Adhi Pratomo, Jakarta – Activists from the Student and People’s Alliances Against RUU TNI (Aliansi Mahasiswa dan Rakyat Tolak RUU TNI) believe that the RUU TNI (Rancangan Undang-Undang Tentara Nasional Indonesia, draft law on the armed forces) represents an endeavor by President Megawati Sukarnoputri to jack-up her votes in the second-round presidential elections by giving political concessions to the military in order to get the political support of the military and their families.

The issue was taken up by the alliance which represents a coalition of activists from the National Student League for Democracy (LMND), the Muslim Students Association for Reform (HMI-MPO) and the victims of human rights violations in the Tanjung Priok case1 at a press conference at the offices of the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation on Jalan Diponegoro in Central Jakarta on Wednesday August 25.

During the press conference they also called for an investigation into the case of a People’s Democratic Party (PRD) activist who died recently in Pekalongan jail, condemned the Ad Hoc Human Rights Court in Jakarta for clearing generals who perpetrated human rights violations in the Tanjung Priok case and opposed the enactment of the draft law which is ridden with political interests.

LMND national executive member, Maeda Yoppy, said that basically these three issues have a common link, that is the question of militarism and the shackling of democratic freedoms. They oppose the enactment of the law because they believe it is a vital instrument for rebuilding the power of militaristic forces in Indonesia.

The RUU TNI was inspired by the desire to maintain the special economic rights of the military as reflected in Article 3 and reinforced in Article 63. These special rights are reflected through the strengthening of the role of military officer’s being assigned to civilian posts as reflected in Articles 43, 45, 50 and 52.

The TNI’s special rights are also being broadened in legal terms as reflected in Articles 62 and 25. “In procedural terms the RUU TNI is also flawed and is ridden with the political interests [of certain parties] in the lead up to the second-round of the presidential elections”, explained Yoppy. (nrl)

Notes:

1. On 12 September 1984, dozens of people were killed and injured when troops fired on Muslim demonstrators in the port district of Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta.

[Translated by James Balowski.]