TNI back to square one

TNI back to square one

Public radio in the early 1960s aired patriotic songs every one
hour or so. The lyrics of one song were "Liberate Irian, Liberate
Irian" (Seize Irian, Seize Irian). It was around the time when
the country had yet to win Irian Jaya -- now Papua -- back from
the Dutch colonial government.

Unfortunately, the song is still relevant today to some
Papuans, especially those who aspire to secede from Indonesia.
Resentment against Jakarta has not waned 40 years after Irian
Jaya was liberated in 1963, mainly because of Jakarta's
mishandling of this resource-rich-province.

Last week the government decided to send more troops to Papua,
not to liberate it but to boost military strength there,
according to Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono
Sutarto.

Only two weeks ago, a communal conflict broke out in Timika
killing five people and injuring a dozen others. It was partly
triggered by the government's recent, controversial decision to
divide the huge province into three provinces. Critics say that
the government's decision -- to divide the province into West
Irian Jaya, Central Irian Jaya and Papua -- was made to weaken
the separatist movement in the easternmost province.
Nevertheless, the decision has been temporarily suspended due to
the conflict.

The addition of four battalions to the existing three
battalions in the province looks rational, especially if one
considers the enormous size of the province. But it is a
disturbing image if seen as an attempt by the military to
preserve its infamous territorial command structure.

For 30 years, under the rule of autocrat Soeharto, the
structure had been an instrument to ensure the military's
political supremacy, as well as the root of numerous human rights
abuses. This was the reason why the reputation of the military
reached its zenith right after Soeharto's downfall.

The people's suspicion toward TNI today stems from this
period. Bad elements in this otherwise very important institution
have been suspected to have engineered communal clashes in the
former province of East Timor, Maluku province and the town of
Poso, Central Sulawesi in post-Soeharto years. Too bad our legal
system has significantly failed to bring these cases to light.

Past experience shows that sending troops to conflict areas --
despite the otherwise noble intention of bringing peace -- only
creates more problems. Military solutions to political problems
are most likely to flop.

The military operation in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) in
the 1990s failed to subdue the decades-old struggle of Gerakan
Aceh Merdeka (Free Aceh Movement). Ironically, the post-Soeharto
government under President Megawati Soekarnoputri -- breaking
their past promise, to pursue peaceful means -- launched another
operation, starting on May 19 this year.

The military, who promised to end the current war in NAD in
six months, has to eat its own words. It has now hinted that the
conflict -- that has brought so much misery to the Acehnese --
might extend to next year. In the meantime, at least 319
civilians have been killed and more than 100 others injured,
according to the police.

In Papua, the government has been waging sporadic battles
against the separatist movement since the 1960s without success.

What needs to be done by the government, the people and the
military in both these troubled provinces is to embrace the local
people in an honest and genuine manner, to talk to them from the
heart, to listen to their grievances patiently and to find ways
to fulfill their demands. Bullets do not pay and they will never
win the hearts of the people.

The first step in this direction is the willingness of hard-
liners within the TNI to abandon their old way of doing things.
This entails a redefinition of responses to numerous challenges
facing TNI. Only then will the TNI recoup its glorious reputation
in its journey to become a professional institution. Otherwise,
God forbid, will we witness the days where Papuans and Acehnese
see their struggle as a war to free themselves from Indonesian
colonizers?