Muhammadiyah Youths Agree To Involve TNI In Fight Against Terrorism

JAKARTA, May 31 (Antara) - The Central Executive Board of the Muhammadiyah Youths said it agrees to involve the military (TNI) in the fight against terrorism in Indonesia as it is already regulated in the Law No. 34 of 2004 on the TNI. According to the Law No. 34 there are three basic duties of TNI, first to maintain the country's sovereignty, second to defend the national integrity and third to protect the nation from any threat, chairman of the Islamic youth organization Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said here on Tuesday. Muhammaddiyah Youth is a youth organization of Muhammadiyah, one of the country's largest non political Islamic organizations. Dahnil said the basic duties are carried out through war and non war military operations. "One of the duties of non war military operations of TNI is to cope with terrorism. I think the growing terrorism activities could be minimized through involvement of TNI," he said. Fear of potential human right violation with the involvement of TNI is too exaggerated, he said, pointing out that one of the institutions successful in carrying out reform is the TNI, which must have taken a lesson from past experience. In fact, police's anti terrorism squad of Densus 88 has often been a target of criticism by the Human Right Commission and civil society, he said. Human right abuses in handling terrorism could be prevented with regulation in the law on terrorism, he said. "The draft law on terrorism being debated at the Parliament has accommodated regulation on controlling agency involving civil society to closely watch handling of terrorist suspects," he said. Earlier, in a plenary session of the cabinet, President Joko Widodo said he wanted the Draft Law on Terrorism to be passed into law as soon as possible to provide an effective legal basis to face terror threat. "Stability in security is important especially in the coming Ied al Fitr. The people have to feel safe in celebrating Ied al Fitr," the president said. The call for acceleration in wrapping up debate and passing the Draft Law grew after last week's suicide bombing at Kampung Melayu bus terminal in Jakarta, killing three police officers and the two bombers. "As a follow up of action to deal with the terror attacks, I want the Parliament to pass the draft law immediately," the president repeated, saying the law is needed as a legal umbrella for the security people to take action. The president also want to involve the military in fighting terrorism. "Give the TNI the authority under the law. Certainly with reasons, which I think the Coordinating Minister for Law, Security and Political Affairs has prepared," he said. The president also asked the National Agency Controlling Terrorism (BNPT) to launch programs to prevent seeds of radicalism from growing especially at school, houses of worship and prisons. Meanwhile Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the involvement of TNI in the fight against terrorism will depend on requirement and will need coordination with police. "Yes, it would depend on requirement. The involvement of TNI is needed but there must be good coordination," Kalla said here on Tuesday. When asked bout risk of violation of human right, Kalla said terrorism is a sadistic crime and the security apparatuses are acting to save the nation.