Tighter control over explosives imperative

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.