TNI deploys 41,500 troops to conflict-ridden areas

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Military (TNI) deployed nearly 41,500 troops to conflict-prone areas, half of those to Aceh, over the past three years, a military spokesman said.

Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said during his first press conference since he was installed as TNI spokesman on Feb. 24 that Aceh had received the top priority due to the degree of security problems caused by separatist rebels grouped in the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

"The massive deployment of troops to Aceh began in 2001 in line with the issuance of a presidential decree on restoring security and peace in the province," Sjafrie said at TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta.

There are more than 21,000 military reinforcement personnel posted in the troubled province of Aceh, backing up thousands more Police. The figure equals that of a an entire regional military command.

Due to such a huge number of reinforcement troops, the Iskandar Muda Military Command in Aceh was reinstated in early February without much trouble, he claimed.

The TNI, which consists of the Army, Navy and Air Force, has some 300,000 troops at its disposal, with the Army accounting for two-thirds of that number.

Communal clashes which followed the fall of the New Order regime in 1998 have also triggered the massive deployment of military reinforcement troops.

Over 9,800 military personnel failed to restore security and order in Maluku, which was rocked by sectarian conflict pitting Muslims and Christians since 1999. Peace returned to Maluku only this January following a government-sponsored negotiation between representatives of the warring parties.

Another sectarian conflict broke out in Poso, Southeast Sulawesi also in 1999. TNI dispatched 3,800 troops to the small town without much success, until the warring Muslim and Christian groups buried the hatchet in similar peace talks four months ago.

A total of 4,350 of troops have been deployed to Papua province to quell the persistent separatist activities waged by the Free Papua Movement (OPM).

To secure border areas with East Timor, TNI has some 2,300 reinforcement troops in East Nusa Tenggara.

Many have criticized the massive deployment of troops across the nation, on grounds that it benefited TNI's possible return to active political positions, which was earlier being phased out.

Criticism has also been directed at TNI headquarters over its failure to stop violence in Maluku and Poso.

Sjafrie, nevertheless, defended the massive deployment of troops, as the move was part of TNI's duty as the nation's primary guardian.