Reform era puts Army in hot water<\/p>\n
By Ridwan M. Sijabat<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Despite some progress in internal reform, the
\nIndonesian Military (TNI), especially the dominant Army, has
\nfailed to impress people due to its involvement in politics, past
\nhuman rights violations and drug abuse and trafficking.<\/p>\n
Since the fall of the authoritarian New Order regime last
\nyear, TNI has adopted a new paradigm to phase out its dual
\nfunction doctrine and instead focus on its main job of defense.<\/p>\n
It raised many eyebrows, however, when it insisted that it be
\nallotted 38 seats at the House of Representatives (DPR). The new
\ngovernment's support for a civil society also met with criticism
\nafter three generals joined President Abdurrahman Wahid's new
\nCabinet.<\/p>\n
The presence of military and police officers and three active
\ngenerals in the legislative body and the present Cabinet
\nrespectively has met opposition and fierce criticism from
\nprodemocracy activists who remain skeptical of the prospects of
\ninternal reform within the military.<\/p>\n
Gen. Wiranto, former TNI commander, was appointed coordinating
\nminister for political affairs and security; Lt. Gen. Agum
\nGumelar was appointed minister of communications; and Lt. Gen.
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono the minister of mining and energy.
\nMinister of Administrative Reforms Freddy Numberi, who is a rear
\nmarshal, is another top government official with a military
\nbackground.<\/p>\n
Military observer Salim Said blames civilians for accepting a
\nweak bargaining position vis-a-vis the military, although
\nbelieves the latter is not as strong as it was in the past.<\/p>\n
"Some progress has been achieved in the military's internal
\nreform: The military exercised its neutrality during the June 7
\ngeneral election, and servicemen have been barred from holding
\ncivilian positions in the bureaucracy and regency and provincial
\nadministrations," he says.<\/p>\n
For the first time ever the TNI top job was not given to an
\nArmy man but instead went to Widodo Adisucipto, a Navy admiral.
\nThe winds of change continued with the appointment of Juwono
\nSudarsono, a professor in politics, as minister of defense, a
\nposition which was also traditionally held by an Army general.<\/p>\n
Many believe Widodo's appointment as TNI chief reflected
\nPresident Abdurrahman's intention to take full advantage of the
\ncountry's geographic condition and marine resources.<\/p>\n
The same position in developed countries, such as the United
\nStates and Australia, is entrusted to a naval officer.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Abdurrahman's choice of Juwono is further evidence
\nthat the reformist government intends to uphold civilian rule.
\nThe President, also a civilian, is of the hypothesis that the
\nreform movement leading to a civil society will be jeopardized if
\nthe military continues to play a dominant role in politics.<\/p>\n
Analysts say Juwono is capable of controlling the military and
\nits repressive approach in overcoming any problems befalling the
\nnation.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's image was badly tarnished in the international
\nforum following the harsh measures TNI took against student
\ndemonstrations in the capital last year, as well as against
\nseparatist movements in East Timor, Irian Jaya and Aceh.<\/p>\n
Atrocities<\/p>\n
Civilian rule immediately plunged the Army, and TNI in
\ngeneral, into hot water for its alleged involvement in the
\nmassive atrocities in East Timor and Aceh. A number of active and
\nretired generals have been questioned over the past human rights
\nabuse cases in the two restive territories.<\/p>\n
Both the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights Mary
\nRobinson and the local Commission on Human Rights Violations in
\nEast Timor have indicated that the Army was involved in the
\nmassive killings after the Aug. 30 self-determination ballot in
\nthe former Portuguese colony.<\/p>\n
The recent recovery of the corpses of three priests and a
\nnumber of East Timorese from a mass grave in Suai and witnesses'
\ntestimonies caused speculation over the possible role the Army
\nplayed in the violence.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of East Timorese are believed to have been killed
\nwhen prointegration militias instigated unrest in the territory
\nfollowing their loss in the ballot.<\/p>\n
The UN Security Council has yet to decide whether the UN Human
\nRights Commissioner should bring the case to the international
\ncourt or leave it to the local commission to bring to trial.<\/p>\n
The local commission has targeted former TNI chief Gen.
