Tyasno defends TNI's territorial role<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto warned
\non Monday that the proposal to abolish regional military commands
\nwould severely undermine Indonesia's ability to defend against
\nforeign aggression and internal disturbances.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia will not be able to face internal and external
\nthreats if the entire regional command structures are phased
\nout,\" Tyasno said.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the debate about the Indonesian Military's (TNI)
\nterritorial function, he blamed the unpopularity of Kodam, Korem,
\nKodim and Koramil (the commands at provincial, regency, district
\nand subdistrict levels) on past practices.<\/p>\n
The public still confused the military's territorial function
\nwith its sociopolitical role, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The territorial function is still relevant in defending the
\ncountry. We have now left political affairs behind,\" he said,
\nadding that TNI would be neutral in politics.<\/p>\n
He said TNI was currently undergoing internal reforms and
\nhoped this would be reflected by the public's increasing
\nacceptance of its territorial functions, especially in rural
\nareas.<\/p>\n
Maj. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah, chief of the Wirabuana
\nregional command overseeing Sulawesi, sparked a public debate
\nabout TNI's territorial role last week when he called for the
\nabolition of most of the lower level commands.<\/p>\n
Agus, a vocal and almost lone voice in the military calling
\nfor a swift end to the military's political role, also suggested
\ncuts in the number of Kodam to eight.<\/p>\n
His proposal is at odds with TNI's current plan to bolster the
\nsize of Kodams from 11 to 17 as disclosed by TNI chief spokesman
\nMaj. Gen. Sudradjat.<\/p>\n
Tyasno agreed that Koramil and Babinsa, the non-commissioned
\nofficers assigned to villages, should be abolished in urban areas
\nwhere people were relatively more educated, but he argued for
\ntheir retention in rural and remote areas as part of the national
\ndefense system.<\/p>\n
\"TNI's territorial function should remain urgent and relevant
\nin areas like Aceh, Ambon and Irian Jaya which are prone to
\nsecurity disturbances,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Tyasno, however, did not rule out changing the Army's command
\nstructures, saying that the military's defense doctrines were
\nflexible and open to changes in accordance with modernity.<\/p>\n
TNI would also develop military commands in line with
\ngeographic and cultural conditions in the provinces, he said.<\/p>\n
The commands in Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan would be adjusted
\nto the local geographic and cultural conditions, he said. \"For
\nexample, the military will adopt the Aceh, Batak and Minangkabau
\nconcepts of defense. On transportation facilities, the commands
\nin Java will need more trucks, while those in Kalimantan will
\nneed more speedboats and air transportation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, former Army chief of staff Gen. (ret.) Rudini said
\non Monday that the military doctrines should be reviewed before
\nTNI could phase out its military command structures.<\/p>\n
TNI's territorial function had been developed along the lines
\nof Indonesia's \"total people defense concept\", he recalled.<\/p>\n
\"In normal peace time, the military is responsible for the
\ncountry's defense. The military's territorial function becomes
\nparticularly critical in times of war because, based on the
\ndefense doctrine, the entire potential of the nation, including
\nthe people, must be involved,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Rudini played down the public row between Agus and Sudradjat,
\nsaying differences of opinion were normal among the military
\nleaders.<\/p>\n
Salim Said, a military observer, said the people have had a
\ntraumatic experience with the military's territorial commands.<\/p>\n
\"These powerful commands acted more as espionage institutions
\nin the past,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives should amend the 1982 Law on the
\nNational Defense System to bring it more up to date with the
\npresent era of reform, he said. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tyasno-defends-tnis-territorial-role-1447893297",
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