Armed forces professional by birth, says Prabowo<\/p>\n
By Dwi Atmanta<\/p>\n
MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): The Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI)
\nwas born as a professional organization, chief of the Army
\nSpecial Forces Maj. Gen. Prabowo Subianto said yesterday.<\/p>\n
In a rare speech to academics, Prabowo said the Armed Forces
\nhad inherited its professionalism from experience.<\/p>\n
\"We have a long tradition of warfare which began in the heyday
\nof past kingdoms, and it seems fortunate that ABRI was born from
\nsoldiers who had learned a lot from the world's best armed
\nforces,\" Prabowo said in an off-the-cuff speech.<\/p>\n
He was referring to the Dutch and Japanese armed forces which
\ntrained local youths to help them win their wars.<\/p>\n
Prabowo, one of the Armed Forces' rising stars, was speaking
\nat a seminar held by the Indonesian Association for Social
\nSciences Development. The seminar will end Saturday.<\/p>\n
Most of Indonesia's early military leaders were protegees of
\ncolonial armed forces. They include the founder of the Armed
\nForces the late Gen. Soedirman, Gen. (ret) Abdul Haris Nasution,
\nthe late Oerip Soemohardjo who was once an Armed Forces chief of
\nstaff and President Soeharto,<\/p>\n
Prabowo, Soeharto's son-in-law, said the Armed Forces had
\npassed a test of professionalism when it fought to retain the
\nnation's independence against Dutch and British troops between
\n1947 and 1949. The Dutch and British were fresh from winning
\nWorld War II.<\/p>\n
This professional tradition had helped the country's military
\nleaders build an army, despite their government not being
\nrecognized, Prabowo said.<\/p>\n
\"ABRI has undoubtedly been a group of professionals since
\nthen. This was proved when it quelled the rebellions that hit the
\nnation in its first 20 years of independence,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Non-military<\/p>\n
Prabowo said the military developed their professionalism in
\nnon-military fields when they filled civilian posts in the mid-
\n1950s because the government had introduced martial law.<\/p>\n
\"Professionalism in both defense and sociopolitical affairs,
\nwhich is its dual role, has made ABRI different from the military
\nin other countries,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another speaker, Yahya Muhaimin of the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah
\nMada University's School of Social and Political Sciences, agreed
\nwith Prabowo. He said the Armed Forces' dual role fitted a
\nconcept of new professionalism commonly shared by military in
\ndeveloping countries.<\/p>\n
Yahya, a military analyst, said the Armed Forces' involvement
\nin civil matters should be understood within an historical rather
\nthan a legal context.<\/p>\n
The 1945 Constitution makes no reference to the Armed Forces'
\nparticipation in sociopolitical affairs.<\/p>\n
Yahya said the Armed Forces' role in civil affairs had
\ndeclined because of the public was growing weary of it.<\/p>\n
ABRI, Yahya said, now had to accommodate globalization which
\nrequired greater democracy, transparency and the rule of law.<\/p>\n
\"People are now asking who can hold ABRI personnel in civilian
\nposts accountable. This must be answered to maintain public
\nrecognition of its dual role,\" said Yahya.<\/p>\n
Yahya hailed ABRI's recent revision of its sociopolitical role
\nfrom being a front-runner to a back-seater, but suggested that it
\nheed growing public demand for democratization.<\/p>\n
\"This may require ABRI to limit its (occupation) of civilian
\nposts to only strategic ones, and reduce its seats in the House
\nof Representatives.<\/p>\n
\"ABRI could even move toward being a totally neutral
\ninstitution in general elections,\" Yahya said.<\/p>\n
ABRI has been criticized for leaning toward the dominant
\npolitical group Golkar. A recent study by the state-run National
\nInstitute for Social Sciences recommended that the Armed Forces
\ninterfere less in civil matters, and eventually only place its
\nrepresentatives in the People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/armed-forces-professional-by-birth-says-prabowo-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}