Keep off politics, Megawati tells TNI

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE, OCT. 6. The Indonesian President, Ms. Megawati Sukarnoputri, has told the country's powerful military (TNI) to stay out of the politics of the country.

``The armed forces must leave the practice of politics and should concentrate on the defence of the country,'' the President, in what is a very blunt statement on the contentious issue of the TNI's role in Indonesia, said in Jakarta on Friday.

Ms. Megawati, who is far less critical of the military than her predecessor, Mr. Abdurrahman Wahid, said: ``Internal security is the responsibility of the national police.''

Even though the TNI faction has only 38 seats in Parliament, just 30 per cent of its budget comes from Government coffers. The remaining 70 per cent is raised through an extensive business empire.

The President also referred to the problems of violence and religious fanaticism in the country which has seen ``volunteers'' signing up to fight in Afghanistan.

Ms. Megawati, who was addressing service personnel at a function to mark Armed Forces Day, said: ``Imposition of one's personal and communal point of views on others through illegal means will certainly result in problems.''

The military, the President said, should not be ``hesitant'' in safeguarding the country's unity.

``Every time, our unity as a nation is threatened due to violence and fanaticism of ideology.

This is the cause of our exhaustion in handling other important matters,'' she maintained. ``Doubts appear while carrying out duties due to concern over violations of human rights but those doubts are a good start because it shows that you still have a conscience,'' she added.

In a separate development, the Indonesian Government ``banned'' its citizens from participating in the ``jehad'' against America in Afghanistan.

``Indonesians can only be involved in foreign military operations as part of a United Nations peace-keeping force,'' the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said.

He said that while the Government would permit peaceful protests outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta, persons who burnt flags or symbols of other nations would be taken to task.

``The security agencies will not hesitate to disperse or stop demonstrations that have the potential to develop into anarchy,'' he maintained.

Mr. Bambang also went on record to state that the U.N. must take the initiative in the war against terrorism. ``Indonesia calls on the United Nations to take collective, effective and proper action in fighting terrorism.''

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Section  : International
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