Indonesia Defence Forum

[Nike]

I'm thinking along the way of creating a more organic solution (hiring locals as army.)

just like the Netherland do to us several hundred years ago right?

 

[nufix]

I'm thinking along the way of creating a more organic solution (hiring locals as army garrison.)

for a short time that may work, but for a long time? Doubt it.

Indonesian government has been successful at maintaining order because it has been largerly successful at maintaining the superiority of its forces that are stationed in Papua compared to the OPM and other rebel groups. While "migrant" armies are mostly loyal to the country, the locals have a greater tendency to turn their back on Indonesia in the future and use what they have been tought as a weapon against government's troops.

The Japanese and Dutch made a "mistake" when they started to employ locals as their auxiliary forces, Indonesians received modern military tactics and doctrines which later were used against themselves.

If we wanted to employ locals badly, I suggest that we should employ those who originally came from the shores rather than employing those from the mountains.

 

[Reashot Xigwin]

for a short time that may work, but for a long time? Doubt it.

Indonesian government has been successful at maintaining order because it has been largerly successful at maintaining the superiority of its forces that are stationed in Papua compared to the OPM and other rebel groups. While "migrant" armies are mostly loyal to the country, the locals have a greater tendency to turn their back on Indonesia in the future and use what they have been tought as a weapon against government's troops.

The Japanese and Dutch made a "mistake" when they started to employ locals as their auxiliary forces, Indonesians received modern military tactics and doctrines which later were used against themselves.

If we wanted to employ locals badly, I suggest that we should employ those who originally came from the shores rather than employing those from the mountains.

They will not be an actual army per se more in the line of the US national guard. They will be supervised by an officer from the TNI.

 

[Aepsilons]

Holy Shit. We gonna need a new approach for Papua.

Indonesian Military Influx in Papua Risks Worsening Violence
Dangerous Cycle: Fear prevails in Indonesia’s easternmost province at the military’s plan to establish a new regional command

By Kennial Caroline Laia, Ezra Sihite & Banjir Ambarita on 12:31 am Dec 10, 2014
Category Editor's Choice, Featured, Front Page, Human Rights, News
Tags: Free Aceh Movement GAM, Free Papua Organization (OPM), Indonesian Military TNI, Joko Widodo, Papua, violence

Residents tend to victims after a shooting in Enarotali, Papua, where up to five teenagers were shot dead during clashes with security forces. (AFP Photo/Indonesian Human Rights Watch)

Jakarta. Monday’s deadly shootings of unarmed protestors by security forces in Papua that killed as many as five teenagers, has sparked fears that a new era of violence in Indonesia’ easternmost region has begun.

Analysts speculate that the recent violence may have been fueled by an emboldened Indonesian Military (TNI) following the president’s announcement last month of his support for the military’s plan to open a new regional military command (Kodam) in Papua.

Adriana Elizabeth, a researcher with Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI) said the military may use the deadly incident as a pretext to increase their presence in the troubled area where the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) is said to have a presence.

“The latest clash also could trigger new misconceptions towards Papuans. The protest has already been attributed to the leadership of a separatist movement, [however] the cause that actually motivated the protest was merely a protest made by people whose children were abused by security officers,” Adriana said.

Activists united on Monday to reject the government’s plan to boost the military’s presence in the region, arguing the move would be unnecessary and against Joko’s initial commitment to resolve long-standing human rights issues in the country.

A large majority of Indonesia’s current human right abuses, activists say, take place in Papua, where some 16,000 people have been killed since 1969, when 1,025 Papuans selected by the military voted at gunpoint in an “Act of Free Choice” to join the Republic of Indonesia.

“The plan to expand the number of regional military commands in Papua is a wrong, desperate and baseless step taken by Joko’s government in an effort to end conflict in the area,” said Haris Azhar, coordinator for the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), on Tuesday.

“That plan should have never been initiated in the first place.”

According to the Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (Imparsial), more than 16,000 soldiers are currently deployed in region. Add to that the ranks of local police, and the total number of security officers in Papua exceeds the number of indigenous people, according to activists.

