Give TNI a chance<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman Wahid's call to the nation to give its
\nunwavering support to the Indonesian Military (TNI) comes as the
\ninstitution struggles to regain its credibility and public image.
\nNever before has TNI, once considered one of the country's most
\npowerful political institutions, been subject to such scathing
\nattacks from the public. It has led some to wonder whether the
\ncriticism is truly warranted or conceals ulterior motives, like
\nthe destruction of the military.<\/p>\n
The President is right in underlining TNI's crucial role in
\nnational defense and that it must enjoy the support of the people
\nto be able to perform its duties. Behind the President's call,
\nmade on Thursday when he met with the military's top brass after
\ntheir leadership meeting, one senses an appeal to the public to
\nend, or at least temper, the criticism.<\/p>\n
He was basically saying that the new TNI leadership has
\nreceived the message loud and clear and should now be given the
\nchance to prove it is serious about rectifying past misdeeds. TNI
\ntoday has come a long way from the time not so long ago when it
\nwas heavily involved in politics, with many undesired
\nconsequences.<\/p>\n
A prime example of its commitment to reform was shown when
\nTNI's leadership refrained from joining the fray surrounding
\nAbdurrahman's proposal to lift a 34-year ban on the teaching of
\ncommunism. Although the TNI faction in the House, still filled
\nmostly by officers of the old guard, rejected the proposal, the
\nmilitary's leadership made it clear that it would not interfere
\nin the debate and that it would abide by whatever decision the
\nnation comes to. This is a brave stance considering that TNI,
\nparticularly the Army, would have the most to lose if the
\nproposal was accepted. Lifting the ban would pave the way for a
\nrewriting of the nation's history of the tragic period of the
\nmid-1960s, in which the Army was an active player.<\/p>\n
Much of the change in TNI's stance should be credited to
\nAbdurrahman. In less than six months, he replaced the military's
\nleadership with officers known for their commitment to democracy
\nand human rights. His most daring move was removing the powerful
\nGen. Wiranto from the Cabinet and forcing him into early
\nretirement from active service. The President is also responsible
\nfor bringing Maj. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah back to Jakarta after
\nhe was banished to a regional post by Wiranto for his criticism
\nof his unreformist seniors.<\/p>\n
The new breed of officers, led by TNI chief Adm. Widodo A.S.,
\nhas repeatedly stated its commitment to stay out of politics and
\nto support the legitimate civil government. What distinguishes
\nthese new officers most from their predecessors is not so much
\ntheir loyalty to the President, but their attitude toward
\npolitical reform and the establishment of a civil government. So
\nfar, they have lived up to expectations enough for the President
\nto issue his appeal to the public to give TNI a chance.<\/p>\n
Promises and pledges alone, however, are not enough to
\nconvince a public which endured more than 30 years of military-
\nstyle rule. Widodo's pronouncement that TNI is quitting politics
\nhas not been accompanied by details or even deadlines of how and
\nwhen this would happen. Of utmost importance to the public is
\nwhat the military plans to do about the Army's complex
\nterritorial structures all the way down to the villages. It was
\nthrough the four layers of Army commands -- Kodam, Korem, Kodim
\nand Koramil -- that the military exercised its political role,
\nwith all the unwarranted excesses. Surely, they must now be
\nscaled back and simplified if TNI is serious about quitting
\npolitics.<\/p>\n
TNI's leadership at times appears ambivalent in answering
\npublic demands for the prosecution of its personnel responsible
\nfor atrocities in Aceh, East Timor, the massacre of people in
\nJakarta's Tanjung Priok Port in 1984 and the attack on the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party's headquarters in 1996. It gives the
\nlingering impression that the military's leadership is shielding
\nits predecessors from prosecution. A little more cooperation
\nwould go along way in winning public sympathy. Besides, it is in
\nthe long-term interest of TNI to make a clean break from its dark
\npast.<\/p>\n
While the President's appeal for the public to give their
\nsupport to the military is crucial in damming the flood of
\ncriticism, ultimately it is TNI which must fight its own public
\nrelations battles. TNI cannot expect to regain the respect and
\ntrust of the people with mere promises and one or two token
\ngestures. The military's leadership may have made some
\nsignificant starts, but it still has a long way to go.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/give-tni-a-chance-1447893297",
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