Analyst sees young officers reshaping ABRI's role<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): The most appropriate role for the Armed
\nForces (ABRI) in Indonesia's future sociopolitical arena is one
\nwhich elicits people's respect for it, a military analyst says.<\/p>\n
Yahya Muhaimin, from Gadjah Mada University, said he believed
\nthe new generation of younger officers with increasing influence
\nwould take the lead to achieve the ideal.<\/p>\n
Yahya told The Jakarta Post that ABRI has two kinds of
\nleaders: those naturally shaped by experience and younger
\n\"trained\" officers. Of the latter, there are those who can be
\ncategorized as \"conventional professional\", preoccupied mostly
\nwith security matters, and those who are \"new professionals\"
\nbecause they are concerned not only with security but also the
\nsocial, economic and political situation.<\/p>\n
\"The future role of the Armed Forces will be determined by the
\nyoung officers. Unlike senior military leaders trained by
\ninstinct and experience, the young officers are more
\nscientifically inclined because of their academic backgrounds.<\/p>\n
\"The future of ABRI is in the hands of officers such as Maj.
\nGen. Prabowo (Subianto), Maj. Gen. Bambang Yudhoyono and Col.
\nSyamsul Ma'arif,\" he said, referring to the commander of the Army
\nspecial force, the chief of the southern Sumatra regional
\nmilitary command, and the chief of Bhaskara Jaya military
\ndistrict in Surabaya respectively.<\/p>\n
\"The new professional officers are not only top-notch but are
\nalso able to read social and political situations.\"<\/p>\n
He said the new breed of officers were not only consistent in
\nholding up the culture and tradition of ABRI but also have
\nvision. Yahya compared them with President Soeharto and Gen.
\n(ret) A.H. Nasution as former officers from a military tradition
\nseasoned by experience. \"We can't say which group is better, both
\nare needed.<\/p>\n
\"What's the proper role for ABRI in the future? One which
\nmakes people respect it, and which enables it to respect the
\npeople,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces' Dwifungsi, or dual function, allows it an
\nofficial role in politics. Under the concept military officers
\ncan hold civilian jobs from the lowest level of the bureaucracy
\nin the villages to the upper echelons of cabinet ministries.<\/p>\n
Critics have often said that the Armed Forces should gradually
\nreduce its sociopolitical role, take a backseat and let civilians
\nassume more influential, decision-making posts.<\/p>\n
Yahya said a role that elicits people's respect and teaches
\nArmed Forces officers to respect people should come about from \"a
\nunified vision, perception and interpretation of important issues
\nsuch as democratization, public participation and national
\nstability.\"<\/p>\n
The role needs a \"unified stance on state matters,\" said
\nYahya, who is also a deputy chairman of the 28-million-strong
\nMuhammadiyah Moslem organization.<\/p>\n
Despite the current criticism of the military's over-
\ninvolvement in public life, Yahya is confident the right role for
\nABRI to play will be evident in the near future.<\/p>\n
\"If people are willing to work at it, reciprocal respect
\nbetween the Armed Forces and the people would be easy to
\nestablish.\"<\/p>\n
He said that civilian leaders such as State Minister of Public
\nHousing Akbar Tandjung and Minister of Transmigration Siswono
\nYudohusodo, both former student activists, have displayed a
\nrelatively unified stance on many state matters.<\/p>\n
\"The two seem to have a common vision on many issues. If the
\ncivilian leaders can do it, why not (ABRI leaders and other
\ncivilians)?\" he said. \"As long as there is willingness to respect
\none another and no intention to look down on one another, there
\nshould be no problem (in establishing more unified positions).\"<\/p>\n
Yahya also discussed the Armed Forces' handling of the recent
\nunrest in many parts of the country over the last few months. He
\nsaid he \"sensed\" the upheavals were possibly contrived by \"groups
\nwho, for their individual and collective interests, were trying
\nto sabotage the general election\" which constitutes the
\nlegitimacy for the New Order administration. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/analyst-sees-young-officers-reshaping-abris-role-1447893297",
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