The military’s presence in Papua, Hais says, is comparable to martial law applied in Aceh from 1990-1998, when TNI declared the province a military operation region.

“The [government’s] plan [to increase the military’s presence] is a form of injustice to indigenous Papuans. With the additional military power, they will feel less secure. The plan must be cancelled immediately,” he added.

Poengky Indarty, Imparsial’s executive director, echoed this sentiment, saying the plan was indicative of the state’s poor understanding of the underlying problems now plaguing Papua.

“In addition, the president’s plan to form Kodam in Manado and Papua could destroy the ongoing military reform,” Poengky said. “The reform was supposed refine our military’s structure, culture and policy so that it could become a professional national security force.

“This also could be a sign that TNI’s role will regress to what it was in [Soeharto’s] New Order era.

“Imparsial therefore rejects the plan, and we even urge President Joko to discard existing of regional military command structure in Indonesia,” she added.

Soldiers go on duty for nine months on the border between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea to manage territory and maintain the boundaries of the country, in this Nov. 29, 2014 photo. (Antara Photo/R. Rekotomo)

Power breeds violence

Increased military presence in Papua will likely exacerbate violence there, Kontras’ Haris said.

“The additional number of security forces could trigger more violence in Papua,” Haris said, referring to the latest bloodbath in Paniai district, Enarotali, which took place earlier this week.

At least four teenagers were shot dead at the hands of security forces and 21 protesters severely injured, including women and children. Police said they dispatched a special team to the mountainous Paniai district on Tuesday to investigate the incident.

National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti suggested the violence may have been orchestrated by the Free Papua Movement (OPM), which has waged a low-level insurgency against Jakarta for decades on behalf of the mostly ethnic Melanesian population.

According to Imparsial’s Poengky, the planned military expansion indicates the seventh president is doubling down on the same security paradigm as his predecessor, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, in viewing the root of Papua’s problems as limited to separatism.

The rights activist also questioned commitments Joko made in his presidential campaign, during which the former Jakarta governor vowed to resolve Indonesia’s past and current human rights abuses, including in Papua.

The appointment as defense minister of Ryamizad Ryacudu met with widespread criticism by human rights activists, who say the former general’s leadership of several military campaigns in Aceh and Papua, led to widespread human rights abuses.

Activists point to Ryamizad’s involvement in operations against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Free Papua Organization (OPM) as their main objection for what they say is his unsuitability for the job of leading the defense ministry.

LIPI’s Adriana questioned the motive behind the state’s intentions to boost military power in Papua.

“What is the purpose of this military increment? What does government plan to achieve?” Adriana said on Tuesday.

“Whatever their reason, one thing must be underlined: the state security approach won’t end the violence in Papua,” Adriana said. “There’s a valid concern going on that the president himself doesn’t understand what the problem is.

“This would also indicate that people around Joko don’t provide him with adequate information about the province,” Adriana added.

The researcher emphasized that the government’s plan for additional military forces was not in line with dialogic approach previously proposed by LIPI, arguing that a peaceful dialogue would be the preferable way of ending Papua’s violence and poverty.

“For years, the security approach didn’t bear any significant results. Instead, it has fostered a sense of alienation among the indigenous Papuans. Tthey don’t feel like they are a part of Indonesia,” Adriana said.

“Military power has failed to provide safety. On the contrary, it has traumatized the people of Papua. The solution must be simultaneous, comprehensive and take into consideration human value,” Adriana said.

“Dialogue provides the best avenue for solving Papua’s problems.”

Workers loading a boat at Manokwari, West Papua on Dec. 3, 2014. (Antara Photo/Indrianto Eko Suwarso)

Welfare

“In addition, we cannot separate the issues of security and social welfare in Papua,” Adriana said, emphasizing that social welfare in Papua is highly related to the political instability of the region.

“But how can the government provide security and welfare if every incidence of violence in the area is associated with a separatist movement?” Adriana said.

