ABRI yet to prove 'its reform is beyond rhetoric'

DEPOK, West Java (JP): Political science lecturers at the University of Indonesia are so far not convinced that the Armed Forces' reform promises are anything more than rhetoric.

They accused the Armed Forces (ABRI) of being "half-hearted" in its reform drive since its commander, Minister of Defense and Security Gen. Wiranto, announced their intentions last year.

Maswadi Rauf, a lecturer in the university team presenting its political analysis and predictions, said, "ABRI's half-hearted stance is evident in the still unresolved rights abuses cases. Of course, any investigation of the cases would touch on the Armed Forces' many interests."

"The Armed Forces' intentions in Aceh, Irian Jaya and East Timor are clear. They are guarding over areas which are strategic for economic or political reasons," Maswadi said.

Investigation into cases "would not touch the center of power," the team said, citing the ongoing trial of members of the Armed Forces special forces on charges of abduction of activists.

Critics say the trial is a farce as the prosecution said the one defendant, a mayor, acted on his own initiative.

ABRI's reform which was supposedly intended to disassociate itself from politics "has been rhetorical rather than practical," Valina Singka Subekti, director of political studies at the school said. The team added that, gauged by its actions, the Armed Forces was still attempting "to maintain the status quo."

At the ABRI headquarters on Friday, Wiranto said that the model for a reformed Armed Forces "needs further study... to enable it to respond to the nation's future."

He was addressing a ceremony to transfer the post of the head of the Armed Forces Command School from Lt. Gen. Johny J. Lumintang to Maj. Gen. Agus Widjojo.

On ABRI's inconsistency, the university team cited the comments of chief of territorial affairs Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who said ABRI members who wished to hold civilian positions, such as those in the government or legislature, would now have to let go of their military membership. This was yet to be seen in reality, the team said.

Also cited was ABRI's reluctance to give up its 55 seats in the legislature. "If they insist on maintaining their present status, conflicts between civilians and the military will be unavoidable," Valina said.

The team noted that reshuffles in the Armed Forces would continue, to clean ABRI of "indisciplinary" members. Frictions in ABRI have suspected to be reflected in several riots and student shootings since last year, the team said.

It was important to ABRI "that the elected president would be one who supports the military's continued role in political decision making," the team said.

If ABRI felt threatened, Maswadi said it would be in their interest to nominate Wiranto as president. "But this would depend on bargaining with other forces such as Golkar, who will nominate Akbar Tandjung, (President) B.J. Habibie himself and Islamic groups."

Separately J.B. Kristiadi, from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said "there is a leadership crisis in ABRI and this explains why there were so many cases of past human rights abuses which still have not been uncovered." (edt/byg)