'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)