Why a bigger budget<\/p>\n
It would be merely self-evident to say that the scars that
\nmore than thirty years of military-dominated rule have left on
\nthis country run deep among Indonesians. Just how deep they are
\ncan be gauged by the strong opposition that has been voiced in
\nmany quarters of our society against the rather substantial
\nincrease in the government's new security and defense budget.<\/p>\n
The draft, as submitted by President Abdurrahman Wahid to the
\nHouse of Representatives last Thursday, sets aside a sum of Rp
\n10.1 trillion (nearly US$1.4 billion) for defense and security
\nexpenditure spending over the nine-month transitional period from
\nApril 1 to Dec. 31, compared to Rp 12.2 trillion (approximately
\n$1.7 billion) for the previous 12-month period.<\/p>\n
While such an amount may to richer countries look like a
\ntrivial sum for ensuring the security of the nation, here in
\nIndonesia it can easily look like an improper extravaganza amid
\nthe nation's current economic circumstances.<\/p>\n
Aberson Marle Sihaloho, House representative for the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), quite
\naptly expressed the mood that prevails among some Indonesians
\nwith his post-presentation comment that \"the government should
\nconcentrate on improving the people's social welfare instead of
\nspending more money on defense.\"<\/p>\n
This would have been true enough, of course, under ordinary
\ncircumstances. Taking into consideration, however, that the
\nsecurity situation is at present far from ordinary -- and indeed,
\nthat it is threatening Indonesia's very survival as a nation --
\nthe practical wisdom of such a statement can be debated.<\/p>\n
Ever since the fall of the New Order regime of President
\nSoeharto in May 1997, the police and the Indonesian Armed Forces
\n(TNI) have time and again demonstrated their inability to
\neffectively cope with major crises. The continuing unrest and
\nkillings in Aceh and Maluku offer but two of the most dramatic
\nillustrations of this incapability.<\/p>\n
Long outstanding cases of legal and human rights violations
\ncommitted either by the military\/police institution or by rogue
\nmembers in their ranks remain to this day unresolved. In such a
\nsituation, civilian politicians less concerned with the security
\nand well-being of the nation than with the consolidation of their
\nown power are trying to exploit the situation.<\/p>\n
Obviously, there is an urgent need for the government to take
\nsome resolute measures to end the various conflicts and
\nconspiracies that are threatening to tear this nation apart. To
\nbe able to do this, however, it needs to have the machinery to
\nensure that orders are properly and effectively carried out. This
\ncan only mean that professional standards within the police and
\nmilitary must be upgraded, not least regarding their intelligence
\ngathering and processing capabilities so that trouble can be
\ndetected and averted before it has the chance to erupt and
\nspread.<\/p>\n
For these reasons the increased budget allotment to improve
\nthe effectiveness of the police and armed forces is justified,
\nespecially since the Rp 1.2 trillion increase represents a mere
\n10 percent over the previous year's budget -- far less than the
\n62 percent increased proposed several months ago by Minister of
\nDefense Juwono Sudarsono.<\/p>\n
Still, one rather disturbing question remains. Given the
\noverpowering political role which the Indonesian military have
\napportioned to themselves in recent years, isn't there danger for
\nIndonesia's budding democracy in allowing them to rebuild their
\nstrength?<\/p>\n
The obvious answer, unfortunately, is yes, there is. That is
\nwhy the increased funding must also cover education and training
\nto turn the Indonesian national police and military into truly
\ndemocratic law-abiding institutions that are capable of imparting
\na sense of security and well-being among the people -- or, to
\nborrow the newly coined military terminology, to help them
\nreposition themselves in Indonesian society.<\/p>\n
This is the crucial point that must not for a moment be
\noverlooked in defining a new role for the Indonesian national
\npolice and military. But to simply deny them the money they need
\nto become truly effective guardians of the nation's security is
\nto miss the point of the issue.<\/p>",
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