TNI accused of prolonging regional conflicts
TNI accused of prolonging regional conflicts
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Military personnel in conflict areas have worked to escalate
violence there in order to maintain their control over business
activities, experts said on Monday.
They said military personnel in conflict areas were often
involved in weapon smuggling, illegal logging, and car smuggling.
Sri Yanuarti of the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI),
Ichsan Malik of Conflict Resolution Baku Bae Maluku and analyst
Otto Syamsuddin urged military personnel to stop their business
activities and concentrate on their duties.
"The trend is that when clashes ease, unidentified military
officers always try to escalate the conflict again to ensure they
can continue their business activities," Sri Yanuarti said.
She said as an institution the military didn't directly
promote such an escalation of conflict but it took no measures to
prevent or stop it.
"High-ranking military officers in Jakarta know that their
subordinates in Maluku have control over various business
activities, but they don't stop them," Ichsan said at a seminar
on military business interests in conflict areas.
"This makes conflict resolution very difficult to achieve,"
Ichsan said.
Major businesses in Maluku controlled by the military are
security services, weapon smuggling, illegal logging, spice
trading, and the trade of endangered animals, according to
Ichsan.
Military personnel generally market their services to business
firms or to people traveling to Ambon's Pattimura Airport, said
Ichsan, adding that they charge between Rp 400,000 and Rp 80,000
per person.
"The rate can double if you want to go to the airport by
boat," he said.
Regarding gun smuggling, weapons like AK-47 rifles, Ruger
rifles, SS1, SKS and M-16 rifles can be bought from the military
for between Rp 15 million (US$1,660) and Rp 30 million, according
to Ichsan.
Pistols, he said, could be bought for between Rp 1 million and
Rp 2 million.
Military officers also brought endangered animals as gifts
when they returned to their hometowns, he said.
The military had also forced coffee and spice producers to
sell their produce to military personnel at low prices, Ichsan
said.
"They are enjoying the business, so there is no reason to pull
out of the conflict areas," he said.
Meanwhile, Otto said military officers in Southeast Aceh were
involved in illegal logging, which often sparked gun fights
between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police.
Military officers were also involved in automobile smuggling,
he said, with smugglers charged between Rp 2 million and Rp 15
million to ensure the cars reach their buyers in Aceh.
Military officers also collect fees from vehicles passing by
security posts, the amount of which could reach Rp 18 billion a
year, according to Otto.
"Even dead bodies also have a price. If your family member is
missing or dead, you must pay at least Rp 2 million to military
officers to get the body," he said.
Sri urged the government to audit military foundations and
cooperatives to find out the source of their funds.
According to Sri, military business entities should be put
under the auspices of the Office of the State Minister for State
Enterprises, and the profit should be distributed to the military
through the state budget.