Seats for ABRI in the legislature?<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) has been carrying out the
\nhistorical role of guarding the constitutional Indonesian state
\nfor more than 50 years. During this service, ABRI developed its
\n(dual function) doctrine, which, though not unique, may be called
\ndistinctive. ABRI has provided justifications and assumed a
\nsociopolitical function.<\/p>\n
Many countries in Latin America and Africa, as well as a
\nnumber of countries in Asia have also assigned a sociopolitical
\nrole to their armed forces. Each country has its own
\njustification for doing so. However, with the progress of
\nmodernization and socioeconomic conditions, those countries have,
\none after another, gradually willingly relaxed, and eventually
\nabandoned, the political role of their armed forces. Chile,
\nArgentina, Mexico, in the past, Brazil and some other banana
\nrepublics have abandoned that system and learned to live more
\ndemocratically, conforming to universally accepted norms of
\nconstitutional life.<\/p>\n
This repudiation of the military's dominant political role
\nnormally occurred after the armed forces showed a willingness to
\nlearn from the excesses that arose from the actual execution of
\nits sociopolitical role. In those countries, the disadvantages
\ninvolved proved to be greater than the benefits. Human rights
\nviolations committed by security officers tarnished the dignity
\nand the good standing of soldiers who merely followed orders
\nunder strict military discipline. As it often turned out, orders
\nwere frequently carried out with excessive brutality.<\/p>\n
It has been said that this dwifungsi (dual function) concept
\nwas born because ABRI could no longer tolerate the endless
\npolitical bickering and the disarray that this caused here. In
\nthe 1980s, the ABRI leadership said it would go \"back to basics\",
\nwhich gave the impression that it felt that ABRI's expanding
\n(sociopolitical) role over the past 20 years since its inception
\nwas impairing the military's function as guardian of the people.<\/p>\n
Now, in this era of reformation, the people are justified in
\nexpecting that their guardian will be disposed enough to ask: Is
\nit necessary for ABRI to insist on getting 50 seats in the House
\nof Representatives?<\/p>\n
-- Republika, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/seats-for-abri-in-the-legislature-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }