ABRI must become introspective

ABRI must become introspective

From Neraca

The sociopolitical role played by the Armed Forces (ABRI) has
until now legitimized its intervention in all areas of civil
life, such as education, the economy, labor, journalism,
politics, arts and culture.

In playing this sociopolitical role, ABRI has watched over the
power held by Soeharto and his cronies and in return has been
given a politically important place in the New Order regime.

Despite its statement that it is one with the people, ABRI, in
reality, has never sided with the people. It has always pledged
allegiance to national interests, which are usually narrowly
interpreted as the interests of the Soeharto regime.

The result is that the regime, made up of Soeharto, ABRI and
the ruling Functional Group (Golkar), has conspired to bring
untold sufferings to the Indonesian people over the last 30
years.

The annals of Indonesian history have recorded the
unforgettable militarism that developed out of the sociopolitical
role played by ABRI, such as the presence of regiments of
students with military training in universities, the assumption
of bureaucratic positions by military personnel in active
service, active involvement in business affairs and, finally, the
bloody shooting incident at Trisakti University in May 1998.

Unfortunately, the statements made recently by the ABRI
leadership have served only to prove that ABRI has continued to
see this dual function problem as separate from the reality that
for over three decades the Indonesian people suffered under the
Soeharto regime. The various forms of opposition recently
demonstrated by the people and university students are only the
manifestation of accumulated pain and suffering.

It really hurts, therefore, to hear certain quarters level
their accusations that this popular opposition is only waged by a
bunch of anarchists, a group of people that must be wiped out.

Experience has shown that during the New Order regime, the
sociopolitical role played by ABRI only shackled and suppressed
popular democracy, a factor vital to the sociopolitical democracy
of a civil society. During the New Order regime, the civil
society lost its dynamism and became apathetic, with the result
that people were inclined to resort to violence when facing
social problems.

Therefore, to restore democracy and popular sovereignty to the
civil society, it is necessary to minimize militarism in
Indonesia. As taxpayers, the people reserve the right to
determine the role to be played by ABRI and also tell them where
the bullets must be fired.

On the other hand, ABRI cannot only blame Soeharto for the bad
condition the country is in now. ABRI must also be brave enough
to share the blame. It is not enough for ABRI only to say that it
is sorry and then change the paradigm of its sociopolitical role.
If ABRI is ready to engage in introspection, then it will realize
that the best thing for it to do is to return to its basic
position as forces to defend and protect the country.

M. GDE SIRIAN YUSUF

Jakarta