Indonesia’s plan to expand military role in counter-terrorism draws flak

JAKARTA – A renewed plan to include the Indonesian military (TNI) in the country’s fight against terrorism has sparked concerns among civil society groups, who warn it could further undermine hard-won democratic reforms and threaten civil liberties under the guise of security operations.

The plan is laid out in a draft presidential regulation (Perpres) that outlines the military’s responsibilities in combating terrorism. It assigns three roles to the armed forces for the counter-terrorism campaign that are among the TNI’s operations other than war: prevention, enforcement and recovery.