Police have been searching for Azahari bin Husin and Noordin M. Top, two Malaysian citizens believed to have masterminded three major bombings in the country, including the Bali blasts in 2002.

The Vice President said that it was time for the government to involve the public through the optimal delivery of information about terror suspects.

Regulations requiring all guests to report to their neighborhood unit chiefs have to be revived and fully implemented, he added.

Kalla said the government needed to revive a regional intelligence agency as the country was still prone to terrorist attacks while the capability of intelligence was limited.

He said the policy instead demonstrated the government's seriousness in fighting terrorism.

"We should be realistic in facing such threats. One small bomb in Jakarta can play havoc to 10 million people in the capital. This is a serious problem with wide-ranging implications," said Kalla.

Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng also called on the public not to be afraid of the plan, since it would be different from the policy adopted during the authoritarian rule of former president Soeharto.

"The possibility is slim for the antiterror agency to abuse its authorities because we are now a democratic country under a civilian leadership. We are not taking the negative side of the past," said Andi.

Separately, Indonesian Military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said the military was ready to help the regional spy agency, but would refrain from taking a pole position.

"I don't know whether the intelligence body or police will coordinate the agency, but I don't want the military to take the lead because terrorism is not our domain. We just provide a backing," Endriartono said after accompanying his Malaysian counterpart Adm. Tan Sri Dato' Sri Mohd. Anwar bin Hj. Noor to a meeting with the President.