ABRI-civilian dichotomy must end, say observers

ABRI-civilian dichotomy must end, say observers

JAKARTA (JP): Observers called yesterday for an end to debates
on whether the military was better able to lead the country than
civilians, saying that the country had more important issues to
discuss.

The observers also expressed concern that the debates would
end up pitting civilians against the Armed Forces (ABRI) and
would cause a setback in political development.

Former vice president Sudharmono said it was unnecessary to
get involved in the controversy that developed following a recent
suggestion that only the military had qualified presidential
candidates.

"We should not argue about this," he told reporters.

Political observer Roeslan Abdulgani also avoided commenting
on the growing controversy by saying: "The country is safe and is
not in any significant conflict."

Chairman of Indonesia's largest Moslem organization Nahdlatul
Ulama, Abdurrahman Wahid, also said it was not necessary to
discuss whether there was any rivalry between the military and
civilians for the state leadership position.

"Both of those who brought up the issue and those who
responded had their own interests," Abdurrahman said.

Semarang-based political observer Muladi joined the chorus of
those who called for an end to the controversy.

"Both civilians and military members have an equal right and
opportunity to lead the country. Leave the decision to choose the
country's best person to the members of the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR)," said Muladi, who is rector of Diponegoro
University.

Muladi's colleagues, Abdulkadir Badjuri and Nurdien H.K.,
agreed that there was no point in discussing whether the military
was more capable of leading the country than civilians.

In a discussion on civil society here on Monday, political
scientist Juwono Sudarsono, who is deputy governor of the
military think tank the National Resilience Institute, said ABRI
members were better qualified for the presidency and that they
should lead the country for at least another five years.

Democracy

Sudharmono, who is also chairman of a group of advisors to the
President on matters regarding the state ideology Pancasila, said
Indonesians should not become preoccupied with the issue. He
pointed out that the country already had procedures and a
mechanism to elect its president and vice president.

He conceded, however, that everybody had the right to join the
discourse on presidential candidates and elections.

"It shows that democracy has developed well in the country,"
he said.

Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, said there was a
possibility that the remarks, which implied ABRI supremacy over
civilians, was contrived to find out how people would respond to
them and whether the idea was credible.

"I don't care whether candidates are civilians or military
members. The most important thing is that they are qualified,
accepted and recognized by the people," he said.

Despite calling for an end to the debates, Muladi believed
that Juwono's statement posed a challenge to civilians to
introspect whether they had the capability to become the
country's future leaders.

He named some civilians that he believed were capable,
including Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo and State
Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja.

Setback

Moslem scholar Amien Rais of Yogyakarta called Juwono's
statement a shocking and outdated opinion.

"His statement on the dichotomy of ABRI and civilians was a
political setback," said Amien, a lecturer at Gadjah Mada
University's School of Social and Political Sciences.

"He underestimated civilians' capability to lead the country,"
said Amien, who also chairs the 28-million strong Muhammadiyah
Moslem organization.

Amien said first Indonesian president Sukarno, who was a
civilian, had successfully built the country into a strong and
united nation despite shortcomings he had at the end of his term.

On the other hand, he said, President Soeharto, who had a
military background, has also been successful in developing the
country and improving people's welfare.

Amien insisted that the capability of civilians was not
inferior to that of military members.

"If the 600,000 members of ABRI undergo a difficult selection
process to join the corps, so do graduates of prominent
universities like Bandung Institute of Technology, Gadjah Mada
University in Yogyakarta and the University of Indonesia," he
said.

Amien challenged MPR to bring the issue of state leadership
succession up in its next assembly in March.

"Do they have the courage to talk about state leadership
succession?" he asked. (imn/swa/har)