TNI Involvement Should be Confirmed

The regulation of National Defense Forces (TNI) involvement in military operation besides war should be confirmed, National Police (Polri) Chief Gen Bambang Hendarso Danuri said on Monday. "There should a real regulation of TNI involvement in military operation besides war, such as in the management of terrorism," the national police chief said after attending a presentation ceremony of a medal of honor to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono by Army’s Special Troops Command (Kopassus).

The medal was presented to the President by Army Chief of Staff General Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo at a ceremony at the Kopassus Headquarters in Cijantung, East Jakarta. Bambang Hendarso said the TNI active role in military operation besides war such as terrorism management could be formulated, based on the evaluation of joint TNI and Polri exercise in the management of terrorism.

"Yes, we have to evaluate the result of joint exercise in 2008 and in October this year to find out what the TNI and Polri can do in the military operation besides war. Now we do it in accordance with our agreement in the field," he said. The national police chief said the coordination and cooperation between TNI and Polri have run well at lower level, but in the future there should be a legal umbrella.

Commenting on the joint exercise of terror management in October this year, Bambang Hendarso said it would be focused on the prevention of terrorism. "Our focus is how to strengthen our respective role in preventing the terrorism," he added.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said on the occasion that besides the police, the TNI could also take action against the actors of terrorism. "Yes, the TNI can also take action against terorists without ignoring the role of National Police (Polri)," Juwono said, adding that TNI’s involvement in military operations for non-war purposes, including anti-terrorism campaigns, should be clarified in a relevant regulation.