'TNI may still guard vital places'

'TNI may still guard vital places'

Yuni Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
clarified his statement over the military's plan to quit
providing protection at several vital installations, saying
soldiers may still do the task in the event of emergency.

"Should security concerns increase, (the companies) may ask
the police for assistance. If (the security concerns) worsen, TNI
might be asked for help," he told reporters here on Friday.

Endriartono had earlier said the withdrawal of troops was in
line with the Law No. 3/2002 on state defense which stipulates
that security is not part of the military's duties.

In response to Endriartono's proposal, Coordinating Minister
for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
expressed his support for the police to take over the security
jobs from the TNI.

National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar also said the police
force was ready for the transfer of duty.

To date, there are some 2,100 military soldiers deployed at
vital objects, or areas of great economic value, across the
country.

Among the 16 vital installations currently guarded by the
military are PT Freeport McMoran's gold and copper mine in Papua,
PT Caltex oil and gas in Dumai, PT ExxonMobil in Aceh, all of
which are managed/operated by private U.S. companies.

The presence of TNI soldiers at ExxonMobil and the state gas
and oil firm PT Arun NGL Co. would be maintained due to the
martial law status in Aceh.

Freeport has said that it paid TNI about US$5.6 million last
year to protect its assets in Papua.

On Friday, Endriartono said the TNI would no longer protect
the vital objects due to improving security conditions in
Indonesia.

"In the past, there were continuing threats that forced TNI to
guard the installations," he told reporters, adding the soldiers
were conducting a state duty by guarding those sites.

Now that security has improved, the responsibility to provide
security has returned to the management of the companies,
Endriartono said.

"It's the company's obligation to protect itself. Don't build
a company if you have no capability to guard the plant," he
explained to the managers of the firms.

Endriartono said the military would focus on its professional
development.

Police broke away from the TNI in 2000, and were supposed to
be put in charge of internal security affairs.

There are around 125,000 police personnel, compared to TNI's
250,000.