“Certain parts of the government are quick to politicize every single clash that erupts in the province. That’s a discriminatory way of viewing the region and the problems it faces. We will see no changes in the next five years if the state maintains this attitude,” Adriana said.

Despite having disbursed Rp 57 trillion ($4.9 billion) in welfare funds since Papua was granted special autonomy status, or Otsus, in 2001, the province continues to struggle with extreme poverty, poor infrastructure and a severe lack of educational and heath care facilities.

Lawmaker Dede Yusuf underlined the dire need for adequate health facilities in the region.

“On our visit to Jayawijaya, we discovered that the medical staff and equipment in existing facilities fall far below standard. The area has a very limited range and supply of medication,” Dede said on Tuesday.

“Furthermore, the residents are not yet registered with the national health care plan,” he added, referring to the program managed under the country’s Social Insurance Organizing Body, or BPJS.

“The conditions we saw were disconcerting to say the least and must be addressed immediately so that the people of Papua may finally receive sufficient and adequate health services,” Dede said.

Slow train coming

On Monday, President Joko announced government plans to start building a railroad network in Papua next year.

“We hope the provincial development agency will support our efforts so that construction can start as soon as possible,” the president said during a teleconference with district heads and governors from Papua and Maluku.

“We want the railways to reach Papua’s higher elevated areas,” he said, adding that preliminary studies are projected to last six months, after which construction would immediately start.

Railways on the island of Biak, located off the northern coast of Papua, will also be reactivated.

“We want the [country’s] railway development to start immediately,” Joko said.

“It is high time for the Eastern part of Indonesia to receive more attention from the central government.

“We want to start developing together, maintain the unity [of the nation], and manage our border areas,” he added.

Further Coverage

Editorial: Papua Must Not Be Ignored Any Longer

Human Rights Let-Downs Damp Jokowi’s Pledges

Indonesian Military Influx in Papua Risks Worsening Violence - The Jakarta Globe

Thanks for sharing this @Reashot Xigwin , and I hope , too, that Indonesia can help rebuild Papua and reduce the violence there.

 

[guitar01]

I watch on al jazeera, 83% of papua's youth are unemployed. The govt need to put infra projects outside java at double speed. Railway track, deep sea ports, etc.
I believe the recent shooting must be due to undisciplined personnel, nobody with a sane mind in the line of command would order such thing. Totally counter productive. The govt should not protect those who are involved (like they often did in the past), instead give them heaviest penalty and make it transparent for the public.

 

[Reashot Xigwin]

Analysts Welcome Indonesia’s Plans to Triple Defense Budget
By Basten Gokkon on 11:24 pm Dec 10, 2014
Category Featured, Front Page, News, Politics
Tags: Indonesia state budget, Indonesian defense policy, Joko Widodo, Ryamizard Ryacudu

Analysts say Indonesia’s military and defense sector needs more investment to bring on par with neighboring countries. The spending is needed most for modernizing weaponry and improving the welfare of military personnel. (Antara Photo/Rosa Panggabean)

Jakarta. The new government’s plan to bolster the country’s defense spending to almost triple its current budget by 2019 has received support from international relations analysts and military experts in Indonesia.

Luhut Panjaitan, an adviser to President Joko Widodo, said on Tuesday that Indonesia’s defense spending was targeted to increase to 1.5 percent of gross domestic product over the next five years in order to protect the country’s sovereignty and national interests.

“We link to economic growth of about 7 percent … so by 2019, the national defense budget can increase to around $20 billion per annum,” Luhut said, as reported by Reuters on Wednesday.

Muradi, a defense and military analyst at Padjadjaran University in Bandung, West Java, agreed with the country’s plan to set such an impressive target for its defense and security sector, saying that “our defense sector is already 10 years behind neighboring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia.”

According to Muradi, Indonesia’s defense sector spending — which includes the purchase of primary weaponry defense systems, the cost of security monitoring and also stipends for military personnel — should make up at least 2 percent of the country’s GDP to be considered adequate.