\nWiranto, Maj. Gen. Zacky Anwar Makarim, Maj. Gen. Sjafrie
\nSyamsuddin and former Udayana Military commander Maj. Gen. Adam
\nDamiri.<\/p>\n
The government-sanctioned Commission of Inquiry into Human
\nRights Violations (KPP HAM) in East Timor in its midterm report
\nclaimed that, based on preliminary investigation and witnesses
\naccounts, the Indonesian Military was directly or indirectly
\ninvolved in the violence perpetrated by militias.<\/p>\n
Wiranto has argued that violence by militias in East Timor
\nafter the Aug. 30 ballot was an emotional outburst which was
\nneither premeditated nor controllable.<\/p>\n
He contended that the Indonesian Military (TNI) did not plan
\nnor endorse any of the violence that took place.<\/p>\n
"There was no planning process or policy to launch things that
\ncan be classified as war crimes or crimes against humanity,"
\nWiranto said.<\/p>\n
"As an institution, TNI never gave orders to burn cities, kill
\nor create a mass exodus," he added.<\/p>\n
Wiranto, his predecessors and other military top brass also
\nfaced questioning over their roles in crimes against humanity in
\nAceh, this time by the independent Team for the Investigation of
\nHuman Rights Violations in Aceh and the House special commission
\non Aceh.<\/p>\n
There were reports of rampant human rights abuses in the
\nnatural resource-rich province when the military carried out
\noperations to quell a separatist movement between 1988 and 1998.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the military police corps is investigating 11
\nsoldiers for their alleged involvement in the killing of more
\nthan 50 Acehnese at an Islamic boarding school belonging to
\nreligious leader Tengku Bantaqiah in Meulaboh in July.<\/p>\n
Tension gripped the province following a massive rally in the
\nprovincial capital Banda Aceh on Nov. 4, which coincided with the
\nFree Aceh Movement's (GAM) anniversary. Over a million people in
\nthe rally demanded that Jakarta allow the province to conduct a
\nreferendum to determine its future.<\/p>\n
The President, who won international support for a peaceful
\nsettlement to the Aceh problem through dialog, has instructed an
\ninvestigation into military officers, including generals,
\ninvolved in the alleged massive atrocities in the past. But he
\nalso warned of repressive action if the Acehnese, including GAM
\nmembers, tried to break away from the Republic of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Narcotics<\/p>\n
TNI and the National Police have also been criticized for the
\nmany noncommissioned officers and soldiers involved in drug abuse
\nand trafficking.<\/p>\n
Antinarcotic and liquor organizations have voiced skepticism
\nof the military's and police's efforts to fight narcotics, the
\nuse of which has become rife among students.<\/p>\n
The recent arrests of Second Lt. Agus Ishrok, a son of former
\nArmy chief Gen. Subagyo H.S., for possessing four kilograms of
\nshabu-shabu (crystal amphetamine), and of Pvt. Sofyan, a member
\nof the Jakarta military police, for the possession of 90 grams of
\nheroin were the cause of the widespread skepticism.<\/p>\n
New Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto said recently that
\nadministrative punishment had been meted out to a number of
\nmilitary members involved in drug abuse. But whether they will be
\nput on trial remains unclear.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman and the House have called for harsh
\nsentences, including the death penalty, for drug offenders in an
\nattempt to curb trafficking of banned drugs.<\/p>\n
The House also has urged the military and police to bar their
\nmembers from backing gambling and prostitution, entertainment
\nestablishments and nightspots.<\/p>\n
"It is better for the government to raise servicemen's
\nsalaries to prevent them from this sort of moonlighting. Heavier
\npunishments should be imposed on security personnel who are found
\nguilty of consuming banned drugs and trafficking them," J.E.
\nSahetapy, a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan), said. (rms)<\/p>",
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