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.