ABRI defends its gradual retreat from politics

ABRI defends its gradual retreat from politics

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) adopted on Thursday a
defensive stance over mounting public calls that it quit politics
as soon as possible, declaring its intention to gradually adjust
its dual-function concept.

ABRI Chief of Territorial Affairs Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono told reporters after addressing the Indonesia Forum
that the country had unique characteristics in political and
military affairs.

"We have our own political system and military concept, which
are different from other countries," he said.

He also pleaded that the nation give the Armed Forces a chance
to help introduce changes in the country's politics.

He was asked to comment on views presented in a discussion by
two foreign military observers -- Harold Crouch of the Australian
National University and Maj. Gen. (ret) Dietrich Genschel of the
German Armed Forces -- during the same conference. Both suggested
ABRI give a clear definition of its political role.

"In Germany, military officers join political parties and also
join in general elections after they end their military service,"
Genschel said.

Crouch supported such a policy, citing that military personnel
in other countries had to end their active service before they
could become active in politics.

Speaking about ways to diminish the military's role in
politics, Susilo said it could not be done solely through a forum
such as the House of Representatives (DPR).

"The deliberations on ABRI's dual function should involve all
members of the nation, not only DPR members," he said, claiming
that this was necessary because the military's role in politics
had long been part of the national consensus.

Susilo, however, said ABRI was already reducing its role in
politics. This did not, however, mean that ABRI would stop caring
about the nation's well-being or would allow Indonesia to go in
the wrong direction, he added.

Earlier in the discussion, Susilo said: "ABRI has learned from
its past mistakes. It has learned that it must prevent any
excessive acts while avoiding taking responsibility for all
aspects of national life."

The question of ABRI in politics was also hotly debated in a
separate session at the conference which featured opposition
figure Amien Rais, U.S. scholar Daniel S. Lev and senior Army
officer Lt. Gen. Luhut Panjaitan.

To great applause from the audience, Lev, of the Seattle-based
University of Washington, argued there would be no true reform in
Indonesia as long as ABRI remained in politics.

ABRI must simply get out of politics, said the 67-year-old
long-time observer of Indonesia politics, adding: "... and this
cannot be done gradually."

Lev said it was the very presence of ABRI in politics that
built the regimes of guided democracy in the 1960s and New Order
over the past 32 years under Soeharto which the nation was
currently trying to reform.

"There will be no reform with ABRI in politics. It's a matter
of principle," Lev said.

He also added ABRI should not be ashamed to "reform itself"
since it was just one of a vast number of institutions "eaten up"
by Soeharto's New Order.

Amien, however, begged to differ in terms of how ABRI should
get out of politics.

Luhut thanked Amien for "defending" ABRI. Luhut, a respected
professional soldier who is the former commander of the Army
Training Center, also pointed out that ABRI had actually reformed
itself through its "redefining and repositioning" of its
political role.

Amien, before getting into his "defense" of ABRI, joked that
Lev did not like the military because "the military is very
disciplined, so when it is given 20 minutes it will be 20
minutes".

Lev had earlier breached his 20-minute presentation time
limit.

Then Amien continued saying: "I'll take the Javanese
perspective..." that ABRI should be removed from politics
gradually.

He said this was the reason why the "Ciganjur Group" gave ABRI
six years to leave the political arena.

Ciganjur refers to a Jakarta subdistrict where Amien met with
popular opposition figure Megawati Soekarnoputri, Yogyakarta
Sultan Hamengkubuwono X and Moslem scholar Abdurrahman Wahid to
form a united stance on political affairs.

Both Amien and Lev, however, agreed ABRI should be given
"compensation" for staying out of politics.

To a participant's comment on raising ABRI salaries as a form
of the compensation, Lev said it was indispensable because under
the New Order regime it had been something that was never
properly addressed and that ABRI members were left to "fend for
themselves".

"And they did," Lev said.

Amien, however, went deeper, saying higher salaries must be
accompanied by "a reconstruction of mentality" so as to avoid
even more corruption.

"High salaries in the finance ministry for instance would
still make the ministry the most corrupt one of all," Amien
charged. (imn/aan/das)