TNI to stop guarding vital installations

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said Monday that he would withdraw troops currently deployed at several vital installations, including PT Freeport gold and copper mine in Papua, arguing that "guarding the places is not part of our main tasks."

Speaking in a press conference at TNI headquarters, Endriartono, nevertheless, said that for the time being, troops would still guard ExxonMobil gas operations in Aceh province due to security concerns. Aceh has been under martial law since May 19, when the government launched a military operation to crush separatist rebels.

"Based on the Law No. 3/2002 on state defense, guarding vital installations is not part of our duties. We are not mercenaries either and the decision to guard the vital objects was not coming from us, but from the government due to security considerations," Endriartono said. "We do not wish to be a scapegoat should something happen to the companies."

The TNI submitted the proposal on troops withdrawal to the government in Nov. 4 and expected that the latter would immediately approve it.

He denied his proposal was linked to a U.S. decision to withhold assistance for Indonesia's armed forces unless they cooperate fully with a Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into the ambush killing of two Americans at Freeport in August last year which killed two Americans and an Indonesian.

Papua police last year quoted a witness as saying that Kopassus special forces soldiers were suspected of carrying out the attack. The military denies any involvement.

Freeport has said it paid the Indonesian military about US$5.6 million last year to protect its employees in Papua.