TNI prioritises dialogue with residents before building YTP headquarters

The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) always prioritises a humanitarian approach through dialogue with residents before building Territorial Development Infantry Battalion (YTP) headquarters in various regions, stated Head of the TNI Information Centre Brigadier General Muhamad Nas. This method is employed to ensure the community does not feel disturbed by the presence of soldiers and the YTP headquarters under construction. “So what we carry out is a humanitarian approach, on the basis of humanity, we convey the data and facts,” Nas said during a press conference at TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Tuesday. In the humanitarian approach process, the TNI seeks to explain to the public the purpose of the YTP and the land used for constructing the headquarters. According to him, the land used for building the headquarters is determined by the local regional government, not the TNI. “It is not us who designate the location, but we ask which area will be developed based on the strategic plan that has been made, the local government determines that location,” said Nas. Furthermore, he continued, the name of the YTP headquarters is determined by the local government and indigenous community. This demonstrates that the TNI has involved elements ranging from regional government to the community in the process of building the YTP headquarters. Through these processes, Nas expressed hope that the public would not feel disturbed or inconvenienced by the construction of YTP headquarters in each region.