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.