State defense bill submitted to DPR

State defense bill submitted to DPR

JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday submitted
to the House of Representatives a new defense bill to replace Law
No.20/1982 on National Defense and Security Guidelines.

"With an ongoing reform movement in the country that puts
forward democratization, human rights and environment issues, Law
No.20/1982 is no longer relevant to the development of the
country," Susilo, who is acting Minister of Defense in the
absence of Mahfud MD, told the House during a plenary session.

Elements in the new bill are an affirmation of the separation
of the National Police from the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the
elimination of TNI's dual function.

"The draft stresses the function of the National Police as the
state's apparatus in security, law and order...it should be
separated from the TNI which functions as a state defense
apparatus," Susilo explained.

The 28 article bill also defines several categories of threats
that should be handled by the TNI; conventional and
unconventional threats, both internally and externally, which
could damage the country's sovereignty, integrity and safety.

Unconventional threats could take the form of a rebellion,
separatist movements, terrorism, illegal migrants, narcotics,
illegal fishing, natural disasters, environmental damage and
pirates.

While conventional threats are defined as armed attacks in the
form of invasion, aggression and limited attacks.

"We clearly underlined that the function of the TNI is just as
a state defense apparatus to deal with the mentioned threats
against the country," Susilo said.

"To deal with military threats TNI is the basic defense
component," he remarked.

The draft also includes the concept of human rights, democracy
and the environment as principles ingrained in state defense.

Susilo also pointed out several potential non-military
threats, effects of globalization in telecommunications and
information, that should also be handled by the TNI and other
state agencies.

However, the draft didn't clarify further the form or
definition of non-military threats or the mechanism for which
other agencies would also deal with any such potential problem.

The minister also cited several problems that need to be
further discussed in the House such as the specific name of the
bill and the position of the TNI Chief in the government due to
the fact that it has already been mentioned in the People's
Consultative Assembly Decree No.7/2000.

"We actually prefer the name of national defense because the
term state defense stresses state security aspects that put
forward the safety of the government system rather than human
security, but the Assembly decree uses the term state defense,"
Susilo said.

"We also agreed to place the TNI chief under the supervision
of the minister of defense because the minister has the authority
to make the defense policy while the TNI chief implements the
policy, but the Assembly decree clearly states that TNI is under
the President," he remarked.

Article 24 (i) stipulates that the State Budget is the main
source of finance for all state defense activities.

Separately, the House on Thursday also held the second round
of discussions with National Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro
on the National Police bill.

"All factions support the separation of the National Police
from the TNI and the draft should be discussed as soon as
possible to give a legal base for the police after the
separation," Bimantoro said of the 45 article bill after the
hearing.(dja)