'TNI led by antireformists'<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The persistence of the Indonesian Military (TNI)'s leaders in
\ndefending a bill that could allow the institution to regain its
\npower reflects their failure to comply with the reform movement,
\nanalysts have concluded.<\/p>\n
Military observer Rizal Sukma of the Centre for Strategic and
\nInternational Studies (CSIS) said on Friday that both the
\ngovernment and the House of Representatives should oppose the
\nbill as it could jeopardize the efforts to uphold democracy and
\ncivil society.<\/p>\n
He also asked the public to learn from the past, when the
\nmilitary had abused the power awarded by the state, without any
\ncontrol being exercised by civilians.<\/p>\n
"There are two critical points that determine whether or not
\nthe military complies with the reform process, namely their
\nacceptance of civilian supremacy and civilian control," Rizal
\ntold The Jakarta Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
He was commenting on remarks by TNI commander Gen. Endriartono
\nSutarto, who said on Thursday that an armed forces' commander
\ncould deploy troops in an emergency without having to seek
\napproval from the president. He contended that this power was
\nnecessary should the president, vice president or a triumvirate
\nof the home minister, foreign minister and defense minister not
\nbe available.<\/p>\n
Last week, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu had
\nasked for more power in the handling of domestic security. He
\nvoiced his request after meeting with 250 active and retired
\nsenior Army officers.<\/p>\n
People's Consultative Assembly Decree No. 7\/2000 stipulates
\nthat the TNI serves as a defense force, while internal security
\nis the responsibility of the National Police.<\/p>\n
Separately, Mochtar Pabottingi of the National Institute of
\nSciences (LIPI) called on the public to reject the military bill.<\/p>\n
"The institution has lost its credibility. For many years it
\ncreated conflict across the nation in a bid to serve the
\nauthoritarian regime of the New Order," he said.<\/p>\n
"The military could no longer claim to be the guardian of the
\nstate because it was responsible for almost all of the
\ndisturbances in the country. The reform era demanded that the
\nmilitary change, but it has failed to do so," Mochtar told the
\nPost.<\/p>\n
Many believe that the Army is playing a prominent role in the
\npromotion of the controversial military bill. Article 19 of the
\nbill gives authority to the TNI commander to deploy troops to
\nstrife-torn regions without the prior approval of the president.
\nThe TNI would only have to report to the president within 24
\nhours after such a deployment.<\/p>\n
Legislator Hajriyanto Y. Tohari joined the chorus of criticism
\nagainst the controversial article.<\/p>\n
"A decision to declare a state of emergency is very
\nsubjective. It depends on various interests. Therefore, it must
\nbe the president who holds the power to declare a state of
\nemergency after consulting with the House," he said.<\/p>\n
"The involvement of the president and the House will improve
\nthe checks and balances mechanism."<\/p>\n
Hajriyanto likened the declaration of an emergency to the
\nappointment of a TNI chief or the issuance of a government
\nregulation in lieu of law, both of which required the approval of
\nthe House.<\/p>\n
Responding to a promise by Endriartono that the military would
\nnot abuse its power, Hajriyanto simply said: "That's only a
\npromise".<\/p>\n
Bowing to the intense opposition to the controversial bill,
\nEndriartono said that there was always the possibility that it
\ncould be revised during its deliberation by legislators.<\/p>\n
"Specific details and arrangements to ensure that the TNI will
\nnot abuse its powers can be set out and determined during the
\ndeliberations," said Endriartono after receiving the Bintang Jasa
\nUtama award from President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the Merdeka
\nPalace on Friday.<\/p>\n
He underlined that the main objective of the bill was to set
\nup rules for the TNI in the exercise of its role as a defense
\nforce.<\/p>\n
A similar view was expressed by National Intelligence Agency
\n(BIN) director Hendropriyono, who said that the bill was subject
\nto amendment. Hendropriyono is a retired lieutenant general, who
\nspent most of his military service in the Army's Special Forces
\n(Kopassus).<\/p>\n
"We are not forcing things so that the bill must be approved
\nas it is. Further discussion is required before its deliberation
\nin the House," said Hendropriyono to the press.<\/p>\n
Rizal nevertheless said that even if the military was ready to
\nrevise the offending article, "we should not forget that the
\nmilitary has once again tried to regain its dangerous powers".<\/p>",
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