TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Factions in the Legal Commission of the House of Representatives (DPR) have unanimously approved Comr. Gen.Tito Karnavian’s nomination yesterday as the new National Police Chief. The main reason behind the approval of the nomination made by President Joko Widodo was that Tito has a relatively clean track record.
The members of the Commission grilled Tito on counterterrorism issue during the fit and proper test before the approval. Tito was the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) Chief before being nominated as the sole candidate of police chief. The 51-year old police officer had spent most of his career in counterterrorism efforts.
Arsul Sani of the United Development Party (PPP) Faction, for example, questioned Tito on the death of Siyono, an alleged terrorist in Klaten, after being arrested by Special Detachment 88 antiterror on March 11. “Commission III has been told that there were 122 alleged terrorist who were inexplicably shot dead,” Arsul said.
The National Commission on Human Rights had suspected that there were human rights violations in Siyono’s arrest. The police had dismissed the allegations.
According to Asrul, there has been a shift in counterterrorism efforts in Indonesia after the enactment of Law No. 15/2003 on Terrorism Eradication. While previous efforts had used the criminal court, the current ones tend to use war-like approach, he said. “In 2001 to 2005, when the Police Chief was General Dai Bachtiar, alleged terrorists were arrested, tried, and sentenced to death,” he said.
In response to the criticism, Tito said that the arrests that killed terrorists were not unprecedented, particularly when he served as BNPT chief. Since Bali bombings, many alleged terrorist had been killed during arrest, even before they were questioned by the police.
In Siyono’s death, Tito reasoned that Special Detachment 88 was forced to kneecap Siyono, leaving his ribs broken. “Our personnel had to subdue him because Siyono fought back,” Tito said.
The Coordinator of Sub-commission on Mediation, Komnas HAM, Nur Kholis, said that President Joko Widodo did not ask for opinion from his institution before he nominates Tito as the sole candidate of Police chief. “The nomination process was very quick this time, we were not involved,” he said.
Kholis declined to provide any details with regard to Komnas HAM’s stance on Tito. He was hopeful that Tito could fulfill his promise to improve the police, especially on their duty without violating human rights.
With the approval of Tito’s nomination, the House’s Legal Commission has removed General Badrodin Haiti from office. The decision on Tito’s appointment will be conveyed by the Commission in a plenary meeting of the House on Monday.
DEWI SUCI RAHAYU | FRANSISCO ROSARIANS
