Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said Wednesday the Indonesian Military (TNI) has worked hard to erase its image as a repressive institution, citing the efforts of soldiers at the forefront of emergency relief efforts.
"The TNI is always in the lead when disaster hits our country, in line with its principle of being first in war, first in peace and first in emergency response," Juwono said in a speech at the opening of a two-day workshop on disaster management.
"On behalf of the government, I want to thank TNI for its quick response in handling disasters, like the tsunami in Aceh in 2004 as well as other disasters that have since occurred," he said. "And I expect the military to continue their good work."
The minister said the TNI played a major role both in the immediate aftermath of disasters, including assisting victims, and during the ensuing reconstruction process.
"TNI's active participation in disaster relief has improved the bad image of troops, who were previously generalized by the public as repressive and human rights violators."
He said the TNI's tainted image began to change after their involvement in relief efforts following the devastating 2004 tsunami.
Chief of the Army Training Center, Lt. Gen. Bambang Darmono, who has led troops in responding to a number of disasters, said the military had learned much from its experience during relief work.
"The 2004 tsunami, for example, taught us many lessons to improve our capability as well as to have better cooperation with other parties in disaster areas," Bambang said. "The most important thing is to rescue the victims immediately and to save as many lives as possible," he said.
After the 2004 tsunami, the TNI established a special unit, known as the Disaster Quick Response Squad (PRCPB).
"However, we have noted some problems that still remain, even after several disasters over the last couple of years. As an example, the uneven distribution of aid, unreliable data regarding the number of victims and also a lack of coordination among institutions," Bambang said.
He criticized the National Coordination Board for Disaster Management for its sluggish response to emergencies and its inability to synchronize the tasks of different parties.
"It is the board's responsibility to be on the front line once a disaster occurs, and the military should only be a part of its system. But, in fact, it is the military that often has to take over tasks because our troops are well trained to be alert in a crisis," he said.
The board's deputy for deterrence and preparedness, Sugeng Triutomo, said the board had in place comprehensive disaster management measures, including deterrence, quick response in emergency situations and recovery.