Hundred nineteenth edition of the N&O column / Spooks newsletter

(Date: July 2007)

Intelligence profile - Indonesia

Background

The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state and home to the world's largest Muslim population. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, but it continues to face a low intensity separatist guerilla movement in Papua.

General

Long name	:	Republik Indonesia ( Republic of Indonesia)
Short name	:	Indonesia
Capital	:	Jakarta

Administrative divisions	:
		30 provinces (propinsi)	:	Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Irian Jaya Barat, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau, Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara.
		2 special regions (daerah istimewa)	:	Aceh, Yogyakarta.
		1 special capital city district (daerah khusus ibukota)	:	Jakarta Raya

Military & intelligence

Military branches:

Indonesia Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army, Navy (includes Marines, naval air arm), Air Force, KOPASSUS (Army Special Forces Command), OPSUS (Army Special Operations Service).

Note: The TNI is directly subordinate to the president but the government is making efforts to incorporate it into the Department of Defense.

Intelligence

BAIS: Badan Intelijen Strategis / Armed Forces Strategic Intelligence Agency
BAKIN: Badan Koordinasi Intelijen Negara / State Intelligence Co-ordinating Agency
BIN: Badan Intelijen Negara / State Intelligence Agency
POLRI: Polisi Republik Indonesia / Indonesian Police
BAKORSTANSAS: Badan Koordinasi Bantuan Pemantapan Stabilitas Nasional (Coordination Agency for the Consolidation of National Security)
KOPKAMTIB: Operational Command for the Restoration of Security and Order (1965-1985)

KOPKAMTIB was established in 1965. It's main task was to remove communist elements from the armed forces and government. Later the agency was in charge of internal security. Between 1969 and 1979, KOPKAMTIB ran a penal colony on Buru Island. KOPKAMTIB was disbanded in 1985. It's successor is BAKORSTANAS.

The two largest Indonesian intelligence agencies (BAKIN and BAIS) are still dominated by the military. This didn't change much when BAKORSTANAS succeeded KOPKAMTIB in 1985. The agency now controls the BAKIN, BAIS, the intelligence branch of Armed Forces and the KODAMs (regional commands of the army).

The BAKIN is the central intelligence agency, which analyses both domestic and foreign intelligence. BAKIN reports directly to the president. In the early 1990's BAKIN has been restructured and was given a new name: Badan Intelijen Nasional (BIN), "National Intelligence Agency". BIN will analyse and process all information and co-ordinate all intelligence agencies. It still reports directly to the president. BAIS is the army's agency for intelligence collection and processing. Several plans to establish a new intelligence body under the DEPHAN (Ministry of Defence) have surfaced during the past few years but I could not get a confirmation that this agency actually has been established.

Sources

CIA World Factbook (Background and General items)
Library of Congress Country Studies (several historic items)