This year, Indonesia has allocated Rp 83 trillion ($6.6 billion), which represents 0.8 percent of the total state budget, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said early last month.

“As of now, I believe there’s no other way to modernize our weaponry except for increasing the defense sector budget,” Muradi told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday.

“We can’t let other parties help us [with providing weaponry] because that way they are likely to dictate to us [on how to manage the country’s defense and security].”

Meanwhile, a nation’s moves to increase military and defense sector spending often set off alarms in neighboring countries — in Indonesia’s case, it includes Australia and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). They may see such a policy as a threat.

Deterrent effect

But international relations experts believe Indonesia’s move to beef up its security, by setting aside more money for defense in its state budget, is essentially based on its need to improve its defensive capabilities and security systems in order deter any potential aggressors.

“By beefing up security in its territory, Indonesia is sending a warning to other countries that may possibly be planning acts of aggression against it. It shows that they can no longer do whatever they like and think that we wouldn’t be able take decisive action against them,” Muradi said.

According to Muradi, Indonesia records some 200 violations to its airspace per year.

“For instance, just to challenge the most recent violation by three foreign aircraft, we spent some Rp 150 million, while we only fined them some Rp 60 million,” Muradi said.

“The increase is really needed, not because Indonesia is worried that there would be attacks from other countries, but more due to its internal interests,” Hikmahanto Juwana, an international relations expert from the University of Indonesia, told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday.

Hikmahanto says that the increase in defense spending is needed: to protect the country from illegal actions by private groups; to be a peace broker in any disputes occurring in the region; and also to boost Indonesia’s participation in United Nations peace-keeping efforts.

“Indonesia also requires adequate weapons systems to protect its territory as it has the second-longest coastline in the world, which eventually is in line with Jokowi’s agenda to be a Global Maritime Fulcrum,” said Djayadi Hanan, an academic in Paramadina University’s department of international relations.

Muradi further pointed out that increased defense spending was also needed to improve the welfare of personnel in the country’s armed forces aside from buying more weaponry.

To avoid any misinterpretations by its neighbors, foreign policy experts also say that Indonesia would have to explain and clearly outline the reasons behind its plan to increase its defense spending.

“Increasing the military budget could make other countries worry and if it’s not explained in a very clear and diplomatic way, it could be dangerous,” Hikmahanto said.

“Therefore, Indonesia must be able to justify clearly in its white paper on defense its reasons for the need to increase the spending.

“[For other countries] the move should not mean that Indonesia is planning to start a war or any aggressive actions, but that it’s basically meant to fulfill minimum essential force requirements,” Djayadi says.

“Indonesia’s move to strengthen its defense sector could boost stability in the Southeast Asia region,” Djayadi adds.

“Furthermore, Indonesia could also then start taking part in maintaining security in the region that will eventually improve defense and security for all countries.”

Hikmahanto pointed out that Indonesia would also need to show that its foreign policy had shifted to “all nations are friends until Indonesia’s sovereignty is degraded and national interest is jeopardized.”

Analysts Welcome Indonesia’s Plans to Triple Defense Budget - The Jakarta Globe

 

[pr1v4t33r]

I hope the president will start put some concrete action toward papua issue when he come home from korea. The incident has created good momentum for him to focus more on this easternmost region issue. The right action must be taken fast, and small wins achieved, so papua and indonesia can see that there is real hope for us to achieve greatness together as one nation. Viva Indonesia Raya.

Analysts Welcome Indonesia’s Plans to Triple Defense Budget

Will be very interesting to see if Jokowi can really put this plan to solid action. $20B is quite large sum of money... i can foresee destroyer ship, gen 5 fighter jet, long range SAM, submarine fleet, etc. Will become quite formidable forces in Asia, and the unchallenged power in ASEAN.

 

[Indos]

There are already huge money transferred to Papua Province for quite long time, local corruption by Papuan leaders is likely the case of why those money doesnt come into making economic situation better at Papua. The way the money being transfered should be changed by bypassing corrupt local government and using central government hands instead to build infrastructure there.

