Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – With continuing questions over its role in safeguarding the property of private companies, the military has asked for clear regulations to provide a "legal umbrella" for its personnel.

Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said Monday the legal protection would prevent soldiers from being branded "mercenaries" when their services were often requested by the police and government.

"I just want the government to issue a legal umbrella which regulates the deployment of the troops to guard vital installations, such as PT Freeport and PT Exxon," Endriartono said.

He was referring to firms operating in provinces with separatist activity, with gold and copper mine company PT Freeport Indonesia in Papua and PT ExxonMobil in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

"The existing 2004 decree says companies should provide a self-protection mechanism... If they (the companies) fail to do so, they can ask the police and if it is needed, the police can ask our assistance," Endriartono said.

Since the National Police separated from the military, the TNI formally assists in internal security matters at the request of the police.

"For sure we will assist the police... But the state has only allocated a minimum budget... to support our tasks there. And as we receive facilities from the companies, many have accused us of being mercenaries," Endriartono told reporters after a coordinating meeting on political, legal, and security affairs.

Present during the meeting were, among others, the head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Maj. Gen. (ret) Syamsir Siregar and National Police chief Gen. Sutanto.

Endriartono's request follows the recent publication of an investigative report by The New York Times, which cited documents that Freeport paid nearly US$20 million between 1998 and 2004 to military and police generals, colonels, majors, captains and also military units, to safeguard the mine. Freeport denies suggestions that it is doing anything illegal.

Endriartono acknowledged that the military had received various facilities, including operational vehicles, from the companies, but said he was not aware of the value. An ExxonMobil spokesperson has said that its security fees were paid to and fully managed by the government's Oil and Gas Regulatory Body (BP Migas).

Observers have also blamed the absence of clear regulations on the coordination between the police and the military regarding security measures, saying this contributed to rivalry between the institutions.

Usman Hamid from the National Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said Endriartono's request for the regulation would "only justify the military directly receiving funds from the companies" it renders security services to.

"Instead, that legal umbrella must be clear cut on any from of 'direct assistance' from the companies to the security personnel in the field, because such practices are considered as a motivation for nurturing corrupt behavior among security authorities," Usman said.