Akhdi Martin Pratama, Jakarta – Activists from the Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform stormed the Ruby 1 and 2 meeting rooms at the Fairmont Hotel in Jakarta on Saturday February 15.
Arriving at 5.50 pm local time, the three people led by Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) member Andrie Yunus tried to forced their way into the meeting room where members of the House of Representatives (DPR) and government representatives were discussing the Draft Law on the Indonesian Military (RUU TNI).
"The DPR and the government discussing the RUU TNI at a luxury hotel on the weekend, hello efficiency?", read a poster that was held up high by Yunus.
Another poster read "Like there's not enough work, take a second job", alluding to the Army trying to solve the lack of jobs for officers by placing them in civilian posts and the potential return of the TNI's dwi-fungsi (dual-function) through the revisions to the TNI Law.
There was also a poster that read "Just a replacement, how about it, TNI becoming ASN, civilians carrying arms", alluding to civilian positions in the revisions to the TNI Law that will be allowed to be occupied by active TNI officers in place of state civil servants (ASN).
The three activists also shouted out demands calling for an end to the discussions because they are closed and do not provide space for public participation. "End this ladies and gentleman. The process is very closed. There's no involvement of the ordinary people here", they said.
The Coalition's concerns over the bill were also conveyed through a written statement highlighting the attitude of the TNI Law revisions working committee (Panja) in holding the discussions at a luxury hotel in the midst of the government budget efficiency policy.
They noted that in midst of massive budget cuts and efficiency measures, which have even had to postpone the inauguration of new ASN, the DPR has in fact held discussions on the TNI Law at the Fairmont Hotel.
This shows that the rhetoric of budget cuts is only just empty talk and they have no sensitivity amid the economic difficulties facing the public.
Therefore, the Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform, which is made up of 30 non-government organisations (NGOs), strongly condemns the discussions that are being carried out secretly at a five-star hotel with minimal transparency, accountability and public participation.
Moreover, they continued, the discussions are being carried out on a weekend and a short time before the DPR's recess period. "The government and the DPR must stop continually lying and hurting the Indonesian people's sense of justice", said Kontras Coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya, who is also a member of the Coalition.
The Civil Society Coalition is made up of Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial), the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), Kontras, the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI), Amnesty International Indonesia (AII), the Institute for Public Research and Advocacy (ELSAM), Human Right Working Group (HRWG), the Indonesian Form for the Environment (Walhi), the Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy, Centra Initiative, the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH), the Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers), the Community Legal Aid Institute (LBH Masyarakat), the Malang Post Surabaya LBH, the Democratic Alliance for Papua (ALDP), Public Virtue, the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR), the Jakarta Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), the Nusantara Indigenous Community Defence Association (PPMAN), the All Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM SI) and De Jure.
The two-day meeting to discuss the revisions to the TNI Law at the five-star Fairmont Hotel, which is only two kilometres from the parliament building in Senayan, Jakarta, has been in the public spotlight because it is being held in the midst of the government's budget efficacy efforts.
The DPR's Commission I has been discussing the revisions to the TNI Law together with the government since Tuesday March 12. The revisions will include increasing the retirement age of soldiers through to the placement of active soldiers in government ministries and institutions.
Specifically, the revisions aim to set the retirement age at 58 years for Bintara (privates) and Tamtama (non-commissioned officers), while the period of service for officers can be as high as 60 years. In addition, there is a possibility that the retirement age can be extended for up to 65 years for soldiers who occupy functional positions.
Then, the revision of the TNI Law will also change the rules for the placement of active soldiers in government ministries and institutions, given the increasing need for the placement of soldiers in civilian positions.
- A video of the protest action at the Fairmont Hotel can be viewed here: https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20250315190114-24-1209246/video-momen-koalisi-sipil-geruduk-rapat-tertutup-revisi-uu-tni
[Translated by James Balowski. Some additional text was added to clarity the meaning of the posters at the protest. The original title of the article was "'DPR dan Pemerintah Bahas RUU TNI di Hotel Mewah dan Akhir Pekan, Halo Efisiensi?'".]
