'ABRI not likely to be restructured soon'

'ABRI not likely to be restructured soon'

JAKARTA (JP): An Australian observer has expressed doubt that
the Indonesian military could within a year be restructured as
forces designed only for external security, as chief intelligence
officer Lt. Gen. (ret) Z.A. Maulani claimed was being planned.

Antara quoted Marcus Mietzner of the Australian National
University as saying here Wednesday that he was confident that
the Armed Forces (ABRI), in view of its current position, would
not undertake such a radical change.

Mietzner, a doctorate candidate studying the relations between
the military and the Muslim community, said, "Political reality
forbids ABRI from radically withdrawing from its political
involvement."

"ABRI is still very strong politically, while the civilians
are not in the position to bargain," he said. Moreover, he
insisted, "The leadership has implied the military would
undertake a gradual change and reform its institutions."

Chief of the State Intelligence Coordinating Board (Bakin)
Maulani made mention on Monday in Aceh of a plan to transform
ABRI into APRI, which is an acronym for forces trained for war.
By then, internal security affairs would be police affairs, while
the military would only protect the nation from external threats.

He also spoke of the need for overall change affecting not
only the institutional organization but also the education system
of the armed forces, its doctrines, training regime and salaries.

The position of the territorial affairs assistant, currently
held by Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, for instance, would be
abolished, Maulani revealed.

Maulani argued that the bottom line of the proposed changes
was to limit the power given to high ranking officers. "The
greater the power, the greater the effects of corruption," he
said.

He spoke of how the power of the government and military needs
to be controlled through a check and balance mechanism so as to
avoid a repetition of past atrocities.

Mietzner said the proposal, however, was much too radical for
ABRI as it would need to be absolutely ready and willing to pull
out of politics.

"The impact of such change, if there were any, would be
tremendous, namely the abolition of institutions such as regional
military commands... something which is obviously very
difficult," he said.

Even if Maulani's projection materialized, he said, it would
take the Armed Forces at least five years to effect.

Susilo separately said the military would treat Maulani's
statements as suggestions that deserved to be taken into
consideration.

"The Armed Forces headquarters would process those
suggestions," he was quoted by Antara. "However, it is too early
for us to say whether ABRI might really be changed into APRI."

However, "The Minister of Defense/ABRI Commander Gen. Wiranto
has said that in the reform affecting the military, its
doctrines, structures, education system and training would be
reexamined," he said.

Separately on Wednesday, Wiranto attended a ceremony where 67
high-ranking officers reported their promotion. The officers
included Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Widodo A.S., Air Force Chief
of Staff Marshal Hanafie Asnan, and National Police Chief Gen.
Roesmanhadi.

Wiranto said these promotions were the government's token of
appreciation of the dedication and loyalty of the soldiers. "This
promotion is a recognition of your performance, which should be
followed by a synergy of potential and intelligence on your
part," he said.

The other high ranking officers are Lt. Gen. Agus Widjaja who
is head of the ABRI Command School, Lt. Gen. A. Roestandi who is
chief of the ABRI legislature faction at the House of
Representatives, Maj. Gen. Johny P. Mandas, Maj. Gen. M. Mudakir,
Maj. Gen. Slamet Supriyadi, Maj. Gen. F.X. Suprono, and Maj. Gen.
Djoko Besariman.

The other officers are Maj. Gen. Zainuri Hasyim, who is the
chief of Tanjungpura Regional Military Command, Maj. Gen. A.R.
Gaffar who is the chief of Bukit Barisan Regional Military
Command, and Maj. Gen. Bibit Waluyo who is the chief of the
Diponegoro Regional Military Command. (swe/rms)