Imparsial: TNI Puspomal Cannot Protect Troubled Members

Director of Imparsial Ardi Manto Adiputra. BETWEEN Photos/Azmi

JAKARTA - The Impartial Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), which oversees and investigates human rights violations in Indonesia, has requested that the Navy Military Police (Puspomal) not protect members of the TNI involved in crimes against civilians.

Imparsial Director Ardi Manto Adiputra said that the shooting incident of the rental boss at Rest Area KM45, Tangerang-Merak Toll Road on Thursday (2/1) involving members of the Indonesian Navy must be an important concern for related parties in the ranks of the TNI.

"On the statement of the Commander of the Republic of Indonesia, Vice Admiral TNI Denih Hendrata, regarding the perpetrator of the shooting of the car rental boss at KM 45 Merak-Tangerang, what was carried out by unscrupulous Indonesian Navy soldiers was an act of self-defense due to the beating. And this must be an important concern for the ranks of the TNI," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, January 9.

According to him, the statement by the Pangkoarmada contradicts the statement of the child victim of Agam Muhammad Nasrudin, who at the time of the incident was at the scene and saw firsthand the incident.

Where the victim's child said there was no beating in the incident.

"He explained that when they gave chase before entering the KM 45 rest area, they and the team had even been held at gunpoint and threatened with being shot with firearms when they were about to stop the rental car carried by the gang of perpetrators," he explained.

Nevertheless, Imparsial assessed that the TNI's statement regarding the incident was premature and premature which could hurt the feelings of the victim's family who was seeking justice.

"Puspomal juga belum meminta keterangan dari keluarga korban dan sejumlah saksi yang melihat langsung kejadian tersebut. Perlu dicatat bahwa oknum anggota TNI AL tersebut jelas-benar tidak memiliki indikat baik untuk menguasai mobil milik pengusaha Rental tersebut, jadi di sini jelas ada niat jahat dari si pelaku," ungkapnya.

He said that Pangkoarmada and Puspomal, in this case, seemed to protect members of the Indonesian Navy who were the shooters who resulted in the death of the car rental boss.

"For this reason, as people with malicious intentions, the shooting carried out by Indonesian Navy personnel is not a form of self-defense, but an attempt to escape together. The pretext of the shooting was based on self-defense as conveyed by the Pangkoarmada is clearly wrong," he said.

Imparsial emphasized that the incident of misuse of firearms by members of the TNI resulted in the death toll not only this time.

In Imparsial records, throughout 2024 there have been at least eight incidents of abuse of firearms committed by unscrupulous members of the TNI. The misuse of firearms resulted in the death of seven civilians and 10 people injured.

In addition, Imparsial also noted that there were 27 cases of violence perpetrated by members of the TNI against civilians throughout 2024 yesterday, with 48 victims, of whom 12 died.

"The form of violence committed includes; beaten/treatment as many as 18 cases, shooting as many as 8 cases, 1 case is domestic violence," he said.

The shooting case at KM 45 Merak-Tangerang is called Imparsial, adding to the long list of how the military justice system is actually not feasible to process general crimes committed by members of the TNI.

Imparsially also suggested that TNI soldiers involved in general crimes must be processed through the general justice system. This is a mandate from the TNI Law itself (Article 65 paragraph (2)) and also TAP MPR No. VII 2000 concerning the role of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) as state defense and security apparatus.

"Although it has been mandated by the TNI Law and the TAP MPR RI, until now the Government and DPR RI are reluctant to revise Law no. 31 of 1997 concerning military justice," he said.