Rp 863b allotted to secure conflict, border areas

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Ministry of Defense has reduced its 2005 budget proposal for security operations in conflict and border areas to Rp 863.31 billion (US$92.82 million).

Of that amount, Rp 616.32 billion would be allocated for security operations in conflict areas, with the remaining Rp 246.99 billion for operations in border areas.

The ministry had previously asked for Rp 899.22 billion for security operations in conflict and border areas, but agreed to the lower that figure after a series of discussions.

Improved security in conflict and border areas has became a serious concern of the government and the House of Representatives following the endorsement of the Indonesian Military Law last year.

Under the new law, military commands in several regions will be relocated to border areas to prevent possible foreign infiltrations.

Proposed security operations in border areas also are designed to fight fish poaching, smuggling and other transnational crimes, while security operations in conflict areas like Papua, Maluku and Poso, Central Sulawesi, will be designed to restore peace.

Djoko Susilo, a member of House of Representatives Commission I for defense affairs, said on Thursday his commission had approved Rp 863.31 billion for border and conflict area operations.

The commission also endorsed the allocation of another Rp 558.72 billion to the defense ministry to support security operations in tsunami-ravaged Aceh, which remains under a state of civil emergency.

In addition, the ministry proposed Rp 235.78 billion for disaster relief efforts in Aceh and North Sumatra. Of that amount, Rp 13.58 billion would be used for operational facilities and the remaining Rp 222.20 billion for logistics.

For humanitarian operations after the tsunami, the defense ministry has asked for 358.81 billion, including Rp 333.98 billion for the TNI.

However, after consulting with the Ministry of Finance, the defense ministry cut the request from Rp 358.81 billion to Rp 243.35 billion.

The TNI had spent about Rp 2.3 trillion on military operations to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Aceh since May 19, 2003.

About 40,000 combat troops have been deployed for the military operations, but this has not stopped the separatist guerrillas from continuing their fight for an independent Aceh.