TNI ordered to help in terror fight

TNI ordered to help in terror fight

Tiarma Siboro and Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called upon the Indonesian
Military (TNI) to be active in the fight against terrorism after
the latest attack on Bali, which the TNI chief interpreted as
meaning restoring the military's territorial function.

Speaking at the 60th anniversary of the TNI on Wednesday,
Susilo said that Military Law No. 34/2004 allows the military to
launch operations not only in the battle field, but also to
overcome terrorism.

Interpreting the President's order, TNI chief Gen. Endriartono
Sutarto said that he would take some necessary measures to crack
down terror acts in the country by reactivating the military's
territorial function, which in the past had been strongly
criticized for massive involvement of the military in politics
and alleged human rights abuses.

"The government has given us (the TNI) a clear order to
participate in the war against terrorism. First, we will raise
the public awareness about the condition of people's
neighborhoods. Second, we will also activate the territorial
command up to the village level, and third, of course, we will
share intelligence information with other institutions,
especially the police," Endriartono said on the sidelines of the
anniversary ceremony, held at the Halim Perdanakusuma airbase,
East Jakarta.

The President said in his speech that terrorism was a crime
against humanity as "it kills people no matter who they are or
what they are."

Susilo also said that terror acts here had repeatedly
tarnished the image of the country in the international
community.

"Therefore, I ask the TNI to take part effectively in curbing,
preventing and acting against terrorism," the retired army
general said.

The blasts on Saturday killed 22 people and injured 130
others. In 2002, bomb attacks also rocked the island killing 202
people and injuring 300 more.

Handling terrorism in the country has so far been the domain
of the National Police, who have been mandated to deal with
internal security affairs following the reform movement in the
late 1990s.

The TNI has been left with the task of tackling threats coming
from other countries, although it is also allowed to assist the
police to deal with domestic security threats.

Endriartono hoped that other law enforcement institutions
would not be angered by the TNI's intention to reactive its
territorial function in the fight against terrorism.

"I hope the office of the Coordinating Minister for Political,
Legal and Security Affairs can coordinate things so that TNI's
role will not overlap with that of other forces," the four-star
Army general said.

But the plan to reactivate TNI's territorial function drew
criticism from Ikrar Nusabhakti, a researcher at the National
Institute of Science (LIPI), who expressed concern that the move
could pave the way for soldiers to once again enter the country's
political arena, or give legitimacy to commit political and human
rights abuses as allegedly occurred during the previous New Order
authoritarian regime.

"During the New Order regime, the military -- read: the Army
-- maintained these (territorial) roles mostly for political
purposes, and their mindset is yet to change as of today," Ikrar
said.

Another military observer, Kusnanto Anggoro of the Centre for
Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said that the move
would be effective in fighting terrorism as long as there is
better coordination between the TNI and police.

He, however, said that the request for the TNI to be active in
the fight against terrorism was more about strengthening the
fight not about the incompetency of the police.