"I have checked with the 3rd Siliwangi military commander and not found anything called Operation Sajadah," TNI Commander Admiral Agus Suhartono said on the sidelines of a visit to a Marine Corps compound in Cilandak, South Jakarta, on Wednesday.
He said before TNI conducts operations they must first have plans and budgets. and "every operation planning always involves the TNI commander while the implementation must also be based on a direct order from the TNI commander. The budgets for operations also have to be approved by the House of Representatives (DPR)."
He said TNI personnel in West Java had not conducted any operation but only helped local administration officials.
Agus also denied TNI had committed acts of intimidation against Ahmadiyah followers to make them repent.
"I believe what the TNI commander in West Java has done is right. TNI`s presence in a region must be seen as a scare," he said.
He said TNI protects the people and they must feel safe beside it. "Do not consider it as intimidation. Their presence, according to the West Java TNI commander was to prevent violence," he said.
Agus said TNI safeguards so that no violence or anarchy will happen in the community.
He said TNI also was not involved in familiarizing the SKB (joint ministerial decree banning Ahmadiyah activities) but has only helped monitoring and accompanied local officials in carrying out the familiarization efforts to assure that no anarchic actions by certain groups would take place.
(Uu.H-YH/HAJM/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
