ABRI told to be more proactive<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security Edi Sudradjat
\nyesterday urged the Armed Forces (ABRI) to be more \"proactive\",
\nespecially in facing criticism at home and abroad.<\/p>\n
Addressing ABRI's top brass, the retired general said the
\nworld is now undergoing major changes that compel the nation to
\nanticipate ways of responding to them.<\/p>\n
\"I have repeatedly said the officers and future leaders must
\nbe anticipative and proactive in this era of massive changes,\"
\nEdi told the annual leadership meeting at ABRI's headquarters in
\nCilangkap, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"The government apparatus, including ABRI, must be proactive
\nif it does not want to be caught off guard by progress and
\nchanges,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said ABRI should not become defensive on matters that have
\ntheir roots in the nation's culture, such as human rights and
\ndemocracy. \"If we always stay defensive, then the attacks against
\nus are bound to be more aggressive and more gripping.\"<\/p>\n
ABRI Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung in his keynote address earlier
\nwarned that human rights and democracy are two major issues which
\nthe military will have to deal with in the coming years.<\/p>\n
The meeting involves some 170 ABRI top brass from all four
\nservices: the Army, Navy, Air Force and the National Police. The
\nmeeting is due to wind up on Wednesday and the participants are
\nscheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Edi, who was briefly ABRI chief last year before he was moved
\nto the defense portfolio, said the military has been the target
\nof criticism from certain elements in the country and abroad who
\ntry to depict the situation as if ABRI was obstructing democracy.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the officers use the criticism as motivation
\nfor introspection on whether ABRI has carried out its task
\nappropriately in line with the demands placed upon it.<\/p>\n
\"I don't mean just those in Jakarta, but also those in the
\nfields and the regions,\" he said, stressing the need for the
\nmilitary to act in unison.<\/p>\n
\"There still seems to be the trauma from the Dili incident, so
\nthat some field commanders appear to be too cautious and this has
\nresulted in the fact that the different commanders act
\ndifferently in response to similar situations,\" he said. \"This in
\nturn encourages the flow of criticism against ABRI, including the
\naccusation that militarism prevails in Indonesia.\"<\/p>\n
Edi also warned ABRI to be prepared with a new paradigm, one
\nto do with openness, initially in the political field but
\neventually in other sectors.<\/p>\n
The military must be able to perform its duty within this new
\nparadigm, he said, stressing that the kind of openness in
\nIndonesia is not one without limits.<\/p>\n
Openness<\/p>\n
Gen. Feisal in his address said that openness has been
\ninterpreted by some people as freedom of expression without being
\nbound by responsibility to society, nation and the state.<\/p>\n
\"Several cases provide illustration that the demands and
\naspirations of the people have been used by certain elements to
\ncreate division and set one party against another with the
\nintention of changing the political system of the New Order.\"<\/p>\n
He said besides democracy and human rights, the nation also
\nfaces challenges in ideological development, the socio-cultural
\nsector and the economy, as well as in security and defense.<\/p>\n
To respond to the various challenges facing the nation, ABRI
\nmust continue to work to strengthen its unity with the people,
\nFeisal said.<\/p>\n
\"History has shown and taught us that unity between ABRI and
\nthe people turns the nation into a solid force in coping with all
\nkinds of threats,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Feisal said that while ABRI has succeeded in its role in the
\nsocio-political field, its presence in the political arena has
\nalso been criticized, at home and abroad, for different reasons.<\/p>\n
\"We need not feel concerned with this but we should respond to
\nthese criticisms with a cool head and open mind, remaining
\ncautious and always adjusting our political posture within the
\nconstitutional bounds,\" he said.<\/p>\n
ABRI must also strive to improve the way it plays its socio-
\npolitical role because the nation is also reaching political
\nmaturity, he said. (rms)<\/p>",
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