ABRI must regain spirit of solidarity
ABRI must regain spirit of solidarity
YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) must get back the spirit of solidarity it once had with the people back in 1949, when ABRI repelled Dutch military forces, P.J. Suwarno said yesterday.
The historian suggested that today's 47th commemoration of the March 1 attack is a good time for ABRI to reflect on whether or not its commitment to defend the common people is still as strong and unflinching.
The history lecture at Sanata Dharma Catholic University said that past ABRI-civilian relations were built on "genuine love and solidarity" for a common goal: defending independence.
"Are present-day ABRI members who have enjoyed respectable positions in the bureaucracy and in society still in touch with the war time solidarity with the ordinary people?" said Suwarno, who is also known as a political columnist.
"If they are, they should dedicate themselves to the interests of the people who would have sacrificed anything to make the struggle for independence a success."
ABRI members, he said, should not even think of siding with a particular group or turn their back on others.
Under the Dwi Fungsi (or Dual Function) doctrine, the military is regarded as a political force as well as a defense force. While it has taken many political initiatives in the last 30 years, the military has eased its grip on national politics and allowed civilian forces to take the leading role.
Suwarno said ABRI should also use its influence and power to ensure that there is economic democracy in Indonesia and that every citizen has an equal opportunity to do business.
If they do retain the March 1, 1949 spirit, the military officers will not allow an economic structure that benefits only a certain group of people, he said.
"ABRI nowadays should also combat injustices," he said, stressing that the wealth gap in Indonesia remains large.
There are also injustices in the political field, he said, with the government favoring Golkar over the other two minority parties.
In terms of security, the Indonesian people are free of external threats, but they regard law enforcement as poor, he said, adding that the oppressed generally tend to lose their legal battles against the powerful.
"If ABRI keeps the 1949 spirit, change for the better will eventually come," he said.
Another historian from Gadjah Mada University, Djoko Suryo, said the anniversary should inspire ABRI and the public to revitalize solidarity.
"They should renew their commitment to working for the welfare of the nation," he said.
President Soeharto is one of the young soldiers who survived in the raid on March 1, 1949.
The event was a major turning point in the independence struggle as it proved to the world that the young republican army had the capability to strike back at the more powerful Dutch army. (pan)