No more compromises<\/p>\n
One of the most contentious and divisive issues debated at the
\nongoing Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR) is the future of the sociopolitical role of the Armed
\nForces (ABRI). Questions are being raised in various quarters on
\nwhether this role is defensible and relevant in a democratic
\nIndonesia. More precisely, the debate focuses on the tradition of
\nallocating seats in the House of Representatives (DPR) to ABRI
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
The military's sociopolitical role stems from the \"dual
\nfunction\" doctrine, accorded legitimacy during the heyday of the
\nNew Order regime of Soeharto, himself a former Army general.
\nUnder this doctrine, ABRI was recognized not only as a defense
\nand security force, but also as a sociopolitical one. Few people
\nwere willing to openly question ABRI's right to play politics.<\/p>\n
Most accepted the argument that it was ABRI's historic
\nentitlement in recognition of its services to the nation, from
\nthe independence struggle to maintenance of national security
\nthrough many difficult times in Indonesia's history. The DPR
\nseats were allocated in exchange for ABRI members waiving their
\nright to vote in general elections.<\/p>\n
With Soeharto out of the picture, it is only natural that the
\nnation is now striving to dismantle the repressive political
\nsystem that the autocratic ruler built. This includes calls to
\nreview ABRI's political role, seen by critics as part and parcel
\nof the New Order regime. It is widely acknowledged, even by the
\ncurrent military leadership, that ABRI was used as a tool to prop
\nup Soeharto for over three decades.<\/p>\n
In an attempt to restore its tarnished image, ABRI has agreed
\nto scale down its sociopolitical role. On Monday, ABRI Commander
\nGen. Wiranto announced that he was scrapping the strategic
\nsociopolitical chief post in ABRI headquarters, and would require
\nall ABRI personnel to retire from the service if they wished to
\nserve in nonmilitary posts. ABRI has also agreed to reduce the
\nnumber of its 75 representatives in the DPR, but has left it to
\nthe DPR, which is deliberating the new political bills, to
\ndetermine the precise number. ABRI's latest position, as stated
\nby Lt. Gen. Soesilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the chief of its faction
\nin the MPR, is that the military is now prepared to see a gradual
\nelimination of its presence in the DPR.<\/p>\n
While these are major concessions on ABRI's part, they are not
\nenough. The strongest objection to ABRI's sociopolitical role is
\nnot solely based on the history of abuse of that role, but more
\nby the fact that it is inconsistent with the principles of
\ndemocracy. ABRI's presence defies the very definition of the DPR,
\nliterally \"the council of people's representatives\". With its 75
\nseats factored into the total population, ABRI's 450,000
\npersonnel are grossly overrepresented in the House. Each of the
\nother seats in the 500-strong legislature represents between
\n500,000 and 600,000 members of the population. If we apply the
\nlaw of proportionality, ABRI should be entitled to one seat at
\nthe most.<\/p>\n
This imbalance in political representation will be even more
\nstrongly felt as Indonesia moves to a multiparty political
\nsystem, with more than 80 parties vying to contest the 1999
\ngeneral election. In such a system, every seat will be fiercely
\ncontested.<\/p>\n
Many of those who wanted to see a gradual elimination of ABRI
\nseats in the DPR erroneously argued that it would be more
\ndangerous to keep ABRI out of the political system than within.
\nThis line of argument not only denigrates ABRI's commitment to
\nthe nation, but underestimates the power of democracy, and of the
\nconcept of people's sovereignty, in preventing autocratic rules.<\/p>\n
Given that it was the MPR which had given legitimacy to ABRI's
\ndual-function in the first place, the current MPR Special Session
\nwould go a long way in helping shape democracy by coming up with
\na statement to withdraw that arrangement.<\/p>\n
Politics may be the art of compromise, but democratic
\nprinciples, such as the politics of representation, are
\nnonnegotiable. We have compromised on democracy for far too long
\nby allowing ABRI to dominate the political scene. Now is as good
\na time as ever to end the military sociopolitical role once and
\nfor all, and put our nation on the path toward real democracy.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-more-compromises-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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