Tighter control over explosives imperative

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government's stricter security policy will not stop terrorism if the government fails to tighten controls over the distribution of explosives for military or industrial purposes and does not work to improve the professionalism of law enforcers, according to analysts.

Johnson Pandjaitan, a lawyer from the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI), said that it would be unfair for people to endure the recently announced tougher security measures that might force them to sacrifice their privacy, while on the other hand "the government does nothing to control its institutions dealing with security and order."

"The government cannot force people to bow to its campaign and take it for granted that all state institutions are free from violations," Johnson asserted.

"If security officers are allowed to check people's identity cards and conduct raids on suspicious places without a warrant, why can't people demand more transparency about the distribution of military grade explosive materials?" Johnson told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.

"It just makes sense that our security people have access to companies that manufacture explosives here, and surely they must have some knowledge of whether TNT, RDX or some other explosive materials were sold to or stolen by unauthorized people," Johnson added.

Police investigators have said that traces of TNT and RDX were both found in the Bali bombings last October and the Marriott Hotel blast last Tuesday.

Following the bomb attack on the American-managed hotel in South Jakarta, the government announced a plan to impose stricter security measures which would include intensifying ID checks and raids on suspicious houses without a warrant.

Local governments have also been encouraged to ensure that people living in their jurisdiction remain vigilant and report any suspicious people or activity. In some places, such as the Central Java capital of Semarang, the administration has already asked people to sign a letter stating that their houses and neighborhood are "free from explosive materials."

The government admitted that the policy may cause inconvenience and violate people's privacy, but said it must be viewed as a preemptive action against terrorism rather than intervention of their rights.

Johnson suggested that if security officers behaved in a professional manner while doing their jobs it would win the people's trust.

At least 10 people were killed and 150 others injured in the attack on the Marriott hotel. Investigators have reportedly linked the blast to Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), the regional terror group blamed for the Bali bombings.

Indonesia has been rocked by a series of bomb attacks since 2000, but those in charge of security have not been able to completely control the distribution of explosive materials.

Sharing Johnson's view was lawyer Frans Hendra Winarta, the secretary of the National Legal Commission (KHN), who said repressive measures would be acceptable as long as they were only targeted at preventing more acts of terror.

Frans encouraged the National Police to establish international cooperation in preventing terrorism due to its poor record of handling it alone.

He also stated that the implementation of the new security policy should not involve the military unless the government declared a state of emergency.