Militias promote militaristic culture, analysts say<\/p>\n
Muhammad Nafik and Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Militaristic culture remains strong among Indonesians with the
\nreemergence of many civilian paramilitary groups due partly to
\nthe security authorities' failure to do their jobs, analysts say.<\/p>\n
Unemployment and other economic problems were other factors
\ncontributing to the cultivation of the culture, they told The
\nJakarta Post separately on Monday.<\/p>\n
Support from police, the military and political leaders was
\nalso an important role in the presence of military-style
\norganizations, they said.<\/p>\n
University of Indonesia sociologist Iman Prasojo said that
\nunlike in many other nations, the militaristic culture here
\ntended to be violent, as it did not use the law as its key
\nreference.<\/p>\n
\"In Indonesia, (militias) use physical strength rather than
\npower or argument to achieve their political goals. It is because
\ndemocracy here still contains irrational attachments,\" Prasojo
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said the fact the military remained a symbol of power,
\nwealth and status, even after President Soeharto stepped down
\nfrom power, also helped foster the militaristic culture in
\nsociety.<\/p>\n
There are many extremist organizations and other paramilitary
\ngroups affiliated to political parties and religions, which
\nexperts here say should disband as they threaten Indonesia's
\ndemocracy.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto made
\na forceful call for the dissolution of these military-style
\ngroups after the paramilitary wing of the militant Islam
\nDefenders Front (FPI) froze its operations last week.<\/p>\n
Another hard-line group, Laskar Jihad, voluntarily dissolved
\nitself three days after the Oct. 12 terrorist bombings on the
\nresort island of Bali.<\/p>\n
Regardless of its usefulness for the general public, the
\npresence of civilian paramilitary groups is considered effective
\nby their members and sponsors to protect and secure their
\ninterests.<\/p>\n
\"The problem is that if we maintain such a militaristic
\nculture, our people could become thugs and there will be more
\norganized groups using violence as a tool to force their own
\nwill,\" Prasojo said.<\/p>\n
Sociologist Tamrin Amal Tomagola, also from the University of
\nIndonesia, said the current lawlessness in Indonesia had forced
\ngroups within the community to create their own security and
\nprotection systems.<\/p>\n
\"They feel insecure because the security authorities do not do
\ntheir jobs adequately,\" he said. \"Traditional institutions to
\ndeal with communal conflicts are also ineffective.\"<\/p>\n
Tamrin said unemployment had also encouraged jobless youths to
\nhelp promote the pervasive militaristic culture by joining
\nmilitia gangs in the hope of surviving the prolonged economic
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
\"Muslim extremists, frustrated by their oppression by the New
\nOrder regime, have vented their frustration in an uncontrolled
\nmanner in this reform era, resorting to violence,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Prasojo and Tamrin said Indonesia must address the roots of
\nthe problem in order to eliminate the unhealthy culture.<\/p>\n
Similarly, sociologist Soeprapto of Yogyakarta-based Gadjah
\nMada University said the collapse of Soeharto's oppressive regime
\nhelped bolster the emergence of paramilitary groups.<\/p>\n
With the weakening pressure and law enforcement from the
\nauthorities, however, they had become violent, he added.<\/p>\n
He said military-style groups basically emerged as a self-
\ndefense mechanism of community members mostly due to feelings of
\ninsecurity.<\/p>\n
\"They feel insecure, so they form their own 'security
\nforce' ... that is supposed to protect them from external
\nthreats,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, he said the presence of these groups, usually
\ninvolving laymen, often created what is called a vertical
\nmobilization, which could lead to an abuse of power.<\/p>\n
\"As a result, they (members) often act beyond their area of
\nduty or responsibility or even beyond what police are allowed to
\ndo,\" Soeprapto said, adding it was a common phenomenon happening
\nto someone having a new status within society.<\/p>\n
\"The new status (as members of a paramilitary group) gives
\nthem courage to act so,\" he asserted.<\/p>",
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