TNI at 54<\/p>\n
It was a fitting sign of the times as much a token of good
\njudgment on the part of the Indonesian Military (TNI) that it
\nchose to celebrate the 54th anniversary of its formation on
\nTuesday in a relatively low-key manner.<\/p>\n
Following tradition, President B.J. Habibie presided over the
\nceremony, which was attended by a range of the country's leaders
\nand famous figures. Patriotic songs were sung and military bands
\nperformed as troops paraded before the grandstand.<\/p>\n
However, much of the pompous show of military force that
\nhighlighted the anniversary during the Soeharto era was absent.
\nIn fact, celebrations this year were shadowed in a number of
\nregions by the specter of death and discord.<\/p>\n
In the eastern province of Maluku, for example, local military
\ncommander Army Brig. Gen. Max Tamaela spent a good deal of the
\nday ensuring two of his men who died recently while attempting to
\nintervene in sectarian clashes received a proper military send
\noff for their burials.<\/p>\n
Reports of deadly clashes between insurgents and the military
\nin Aceh continue to make headlines, and in Jakarta, Bandung,
\nSemarang, Banda Aceh and a number of other cities, students
\nstaged demonstrations to demand an end to the military's
\ndwifungsi, or dual military and sociopolitical role.<\/p>\n
The most formidable political force in Indonesia until a
\nlittle less than two years ago, the TNI's prestige is at its
\nnadir as it marks its 54th anniversary. It is befitting to ask
\nwhat was behind this sudden decline in the Indonesian Military's
\nfortunes. Given the revelations since Soeharto's downfall in May
\n1998, the answer to this question seems obvious.<\/p>\n
From the violent takeover of the Jakarta headquarters of the
\ndissenting Indonesian Democratic Party in 1997 and the abduction
\nof political activists in the months that followed, to the May
\n1998 riots that devastated parts of Jakarta and the fatal
\nshootings of protesters, a trail of circumstantial evidence
\nimplicates elements of the military in many of the outbursts of
\nviolence and human rights abuses the country has been subject to
\nover the past few years.<\/p>\n
The government's -- including the military leadership --
\ninability or unwillingness to resolve even one of these human
\ntragedies to the public's satisfaction has not helped restore
\npublic confidence in the armed forces. The inevitable conclusion
\nthe public draws from this is that the so-called dwifungsi
\ndoctrine, which allows the military to take on a dual role in
\nsocial and political affairs as well as security and defense, is
\nat the heart of the problem.<\/p>\n
Even top military leaders agree with this conclusion. However,
\nnot all agree on what should be done to correct the problem.
\nAbdul Haris Nasution, a highly respected former Army general who
\nis now in his 70s, believes that under Soeharto's New Order
\nregime the dwifungsi doctrine was abused. He maintains that
\nwhile correction is necessary, the doctrine itself should be
\nmaintained.<\/p>\n
Others, particularly younger Indonesians and the majority of
\nstudents and intellectuals, however, believe allowing soldiers to
\nrun the country is wrong and detrimental to the growth of
\ndemocracy. Soldiers, they argue, as killers by training, will
\neasily be tempted to use this training in politics, rather than
\nresolving conflicts through compromise and negotiation.<\/p>\n
What this amounts to is a general belief among Indonesians
\nthat the dwifungsi doctrine provides the military with more power
\nthan is good for it.<\/p>\n
Hopefully, as it enters the 55th year of its existence, TNI
\nwill be able to learn from past mistakes. A positive first step
\nin this direction would be to listen, really listen, to the
\ncriticism which is presently being leveled at it. What Indonesia
\nneeds is a strong and professional military that can effectively
\nuse its strength and professionalism to defend the people against
\nforeign enemies, while allowing civilians to run the country.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tni-at-54-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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