ABRI repositioning itself: Susilo<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI), in developing a new
\nparadigm for its position in society, will no longer be a tool of
\nthe government, according to ABRI Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs
\nLt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.<\/p>\n
Speaking in the West Java capital on Wednesday during an Army
\nseminar on ABRI's role in the 21st century, Susilo said the
\nmilitary needed to review its relationship with its supreme
\ncommander -- the president -- and the ruling Golkar political
\ngrouping.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged the relationship between ABRI and its supreme
\ncommander had remained clouded because it was not clearly defined
\nin the 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
\"In the future, the structural relationship between ABRI and
\nthe supreme commander must be regulated clearly. It should also
\nbe clear when a president should function as the head of state,
\nor the head of government, or ABRI supreme commander.\"<\/p>\n
The general said ABRI had also realized that its close
\nrelationship with the Golkar and the bureaucracy would no longer
\nbe relevant. He said the military, as part of the state, would
\nmaintain the same distance with political parties and the
\nbureaucracy.<\/p>\n
\"I think the most appropriate path ABRI should take is already
\nclear: ABRI will keep an appropriate distance with all political
\nparties.\"<\/p>\n
Asked to comment on the action of several retired generals who
\nrecently joined the Megawati Soekarnoputri-led Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI), he said they were entitled to make the
\nchoice.<\/p>\n
\"ABRI respects the retired generals' decision to joining the
\npolitical party, and hopes it will give 'positive values' to the
\nnation.\"<\/p>\n
Susilo said ABRI would not impose itself in either the House
\nof Representatives or the People's Consultative Assembly, saying
\nall matters should be handled in accordance with the law.<\/p>\n
\"ABRI in principle does not want to be a firefighter (summoned
\nto the scene after a problem flares) and it complies with the
\nexisting laws.\"<\/p>\n
He justified the military presence in the MPR, saying it
\ndisplayed its sense of responsibility for the nation's future as
\nstipulated in the 1982 national defense law.<\/p>\n
Its involvement in the House, he added, was aimed at
\ncontrolling the executive and its implementation of the
\nGuidelines of State Policies (GBHN) devised by the MPR.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, military observer Salim Said called on ABRI to
\nreturn to its initial role as purely an armed forces (TNI) entity
\nwhich excluded the police force.<\/p>\n
Salim said ABRI could use its upcoming Oct. 5 anniversary as
\nthe momentum to declare its return to its initial mission as the
\nnation's \"war force\".<\/p>\n
Gen. (ret) Awaloedin Djamin, former chief of the National
\nPolice, concurred, saying the separation should be made as soon
\nas possible.<\/p>\n
\"We are waiting for ABRI's commitment to announce the
\nseparation; its implementation can follow later on,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Salim and Awaloedin said the position of ABRI as a \"war force\"
\nwas regulated in the Constitution while that of the National
\nPolice was defined in Law No 28, issued last year.<\/p>\n
\"Both will have their own anniversary,\" Said said.<\/p>\n
But Susilo claimed it was not necessary to hastily separate
\nthe two forces. He said it was more important that ABRI was
\nresponsive to the idea.<\/p>\n
\"This seminar is an academic forum in which no decisions can
\nbe made. In-depth studies are still needed,\" he said. (43\/rms)<\/p>",
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