TNI to remain neutral in elections

A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Military (TNI) has pledged to maintain its neutrality in the upcoming general election, its chief said on Wednesday.

In a hearing with the House of Representatives's Commission I on defense, TNI Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said this would represent a small break with tradition.

"We will remain neutral. We will keep the same distance from all political parties," Endriartono said.

The TNI wouldn't use the elections for its political ends because free and fair elections put the nation on the right track in what was a transitional era, he said.

The military's image has been badly tarnished because of the role it played under former president Soeharto's authoritarian regime during the 32-year New Order era.

It has also been much criticized for its political support for the Soeharto's Golkar Party.

Entering the reform era in 1998, the military conducted an internal reform to stay out of politics and to gradually pull out of the legislature.

Unlike many other democratic countries, military servicemen are still not able to vote in general and presidential elections.

Endriartono assured the public the military would respect whatever the results of the elections and be loyal to the government formed from the polls.

To help maintain order during the elections, the TNI was waiting to be coordinated by the National Police, who were in charge of home security, he said.

Concerning Aceh, Endriartono said Military personnel would not be deployed to maintain security in polling stations there. This would allay fears the Military was intimidating Acehnese people to go to polling stations or to cast their votes for certain parties.

However, servicemen "...could be stationed one kilometer or 100 meters from the sites (polling stations)," he said.

Both the government and the Military have been criticized for rejecting calls to demilitarize regions in the area considered relatively secure. They are also under fire for establishing pro- Jakarta militia groups who, it is feared, will drive voters to polling stations during the legislative and presidential elections.

In hearing with a House commission on home and legal affairs, National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said police were prepared to handle possible disruptions to the elections.

Police were cooperating with the Military to provide protection for the General Election Commission (KPU) and its regional offices, he said.

State Intelligence Agency head A.M. Hendropriyono was also sure the elections would be safe.

"There are small waves, but we will run things smoothly," Hendropriyono said in a seminar at the University of Indonesia on Wednesday.