Govt to revive National Defense Council<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government is planning to revive the National Defense Council
\n(DKN) in order to strengthen the decision-making process on
\nvarious conflicts in the country.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the media after a Cabinet meeting here on
\nThursday, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
\nAffairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that the council would
\nconcentrate on internal defense.<\/p>\n
\"This is not a new agency, but a revised form of the current
\nNational Defense Board (Wantanas), which will focus on internal
\ndefense,\" Susilo said.<\/p>\n
He stressed that the revived council was not meant to be
\nanother defense council with unlimited authority in ensuring
\npeace in the country, but would serve as an advisory body on
\nvarious conflicts.<\/p>\n
\"The current Wantanas concentrates on both internal and
\nexternal security, while the security law covers only domestic
\ndefense,\" Susilo said.<\/p>\n
Wantanas was established in 2000 under former president
\nAbdurrahman Wahid, with authority to monitor conflicts across the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
The board was established to provide as much information as
\npossible for the president before the head of state chose the
\npolicies or measures for dealing with conflicts.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has been plagued by a variety of conflicts and
\nsectarian clashes in Aceh, Maluku, Central Sulawesi and Papua
\nprovinces.<\/p>\n
The establishment of Wantanas was reminiscent of a similar
\nbody that existed during the leadership of former president
\nSoeharto. It had a wide-ranging authority, including the scrutiny
\nof ordinary people in the name of security.<\/p>\n
Susilo said that although the new council would focus on
\ndomestic security, it would merely assist the president in the
\ndecision-making process regarding security issues.<\/p>\n
\"We need to improve the performance of the board in helping
\nthe president to deal with the internal threat to the country,\"
\nthe minister said.<\/p>\n
Susilo said that the president and vice president would serve
\nas the head and deputy head of the planned security council.<\/p>\n
\"The members will all be drawn from the executive, in
\naccordance with the security law,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The revival of the council would be further discussed by the
\nCabinet before the proposal could be submitted to the House of
\nRepresentatives.<\/p>\n
Earlier, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said that he supported
\nthe government's plan to revive the council as it was needed to
\nhelp resolve prolonged conflicts in the country.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-to-revive-national-defense-council-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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