Papuan people are living in a relatively remote place, they even dont interact to each other in the past and have war to each other until now, one tribe is another tribe enemy, thats why their language are so many, and Indonesian language is actually the first language that unite them all. This kind of fact can be a hint of the difficulty to improve living condition of Papuan people.

 

[pr1v4t33r]

We all know, corruption happen everywhere all around Indonesia. It's scale massive. The fact that corruption has thwart papua is no secret, yet improvement must be successfully shown. That's why, corrective act must be done. And done fast, since this last incident has once again open the wound for papuan.

In this regard, i really curious about how Jokowi will handle this issue. I have high hope for him, so i want to see some action, and some small wins to be achieved fast before this momentum is over.


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West Papua deaths: Jokowi to 'follow up' shooting
smh.com.au/world/west-papua-deaths-jokowi-to-follow-up-shooting-20141210-123y3d.html

The shooting and its aftermath is the first test of Mr Joko's leadership on Papua, which has hosted a low-level insurgency for the past 50 years, and which he has said he wants to normalise.

Natalius Pigai, a member of the Indonesian Human Rights Commission Komnas Ham, said he had met with Mr Joko on Tuesday for International Human Rights Day and asked him to conduct an investigation into the deaths.

"We told the president what happened yesterday and he said, "I know the case'," Mr Pigai said. "He also said, 'I'll follow up'."

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Yup, he will follow up. faster... better...

 

[baukiki88]

Analysts Welcome Indonesia’s Plans to Triple Defense Budget
By Basten Gokkon on 11:24 pm Dec 10, 2014
Category Featured, Front Page, News, Politics
Tags: Indonesia state budget, Indonesian defense policy, Joko Widodo, Ryamizard Ryacudu

“We link to economic growth of about 7 percent … so by 2019, the national defense budget can increase to around $20 billion per annum,” Luhut said, as reported by Reuters on Wednesday.

Hmm Quite confuse...

I think it should be $20 billion / 5yrs NOT $20B per annum.

$20b can buy

5 skd of MRF
5 Submarine
5 Frigates
3 Destroyers
100 Missiles
300 MBT
5 skd Combat choppers, and more....

and if you add so much equipments every year you can beat India, UK and France within 5 yrs in term of equipments.
So I think it should be $20 per 5 yrs of state spending. Not per annum.

 

[pr1v4t33r]

It's per annum, by 2019 if 7% annual growth is achieved, which is a very optimist projection. For comparison, Aus spent around $24B/annum, China more than $150B/annum, and USA spent more than $600B/annum. So no... we will not becoming super power by spending $20B/annum. far from that.

But, it will be sufficient enough to become the unchallenged power within ASEAN, and quite formidable forces in Asia.

 

[Reashot Xigwin]

Monas 12-15 december.

Credit: Absan Albar

 

[pr1v4t33r]

New ships for the Navy

KRI Tarakan 905 - Oil replenishment ship 122 meter - Made in Indonesia

KRI 933 Hidro Oseanografi Ship (BHO-1) 60 meter - Made in France


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Kostrad soldiers at Monas

Astros 2 Mk6 at Monas

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Leopard 2A4 TNI AD

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[Dante]

Do Indo Posters here agreed if our Marines procure MBT? let's say T-72B ? not much just 10-20 units Our budget will greatly increased in Jokowi's admistration , and he say about maritime axis etc...and our Marines are part of Navy sooo...

View attachment 163419
Our Marine's current spear-head
BMP-3F, currently we have 54 units, and more will be added soon along with several MLRS
MLRS
View attachment 163420

No for T72B....what for? Indo marine too have different doctrine compare to USMC in which the later spearheading all US Forces far inland in all battlefield

If Indo Marine decides to induct MBT then they definitely need major doctrinal shift which they cannot afford, since Marine budget are too meagre compare to other three branches

 

[Nike]

Bonus weekend

credit to original uploader