A future, reliable TNI under civilian control

A future, reliable TNI under civilian control
or
The future TNI, a responsive, capable armed forces

Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo
Former Governor
National Resilience Institute
(Lemhanas)
Jakarta

Every year on Oct. 5 the Indonesian Military (TNI) celebrates
its anniversary. It was 58 years ago that Indonesia developed its
national armed forces from the existing People's Security Agency
(BKR). The first name of the armed forces was the Tentara
Keamanan Rakyat (People's Armed Security Forces), later changed
to the Tentara Keselamatan Rakyat (People's Armed Forces for
Safety) and then later the Tentara Republik Indonesia (the
Republic of Indonesia Military).

The latest name change back to the TNI (after the name ABRI or
the Indonesian Armed Forces was used from 1964 to 1999) was made
to stress that the armed forces represented the people's struggle
against colonialism. This change included the integration of all
the armed organizations formed by the people since the
proclamation of independence in 1945, like the Barisan
Pemberontakan Rakyat Indonesia (Indonesian People's Front for
Struggle) and others.

The TNI is therefore an armed forces that from the start
defended national sovereignty and integrity against all foreign
intrusions, but at the same time always had the people's
interests and aspirations at heart.

Independence fighters of the 1945 generation share the
conviction that the TNI was more a result of the determined
people's struggle against the forces of colonialism who intended
to return to Indonesia after the end of World War II in 1945,
rather than a formal government action to provide the new
republic with an official armed forces.

This could explain why among most of the 1945 Independence
fighters the TNI is not just an organization for national defense
but more so an organization to defend and promote the people's
aspirations and interests as formulated in the 1945 Constitution.

This character of the TNI can be considered unique compared to
armed forces in other nations. It was also this characteristic
that made possible a continuing struggle against the Dutch when
in December 1948, the Dutch military forces imprisoned then
president Sukarno and vice president Mohammad Hatta and the whole
cabinet after the occupation of Yogyakarta by the Dutch forces.

Other armed forces might have ended their struggle when their
government ceased to function. But that was not the TNI attitude
and with the leadership of then commander Gen. Sudirman, the TNI
and the people continued the struggle until the Dutch recognized
the sovereignty and independence of Indonesia in December 1949.

Now we are in 2003 and the TNI faces an entirely different
situation in Indonesia and global environment. Nobody doubts that
in the past the TNI made very important contributions to the
Republic as well as to the life of many in Indonesia. Without
these contributions it is highly questionable whether the
Republic would still exist today.

However the TNI also made some big mistakes that darkened its
former reputation as the people's armed forces. This is one of
the main reasons why the TNI since 1998 has become a target of
strong criticism by many people.

It is important today that the TNI is now willing and able to
look ahead while still implementing its basic function as the
defender of the Republic and its people.

First, the TNI must be able to put itself in the right
position within a democratic political system. As defender of
Pancasila, the nation's state philosophy, the TNI must defend
democracy as one of Pancasila's values. The right position for
the TNI is to place itself fully under the control of the
government which by implication cannot be anything else other
than civilian control.

Second, the TNI must improve its capability as a defense
organization to be able to always secure the national interests
and sovereignty. It means that the TNI should pursue the highest
possible professionalism as a military establishment, making use
of the many developments in science and technology, including all
the weapons systems development in the dynamic global
environment.

It is the obligation of every Indonesian government to provide
the TNI with the maximum possibility to become a highly
dependable defense organization with capabilities complementing
each other at sea, on land and in the air. The Republic as an
archipelagic state depends very much for its sovereignty and the
achievement of prosperity on a highly dependable and professional
TNI that can match other armed forces in the world.

Third, the TNI should always maintain a close relationship
with the people as the main strength of its defense obligations.
Being a highly professional military armed forces must not
prevent the TNI from being close to the people.

It is not an easy task for the government as well as for the
TNI to realize these objectives. Political, economic and other
factors do not always support these endeavors. Nevertheless, the
people will always look forward to a strong and dependable TNI
that they can trust to represent them and defend their interests.
Let that motivate the TNI leadership in achieving its objectives.