[Kabar-indonesia] Indonesia Military Businesses Hurting Reforms: Rights Group

[JoyoNews at aol.com]

[Note: There is no news release or report yet on the HRW web site]

Indonesia Military Businesses Hurting Reforms: Rights Group

JAKARTA, June 20 (AP)--The Indonesian military's involvement in business 
undermines efforts to reform the institution and perpetuates its reputation of 
being abusive, corrupt and above the law, an international rights group said 
Wednesday. 

"The military's moneymaking creates an obvious conflict of interest with its 
proper role," said Lisa Misol, the main researcher and author of a 136-page 
report by 
New-York based Human Rights Watch. 

"Instead of protecting Indonesians, troops are using violence and 
intimidation to further their business interests. And because the government doesn't 
control the pursestrings, it can't really control them." 

The Indonesian military raises money outside the government budget through a 
sprawling network of legal and allegedly illegal businesses, the group said, 
citing security provided to U.S. mining company Freeport McMoRan in the eastern 
province of Papua as one of several examples. 

Many of these businesses are not controlled by the military's central 
command, but have been allowed to spread as a flawed response to budget constraints, 
it said, adding that the military is required by law to withdraw from 
businesses by 2009. 

So far, however, civilian and military leaders have done nothing to adopt 
regulations spelling out how the government will take over the businesses, Human 
Rights Watch said, calling on it to take immediate action. 

"The Indonesian government says it wants to professionalize its military, but 
we've seen little evidence of real change," Misol said. 

"Troops are breaking the law, violating human rights and hiding the money 
they make on the side," Misol alleged. "Military reform means getting soldiers 
out of business and prosecuting those who broke the law." 

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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