Max Lane

In a move criticised by Indonesian human rights organisations, interim home affairs minister Hari Sabarno announced on September 15 that officers of the National Intelligence Body (BIN), a civilian agency reporting directly to the president, would be given powers of arrest. Under Indonesian law at the moment, only police officers can make arrests.

Sabarno also announced that BIN head Hendropriyono would head up a taskforce, and be given power to coordinate all intelligence operations. While BIN was established to bring all intelligence agencies under one umbrella and Hendropriyono was given cabinet rank, the armed forces, the police and the foreign affairs ministry all still have intelligence wings.

Rachland Nashidik, director of the human rights organisation, Imparsial, criticised the new extra-judicial powers. Nashidik commented that he thought that Hendropriyono was using the September 9 bombing of the Australian embassy in Jakarta to revive an earlier law on intelligence agencies that gave BIN the right to make arrests.

From Green Left Weekly, September 22, 2004.
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