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