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TNI chief threatens, Komnas HAM questions

Jakarta Post - March 31, 2015

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Ruslan Sangadji, Palu – Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Moeldoko has threatened to shoot any suspected terrorists operating in Poso, Central Sulawesi, on sight, while the country's human rights commission is questioning the purpose of combat training in the area.

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Central Sulawesi chapter raised doubts over the military exercise held by the TNI in the province, involving at least 3,222 personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force. "What's the military exercise for?" asked Komnas HAM local chapter head Dedi Askary.

He told The Jakarta Post that if the exercise was aimed at stamping out the Islamic State (IS) organization, then TNI had made a mistake because internal security was the responsibility of the National Police.

Dedi deemed that without a clear objective and reason, the military exercise would bring local residents more problems, limiting their movements during the exercise.

"Some residents will even be forced out of their homes for fear of being hit by stray bullets," Dedi pointed out. He also expressed concern over the damage to farmland that could occur, as there was no guarantee of compensation from the TNI.

Consequently, Komnas HAM's Central Sulawesi branch has asked the TNI to respect basic human rights and give ample room to law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties in Poso. He added that the military exercise was being held almost simultaneously with the police's Camar Maleo Operation in the same area in Poso.

"The entire task force involved in the Camar Maleo Operation in Poso has been withdrawn from the location. Such a situation is obviously very risky and is cause for concern," said Dedi.

During transit at Mutiara SIS Aljufri Airport in Palu before leaving for Poso on Monday, Moeldoko urged the terrorist group led by Santoso to surrender if it did not want to be shot at by his men involved in combat training in Poso.

"We are not pursuing terrorists or IS in Poso, but if they're in the way, we will shoot them. There's no place for IS in Indonesia," emphasized Moeldoko.

The Army's Special Forces (Kopassus), the Navy's Frogmen Command (Kopaska) and the Air Force's Special Forces (Paskhas), are also involved in the exercise, which will be officially opened by Moeldoko on March 31.

Some Poso residents living in the area of the training location in Poso Pesisir, Poso regency, have been evacuated temporarily. Most of them, hailing from the Bersaudara mountain range in Poso Pesisir, have been evacuated to avoid casualties during the exercise.

Tadulako 132 Military Command chief Col. Ilyas Alamsyah Harahap said the evacuated residents hailed from Tamanjeka and Sipatuo hamlets and Weralulu village in Poso Pesisir. They have been moved to the barracks at Lape and Tokorondo. "The evacuation process will take 16 hours at most," said Ilyas.

According to him, although the mountainous area in Poso Pesisir would be a bombing target of the Navy and Air Force, access to the area would not be closed. "It will be dangerous if the residents are still in their villages as our soldiers are training," said Ilyas.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/31/tni-chief-threatens-komnas-ham-questions.html.