TNI loves the people

TNI loves the people

On the front page of The Jakarta Post, July 26 an article
appeared under the heading TNI chief offers apology to the
Acehnese people, which was very touching and showed how much the
Indonesian Military (TNI) love the people. This is the second
time I have read an expression of the TNI's real feelings toward
the people.

The first was some sort of a farewell speech made by the
chairman of the TNI group in the People's Consultative Assembly
when a motion was accepted stating that the presence of the
TNI/Police representatives would be cut short from 2000 to 2004.
There was no protest or the like but instead the chairman made a
very sympathetic farewell speech.

Now a more touching apology was offered by the TNI chief to
the Acehnese people for what the chief called the negative impact
of the war in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, which has caused
suffering to the people. This shows the real kindhearted feelings
of the TNI toward the people, although all these are caused by
the TNI following orders issued by the legal government for the
sake of the nation. Mistakes are made by the TNI, but those are
exceptions rather than common behavior.

There are NGOs who are criticizing the TNI, due to hate and
jealousy and far from being fair. They suggest that the TNI are
psychopaths, ready to kill anybody, or that the biggest trouble
makers are the TNI and the Police, not the GAM.

Even the National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) are
not treating the TNI appropriately. According to them only the
TNI and Police are violating human rights but they have never
mentioned what the GAM has done, like killing Indonesian marines
who were doing their evening prayers.

Now the TNI are trying to win the people's hearts. But
frankly, this is a very difficult task, because it is very hard
to determine whether the people they meet and see are innocent
civilians or disguised rebels.

SOEGIH ARTO
Jakarta