Soldiers complain of declining role

Soldiers complain of declining role

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post/Medan

Under scorching midday sun, Chief Sgt. Abdul Manaf steered left
his motorcycle entering the compound of the East Medan district
military command. Parked his motorcycle, he then took his rest in
the guard post. While watching television, Abdul Manaf, the non-
commissioned officer assigned to the subdistrict, was seen
talking to others through a walkie-talkie.

The 46-year-old soldier said he was facing tougher tasks
since the Bali blast last Saturday. Since the blast, he had been
asked by his superior to intensify monitoring security in the
subdistrict on fears of another terrorist attack. The task was
tough as the number of non-commissioned officers , popularly
called Babinsa, like Abdul Manaf, is limited.

One Babinsa is ideally assigned to monitor security in a
single subdistrict, but in East Medan district military command,
13 Babinsa have to monitor security in 20 subdistricts. Abdul
Manaf himself monitors security in two subdistricts, namely Pulo
Brayan Darat I and II subdistricts.

Abdul Manaf said the job was tough. Besides monitoring
security, Babinsa were also tasked with quickly reporting to the
military district command on any social upheaval, to assure
security in their respective territories, to mobilize people and
to communicate with them.

"When there is social upheaval, the Babinsa has to figure out
the way to prevent the conflict from escalating," he said.

In order to get information and get closer to people, Abdul
Manaf said he had to mingle with people from all walks of life.
Information could be obtained anywhere, including in coffee
shops, he said. In 12 years he had been in the security business,
Manaf recalled he had never encountered any big upheavals. But he
admitted the role of Babinsa had been on the decline since the
Indonesian military started its internal reforms in 1999.

After the reform, police took over the role of Babinsa and
Babinsa reduced their presence in the community. People
themselves had been aware that the role of Babinsa had been
curtailed and they tended to report to police in the event of
conflict.

The declining role of Babinsa prevented them from contributing
into the arrests of terrorists. Manaf himself supported the
President's call in ordering the TNI, including Babinsa, to help
track down terrorists. However, the Babinsa had found obstacles
in carrying out the order. "Since the TNI started internal
reform, the authority to hold people lay in the hands of police.
It hampers us in combating terrorists," said Manaf.